HedoneSpirit's First Pre To Post Indoor Grow Journal: 600W & Veg Bulb

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

Week 9 Monday
Another picture

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

Week 9 Tuesday.

Wow they almost doubled their root weight in the last week. In the last 48 hours they've drank 10 litres.

I'll post a picture of all aspects soon.

Scrog has gone. Not worth using. I need a frame.

I'm hoping to switch this week.
I need to see how to transition my nutrients and bulb type.

The 12/¹² cycle may prove a problem with environment control. Leave the fan on and it'll get too cold turn it of and too humid. I couldn't do manual adjustments but that means being there twice a day. I'll think of something.

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

Monday Wednesday morning

Last night my air pump popped leave the smaller plant empty. Fortunately I got a random urge to check. The plant looked very sorry. Couple of hours with liquid and it's ok. Took me ages to work out why my floor was soaked. I don't really know why the water would go up and out the tube..

Any way here is some pics starting with the PK then the CK

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

More LST

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

Sunday will be the switch. Any tips? In thinking I'll wait a week before swapping nutrients. Is it worth phasing out whilst phasing in the nutrients?

For the light cycle should I just one night leave off for twelve hours or should I build up the time?

Are they big enough to fill the tent? Am I going to struggle keeping the canopy even?

I'm excited!

 

[BluePhoric]

Just my humble opinion...

Before flipping, I'd wait for all the tops to be equal and being finished with training (LST).

If you are happy with where the tops are, you should let them go vertical a bit and do small adjustments so each top has enough room on its own to grow a fat cola ;-)

After flipping to 12/12 you wont do aggressive LST anymore, maybe only small adjustments.
The plants wont really get larger after that, but they will stretch vertically.

So.... If you want to fill the tent more (horizontally), don't flip yet. Get the shape and horizontal size you want, then flip.

BP

 

[BluePhoric]

If you didn't already... Now (a week before flipping) would also be a good time to prune (cut) some small shoots (small stems that will make tiny tops) that are located at the bottom or the inside, those that will not receive enough light and that will remain small. Those you know wont make it to the top and wont make anything but a popcorn bud.

Don't remove leaves. Those are always useful. But new little stems that will stay small... the plant will try to grow some buds on them, and that's using energy for nothing.

Also, when pruning, remember to remove little amounts on a given day. Remove progressively to not stress the plant.

BP

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

Just my humble opinion...

Before flipping, I'd wait for all the tops to be equal and being finished with training (LST).

If you are happy with where the tops are, you should let them go vertical a bit and do small adjustments so each top has enough room on its own to grow a fat cola ;-)

After flipping to 12/12 you wont do aggressive LST anymore, maybe only small adjustments.
The plants wont really get larger after that, but they will stretch vertically.

So.... If you want to fill the tent more (horizontally), don't flip yet. Get the shape and horizontal size you want, then flip.

BP

Thanks I've just been reading a method on grow easy. Where I defoliate before the flip then wait 3 weeks before doing it again. So I'll defoliate coming up to the flip.
As for filling the space. I'm hoping the majority of the horizontal area will be filled by Sunday (maybe space around the smallest plant). I'm trying to keep around this height till the flip then let it grow up. Is this a good idea?

As for an even canopy, I'm trying! I really needed to start earlier and to if known what I'm doing. So far it's fairly even I think but definitely too messy :/

Cheers Blue

HD

 

[BluePhoric]

WHY would you want to defoliate ?

I suggest you read a lot on the subject... you will find it is very controversial. Like you, I thought it looked COOL at first.

My opinion is : do not.

You should, only when it serves a precise purpose, like if no air comes thru the plant and you have humidity problems, or water accumulating between touching leaves, etc. Or if big leaves are obstructing light going to bud sites... but that shouldn't be the case if you trained correctly.

All fan leaves are useful, and mostly when flowering, because if the plant has any deficiency, she will suck what she needs from those big fan leaves and you will see the signs of a deficiency on those leaves. Those leaves will buffer any problem that will arise.

