Third attempt: first real grow

Hey Everyone.

Ok so I tried growing twice over the summer. Once outdoors and once indoors. my outdoor garden got eaten by deer, and my mom made me throw out my indoor garden. Now I'm back at school in my own apartment, and I planted seeds like 3 weeks or so ago. I really want this to work and I really need a couple questions answered when do I start flowering? one of my plants is getting yellow spots, I'd really like to know what those are. And generally how are things looking?

Thanks in advance for any help






those are the yelow spotts I was talking about

Generally the plants look good. I think the yellow spots look like nutrient burn. What are you feeding them? Either that or a burn from a lamp that was too close. Are those random bagseed? They look like different strains.

I potted them in Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil, and I mixed in the Miracle Grow brand bone meal and blood meal. Yeah they are random bagseed, and I think they are different strains. Right now the tallest one is 6" and the Shortest one is 3". How long until I start flowering, I've been having trouble finding a solid answer?

thenismoketwomore said:

I potted them in Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil, and I mixed in the Miracle Grow brand bone meal and blood meal. Yeah they are random bagseed, and I think they are different strains. Right now the tallest one is 6" and the Shortest one is 3". How long until I start flowering, I've been having trouble finding a solid answer?

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I was under the impression that when a plant has grown about a month (or so)....don't take my word for it but I am almost certain....the plant is has reached it's sexual maturity....at that point you can throw'em into flower...

If I may add, please for the love of god....if you plan to re-pot them in the future....try to get your hands on some worm castings and perlite.....

I have just seen one too many grows go down the drain because of MG soil.....are you safe using it???? sort of.....as long as you don't go mad and add a bunch of nutes....the reason why is because MG soils have time release fertilizers......if you read threw a few grows...in most cases they'll use water and molasses (when using MG).....

At least that is what I have gathered, if someone wants to chime in here please do so (don't want to give ya the wrong info man), (*edit* read through the GrowFAQ too, it'll help a ton)

Just my .02, GL.

Buddy

Yeah I'm using Miracle Grow brand because I live in the city and thats what the local Lowes has. I pretty much got everything from lowes cuz thats what I have. Back home I tried using Horse manure as a fertilizer, but I don't have that recource here. Do you think I overdid it with the bone meal and blood meal? and if so is there anything I can do about it? Ok and if about a month is enough time to begin flowering can I get a personal opinion an weather they are ready or not. Thanks Y'all

What does water and Molasses do?

You need to read some of Ohsogreen's threads.
Start with making tea is EZ and cheap, read the replys thought the first couple of pages and there is a good discution about molasses. How to use it, what it does and does not do.

ok cool thanks I really just need some pointing in the right direction. Oh So, was the one who told me how to use horse manure, he really seems to know what he's talking about. also I'f the yellowish dots are nutrient burn, is there any way to fix that?

thenismoketwomore said:

ok cool thanks I really just need some pointing in the right direction. Oh So, was the one who told me how to use horse manure, he really seems to know what he's talking about. also I'f the yellowish dots are nutrient burn, is there any way to fix that?

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I sat back and watched to see if some of the vets would chime in on your situation...seeing that they didn't (yet), I'll take a stab at it here......

I remember seeing a similar situation come up, where the grower (from RIU, can't remember the title of it though) had pin-like yellow dots on the leaves.....they too thought it was nute burn. It actually was caused by him/her misting the leaves....see the water droplet acted like tiny mirrors...and when the light hit it, it began marking up the leaves in a dotted pattern...

it also can be caused by foilar feeding your plants while the lights are on......here is a more in-depth look on what foilar feeding is... GROWFAQ

Hope I was able to help you out man,

BW

Ok well that does make sense, but i haven't been foliar feding. and now at this point those leaves that had spotts have gone completely yelow and died off, but all of the vegetation up higher on the plant is fine. I have read that the lower"fan" leaves are ?supposed? to eventually die off? I'm not sure but my plants seem to be completely healthy ottherwise. They really aren't getting tall, but they are bushy as hell, thats probably because I have them in such small potts. If I re pott them will they grow bigger? and should I do that before I start flowering? They seem really healthy I started feeding them dilluted molasses every other watering. some of the plants have 9 points on their leaves now. I'm just looking for any advice that anyone can give me, and the advice is always greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

As for flowering, what kind of lighting are you using? If you are using HPS lights, then a month is about right. You will know when you start to see pre-sex nodes on your stems close to the stalk, that is when you should start flowering. But, on the other hand, if you are using CFLs, which it kind of looks like you are, then really you should start flowering them after 16 days (or 10 inches tall) from SEED. The reason is because CFL's can't penetrate enough foliage for a 'full' grow, and plants can (and usually do) double in size when you start to flower. I made this mistake of growing fully out on my first grow using CFLs, and man was that a headache!

Also, about the lower fan leaves dying off. That does usually happen, but not until flower, when the plant focuses all of its energy and nutes on developing buds. Seems like the ph on your soil is off, and is cutting out alot of nutes from your plant. I know MG is infamous for having very high ph. Check the bag and see what the ph says (if it even says it at all). A soil ph that you would want is between 6.5-7. A good soil that can be found at most stores with a good ph for growing is promix.

Also, the reason for using molasses is for its lack of N-P-K, but it is loaded with carbohydrates (trace minerals). You can use this with other nutes if you think that you are deficiant in trace minerals, but most people just use it during the final flush (when you are ready to harvest). The reason is because during the final flush, you are flushing away ALL nutes to your plants, so the plant is just feeding off of straight water, and you don't get a chem (if using snyth) or nute taste, and you just get the straight taste of the bud. So when you wash all of the nutes from your plants, you still want trace minerals so the buds will swell. Using molasses for any other purpose is, well, a waste of molasses (unless, of course, you have a trace nute problem, and if thats your case, I would recommend getting some Maxicrop Liquid Seaweed, not molasses).

Also, I would recommend repotting them. The roots are going to grow more & more as flowering begins. 3 gallon pots are suffice for a small indoor garden (just as long as your not growing monster sativas!)

Hope this helps!