Smokey's Mystery Bud - First CFL/Soil Grow 2010

[SmokeyMacPots]

Smokey, I am seeing six of the socket splitters in your future, your light rack is screaming to hold twelve cfls

hahahaha juso, indeed my friend! That is my plan for the future. But, money always seems to be my determining factor. In due time though! I will also be making the area above the bulbs reflective to optimize my light dispersion.

Thanks for the input man!

 

[kylester816]

hey smokey! pics are lookin good

if you want to speed up the growth of your MB1 and MC1, you could trim the yellow parts of the leaves with grooming scissors so that the plant stops focusing energy on trying to repair and focuses it more on growing up! just a little tip i did with my plants and always do to my clones. not at all necessary though, just cleans up the plants and helps them out a bit!

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

kylester, thanks for stopping by again bro! I was planning on chopping those leaves off tonight after I get my lighting situation taken care of. Although, if you compare my last set of photos to last nights, you can see a huge difference in MC1, and a slight difference in MB1, both improving. So that was comforting to me. But, thanks for the tip!

I also think I am going to begin LSTing MB2 and MB3 tonight and then topping both tomorrow. I need colas!!

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Thanks Firestone!! And that's my plan, get 'em fat! That's why I haven't really been concerning myself with how long this grow is going to take. I figure the longer I can LST and veg, the better my yield will be. I am all about maximizing the potential of my grow space!

And the LST and topping are happening tonight. I got a buddy with a 6 foot tall sativa that is still outdoors in New England. Yea, that's a no-no round these parts. Luckily, he has the ability to move it indoors at night time. So, instead of working in my garden, I had to drive out to him to play weed doctor. Still lookin like he's got a couple weeks ahead of him. I told him it would be well worth it.

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I trimmed the yellow leaves off of MB1 and MC1 last night. Hopefully this will help the new growth on these girls to pick up!

Later!!

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Checked on the ladies last night and MB1 already looks noticeably better. The leaves are regaining their posture and straightening out! Finally!! Just hope she catches up with my other girls.

I have been soooo busy lately with work, family, neighbors and such, that I still have yet to install my new light fixture. I HAVE to do it tonight though, because my 2 large ladies are starting to stretch. The T5 I have in there now is up high to get a full footprint over my girls. So once I get that new fixture in, I'll be able to drop everything right back down to about 4" above the tops.

I also plan to add some of Grandma's unsulfered(sp?) molasses to my next watering, which should be Saturday. I figure helping out my beneficial bacteria in the soil can never be a bad thing!

Pics to come later tonight, for sure!!

 

[funnystyle]

GRANDMAS MOLASSES! RIGHT ON!

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Thanks for checkin in funnystyle! And nobody knows like Grandma!!

 

[herbsnbuds]

Very nice looking setup you got here Smokey. I'll be checking in.

Also was reading back a bit...

the 400 HPS/MH setup that I just put up was $165 shipped from Amazon.com and it works beautifully. External digital ballast, 400 HPS bulb, 400 MH bulb, reflector, pre wired and comes with hangers. Best deal I found.

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Hey herbs, that's a hell of a deal! Prices sure are different from 4 years ago!

OK, so here is the pictures I've been promising. MB2 and MB3 got LST'd and topped today after work. MB1 and MC1 are still going steady. Hopefully after the watering with molasses and additional lights things will pick up. MB1's new leaves have stopped curling, so I think shes finally over whatever was going on.

Now onto the pics! Here is MB1, starting to look better. I removed the yellowed leaves as well.

Next is MC1. I also removed the yellow leaves from her.

Now, is MB2. LST'd up! I thought I had some twine, but I guess I was wrong. Had new shoelaces in the package so figured that would do for now.

Here is MB3, also LST'd and looking good!

Group photo!!

Now finally, here as MB2 and MB3 topped.

OK, now that you know how the ladies are doing, I should fill you in on some other circumstances. Figured out that I have fungus gnats. And after reading up on them today I have a plan that will be put in place to fix them up. Not really a big deal, unless left alone, so I'm not really worried.

That's it for now. Be sure to check back for the next update!!

 

[sunny010]

Hey mac, dig you man nice layout I'll be watch'in ya grow. but dig the tip on that ''Emergency blanket'' from wally-world. Man I've been doin the foil on cardboard.very good tip! I cant send you a message direct cause I don't have enough posts yet,I think thats how it goes on this web. page but I'm not sure, I'm pretty dumb when it comes to the computer world, I've only been work with this for 3 months. about as long as I've been grow'in. Yikes'''...... read the post I did after supper tonite. I gave ya some info on that plant I've been growing. holler back at me.. Peace.

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Quick update here!! Installed my DIY 6 CFL light rack today. Looks awesome! Also going to be watering with added molasses in a few minutes. Very good day for my ladies!! Enjoy!

Here is the light rack after final construction. I ended up using 4 6500K bulbs and 2 2700K bulbs in addition to my 2' 2 bulb high output T5.

