how long do I have left?

[MDEVA]

I think/hope I'm in the final stretch & will be able to harvest my first plant soon. I started off doing everything you could possibly imagine wrong. Lights were on 14/10 during veg, had some of those Phillips "Plant & Aquarium Incandescent Lights" etc. She was tall and lanky - -- stretched to the MAX. BUT Thanks to rollitup, I got tips along the way & was able to get at least SOME bud on my first baby. Thanks to everyone who gave me tips along the way. I guess its been flowering for approx 3.5 Weeks, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me how much longer it looks like I have left? I'm not near my baby now but will post a picture I took yesterday morning. Also, my buds seem kind of "loose"... What causes that? Is it the strain, my lights, or an error in my gardening? Is there any cure this late in the game? Last question-is there any benefit to giving it an extended period of dark time to speed up the budding process? I've read a little about doing that, but people seem split 50/50. I started this plant from "Bagseed" as a trial run before I try to grow the feminized short rider auto-flower seeds I ordered from Nirvana . Picture will file this post

 

[MDEVA]

picture from yesterday

 

[MDEVA]

Sorry for all the "type-os" on my first post... it was from my phone as that's where the attachment for my picture was located. Meant to ask - is there any "cure" for the buds being kind of "loose"? I would like some rock hard dense nugs - but don't think they will come from this plant. Also - aside from the tops, or main colas, the rest of the buds look like what I refer to as "popcorn nugz"...... is that because of the strain, or something I've done wrong while raising her? Again, I have no idea what her genetics are, as it was only some bag-seed. She is flowering under (5)-3860 lumen 2700k 55 watt CFL's, and a 4' T12 fixture with (2) 2700k bulbs. Also have a few of the smaller 6500k CFL's as side lighting in there. I guess (excluding the 6500k color bulbs) you could call it 19,300 lumens, 275 watts. OH that also exludes the T12 fixture, as I have no idea what it outputs.

Any help would be appreciated, but I know it's hard to look at a picture and say how long I have left. Any educated guesses are welcome though. Looks like I will get approx 1 to 2 oz dried weight in total if I don't accidentally kill her during the home stretch.

 

[RangerJ]

I would say another 4-5 weeks

 

[berkman858]

Sorry for all the "type-os" on my first post... it was from my phone as that's where the attachment for my picture was located. Meant to ask - is there any "cure" for the buds being kind of "loose"? I would like some rock hard dense nugs - but don't think they will come from this plant. Also - aside from the tops, or main colas, the rest of the buds look like what I refer to as "popcorn nugz"...... is that because of the strain, or something I've done wrong while raising her? Again, I have no idea what her genetics are, as it was only some bag-seed. She is flowering under (5)-3860 lumen 2700k 55 watt CFL's, and a 4' T12 fixture with (2) 2700k bulbs. Also have a few of the smaller 6500k CFL's as side lighting in there. I guess (excluding the 6500k color bulbs) you could call it 19,300 lumens, 275 watts. OH that also exludes the T12 fixture, as I have no idea what it outputs.

Any help would be appreciated, but I know it's hard to look at a picture and say how long I have left. Any educated guesses are welcome though. Looks like I will get approx 1 to 2 oz dried weight in total if I don't accidentally kill her during the home stretch.

I think the combination of your lights, the strain, and your nutrients are to blame. It's probably not any one thing, but if you want the biggest culprit I would say its your lights, unless you say you grew with Miracle Grow.

As to how long you have left, it looks like you have at least 4 weeks, probably a little more. Go by the trichomes and pistil colors, but also go checkout some of the curing threads on this forum. They can explain the exact time better than I can but you definitely have some time so don't rush it. You should still get some filling out but I wouldn't expect rock hard nuggets. Hope that helps a little.

Good luck and keep it green.

 

[MDEVA]

What makes you say that? Is it simply the fact that she's been flowering for 3.5 weeks, or are you able to tell by looking at her? I know some of the visual signs to look for - white hairs turning orange/red/yellow & trichs turning milky/amber. Just wondering if there's anything else to look for?

 

[MDEVA]

.... but if you want the biggest culprit I would say its your lights, unless you say you grew with Miracle Grow.

