Fuzzy & the Hempy Bucket - Chrystal F1 Hybrid

[Fuzzy Duck]

Plants are looking great Fuzzy, they are really growing strong.
+reps for you DIY odor eaters.

I still use a carbon filter in my flowering tent even tho that removes the majority of the smell the odor blocks really do remove the rest which helps fuzzy sleep well at night & free of worry

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Well i got the girls all potted up to today in the soil/organic compost.

This was mixed with old compost from past grows which had volcanic rock dust, farmyard manure & a touch of bone meal mix in the soil for amendments as far as i remember.

The girls with a pretty fibrous root system from the 1 litre air pots.

Back into the tent for the remaining veg period along side the hempy girls.

You can see a little bit of ducting in the above pic as i've decide to add an intake fan mainly due to a heat problem of 35c from last night... a problem not experienced before from a former passive intake tent from past grows...

Ye scratching meh ol nogging hard about this one, i'll see how this plays out ?

The intake fan, ducting goes up to an open window for fresh air intake.

The lone feminized Chrystal plant in the veg tent, plans are to keep her for a mother plant !

I'm quite interested on how well a feminzed plant will be for clones/cuttings, yet another experiment...

 

[Conradino23]

When I was growing indoor I never used 24/0 period, I was going for 16/8 or 18/6. The night is for root to grow, hence they will bud more theoretically, although they need to spend more time in veg.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Quite interesting 24/0 vs 18/6 etc...


I did come across some stuff whilst looking into the subject.

Most of this is a copy 'n' paste job.


Auxins

Auxins promote stem elongation, inhibit growth of lateral buds (maintains apical dominance). They are produced in the stem, buds, and root tips. Example: Indole Acetic Acid (IA). Auxin is a plant hormone produced in the stem tip that promotes cell elongation. Auxin moves to the darker side of the plant, causing the cells there to grow larger than corresponding cells on the lighter side of the plant. This produces a curving of the plant stem tip toward the light, a plant movement known as phototropism.

Auxin also plays a role in maintaining apical dominance. Most plants have lateral (sometimes called axillary) buds located at nodes (where leaves attach to the stem). Buds are embryonic meristems maintained in a dormant state. Auxin maintains this dormancy. As long as sufficient auxin is produced by the apical meristem, the lateral buds remain dormant. If the apex of the shoot is removed (by a browsing animal or a scientist), the auxin is no longer produced. This will cause the lateral buds to break their dormancy and begin to grow. In effect, the plant becomes bushier. When a gardener trims a hedge, they are applying apical dominance.


Some other research involving night.

1. Photosynthetic starch reserves that accumulate in Arabidopsis leaves during the day decrease approximately linearly with time at night to support metabolism and growth. We find that the rate of decrease is adjusted to accommodate variation in the time of onset of darkness and starch content, such that reserves last almost precisely until dawn. Generation of these dynamics therefore requires an arithmetic division computation between the starch content and expected time to dawn. We introduce two novel chemical kinetic models capable of implementing analog arithmetic division. Predictions from the models are successfully tested in plants perturbed by a night-time light period or by mutations in starch degradation pathways. Our experiments indicate which components of the starch degradation apparatus may be important for appropriate arithmetic division. Our results are potentially relevant for any biological system dependent on a food reserve for survival over a predictable time period.




2. Plants use a chemical calculator to divide their amount of stored energy by the length of the night and thereby solve the problem of how to portion out their energy reserves overnight.

Biologists from the John Innes Centre in England discovered that plants have a biological process which divides their amount of stored energy by the length of the night. This solves the problem of how to portion out energy reserves during the night so that the plant can keep growing, yet not risk burning off all its stored energy.

While the sun shines, plants perform photosynthesis. In this process, the plants convert sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into stored energy in the form of long chains of sugar, called starch. At night, the plants burn this stored starch to fuel continued growth.

“The calculations are precise so that plants prevent starvation but also make the most efficient use of their food,” study co- author Alison Smith said in press release. “If the starch store is used too fast, plants will starve and stop growing during the night. If the store is used too slowly, some of it will be wasted.”

To give the foliage a math quiz, the biologists shut off the lights early on plants that had been grown with 12-hour days and nights. Plunging the plants into darkness after only an 8-hour day forced them to adjust their normal nightly rhythm. Since the plants didn’t have time to store as much starch as usual, they had to recalculate their metabolism.

