First Time Around

[Dubbs]

So, I'm a new grower who's read up on as much as I could and started about 6 weeks ago with one bag seed that germinated. I bought 10 northern lights seeds from nirvana and planted 3 of those.
I'm running a drip system into hydroton with a New Wave 2FT 8-Lamp T5 Fluorescent Grow Light running 24 on 8 off. I'm filtering my water through a little boy system and running Flora Nova 4-7-10. I keep looking at other folks gardens on here ad wondering why mine is going so slowly? I'm happy, don't get me wrong but I'm looking at guys with 4 ft plants at 6 weeks. is it the lighting? they look great, The bag seed is a girl and I'm waiting on the northern to pop. I want them to sex themselves and not force it. I figure just take it easy as this is my first time. They are topped and I accidently super cropped the bag seed. It was during the transfer from the germinating medium. (coco) Here's an photo account as I'm going along.

 

[Dubbs]

 

[Hozona]

Looks like you have a great start. I would cull one of the two in the same net pot...the roots need space. If you decide to...you might be able to save the culled plant don't know for sure. Also the fan is awfully close, may dry out your plants.

 

[Dubbs]

Looks like you have a great start. I would cull one of the two in the same net pot...the roots need space. If you decide to...you might be able to save the culled plant don't know for sure. Also the fan is awfully close, may dry out your plants.

I'm hoping that if any of the three are male that I can safely transplant one of them.

 

[Dubbs]

I'm also wondering, it looks as if the big one (accidental super crop) is already starting to bud. there are white hairs everywhere

 

[Hozona]

I'm also wondering, it looks as if the big one (accidental super crop) is already starting to bud. there are white hairs everywhere

Autoflowering strain? What light cycle do you have your plants on? Post a picture update, OK?

 

[SpaceGhost]

So, I'm a new grower who's read up on as much as I could and started about 6 weeks ago with one bag seed that germinated. I bought 10 northern lights seeds from nirvana and planted 3 of those.
I'm running a drip system into hydroton with a New Wave 2FT 8-Lamp T5 Fluorescent Grow Light running 24 on 8 off. I'm filtering my water through a little boy system and running Flora Nova 4-7-10. I keep looking at other folks gardens on here ad wondering why mine is going so slowly? I'm happy, don't get me wrong but I'm looking at guys with 4 ft plants at 6 weeks. is it the lighting? they look great, The bag seed is a girl and I'm waiting on the northern to pop. I want them to sex themselves and not force it. I figure just take it easy as this is my first time. They are topped and I accidently super cropped the bag seed. It was during the transfer from the germinating medium. (coco) Here's an photo account as I'm going along.

you could be growing slowly due to having your lights on 24hr period. My personal experience is 16 on 8 off will give you good growth. Even then my plants would look tired and droop their leafs at the last hr. I recommend you go to a 16hr day and save yourself some electricity too.

I myself, I use the gas lantern routine (glr) and that is 12 on 5.5 off 1hr on and then 5.5 off again for a total of 13hrs Veg a day. I get crazy growth and save $$ at the same time. I still recommenced you do the 16hrs get a grow under your belt before trying new stuff. 1 thing at a time.

Your plants need sleep they grow their most at times during the night.

A 24hr light period is used to slow a plants growth.

NL is a very user friendly plant you started with a good easy 1 to learn with. They can grow monstrous take a look at my 1st journal at almost the end.

 

[SpaceGhost]

You don't mention anything about ph. Growing MMJ and especially hydro, PH is everything.

Here is a ph chart print it out and start using asap. Hydroponic ph chart

PH pens work the best, but if it is out of your budget at least pick up some PH pool strips or the old drop method any will be better than not phing at all.

