Second crop - growing indoors with MixASoil

Indoor The Basics
#1

Harvested my first crop. It was all a learning process. Out of 9 plants, I realized about 3 ounces. But hey, it paid for itself and the smoke is pretty good, once cured.

I am moving indoors. I have a grow room set up like downtown. Everything is by the book.
VIVOSUN 48" x 48" x 80" Hydroponic Mylar Grow Tent
MARS HYDRO TSW 2000 Led Grow Light 300 Watt
Timers and dimmers
Super Soil Ready Mix-Premixed & Aged - 10 Gallon/1.5 Cubic Feet
VIVOSUN Grow Bags with Strap Handles (5-Pack) × 1 2 Gallons
VIVOSUN Grow Bags with Strap Handles (5-Pack) × 1 1 Gallons
VIVOSUN Indoor Hydroponics Grow Room Glasses
Pro Breeze Electric Dehumidifier 1200 Cubic Feet (215 sq ft)
Small Oscillating fan
Collected 55 gals rain water ph 6.95 tds <20PPM

I was going to do Bruce Bannon regulars but decided to go with Strawberry Cheese Autos. I figure I’ll try some Regulars later when I’m more experienced.

I’m germinating the Strawberry Cheese now. I start to set up the bags with the MixASoil and I notice a warning on the bag that says, Do not use for seeds or young clones under three weeks.
I was planning to place the germinated seeds in the soil and let them grow. The is the phase that is always problematic for me. I was trying to avoid any transplanting stress.
What is the best way to start the seedling stage?

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#2

I use GEO cloud 9 to start. I rinse it first and apply any bug preventative a few days before planting germed seed. Happy growing!

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#3

I start my seeds in 36mm peat pods after germinating using the paper towel / and or coffee filter (stops taps from sticking)
The dome sets are perfect to start off any seedling
[https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08699LB1D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1]

[https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B081BBRL6X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1]
and the 36mm pellets

I treat my soil before placing the rooted seedlings (my own organic solution)…great for insects, mold prevention and cure and residue rinse at harvest time
https://castle-frankenstein.com/its-alive/dr-frankensteins-bio-animation-spray-bio-stimulant-fungicide-insecticide-surfactant

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#4

I’m using MixASoil. I have never used it before but it says for me to add nothing but water. Since the soil is “rechargeable” for the next season, (for $35 you can buy a recharge kit), I don’t want to alter the chemistry.

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#5

I start my plants in jiffy 4 inch round peat pots. In a super sprouter humidity dome. Under a nanotech reflector t-5 17 watt flourasent bulb 5 to 6 inchs from plants.I tranplant to 5 gallon grow bags after third week of Seedling stage. No need to go to a 1 or 2 gallon pot. The less the roots are stressed the better.

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#6

I bought 10 gallons of MixASoil. Like I said, I want as many bases covered as possible so I figured I’d buy my soil rather than mix my own. I germinated 4 seeds out of 12. These are Strawberry Cheese. This is my first indoor crop and only my third crop.
I originally order 1 gallon pots though once they arrived, I realized that wouldn’t work. They look like hats for bell-hops!
So, I ordered 2 gallon bags, thinking I can fill 4 bags and still have a gallon of soil left over.
I have searched the internet about pot sizes for Autos and have found all kinds of information from people growing in red cups to sand boxes.
I want this crop to be successful so I am trying to control all the variables. The seeds just popped yesterday so I do have a little time.
I watched one guy grow a single plant in a 5 gal bag in a 4x4 tent. Lot of tent and light for one plant.
I guess my question is, what is the optimum number of plants (Autos) to grow in a 48" x 48" x 80" Grow Tent under a MARS HYDRO TSW 2000 Led Grow Light and the optimum pot/bag size?
I am willing to scrap one or two seedlings if necessary.

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#7

Putting 6 plants in a 4×4 grow tent leads us to a plant density of 1 plant in each meter square area. That’s a pruning style growing, not wild untrimmed
I use 1 gal cloths and do just fine. i Have a 5 gal and 2 gal also (brought in from the yard). I run 3 lights, 2 full and one veg/flower burple (the babies go under that one
use sand as a top layer, maybe add gravel (fishtank) too so it does not disperse when you pour water on it. It will also keep gnats from infesting

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#8

I think 4 is a good number for your situation. Each plant will have a 2’x2’ area, which should be enough. Mars Hydro rates that light as sufficient for flowering a 3x3 tent, which means you won’t hit big numbers in the side or corner. But, it will get the job done.