Even after this day length trickery, the plants aced their exams and ended up with just a small amount of starch left over in the morning. They had neither starved, nor stored starch that could have been used to fuel more growth.

The plants weren’t doing anything consciously. Instead, chemical reactions did the number crunching automatically. The results of the study will be published in eLife, and can currently be read via the Cornell University Library.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Some thing about to much light, not sure whether it was intensity or over exposure ?


The molecule that plants use to protect themselves from the dangers of getting too much sun during photosynthesis has now been revealed by a combination of ultrafast spectroscopy and plant genetics.

Plants rely on sunlight to generate chemical energy via photosynthesis. It's been known for more than two decades that plants protect themselves from excess light, which can lead to oxidative damage to chlorophyll and other key photosynthetic pigments. But the biophysical mechanism of this protective process--known as feedback de-excitation--has remained mysterious.

Chemist Graham R. Fleming, plant biologist Krishna K. Niyogi, and coworkers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley, have now shown that zeaxanthin, a carotenoid known to be produced by plants in response to bright sunlight, is responsible for the protective effect [Science, 307, 433 (2005)].

Using femtosecond spectroscopic techniques and plant genetics, the team shows that exposing spinach leaves to intense light triggers the formation of zeaxanthin cation radicals. These cation radicals form when zeaxanthin binds to potentially dangerous photoexcited chlorophyll molecules. The zeaxanthin gives up an electron to the excited chlorophyll, yielding a chlorophyll anion radical and a zeaxanthin cation radical. These products subsequently undergo charge recombination, allowing the excited-state energy of chlorophyll to be safely dissipated as heat.

The study is "a major advance in understanding how feedback de-excitation works at the molecular level," comments Robert E. Blankenship of Arizona State University



Interesting ah

 

[Conradino23]

Good read indeed. I don't believe that plants evolved in day-night system just to be kept under 24 constant light to veg faster. Yeah ok, if you're a commercial grower you want to cut vegging to minimum in order to get your product quickly, but I don't think it's a good idea to follow it by quality growers, who have more time and want to get maximum yield from their space/wattage. Rootball is the key to stronger buds and natural resilience of your plant for heat, pests and temperature changes. If you grow your rootbal as well as your leaves, you'll also have better nutrient uptake... at least that's what I choose to believe in

 

[donpaul.p]

great info, have some reps fuzzy,,

i use john innes compost, real cheap as well but works perfect for these plants, i did try spending £20 on a bag of compost but when i transplanted my plants into the new compost it just friend them, way to much N for these plants,

i wonder if the to much sun relates to uv light, its something ive been tempted to try for a while, just depends what affects it will have on these plants, some say it will increase trich production others say it does very little,

 

[Conradino23]

I found an interesting all round text about cannabis botanics, I need to post it somewhere. The reason it was worth reading was it explained that no matter what you do to your plants - we're talking so called advanced growing teks - THC production will be hardly affected. The author claimed that it really boils down to genetic traits and maturity. You won't squeeze any resin production from a plant if it's not supposed to be there, so when growers do so it's just pure magic

 

[donpaul.p]

your not wrong their, any adjustments you do make will make very slight differences at the most, the only thing you could do is decrease trichome production or thc by not using the correct nutrients or other problems like light or temps, that will lower trichs and thc levels,

but increasing trichs you wont notice much difference, chances are super soil or high brix method is about the only option that improves over all growth and brings out the very best in these plants, but things like keeping humidity very low in flower to increase trich production wont make huge differences, if the plants going to be nice and frosty then its going to be nice and frosty, if its not then its not, so any differences will only be very slight, ive grown strains that are white with trichs and ive grown strains that show very few or small trichs, so a lot of it is to do with strains, you can mess about with uv and humidty and the increase will hardly be noticed,

the only real thing we can play around with that does make a difference is when to harvest, if we give the plants the best of everything during the grow then we can choose what affect we want at harvest, thc is at its highest at 100% cloudy but a more couch lock affect is achieved if you let the trichs go amber, but their are some indicas that the trichs dont go amber,

you can post the info here as long as its not relating to products not associated with the sponsors, you cant post links to other sites but info you can copy over so we can read it,

ive read things like uv increases trich and lower humidty increases trich production, but the increase is only very slight if any at all, im sure it wouldnt even be noticed, ive had nice and frosty plants grown along side plants that are not nice and frosty so i totally agree its all about the strain, but get the growing part wrong and that can affect trich and flower size, so the best thing to do is perfect the grow conditions before playing around with anything that says it increases trich production, if you want amazing plants then work on getting the growing conditions perfect, that will give the best results,

 

[Conradino23]

Ok, I'm giving you that one!

