Ask Us Anything: Sharing Knowledge 420 Style

[Jdub95]

Many things can influence stretch, genetics being at the top of the list but next on the list is lighting and then temp. Temp is easy, dont ever go over 79 degrees if you arent planning to run CO2. Also I have heard that under a 6 degree difference between day and night temps curbs stretch too but I do 68 at night and 76 in the day and have little problem with overstretch.
As for lighting, having the light too far away will stretch them but also a lack of blue lighting which leads to too much red lighting is the main stretch culprit. If you arent using a true full spectrum led then yes absolutely use both veg and bloom modes and if needed a metal halide. Introducing some UV can also help but you dont want too much UV. Its best if its built into a full spectrum. Contact your led manufacturer and get the best distance specs. Dont be shy as they fully expect this question from their customers. Then plan ahead and get the light as low as you can by their specs before you flip to flower. Those two things will eliminate a ton of stretch. Spend alot of time in bloom keeping the light within an inch of the recomended specs as late in bloom you will move it in a few more inches. The plants will tell you. When they show no stress at all by getting an inch too close then its time to start the last gradual slow lowering. This is usually about the end of stretch when your colas are starting to really look like the pics in the eye candy room. After the overall height stops stretching the bud branches may continue to stretch but they are lower. They are reaching for light. Thats a good sign to go the first inch lower than the manufacturers specs. This usually occurs on the day that you think you should raise the light but all of a sudden you dont need to because the overall stretching has greatly slowed. Let it sit there for an extra day or two then start lowering inside the suggested heights but do the math first. My light says in the last 3 weeks i can lower from 24 to 18 inches so thats 6 weeks into flower. At 2.5 weeks in stretch is starting to slow so instead of raising the light to 25 and waiting for the plants to get to 24 I leave it at 24 and let the plants go to 23. I now have 3.5 weeks to get the last 5 inches lowered. Dont rush this watch the plants. When you see the profit of the extra inch in your plants and at least 1 full watering has occurred lower it another inch. As stretch slows and the light comes closer some shorter colas will also start to catch up and the canopy will even out a bit better.
Genetics are genetics though so if its a lanky breed you can only slow it so much.

Thanks guys I appreciate it, this is where I'm sitting right now I'm not exactly sure when flower started so I'm saying this is begging of week 4

ok for my ppm I've always been confused I'm using tiger fertilizer and big bloom with molasses and 5 ml of calmag with distilled water from the store ph at 6.5 is this ppm to high? Also I'm thinking my buds should be a little farther along by now no?

still a bunch of white hairs at what point would I start getting fuller buds that actually look like weed ..

also last time when I posted I said I was running out of space so I've taken ratchet off of all the lights (the led, and both double bulbs on both dome reflectors) so I had a lot of space when I first did it but there still fucking stretching. When I'm done I'd like to measure how long each beach was. Also it's really fucking bushy is it bad to cut fan leaves to let light get to buds are do the fan leaves give energy To the buds. I'd like to cut stuff off of bottom cause there really sagging and also read it helps focus energy to top buds where it really matters. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY MY HEAT ISSUES HOW THE FUCK DO I FIX IT IF I RUN MY FANS ON HIGH CAN I ADD A COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER TO KEEP TEMPS DOWN ALWAYS WANTED TO BUT READ IT MIGHT BE A BAD IDEA CAUSE OF BUD ROT

 

[smeghead]

Hi jbud..
The plants look alright in that light, I'll have a better opinion with natural light/colour mate.
Bit confused by your meter reading also, do you know if it is reading ppm's in total dissolved solids (tds) or ec.
You can cut some stuff of the bottom..don't go mad, just stuff not gonna amount to anything, only little though.
You haven't got long left, they are liiking good bud.

 

[smeghead]

Jbud.
Just seen the ×10 on your meter..yes bud its to high, it says 127, you dont want to go higher than 90.in my opinion.

 

[Phototropic]

still a bunch of white hairs at what point would I start getting fuller buds that actually look like weed

Also it's really fucking bushy is it bad to cut fan leaves to let light get to buds are do the fan leaves give energy To the buds. I'd like to cut stuff off of bottom cause there really sagging and also read it helps focus energy to top buds where it really matters.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY MY HEAT ISSUES HOW THE FUCK DO I FIX IT IF I RUN MY FANS ON HIGH CAN I ADD A COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER TO KEEP TEMPS DOWN ALWAYS WANTED TO BUT READ IT MIGHT BE A BAD IDEA CAUSE OF BUD ROT

Bud development looks about right for 4 weeks. You really should try to keep track of those things in the future. I'm at 47 days so take a look at my journal (in sig) for comparison. Of course, different plants are different so keep that in mind always. My stretch was not bad at all. Not sure if that was a fault of mine or a win.

