Uncle Ben's Gardening Tweeks and Pointers

[Uncle Ben]

Hey ub or anyone else. Sorry if this is wrong thread. Recently doing more research in botany and plant structure I see a lot of people saying to veg at 24-0 with no dark period. I've read they don't need the dark period everywhere but to me it does not sit well and no one seems to have any good scientific research that it will benefit my mj plants. I would never do this to my vegtable or citrus for that matter so I continue in running at 20/4. Now I know the plants are at work during the night and not just " sitting there" and i know I read something you wrote about this in one of your thread when I went through them all but can't find it now. So if you can explain or point me in a direction. Or have some good sites can share (as to my googling for edu sites is not finding much ill still be looking)explaining what is going on in the dark cycle I would appreciate it thanks for all your imput and knowledge your shared over the years and to everyone else Dave and kite n others

edit well I just found it going through this thread again so ill take that and keep doing research thanks

I'm with you, plants need a rest and 20/4 works great for me during veg. There is a paradigm amongst many cannabis growers, mainly noobs, that pushing their plants will result in better results. A 24/0 is just one of those cultural pushes. Ironically they end up screwin' up the very thing they're trying to produce.

....and the band played on.

 

[llyr]

Hi Uncle Ben,

Massive fan of your posts and highly respect your opinion.
I've followed alot of your advise and have a question.
I've had issues in the past with my leaves going yellow from the bottom up during the flowering phase.
I use NPK of 5-4-3 for the entire Veg/Flowering cycle's and introduce a boost accelerator along when going onto 12/12 and also introducing a PK13/14 a bit further along.
I grow in 20L pots and use Coco. I feed my girls every other day or when the soil becomes dry on top.
I'm curious as to wether my yellowing leaves are due to a deficiency in my food?

Thanks for any help given.

EDIT: Having a quick read up(products of plants are my weakness thus far and understanding them as I concentrated on other areas first) I think it may be that my girls arent receiving enough potassium during it's 12/12 period? Seems sufficient enough for 18/6 but lacks in potassium?

 

[Uncle Ben]

..... and introduce a boost accelerator along when going onto 12/12 and also introducing a PK13/14 a bit further along.

Thanks for the kind words.

You have a N deficiency. Lay off the "boosters". As you've witnessed, all they boost is the premature dropping of leaves.

Good luck...

 

[llyr]

Thanks for the kind words.

You have a N deficiency. Lay off the "boosters". As you've witnessed, all they boost is the premature dropping of leaves.

Good luck...

Cheers Uncle Ben! Do you know of any online articles in understanding NPK values?

 

[Uncle Ben]

Cheers Uncle Ben! Do you know of any online articles in understanding NPK values?

Do a Google, there's plenty of them like this - http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/4049/understanding-plant-nutrition-fertilizers-and-media-ph

 

[simisimis]

Do a Google, there's plenty of them like this - http://www.greenhousegrower.com/article/4049/understanding-plant-nutrition-fertilizers-and-media-ph

I'd say - read this thread from start to finish. (yup those dozens of hours)and not pop into last page of thread where the same question has been answered numerous times already. Besides npk values you will find so much more useful info here.

 

[Medical Grade]

I'm with you, plants need a rest and 20/4 works great for me during veg. There is a paradigm amongst many cannabis growers, mainly noobs, that pushing their plants will result in better results. A 24/0 is just one of those cultural pushes. Ironically they end up screwin' up the very thing they're trying to produce.

....and the band played on.

I am not try to stir the pot or contradict any ones personal experience.

I just wantes to share my research into the subject. This has been a great thread and thought I would share.

so mj is a c3 plant. C3 plants are ancient, and predate c4 plants.

C3 plants use co2 during they day, and oxygen at night. However, like a machine they can process c02 until the cows come home. And the o2 respiration is not needed, except the c3 plant can not process c02 with out light, so instead oxygen is processed to continue the metabolic processes while in the dark.

the dif in c4 plants is that they store c02 during the light period, and use it during the dark.

In short, you increase growth yet reduce stretching under a 24/0 cycle.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/C3_carbon_fixation

http://www.mmmfaq.com/24-hours-18-veg/

http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/photosynthesis.htm

 

[Kite High]

yep c3 plants need no light deprivation other than to flower...roots grow continuously not just at night...but I do 18/6 ...go figure

 

[Holylander]

Everyone should have an uncle like Ben. Mad respect to this guy, I am learning so much reading his posts. Not even so much the technical but the plant love philosophy. Thank you.

 

[MYOB]

yep c3 plants need no light deprivation other than to flower...roots grow continuously not just at night...but I do 18/6 ...go figure

They don't need 24 hours of light either.