Marijuana Botany, An Advanced Study: The Propagation and Breeding of Distinctive Cannabis
by Robert Connell Clarke

Cannabinoid Biosynthesis

Since resin secretion and associated terpenoid and cannabinoid biosynthesis are at their peak just after the pistils have begun to turn brown but before the calyx stops growing, it seems obvious that floral clusters should be harvested during this time. More subtle variations in terpenoid and cannabinoid levels also take place within this period of maximum resin secretion, and these variations influence the nature of the resin’s psychoactive effect.

The cannabinoid ratios characteristic of a strain are primarily determined by genes, but it must be remembered that many environmental factors, such as light, temperature, and humidity, influence the path of a molecule along the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway. These environmental factors can cause an atypical final cannabinoid profile (cannabinoid levels and ratios). Not all cannabinoid molecules begin their journey through the pathway at the same time, nor do all of them complete the cycle and turn into THC molecules simultaneously. There is no magical way to influence the cannabinoid biosynthesis to favor THC production, but certain factors involved in the growth and maturation of Cannabis do affect final cannabinoid levels, These factors may be controlled to some extent by proper selection of mature floral clusters for harvesting, agricul tural technique, and local environment. In addition to genetic and seasonal influences, the picture is further modified by the fact that each individual calyx goes through the cannabinoid cycle fairly independently and that during peak periods of resin secretion new flowers are produced every day and begin their own cycle. This means that at any given time the ratio of calyx-to-leaf, the average calyx condition, the condition of the resins, and resultant cannabinoid ratios indicate which stage the floral cluster has reached. Since it is difficult for the amateur cultivator to determine the cannabinoid profile of a floral cluster without chromatographic analysis, this discussion will center on the known and theoretical correlations between the external characteristics of calyx and resin and internal cannabinoid profile.

Harvest Timing

With this dynamic picture of the biosynthesis and degradation of THC acids as a frame of reference, the logic behind harvesting at a specific time is easier to understand. The usual aim of timing the moment of harvest is to ensure high THC levels modified by just the proper amounts of CBC, CBD and CBN, along with their propyl homologs, to approximate the desired psychoactive effect. Since THC acids are being broken down into CBN acid at the same time they are being made from CBD acid, it is important to harvest at a time when the production of THC acids is higher than the degradation of THC acids. Every experienced cultivator inspects a number of indicating factors and knows when to harvest the desired type of floral clusters. Some like to harvest early when most of the pistils are still viable and at the height of reproductive potential. At this time the resins are very aromatic and light; the psychoactive effect is characterized as a light cerebral high (possibly low CBC and CBD, high THC, low CBN). Others harvest as late as possible, desiring a stronger, more resinous marijuana characterized by a more intense body effect and an inhibited cerebral effect (high CBC and CB]), high THC, high CBN). Harvesting and testing several floral clusters every few days over a period of several weeks gives the cultivator a set of samples at all stages of maturation and creates a basis for deciding when to harvest in future seasons. The following is a description of each of the growth phases as to morphology, terpene aroma, and relative psychoactivity.

Premature Floral Stage

At this stage floral development is slightly beyond primordial and only a few clusters of immature pistillate flowers appear at the tips of limbs in addition to the primordial pairs along the main stems. By this stage stem diameter within the floral clusters is very nearly maximum. The stems are easily visible between the nodes and form a strong framework to support future floral development. Larger vegetative leaves (5-7 leaflets) predominate and smaller tri-leaflet leaves are beginning to form in the new floral axis. A few narrow, tapered calyxes may be found nestled in the leaflets near the stem tips and the fresh pistils appear as thin, feathery, white filaments stretching to test the surroundings. During this stage the surface of the calyxes is lightly covered with fuzzy, hair-like, non-glandular trichomes, but only a few bulbous and capitate-sessile glandular trichomes have begun to develop. Resin secretion is minimal, as indicated by small resin heads and few if any capitate-stalked, glandular trichomes. There is no drug yield from plants at the premature stage since THC production is low, and there is no economic value other than fiber and leaf. Terpene production starts as the glandular trichomes begin to secrete resin; premature floral clusters have no terpene aromas or tastes. Total cannabinoid production is low but simple cannabinoid phenotypes, based on relative amounts of THC and CBD, may be determined. By the pre-floral stage the plant has akeady established its basic chemotype as a fiber or drug strain. A fiber strain rarely produces more than 2% THC, even under perfect agricultural conditions. This indicates that a strain either produces some varying amount of THC (up to 13%) and little CBD and is termed a drug strain or produces practically no THC and high CBD and is termed a fiber strain, This is genetically controlled.

The floral clusters are barely psychoactive at this stage, and most marijuana smokers classify the reaction as more an "effect" than a "high." This most likely results from small amounts of THC as well as trace amounts of CBC and CBD. CBD production begins when the seedling is very small. THC production also begins when the seedling is very small, if the plant originates from a drug strain. However, THC levels rarely exceed 2% until the early floral stage and rarely produce a "high" until the peak floral stage.

Early Floral Stage

Floral clusters begin to form as calyx production increases and internode length decreases. Tri-leaflet leaves are the predominant type and usually appear along the secondary floral stems within the individual clusters. Many pairs of calyxes appear along each secondary floral axis and each pair is subtended by a tri-leaflet leaf. Older pairs of calyxes visible along the primary floral axis during the premature stage now begin to swell, the pistils darken as they lose fertility, and some resin secretion is observed in trichomes along the veins of the calyx. The newly produced calyxes show few if any capitate-stalked trichomes. As a result of low resin production, only a slight terpene aroma and psychoactivity are detectable. The floral clusters are not ready for harvest at this point. Total cannabinoid production has increased markedly over the premature stage but THC levels (still less than 3%) are not high enough to produce more than a subtle effect.

Peak Floral Stage

Elongation growth of the main floral stem ceases at this stage, and floral clusters gain most of their size through the addition of more calyxes along the secondary stems until they cover the primary stem tips in an overlapping spiral. Small reduced mono-leaflet and tri-leaflet leaves subtend each pair of calyxes emerging from secondary stems within the floral clusters. These subtending leaves are correctly referred to as bracts. Outer leaves begin to wilt and turn yellow as the pistillate plant reaches its reproductive peak. In the primordial calyxes the pistils have turned brown; however, all but the oldest of the flowers are fertile and the floral clusters are white with many pairs of ripe pistils. Resin secretion is quite advanced in some of the older infertile calyxes, and the young pistillate calyxes are rapidly producing capitate-stalked glandular trichomes to protect the precious unfertilized ovule. Under wild conditions the pistillate plant would be starting to form seeds and the cycle would be drawing to a close. When Cannabis is grown for sinsemilla floral production, the cycle is interrupted. Pistillate plants remain unfertilized and begin to produce capitate -stalked trichomes and accumulate resins in a last effort to remain viable. Since capitate-stalked trichomes now predominate, resin and THC production increase. The elevated resin heads appear clear, since fresh resin is still being secreted, often being produced in the cellular head of the trichome. At this time THC acid production is at a peak and CBD acid levels remain stable as the molecules are rapidly converted to THC acids, THC acid synthesis has not been active long enough for a high level of CBN acid to build up from the degradation of THC acid by light and heat. Terpene production is also nearing a peak and the floral clusters are beautifully aromatic. Many cultivators prefer to pick some of their strains during this stage in order to produce marijuana with a clear, cerebral, psychoactive effect. It is believed that, in peak floral clusters, the low levels of CBD and CBN allow the high level of THC to act without their sedative effects. Also, little polymerization of resins has occurred, so aromas and tastes are often less resinous and tar like than at later stages. Many strains, if they are harvested in the peak floral stage, lack the completely developed aroma, taste and psychoactive level that appear after curing. Cultivators wait longer for the resins to mature if a different taste and psychoactive effect is desired.

