My First Grow Or A Brown Thumb Account Of Events

[DrDoob]

I'm contemplating being prepared for our little Santa Ana's that roll through and looking to at least have the light off during the afternoon when it can be the worst. Did your plants suffer any real issues from those temps?

I didn’t really have any major issues. I use GH ArmorSi every watering which I read can allow the plants to deal with the heat better. The main issue I had was evaporation, I really had to watch the water levels. I let two plants get too dry and they suffered, but it was right at harvest time so it wasn’t a big deal.

 

[BTzGrow]

It appears that the Dyna Gro ProteKt that I'm using is very similar to the GH ArmorSi. I would need to look at the dosing of the GH. Currently my dose for the ProteKt is about 1/2 tsp or about 2.5ml/gal. @FelipeBlu has calculated my needs should be a bit more like 4mls in soil and 6mls in Hempy based on his calculations including San Diego water specs. I do have room in both in increase as needed without overdoing. Thinking I might increase a little bit this next couple of weeks in prep for final flowering. Then again "if it ain't broke"!!!! I have been running along so far without too many nutrient issues, wouldn't want to create an issue that needs correcting this close to the end.

 

[DrDoob]

It appears that the Dyna Gro ProteKt that I'm using is very similar to the GH ArmorSi. I would need to look at the dosing of the GH. Currently my dose for the ProteKt is about 1/2 tsp or about 2.5ml/gal. @FelipeBlu has calculated my needs should be a bit more like 4mls in soil and 6mls in Hempy based on his calculations including San Diego water specs. I do have room in both in increase as needed without overdoing. Thinking I might increase a little bit this next couple of weeks in prep for final flowering. Then again "if it ain't broke"!!!! I have been running along so far without too many nutrient issues, wouldn't want to create an issue that needs correcting this close to the end.

I use 5ml of the ArmorSi each watering. I read that you can't really over do it with the silica, but I wouldn't put that to the test. It's super hot in my tents today and they don't seem to be having any issues with it, except like I said evaporation is going rampant. I just used a full 5 gal bucket of water and need more, which is a lot for me.

 

[FelipeBlu]

And every strain is different

 

[FelipeBlu]

As you will soon find out

 

[BTzGrow]

I messed up my timer yesterday while trying to adjust the programming. I got the Auto function turned off and just straight on which bypassed any programming completely. Got home from driving really early this am and discovered that it hadn't turned off as planned so my Rey got an extra 5 hrs of light. Turned it off immediately. Hoping this one opps doesn't freak and stress her out. Well, regardless I got some adjustment to my schedule by 5hrs. Going to leave light off for a complete 12hrs and then start again. This timer I have is a tricky deal. It only has like 6 buttons and one is for switching on/off and auto. Most of the buttons have multiple functions and require other buttons to be sequenced properly to change function also.

@DrDoob Just to be clear, are you using 5ml per gallon or 5ml per your 5 gallons? @FelipeBlu did you have different amounts of Nutes for K & Jackie? If so that is something I hadn't calculated in my process of growing 3 different strains.

 

[DrDoob]

I use 5ml per gallon sorry. I doubt the timer problem will cause issues, especially this late into flowering. I think the important thing is they get 12 hours uninterrupted darkness.

Edit not that this has anything to do with your timer at all I’m just high:

I find the light cycle very interesting. I was reading about some experiments with longer day light hours and the article said that longer days require longer nights. They tried some tests with all sorts of different lighting schedules like 18 hours on 12 off and 24 on 12 off, even 24 on 24 off. They ended up saying that 12 on 12 off, or 11 on 13 off was best.

 

[FelipeBlu]

@FelipeBlu did you have different amounts of Nutes for K & Jackie?

I gave full nutes to Jackie. K only received ProteKt, and CALiMAGic, once those deficiencies showed up later.

But the nutrient profile we’re currently trying is based on the findings reported on the CannaStats site:

CannaStats - Nutrient Profiles for Cannabis

 

[FelipeBlu]

I agree with Doob. An extended light period is less stressful than an interrupted dark period. But you should still up your vigilance for hermie-ness.

 

[BTzGrow]

Watering night for Ray and the little clones. I think we will call them The Supremes. Although I have promised the yield from one of them to a buddy down at my fave Smoke Shop. A;though he has named her Squirt. Don't Ask, Don't Tell!

 

[Advocate420]

Gotta love that from the ladies...... plants or whatever

 

[SweetSue]

Am I to understand that there's a possibility I'll get to meet Rae?

 

[BTzGrow]

Yes, Indeed!

 

[BTzGrow]

Am I to understand that there's a possibility I'll get to meet Rae?

Previous answer was made while out and about.

