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- #381
Count on it.
COorganics - No-Till Organic - 2nd No Till Run - Indoors - GSC Forum Cut
- Thread starter COorganics
- Start date
Count on it.
That's a good point CO, but I'll be running everything together 11/13 from seed to harvest, so there'll be different stages going on simultaneously and I'll need to get back there to plant and harvest. The path between the beds won't need to be very wide. Just enough room to turn around without falling.
I do teas and drenches from the top. I want to keep it out of the reservoirs so I don't use as much volume as I would without the SWICK. I figure the biota will shuttle it around in that well-hydrated soil matrix. I'm careful to drench slowly and to get the entire surface. I'm also working that topdressing in with the drenches and teas.
The SWICK is defined by the bed of wicking material (perlite or lava rock) that the pots sit on. The idea is that the pots never sit in water. The water comes to the pot. While your lava rock may be the bottom layer, soil will sift down into that layer and that soil will be sitting in water with your idea.
I've been considering and probably settled on a 2-3" layer of lava rock on the bottom of the pot that will sit in my perlite pool swick. It should prevent any over watering from too much water added to the bottom or too big a serving of tea, keeping the soil line up. I doubt it will be level so I'm thinking this could help. Ideas/suggestions?
What is it you doubt will be level?
The base of my pot, along with support in spots making areas -unwickable- worry me.
If you're using fabric pots this is a non-concern, as the pots themselves work to wick the water rising through the perlite. I was nervous at first too, but I've come to see that all those concerns were for naught. The base of perlite is stronger than you expect. It actually makes it easier to level the pots on the perlite. Your only concern is keeping the water level 1-2" below the surface of the perlite or the bottom of hard pots you've partially sunk into the perlite.
It works because of the laws of physics. You can't keep it from working if you set it up correctly.
As understand it, there's is no need for lava rock as a bottom layer INSIDE the pot. I plan to mix my lava rock throughout the soil as aeration and SWICK component, with the external layer of lava rock and fabric pots as the main SWICK elements.
- Thread starter
- #389
Hey guys and gals following along here, what's your take on defoliating to increase yield. I usually do take some leaves and also train my plants.
This one (GPK) had not a single leaf taken ever from her. (And has not had any training)
Light barely passes at all through those thick leaves.
But she is producing nice sized buds already at the dawn of day 33.
Curious to what others think.
This one (GPK) had not a single leaf taken ever from her. (And has not had any training)
Light barely passes at all through those thick leaves.
But she is producing nice sized buds already at the dawn of day 33.
Curious to what others think.
I think the fan leaves are there for a reason. Doc has stated more than once that he saw brix levels fall after defoliation (though as I write that I'm wondering if those levels might not raise later? Hmmm). I personally have a strong sense that the plant suffers needless stress with aggressive defol, but moderately applied a healthy plant can recover and possibly grow more vigorous.
Then you look at that unmolested beauty and the buds she's developing in your living soil and you have to wonder if your defol ideas aren't left over from the days of believing it was best to force feed the plant to meet our needs. Are you planning on leaving her alone as a control?
God, you guys have me talking like I know what I'm talking about.
Then you look at that unmolested beauty and the buds she's developing in your living soil and you have to wonder if your defol ideas aren't left over from the days of believing it was best to force feed the plant to meet our needs. Are you planning on leaving her alone as a control?
God, you guys have me talking like I know what I'm talking about.
- Thread starter
- #391
Sue, I never had a synthetic mindset to shed in the first place. I started with TLO which I believe is pretty organic, just screwy and not ideal at all. I have never used bottled nutes.
the plant in question here: Ive planned on leaving it alone the whole time just for fun, to see what happens. ive never grown it before and there really still aren't that high of hopes as far as her becoming a keeper. I have some really cool new genetics on the way this weekend, also still plan on trading for the bruce banner #3, and only wanna grow 4 plants total per flower cycle in my room. Im able to be really picky with what I choose to grow next.
at this stage of the game, around halfway thru flower, id never take any leaves. I usually defol right before flower and again a couple weeks into flower. I don't mess with them once they have some buds starting. it seems like light should be allowed to get to budsites. I guess I will still be taking some leaves, maybe not as many though, watching these buds stack up nicely while shaded from the brunt of the light.
Interesting leaving one alone.
the plant in question here: Ive planned on leaving it alone the whole time just for fun, to see what happens. ive never grown it before and there really still aren't that high of hopes as far as her becoming a keeper. I have some really cool new genetics on the way this weekend, also still plan on trading for the bruce banner #3, and only wanna grow 4 plants total per flower cycle in my room. Im able to be really picky with what I choose to grow next.
at this stage of the game, around halfway thru flower, id never take any leaves. I usually defol right before flower and again a couple weeks into flower. I don't mess with them once they have some buds starting. it seems like light should be allowed to get to budsites. I guess I will still be taking some leaves, maybe not as many though, watching these buds stack up nicely while shaded from the brunt of the light.
Interesting leaving one alone.
- Thread starter
- #392
sue your a night owl these days. 
sue your a night owl these days.
Still over a month to go in the nursing home CO. I have so much trouble sleeping without him I'm going out of my freaking mind. Staying up later and later trying to get tired enough to sleep at all.
You guys keep me from going stark raving mad. I get to laugh a lot here.
I agree about the light to the bud sites. It's why my cfl approach paid off so well. Flooded those sites with light. I'll keep your defoliation schedule in mind. What's your criteria for choosing the leaves? Any you wouldn't consider taking?
- Thread starter
- #394
criteria can be simple, leaves that are in the way. and only a small percentage of the total amount of leaves on the plant. im evolving in my thinking everyday, so ask me again in a month. ha haa.
I feel for you and Dale. stay strong. this too shall pass.
I feel for you and Dale. stay strong. this too shall pass.
Got a laugh out of that CO.
I decided today that when I do any defoliation I'm going to freeze the leaves for edibles. At the very least they can be used in juicing. I think Dale and my daughter would both benefit. I guess I should include me in there too, huh?
I decided today that when I do any defoliation I'm going to freeze the leaves for edibles. At the very least they can be used in juicing. I think Dale and my daughter would both benefit. I guess I should include me in there too, huh?
ClosedCircuit
New Member
Everybody likes edibles So ya, include yourself.
So ya, include yourself.
SmokesDaKush
New Member
That's exactly what I do SweetSue, got me a big old bag saved up by now. I take a handful and place in a blender with some RO water, cold pressed olive oil and a little honey and either a whole organic lemon or some frozen fruit. Of course you can sneak some activated butter/oil in there too.
So ya CO, I defoliate a little as they are flowering but only as needed.
So ya CO, I defoliate a little as they are flowering but only as needed.
SweetLeef
New Member
I defol heavy in veg, and almost not at all during flower. Maybe a leaf or two here and there if they are really blocking buds. But all the fun happens in veg. Then they get to just chill until they are ready. I actually feel a lot closer to them when they are in veg as a result. I often times feel like I don't really know them anymore when they are in flower. They get a thorough check out and watered by hand... a lot, but mostly are admired from afar. We're cool when they are young and awkward, but once they blossom they are well outta my league
As far as what to defol, I start by clipping the largest fan leaves and the leaves with the longest stems, basically any stem over 2". That oughta clean em up nicely. if I want to go real hard, then I will usually go a little further. Anything that is super short, with new growth attached to it, I leave alone, but most everything else I will take off, if I want to go real hard.
As far as what to defol, I start by clipping the largest fan leaves and the leaves with the longest stems, basically any stem over 2". That oughta clean em up nicely. if I want to go real hard, then I will usually go a little further. Anything that is super short, with new growth attached to it, I leave alone, but most everything else I will take off, if I want to go real hard.
drcannabi
New Member
Very interesting discussion. I do a lot of training in veg as well. Top, crop, bend, break, and defoliate. I'm just overall really abusive to them during veg. I don't ever time my veg cycle. They are ready when they have the structure and size I'm looking for.
This allows for basically a hands off approach to the flower cycle. I will do some light defoliation because my instincts tell me to. But I seem to get more results from cleaning up the lowers than defoliating the uppers.
I'd love to let a plant grow all natural but my OCD won't allow me to lol. Where I've noticed the biggest difference is in the lowers when I don't clean them up. I've spent way too many 4 hour trimming trimming sessions for 1 oz worth of lowers UHG.
Great topic...
This allows for basically a hands off approach to the flower cycle. I will do some light defoliation because my instincts tell me to. But I seem to get more results from cleaning up the lowers than defoliating the uppers.
I'd love to let a plant grow all natural but my OCD won't allow me to lol. Where I've noticed the biggest difference is in the lowers when I don't clean them up. I've spent way too many 4 hour trimming trimming sessions for 1 oz worth of lowers UHG.
Great topic...
Yep, great topic. Sitting over here soaking it up. Carry on.
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