socalrican
Active Member
Good Times ! Keep it up !
First Grow, an Evolving Effort
- Thread starter Johan Liebert
- Start date
Johan Liebert
Active Member
Thanks a lot for the support, guys!
So, I've been so focused on improving the cabinet lately that I think I lost my perspective on important things like "how dry is 'needs to be watered' dry?" To that end, my plants are looking a little "eh" right now, but never fear, I gave them a bountiful bath today. I think it was also partly that I became so focused on which new sets were forming where that I just sort of forgot...these aren't seedlings anymore that need a few sprays to the soil...these are real, increasingly large plants.
I added another 3-light fixture (I wanted to get some of the small ones that hold like 2 bulbs a piece, but neither of my trips to either Home Depot got me anywhere with the minimum wage employees, so, like the first time I just said "gimme that $9 bath bar." Mounted it on the inside of the door and brought the total lumens for a square foot area up to about 5,000.
Also, since I installed my fans, I didn't realize that the power adapter given to me by a friend is easily less than half the output voltage that I need to get my exhaust fan working. So now I'm on the lookout for 12v adapters, but in the meantime, the intake fan is at least keeping the kids cool under all that light.
This marks day 5 back on an 18/6 light cycle. I want to let the tiny ones veg longer, but I'm worried that if I don't put it on 12/12 soon, the bigger guys are going to start cramping each others' styles. The big'uns are so big at this point that they basically left their neighbors in the dust.
Anyhow, here's a picture
So, I've been so focused on improving the cabinet lately that I think I lost my perspective on important things like "how dry is 'needs to be watered' dry?" To that end, my plants are looking a little "eh" right now, but never fear, I gave them a bountiful bath today. I think it was also partly that I became so focused on which new sets were forming where that I just sort of forgot...these aren't seedlings anymore that need a few sprays to the soil...these are real, increasingly large plants.
I added another 3-light fixture (I wanted to get some of the small ones that hold like 2 bulbs a piece, but neither of my trips to either Home Depot got me anywhere with the minimum wage employees, so, like the first time I just said "gimme that $9 bath bar." Mounted it on the inside of the door and brought the total lumens for a square foot area up to about 5,000.
Also, since I installed my fans, I didn't realize that the power adapter given to me by a friend is easily less than half the output voltage that I need to get my exhaust fan working. So now I'm on the lookout for 12v adapters, but in the meantime, the intake fan is at least keeping the kids cool under all that light.
This marks day 5 back on an 18/6 light cycle. I want to let the tiny ones veg longer, but I'm worried that if I don't put it on 12/12 soon, the bigger guys are going to start cramping each others' styles. The big'uns are so big at this point that they basically left their neighbors in the dust.
Anyhow, here's a picture
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Johan Liebert
Active Member
Also, I began LST'ing the plants. #1 is getting too tough around the main stem and I'm worried that if I didn't start now, it would be fruitless should it turn out to be male. Last thing I want is to start snapping stalks!
Johan Liebert
Active Member
Most of my plants are on LST now. Due to the fact that I had to install the second 3-light panel, it has become necessary in order to keep them from burning. The plants seem to be perking back up after the healthy dose of water I last gave them. I think due to the pot sizes and amount of light I will be watering them every two days or so unless that proves to be too often (I doubt it).
LST has been a very easy process, and quite enjoyable as well. I have been using some soft ribbon from Wal-Mart, and I have been using simple push-pins in the sides of the pot on which to tie them. I try to be easy on the plants and simply tighten once or twice every day depending on which way they are growing and how resistant the stems are. By and large, everything seems to be going smoothly right now.
Starting next week I will change the light cycle from 16/8 to 14/10. I want to ease them into a 12/12 cycle soon so that I can free up space by choosing my final ladies. If I had a better setup I would like to veg them longer (especially since #5 and #7 are so pitifully small), but I simply do not have the room.
I know I keep promising pics. Every time I say this, my roomie's girlfriend steals back her camera and I have a hard time getting the shots I want. The good news is my Ubuntu is back up and running so I can easily resize and edit the pictures using GIMP as soon as I manage to take them. God bless free software.
LST has been a very easy process, and quite enjoyable as well. I have been using some soft ribbon from Wal-Mart, and I have been using simple push-pins in the sides of the pot on which to tie them. I try to be easy on the plants and simply tighten once or twice every day depending on which way they are growing and how resistant the stems are. By and large, everything seems to be going smoothly right now.
