My first grow, What do you think? Couple of issues...

[BU5T4]

Hay Guys,

This is my first grow and thought i'd see what you think. I'm not sure what kinda plant it is as it came from a bag of mixed feminized seeds from a surprise seed bag.

It is growing under a 400Watt HID lamp in my closet.

So far its been going fine but I do have some brown spots on the leaves that at first I thought were nutrient burns but now i'm not so sure. What do you think?

It's been 7 days since it sprouted and has been under the light 24/7 not sure if this is the right thing to do either.

Thanks for looking

 

[DoeEyed]

She looks great! I think you do have nute burn on her. The other little spots look like where water droplets were on her under the light. Acts as a magnifying glass, and burns them. All in all nice job.

 

[BU5T4]

She looks great! I think you do have nute burn on her. The other little spots look like where water droplets were on her under the light. Acts as a magnifying glass, and burns them. All in all nice job.

Thanks DoeEyed I too thought they might be nutrient burns but wasn't 100% sure, thanks for confirming that.

Thanks for the compliments, not sure how its been going as its hard to tell if my plant is growing fine as looking at pictures of other peoples grows its hard to get the guist of the size.

I just hope it continues to progress this simply, probably just jinxed myself lol.

 

[DoeEyed]

lol... Just relax, you'll do fine. They are pretty hardy plants, can take lots of abuse from us before keeling over. The best way to gauge size, looking at other peoples pics, is to count the number of nodes. (A node is where each pair of stems join the main stalk, later they will be single, alternating nodes - sign of sexual maturity) That gives you a rough guess as to how you compare.

 

[BU5T4]

lol... Just relax, you'll do fine. They are pretty hardy plants, can take lots of abuse from us before keeling over. The best way to gauge size, looking at other peoples pics, is to count the number of nodes. (A node is where each pair of stems join the main stalk, later they will be single, alternating nodes - sign of sexual maturity) That gives you a rough guess as to how you compare.

I looked at one of the posts about topping and it mentioned nodes and tried to explain it. The example they used the nodes seemed quite far apart so it was easy to count them but my plant seems quite stumpy and its hard to pick out the nodes.

Am I right in saying that my plant is growing its third set of nodes?

Am I totally missing the point here or does this look right to you?

 

[ford442]

24/7 light is fine as long as it does not get too dry or too hot.. what matters is the flowering light cycle - later you will want 12 on / 12 off to induce flowering..

 

[BU5T4]

24/7 light is fine as long as it does not get too dry or too hot.. what matters is the flowering light cycle - later you will want 12 on / 12 off to induce flowering..

Cool thanks Ford I was just concerned as I have seen that alot of people use other amounts of light instead of 24/7 like 18/6. Do you think that the saving on electricity is worth changing it to 18/6 or will the 24/7 give me alot quicker growth rates?

 

[DoeEyed]

I do 20/4 myself, saves a bit on the juice, and gives me a slightly stronger root system than 24/0 does - but better growth than 18/6.
As for the nodes - you forgot the growth tip, where the next node is coming in - but otherwise yeah, you got it! If you're looking at it thinking of topping - read Uncle Ben's thread on the subject, stickied in the Advanced section. Note that the one you have listed as the first node, though it is, it isn't the first true node - because it has only the single bladed leaves she started with. The one above would be your first true node. It's easier to see them, when it gets a bit bigger.

 

[BU5T4]

I do 20/4 myself, saves a bit on the juice, and gives me a slightly stronger root system than 24/0 does - but better growth than 18/6.
As for the nodes - you forgot the growth tip, where the next node is coming in - but otherwise yeah, you got it! If you're looking at it thinking of topping - read Uncle Ben's thread on the subject, stickied in the Advanced section. Note that the one you have listed as the first node, though it is, it isn't the first true node - because it has only the single bladed leaves she started with. The one above would be your first true node. It's easier to see them, when it gets a bit bigger.

Ah ok got you on the nodes so we don't actually count the first true node.Thats the one with the little round leaves on instead of serrated ones. cool.

I think I may have read Uncle Ben's thread but i'm not sure so going to go find it now. Just the idea of cutting my plant though really freaks me out but if it gets me more crop at the end then its worth it as I guess thats the whole point of the process.

Kinda weird actually as I seem to have forgotten the point of this is to get smoke at the end, been enjoying the growing side of it so much.

 

[Rusty Crutch]

Don't plants release more toxins during the dark cycle? The guy at my hydro store said they need at least a few hours sleep per cycle to release toxins and it makes your bulbs last a lot longer.

 

[BU5T4]

Don't plants release more toxins during the dark cycle? The guy at my hydro store said they need at least a few hours sleep per cycle to release toxins and it makes your bulbs last a lot longer.

I never really took the bulbs into consideration wouldn't switching them on and off all the time make them burn out quicker?

