First Grow - Sugar Blossom / Rubbermaid CFL

[yeldarb]

So today I decided change out two of the 23 W 4000K bulbs with the two 42W 6500K I had used earlier in the grow. I switched them intially because I thought it could have overkill. I will be keeping a close eye on the plants today to make sure I don't burn them.

I kept a close eye on he temps and the plants since I placed in the two 42 W bulbs. Temps have risen 2-3 C, hovering around 29 C at the moment. I think that should be ok. One thing I have noticed is a rise in humidity from the high 20's to the 50's. I guess the higher temps is causing more moisture to evaporate from the cups.

Everything looks good! I have lowered the bulbs slightly several times to get them as close as possible without burning. I am checking every hour or so n the leave tips and the temps.

Here is some pics:

I am really happy with the growth of plant A. Here is its progress from after being burnt:

Here is plant C's progress:

And finally the slow one, Plant D:

Top of rubbermaid:

 

[yeldarb]

Anyone try growing Sugar Blossom before?????

 

[yeldarb]

So today, Monday morning I watered each of the plants until the first bit of water came out the bottom. Everything seems to be going good.

Does anyone think I should transplant A or any of the others soon....or now???

(I like to put the pic from before to see the growth)

Plant A Day 15 from first beginning germ -

Plant A Day 17 from first beginning germ -

Plant C Day 6

Plant C Day 8

Plant D Day 6

Plant D Day 8

Here is a comparison between A and C both at 8 Days:

C is looking good (and not burnt! )

 

[yeldarb]

Here is a pic showing how much the box glows:

 

[yeldarb]

Nothing big to report today things still going good. I think I will be repotting A in the next few days. Could anyone comment on repotting A??? Thanks

So I was reading another grow journal the other day and was reading someone hating the fert balls in MG. I didn't know what he was talking about until tonight when I saw a white sphere on the top of A's soil. So I picked it and looked closely at it and then BAM popped it right in my eye That can't be good.....

I'll have pics of the plants tomarrow

(I also found a new fan for my next grow box...very silent unlike the current jet engine....I will probably post my build in DIY once I get all the parts and start building)

 

[yeldarb]

PICS: January 29th, 2009

Plant A DAY 17:

Plant A DAY 20:

Plant C DAY 8:

PLANT C DAY 11:

PLANT D DAY 8:

PLANT D DAY 11:

And finally all three plants:

 

[yeldarb]

January 30th, 2009

Plant A - 21 Days

Decided to FIM plant this evening. It had two sets of 7 point leaves.

Plant C - 12 Days

Decided to FIM as well. It had one set of 7 point leaves half way in. I think I may have done this a bit early after reading a bit more about FIMing. Time will tell.

I think this will help for two reasons:

1) This will allow Plant D to catch up in height

2) This will hopefully keep my heights down overall.....not much room in the rubbermaid.

 

[yeldarb]

Feb 1, 2009

Plant A - Day 23
Plant C - Day 14
Plant D - Day 14

This morning I noticed some tiny growth where I attempted to FIM the top growth on both A and C. I noticed that I was having to water A on a daily basis, and had read that if you were having to water your plant 5-6 times per week than it was time to repot. Plant C is probably required water 4-5 times at the moment. Since it would be impossible to do the lighting with Plant A its final pot and not Plant C I had to repot both.

I prepared the pots, square black plastic kitty litter container washed and holes drilled in bottom. I placed moist soil in the pots filling around 3/4. Then i paced dry soil up to top and dug out a hole in the middle. For A I gently squeezed around its pot in all directions, gently gripped its main stem and rotated back and forth slowly. The soil came out easily without any noticeable damage. I inspected the roots, they seem to have reached the sides and begun wrapping, but it didn't seem too overgrown. I then placed in the hole and spread dry soil evenly around and lightly watered around the edges.

For Plant C I figured its root system wouldn't be as developed as A so I wouldn't try pulling it out by the main stem. Here I gently gripped the main stem between my fingers, turned the pot upside down and gently tapped until it released and fell into my palm. This one seemed to have more rots wrapped around the bottom. I gently loosened the roots so they weren't as tangled. Same procedure as A to put into final pot.

To place them back in I put both pushed to opposite sides leaving a gap in the middle. I was then able to slide Plant D i its medium sized put between A and C.

The rubbermaids are 32" tall stacked and I lose 6" at the top due to the lights and 7" due to the size of the pots. This leaves me with only 19" of height for final growth. I see that people say plants double or triple in size during flowering. So I will have to flower at a plant height between 6-8". I hope my FIMing helps out with my vertical constraints.

I think 1-2 weeks in veg will have the plants reaching 6-8". I will hopefully have some pics for tomorrow.

