Uncle Ben's Gardening Tweeks and Pointers

For most strains you are pretty much past 12/12 stretch and it's not going to veg new tops if you cut it; it is in flowering mode now. I have 'accidentally' topped a cola in flower and instead of 2 new colas you get 2 little golf balls. But UB is correct in that it's your garden... so go ahead and try it. I would supercrop instead if I absolutely had to do something (crush stem and bend the top over to where you want it), that way you don't lose the cola.

qroox said:

...........would you take clones during flowering from lower branches?

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I don't do clones just like I don't do SCROG....I'm a simple man. I think your results are gonna be marginal. Perhaps someone that clones often will chime in. There are certain spoken or unspoken rules when it comes to the plant kingdom, most centered around timing regarding plant processes. I would choose a branch high on the plant (think apical dominance) and not while in flowering to take your cuttings. The plant is now focused on carrying on the species, not vegetative growth which includes root output.

UB

Of course, most of common wisdom, is to take the clone from bottom branches where the rooting auxins are most mature.

And there are old saws, about Nitrogen withhold or add more.

And then "they" say, wait 3 months at least before you get the first clone.

Have two mothers so, you can let one rest.

IAC, I tried all that. And I can root about 50/50. But, I tried trimming down new clones
to the 2 true node and rooted about 20% of those tops.

IAC, my cloning experiments were BUST, so far. That is why I dropped back to learning roots.

Also, what I'm seeing here, is there is a big difference in a natural seasonal grow, which Ben seems to do and indoor growing where most of us try to get a production going and Veg for 8 weeks, then Bloom.

Now, LST and Scrog, etc, all add time. But, again, on-going, year round production is the goal. Outside, you are working in a season and there is time to trim the cola tops on a big Sativa and make it wider, before the real Bud Light time begins.

Also, Ben seems, like me and others, that have worked tail on this. Ben has been at it longer and has experimented more. But, the questions we get are still the same, "what do I do now!?!?!?"

I say calm down and don't just DO SOMETHING.

Ben says, do your own experiments. We are saying exactly the same thing.

IAC, Indoors the lighting/fans/AC bill $$ can be big.

I hope you guys pay less than me. But, I am at $0.33 KwH for my HID. Top of the rate tier. And I can buy good ganja any day of the week, here, quite legally.....but if you could see my retail pot budget, well, that is why I grow. I smoke a lot of pot.

So, when people ask "What do I do?????" Well, how can we know? You could tell us what you did, and how that worked for you.

This is really more of a Botany Lab than a Help Desk. The research assistants, don't help you.

They help you learn to help yourself.

So, cut cola tops that I have painstakingly grown to 30" in 9 weeks? Oh Hell no. Not me. I have plants a month behind these. These must bloom out and then clear the space.

Cut cola tops that have been growing for 7 months outdoors? Why not? You want a bumper crop. No more this year.

So, this is why I answered. I figured Ben would have very little to say about tent grows these days.

I have to say, that speed reading and memory is about the only skills I bring.

And I have never heard of taking clones in Bloom. It is contrary to the Botany. The plant wants to die well, in Bloom. It is not interested, hormone wise, in rooting after Flowering has begun.

You take clones from vigorous Veg, right? You want something geared to growing.

You can clone in flower, but it takes a long time for them to root and revert to normal vegging. I've cloned from flower but that was because I realized late that someone forgot to clone a strain and it would have been lost. If you clone from flower keep in mind the plants are going to be mutants for at least a month with bizarre leaves and such.

As far as taking normal clones in veg I will always take the highest tops for clones if I can. I figure they are the most dominant and vigorous parts of the plant. Honestly though I don't know if that's true. Was just advice passed on to me like 15 years ago and I still do it. But if I don't want to top the plants more by taking top clones I do take them from the bottom.

You can take clones form plants while flowering, the latest I have done so was 21 days in, but I would recommend to do it earlier, before 14 days for best results. I usually train my plants these days, tie the bitches down (they like that) during veg, take some clones right before I feel they are ready to flower. (you will have all kinds of extra shoots from tying them up).

Malevolence said:

For most strains you are pretty much past 12/12 stretch and it's not going to veg new tops if you cut it; it is in flowering mode now. I have 'accidentally' topped a cola in flower and instead of 2 new colas you get 2 little golf balls. But UB is correct in that it's your garden... so go ahead and try it. I would supercrop instead if I absolutely had to do something (crush stem and bend the top over to where you want it), that way you don't lose the cola.

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Bending it and holding it vertical would be easier..wouldn't it ?

Uncle Ben, what's the maximum dose of Foliage Pro ml/gallon I should use if I have them in air pots with 100% coco coir? And do you use the same amount per gallon in flower as you do in veg? I have cal/mag but have not been using it because I'm using tap water, should I consider adding some?

Thanks

What was it about post #2123, that you didn't understand. It is just a few posts back and I am pretty, Ben as well...we would both like you to re-read it.

