1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Technique

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Also, I took apart an old camera, and I've gotten a small lens out of it that can allow for macro pics from my iPhone. I'm definitely not there yet in terms of holding my hands steady enough, but I thought this photos came out cool looking--blurriness and all. Hopefully it'll be easier to take trichome shots once the buds swell.

And some other wider shots.

I definitely think my yield is suffering because of my delay in flowering. My flowering stretch was very slight, and the weeks before flipping, Scarlett grew huge during vegetation. I think that if I had flipped when I wanted to, that growth would have all gone into a flowering stretch to create larger colas. This is what I imagine in my head--I have no experience though, so I could be wrong.

 

[Cruizer]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Very nice

I too had a plant that didn't stretch very much after a long veg. You may be on to something.

Edit: I should mention that I have 2 plants a week into flowering after 4 months veg. I'll let you know how they stretch.

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Very nice

I too had a plant that didn't stretch very much after a long veg. You may be on to something.

Edit: I should mention that I have 2 plants a week into flowering after 4 months veg. I'll let you know how they stretch.

Definitely let me know. But, does this mean that my yield will be smaller? Did it affect yours?

 

[ninjaezgrower]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

either way those ladies look beautiful im subbed!

 

[Light Addict]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Ok with our beloved plant you have to think of it like this; a smaller plant that is sexually immature at flip will stretch to maximize its chances of reproduction (it panics). So it basically stretches to gain room for buds to form up! If you have a plant that is mature when flipping, then the plant doesn't have that immediate strive to grow out.
This stands for the most part for a well trained plant also. As if you flower a untrained girl she will stretch more than a flux or even a hard LST'd plant
Then we have the multitude of variables from strain, to watering etc etc. So yep the age of plant can indeed effect the stretch!

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Ok with our beloved plant you have to think of it like this; a smaller plant that is sexually immature at flip will stretch to maximize its chances of reproduction (it panics). So it basically stretches to gain room for buds to form up! If you have a plant that is mature when flipping, then the plant doesn't have that immediate strive to grow out.
This stands for the most part for a well trained plant also. As if you flower a untrained girl she will stretch more than a flux or even a hard LST'd plant
Then we have the multitude of variables from strain, to watering etc etc. So yep the age of plant can indeed effect the stretch!

Thanks, LA. Will the lack of stretch be detrimental to my yield? Or will it not matter? Also, are my fan leaves going yellow too soon? I'm not even halfway through flowering!

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Welcome Ninjaezgrower, and thank you. I'm in the most exciting part of my grow, finally!

 

[Light Addict]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

All stretch is really is distancing between the nodes, node numbers aren't effected, so any drop off with yield is going to be small anyway. As for your leaves yellowing, some plants just go earlier. Obviously if you have a lock out etc then well that's different lol. Yet as any plant grows out you will get low down growth yellowing up and dying off. Its just lack of light and the plant using em up. I have an auto that's just been flowering for a couple of weeks and all her big fan leaves have yellowed and died. So don't stress, as long as new growth is good then you ain't got current issues

 

[ninjaezgrower]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

yeah if the older bottom leaves are turning yellow I wouldn't be worried, most of the time its just the plant consuming nutrients from those bottom leaves as its growing and soaking up nutes, I always watch the top growth, if that's all green and healthy then you don't have much to worry about. keep your ph and ppm in check and all should be well.

Switching to flower is awesome since this is when she will start putting on those buds, and growing out all her hairs, its a beautiful sight to watch unfold over the next few weeks. And the smell, it just gets stronger day by day. I subbed at the right time.

 

[CronicHempHog]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

yep agreed
I only do 3 week veg and I get stretch but like Brotha LA said if its sexually mature it wont stretch cause its ready

 

[Cruizer]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

learned something new today.

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Soooo, this sucks, but I have an infestation of fungus gnats. I also have another unidentified pest/larvae--more on that later though.

I had only seen a few gnats in my cabinet, and what few I saw, I killed with my electric bug swatter. As I was saying earlier in the journal though, was that my lower fan leaves seemed to be yellowing at an alarming rate. My lack of experience and expectation that I would have yellowing in flower led me to believe that I didn't have a huge problem. I should have known better.

I look at Scarlett every day, of course, and I was happy with her progress until I started to feel like her bud growth had slowed. It didn't seem to make any sense, because I had just added CO2 to my grow, and if anything, she should have taken off. The final tip off was that her pH remained completely steady, and the ppm's remained the same as well. Her water uptake seemed low too, which meant she wasn't really taking up any nutes.

I peered into the reservoir, but I couldn't see anything. I turned my flashlight app on, and I aimed it at the roots--I could see some black spots, so I reached out and lightly touched them with my gloved hand. The roots came away easily, and I could see the fungus gnat larvae. Gross.

Magnified.

Then, I realized that I had TWO kinds of "gnats."

The adult version is about the same size as a fungus gnat, but it has much wider wings, and is fuzzy--giving the impression of a fatter fly. I couldn't find ANYTHING on this one. I think I know what it is now, but at the time, I was frustrated about the lack of information on this type of insect.

Fortunately, through the generosity of a green-thumbed guardian angel, I happened to have some SNS products on hand that I could use to treat this. Which I did--immediately. I wasn't able to get sticky yellow traps right away, but I treated the roots with SNS-203, which is a drench, and SNS-209, which is a "systemic pest control concentrate."

Once I treated with the drench--I emptied the reservoir and poured in the treatment. Ran it through the system, and I reached in and gently swirled the roots in the solution and splashed as much on the top of the root zone that was not submerged. I dislodged a good amount of larvae this way.

I emptied the reservoir, and added plain tap water to rinse, and then I emptied that. I could still see so many more on the roots, and I had to thoroughly clean the reservoir container anyway, so I got a little rough with her. I figured, better a bit bruised then completely dead from lack of roots. I took Scarlett out completely, (her roots don't fit through the top of the lid) and I brought her into the tub and ran more cool tap water on her roots to flush and physically remove more larvae.

I cleaned EVERYTHING thoroughly, and replaced the nutrients. This was on Thursday.

Friday, I got sticky yellow traps and Hydrofarm SOS--it is beneficial bacteria that help clean up any dead organic matter. I've been spraying the root zone with a solution of SNS-209, and I will be adding some to the reservoir shortly. I just looked it up, and I can add it right in with the nutes.

Saturday was the first time I was able to use the SOS. I did another drench, rinse, (without removing her from the reservoir) and added fresh nutrients to her reservoir. I removed all of the netpots with empty rockwool, and replaced them with red plastic cups. I put the covers on to help block the light.

Today, she seemed to be responding well to the treatments. The pH has drifted up, and the ppm reading has decreased. Both are good signs that she's eating again. Her bad leaves still look like crap, but I'm assuming it they will stay that way, and I'll keep an eye out for new growth.

She definitely had stalled out in bud development and growth this past week, but it feels like she might be on track again.

As far as my mystery bug:

I think I found the answer, and it's actually good news. It appears to be a "moth fly" or "drain fly." It is not eating the roots, but their diet is "bacteria, fungi, algae and other microorganisms present in decaying organic matter." I am still trying to eradicate them, but I'm relieved that I don't have root aphids. The fungus gnats are bad enough!!

Here are some pleasant photos (finally):

And, I have two surviving clones, one from each plant. Scarlett's clone is on the right. They have excellent root development so far, and I popped them into the Hydro 12 Tub. Still not sure what I'm going to do with them as far as training goes.

 

[7Dust]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Doing OK over here flower ?

 

[CronicHempHog]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

she got it under control

 

[Light Addict]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Shame about your woes, yet great you had the sns I've had the sns for years now and only used the organic flower and veg bits. Not had any bugs yet, (touch wood) I hope things continue on the up

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Doing OK over here flower ?

Hanging in there!

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

she got it under control

Thank you for your vote of confidence! I just have to keep up on it--the good news is that I haven't actually seen more than one adult gnat since I started treatment, not even on the trap. I don't know whether I should use some prop-o-gator (root growth stimulator) in there though. Thoughts?

 

[flowergirl21]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Shame about your woes, yet great you had the sns I've had the sns for years now and only used the organic flower and veg bits. Not had any bugs yet, (touch wood) I hope things continue on the up

You are a talented and careful grower for sure--I'm not surprised you haven't had issues with bugs. I have admittedly been a bit lax about being 100% on top of my reservoir cleanings. I keep the area clean, but I will tell you that the design of the Bloombox is not conducive to easy cleanups. I am investing in a shop vac sooner rather than later.

I started this grow in February, and with summer temps being what they are, I am REALLY looking forward to the fall and winter again. I just want to get into the rhythm of a boring perpetual grow! No drama, no newbie mistakes! I have learned so much with this first one though, and I am so grateful to have this community to reach out to. You have all been amazing. Thank you!!

 

[CronicHempHog]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

you could try

 

[7Dust]

Re: 1st Time Grow - Flowergirl21's - White Widow - Bloombox - Hydro - Manifold Techni

Hanging in there!

Just popping in check in on journals