Deep Water Culture with Lemon Kush

Deep Water Culture with Lemon Kush

• October

If you’re new to growing cannabis, Depp Water Culture might sound intimidating but it’s actually easy and efficient!

There are different types of hydroponic systems and DWC is the simplest type wherein a plant’s roots are suspended in a highly oxygenated solution filled with water and nutrients. A DWC solution has three main components: oxygen, water, and nutrients.

More water means more stability in the nutrient solution which manes less monitoring and maintenance for the grower. The roots are submerged in water 24/7.

DWC systems are low maintenance with very little moving parts and assembly. Plants cultivated through this method grow extremely fast because of the high level of oxygen and nutrients. They can be harvested twice faster than normal, soil-grown plants.

This grow journal records growing Lemon Kush cannabis using the DWC method.

Lemon Kush is a cannabis strain that can be grown by cannabis growers of various skill levels but an indoor grow is recommended. This strain loves high-watt bulbs and cam grow between 4 and 6 feet tall with a standard, indica shape. It finishes the flowering period at the 8^th to 10^th week mark with an average yield of 3 to 6 ounces per square foot.

Grower: ktreez420
Location: USA
Yield: NA

October 2^nd

Here are some details to help catch you up on this grow. Germination started on September 5^th and after two days, the seed was planted in a solo cup to sprout. Today, the seed was transplanted from the solo cup and into her own 5-gallon DWC bucket.

She’s being fed with General Hydroponics Flora Nutrients. For additives, she’s receiving GH CalMag, Botanicare Hydroguard, RAW OminA, GH FloraNectar, GH FloraLicious, and GH Rapid Start. PPM is at 600 and pH is 5.8.

October 9^th

Today, the Lemon Kush girl got some LST. A simple metal hook that was screwed into the lid of the net pot did the trick for now. All that needed to happen is the crush the stem, and bend it down. This particular plant was topped 2 days ago and it’s already got 2 new branches growing out.

In one week, she should be trained into this position and have new growth from the main stalk.

October 10^th

It’s one day since super-cropping and LST. Just appreciate these photos! It’s amazing how quickly they can grow in DWC.

 

October 12^th

Here are some updated photos from tonight. Unfortunately, these pictures don’t do the girls any justice.

October 13^th

Just some more photo updates. You can see she’s looking very happy and green immediately after her water change.

October 17^th

The Lemon Kush is growing awesomely. Her main stalk has thickened up so much already. It’s awesome! Just look at how healthy the new growth looks on this lone plant.

This plant was topped before being subjected to LST. Upon closer inspection last night, it looks like she has 4 branches coming from the topped area.

October 20^th

This Lemon Kush is looking great. She’s grown significantly since the last photo but now her stalk has some nice branches growing up from it.

Her top was also super cropped so that she would grow even stronger at that bend where she was staked down. It will give those new branches time to catch up as well.

Unfortunately, this grow journal ends with that entry. Because the grower was admitted to the hospital. With no one left to care for the plats, they only got water from that point onwards. Surprisingly, they did well enough and they’re still thriving but the grower couldn’t pick up the journal where it left off anymore.

Grower: ktreez420
Location: USA
Yield: NA

This grow was doing well up until the grower’s hospital admission.

If you ca recall, this grow used General Hydroponics nutrients which is the best choice to jumpstart a hydroponics grow. This nutrient is a three-part hydroponic nutrient which is mixed in different quantities based on the plant’s growth stage.

Some growers also ask whether the reservoir should be sterile or not. Some hydroponic gardeners want to maintain a sterile reservoir to reduce any biological contaminants which can plague the hydroponic garden, such as algae.

Before adding beneficial microbes to your reservoir, be aware that it will come with the risk of having no-so-beneficial organisms which can contaminate and negatively affect the cannabis growth.

The standard range that most plants prefer for a hydroponics grow is pH 5.5 to 6.5. However, you may want to customize this based on which stage of plant growth you’re in. During the veg phase, you may want to keep the pH in the higher end of that spectrum and during flowering, lower the pH.

When it comes to the PPM, don’t just blindly follow whatever’s written on the back of your hydroponics nutrients because they are usually unnecessarily high. Cut the recommended dose in half at first then observe how the plants will respond and adjust upwards from there on.

Now, one of the downsides of DWC is it can be difficult to control the reservoir temperature. Don’t go higher than 68 degrees F. If you get too high the oxygen levels in the water will drop even if you’re oxygenating with an air pump and air stone.

If your reservoir hasn’t been changed in three weeks, you’re pushing it. A complete change is much easier than just adding water with some nutrient solution to get back to the right balance once more.

Finally, you can determine if your nutrient solution contains too much oxygen through the use of dissolved oxygen meters. If you can’t afford an oxygen meter, then just do the simple thing: keep the solution at the right temperature and keep your air pump running!

Do you think you can do a Deep Water Culture with other strains of cannabis?

Happy growing!

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