This is the point of optimum harvest for some strains, since most additional calyx growth has ceased. However, a subsequent flush of new calyx growth may occur and the plant continue ripening into the late floral stage.

Late Floral Stage

By this stage plants are well past the main reproductive phase and their health has begun to decline. Many of the larger leaves have dropped off, and some of the small inner leaves begin to change color. Autumn colors (purple, orange, yellow, etc.) begin to appear in the older leaves and calyxes at this time; many of the pistils turn brown and begin to fall off. Only the last terminal pistils are still fertile and swollen calyxes predominate. Heavy layers of protec tive resin heads cover the calyxes and associated leaves. Production of additional capitate-stalked glandular trichomes is rare, although some existing trichomes may still be elongating and secreting resins. As the previously secreted resins mature, they change color. The polymerization of small terpene molecules (which make up most of the resin) produces long chains and a more viscous and darker-colored resin. The ripening and darkening of resins follows the peak of psychoactive cannabinoid synthesis and the transparent amber color of mature resin is usually indicative of high THC content. Many cultivators agree that transparent amber resins are a sign of high-quality drug Cannabis and many of the finest strains exhibit this characteristic. Particularly potent Cannabis from California, Hawaii, Thailand, Mexico, and Colombia is often encrusted with transparent amber colored instead of clear resin heads. This is also characteristic of Cannabis from other equatorial, subtropical and temperate zones where the growing season is long enough to accommodate long term resin production and maturation. Many areas of North America and Europe have too short a season to fully mature resins unless a greenhouse is used. Specially acclimatized strains are another possibility. They develop rapidly and begin maturing in time to ripen amber resins while the weather is still warm and dry.

The weight yield of floral clusters is usually highest at this point, but strains may begin to grow an excess of leaves in late-stage clusters to catch additional energy from the rapidly diminishing autumn sun. Total resin accumulation is highest at this stage, but the period of maximum resin production has passed. If climatic conditions are harsh, resins and cannabinoids will begin to decompose. As a result, resin yield may appear high even if many of the resin heads are missing or have begun to deteriorate and the overall psychoactivity of the resin has dropped. THC decomposes to CBN in the hot sun and will not remain intact or be replaced after the metabolic processes of the plant have ceased. Since cannabinoids are so sensitive to decomposition by sunlight, the higher psychoactivity of amber resins may be a secondary effect. It may be that the THC is better protected from the sun by amber or opaque resins than by clear resins. Some late maturing strains develop opaque, white resin heads as a result of terpene polymerization and THC decomposition. Opaque resin heads are usually a sign that the floral clusters are over-mature.

Late floral clusters exhibit the full potential of resin production, aromatic principles, and psychoactive effect. Complex mixtures of many mon oterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons along with alcohols, ethers, esters, and ketones determine the aroma and flavor of mature Cannabis. The levels of the basic terpenes and their polymerized by-products fluctuate as the resin ripens. The aromas of fresh floral clusters are usually preserved after drying, as by the late floral stage, a high proportion of ripe resins are present on the mature calyxes of the fresh plant. Cannabinoid production favors high THC acid and rising CBN acid content at this stage, since most active biosynthesis has ceased and more THC acid is being broken down into CBN acid than is being produced from CBD acid. CBD acid may accumulate because not enough energy is available to complete its conversion to THC acid. The THC-to-CBD ratio in the harvested floral clusters certainly begins to drop as biosynthesis slows, because THC acid levels decrease as it decom poses, and at the same time CBD acid levels remain or rise intact since CBD does not decompose as rapidly as THC acid. This tends to produce marijuana characterized by more somatic and sedative effects. Some cultivators prefer this to the more cerebral and clear psychoactivity of the peak floral stage.

Harvesting Cannabis at the proper time requires information on how floral clusters mature and a decision on the part of the cultivator as to what type of floral clusters are desired. With harvesting as with other techniques of cultivation, the path to success is straightened when a definite goal is established. Personal preference is always the ultimate deciding factor.