Regarding your earlier question about the soil, I’ll say this: if I was selling a soil blend, I would also probably start telling people not to start their seeds in it. Not necessarily because it’s not a good environment, just because people (especially beginners) would get really annoying trying to blame me for their seeds not coming up.

The jiffy pots are probably a good option if you’re really worried.

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#9

i’m doing the Jiffy pot now. I can understand not putting seedlings in the MixASoil. I think it would be have too much nutrients for that stage. I’ll wait until first sign of Veg.

MARS HYDRO TSW 2000 Led Grow Light 300 Watt lists itself as 4X4 so I think I’m safe.
I’ll stage with the 2 Gal pots. Lot easier to manage the watering and tent real estate. If, by chance, I think they are getting pot-bound, I’ll move to the 5 gal.

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#10

Hey slingshot I’m on my 4th grow so still a beginner. I start my plants in a 4 inch jiffy cup under a super sprouted humidity dome with a heat mat. Light is a nanotech 17 watt fluorescent 4inches to 6inches above the plants. I keep them in there for 3 weeks 16 hours on 8 off. Then I transplant into there final home 5 gal smart pots. Which then starts veg. I grow 4 plants in a 2ftx4ftx6ft grow tent. Being such a small tent I prefer mostly indica which I top at least 6 times keeping them short and bushy. Again just my opinion. There’s a lot of good info on this site. Happy growing

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#11

Are you growing Autos

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#12

No. Just regular feminized seeds. I’m setting up another tent for autos. This will be my first attempt at autos.

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#13

PotsFour
PotsFour2016×1512 548 KB

I’m at Day 10 in the dirt. for the 3 taller Strawberry Cheese Autos and 2 days in the dirt for the Bruce Bannon Regular.
I have 4 SBCs but lost one in seeding. I germ’d two Bruce Bannon Regulars (assuming one to be a male) but one failed in childbirth too. (I hate the germ/seeding phase. Going to learn cloning. LOL)

I’m still under the 17W little light, as one can see. I do have a MARS HYDRO TSW 2000 Led Grow Light hanging above but never turned on.

Since autos are not light sensitive for stage change, I am going to let the BB regular drive the light. The SBCs should kick into Flower first and the extra light for Bruce won’t hurt them, I figure.
For all I know, Bruce might end up a real “Bruce” and not a Brittany.
Oh yeah, I have this big exhaust fan. When did you start exhausting and how often? It would seem silly to crank it up now and definitely not for 7x24. But what do I know?
What is the definitive mark between Seedling and Veggie?
Are the Autos ready to report to their final home?

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#14

if you reach the first set of true leaves, that is the start of veg mode. Many consider by the 2nd or 3rd node. I usually have my sprouts domed and do not count myself as vegging till I remove from the domes and by then, I am at node 2 to 3 just starting

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#15

I grow two autos at a time in a 2×2 tent, it’s a little crowded but works

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#16

@SlingShot turn that big light on let them grow

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#17

Yeah, you’re right. I saw a U-Tube video that ran auto under 7X24 full spectrum light from seedlings. I’ll crank it up after their afternoon nap today.

Okay - my last question is about the exhaust blower. I have a filtered blower that is common to many tents. It have a variable controller.

It would seem pretty over-kill to run that 7x24 for such little foliage. My temperature is holding at 22c. My RH is around 58. I shut the little dehumidifier off because it was pulling the RH too low. BTW- an excellent source of water is the dehumidifier condensate. I’ve tested it and it is purer than pure.
When do you run the blower and for how long?

#18

If you’re going to use the bigger lights there going to heat it up so run them then see how it is

#19

One more nagging question.
I have four 2 gal pots (bags) staged with MixASoil. I am seeding in 30/30/30 peat-coir-vermiculite. I only want to transplant one time.
When do you recommend I do the deed? Originally, I was going to wait until I went under the big light. Would you transplant now?

#20

ass long as you transplant before flower, you are good. I usually wait till I have at least 3 or 4 nodes…when they are ready to top/fim/LST, etc., Transplant before, wait a week for acclimation, begin the begine

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