Awesome! You seem to put a lot of effort into everything about your garden, and I had assumed you wouldnt just be putting something potentially harmful in without knowing what youre doing. Im JUST now looking into them, along with other hormones, to make a decision. Some of the studies out there get me to read for 30 minutes only to come to an inconclusive answer anyway... Great to hear something other than "I use them" and "dont use them" that most PGR-related threads around here are filled with. Thanks
Edit: were you following Cyco's schedule?
i totally agree with you, most people actually using these PGR's are doing it because they can get dense solid nugs that weigh alot for their size...But that is using it incorrectly and i can guarantee that. That is severely stressing the plant by not letting the leaf stems grow to their full length so the leaves can provide their photosynthesis energy. The leaf stems get so short that it looks as if the buds themselves don't have any, but this is not the case they have not grown stems and the growth regulator has simply stunted all the growing stems so that the bud grows in a tight little ball. A fake little ball. To the untrained smoker they may think woooooow that looks nuts and it's super heavy...but i can almost guarantee that they have lost some flavour and potency in doing so. They mislead people with the packaging, that's all it is, some stupid companies calling them bud boosters, and lead and so on.....people thinking they will get more yield. I'm sorry if i'm dissapointing people but i believe it's time for the truth before this gets out of hand and people use them for the wrong reasons....
Great for sativa sided plants (stretchy) used at half strength of Cyco's recommendation.. but i'm thinking Indicas don't really need them if you want to retain the original structure or look of the bud. Even using the slightest amount you will noticeably see a difference..and very easy to over-feed even at such weak dilution rates and this is because it's not food it is hormones. Think of it as a chick....now if she's flooded with the wrong hormones what's that going to do??? same works with plants...everything in moderation. you can always start with a tiny amount, wait a day and watch for signs of stress...things like this can help our end product because 1 day of stress can turn into 7 quickly. For every 1 day stress a plant may go through think of atleast 3 days to recover, Plants aren't like humans in the respect once our tissue is damaged it can repair itself to a certain degree....a plant if the cells are damaged, they are damaged until the end of the plants cycle, every leaf and every stem will be affected. Read the plants, and they will tell you if enough is enough.
PGR's can be a great additive/hormone if used properly and at very weak strengths, i have used this the last 4 grows and have studied my plants profusely each grow to monitor as much as i can. I notice no after-taste, no potency loss AT ALL. I can safely say most of my home grown has been the most potent smoke i've ever had.
If any of you out there have the time or books to read, i say Horticulture is so vitally important in our lives, understanding how we grow and how plants grow really opens your eyes, and may help you grow better plants...I'm still learning ofcourse and will learn things about plants until the day i die. I sometimes think we are basically a complicated version of a plant...A living moving form of bacteria. We are after all both made up of exactly the same things.
I did follow cycos feed schedule but i have changed since my last grow by eliminating nitrogen products during flowering to help taper off the plants cycle and promote the autumning effect....I love it when i see the coloured leaves appearing towards the end of ripening
I also think this adds to the flavour by having less green in the leaves, smells different while drying and everything just seems more outdoors and natural like that. By eliminating the nitrogen from my feedings at flower has made me some of the best erb i've ever had. I still get the odd mate coming round and they'll leave with a nice nuggie to stink out there car hehe a few may wonder where this strange potent erb comes from. My mrs and I are very lucky hippies, but don't worry Jack is out there now
and i'm hearing of a lemon haze x red devil getting around...will let you know.