I would be more than happy to invite as many as want to come visit Rae and give a loving touch and sniff of her delightful aromas. I don't have a very hospitable house to visit, but a nice out back and of course the grow tent in the garage. I'm actually hoping that we might have an addition to our existing group, and if he drives down from LA he could stop by and put his feet up before dinner. Some of us could actually do what the kids around town call Pre-Game and have a little adult beverage/smoke out back to unwind before dinner.

 

[BTzGrow]

Just a couple of photos to let everyone see where things are. Slowly marching along. With my new movement of light timing schedule I messed up and didn't water last night as should have. But everyone seems to have not had an issue with it. Though very thirsty at todays late afternoon feeding. I'm really pleased with the day time temperatures I'm now seeing under 80degrees. I will leave it on the current schedule of on at 3pm and off at 3am until after Sue gets here and can have a chance of visiting my grow tent at a reasonable time of the afternoon. I did drop the lights another two inches today, and now have the closest cola at 17". PAR readings are between 600 and 750 in most places. The center colas are actually a couple of inches lower and they are getting the most light at this point. The outside colas are certainly happy with the 600-650 PAR range. Will wait another week or two before lowering a little bit more. My goal is to get the levels up to 750-900PAR just before harvest.

May9th

• BTzGrow
• May 9, 2018

May9th

• BTzGrow
• May 9, 2018

 

[BTzGrow]

Well Hell! I screwed up on the timer again while resetting the start stop times. It has this tricky part where it cycles through the On, Auto, Off, Auto - rinse and repeat. Apparently I haven't trained myself to check before walking away from it thinking I'm finished to check this particular aspect and make sure it has been returned to the Auto feature. Damn it all to Hell!!!

So instead of going off at 3am this morning, it was still running when I went down to check on it around 8:30am a while ago. I was aiming at a 9am off to 9pm on time schedule, just got there in not so subtle a way. I swear if this plant survives me and I end up with great smoke it will have done it on it's own.

My intent had been to keep it on a on schedule of 3pm, off at 3am until after Sue got here so she and anyone else could have the opportunity to check it out at a reasonable time in the day. Oh well, we will sort that out as it happens.

 

[DrDoob]

Well Hell! I screwed up on the timer again while resetting the start stop times. It has this tricky part where it cycles through the On, Auto, Off, Auto - rinse and repeat. Apparently I haven't trained myself to check before walking away from it thinking I'm finished to check this particular aspect and make sure it has been returned to the Auto feature. Damn it all to Hell!!!

So instead of going off at 3am this morning, it was still running when I went down to check on it around 8:30am a while ago. I was aiming at a 9am off to 9pm on time schedule, just got there in not so subtle a way. I swear if this plant survives me and I end up with great smoke it will have done it on it's own.

My intent had been to keep it on a on schedule of 3pm, off at 3am until after Sue got here so she and anyone else could have the opportunity to check it out at a reasonable time in the day. Oh well, we will sort that out as it happens.

I don't think Sue respects bed times, so I doubt 9 would be too late. ;-)
I think as long as you don't interrupt the night cycle too much then plants will be fine. Plus I'm sure that the worst that could really happen is a few male parts which shouldn't really matter this late in the game.

It is weird to me though that the plants learn when the day and night times are. My security cameras do a sort of time lapse and the leaves droop down at night for a couple hours after lights out, then a couple hours before lights on they start to aim back up.

 

[BTzGrow]

Perhaps, I just don't want to assume things about others, but I get your read that she might be a night owl. Visiting after dinner for us all would be a nice option and if the evening is nice we could sit out back and toke a bit while chatting. Worst case, we can always slightly open the zipper on the tent and a quick peek, touch and sniff, earlier in the afternoon.

I'm hoping that now this has happened twice that I might have learned to double check the Auto is on before leaving the time after adjustments. I wasn't even high, go figure.

 

[DrDoob]

Perhaps, I just don't want to assume things about others, but I get your read that she might be a night owl. Visiting after dinner for us all would be a nice option and if the evening is nice we could sit out back and toke a bit while chatting. Worst case, we can always slightly open the zipper on the tent and a quick peek, touch and sniff, earlier in the afternoon.

I'm hoping that now this has happened twice that I might have learned to double check the Auto is on before leaving the time after adjustments. I wasn't even high, go figure.

I don’t know if opening the tent during lights out is a good idea. Especially with the recent time shifts.

I bet I have the same timers as you. I actually have different timers for veg and flower. In that I switch timers instead of adjust them.

 

[FelipeBlu]

I wasn't even high, go figure.

Dude! How else do you think it happened? I have the same issue with my timer. Gotta get into the proper frame of mind before ya head into the garden!

When I’m high, I naturally double-check everything I do. Hell, with some Sativas, it’s full-blown OCD!

I agree with @DrDoob about exposing Rey to any light during her beauty sleep, especially after shifting her wake up time so abruptly.

Hang in there Bro! You’re still on the learning curve. Learn from everything!