JARG's First Salvia Grow (Grow Log continues at www.MichiganSalvia.com)

[Sasquatch]

What is your mother’s opinion of your hobby of growing Salvia divinorum? My parents were here visiting some weeks ago, and I showed them the plants and told them the species, but neglected to tell them of the psychotropic properties. I’m sure they would have trusted my judgement had I told them, but I didn’t feel like discussing it.

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

I have a very open relationship with my mother. My family (as with almost every family) has had it's share of problems in the past and my mother and I have come to a point where we find it is best to have everything out in the open. She is fully aware of the psychoactive properties of Salvia and has no problems letting me grow a plant at her house. Her only rule is that if it becomes illegal in Michigan she doesn't want them at her house, which I fully respect and understand. If it ever comes to that point I would probably sell all of my plants too.

JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Report Day: 79
Temp: 70°-96° F
Humidity: 30%-60%
Height: 4"-5"
Note: Richter's update...

So a few weeks ago I was getting ready to water my plants and noticed that the soil of my Richters plant was still a bit damp. I decided to see what would happen if I waited on watering it. The next day it's top two leaves died and so I watered it thinking I let it get too dry (even though the soil was damp). Since then I swear it is taunting me and growing a leaf.....then letting it die and growing another.....letting it die.....growing another.......letting it die, you get the picture. This happens every couple days. It just won't get fully established and GROW!

So I was getting ready to water my plants a few days ago and found myself in the same situation. The rest of the plants were ready to water, but Richters soil was a bit damp. This time I waited on watering it and also poked a bunch of holes in the soil to help get oxygen down to the roots. I have noticed some faster growth and I think I have been over watering her. I still haven't watered it and the top half of the soil is dry, but there is still moisture in the bottom half of the pot. The leaves seem to be growing faster now and I hope I finally have this plant on a growing spree.

Maybe she just hasn't finished showing me everything she needs to show me and wants to make sure I understand her needs as a plant. Anyway here is a picture of her at day 79.....Yes you read that right I have had her for almost 3 months and this is all I have to show for it!



JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

I am at my mom's house today and just got a picture of the H&W sport I am growing here. It has been 15 days since I planted it and you can see the growth coming along nicely. I can't believe how well it is growing for just ambient east window light. I think my plan with this one is to just leave it alone and let it grow to see what happens without pruning/pinching or doing any modifications to this Salvia Divinorum plant. It will be a nice "control" to refer back to when I am trying things to my other plants.

So as a recap here is day 1, day 7, and now day 15.




JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Report Day: 81
Temp: 70°-86° F
Humidity: 30%-60%
Height: 4"-5"

So I am noticing this red color starting to develop on some of the leaves on my mother plants. The plants are still growing fast and the red color doesn't seem to affect them, but what do you guys think it is? My only guess is possibly too much lighting and UV damage? But the plants have been under the same lighting since i got them, so I think it is unlikely that it would show up now and not all along... Actually I take that back, I took out 3 of the 6 Natural Sunshine fluoros and put in cool whites instead about 2 weeks ago. I am also noticing quite a few leaves turning upward and flipping themselves over on most of the other Salvias... My plants are trying to tell me something but I am not sure what it is.

It's almost like they are saying "too much light" and flipping the leaves over to shade the top part of the leaves? Just a guess though. The previous 4 clones I took have started to show new growth since I put them under the lighting, so they are doing well.

Any ideas on this red color?


JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Report Day: 82
Temp: 68°-82° F
Humidity: 30%-60%
Height: 4"-5"
Lighting Schedule: 18/6

I was able to get only a few pictures before my camera battery died. Both H&W clones are showing signs of new growth and also one of the Ownes. The other Owens hasn't had any new growth yet and it looks like the stem is turning a lighter color of green so it might not make it. I sure did do a number on these little fellas when I stuck them under the lights the first day of putting them into soil with no humidity tent! But now 3 of the 4 are recovering and will be just fine given some more time.

One of the H&W's showing new growth at the apical meristem. Also two more sets of leaves have sprouted near the base on opposite sides of each other.


And one of the Owens has sprouted a new set of little leaves off either side. Unfortunately it looks like the top of the main stem has died, so this plant will probably have two main stems growing right from the soil level...and that could be a bonus! 


JARG

[nickelz34]

wow you should try to grow up more than out , those are very stubby plants. Very healthy but stubby .

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

those are very stubby plants. Very healthy but stubby .

That is exactly the point! Leaf and Clone producing short machines! I love it. And actually they are not as stubby as you think. It mostly looks that way because there are so many branches coming off with leaves. They are actually growing with incredible speed, but I am continually taking the branches for clones. If you think mine have a lot of leaves, take a look at bayrat's grow log! That is insane.

JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Report Day: 85
Temp: 65°-79° F
Humidity: 30%-60%
Height: 4"-5"
Lighting Schedule: 18/6

Update on the 1st clones. I threw away one of the Owens as it wasn't showing any new growth. When I pulled it out of the soil it had grown longer roots and I think it would have probably made it given enough time, but I am starting to understand when people say small clones take forever to get going. I can already see my second sets of clones (shown in my second grow log) are going to shoot way past these clones for growth speed. Anyway here are the 2 H&W's and the tiny Owens. At this point I just want to bring them back to life and let them grow just to say I did it. Otherwise down the road I can't see myself taking clones when they are this small again.







JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Here is an update of the plant at my mom's house. It is doing so well with her window light that I am thinking I will bring my other clones over here too! The plant is getting that very velvet look and the leaves have that very rich texture to them now. It looks so beautiful.

Day 21 after planting:


JARG

[chrishna58]

I agree ... those leaves look gorgeous. There is definitely an optimum light level that makes a huge difference.

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

I heard a theory recently and don't know if it is true. I noticed a small maple tree outside my window and saw a leaf that is literally as big as a sheet of paper. (I'll get pictures if anyone wants to see it). I thought jeez that is HUGE....how did it get so big. The theory I heard is that since it is on a shady side of the house the tree grows it's leaves bigger to catch more sunlight. Maybe my salvia is doing the same thing with window light. There is less light there than under my fluorescents so maybe it is growing it's leaves bigger to catch more light.....

Does that sound plausable?

JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Report Day: 89
Temp: 64°-76° F
Humidity: 30%-60%
Height: 4"-5"
Lighting Schedule: 18/6

So after seeing how well my plant is doing at my moms house in window light I decided to try and save some electricity and try some new bulbs. I found some "Daylght Deluxe" bulbs at home depot and it was only about $7 for two of them. They are a bit higher color temperature at 6500k. I checked "daylight" CFL's and they are 5000k. The "Natural Sunshine" tubes I had before were 5500k. So these new bulbs should mimic the Sun closer than any other option I have considered before. I am also going to use only two bulbs in 1 fixture essentially cutting the lighting down to 33% of what it was. I am going to do some pruning and take a few more cuttings tonight and then let everything grow to see how it does in the new setup. My guess is that I will get bigger leaves and slower growth. But the growth will be more "normal". Right now they still have leaves popping out of everywhere.

Do you see the plant with 4 leaves in the green pot. That is my H&W #4 clone that I just planted a little while ago. It is doing fantastic! But unfortunately I had to throw away the second Ownes clone as it died after I had to leave for the weekend and couldn't mist the humidity chamber. It looked like it got some mold or something on it and the 4 little green leaves died. The other two H&W clones I took are doing good and growing fast. They are still going to be shipped out to two lucky people. Just waiting for them to grow bigger and to make sure they are root bound and healthy. They are just to the left of the green pot.

So here is the new setup. It's very blue to my eye...but you can't really see it from the picture.


JARG

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Report Day: 90
Temp: 64°-74° F
Humidity: 62%
Height: 4"-6"
Lighting Equipment: A single 4' fixture with 2 Daylight Deluxe 40 watt tubes. 6500k color temp.
Light Schedule: 18/6


Well I have to say the new light is working out beautifully! The plants seem to absolutely love the new light. I swear I have seen them grow overnight! They all look perkier and it is as if they are saying thank you. Every plant is doing really well now. Even Richters now has 2 new normal and healthy leaves which is a first for this plant in 3 months! It may also have been since I moved them back into a more controlled temperature and cooler environment. A few weeks ago they had a reddish look to the leaves when it got into the 90's. The reddishness has gone away, but the area that was affected looks more wrinkled than the rest of the leaf. But all in all very healthy now.

I did see one white fly around so it may be time to bust out the Neem again for the next watering. I crushed it between my fingers!



You can't quite make it out, but the two new normal healthy leaves on Richter's are at the very top. Here are two of my clones from my second grow. Updates on that in a few days.




Here is Owens on the left and H&W on the right. 3 H&W clones are here too. H&W #1 and #2 on the left and H&W #4 on the right in the green pot. You can see the two on the left are from before. I cut off their brown leaves since they are growing nicely now. The bigger H&W clone is from the second grow. This is why I said I will only take bigger clones in the future. They get established and grow much quicker than really small clones.




And finally Blosser on the left and CQ on the right. There are a couple leaves on Blosser that seem to be reaching for the light. They aren't being held up by other leaves, but rather growing almost vertical. I think that is a good sign as they are not drooping at all and seem to be very healthy. The two clones at the bottom are H&W #3 on the left and Blosser #1 on the right from my second grow. They aren't quite acclimated to the ambient humidity yet.


JARG

[MstryShovel]

hey man i just wanted to chime in. ur plants look great your doing a great job.  You are correct about the light and good job on switching it over, they like ample light, not alot of light. Its a sticky difference but you seem to have nailed it man