As the plant gets near harvest, the leaves will progressively turn yellow (the plant will use less and less her root system) as they give their resources to the top colas.

If you only remove tiny shoots (not leaves) you dont have to wait 3 weeks.

As for your tops being equal in height... You have good light penetration so it's not as important as it is for me (CFL lights).

BP

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

WHY would you want to defoliate ?

I suggest you read a lot on the subject... you will find it is very controversial. Like you, I thought it looked COOL at first.

My opinion is : do not.

You should, only when it serves a precise purpose, like if no air comes thru the plant and you have humidity problems, or water accumulating between touching leaves, etc. Or if big leaves are obstructing light going to bud sites... but that shouldn't be the case if you trained correctly.

All fan leaves are useful, and mostly when flowering, because if the plant has any deficiency, she will suck what she needs from those big fan leaves and you will see the signs of a deficiency on those leaves. Those leaves will buffer any problem that will arise.

As the plant gets near harvest, the leaves will progressively turn yellow (the plant will use less and less her root system) as they give their resources to the top colas.

If you only remove tiny shoots (not leaves) you dont have to wait 3 weeks.

As for your tops being equal in height... You have good light penetration so it's not as important as it is for me (CFL lights).

BP

Ok blue you advise is always appreciated and I'll stick to it should I leave leafs that are shadowed? I need to work out how much penatration I get. I've been looking at main lineing for my next plants but this will probably get slower growth. I really would like to do some side by side tests.

When should I start picking the new growth? Now probably.

Kind regards

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

I was also reading that the plant in flowering will respond to defoliation by focusing on the bus production. But this was me researching for the pros (a little bias)

 

[BluePhoric]

Ok blue you advise is always appreciated and I'll stick to it should I leave leafs that are shadowed? I need to work out how much penatration I get. I've been looking at main lineing for my next plants but this will probably get slower growth. I really would like to do some side by side tests.

When should I start picking the new growth? Now probably.

Kind regards

Yeah, my advise is mostly because with little grow experience, it's better to be on the safe side of everything, and not mess up by trying advanced (and/or controversial) techniques.

Fan leaves that are in the shadow are fine. They are your friends. Leave them alone unless some create specific problems.

I started removing tiny shoots a while ago. I give every shoot a chance in early grow, until I have the number of tops I can reasonably expect and that those are pretty much equal in height (with LST of course). BabyPhoria has around 15 good tops right now (40 on my EuClonia). After that, as soon as I see new stems that I know cant make it to the top and produce good colas... I remove those. It's an ongoing process for me. I dont let the plant grow things that i dont want to see when I flip to 12/12.

You may start now, remove a little every day. You can even continue that in the first few weeks after flipping. The plant may try to grow new stems even in those first weeks (pre-flowering).

BP

 

[BluePhoric]

I was also reading that the plant in flowering will respond to defoliation by focusing on the bus production. But this was me researching for the pros (a little bias)

I dont really believe that (but if you read on forums, you will see a never ending debate). Already grown leaves will not become the focus of attention over bud production. They are just there as a reserve and dont ask for a lot.

Also, if you try to find a SIDE_BY_SIDE grow experiment to see if some technique proves to be better... you'l NEVER find one. So for me, unless I SEE scientific proof, it's just hearsay, legend.

Think about it. The plant lives its whole life to go to flowering and reproduce. If the old leaves were preventing here from accomplishing her job of flowering in the most efficient way possible, she would drop those leaves herself. She does not drop them, but she can use the nutrients out of them if the need arises.

BP

 

[BluePhoric]

You asked about transitioning to 12/12... abruptly or slowly.

I read about that, and I think it's good (for less stretch and more compact buds) to slowly reduce hours of light over a week or more.
Ex: 20/4, 19/5, 18/6 ... 13/11, 12/12.

So it may reduce "stretch" if it is something you want. Switching abruptly to 12/12 encourages more stretch.
But either way, the plant will be happy in both scenarios.

Today I'm planning to go from 20/4 to 16/8. Then I'll be removing 1 hour of light every few days... so I'll be at 12/12 in ~12 days.

