ColoradoGriz's First Grow - LED - Soil - Bag Seed

[ColoradoGriz]

Great looking grow so far! Congrats on the little lady. Your tent/light setup is exactly what I plan on using for my flowering tent....hopefully soon. I'm excited to see how yours do under the 144x5's. Subbed from here.

a58dguy thanks for the sub, love your name, love your bird!

All the plants are looking bushy with the LST and I'm taking a week off from topping to give them a low stress week. I sometimes forget when it comes to LST, I need to keep that main stem down. I let it grow and get a little height so I could bend it around the inside of the pot. Doing that defeated the purpose of giving the lower growth a chance to race to the top. I kept on top of this every morning the last 3 days and have had to raise the T5s a good 5". I will post some updated photos tonight as they look crappy in the morning after I have tied them down.

As for the setup, a few changes. The exhaust will use a 6" instead of an 8" and will be making some upgrades to the power-strips and wall fans. If you have any questions about the setup feel free to ask and I can take any pictures or provide any other info.

 

[ColoradoGriz]

So not much for updates.

Lucy: Sex TBD, good growth no sign of any major deficiencies.
Foxy: Sex Female, signs of stress, small leaf structure, slowed growth, some yellowing on older growth.
Betty: Sex TBD, large fan leaves, growth has picked up. Maybe a sativa.

LST has been going well as the plants are getting bushier and getting worked around the inside of the pot. I've been doing a little weaving. As the growth races upwards I will weave the taller stuff under the tied down stems causing the other growth to fight for the top without having to commit it to a tie. I just fluff this stuff out the next morning. Every morning I repeat this regimen and over the last couple of days it seems to have helped growth. Of course I will never know unless I continue to do it and see results or else it could be many things.

Last feeding was just PH water to flush out the overdose of Microbe Brew. It's not that potent so I should be able to go ahead with a feeding of 1/2 dosed Big Bloom, Grow Big, Microbe Brew tonight.

Giving them another 5 days of little to no stress before I top them again. It's been 4 days since the last topping.

After getting a good vibe from a reliable source I am committing to 3 Mars Hydro 144x5s Reflectors. Should give me 960 wall watts and I have a little UFO I will be moving around where needed.

Clone update: Blue dream clones were a No-Go. I didn't want to bring any outdoor stuff into my indoor grow at this phase. Not to mention the dude couldn't get them to root. Decided to throw some cuttings into flower this weekend to determine sex so I can adjust my azimuth. I will buy some Blue Dream regular seed tonight and start working on a mother while this grow continues to drive on.

 

[94xjjohn]

Hi Griz, those are some fine looking little girls. I haven't grown this way yet, so I'm all eyes and ears my brother. Thanks for the good work!

 

[ColoradoGriz]

Hi Griz, those are some fine looking little girls. I haven't grown this way yet, so I'm all eyes and ears my brother. Thanks for the good work!

Thanks John! Good to see you!

I have a question for anyone following this grow about Fox Farm feeding. In this case, 1/4 strength Big Bloom, Grow Big and Microbe Brew (Supplement).

A) Add Nutrient 1 to one gallon, Nutrient 2 to a separate gallon, Supplement 3 to a separate gallon. Combine for 3 gallons.

B) No more than one Nutrient/Supplement per feeding.

C) Combine all scheduled nutrients separately into the same gallon of water.

My first feeding I took someone's advice and did A. My second feeding I did more asking and did C. This morning another grower told me B.

What do you all do?

 

[addonexus]

Add nutrient stir, add next nutrient stir, rinse repeat. Once all solution has been added ph and feed.

 

[addonexus]

C is the best correct answer.

 

[94xjjohn]

addonexus has a reputation beyond repute. He's also correct here. Way to go addo! Addo-dendum: manufacturers sometimes instruct as to the order of nutrients to be added, like GH's FloraMicro (always first).

 

[ColoradoGriz]

addonexus has a reputation beyond repute. He's also correct here. Way to go addo! Addo-dendum: manufacturers sometimes instruct as to the order of nutrients to be added, like GH's FloraMicro (always first).

