First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/600w HPS & Soil

[Harry Red]

Pix Update - Day 25

Wow,

The Fox Farm Ocean Forrest soil is pretty impressive and easy to work with. At $25 a bag, it's damn expensive, afaic. I wish I could find a cheaper alternative but I can't find anything that doesn't contain slow released ferts.

Anyway, these plants are growing like.. er ..weeds!

Any suggestions on a good soil mixture that I could put together from Lowes or Home Depot that would be close to FF Ocean Forrest, without costing me $25 a bag?

 

[Harry Red]

Day 30 into Veg

Greetings friends!!

It's day 30 into the veg phase and I've moved to full strength FF grow big and big bloom. I've only had to water & feed around once a week so far, but I can see that they will require more water as they grow.

One the second watering, I loaded the plants up with BTI from pool dunks to eliminate the fungus gnat problem I was having. That took care of most of the gnats but I plan on another dose of BTI in the next watering.

I have a couple of tall ones. They are over 12 inches and I'm getting ready to crimp them.

I have a few more that aren't quite as tall but they are getting there. I have one that is growing more slowly and I may not top that one at all. Maybe I'll just tie back some of the limbs so it can get better light penetration.

I'm keeping the temps between 74 and 84 with the humidity ranging from 40-65%.

Here's a couple of nice shot of the plants.

So far, so good. I'm not seeing any signs of sex yet, but it may still be early. I'm thinking I will continue to veg under the MH for 3+ more weeks before moving under the HPS and flipping to 12/12. I'm really hoping to see some signs of sex by then so I can take a few clones. I sure don't want to spend too much time, effort and money to grow males.

Does it seem like I'm on the right track here? Any suggestions on how I should proceed would be appreciated!!

Thanks!

 

[FreakNature]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

I think you're doing great. The young ladies look very healthy. Sorry you haven't had too many responses to your questions. It seems like the mods are on vacation.

Here's a link to some input RooRman had on mixing your own soil:
Bat Guano for Organic Indoor Gardening w/RooRman

 

[Be Irie]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

If you are going to "crimp"?? them better do it soon, give them a chance to heal up before the flower transition. By crimping do you mean supercropping? They are looking good Harry, you are doing a fine job. My LA showed preflowers at 7 weeks...

 

[Harry Red]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

I think you're doing great. The young ladies look very healthy. Sorry you haven't had too many responses to your questions. It seems like the mods are on vacation.

Here's a link to some input RooRman had on mixing your own soil:
Bat Guano for Organic Indoor Gardening w/RooRman

Well, I sure hope most of them are ladies, FreakNature but I'll take what I can get. Thanks for the link. RooRman posted that to another thread where I asked a soil question. I think I've found a local source for worm castings, which appears to be a key ingredient. I'll finish this grow with FF and try something new on the next one.

If you are going to "crimp"?? them better do it soon, give them a chance to heal up before the flower transition. By crimping do you mean supercropping? They are looking good Harry, you are doing a fine job. My LA showed preflowers at 7 weeks...

Good info on preflowers IRIE. I'll be more patient. The way these things are growing, I may make it 7 weeks into veg before they get too big.

I went ahead and crimped the largest one. It stands 12 inches right where it's crimped. I will probably do the others tomorrow.

From what I've read in various FAQs, crimping is one technique used in supercropping. My understanding was that supercropping is a variety of techniques and crimping (as it was called in the FAQ) was only one of those techniques. I have read where others refer to just the crimping part as supercropping. I really don't know which is the correct way to refer to it.

Thanks for all your help!!

 

[Be Irie]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

Get a pic of it if you can... How high is your light off the canopy? Thanks for the info..

 

[Harry Red]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

Get a pic of it if you can... How high is your light off the canopy? Thanks for the info..

I've been keeping the light 15-18 inches from the canopy.

Here is a pic of the crimp I did a few hours ago. The stem is turning brown but the leaves at the top look OK. I tried to break the inner herd of the plant without damaging the outer. I don't know if I succeeded. I guess the worst case is that the top dies and I just remove it.

Here is the thread from Smokin Moose that I was referring to which discussed crimping.

 

[Be Irie]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

Same thing as supercropping.. Looks good, Sometimes you gotta show them who is boss..Binder clips make great splints if it needs a bit of help getting back up.

 

[Harry Red]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

This morning the crimped top was back at a 45deg angle and raising up. Maybe I didn't damage it enough, I dunno. It might just be my imagination but I think I detected stronger growth below the crimp in just these last 24 hours

I'm gonna crimp two more plants as they move above 12 inches.

