chappie

Hello-

As you might know Mandala seeds has some unique suggestions for growing their seeds. No pre-germination, low nutrients, etc. I'm about to plant some Kalichakra.

Germination

I am Trying to do the Mandala suggestions "by the book" but have a couple questions. I am planning to grow in Hempy buckets, that is, passive hydro in a vermiculite/perlite mix. I will germinate in small cups with perlite/vermiculite. Mandala's instructions seem to assume using soil. So:

1) at what point should I water with nutrient? They say not to fertilize for 2-3 weeks, but that is for soil. Should I use weak Liquid Karma, and/or PureBlendPro? Or really just only water for 2-3 weeks?

2) They also say not to use heatmats, but if I have a reliable thermostat and am in a cold space (struggling to keep it at about 68) isn't the risk of "overheating" worth it? I can check on them and check the temps a few times a day, easily.

Anyone with tips on germinating in vermiculite would be welcomed. I would prefer to use rockwool but its not locally available and my mailorder is a couple weeks backordered... I would like to sprout them tomorrow so speedy replies appreciated.

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take it easy,

~~~chappie~~~
8 Miles High/Kalichakra
Chappie's Crockpot ratio: 3.5z wet trim per lb of butter = 16 servings

johnny six-guns

I've been watering mine with 1/4 strength every other day (watering every day). I don't know about the ferts you're using, but if you're germinating them I would wait until they're sprouted and out of the ground before you fert. Let them grow out into the light just using plain h2o and their own will. Then start the weak nutes.

If you need to regulate their space, then I would say do what you need to as long as you're going to keep up with it and correct it. I'm having my own heat/venting issues right now, so I've been having to do the same thing.

Sorry, don't use verm or rockwool, so good luck on that one.

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In Over My Head - A Crash Course In Growing

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chappie

I realize that seeds have a little bit of stored energy and don't need nutes for a while, and Jorge Cervantes says that tap water contains about the right level of nutrient that they need for a few weeks. I am just confused about growing in a hydro medium (as opposed to soil).

I've done this in the past, so shoul have a little more confidence, but what I have done has been:

1) sprout in jifypellets (the seedlings then freak out, and I have seen this over and over and all signs say do not use these)... I have corrected with foliar feeding with weak fish emulsion

2) rockwool cubes in an active hydro system, with weak veg nutrient

so my new thing, the hempy buckets, is nor really either of the above. I am sure I will be fine, just need a little hand-holding since there is no direct "how to" for this scenario.

thanks all

__________________
take it easy,

~~~chappie~~~
8 Miles High/Kalichakra
Chappie's Crockpot ratio: 3.5z wet trim per lb of butter = 16 servings

johnny six-guns

so you're new to this hempy/no soil thing too? i am as well. i've got a grow journal going on in the soil section (because thats what my first seeds are in). I can tell you that this is day 4 since germed, and i have 20 sprouts out, half of which just came out since being planted last night. so i'll just tell you what i did basically..

- wrapped my seeds in WET paper towel (not dripping, but more than damp.. think saturated)
- placed the towels in a small food container
- placed the towel in a dark, warm space

3 days later i had 20+ seeds cracked.

after that, i drilled my cups, washed my perlite, mixed my 1/4 strength nutes, and set everything up.

i planted my sprouts in the perlite last night, watered them, filled the res. and let them sit under the light.

i had 2 trays holding 8 20oz cups with sprouts in them, and today 1.5 trays have the sprouts out.

one thing i did run into a problem with is not making my holes deep enough. some of the sprouts "grew out", and i had to rebury them.

so yeah, i need some hand holding too. lets help eachother out

what size space are you using? lights?

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In Over My Head - A Crash Course In Growing

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analog

I've germed successfully in just the hempy mix.

I used a thorough watering. I used 1 ml. per of B'Cuzz
root Stimulator per quart of water.

Put the seed in 1/4" down and covered it with a cap
of perlite pebbles and put it under a clear plastic cup
for a dome and then put it under a CFL. I think I put
4 beer cups under one 23w CFL. I used a Hydrofarm
seedling mat as well.

After the sprout pops up I take the dome off and keep
the CFL about 6" away - not too close.

There's enough moisture in a mini hempy with vermiculite
that you can go 4 days.

After the cotyledons wither and there's a set of leaves
I start with like 1/8 strength.

Keep the lights back when they're young until you start
to see some nice color in the leaves.

Usually at about the 2nd set of leaves I appear I start using
1/4 strength nutes.

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chappie

I'm actually not new to soilless. I used to grow in perlite/vermiculite 5 gallon buckets, but they were drilled on the very bottom, so not quite "hempies". And the real difference here is using Mandala seeds, which want low nute input. In the past I used Sensi Seed Bank strains.

I started them in jiffy pelletes, which always involved a "curve" of seedling sickness which I tried to correct with foliar feeding. I had no idea at hte time that I was fucking with their pH by using peat. I never tested water conditions at that point. Now I have pH meter and PPM/EC meter and am willing to use it.

I was planning to germinate in rockwool, as thats what Mandala suggests, but as I mentioned the cubes are on backorder but I do not want to wait. Websearches indicate that vermiculite is actually a great substrate for germinating (various vegetable) seeds in... so I think I can skip the rockwool and plant right into "mini hempies" or cups with a mix. I'll water them gingerly... but was curious when and if this watering shoud switch to nutrient-enriched juice.

I am going to try the PureBlendPro regimen, and bought the "liquid karma" product on a whim after a couple people raved about it. I am now a little dubious since they never list exactly what is -is-, but I found another article breaking it down and it seems pretty nice. Fermented compost, seaweed, and typical organic micronutrients. The bottle says to use it on seedlings, but I know not to trust manufacturer suggestions, and agian I am trying to abide by Mandala's suggestions (use weak nutes, much weaker than suggested, and hold off on all additives as much as possible).

My space is 4x4, 600w. Though I will germinate in trays under 4 t8 tubes. This is partly due to the knowledge that plants dont really want/need full light, and partly because my actual lamp has not arrived yet (contains rockwool in the order).

You can follow my journal in my sig, though I will start a new one for this grow once the seeds are planted, hopefully tomorrow.

thanks for all input

__________________
take it easy,

~~~chappie~~~
8 Miles High/Kalichakra
Chappie's Crockpot ratio: 3.5z wet trim per lb of butter = 16 servings

n_zyme

1. go to your local chinese fast food place and buy an order of hot and sour soup, it should come in a nice big plastic container. eat the soup and wash out the container with bleach, rinse well you'll need this later.
2. get a 3-5 gallon bucket (preferably dark or painted flat white)
3. fill with perlite
4. dig a little hole in the center, comes out looking like a cone (~3" diameter).
5. fill the void you just created with soil until level with surface
6. water with ph balanced water, or just use your spray bottle to moist sufficiently.
7. poke your pointer finger in 'till you reach your knuckle
8. drop your berry in the hole and cover her up lightly compacting the soil around the berry. *whisper three hail mary's
9. take that plastic container and mist the inside before flipping it over and covering up the patch of soil.
9. check morning and night, mist as needed until you see signs of life.
10. then its just good 'ol tap water from an oxygen infused 5-gallon bucket until she gets good and hearty (4-6 weeks) strong enough to start with low doses of earth juice every other watering and move up, don't forget your blackstrap molasses :O).

simple, but that's just me.

peace,
n_zyme

*not necessary to ensure growth

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