Yes I agree

C only makes sense and Addo brought up a good point about adjusting Ph after. Fox Farms actually drops my Ph to almost the right level without needing too much adjustment. Plain filtered tap water takes me about 12-14 drops of Ph Down. If I were to do my Ph before, my Ph would probably be like 4 after nutes were added.

I was just telling the wife that I often forget that not all growers use the internet. For the most part their information is very limited. I feel fortunate that I have access to the web and to have good advice from folks like you all.

 

[ColoradoGriz]

A few updates, nothing mind blowing.

No problems, the plants are doing their thing while I keep doing mine. I broke down and took some clones for the sake of flowering the cuttings to confirm sex of Betty and Lucy before I move them to 7 gallon pots. The LST is going well as the stems have traveled around the pot from the 12 oclock to the 6 oclock and starting to come back full circle. Right now I'm just trying to fluff them to get light to all the leaves since they are so bushy. The T5s are penetrating well as the undergrowth is alive and kicking.

As of today 5 out of 6 cuttings are rooted and on 2nd day of 12/12. Hopefully I will find out by Saturday. I was experimenting with big cuttings vs little cuttings and the little ones by far rooted faster.

Lucy

Betty

The 3

Sorry if these are sideways, I take them for other sites, also, so I take them to work on 99% of the other galleries

Clone sex

Found this black shelf in the garage so used it to get the plants up so I don't have to raise the lights as far. Installed the little T5 under the shelf for the plants requiring less light.

 

[ColoradoGriz]

The mystery clones died.....my fault.....

......wait....I don't want to Mother these anyway....this was just supposed to be a practice run....don't get too attached to these plants, we don't even know the genetics.....buy some seeds, they can be in early veg while the other clones are getting ready to go in flower and at least foxy will be coming out of flower....that sounds right.....ya, make mothers from some good seed genetics.....

Just thinking out loud.

 

[UncleCannabis]

Sorry to hear about your mystery clone. Don't be so quick to discount the genetic potential of bag seed. The best herb I've ever grown or smoked originated from a seed that was found in a baggie. Lots of the strains that are available from reputable breeders have bag seed or accidental crosses in their genetic lineage.

That being said, the odds of ending up with exactly what you're looking for (growth characteristics, indica vesrus sativa, flowing time, type of effect, etc) go up exponentially when purchasing from a reputable seed breeder.

 

[ColoradoGriz]

Sorry to hear about your mystery clone. Don't be so quick to discount the genetic potential of bag seed. The best herb I've ever grown or smoked originated from a seed that was found in a baggie. Lots of the strains that are available from reputable breeders have bag seed or accidental crosses in their genetic lineage.

That being said, the odds of ending up with exactly what you're looking for (growth characteristics, indica vesrus sativa, flowing time, type of effect, etc) go up exponentially when purchasing from a reputable seed breeder.

I was quicker in thinking it than doing it. More of a thinking out loud but thank you for saying what I thought later. I moved ALL 3 to 7 gal pots this weekend. The fun is in the grow and the experience so I'm taking all three plants for the ride. Since I transferred them along with some mild topping, tying down etc., I will wait till later in the week to take some new clones. Maybe Thursday since I feed on Wednesday with Nutes so clones will be juiced up. I'm going to be better about this time. Last attempt I went in it just wanting to find the sex. This time I am going to pull clones off each plant to include foxy who I know is female. I will attempt to root them all and veg them out. I will put all three main plants into flower @ the 16th. When Lucy and Betty show their sex in flower I will adjust the clones based on the result. In any case I will have my next grow ready to go by harvest. I also have some seeds on order but I will figure that plan out when/if they arrive.

I ordered 3 144x5 Mars-Hydro Reflectors on Friday giving me a little over 6" between the side walls and each unit. I'm pretty sure that should not cause a problem with the units being able to cool while providing 6x6 light coverage. I'm hoping to see them this week or next so I can swap the T5 out of the 5x5 and put the plants on LED a few weeks before flower. I don't know if they need an adjustment period but I wouldn't think it's not a bad idea since the light is changing spectrum. I will keep them on 18/6 for a week, 14/8 a week, then 12/12. Not sure if the 14/8 is necessary but why not, a nice gradual change might be nice since nature doesn't make that change overnight.