Defoliating is a good idea in mine and others opinions. Look for the ones not getting good light, or blocking good buds from the light. LST in flowering helps with this too. Also, don't be afraid to snip some of the lower buds that are shaded and not going to contribute to the overall colas. I have been keeping my stems pretty clean below a point. Little guys have tried to spring up, but i took them off so that the plants could focus on their good buds.

Heat was an issue for me through veg during my summer months but has leveled off in the autumn during flower. I would say NO to a mister because of the moisture and yes, bud rot. But i could be wrong. Others will have opinions on that. I've heard of ice bowls in front of the fans, but that seems like a heat wave solution, not a general thing.

I am only on my first grow so my info is from reading, the helpful people on this site and the experience that i have been logging in my grow journal. Point is, I'm no expert.
Good luck.

 

[DirtBagg]

Hello guys I have a 36 day NYC Diesel photo that has been under a Mars hydro 300 18/6 but has started throwing out pistils? Should this be any concern?

 

[growguro420]

Alright guro..
When growing with LED, you usually need extra cal mag..although your micro has some you still may need extra...make sure your PH is around 5.8/5.7...
When you correct a deficiency, the damaged leafs (with spots) won't repair, they will always be slightly damaged. What we are looking for is the new growth being nice and green and healthy....
Have you got good extraction/exchange of air?
Do you know the temperature of water in res?

My ph is about 5.9 as of now
I run a 190 Cfm fan that pulls more than enough for my tent and I was thinking of purchasing some Calimagic I guess o should now.
And res tensor about 18-20 degrees

 

[4Dutchess]

Do they make 2 liter water bottles? Why are you buying water like that anyway ?gotta be for personal ,but then again who buys a 2 liter of water to carry around.....Im gonna keep medicating untill this makes sense.

Theres not enough weed to make that make sense Dank!!
Thats what the smiley face is for..... comedy!!
Now that I think about it before my mornin bake, water comes 1 pint and 1 gallon???
Raising lights today to 18". Gonna train some too. Level the canopy some. Ive got a Dead Banana that stretches good and shes reaching good already. What a transformation after flip!! Here we go.....8 plants , 6 strains, what fun!!
Great Day 420

 

[coachmadden]

Hey good people! Got another question. I'm currently growing 1 plant in a 2x2x4.5 grow tent. I'm trying to see how long i should keep this beauty in veg. I believe she's doing fairly well right now. She's wide and somewhat flat with some decent inner growth. She's currently on day 36. I'm just trying to anticipate the stretch. I know i don't have much room. What do you all think??

 

[GodOfPot]

My ph is about 5.9 as of now
I run a 190 Cfm fan that pulls more than enough for my tent and I was thinking of purchasing some Calimagic I guess o should now.
And res tensor about 18-20 degrees

If it's just Ca you need, look into Demeters Destiny or Hurculean Harvest, great sources of Ca

 

[4Dutchess]

Just transplanted my girls last night and this morning a few leaves are white at the tips. Should I be worried?

Too much water?? Maybe WPM??
Ive got not watering the plant too much down but not sprouts yet. Its hard not to over water and the most common mistake made. That and too much nutes. Ive never seen white tips. I had WPM and it does white spotches so maybe. I used a baking soda spray and it cured it in one application. Are you in a wet/humid climate??

 

[GodOfPot]

Hello guys I have a 36 day NYC Diesel photo that has been under a Mars hydro 300 18/6 but has started throwing out pistils? Should this be any concern?

After around4-6 weeks of veg plants can start to sex, not all will but 3/4 of my plants sexed before I switched to 12/12

 

[DirtBagg]

Thanks slot godofpot, well at least she's a girl!

 

[4Dutchess]

Could use some help guys having some micro problems.
So the bigger plant has a calcium deficiency and I added a micro nute solution with cal but no mag so could it be the mag ?
However after adding the cal I noticed the yellow spots progress more into a brown Bloch and it hasn't seemed to better but only slow progression of deficiency.
Minor leaf curl any smaller plant.
Any input would be amazing

They say Aspirin to heal. 325mg per gal. I had a Russet infested plant in the yard and it helped it. Some old time growers say the Aspirin is an old time remedy just to help heal what damage is there. Now ive thought about this, must do what it does to people, help with pain and thin the blood. Research this and maybe give it a shot. I did it cause the plant was toast anyways. Again, it helped it. I think I did half strength.