 

[yeldarb]

I got some pics for today:

Plant A at 25 days:

Plant C at 16 Days:

Plant D at 16 Days:

All Three:

Comparison of A at 20 to 25 days:

 

[Dr.GreenNutz]

Lookin good mutha fucka

 

[yeldarb]

Sunday February 8th, 2009

Plant A - 30 Days
Plant C - 21 Days
Plant D - 21 Days

No pics today.

I am seeing lots of new growth in A and C. I don't think I did the FIM cut correctly in C. You are supposed to take 90% of the new growth, I'd say I must taken less than that because rather than more tops, the leaves are coming in with like half cut off. I think I may have done a better job with A. I'll at least know for next time.

I am pretty sure I have a nitrogen deficiency in both A and C. I haven't added any nutes at all and was relying on the slow release from the MG soil. I think I should be ok once the roots progress into the new soil, as they would have used up all the nutes that were located in the original pot's soil.

I am planning to go into flower 1 week from today. I have MG bloom fertilizer that I think is 10-30-10, so they will be able to get a bit of N from that if they really need it. I dn't think I should bother adding any veg nutes at this point because I am only vegging for one more week.

I found a grow shop where I will be buying my soil and ferts for next grow, i definetly won't be relying on MG slow release any more.

I watered D today but am leaving A and C for a few more days. They both seem to be taking a long time to se up the water in their containers, it must be because they do not have a full root system developed yet.

I am going away thursday to sunday this coming week, I think if I water right before I leave and maybe switch to an 18-6 cycle they should be okay.

Actually now that I think of it switching to 18-6 on thursday with give my plant 4 days of 6 hours darkness prior to me switching to 12-12. I think this may be beneifical so it won't be a big shock from 24 to 12/12.

Anyway comments would be greatly appricieted!!! Negative critisim would be great so I could learn for future grows.

Thanks!

 

[yeldarb]

I was able to get some pics:

A @ 25 Days

A @ 30 Days

C @ 16 Days

C @ 21 Days

D @ 16 Days

D @ 21 Days

Here is all three:

 

[Dr.GreenNutz]

You shouldnt use soil with time release nutrients.

 

[yeldarb]

You shouldnt use soil with time release nutrients.

Yeah I had the un-opened bag before I started. I found a shop that sells better soils and nutes for my next grow.

 

[yeldarb]

I have had some trouble finding a good timer. The first one I bought seems to be broken and doesn't work. I bought a new one yesterday and it only accepts a 2 prong....... didn't realize until I had it home. I've been aiming for the cheapest which hasn't exactly panned out.

So today I said screw it, I'll buy a good one. This a digital timer and seems to be a pretty good quality.

Today I switched to 20/4 lighting and tomorrow I start 12/12. A is looking super bushy, and the FIMing seems to have worked, unlike C's which just resulted in cut leaves.

I am leaving on Thursday and not coming back until Sunday night. The last watering has lasted quite a few days so I am not worried about that.

I am hoping to see some signs of females when I get back.

 

[yeldarb]

Made it back to find the plants all still doing well. D (smaller one) needy a good water but A and C were fine for a few more days. Man its seems like they doubled in size from when I last saw them. I'll try to get some pics tonight when the lights come back on.

So I am pretty sure A is a male. It sucks since A is the biggest plant and the Fiming actually worked on him. I'll wait until I'm sure and maybe get you guys to confirm then I'll have to get fid of him. I'm not sure about C or D yet. I think I saw a female pre-flower on C but it seems really really small and only shows its hairs at certain angles. Is that normal? Time will tell.

 

[fishindog]

ya get some pics up and we can help

 

[yeldarb]

So here are some pics. I can't get a good close up with my camera.

Plant A (tops) I think this is a he...I can't get a good pic so I am just going to have to wait and see what comes:

Day 6 Flower:

Plant C Top, Day 6 Flower:

All three:

Top of Rubbermaid Plant A = 30, C,D = 21

10 Days later:

 

[yeldarb]

I haven't been able to tell for sure what any of the plants are yet. I watered all three yesterday with half of the recommended dosage. Waiting for the lights to come back on right now.

I am concerned with my temperatures, but I don' think I could do much. When the lights were on 24 hours and before I switched to my new fan I had temps 24-26 C. Now my highs are at 16 C and lows of 8 C during darkness. It is in an unheated room is the basement for stealth reasons.

Will my plants still flower with these temps?? Thx

 

[yeldarb]

Got some pics. Day 8 of flower for all plants ( A is 9 days older than the rest)

I am almost positive that A is a male. Take a look at these pics and let me know. They were as close as I could get:

Here is C which i am positive is a girl now Sweet. That made me feel pretty good after "A's" disappointment.

With D:

And finally all three: D is not looking super impressive, it was always behind but now it just looks ... depressed that its so small: