First grow, Green Crack (fem) CFL

Looking really good... healthy.. Everything is going as planned.

One week 12/12...

Thanks so far so good. On Friday I guess you can say that will be 2 weeks of Veg haha. Since last topping/LST/etc, and one week since the stem split (almost). I think I might go for two more weeks before flipping to flower. I'll let height decide. Flipping at 10-12inches high even though I can just keep tying her down so hard to say. I think they're going to look beautiful in flower with the shape and size they are! Only thing is the "4 cola shape" is now messed up because of the LST. The side shoots will for sure be dead even and centered in the plant. I'll have 8 large tops, but 4 main actual colas, and I'll trim things off the bottom as they grow

Timer was set to "on" and not timer haha so it'll go off again at 12pm. The plants have been on a 24-16 hour rollercoaster this week

Looking good Dan!! So green! They're stretching for sure! Thinking maybe one more week before they settle in? I want that "praying" look so bad ha!!! Happy smoking

Going to be away for the weekend, sister in law is watching the babies until Sunday. I'll post an updated photo when I get back but here's one taken on Wednesday for reference. Really like this shot ha. I'll try and get some photos with my canon as they get bigger. Have to remember how to erase all the meta data etc haha
Cheers!

I just checked out the pics from the first topping... They have really grown in the last three + weeks..
Have you decided on a flip day? I usually flip on Sundays.. Easier to keep a calender... Looking good!

It never seems like they're growing haha. The mind judges growth on a vertical scale it seems. I count nodes and know it's growing, but without height it doesn't seem that way at all hahah!!
I have all my lights ready to go. I'm starting to worry a bit about the stretch. I might flip them soon. If I Veg for another week it would increase my yield a lot I think. On the other hand if I wait too long and there's a much needed growth spur waiting under the soil that could triple in size. It's a tough call.
I'll have 336 actual watts hanging above the canopy. That should be great for the two plants. I even have an extra industrial cord to hang a single bulb down the center between them. Was thinking about adding it in at some point during flower. I want fat buds on this run because this will have to last me till I get a house Haha!
I'll measure them when I get home and post a photo and you guys can help me decide. I have 25in of vertical space and I think they are like 6in tall hahaha

Plants are praying and reaching! We'll switch to flower this week. Any advice on little nit pick stuff I can do to better prepare them?
- they haven't been fed since transplant but it's a heavy manure/ffof/rootsorganics mix. Just been watering with cal-mag
- They were last watered a tiny bit on Friday evening. So they are due...
- I have a high P-K bloom nute I can use later in flower, forget what it's called they guy at the hydro store tossed me it for free!
- I was thinking about continuing with water and slowly adding an hour of darkness each day till I get to 12 hours.
- might remove lower tie downs and just lightly tie the middle stems to the side of the containers. The foliage is full spread across the garden. Pretty much a scrog without the net haha. Might pull a couple/ or tuck a couple fan leave for better light penetration
- I'll add in two 2700k bulbs to each light set tonight I think? So 4 23watt 5500k, 4 42watt 2700k...then add the rest end of the week?
- any thoughts. Might make a post in the newbie section for more feedback lol

I wouldn't change bulbs yet .. The 2700k will cause a lot more stretch... Wait a week then change..
If you add an hour each day it will ease the plant into flower... If you go 12/12 it shocks the plant into flower.. Takes less time.. When is your wedding?

End of august. I think I'm good on time now. Which takes less time? Shocking, or easing? And I read that light intensity is more important than color spectrum so I was going to gradually add the higher watt bulbs because it also said you can shock them with, let say switching from 184 watts to 336. Just what I read tho ha. I'll post up some photos tonight and try and get my ladies situated and ready to go...

Going 12/12 is faster.. Easing them in takes about two weeks longer.. I didn't notice the watts of your 27k.. add them in as you planned.. We don't want light stress.. If they stretch.. we just tie em down..

Ok. Now don't panic. I did a fair amount of pruning/defoliating. I re tied them down. Added in half 2700k lights and tucked fan leaves. They for sure need a watering but I'm waiting for tomorrow to start a very very light base bloom nute (flora bloom) and very light PK booster.
Here's the carnage

I prolly shouldn't have removed as MUCH as I did but there was just so much greenery. The canopy was insane. Some of the bud sites you couldn't even see. I mean big ones too lol. I'm going to let them adjust to the brutality and then sleep tomorrow. Then I'll flip them the next day and water with the nutes. Any feedback. How many mistakes did I make lol. I feel like they can take it. They're 42 days old

A good rule of thumb for thinning is only remove about 25% of total leaf mass.. You got a little carried away but look at the manifold you made.. Really no harm done just slows em down a little.. About bloom nutes, I used to think like you, start them when you flip.. but have learned to use grow nutes until 3 weeks into flower.. then mixing 50/50 grow/bloom..
Then bloom nutes.. Now for the reasoning... Bloom nutes are just that, nutes for blooms... when you flip you have no flowers at all.. you need to grow some before you feed them.. I hope this makes sense I had carpal tunnel surgery and oxycodone is messin with my head or the ogk is helping.. With steer manure in your soil you have to be careful with additional nutes.. I'm basically doing the same thing and have just a slight nute burn on my newest leaf tips...You may not need additional nutes..