Starting next week I will change the light cycle from 16/8 to 14/10. I want to ease them into a 12/12 cycle soon so that I can free up space by choosing my final ladies. If I had a better setup I would like to veg them longer (especially since #5 and #7 are so pitifully small), but I simply do not have the room.
I know I keep promising pics. Every time I say this, my roomie's girlfriend steals back her camera and I have a hard time getting the shots I want. The good news is my Ubuntu is back up and running so I can easily resize and edit the pictures using GIMP as soon as I manage to take them. God bless free software.
statik
Well-Known Member
Johan Liebert
Active Member
Ugh. Seems like every time I start writing plant profiles I get distracted. I promise pics today.
Quick rundown of where we're at: LST has been a cinch. Except for some slow-forming leaves when the ribbon slips over them in the early stages. The attempt I made at fimming a low branch on #1 also seems to have taken well, as that node looks to now have four branches coming out of it (score!) I'm watering every two days (sometimes a tad sooner when they get very hungry).
The light schedule has gone as such:
Week 1 - 16/8
Week 2 - 16/8
Week 3 - 24/0
Week 4 - 24/0
Week 5 - 16/8
Week 6 - 14/10 (current)
The gradual increase and decrease of light seems to have been working well enough with the plant, attempting to exploit early vegetation via 24/0 while easing the plant back down to regular, and then at the same rate into flowering.
When I get pictures later, I'll put up some updated plant profiles.
Quick rundown of where we're at: LST has been a cinch. Except for some slow-forming leaves when the ribbon slips over them in the early stages. The attempt I made at fimming a low branch on #1 also seems to have taken well, as that node looks to now have four branches coming out of it (score!) I'm watering every two days (sometimes a tad sooner when they get very hungry).
The light schedule has gone as such:
Week 1 - 16/8
Week 2 - 16/8
Week 3 - 24/0
Week 4 - 24/0
Week 5 - 16/8
Week 6 - 14/10 (current)
The gradual increase and decrease of light seems to have been working well enough with the plant, attempting to exploit early vegetation via 24/0 while easing the plant back down to regular, and then at the same rate into flowering.
When I get pictures later, I'll put up some updated plant profiles.
Johan Liebert
Active Member
Nothing gets me focused like a good wake 'n bake. Took some pictures while watering today.
This is their last night for 14/10 before I make the big change to 12/12 so we can find the males and choose our ladies.
#1 - Continues to benefit from its large pot--the plant is HUGE compared to its siblings. I tried to get a close-up shot of its damn-near-neon emerging sets. As they first emerge they have attractive red hairs on them. These seem to disappear after a day or so of growth. This plant is near 10 nodes on the main stem. Possibly fewer, but it's definitely growing like a mother. The stem rounds a quarter of the pot and the leaves cover up more like a third.
#2 - This guy succumbed to some bad yellow spots on its first sets so I made the decision to remove them. This problem never spread to the rest of the plant and it seems to be thriving now. I wish I could put it in a bigger pot.
#3 - Nemo has finally come into his own, looking like a small tree. I have a suspicion that it is of different genetics than the rest of the crop because its leaves seem more narrow, and more green than its neighbors who are definitely a sage color. It also has a 'new leather' texture about it, while its neighbors are more like construction paper. For this reason (and for its wonderfully tight node spacing) I hope it is a female. Even if it turns up male, I would like to collect pollen from it and store it for later because it has some wonderful traits about it.
[Edit: if Nemo looks droopy, it is only because I took these pics a half hour after turning the lights back on. It is a very perky plant!]
#4 - An under-performer, although it has a lot of big leaves up top, its secondary branches are forming very slowly.
#5 - Nothing special about this one. I suspect it has maxed out its room for roots.
#6 - Suffered damage during the Great Light Catastrophe of February. Some of its leaves show noticeable tears and holes, but there is no yellowing and it doesn't seem to affect the plant in any way. Unfortunately nothing special happening with this guy.
#7 - No desirable traits whatsoever. Although it probably had a rough start, and a small space to grow in, it did a lot of stretching with easily two inches between each node. If I need more room in the coming week or so I will probably give this plant away.
As you can see in the family shot, there is duct tape on the inside of the cabinet. One day when I get re-employed I will invest in mylar, but for now, white duct tape is shiny and only $3 / roll.
This is their last night for 14/10 before I make the big change to 12/12 so we can find the males and choose our ladies.
#1 - Continues to benefit from its large pot--the plant is HUGE compared to its siblings. I tried to get a close-up shot of its damn-near-neon emerging sets. As they first emerge they have attractive red hairs on them. These seem to disappear after a day or so of growth. This plant is near 10 nodes on the main stem. Possibly fewer, but it's definitely growing like a mother. The stem rounds a quarter of the pot and the leaves cover up more like a third.
