Obi-Wan’s Chronic Grow

[Obi-Wan]

I’m going into unfamiliar territory by starting from seed on this grow. I’m very comfortable with clones and how they grow but I haven’t started from seed since my first grow a little over a year ago so hopefully I don’t kill these little ladies . I’m going to try to be a little more detailed with this journal than I have in the past. Here goes....

Seeds: Dutch Seed Shop, Chronic
Germinated using the paper towel method on March 8th and placed in Rapid Rooters on March 11th. Sprouted on March 15th.
Flowering Time: 8-9 week’s according to the breeder but I will take them 10-11 week’s, if I don’t kill them first.....
Lights: Apollo 400W MH/HPS Cool Tube
Tent: 3x3
Growing Media: RDWC, 3-5 gallon buckets, 9 gallon total water volume
Reservoir Change: Every 7 days
pH range: 5.7-6.2
Nutrients: Flora Trio, Cal-Mag, Armor Si, Floralicious Plus, Liquid Kool Bloom, Hydroguard, Orca, SLF-100, Microbe Life’s Photosynthesis Plus, Root Dip, Nourish-L, and Vegetable & Fruit Yield Enhancer.

 

[UrbZ]

I'll keep an eye on this one.

 

[Campesino]

The symmetry of seedlings is amusing!
Happy growing!

 

[Obi-Wan]

Day 5 since sprout and these young ladies seem to be off to a good start. I’ve added nutes to the reservoir at 1/4 strength. PPM’s are at 300 and pH is steady at 5.8.

 

[Locrian99]

First grow was clones, 2nd grow from seed. I’m enjoying the growing process from seed so much more. Although I think the genetics you can get from clones may be superior in consistency.

 

[D.A.A.S.69]

Morning Obi-Wan, nice an healthy, I've also got a couple that's 2days old today. I hope mine do as well as yours, mine are autos though, HappyGrowing

 

[Campesino]

Locrian99 ditto to everything you said there

 

[Obi-Wan]

Today is day 10 since sprout. The plant on the right is just about a full node ahead of the plant on the left. Both plants have small roots extending out of the reservoir. I’d say they have another week before the growth really starts to take off.
ppm’s are at 300
pH is 5.7

 

[Obi-Wan]

Day 12 from sprout, roots have now dipped their toes in the reservoirs so I removed the top feed from the net pots. I leave the pump running in my system as it works to slowly circulate the solution between the 3 buckets. I reversed the orientation of the 2 plants so the plant that was on the left is now on the right. I also removed the first node, no sense wasting energy on nodes that I’m going to remove anyway. Which brings me to my training plans, I will be training one using Nebula’s modified manifold technique while the other will topped to leave the 3rd and 4th nodes with each node being topped again. Both techniques require topping twice and will produce 8 main colas while growth and recovery times should be fairly similar. Really just wanting to try both techniques side by side. On a related note the breeder doesn’t recommend topping this strain due to its tendency to produce fewer leaves and 1 large cola, so I’ll get some 1st hand experience to see if their recommendation holds water.
Ppm’s steady at 300
pH steady at 5.7
Reservoir change scheduled for Thursday.

 

[Campesino]

So, you are leaving 1st and 3rd nodes on one and 3rd and 4th nodes on the other? Should be interesting...
Some strains really don't grow horizontally very well. When I got my clones the first time the breeder informed me that GG4 would grow great after topping, but that the skywalker OGs might struggle with redirecting growth into their branches after topping. I found that if I topped after the growth tips were already developed they did fine, but the plant I topped too soon, when it only had small growth tips developing, became stunted badly.
I agree about plucking growth tips that are going to be pruned later anyway. I clip the tips, but leave the leaves as long as they are getting light.

 

[Obi-Wan]

Campesino the first will be a manifold built off the 3rd node using the resulting 1st and 3rd nodes. The other will not be a manifold, I will leave the 3rd and 4th nodes on the main, then top each again.

 

[Campesino]

On the not-manifold, where will you top to on the second topping? the first (second, third?) node on each of the four?

 

[Obi-Wan]

I would prefer to take the 4th leaving the 3rd.

 

[Campesino]

Third seems like a good option - got a good image now of your plan.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes and how they compare!

 

[Obi-Wan]

Day 19 from sprout, both plants were topped on Day 17 and haven’t shown any signs of stress from it. By the looks of things the manifolded plant will receive her final topping this coming Saturday with the other plant most likely 5-7 days behind her.
Ppms at 650
pH is 5.8

 

[D.A.A.S.69]

Hey Obi-Wan, nice clean tent, and some beautiful, healthy looking plants.

 

[Obi-Wan]

Day 26 from sprout and the girls are moving right along. I topped the manifold a final time on Thursday of last week, I was a bit careless in doing so and nipped a growth tip so she will be a 7 cola manifold. I’m waiting a few more days to top the other plant a final time, if all goes well I will be flipping to flower in 14 days.

Ppms:600
pH:5.8

 

[Campesino]

Looking good. Those two girls will fill that tent right up in a few weeks!

 

[Obi-Wan]

Day 33 and this grow is officially off the rails. The manifolded plant is a male.....
I got these seeds for free from a friend off mine who insisted they were feminized, FWIW at least one was not!!!

I can’t justify flowering just one plant in my 3x3, it would be a pure waste of energy. This was going to be my last photo grow in this tent anyways as I am gearing up to set it up as a four site perpetual autoflower tent. So long story short, I’m just going to accelerate that plan and drop 2-60 Day Wonder seeds to start the auto cycle. The remaining confirmed female Chronic will be culled for clones that I will run on my next cycle in my 2x4 tent.

 

[Locrian99]

Man that sucks so much wasted energy. But I get it I would be done too. This whole seed soaking thing, have you ever tried just putting them in rapid rooters.