Thanks for the response. What is wrong with the lighting I'm using? I got rid of the Incadescent bulbs and only have the CFL's running now. They seem to be doing the trick. Is it not ENOUGH light, or is it the wrong SPECTRUM? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[MDEVA]

Also - is there any way to tell from the picture I posted if this looks like a Sativa dominant or Indica Dominant plant?

 

[berkman858]

What makes you say that? Is it simply the fact that she's been flowering for 3.5 weeks, or are you able to tell by looking at her? I know some of the visual signs to look for - white hairs turning orange/red/yellow & trichs turning milky/amber. Just wondering if there's anything else to look for?

I say that because of looks and the length of time for flowering. What is the ratio of milky trichomes to clear ones?

.... but if you want the biggest culprit I would say its your lights, unless you say you grew with Miracle Grow.

Thanks for the response. What is wrong with the lighting I'm using? I got rid of the Incadescent bulbs and only have the CFL's running now. They seem to be doing the trick. Is it not ENOUGH light, or is it the wrong SPECTRUM? Any info would be appreciated.

I don't know florescents so I can't say wrong spectrum but it's probably just not enough lumens. Just my opinion.

Also - is there any way to tell from the picture I posted if this looks like a Sativa dominant or Indica Dominant plant?

From the picture it looks like its Sativa dominent but a zoomed out picture would tell a little better.

 

[MDEVA]

Thanks again for your responses...

 

[cindysid]

The good news is that the buds will probably bulk up quite a bit over the next 4-5 weeks. It won't be at all bad for a first grow with limited resources.

 

[MDEVA]

Thank you! I am ok with it. Learned a lot I guess. I went with CFL's due to space constraints - it had nothing to due with cost, believe me. I really do want to do it right - and I figured that being as how I only had a small closet to work with - CFL's and regular flourescents were my only option. Even a small 250 watt HPS would be overboard for my space... approx 4' Wide X 18" Deep X 7' Tall. I will keep my fingers crossed, as in the last several days alone, the buds have (like you put it) "BULKED UP" quite a bit. They're also starting to get more "frosty" every day. So - hopeully the gaps between buds disappear, and it she puts on weight where it counts. Thanks again for your response. I sure wish there was someone really familiar with CFL's to chime in also...

 

[berkman858]

Thank you! I am ok with it. Learned a lot I guess. I went with CFL's due to space constraints - it had nothing to due with cost, believe me. I really do want to do it right - and I figured that being as how I only had a small closet to work with - CFL's and regular flourescents were my only option. Even a small 250 watt HPS would be overboard for my space... approx 4' Wide X 18" Deep X 7' Tall. I will keep my fingers crossed, as in the last several days alone, the buds have (like you put it) "BULKED UP" quite a bit. They're also starting to get more "frosty" every day. So - hopeully the gaps between buds disappear, and it she puts on weight where it counts. Thanks again for your response. I sure wish there was someone really familiar with CFL's to chime in also...

Be patient and your buds will get better. Please read up on the perfect time to harvest, there is a good sticky thread on it but I am not sure I agree 100% with the exact time to harvest. Either way it has good info in it and will help you. You can't do enough research, that's my two cents.

P.S. - I am sure someone who knows CFLs will chime in... they always do ...

 

[MDEVA]

Thanks - that's what I'm reading now. There is so much info on this site, but it seems you can't get anyone to agree. I just try to pull bits & pieces of stuff that seem to make sense to me. Plus stuff that seems "undisputed" lol. Another question I have, and I guess I'm hi-jacking my own thread with this...... I have some Auto-Flowering Feminized Short Rider seeds that are waiting to be planted. Has anyone grown these with CFL's? When do you switch from 6500k color/temp to 2700K color temp? Do you just wait for her to start pre-flowering and then switch, or do you have to give her a push in that direction by switching the bulbs when she's old/big/mature enough to start flowering????

Have to wait till this girl is in jars before I can start the Short Rider, and I'm rapidly growing impatient. I won't do anything drastic, but still - I literally have dreams of seeing those 24" plants with 1.5-2.5 OZ bud on 'em and my lil bagseed plant seems more & more inferior each time.