#2 - This guy succumbed to some bad yellow spots on its first sets so I made the decision to remove them. This problem never spread to the rest of the plant and it seems to be thriving now. I wish I could put it in a bigger pot.
#3 - Nemo has finally come into his own, looking like a small tree. I have a suspicion that it is of different genetics than the rest of the crop because its leaves seem more narrow, and more green than its neighbors who are definitely a sage color. It also has a 'new leather' texture about it, while its neighbors are more like construction paper. For this reason (and for its wonderfully tight node spacing) I hope it is a female. Even if it turns up male, I would like to collect pollen from it and store it for later because it has some wonderful traits about it.
[Edit: if Nemo looks droopy, it is only because I took these pics a half hour after turning the lights back on. It is a very perky plant!]
#4 - An under-performer, although it has a lot of big leaves up top, its secondary branches are forming very slowly.
#5 - Nothing special about this one. I suspect it has maxed out its room for roots.
#6 - Suffered damage during the Great Light Catastrophe of February. Some of its leaves show noticeable tears and holes, but there is no yellowing and it doesn't seem to affect the plant in any way. Unfortunately nothing special happening with this guy.
#7 - No desirable traits whatsoever. Although it probably had a rough start, and a small space to grow in, it did a lot of stretching with easily two inches between each node. If I need more room in the coming week or so I will probably give this plant away.
As you can see in the family shot, there is duct tape on the inside of the cabinet. One day when I get re-employed I will invest in mylar, but for now, white duct tape is shiny and only $3 / roll.
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statik
Well-Known Member
Looking pretty good man. #1..you should have pulled it open instead of what looks like all over to one side.
Lets hope Nemo is a girl, besides her "I'm still sleeeeepy" droop in that pic it looks great. #4...dont underestimate what a plant does once you throw it into flower...cause they streeeeetch. Those branches will grow man, especially since they are in the open light.
You see my avatar? That was my runt in veg. Once put into flower she caught up with the biggest of plants in the room (her side branching too).
Keep it up man, looking decent.
Lets hope Nemo is a girl, besides her "I'm still sleeeeepy" droop in that pic it looks great. #4...dont underestimate what a plant does once you throw it into flower...cause they streeeeetch. Those branches will grow man, especially since they are in the open light.
You see my avatar? That was my runt in veg. Once put into flower she caught up with the biggest of plants in the room (her side branching too).
Keep it up man, looking decent.
Johan Liebert
Active Member
Okay, so you're suggesting I should have approached it like this:
I was going with this method here:
Comparing the two now, I think I would rather have used the method you suggested. Although it's probably too late now, I can probably re-arrange the ribbon to give it slack in different areas and expose more low branches to light.
I was going with this method here:
Comparing the two now, I think I would rather have used the method you suggested. Although it's probably too late now, I can probably re-arrange the ribbon to give it slack in different areas and expose more low branches to light.
statik
Well-Known Member
Oooooh ok. Nah thats fine man. It will probably be better the way you have it going. Have you seen FuZZyBuds LST grow? He just chopped it down to some toxic salt issues...but still a nice plant all things considered. He LST'd in almost this exact fashion.Okay, so you're suggesting I should have approached it like this:
I was going with this method here:
Comparing the two now, I think I would rather have used the method you suggested. Although it's probably too late now, I can probably re-arrange the ribbon to give it slack in different areas and expose more low branches to light.
But yes, I was thinking you were trying to open the plants up to fill in canopy space as a few of those plants are going to be male.
When you chuck them out you will have all this light that is just hitting the floor of your grow cab.
Johan Liebert
Active Member
Do you think it would be reasonable to get some small mirrors and place them strategically (like in the corners or whatever) to try and make more use of this open space when this time comes?When you chuck them out you will have all this light that is just hitting the floor of your grow cab.
statik
Well-Known Member
Nah, canopy management is the way to go. Wait it out, we dont know how those plants are going to bush in flower. Worst case scenario you just wont be using all of your light.
No big deal, just something to keep in mind for next time.
Johan Liebert
Active Member
Quick Mar 8 2010 update:
Watered plants today; they needed it. Un-tied and re-tied #1, combining both LST ideas. By reorganizing my ties, I was able to keep it going around the pot edge while also getting the canopy to open up and better expose the lower branches and leaves to some light. #3 is recovered from its recent burn (whoops) and starting perk back up, although it will have to lose another finger before it's all said and done.