 

[Dubbs]

I run a pH between 6-6.5, I use a simple pH setup it's general hydroponics pH test kit, seems to work well. Here are pics of the beginnings of buds. This is a bag seed plant. I started it before I got my NL seeds, just to see if my setup was going to workout, more to work the bugs out of the system. The seed was from a bag of really good commercial my girl got, it was the only seed we found in an ounce. I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of it once the NL showed up she was just too pretty. I have seperated the two that were in one pot and I put it on a drip. Lastly I started with the NL because this site said it's one of the easiest to grow and it's forgiving.

 

[Dubbs]

This is what the bag seed plant is doing all on it's own. Is this true blooming or am I just overly concerned?

 

[SpaceGhost]

I run a pH between 6-6.5, I use a simple pH setup it's general hydroponics pH test kit, seems to work well. Here are pics of the beginnings of buds. This is a bag seed plant. I started it before I got my NL seeds, just to see if my setup was going to workout, more to work the bugs out of the system. The seed was from a bag of really good commercial my girl got, it was the only seed we found in an ounce. I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of it once the NL showed up she was just too pretty. I have seperated the two that were in one pot and I put it on a drip. Lastly I started with the NL because this site said it's one of the easiest to grow and it's forgiving.

At 6-6.5 your plants are not getting any nutrients. these are the reasons your not getting any good growth. lower the ph to 5.8.

did you look at the ph chart in the link, that I included in my last post? here it is in person nothing to click.
PH is everything

 

[Hozona]

This is what the bag seed plant is doing all on it's own. Is this true blooming or am I just overly concerned?

Well either, the bag seed was an autoflower strain, or she is in a preflower stage....just be happy its a girl and know you can start flowering almost any time if you want This little pant could surprise you and since this is an experiment for you, have fun with it...If you go to bloom cycle pretty soon you could have buds by Chistmas!

If you decide to flower, flush water and then change to your bloom formula and you will shock your girl less...You may notice some leaf discoloration, if so trim the bad and keep the good! It works for me.

 

[Dubbs]

So, this might be a dumb question...Am I supposed to pH my water before adding the nutes or after adding the nutes? I've been setting my water to 5.5-6.0 and then adding my nutes. This would be a good reason it's been such slow going. I just bought myself a new timer and have start3ed the glr light timing today. I'm glad you guys are here to talk to. They do look good, but I know they should look a little better.

 

[SpaceGhost]

So, this might be a dumb question...Am I supposed to pH my water before adding the nutes or after adding the nutes? I've been setting my water to 5.5-6.0 and then adding my nutes. This would be a good reason it's been such slow going. I just bought myself a new timer and have start3ed the glr light timing today. I'm glad you guys are here to talk to. They do look good, but I know they should look a little better.

no dumb questions here.

You want to ph after adding nuts. The nutrients will bring the ph down some. and then check, and recheck, the ph will more than likely change day to day. Many factors change ph. Temp (68 best), sick plants (root rot), water flow (stagnate water). A good stable ph means things are going well.

 

[Dubbs]

So, I'm going to switch my lights in a week and move to flower. These are what my girls look like today. I upped my pH a bit and they seem to like it. Do I need to trim anything off any of them to help them to grow big and strong?

 

[Dubbs]

I'm probably updating too much, but I can't share with anyone else.

 

[Dubbs]

I've moved to 12/12. When I change my water I will flush out the veg and switch to the bloom after a few days of just water. I need to pick up some 2800k bulbs, but I'm doing that tomorrow.

 

[Muttt]

Pretty interesting so far. Think I'll stick around and watch ........


Might even learn something about hydro while I watch.

 

[Dubbs]

Anyone think they need either more room or trimmed back? I still cant tell what the 2 NL are male or female. I keep looking and looking but don't see any signs yet.

 

[Hozona]

Anyone think they need either more room or trimmed back? I still cant tell what the 2 NL are male or female. I keep looking and looking but don't see any signs yet.

Wouldn't hurt to trim the front two a little. My hydro does the same thing.. gets rather bushy. Keep checking for signs of pollen sacks...or pistels ...