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The Home Grower's Thread

HappyHighwayman said:
So silly question...

I use cococoir/perlite as a grow medium, but I treat it like soil, and water when needed. It's technically hydroponic but I just use it regular and have no issues.

Some people water their plants every day multiple times....how does that work? When does the plant get the dry out period?
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In my experience it depends on the size of the container and the size of the root ball. Environment is a big factor too. If I can use your plant as an example. I believe you could've have grown the same size plant with the same results in a 1 or 2 gallon pot. Doing that you will definitely be watering and feeding the plant almost daily as it matures and the root ball grows and requires more nutrients.

EDIT: Forgot to add... you can play around with your coco / perlite mix. Perhaps a 1 to 1 ratio to start.
 
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Rambeezi said:
Hey byke... sorry I missed this. Not sure what you meant by doing everything. Basically I started out late this season and my clones didn't get a chance to grow under my indoor HID as the last couple seasons. They basically went from clone > solo cups for ~3 weeks under florescent > #7 pots and they went outside mid-June. I am a follower of the clackamas coot soil mix and Jeremy @ build a soil. Use the same soil mix for my veggies too. I usually treat them with compost tea every 2 weeks or so and also do top soil amendment ~3 times during the season (once a month generally during the life cycle). Other than that once July hits its almost daily watering with just tap water from the garden hose.

I too think 20 gallon is the sweet spot size. I will do x6 next season in 20 gallon smart pots. :)
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Just meant growing, couldn't quite tell if everything was in those #7 pots, or only some of them. You're in SJ? I imagine it gets really hot? Growing in 20g pots last year was nice, but it gets hot here and it still wasn't enough soil for much water retention, because they wilted literally every day before noon in the peak months. One nice thing about those #7 pots is that the plants stay small enough that they don't need a ton of support, so you can easily move them if someone complains, but they'd probably cook out here. Last year I started early in 20g smart pots and they were so root bound by the end that the soil came out in a single 20g plug that you couldn't break apart by hand. They were also too big too move as they grew so far beyond the cases that I had to trellis them as a single hedge. Hmmm, maybe an intentionally late start with 20g pots is the ticket.
 
byke said:
Just meant growing, couldn't quite tell if everything was in those #7 pots, or only some of them. You're in SJ? I imagine it gets really hot? Growing in 20g pots last year was nice, but it gets hot here and it still wasn't enough soil for much water retention, because they wilted literally every day before noon in the peak months. One nice thing about those #7 pots is that the plants stay small enough that they don't need a ton of support, so you can easily move them if someone complains, but they'd probably cook out here. Last year I started early in 20g smart pots and they were so root bound by the end that the soil came out in a single 20g plug that you couldn't break apart by hand. They were also too big too move as they grew so far beyond the cases that I had to trellis them as a single hedge. Hmmm, maybe an intentionally late start with 20g pots is the ticket.
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Ahhh. Yeah... one plant each in a #7 pot. Indeed it does get hot yet this year's Summer seemed a little milder... I only recall a 1 week heat wave. Even then once the plants got to around 4~5ft they were pretty much root bound already. To help with moisture retention I had to put them in big saucer trays. I imagine you can't do that with 20 gallons... :p Having a nice big unbreakable root ball is a good indication of good healthy growth. :thumbup
 
Here's what they look like byke. From pavement this one is about 4 1/2 ft tall. The tallest ~ 5 ft. Clone from May till now. Had to teflon the base of the branches due to a couple colas almost breaking off due to some gusty winds last night.

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Halloween colors. :smoking
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See that's pretty awesome, you just stock up on bamboo and your plants can be moved around. I'm in a hot spot that's been clamped down on by the county, so I'm thinking next year I should do something more portable and spread out.
 
Double sifted the frozen trim A friend lost on the street and I stole like a year ago at 160 and then 220 microns with dry ice.








Like a year's worth

220 is much greener
 
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But there were two different types, one was a bigger bag of lower grade, then there was a smaller bag of higher grade.
 
The high grade is 160 microns and the low grade is 220 micron.

Oh I think it’s a combo of both bags. I still have a fair bit of the black bag.
 
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That's so awesome to see them side by side like that. There was probably 3x more of the lower grade material? Anyway, I'm surprised how much you pulled out of each.
 
Harvesting my Purple Cadillac today! :banana
 
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