The way these things are going now, I'm thinking I don't want them to get above 18 inches before going 12/12. My plan is to get a 600w HPS for the flower area and use the 400wat'r just for vegging. I'm thinking 4ft - 4.5ft high would be where I need to be at the end of flower. Does that sound about right?

 

[Be Irie]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

You did good, it looks like a good superCrop...It will rebuild nicely... They get bushier and thicken up a bit right after.. I also Supercrop some of my side shoots too.. I think they like it...

 

[4twenty4all]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

Hey Harry, +rep for the nice looking grow! I am about 1 week or 10 days ahead of you but we may flower around same time. Nice looking plants man and love the photo-tron for seedlings.

 

[Runamok]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

Nice looking grow mano. I have a Phototron also ! Woot ! LOL !
I'm currently using mine to grow a Snow White and I plan to put her clones in it when i sort out my heat problems with my cabinet and 400w hps. I'm working on a inline fan for the hps bulb atm. Anyway...good job and keep doing it !

Peace

 

[Be Irie]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

Hah, Boss used to do it all the time....... It was kinda odd that he picked here to post.... Stoner's, gotta love them, great entertainment value.....

 

[Harry Red]

Day 35 update

It's day 35 and the plants are chuggin' right along. The tallest are hitting 17 inches and they are staring to bush pretty well.

I'm facing a dilemma of sorts though. It's getting to the point where I need to transplant into 5 gallon buckets and move to 12/12. I figured it would take longer to veg but the growth rate on this plants are high. I was hoping they would show some signs of sex before I had to transplant them all and waste time and money to transplant a male. I guess I SOL on that unless they show signs soon. If I just wait, they might be 24+ inches before I transplant and go 12/12 and I would end up with 6 foot plants, which I don't think I want. I thinking 4.5'-5'. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I would like to take some clones but the plants are not showing any signs of sex yet. Should I take a clone from each plant now and use the ones that are female for my next grow or should I wait until I flip, then take clones and reveg? Any opinions?

And without further delay, some pics!!

 

[Harry Red]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

Hey Harry, +rep for the nice looking grow! I am about 1 week or 10 days ahead of you but we may flower around same time. Nice looking plants man and love the photo-tron for seedlings.

Thanks 4t4! I hope to incorporate that into what I'm doing with clones and seedlings. It's not really large enough for much else. I might could keep a mother in there with a little effort and pruning. I'll be keeping an eye on your grow.

Nice looking grow mano. I have a Phototron also ! Woot ! LOL !
I'm currently using mine to grow a Snow White and I plan to put her clones in it when i sort out my heat problems with my cabinet and 400w hps. I'm working on a inline fan for the hps bulb atm. Anyway...good job and keep doing it !

Peace

Thanks man, as are yours. Your tron is one of larger/newer models. That is really nice. I wish I had bought a larger one back then but I was barely able to afford the little one. Maybe I'll finally be able to make some good use out of it.

Stoner's, gotta love them, great entertainment value.....

Ain't that the truth.

 

[Harry Red]

Update Day 41

Well, I've completed my new "poor man's" veg room using 6 mil B/W Poly, Gorilla tape, cardboard and staples. Total cost = $50 not including ventilation. It's in a corner so I only had to construct two sides. The room is approximately 5x7. I'll be keeping my 400w MH and Phototron in there. I'll vent with a 5" inline duct fan.

I've transplanted into 5 gallon buckets, moved to the 600w HPS and they never even slowed down.

The plants are 20"+ and my plan is to take clones and move to 12/12 tomorrow.

I'm would certainly like to see all females but I know that isn't gonna happen. I'm hoping for the best. Four would be great, Three would be nice. two would not make me happy and one or less would be a disaster. Please send good vibes my way.

Sorry for the color issues but under HPS, what are you gonna do? I've color corrected as best as I could. Looks like many good budding sites there.

Harry

 

[KevinStoner]

Re: First Grow Guidance: 400w MH/HPS & Soil

looking really nice harry. Keep up the good work!

 

[DaHui]

Looking good Harry, keep it up my friend. I'll stay tuned to see how they turn out

 

[Juicey-Bluntz]

looks great! good luck with the grow

 

[Be Irie]

Harry, your babies are looking good.. I am noticing that the leaves are a bit skinnier then I remember which could be more sativa then originally thought.. You may end up with a monster or two. Let's hope for lots of females....