 

[UncleCannabis]

Congrats on the Mars Reflector purchase.
There's no harm in going from vegging with T5's to flipping them into bloom with LED's. Just be sure to keep the LED's about 28" or so for a few days before beginning to lower them.

IMO it would be best to straight from 18/6 to 12/12 if you're ready to get em' blooming. 14/8 will likely just slow down the hormonal transition but it could end up giving you more stretch and possibly a bit more yield.

Best of luck my friend!

 

[morrum]

oh my my those sure r pretty

 

[ColoradoGriz]

Congrats on the Mars Reflector purchase.
There's no harm in going from vegging with T5's to flipping them into bloom with LED's. Just be sure to keep the LED's about 28" or so for a few days before beginning to lower them.

IMO it would be best to straight from 18/6 to 12/12 if you're ready to get em' blooming. 14/8 will likely just slow down the hormonal transition but it could end up giving you more stretch and possibly a bit more yield.

Best of luck my friend!

Thanks for the tip! I'm planning on a trip and have a friend checking in on my grow while I am away so I am extending the Veg period. I trust less to go wrong in Veg than putting them in flower and taking off out of town. The LEDs arrive before then so I planned on sticking the LEDs in there before I leave so I can have the clones out of the tent and under the T5. That way when I get back all I have to do is change the light cycle on the 5x5. As you said I will ease in on the distance once the LEDs are up, great reminder. I plan on hitting them with both the VEG and BLOOM on those last two weeks of 18/6 instead of just VEG on. I was curious and looked around for effects of decreasing light gradually and not finding anything good or bad so I will throw that out of the grow plan. I did find an interesting article about 36 hours of darkness right before 12/12 to boost flowering. I'll look into that more.

Thanks for the responses and tips! I always like hearing from all of you!

 

[StonerThor]

I don't say much but I'm here man, things are looking mighty fine around here, those girls are going to grow into some nice bushes, good job on the training

 

[ColoradoGriz]

I don't say much but I'm here man, things are looking mighty fine around here, those girls are going to grow into some nice bushes, good job on the training

Thanks Man! That means a lot. Your FLUX is definitely inspiring. Mine turned out more like a Pentagram but Samhain is coming up so that's cool. Definitely trying that method next!

 

[StonerThor]

Fluxing has been fun, considering fluxing a Power Kush alongside some autos on my next run. It does require patience vegging for long periods if your going for a decent sized bush, but I'm sure it will be well worth it come harvest time
Keep on keeping on

 

[UncleCannabis]

Thanks for the tip! I'm planning on a trip and have a friend checking in on my grow while I am away so I am extending the Veg period. I trust less to go wrong in Veg than putting them in flower and taking off out of town. The LEDs arrive before then so I planned on sticking the LEDs in there before I leave so I can have the clones out of the tent and under the T5. That way when I get back all I have to do is change the light cycle on the 5x5. As you said I will ease in on the distance once the LEDs are up, great reminder. I plan on hitting them with both the VEG and BLOOM on those last two weeks of 18/6 instead of just VEG on. I was curious and looked around for effects of decreasing light gradually and not finding anything good or bad so I will throw that out of the grow plan. I did find an interesting article about 36 hours of darkness right before 12/12 to boost flowering. I'll look into that more.

Thanks for the responses and tips! I always like hearing from all of you!

If you are able to drop your RH to about 45% or so and keep temps lower than normal during the last week of bloom this will boost tich development. 24 to 72 hours of dark period before chop is also said to give an additional boost but it seems that lower RH and temps in the final days before harvest are the two key factors.

I've heard of others raising their lights a bit during the final days in order to help lower canopy temps but I've also read that increasing UV light levels in the final days should boost trich development. Like many other things cannabis related there are differing theories and not a lot of true studies to back up any of the theories.

Harvest tip for you -
To optimize flavor I suggest that you harvest your girls in the dark before the lights turn on. During dark period the starches are concentrated in the root system. As soon as the lights turn on these starches begin to migrate from the roots into the top growth. Less residual starches will result in a smoother tasting smoke.

Best of luck with a happy harvest bro!

 

[JohnnyBlaze]

Do you make awesome bass music?!