Can't get dense buds...

I did a CFL grow last year w/ an auto AK. The quality was good but the buds were extremely airy. I chalked the lack of density up to the CFLs. The plants were done. Mostly cloudy and some amber trichs.

I just cut down a non auto plant grown under a 400 w HPS. I thought for sure the change in lighting would be the trick but these buds turned out just as airy. Haven't tried the quality yet because they are still drying.

I'm using Advanced Nutrients Micro,Grow, Bloom; 400 w HPS for flowering, DWC Bucket.

Any help is appreciated. I have two more seeds ready to plant but want to try to get this right.

The quality of smoke is there but the buds look like crap.
 

burninjay

Active Member
First keep in mind that you are growing a different strain this time.

Did you veg under the hps? if so, you just might not have gotten close enough node spacing for real dense buds.
how far away from the plants is the light? 400w hps is bright, but not 4 feet above the plant.

When I think of airy buds, the first things that come to mind are weak veg period or low light.
 

323cheezy

Well-Known Member
when i converted to a 400 the density was much better.....
There a numerous causes for not getting thick nugs.....as follows....
Bad temps(humidity), bugs, nute lock , stretchy plants, bad ventillation, bad genetics,not enuff leaves,overcrowded room, light leaks..ie not a full 12hrs darrkness.....and most importantly tall beasters.... the bigger the plant the more light and longer it will take too mature...
 

MrBlanco

Active Member
I just looked Auto AK47 up and it says it's mostly sativa. If you want really dense buds you should be growing indicas.
 

burninjay

Active Member
I just looked Auto AK47 up and it says it's mostly sativa. If you want really dense buds you should be growing indicas.
He said the auto-AK was last years crop. and getting similar nugs with his 400w hps to last years cfl grow. I think it's probably more than just some sativa in the bloodline.

Oh, and I fail to see how anything that autoflowers could be labeled as 'mostly sativa'
 

323cheezy

Well-Known Member
I just looked Auto AK47 up and it says it's mostly sativa. If you want really dense buds you should be growing indicas.
I doubt it.....
Sativas can have dense buds also ...
My blue dream was so dense and thats sativa.....

That being said sativas tend to have thinner leaves...

Ak47 is not really a dense strain to began with anyhow... wonder if the second grow was ak....:?:
 
First keep in mind that you are growing a different strain this time.

Did you veg under the hps? if so, you just might not have gotten close enough node spacing for real dense buds.
how far away from the plants is the light? 400w hps is bright, but not 4 feet above the plant.

When I think of airy buds, the first things that come to mind are weak veg period or low light.
It vegged under some T5 floros. These next plants will be under a MH. The HPS was right on the plants. I had a cooltube. You could touch the glass it kept it so cool.
 

burninjay

Active Member
It vegged under some T5 floros. These next plants will be under a MH. The HPS was right on the plants. I had a cooltube. You could touch the glass it kept it so cool.
Ok, I would rule out poor veg and poor lighting.
Poor feeding could result in poor bud quality. If the foliage was green and healthy for the entire grow, I would rule this out as well. How did the leaves look at harvest?

What strain was it this year? Did you grow more than 1 plant/strain and were the nugs of similar density?
Last year could easily be chalked up to cfl's, this year you might just have some lame genes.
 
I doubt it.....
Sativas can have dense buds also ...
My blue dream was so dense and thats sativa.....

That being said sativas tend to have thinner leaves...

Ak47 is not really a dense strain to began with anyhow... wonder if the second grow was ak....:?:
this go round was some type of hash plant. My friend gave it to me.
 
Ok, I would rule out poor veg and poor lighting.
Poor feeding could result in poor bud quality. If the foliage was green and healthy for the entire grow, I would rule this out as well. How did the leaves look at harvest?

What strain was it this year? Did you grow more than 1 plant/strain and were the nugs of similar density?
Last year could easily be chalked up to cfl's, this year you might just have some lame genes.
To be honest, the plant quality was kind of crappy going into harvest. It had a decent amount of leaves but did not look at that healthy. Some yellow and brown leaves. Probably what did it in. I'll repost when I try the quality. Like I said, the auto AK looked like shit but was much more potent than I had expected.
 

FuZZyBUDz

Well-Known Member
u should consider getting a hardening nutreint, i use FF cha ching and it helps greatly in the dencety part. im a sativa fan, but miine still come out dence as shit, OH ps i use a 400 watt HPS fer flowering and 150 HPS fer veg.
 

MrBlanco

Active Member
I doubt it.....
Sativas can have dense buds also ...
My blue dream was so dense and thats sativa.....

That being said sativas tend to have thinner leaves...

Ak47 is not really a dense strain to began with anyhow... wonder if the second grow was ak....:?:
Can, yes. Especially if they're an indica hybrid. Sativas tend to have thinner leaves and more airy buds.

You never know though, he could be doing absolutely everything wrong. It doesn't look like it though.
 

burninjay

Active Member
To be honest, the plant quality was kind of crappy going into harvest. It had a decent amount of leaves but did not look at that healthy. Some yellow and brown leaves.
It was suffering from some sort of improper nutrition. Not life threatening obviously, but I would bet that it had an effect on your yield. Combine that with perhaps some sketchy genetics and you're not going to get super stuff.

Seems to me that you have some proper equipment, and should be able to get good results. Maybe find some quality seeds for next grow and review your feeding practices and I'd think you'll see improvements next time.
 

323cheezy

Well-Known Member
It can take a couple grows before you get dense dank buds....
Lord knows my first grow was not dense at all....
You can read all these grow forums and books and shit ....
It may not help... u need hands on experience....

If your looking for a silver bullet.... its not gonna happen....
Just try again ... and learn from your mistakes ....
It could by a multitude of minor things....
this time get some goood seeds if possible....
 
u should consider getting a hardening nutreint, i use FF cha ching and it helps greatly in the dencety part. im a sativa fan, but miine still come out dence as shit, OH ps i use a 400 watt HPS fer flowering and 150 HPS fer veg.
Isn't cha ching for soil grows? Is there something similar for hydro?
 

FuZZyBUDz

Well-Known Member
Isn't cha ching for soil grows? Is there something similar for hydro?
naw its fer hydro too. it does werk well tho ill tell u that. it made my first grow go really dence, i still got a BUNCH too fer 36 bucks this shits gunna be with me fer a while as ive been throo 3 grows now and its still praticaly full
 
naw its fer hydro too. it does werk well tho ill tell u that. it made my first grow go really dence, i still got a BUNCH too fer 36 bucks this shits gunna be with me fer a while as ive been throo 3 grows now and its still praticaly full
my friend has some AN Big Bud. I am going to add that at the end of the next cycle. If that doesn't work i'll try cha ching. I'm also going to try to keep the plants healthy during the veg stage this time. They kind of got away from me this time.

The new seeds are both g13 pure power fems.
 

FlyLikeAnEagle

Well-Known Member
Cha Ching is good but its only for the last week or two of flower and its purpose is to improve taste. Beastie Bloomz is very high in [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]phosphorus and will make your buds denser and bigger.
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