Now it's installed!! Exactly how I planned. I bought a plant hanging kit from Wally world for about $4. Came with chains and S-hooks. I hung the chains from the ceiling and are using the S-hooks so that I have complete adjustability!

Quick view from the top. Now my lighting covers all of the depth of my grow space!

Look at all that light!!

You can also see I increased light efficiency with some leftover mylar. I love DIY!! That's all for now. Time to just wait and let the ladies do their thing!!

 

[funnystyle]

sick setup up Smokey!

damn if i had wood and some o those sockets, AND some guts to wire stuff up.... i would do somethin like this hahahaha

ooo and those fungus gnats..... get rid ofem? buddy over at my thread recd pantyhose over drainholes and topsoil with perlite..... i was gona use this method, but they seem like theyre not around anymore..... cold temps? i switched out to all smart pots and they dont have drain holes.... they cant feed off any dead roots. im rambling...

Smokey! see ya

 

[kylester816]

great set-up smokey! and suberb job with the LST'ing. glad to see they're all doing healthy and amazing as can be! you're doing a great job and i can't wait to see how this goes

 

[Dain Bramage]

Like the light set up you put together,dose it get very hot in your grow.Just got some t-5 light's from a yard sale 4 ft but thay are from home depot and not the high output type.do you think thay would be better used for flowering or vegging with.I was going to build a rig for cfl light's but could not beat the price two fixture's that hold two bulb's each for 8 dollar's.

Very nice looking setup you got here Smokey. I'll be checking in.

Also was reading back a bit...

the 400 HPS/MH setup that I just put up was $165 shipped from Amazon.com and it works beautifully. External digital ballast, 400 HPS bulb, 400 MH bulb, reflector, pre wired and comes with hangers. Best deal I found.

Wow what a grate deal herbsnbuds but could you tell me if it was made in china?Have been looking to add a 600 watt digital to my grow

 

[herbsnbuds]

Wow what a grate deal herbsnbuds but could you tell me if it was made in china?Have been looking to add a 600 watt digital to my grow

I haven't the slightest idea but I can tell you its well worth it, even if it is.

 

[sunny010]

Hey big Mac, thought I'd drop by to see how things are grow'in its all looking good my man, hey bro, can ya throw an ol'dog a bone,? that girl thats been give'in me the fit'z the last couple of weeks now, anywho to today is exactily 13 weeks in bloom, shes indoors for good now. to cold up here on the 45th parallel even in full sun its only 52 degrees. heres my Question, I've put up more lights 27w cfls the total lume is 30.000 do you think the girl will come into the 50/50 zone...? my temp is now a constant 75. thanks mac. Peace to you and all thats around you.....

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Hey sunny, that lady will definitely get to 50/50 on the trichs, as long as you give ehr the time to do so. When you want to harvest is all up to you, but waiting that extra week or so will benefit you in the long run. I got a buddy with an outdoor that he had to bring inside and has been flowering just as long as yours. He still hasn't harvested either, at my recommendation. Oh, and you get 1,000 420 points for being post number 101!!

Ok, here is a real quick update on my girls. Just wanted to share a couple pics of MB2 and MB3. I am LSTing the crap out of them, and this being my first LST, I am really proud of the job I am doing! Check them out!

Here's MB2, all tied up!

Now, here's MB3. I'm really impressed with how well they are taking my sadistic tying methods!

And here is a nice close up look at how the development in the nodes has picked up since topping.

Everything seems to be going nice and smooth. MB1 and MC1 are still coming along steadily. Just waiting for that growth boost to happen!!

Peace everybody!!

 

[SmokeyMacPots]

Damn Smokey! you aint messin around with the lst, I guess I'm goin easy with mine. You're gonna trip when you see how thick and solid the stem gets. This is definately an interesting way of growing but prolly not gonna be the way for me.

Anyway brother, keep up the good work.

Thanks firestone! I'm really excited to see how this goes, because height has never been an issue with me until now. My plan is to start circling that main stem around the perimeter of the pot, so that it never gets taller than what it is now. Only the branches will grow upward. It is definitely much easier than I imagined. I guess as long as you start early enough, the stem will bend in ways you didn't think possible!

Hopefully, when the branches grow up I will attempt to FIM all of them. I want a bush of colas!!

 

[ProblemChild]

hey Smokes
stoped by to return the luv man seeds looking good but boy i couldnt do it too much time lol. also ive been thinking about switching from hydro to soil my next grow as well so i will be watching closley to see how it goes! hydro is kinda costly if you ask me an think soil is way cheaper...as far as your PH goes i think your right on track also from what ive read here in the forums and from my buddies that grow in soil keep there PH in a range between 6.5-7.0 so you sound like your on track? what will you be vegging them under and how tall are you gonna let them get before flowering? i read that u are dealing with only a minimum amount height. cant wait till they go into floweing intrested to see that god bud!