I have a question, is it feasible to grow a male and a female in separate solo cups and make seed? These would be cuttings. I have never done a solo cup challenge, nor do I currently want to. My question is how to keep the female alive long enough to ripen the seeds. The male is not one I care to grow outside of fertilization.
It seems that finding actual info on growing is kept secret because of these competitions. I have a very limited area to have gardens and Karma demands more regular seeds being made, since I have entered two seed run co-ops.
All I did when I did a solo cup challenge was bottom feed. They were in a tray and I kept about half an inch of water with nutes. Maybe give it a flush with fresh water towards the end or if you see issues. I have pics here some where.
I just cut down 4 clones that I flowered in solo cups… they were supposed to be for seeds but I’m 90% sure my pollen was junk… but yes totally possible
It’s certainly possible, there are some of us that are doing it. Check out @Mr.Sparkle as he grows in small pots in hydro and produces at times quite a large number of seeds.
I grow in small SIP, Sub Irrigated Pots, the same size as the solo cups which are bottom fed as @Jdem075 has explained. I’ve produce a number of seeds my selfs, but I usually only pollinate a small number of buds. So yes it’s very doable.
I think you might have some trouble trying to make seed in a solo cup but it depends on a couple things. Are you organic, what kinda of varieties you are growing and how much seed you want to produce. You should be able to make a small amount of seed with little to no trouble but I wouldn’t leave a male in with them for more than a day or two. Plants trying to make seed will be better off if they have a good amount of resources in the soil.
That’s what I’m hoping to do with the current solo competition.
I’m just watering my solo cup plants every day with alternating tap water and nutrient run off from my DWC system, diluted into some tap water.
The plants are starting to get root bound but it’s not anything particularly crazy right now. If I switched them to flower now, I think it’d be relatively easy to flower them out and keep them going to the end.
Of course, we still have 2 weeks till we can flip, so who knows how it’s going to end up.
note this was a mostly selective pollination with just a couple male flowers used with a qtip I did end up making like 7 or 8 random seeds …one pollinated lower bud makes about 20 seeds…I bet if I would have let it open pollinate the whole 2x2 I could have made a thousand seeds
Depends on your definition of “seed run” and your target quantity. But, absolutely doable, for small (<100 count), low risk projects.
No big secrets (unless someone is cheating.) Controlling the size of the plant will limit the number of seeds but if the pollen and seed mama are viable you will have increase. I have finished about 10 of these this year. Solo is my first default for sprouted seedlings and rooted clones, unless I know I want more.
Lots of watering required and, for me, lots of knocking things over. Solo cup (and other micro-grow tec) growing is a good skill. Engenders much flexibility.
If by “tiny” you mean, “small for a tent” and by “good” you mean, “haven’t set my house on fire yet*” then a wardrobe box (cardboard with metal hanging brace) lined with mylar (dollar store space-blankets) open bottom, fold out top. Cool flouro or SIL LED light and 12v computer fan.
Thank you so much for the replies! I love this community!
@Jdem075@Sincy I am in organics but I do have a couple of bottles of liquid Dr. Earth nutes they sent to me because I featured them in one of my grows. I have been looking for a way to use these. Should I still add amendment when initially planting? I love the bottom-feed idea. These liquids (diluted) should work great for that. The strains are mainly indicas.
I am starting to think the best bet would be to just flower a solo sup male and then grab the pollen to fertilize in my flowering tent selectively. I know there will be some rando seeds in the other buds but at least I will have a few that are packed to carry on the line.
I love it when people get creative and think outside the box like this. No pun intended lol