12/12 was induced a day early because I over-slept. So now they go on at noon and off at midnight. I think--and this is a big maybe--but I might have spotted an early pre-flower on #1. Hopefully I'll know soon enough.
Also, my attempt at fimming a low branch on #1 wound up being a topping instead (ironic). That said, with the new branches exposed today, I took a tall side (now top) branch and gave it another attempted fim. Hopefully I did it right this time. This plant is a goddamn bush. I want it to be a girl now purely so I don't have to wait on the others to bulk up like this!
What a nice aroma they leave on the fingers after a good session of handling...
Watered plants today; they needed it. Un-tied and re-tied #1, combining both LST ideas. By reorganizing my ties, I was able to keep it going around the pot edge while also getting the canopy to open up and better expose the lower branches and leaves to some light. #3 is recovered from its recent burn (whoops) and starting perk back up, although it will have to lose another finger before it's all said and done.
12/12 was induced a day early because I over-slept. So now they go on at noon and off at midnight. I think--and this is a big maybe--but I might have spotted an early pre-flower on #1. Hopefully I'll know soon enough.
Also, my attempt at fimming a low branch on #1 wound up being a topping instead (ironic). That said, with the new branches exposed today, I took a tall side (now top) branch and gave it another attempted fim. Hopefully I did it right this time. This plant is a goddamn bush. I want it to be a girl now purely so I don't have to wait on the others to bulk up like this!
What a nice aroma they leave on the fingers after a good session of handling...
Johan Liebert
Active Member
#1 and #3 are both showing me some preflowers so the day of reckoning is impending. Every day #1 thrives more and I must reposition and / or re-tie things to make sure its newest branches can make their way up as quickly as possible. It's a rewarding experience. Push a leaf a half-inch to the left, watch a new set begin to thrive as a result...
I had a talk with my mother last night. She won't be moving out of the house for about a year, and so for the remaining time we have to share, I told her I would not grow another crop. Whether or not I hold up my end of the bargain is yet to be seen, but suffice it to say that I will delay gratification if necessary to make sure I yield every last bit of cannabis to tide me over until I can re-open operations with a perpetual grow (which, not having to be stealth, will be a much more practical venture when the time comes).
Pics soon, since the kids get watered tomorrow.
I had a talk with my mother last night. She won't be moving out of the house for about a year, and so for the remaining time we have to share, I told her I would not grow another crop. Whether or not I hold up my end of the bargain is yet to be seen, but suffice it to say that I will delay gratification if necessary to make sure I yield every last bit of cannabis to tide me over until I can re-open operations with a perpetual grow (which, not having to be stealth, will be a much more practical venture when the time comes).
Pics soon, since the kids get watered tomorrow.
Johan Liebert
Active Member
It's been a week on 12/12, and one by one I'm starting to see preflowers. In case I don't find out before the next time I post, could anyone tell me about how long it will be until I will have definite sex traits to look at?
Anyhow, here's a picture of the family. No close-ups today. Busy.
[Edit: The tallest plant in the back there is #3]
Anyhow, here's a picture of the family. No close-ups today. Busy.
[Edit: The tallest plant in the back there is #3]
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Johan Liebert
Active Member
#3 is a bit droopy. It's been through an ordeal. It got itself burnt, then its leaves were trimmed to stop the yellowing, which was followed by the removal of some lower browning leaves (the first sets), and then the picture was taken after I was about 4 hours late to watering them. Hopefully after it is left alone for a while it will bush back up.
I believe #4 may be a girl. Pic attached taken before putting them to sleep for the night. Saw what appeared to be little hairs near the preflowers so I used a hi-res camera to get a better look. While I'm not positive that I know what I'm looking at here, I thought it was worth bringing up because I did get excited when the camera showed these little curls to be bright white.
I believe #4 may be a girl. Pic attached taken before putting them to sleep for the night. Saw what appeared to be little hairs near the preflowers so I used a hi-res camera to get a better look. While I'm not positive that I know what I'm looking at here, I thought it was worth bringing up because I did get excited when the camera showed these little curls to be bright white.
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Johan Liebert
Active Member
Yeah, they've got about 6.5 more hours before bed time, so I'm gonna leave them under the light while I go bake at a friend's place, and when I get back I'll get some good pics up.
Hopefully by the end of the night those features will have progressed a bit more (the rate at which they appear reminds me of the initial vigor with which the seedlings first began to explode onto the scene).
Also, that extra growth may be some pigme-sized leaves (remember that #4 was under-sized with its secondary sets). I'll be sure and make the pics tonight comprehensive.