My theory is this : For some strains, flowering may be induced at 14/10, or 13/11, before reaching 12/12.
So pre-flowering may already be on its way at 14/10, and since there is more light hours in 14/10 than 12/12, there will be less stretch.
The idea is to give a longer transition in the ranges of 15/9, 14/10, 13/11, 12/12.

Some growers give a total dark period of 24 or 36 or 48 hours or more to abruptly induce flowering, the dial back to 12/12. It works for a fast switch to flowering. Different goals for different growers.

BP

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

You asked about transitioning to 12/12... abruptly or slowly.

I read about that, and I think it's good (for less stretch and more compact buds) to slowly reduce hours of light over a week or more.
Ex: 20/4, 19/5, 18/6 ... 13/11, 12/12.

So it may reduce "stretch" if it is something you want. Switching abruptly to 12/12 encourages more stretch.
But either way, the plant will be happy in both scenarios.

Today I'm planning to go from 20/4 to 16/8. Then I'll be removing 1 hour of light every few days... so I'll be at 12/12 in ~12 days.

My theory is this : For some strains, flowering may be induced at 14/10, or 13/11, before reaching 12/12.
So pre-flowering may already be on its way at 14/10, and since there is more light hours in 14/10 than 12/12, there will be less stretch.
The idea is to give a longer transition in the ranges of 15/9, 14/10, 13/11, 12/12.

Some growers give a total dark period of 24 or 36 or 48 hours or more to abruptly induce flowering, the dial back to 12/12. It works for a fast switch to flowering. Different goals for different growers.

BP

I've decided to do it slowly maybe 3 hours at a time. I want to try and control my night period environment before leaving it that long.
As with the nutrients I'll give two more veg feeds and after the second one I'll start replacing the drunken feed for two weeks with the flower.
In summary a week of flower with veg nutes and a four day transition.
It basically works with what I'm doing.

I've been looking at lots of flowering photo to try and help me understand what to expect. I think it will be a bit messy. The CK is looking a bit worse for wear ATM Its not had the best of times. I want to flip when it's in better health but I don't want PK getting too big!

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

As with my bulb transition, that's another question. It's duel spectrum next so I don't think it will matter if I swap too early. I'll swap the bulb before I start adjusting the hourse

 

[BluePhoric]

I've decided to do it slowly maybe 3 hours at a time. I want to try and control my night period environment before leaving it that long.
As with the nutrients I'll give two more veg feeds and after the second one I'll start replacing the drunken feed for two weeks with the flower.
In summary a week of flower with veg nutes and a four day transition.
It basically works with what I'm doing.

I've been looking at lots of flowering photo to try and help me understand what to expect. I think it will be a bit messy. The CK is looking a bit worse for wear ATM Its not had the best of times. I want to flip when it's in better health but I don't want PK getting too big!

Bloom nutes : I think it can wait a couple of weeks (pre-flowering) after 12/12. The plant still needs grow nutes during stretch and before flowers start to appear.

 

[BluePhoric]

As with my bulb transition, that's another question. It's duel spectrum next so I don't think it will matter if I swap too early. I'll swap the bulb before I start adjusting the hourse

Same thing, it can wait a couple of weeks into pre-flowering. Red spectrum will promote stretch. Depends if you want more or less stretch.

 

[Phalangeal_Worrior]

Power cut :'( today the plants have had 2, 3hour sleep closely together. This is sad.
So I'm not sure what my best options are. I will look now. Ideally I want to veg a little longer but not waste time stressing the plants.

Maybe I can transition slow. Carry on give the 6hr sleep for a week then 8, 10 and twelve over a week.

 

[BluePhoric]

Power cut :'( today the plants have had 2, 3hour sleep closely together. This is sad.
So I'm not sure what my best options are. I will look now. Ideally I want to veg a little longer but not waste time stressing the plants.

Maybe I can transition slow. Carry on give the 6hr sleep for a week then 8, 10 and twelve over a week.

So... they had 5 hrs sleep, and not even continuous ?... That's nothing to worry about I.m.o.
Veg longer if you wan to.