First Grow Ever! 9 White Widow 1000W HPS 4x4 Tent Hempy Buckets

[Hot Diggity Sog]

Well I'm vegging until the seedlings are big enough to grow some decent buds, so probably 3 more weeks.

So if I don't do any LST or topping or anything like that, I can still get somewhat decent yields right? I wanted to SCROG but since this is my first grow maybe I should work on just completing a successful grow first....

The only I would warn you about is how tall they are going get. If you moved your lights as high as they could go, what is the distance between the bottom of the reflector and the top of the 5 gallon containers?

 

[SmerkedOut]

The only I would warn you about is how tall they are going get. If you moved your lights as high as they could go, what is the distance between the bottom of the reflector and the top of the 5 gallon containers?

I'm making some changes so I'm not sure exactly, but it's probably 5' 6". I figure if they get too tall I might have to LST them sideways.

 

[SmerkedOut]

Or you can SOG style it and put more plants in.

SOG seems a lot easier to maintain than SCROG does, so I'll consider that for my next grow. What size pots are recommended for a hempy sog grow? 2 gallon?

 

[WattSaver]

Thanks man, the drainage system was made to be easy to empty, but since I went with 9 plants instead of 4 I'm having to change that out. You'll see it when its done.

Currently I have no CalMag. Is there any alternative? Bottles of the liquid are crazy expensive, which is why I never got any. Plus I didn't realize I need it.

I was feeding 1 gallon per plant per day but now I'm doing 1 gallon per plant every OTHER day. You think I can wait 5-6 days in between waterings?

If you started with brick coco, or bagged that didn't specifically say it was pre-charged with calcium, you'll need some cal/mag. Get a bottle of Botanicare it's cheap and will last a yr in a 4x4 tent. (you'll find 4 plants will be max for the space)
Yes you can wait several days between waterings when growing hempy's. Frequent waterings will keep the medium above the hole at a great environment but you don't push out much of the rez and will get concentrated, especially if you are feeding at a hi level. Coco has great wicking properties and will keep the medium above the hole moist and working while emptying the rez. I'd recommend tipping the buckets and draining as much of the rez as you can without spilling medium. Wait a day then water normal levels of nutes. (1.5 gals.... you'll have at least a qt of overflow) then wait to the next watering until you can lift the bucket and feel it's dry.

In a 4x4 tent you should plan for the plants to be topped at least once sometime at like node 5-8 depending on where you want the split and the shape/height you want the plants.

Yes I agree, top at least once, it will make a huge difference to height, and being you're in 5 gal buckets I'd top twice, since it will take a while to most out of the big bucket.

You started in a very large hempy bucket for a first grow so I wouldn't wait to get full potential. Just top as KK mentioned grow to16" to 18" above bucket, then flip. They'll finish in the 4'+ tall area, with your light and rm the finish should make you happy.

Best, Watts

 

[SmerkedOut]

If you started with brick coco, or bagged that didn't specifically say it was pre-charged with calcium, you'll need some cal/mag. Get a bottle of Botanicare it's cheap and will last a yr in a 4x4 tent. (you'll find 4 plants will be max for the space)
Yes you can wait several days between waterings when growing hempy's. Frequent waterings will keep the medium above the hole at a great environment but you don't push out much of the rez and will get concentrated, especially if you are feeding at a hi level. Coco has great wicking properties and will keep the medium above the hole moist and working while emptying the rez. I'd recommend tipping the buckets and draining as much of the rez as you can without spilling medium. Wait a day then water normal levels of nutes. (1.5 gals.... you'll have at least a qt of overflow) then wait to the next watering until you can lift the bucket and feel it's dry.



Yes I agree, top at least once, it will make a huge difference to height, and being you're in 5 gal buckets I'd top twice, since it will take a while to most out of the big bucket.

You started in a very large hempy bucket for a first grow so I wouldn't wait to get full potential. Just top as KK mentioned grow to16" to 18" above bucket, then flip. They'll finish in the 4'+ tall area, with your light and rm the finish should make you happy.

Best, Watts

Okay, I'll definitely look into calmag. And based on how small those seedlings are, would it be okay to flip to flower in say 1 week? Because I'm afraid the larger plants will be to 18" pretty quick... And to top, I just cut the very top sprout, right?

And I know this is the stupid question that doesn't have a perfect answer, but what would you GUESS my yield to be if I switch to flower in 1 week?

 

[Kush Knight]

And to top, I just cut the very top sprout, right?

Honestly the quickest recovery time is to cut down to just above a point on the main stalk where two shoots are already starting, making it so the plant just has to "plug" the top and then it can begin rebuilding auxins immediately in both the shoots, which are the new tops. But it doesn't really matter how so long as the main shoot gets gone.

4 main chollas is usual, but you could also tie the Y split into a T split an and have chunk buds instead of chollas. But If you don't mind topping 1-2 times, it'll really make a difference in your completed grow and you'll have large looking trophy buds to show off to people who smoke only shake and resin.

And based on how small those seedlings are, would it be okay to flip to flower in say 1 week? Because I'm afraid the larger plants will be to 18" pretty quick...

And I know this is the stupid question that doesn't have a perfect answer, but what would you GUESS my yield to be if I switch to flower in 1 week?

If you want my answer/guess on both those, Ill need more pictures, from today, incl a relative size style pic from top and 2 sides if major branching is starting, a distance pic of it in the setup as it would be (another size reference object would help,) plus a closeup of the stem compared to a coin.
And It'll still just be a guess...