 

[berkman858]

Thanks - that's what I'm reading now. There is so much info on this site, but it seems you can't get anyone to agree. I just try to pull bits & pieces of stuff that seem to make sense to me. Plus stuff that seems "undisputed" lol. Another question I have, and I guess I'm hi-jacking my own thread with this...... I have some Auto-Flowering Feminized Short Rider seeds that are waiting to be planted. Has anyone grown these with CFL's? When do you switch from 6500k color/temp to 2700K color temp? Do you just wait for her to start pre-flowering and then switch, or do you have to give her a push in that direction by switching the bulbs when she's old/big/mature enough to start flowering????

Have to wait till this girl is in jars before I can start the Short Rider, and I'm rapidly growing impatient. I won't do anything drastic, but still - I literally have dreams of seeing those 24" plants with 1.5-2.5 OZ bud on 'em and my lil bagseed plant seems more & more inferior each time.

CFLs or not, I would say switch the lights when you switch the hours to 12/12. That's when I put my High Pressure Sodium (HPS) in and that is a different light spectrum than a Metal Halide (MH), which is used for veg. Very similar to switching your CFLs.

 

[MDEVA]

Well, it's an Auto-flowering strain, so I'm not going to switch the lights to 12/12. Atleast I don't plan to. Everything I've read about this particular AUTO is to VEG & FLOWER on 18/6.... no need to change it up. That was part of the appeal to me. Something that would still flower in 18 hrs of light. IN MY NOVICE BRAIN, that equates to faster bigger bud growth... right? I mean, it does call for 63 days total grow time...

 

[berkman858]

Well, it's an Auto-flowering strain, so I'm not going to switch the lights to 12/12. Atleast I don't plan to. Everything I've read about this particular AUTO is to VEG & FLOWER on 18/6.... no need to change it up. That was part of the appeal to me. Something that would still flower in 18 hrs of light. IN MY NOVICE BRAIN, that equates to faster bigger bud growth... right? I mean, it does call for 63 days total grow time...

Ahh sorry I forgot about the autoflower, I check out then. I have no experience with autoflowers and CFLs. Somebody help this broad!

 

[MDEVA]

So I made a mistake in an earlier post about the lighting I'm using. I was trying to recall from memory, but obviously short term memory isn't my strong suit.

She's currently under:
2700K Color Temp CFL --- (3) 55 Watt, 4200 Lumens
6500K Color Temp CFL --- (4) 23 Watt, 1450 Lumens
4' T12 Fixture Flourescent --- (2) 40 Watt, 2325 Lumens

For a grand total of === 337 Watts, 23,050 Lumens.

I THINK I know what part of the problem is... She needs more of the 2700K color bulbs. Everything I've read in the CFL forums states that 6500K is best for VEG & 2700K is best for FLOWER. Although they will grow and bud with a variety of both colors, I want to switch out some bulbs to have a predominantly 2700K (red) spectrum on my baby. IF THERE ARE ANY CFL GROWERS THAT HAVE SOME INPUT ON THIS<<< I'D BE IN DEBT TO YOU FOR SOME ADVICE.

I know that 337 Watts isn't a TON of light, but I feel like it should be sufficient for the Short Rider plant I start after this harvest. I mean, I've seen plenty of people with HID lighting use 400 watts and do just fine. I'm not too far off from 400W, plus I'll be growing a strain that is bred to be small in stature - so I'm not going to sweat it. Maybe it isn't ideal lighting for such a tall plant like I have now (approx 5'5" tall) but I'm confident my set-up will rock the autoflowering feminized Short Rider plant into skunky oblivion!

 

[MDEVA]

So... I ordered some more lighting, and some adapters... I am going to do this right, for if you plan on doing something - what's the point in half-assing it??

Just got (2) 2700K, 105 watt, 7140 Lumens &
(2) 6500K, 105 watt, 5040 Lumens

Which will bring my grand total to 757 Watts, 47,410 lumens. For 1 (maybe 2) plants in a closet 4' Wide, 2' Deep, and about 7' Tall.

 

[berkman858]

So... I ordered some more lighting, and some adapters... I am going to do this right, for if you plan on doing something - what's the point in half-assing it??

Just got (2) 2700K, 105 watt, 7140 Lumens &
(2) 6500K, 105 watt, 5040 Lumens

Which will bring my grand total to 757 Watts, 47,410 lumens. For 1 (maybe 2) plants in a closet 4' Wide, 2' Deep, and about 7' Tall.

Why not go with some T5s or T8s instead of all those CFLs?