Especially the part about this is a Botany Lab and not a random question help desk.

And your question shows you are not really ready for the answers. I'm not being mean, and quite serious.

If you think there is such a question as "what is the MAX dose?" well you are sadly mistaken, in the entire concept.

And lastly, I can tell Ben gets tired of saying it, so I will, in my own way.

This is Advanced Cultivation. (see, we don't even call it growing, over here, it is that advanced)

This is Tweeks and Pointers, that we provide for each other. And, I would hate see you get no answer, so here it is.

You are in the wrong place, even for questions. You are supposed to give your experimental results to us.

So, I am helping you help yourself with a reality check.

- Reality Check. Cal/Mag is not some optional hype, like Techcroline or Snake Oil.

You either need it or you don't. And only the plant will say. If you can't tell us what your plant says, they how can we know?

Update on UAN-28 with Iron......lawn food.

It worked like I could not believe it. I had been spraying increasing strength 7-2-2 for over a week, on this one yellow girl and not much happening.

So, then I tried Ben's Tip, Pointer and Tweak. UAN. Urea, Ammonium Nitrate. It is a mix of the two.

I couldn't find it. I found 70,000 gals. but none for me.

So, I cast about at OSH with my reading glasses. And I almost left without looking at the fine print on the regular lawn care products.

Well, good. Scotts Max Green has a type of UAN concoction. 28% Urea, but not so much Ammonia as to be a liquid, and includes Iron. Of course, I used this stuff every year on my lawn, but didn't make the simple Botany connection of Grass = Grass.

IAC, don't get me wrong. This is a fix for that first few weeks when I try to get roots by not giving a lot of water. So, next time I can try to support Cal/Mag and Nitrogen better with spray on.

This time, only one application of 150 ppm (and 30 ml of wetting agent) of Lawn Greening food was all she needed. Within 2 days of that, she was getting real green and now looks fine.

How to get 150 ppm? Take a tiny pinch and let it dissolved in a 1/2 liter of water....but it won't. So, stir and measure until 300 ppm, on the meter.

Then, pour off, half of it, 250 ml and dump the rest with the grains dissolving slowly. I don't need it stronger. I need it weaker.

So, I add another 250 ml of water, and get a 150 ppm UAN-28. You might even have some in your garage. And nice quick fix, if you don't over do it.

Merlin34 said:

You can clone in flower, but it takes a long time for them to root and revert to normal vegging.

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That's right, it's all about timing and understanding plant processes. I graft stuff and there's a right time and a wrong time. Same with rooting cuttings.

mickfanning said:

Uncle Ben, what's the maximum dose of Foliage Pro ml/gallon I should use if I have them in air pots with 100% coco coir? And do you use the same amount per gallon in flower as you do in veg? I have cal/mag but have not been using it because I'm using tap water, should I consider adding some?

Thanks

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2.5/gal. As a guide you probably can use the same amount no matter, depends on your plants' requirements.

Even for a 10-15 foot plant only give 2.5 ml / gallon? And is it ok to give 2.5 ml / gallon every water or should you do every other water? Thanks UB!

Imaulle said:

Even for a 10-15 foot plant only give 2.5 ml / gallon? And is it ok to give 2.5 ml / gallon every water or should you do every other water? Thanks UB!

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You growing 15' tall trees now? Naturally they require more food. A small seedling does not require much food. You have to read your plants. Unlike what vendors who are pushing their stupid charts with their 11 supplements are programming you to believe, there are no set rules for how much food they will require.....too many factors are involved.

Uncle Ben said:

You growing 15' tall trees now? Naturally they require more food. A small seedling does not require much food. You have to read your plants. Unlike what vendors who are pushing their stupid charts with their 11 supplements are programming you to believe, there are no set rules for how much food they will require.....too many factors are involved.

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I followed those charts once.Once.Took me weeks to recover and fix the damage I did

slowbus said:

I followed those charts once.Once.Took me weeks to recover and fix the damage I did

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Yep. This whole cannabis industry is so screwed up but can you blame them for using the Formby method of marketing? Money talks and bullshit walks.

slowbus said:

I followed those charts once.Once.Took me weeks to recover and fix the damage I did

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Took me two years. Seriously. I'm a slow learner, sometimes. I spent $1000s, always thinking it was the equipment, my technique, the strain, need more sterilization, cooling, whatever.

I put in all the recommended loads of everything at once and was running 1500 ppm to clones. YIKES! MADNESS!

Like most, I thought these are the ganja demi-gods. They sweated enough over it, to get it right, so of course this special stuff is the BEST!! Isn't is? <shrug>

It says Denmark.

Denmark? Woot?

HydroGp said:

Denmark? Woot?

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Didn't you know. You blokes rule the hydroponic hype world!

I thought it was Holland/Netherlands. Thats where i spend my nutrient money, lol.