Factors Influencing THC Production

Many factors influence the production of THC. In general, the older a plant, the greater its potential to produce THC. This is true, however, only if the plant remains healthy and vigorous, THC production requires the proper quantity and quality of light. It seems that none of the biosynthetic processes operate efficiently when low light conditions prevent proper photosynthesis. Research has shown (Valle et al. 1978) that twice as much THC is produced under a 12-hour photoperiod than under a 10-hour photoperiod. Warm temperatures are known to promote metabolic activity and the production of THC. Heat also promotes resin secretion, possibly in response to the threat of floral desiccation by the hot sun, Resin collects in the heads of glandular trichomes and does not directly seal the pores of the calyx to prevent desiccation. Resin heads may serve to break up the rays of the sun so that fewer of them strike the leaf surface and raise the temperature. However, light and heat also destroy THC. In a drug strain, a bio-synthetic rate must be maintained such that substantially more THC is produced than is broken down. Humidity is an interesting parameter of THC production and one of the least understood. Most high-quality drug Cannabis grows in areas that are dry much of the time at least during the maturation period. It follows that increased resin produc. tion in response to arid conditions might account for increased THC production. High-THC strains, however, also grow in very humid conditions (greenhouses and equatorial zones) and produce copious quantities of resin. Cannabis seems not to produce more resins in response to dry soil, as it does to a dry atmosphere. Drying out plants by with-holding water for the last weeks of flowering does not stimulate THC production, although an arid atmosphere may do so. A Cannabis plant in flower requires water, so that nutrients are available. for operating the various bio-synthetic pathways.

There is really no confirmed method of forcing increased THC production. Many techniques have developed through misinterpretations of ancient tradition. In Colombia, farmers girdle the stalk of the main stem, which cuts off the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and the shoots. This technique may not raise the final THC level, but it does cause rapid maturation and yellow gold coloration in the floral cluster (Partridge 1973). Impaling with nails, pine splinters, balls of opium, and stones are clandestine folk methods of promoting flowering, taste and THC production. However none of these have any valid documentation from the original culture or scientific basis. Symbiotic relationships between herbs in companion plantings are known to influence the production of essential oils. Experiments might be carried out with different herbs, such as stinging nettles, as companion plants for Cannabis, in an effort to stimulate resin production. In the future, agricultural techniques may be discovered which specifically promote THC biosynthesis.

In general, it is considered most important that the plant be healthy for it to produce high THC levels. The genotype of the plant, a result of seed selection, is the primary factor which determines the THC levels. After that, the provision of adequate organic nutrients, water, sunlight, fresh air, growing space, and time for maturation seems to be the key to producing high-THC Cannabis in all circumstances. Stress resulting from inadequacies in the environment limits the true expression of phenotype and cannabinoid potential. Cannabis finds a normal adaptive defense in the production of THC laden resins, and it seems logical that a healthy plant is best able to raise this defense. Forcing plants to produce is a perverse ideal and alien to the principles of organic agriculture. Plants are not machines that can be worked faster and harder to produce more. The life processes of the plant rely on delicate natural balances aimed at the ultimate survival of the plant until it reproduces. The most a Cannabis cultivator or researcher can expect to do is provide all the requisites for healthy growth and guide the plant until it matures.

Flowering in Cannabis may be forced or accelerated by many different techniques. This does not mean that THC production is forced, only that the time before and during flowering is shortened and flowers are produced rapidly. Most techniques involve the deprivation of light during the long days of summer to promote early floral induction and sexual differentiation. This is sometimes done by moving the plants inside a completely dark structure for 12 hours of each 24-hour day until the floral clusters are mature. This stimulates an autumn light cycle and promotes flowering at any time of the year. In the field, covers may be made to block out the sun for a few hours at sunrise or sunset, and these are used to cover small plants. Photoperiod alteration is most easily accomplished in a greenhouse, where blackout curtains are easily rolled over the plants. Drug Cannabis production requires 11-12 hours of continuous darkness to induce flowering and at least 10 hours of light for adequate THC production (Valle et al. 1978). In a greenhouse, supplemental lighting need be used only to extend daylength, while the sun supplies the energy needed for growth and THC biosynthesis. It is not known why at least 10 hours (and preferably 12 or 13 hours) of light are needed for high THC production. This is not dependent on accumulated solar energy since light responses can be activated and THC production increased with only a 40-watt bulb. A reasonable theory is that a light-sensitive pigment in the plant (possibly phytochrome) acts as a switch, causing the plant to follow the flowering cycle. THC production is probably associated with the induction of flowering resulting from the photoperiod change.