I agree with all of that. Also it looks like I removed a lot. It it's probably about 30% when you divide that pile of leaves between the two plants. They're so short I'm just trying to keep light and airflow going in there until the head vertically.
They all flipped their heads up to the light over night and seem ok
I think you're right I'll most likely just use phd water with calmag for the next two or three watering steps as there IS a lot of food in the soil! I can also add in a bit of seasweek extract on the second or third watering for added nitrogen and see how the take it...
Temps went up to 78 today with the new bulbs in there but we also had the heat in the house on tonight (40 here lol). So I'm thinking the flip is tonight. When the lights go back on at 6pm I'll set the time for 12 hours of darkness for the following day. Here we goooo
Also. They fucking stink so bad. Having the tent open and trimming. My whole house smelt something good haha. Gotta be more careful when gardening days come! Fan and filter have been put on 24/7

Sounds like you've got this under control... It's hard to believe this is your first grow.. Now we see how much they stretch..
You think they stink now, just wait 6 weeks...

HydoDan said:

Sounds like you've got this under control... It's hard to believe this is your first grow.. Now we see how much they stretch..
You think they stink now, just wait 6 weeks...

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Thanks! I do a lot of reading haha. I picked up some molasses today. The pots are completely dry. I'm going to water them to like 50% runoff with filtered water/cal-mag/and a tablespoon of molasses. See what happens lol. Temps today with the lights off and fan on were 63/64ish. They should be fine though...they grew up with lows in the lower 60s some nights. I know it's not the best but I think they've adapted hahaha

I'll try and get some photos later today after watering and some before shots of the flip. I'll start using my camera now lol

May 9th
Day 46 from sprout

Bulbs are all in.
One gallon watering per plant.
10ml blackstrap molasses
3ml cal-mag
Ph'd to 6.5
Only about 20% runoff, they were dryyy
Light cycle will be 8pm-8am
They got 9 hours of darkness today and will get 12 tomorrow.

Very confused as to how to not have light enter the tent while also needing the side flaps open on the tent to draw in air? 2x2x4 grow tent. Temps over night with all 336 watts was 77. If I close the flaps now I'm assuming the temps will rise lol

That's funny I run my lights from 8 am to 8 pm exact opposite... Do you have a fan inside your tent to move air while it's closed? A small fan at the bottom bringing in new air will help.. What are your ambient day temps? We don't need light leaks, makes for funky buds..

HydoDan said:

That's funny I run my lights from 8 am to 8 pm exact opposite... Do you have a fan inside your tent to move air while it's closed? A small fan at the bottom bringing in new air will help.. What are your ambient day temps? We don't need light leaks, makes for funky buds..

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I'm running them at night when the outside temps are lowest? You run them during the day? You blasting that ac haha??? I have a small fan for the canopy and just the inline fan. What am I going to do about my vents. I have one in the back against the wall I keep open, as well as one on either side of the tent on the bottom. I keep all three open as passive intakes...

I live on the NW coast of Wa state..I don't need air conditioning.. I open the window to cool off the room...
Problem is humidity in the 80s +.. the vent in the back isn't a problem.. Maybe cardboard laid against the side at an angle like a lean two will keep most of the light out.. I have mine closed and use the bottom of the door with a small fan for active intake but I don't have to worry about smell.. light doesn't bend so light at the bottom isn't as bad as directly on the plants.. not all nights are pitch black..

HydoDan said:

I live on the NW coast of Wa state..I don't need air conditioning.. I open the window to cool off the room...
Problem is humidity in the 80s +.. the vent in the back isn't a problem.. Maybe cardboard laid against the side at an angle like a lean two will keep most of the light out.. I have mine closed and use the bottom of the door with a small fan for active intake but I don't have to worry about smell.. light doesn't bend so light at the bottom isn't as bad as directly on the plants.. not all nights are pitch black..

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my dream state to live in... luck as hell. Both Washington and Oregon. I'll figure something out. First day of flower! Now the 8/9 week countdown haha