 

[smeghead]

My ph is about 5.9 as of now
I run a 190 Cfm fan that pulls more than enough for my tent and I was thinking of purchasing some Calimagic I guess o should now.
And res tensor about 18-20 degrees

Guro
Yes mate, you got everything dialled in, so yeah bit cal/mag only thing missing.i use plant magic, but most brands carry one.
Happy growing bud.

 

[4Dutchess]

How stressing is it for my light to have come on for 1 minute an hour early today (forgot to reset my timer)

In veg the time has to change consistent for 5+ days to change the plant. In flower is more critical. But still have a few days before you affect the plant.
Im not talking about light leaks not noticed in flower. That causes Bananas. One day for one minute is way ok at any stage. Good your so critical.
Dude that gave my the 600w HPS's says he shuts the lights off for a day when he sprays. Im not to sure about that. I spray after lights out and use a portable LED to see. He thinks you can go in and peak in flower with a reg light but in flower I dont think so. I got Bananas my first tent run from a light leak from the bedroom door unnoticed.
I minute change wont matter

 

[growguro420]

They say Aspirin to heal. 325mg per gal. I had a Russet infested plant in the yard and it helped it. Some old time growers say the Aspirin is an old time remedy just to help heal what damage is there. Now ive thought about this, must do what it does to people, help with pain and thin the blood. Research this and maybe give it a shot. I did it cause the plant was toast anyways. Again, it helped it. I think I did half strength.

Okok I'll defs take a look into that
But before I try aspirin I'll try some Calimagic and show y'all the results

 

[growguro420]

Guro
Yes mate, you got everything dialled in, so yeah bit cal/mag only thing missing.i use plant magic, but most brands carry one.
Happy growing bud.

Haha Ima add some I'll send results here in next 72hrs
Good growing to y'all too

 

[4Dutchess]

Chlorine is in tap water as far as I know. But after some time it gets away from water to air.

Find out which you have. Chlorimane dosent go away and Chlorine does. I have Chlorine and I use Dechlorinator every time I fill a bucket so I dont forget. Wether it sits for an hour or 5 days.

 

[EastCoastGhost]

Okok I'll defs take a look into that
But before I try aspirin I'll try some Calimagic and show y'all the results

Calimagic is great, I use it and my plants seem to love it. 5ml a gallon and I use it every watering. For smaller plants I use half strength.

 

[4Dutchess]

Thanks guys I appreciate it, this is where I’m sitting right now I’m not exactly sure when flower started so I’m saying this is begging of week 4

ok for my ppm I’ve always been confused I’m using tiger fertilizer and big bloom with molasses and 5 ml of calmag with distilled water from the store ph at 6.5 is this ppm to high? Also I’m thinking my buds should be a little farther along by now no?

still a bunch of white hairs at what point would I start getting fuller buds that actually look like weed ..

also last time when I posted I said I was running out of space so I’ve taken ratchet off of all the lights (the led, and both double bulbs on both dome reflectors) so I had a lot of space when I first did it but there still fucking stretching. When I’m done I’d like to measure how long each beach was. Also it’s really fucking bushy is it bad to cut fan leaves to let light get to buds are do the fan leaves give energy To the buds. I’d like to cut stuff off of bottom cause there really sagging and also read it helps focus energy to top buds where it really matters. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY MY HEAT ISSUES HOW THE FUCK DO I FIX IT IF I RUN MY FANS ON HIGH CAN I ADD A COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER TO KEEP TEMPS DOWN ALWAYS WANTED TO BUT READ IT MIGHT BE A BAD IDEA CAUSE OF BUD ROT

First off your plants fantastic!!! Dude at the grow shop said with FF your runoff will always be fucked up cause FF is both natural and artificial with salts. He said make sure its 6.5 going in and add some CAL/Mag and thats it. Why FF is so nice.
Heat.... the air your giving the tent MUST be 10-15 deg. cooler than desired tent temp. However you have to do it. House's AC? A portable room AC? Open the tents doors. I know, when I was told this I was like but bugs. But no, open them doors. You must keep the tent under 90deg. Heat problems with LED's??? I thought that was the benefit?? That and power costs. Now my recommendations are with two 600w HPS's not cooler LED's. So even easier. Also I have a 8" fan in a 5x9 and Ive got great air flow. I know this was a smart choice and sounds like it will be needed for a LED set up too.
Print FF schedule and use it. I swear the powders are the shit in flower. Make outdoors like indoors. I mix mine 60% and dense buds. Also VERY potent.
Hope this helps.