Cool night temperatures seem to promote flowering in plants that have previously differentiated sexually. Extended cold periods, however, cause metabolic processes to slow and maturation to cease. Most temperate Cannabis strains are sensitive to many of the signs of an approaching fall season and respond by beginning to flower. In contrast, strains from tropical areas, such as Thailand, often seem unresponsive to any signs of fall and never speed up development.

Contrary to popular thought, planting Cannabis strains later in the season in temperate latitudes may actually promote earlier flowering. Most cultivators believe that planting early gives the plant plenty of time to flower and it will finish earlier. This is often not true. Seedlings started in February or March grow for 4-5 months of increasing photoperiod before the days begin to get shorter following the solstice in June. Huge vegetative plants grow and may form floral inhibitors during the months of long photo-period. When the days begin to get shorter, these older plants may be reluctant to flower because of the floral inhibitors formed in the pre-floral leaves. Since floral cluster formation takes 6-10 weeks, the initial delay in flowering could push the harvest date into November or December. Cannabis started during the short days of December or January will often differentiate sex by March or April. Usually these plants form few floral clusters and rejuvenate for the long season ahead. No increased potency has been noticed in old rejuvenated plants. Plants started in late June or early July, after the summer solstice, are exposed only to days of decreasing photoperiod. When old enough they begin flowering immediately, possibly because they haven’t built up as many long-day floral inhibitors. They begin the 6-10 week floral period with plenty of time to finish during the warmer days of October. These later plantings yield smaller plants because they have a shorter vegetative cycle. This may prove an advantage. in greenhouse research, where it is common for plants to grow far too large for easy handling before they begin to flower. Late plantings after the summer solstice receive short inductive photoperiods almost immediately. However, flowering is delayed into September since the plant must grow before it is old enough to flower. Although flowering is delayed, the small plants rapidly produce copious quantities of flowers in a final effort to reproduce.

Extremes in nutrient concentrations are considered influential in both the sex determination and floral development of Cannabis. High nitrogen levels in the soil during the seedling stage seem to favor pistillate plants, but high nitrogen levels during flowering often result in delayed maturation and excessive leafing in the floral clusters. Phosphorus and potassium are both vital to the floral maturation of Cannabis. High-phosphorus fertilizers known as "bloom boosters" are available, and these have been shown to accelerate flowering in some plants. However, Cannabis plants are easily burned with high phosphorus fertilizers since they are usually very acidic. A safer method for the plant is the use of natural phosphorus sources, such as colloidal phosphate, rock phosphate, or bone meal; these tend to cause less shock in the maturing plant. They are a source of phosphorus that is readily available as well as long-term in effect. Chemical fertilizers sometimes produce floral clusters with a metallic, salty flavor. Extremes in nutrient levels usually affect the growth of the entire plant in an adverse way.

Hormones, such as gibberellic acid, ethylene, cytokinins and auxins, are readily available and can produce some strange effects. They can stimulate flowering in some cases, but they also stimulate sex reversal. Plant physiology is not simple, and results are usually unpredictable.

 

[Spimp]

sub'd.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

The whole trichome/resin production i personally found to be more strain & genetic related

Never really found any hard evidence to support the matter on how to increase it ?


How ever i did notice advance trichomes ripening when i last grew Blue Mystic when using DLR / diminishing light routine over the standard 12/12...

Under DLR i noticed amber trichomes form as early as the 4th to 5th week off flowering & on average finished a week early, unfortunately this produced false seeds in the bud... no hermie traits where noticed or found, this i partly believe to be that any female plant whether regular seed female or feminized may produce seed more noticeable towards the end of flowering as its last chance to reproduce when under stressful lighting regime or flowering period is longer than normal.


Under 12/12 i vastly achieved a milky to clear ratio of 70/30 aprox & no seeds where formed.


I'm unlikely to repeat DLR with a feminized crop at present tho...

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

About 2 weeks after potting up into final size pots/buckets...


The girls have really taken well

the first week the soil bound girls where slow to grow & on average much shorter in height the first week after potting up, by the second week they where a touch behind by only an inch...

Pistils where noticeable on the girls about a week ago now & have recently decided to flip the lights to 12/12 on average they are 12 inch to 14 inch in height at present.