I may switch my light cycle to 20/4 as obviously I wouldn't want any toxins building up. Ill set the timer to turn off tonight then.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[DoeEyed]

I never really took the bulbs into consideration wouldn't switching them on and off all the time make them burn out quicker?

I may switch my light cycle to 20/4 as obviously I wouldn't want any toxins building up. Ill set the timer to turn off tonight then.

Thanks for the advice.

I top my plants for four colas, and though I've done it many times now, it's never a nice feeling to take a scissors to something you spend so much time careing for. Don't worry - it's worth it in the end.

 

[geddylee.2112]

Looking good bro, Don't worry about that little bit of nute burn. I over did mine a little during veg and it has recovered nicely. This is my first grow as well, and I have learned the most important thing to growing is a little goes a long way. If you used a store bought bagged potting soil like Miracle Gro, there is enough nutes in there already to almost get them into flowering. Not saying you shouldn't fert, just saying these plants can do fine without fert.

 

[geddylee.2112]

Looking good bro, Don't worry about that little bit of nute burn. I over did mine a little during veg and it has recovered nicely. This is my first grow as well, and I have learned the most important thing to growing is a little goes a long way. If you used a store bought bagged potting soil like Miracle Gro, there is enough nutes in there already to almost get them into flowering. Not saying you shouldn't fert, just saying these plants can do fine without fert.

I also meant to say that yes, they are the same plant. First pic was taken early in veg(1/7), and the second pic was taken yesterday(3/, about 6.5 weeks into flowering.

 

[BU5T4]

I also meant to say that yes, they are the same plant. First pic was taken early in veg(1/7), and the second pic was taken yesterday(3/, about 6.5 weeks into flowering.

Yeh they look really good Geddylee I would like to try a soil grow next time round but the NFT seems to be quite good so far.

I top my plants for four colas, and though I've done it many times now, it's never a nice feeling to take a scissors to something you spend so much time careing for. Don't worry - it's worth it in the end.

Just trying to figure out when to do this though, don't wanna do it too early and kill the plant.

 

[DoeEyed]

Oh - well I always top mine when they have five to six nodes - (about three weeks old for me, when vegging under CFL's) then cut half an inch to an inch above the second true node. That's for four main colas. (in your pic, that would be above where you labeled it third node).

 

[BU5T4]

Cool well i'll leave it a couple of weeks and then ill show you some pics with some arrows of where im going to top it and see what you think. If you cutting just above the second true node arent you cutting off alot of the plant? Not sure on how this actually works to be honest. Can I stick some rooting gel on the bit i cut off and put it in some rockwool and continue to grow that bit of plant? seems like an odd thing to do but im sure it will make sense once i see it growing.

Thanks again for the advice, I would give you +rep if I could figure out how. Figured it out so cheers

 

[justmark03]

as long as your feeding it right and the grow space isnt overwhelmingly hot (keep your hand above the plant for a minute and it your hand isnt hot then..) im sure theyll be fine. the brown spots could be nutrient burn or from water droplets but i wouldnt be too woried about that because your plant looks healthy. you should start to worry if things get worse

 

[BU5T4]

as long as your feeding it right and the grow space isnt overwhelmingly hot (keep your hand above the plant for a minute and it your hand isnt hot then..) im sure theyll be fine. the brown spots could be nutrient burn or from water droplets but i wouldnt be too woried about that because your plant looks healthy. you should start to worry if things get worse

Thanks for the input justmark. I can put my hand between the plant and the light and my hand doesn't burn. I currently have the HID 24cm above the plant.

I think your right about the brown marks, Possibly happened when changing out the NFT with new nutrients. Doesn't seem to be happening to the other leaves so think it should be fine.

 

[DoeEyed]

Cool well i'll leave it a couple of weeks and then ill show you some pics with some arrows of where im going to top it and see what you think. If you cutting just above the second true node arent you cutting off alot of the plant? Not sure on how this actually works to be honest. Can I stick some rooting gel on the bit i cut off and put it in some rockwool and continue to grow that bit of plant? seems like an odd thing to do but im sure it will make sense once i see it growing.

Thanks again for the advice, I would give you +rep if I could figure out how. Figured it out so cheers

Yeah it comes to about half the plant or so - that's why you don't wait until it's ten nodes high - just be wasting growth. Wait until she's between five and six nodes high. Yes, you can try to root the top - lots of folks do this. What happens when you cut it is, the hormones that tell the plant where the top is, move down to the two lowest nodes - but all four remaining branches believe they are it. Here ya go - one of my earlier grows - this was a Train Wreck plant. The first pic, is the day after I topped it. Second is a week later. Third, the week after that - all the same plant. You can see how it progresses - they respond pretty quickly. The last pic, is what they looked like at the end - she was one of these - don't know which one now, lol. Hope this was helpful.