 

[SmerkedOut]

Honestly the quickest recovery time is to cut down to just above a point on the main stalk where two shoots are already starting, making it so the plant just has to "plug" the top and then it can begin rebuilding auxins immediately in both the shoots, which are the new tops. But it doesn't really matter how so long as the main shoot gets gone.

One of my plants is doing that on its own right now. Maybe that's some genetics that need to be preserved. But for a SOG, I would want to clone from which ever plant branches the least right?

Completely different subject, but my seedlings need to be transplanted. But it's also time to up my nute dose. Should I do these at the same time or different times or does it matter?

 

[Kush Knight]

One of my plants is doing that on its own right now. Maybe that's some genetics that need to be preserved.

Completely different subject, but my seedlings need to be transplanted. But it's also time to up my nute dose. Should I do these at the same time or different times or does it matter?

I've not read up much on hempy grows, and honestly im not a hundred percent sure what would be best. I don't even know if it does matter. To be 100% safe, I'd assume you'd be fine with upping nutes 2-4 days after size up after recovery from any shock. but a light feed with a B1 containing feed (or pure b1) immediately after transplant should ease root-shock.

Personally when i transplant in soil, a smart seedling transplant involves lightly layering minute amounts of ferts in proper order for when the plant stretches its roots into it. Then I water with the same too weak feed solution every other time for 6-10 days.
But thats cause i like organics like bone and blood meal, guano,worm casting, fish emulsions, etc...


Main reason im replying, what do you mean one is doing that on its own? you mean branching and making a secondary cholla? like fom a tie down?
or its actually been topped? Cus pests can top plants too. What do you mean?

 

[SmerkedOut]

Main reason im replying, what do you mean one is doing that on its own? you mean branching and making a secondary cholla? like fom a tie down?
or its actually been topped? Cus pests can top plants too. What do you mean?

I mean it's branching, but the branches look like tops. I can tell they're gonna be main cola sites.

 

[Kush Knight]

I mean it's branching, but the branches look like tops. I can tell they're gonna be main cola sites.

Well thats just a generally healthy well lit branch. Indoor thats very common behavior. My experimental cfl bagseeds branched from the time they were 5" tall.

 

[PatchKid]

you should be under a MH bulb for now

 

[SmerkedOut]

Well, I just transplanted my seedlings into their buckets. The leaves were getting pretty big so I thought they were ready.

Turns out they weren't quite ready, but they'll be okay. (lost 1 pic)

And here's all the plants in the tent.

And my new drainage system. Basically I used some 2x6 boards to make a square, and then laid a tarp inside that. I cut some buckets down, and then set my hempy buckets on that.

 

[Kush Knight]

Over-Watering! after that gets fixed, i think you got a nute prob,or rather its probably pH. What are you pHing too?

I guess if you flower them now, and take a little better care of them, maybe 2.5-3 oz.
If you wait 4-5 weeks, take a lot better care and train them all well, maybe a 1/2 (8oz.) to 2/3 (10.6oz.) of a lb.

 

[SmerkedOut]

Over-Watering! after that gets fixed, i think you got a nute prob,or rather its probably pH. What are you pHing too?

Well this pic was 1 hour after they woke up, but they are sagging a bit. I thought you couldn't overwater hempy...?

And my PH runs about 5.9, but I think my meter was screwed up so my next feeding will be right.

 

[Kush Knight]

Well this pic was 1 hour after they woke up, but they are sagging a bit. I thought you couldn't overwater hempy...?

And my PH runs about 5.9, but I think my meter was screwed up so my next feeding will be right.

Just like you can overwater aero and hydro. You cant really kill/drown it with pHed water in a working hempy, but you can severly overwater in any method through one mistake or another.

also, fluctuate the pH .1-.3 up or down for a day occasionally while still maintaining the average to increase nutrient availability.

 

[SmerkedOut]

Just like you can overwater aero and hydro. You cant really kill/drown it with pHed water in a working hempy, but you can severly overwater in any method through one mistake or another.

Okay, so I'll let em dry out for a couple days before I water again.

And I seriously should order some calmag. Is Botaincare or GH better, or does it matter? GH is a little cheaper.

 

[Kush Knight]

Is Botaincare or GH better, or does it matter? GH is a little cheaper.

I doubt it really matters on short veg indoor plants. But I guarantee you can find a thread titled something like "Botainicare vs GH" which will be a treasure trove of info. Just google it, then show some loyalty and add rollitup to the search.

 

[SmerkedOut]

I doubt it really matters on short veg indoor plants. But I guarantee you can find a thread titled something like "Botainicare vs GH" which will be a treasure trove of info. Just google it, then show some loyalty and add rollitup to the search.

Okay, looks like there very similar but some people like botaincare better so I'll go with that. It's the one I ALWAYS hear mentioned.

What kinda nutes should I run? I'm looking to get away from the GH 3 part because it's just so expensive. With my formulas and water usage, I need 1/2 gallon of each per grow..... Have you tried or heard of the KISS formula (basically the lucas formula with MaxiBloom)?

 

[Kush Knight]

Okay, looks like there very similar but some people like botaincare better so I'll go with that. It's the one I ALWAYS hear mentioned.

What kinda nutes should I run? I'm looking to get away from the GH 3 part because it's just so expensive. With my formulas and water usage, I need 1/2 gallon of each per grow..... Have you tried or heard of the KISS formula (basically the lucas formula with MaxiBloom)?

I prefer to give advice about anything but nutes.

 

[Myles117]

if you want cheap and easy, go for jacks hydro. i use 3 parts jacks, 2 parts calcium nitrate in both veg and flower. its stupid and very very vheap if you buy the larger bags. super ph stable too, i havent had to adjust shit since switching to it