Light saturation is the point where photosynthesis is maxed out and more light is not used by the plant for energy. This can damage plant cells, increase the rate of transpiration while not increasing the rate of respiration and cost you $$ in wasted electricity.

To maintain a healthy body, you need to balance the amount of calories you consume (respiration) with the amount of calories you burn (transpiration)

 

[MYOB]

After thinking about it, I suppose light saturation has more to do with intensity than duration.

I still think 24/0 is unnecessary and cant imagine it making a difference. Under 18/6 I get fast growing, lush plants with tight nodal spacing. If youre getting slow growing, lanky plants its not the duration of light that is the problem....

 

[doujadaze]

The whole issue is people want to push there plants to the limits. Why? Faster growth, Tighter node spacing, They dont need " to rest " , Which could all be true? to a point i dont know but hey whatever works for them and makes them happy. Its their garden. Is there scientific research that it will benefit your mj plants or any plant material for that matter though. No at least not that i have seen. Just thoughts and beliefs. If there is though i would love to see it. Ill stick to a 20/4 or 18/6. Even though cannabis is a c3 plant and doesn't need the dark cycle for veg i still believe the 24/0 will not benefit me in the long run. Just my thoughts. In fact personally i believe in a grow that does not have all best conditions and is running 24/0 this could hurt your plants. The exact opposite of what your trying to accomplish. Photorespiration for example. Am i wrong? Maybe UB will know more about this as im no expert. Just trying to learn. Thanks for those links medical grade Just read through them

 

[chuck estevez]

yep c3 plants need no light deprivation other than to flower...roots grow continuously not just at night...but I do 18/6 ...go figure

I mainly do 18/6 cause I veg under a 1000 mh and it saves $$$ not running it 6 hrs of the hottest part of the day. When i vegged Under a 400 C.M.H I found it necessary to veg for 20/4 or even 24/0 or they would pre flower

 

[Kite High]

You speaking mothers here? I want preflowers. I veg under 1 400cmh for a month then under 3 400 cmh for 1-2 months

 

[Kite High]

They don't need 24 hours of light either.

Light saturation is the point where photosynthesis is maxed out and more light is not used by the plant for energy. This can damage plant cells, increase the rate of transpiration while not increasing the rate of respiration and cost you $$ in wasted electricity.

To maintain a healthy body, you need to balance the amount of calories you consume (respiration) with the amount of calories you burn (transpiration)

No one ever said need. They do not need supplemental co2. They do not need good temp control. They do not need good air circulation. They do not need good rh control. But all of these will make more plant faster including 24/0. No one thing but all environmental factors working in unison. One would be hard pressed to provide the equipment and energy to cause light saturation with all other factors adjusted to make it possible.

and I am not referring to seedlings here.

 

[Medical Grade]

The whole issue is people want to push there plants to the limits. Why? Faster growth, Tighter node spacing, They dont need " to rest " , Which could all be true? to a point i dont know but hey whatever works for them and makes them happy. Its their garden. Is there scientific research that it will benefit your mj plants or any plant material for that matter though. No at least not that i have seen. Just thoughts and beliefs. If there is though i would love to see it. Ill stick to a 20/4 or 18/6. Even though cannabis is a c3 plant and doesn't need the dark cycle for veg i still believe the 24/0 will not benefit me in the long run. Just my thoughts. In fact personally i believe in a grow that does not have all best conditions and is running 24/0 this could hurt your plants. The exact opposite of what your trying to accomplish. Photorespiration for example. Am i wrong? Maybe UB will know more about this as im no expert. Just trying to learn. Thanks for those links medical grade Just read through them

I actually read alot more than those, i just was able to google search a few links to get some ref material. I do not knock what anyone does, and I agree with using the 20/4 and 18/6 just as nature would provide light, or with the power savings reason. As long as you enjoy what you do, that is all that matters in the end.

 

[Uncle Ben]

They don't need 24 hours of light either.

Light saturation is the point where photosynthesis is maxed out and more light is not used by the plant for energy. This can damage plant cells, increase the rate of transpiration while not increasing the rate of respiration and cost you $$ in wasted electricity.

To maintain a healthy body, you need to balance the amount of calories you consume (respiration) with the amount of calories you burn (transpiration)

You got it!

 

[NietzscheKeen]

DANG IT! I think my plants have started to reveg. I'm not totally sure, but if they are I'm getting a lot of broad experience for my first grow. Let's say they have revegged, what does this mean for my yield in the fall and for the buds that have already formed? Can anyone give me an idea of what to expect? Thanks a ton.

At least for next time I will know to wait a little longer before transplanting them outdoors.

 

[Kite High]

if they did reveg look for phenominal braNCHING

 

[NietzscheKeen]

^ Is that a good thing in the end? You mean "phenomenal" in the literal sense, right?