I have noticed a difference between the soil & hempy girls growth wise...

The hempy girls have better leaf mass/larger than the soil girls... i'm not aware of any phenotypes of this strain as the strain is a F1 hybrid & should perform pretty stable in characteristics which only leads to the difference of growing mediums & nutrients used so far...


P.s They are 7 weeks old from seed aprox.

 

[Conradino23]

They look like two different strains really!

 

[Spimp]

Beautiful sir.

 

[waknbak88]

Subscribed, I'm a huge fan of your blue mystic! I had the false seeds as well like little white pieces inside some of the swollen flowers.plants are looking nice and green.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

They look like two different strains really!

So it would appear !

But different growth was noticed whilst still in early veg & more likely explains why the soil grown girl has more branches .

About 1 week after transplant aka potting up...


General growth is pretty good & reasonable even over soil vs inert growing medium but a slight difference has occurred around the internode growth of lateral branches !



Soil grow with organic nutrients has better formation for an unknown reason, nutrients used so far Biobizz fish mix & alg-a-mic.

Where as inert growing medium & hydro style nutrients is mildly behind, nutrients used HESI root complex & grow.

Pretty interesting i thought & i shall have to give this some thinking about over the next 48 hours !

It its even more strange that all soil grown girls share the same characteristics in leaf as do both of the hempy girls appear the same as each other...


Even if they where 2 different strains mixed in the seed bag what are the odds of five seeds of three being planted in soil which share the same leaf shape & two being planted in hempy buckets also which share the same leaf shape ?

Perhaps i'll get so more pic's up to show ya all.


Weird ah... i'll see what happens in flower

 

[Spimp]

The whole trichome/resin production i personally found to be more strain & genetic related

Never really found any hard evidence to support the matter on how to increase it ?


How ever i did notice advance trichomes ripening when i last grew Blue Mystic when using DLR / diminishing light routine over the standard 12/12...

Under DLR i noticed amber trichomes form as early as the 4th to 5th week off flowering & on average finished a week early, unfortunately this produced false seeds in the bud... no hermie traits where noticed or found, this i partly believe to be that any female plant whether regular seed female or feminized may produce seed more noticeable towards the end of flowering as its last chance to reproduce when under stressful lighting regime or flowering period is longer than normal.


Under 12/12 i vastly achieved a milky to clear ratio of 70/30 aprox & no seeds where formed.


I'm unlikely to repeat DLR with a feminized crop at present tho...

Im seen several growers who said it expedites the ambering as well. Have you tried the 48hr dark beforeharvest to increase resin? im used it a few times and it seems to work well. The only way to scientifically prove it would to be with two same strain plants one in dark, one not, but Ive been pleased by the 48hr dark.

 

[donpaul.p]

nice article,. ill try and find the dark test i came across a while back, a few of us seen it,

they grew 3 clones in identical hydro set up so all 3 got exactly the same throughout the grow, they took all 3 out of flower at the same time, 1 they harvested strait away, 1 24 hours later and the last 48 hours later with the 24 and 48 hours been the time in the dark,

the test proved their was no difference in the buds or trichs on any of the plants, all remained and looked the same, thc and cbd and cbd levels where tested as buds where sent off and checked and all came back with similar results, or close enough to prove their was no difference, their certainly wasnt anymore thc or cbd or cbd present in the 48 hour dark plant, so that test suggested their was no difference even when buds sent off to be tested, but it was only done with 1 strain so cant comment on if it applies to all strains, but the test was done in good conditions by expert growers, so if said no differene at all in the 3 plant,
but growers use the dark period and some swear by it so each their own, personally i found no difference at all when i tried it with 2 clones, one was harvested when ready the other got 48 hours in the dark and i couldnt tell the difference using a scope or even when dried and smoked,

now back to the article, in that article is said 12-12 photo period produced the best results compared with the 10 photo period, does this mean the 10 period is 10-10 or 10-14, to me it sounds like it suggested 10-10, nice article though,

 

[Conradino23]

I think he meant 10-14 as a point that classic 12-12 produces bigger buds, which is true. But then less light will speed up the flowering by putting the plant in a dying mode. Well, outdoor it's somehow different as plants can start flowering with 14-15 hours of daylight in August/September and will never go back to veg... and they'll produce bigger yield too