Quadub's LED Stealth Grow - Soil - Blue Dream

[QuaDub]

Re: Quadub's LED stealth grow, soil, Blue Dream

Hey guys sorry for the delay, i Have been extremely busy with work and school. I topped the plants about 2 days ago, these are pics from 1 day ago. pretty sure i did thi right but if not please explain.

I was thinking of super cropping or LSTing it but wasnt sure. any sugestions on this?

BTW i have switched from using fox farm to using an organic line of nutrients called Sanctuary Botanicals. It had 4 different nutrients involved, all of which you give to the plant throughout its life cycle.

 

[HempRocket]

Re: Quadub's LED stealth grow, soil, Blue Dream

Are you on 12/12 already? It kind of looks to me that they are starting to flower. I wouldn't top or super crop in flowering if you absolutely don't have to.

 

[QuaDub]

Re: Quadub's LED stealth grow, soil, Blue Dream

no im not on 12/12, I am only in my second wek of veg(20/4) and do not plan to switch to 12/12 for some time now.

 

[McCrackin]

Re: Quadub's LED stealth grow, soil, Blue Dream

Tie them down sideways and watch them bush out.

 

[QuaDub]

Re: Quadub's LED stealth grow, soil, Blue Dream

Hey guys sorry for the lack of updates i should have pictures up later tonight. But i have a real problem!! for some reason my timer didnt turn the lights on this morning and i didnt notice till now!!! i turned the lights on imediately and the plants are fine but i was wondering if this will induce flowering afer only 1 12 off day?

 

[Be Irie]

Re: Quadub's LED stealth grow, soil, Blue Dream

Nope, they will be fine...

 

[QuaDub]

Hey guys sorry for the delay, my lap top crashed and wasn't ready for the risk involved in loading cannabis pictures on my dads comp.
But anyway, the plans are doing phenomenal and are at about a foot and a half now.
-I have decided to use Santuary botanicals fertilizers. I have been using ten for 2 weeks now and I have to say the ladies are lovin it. Bud sites have started to produce nice white fuzzy hairs.
- I am currently running with 2 kessil LED purple spectrum lights and a 4 tube HO flourecent fixture.
-Generously donated from an owner of a hydro store I's my 3rd and final kessil LED. This one I's magenta and I plan on throwing it in the tent as soon as I get a mounting gooseneck for it.
That's all for now, I'll be home in a few hours to post some pics.

 

[QuaDub]

ok so as promised, finally some pics...Let me know what you think
The final system consist of...
- 3 Kessil Led grow lights, 2 purple, 1 red
- a Hydrofarm 2ft 4 tube HO floureschent
- 2 air king 6 inch fans
-1 6 inch duct booster fan which now leads to my carbon filter(chose the booster fan because the LED's dont put out very much heat, and noise was an issue)

And one with the flourescents off, the room is so bright its hard to keep your eyes open inside.

 

[McCrackin]

Re: Quadub's LED stealth grow, soil, Blue Dream

I was thinking of super cropping or LSTing it but wasnt sure. any sugestions on this?

FIM Technique. That and a bit of LST. Do both and be amazed.

 

[jeff1bar]

Hey Q-dub,

Just stopped by for a quick look................can I make a suggestion?

It looks like from your pictures, that the 2-6" air kings, are blowing right on your plants. I might suggest to move them so they blow around the plants, instead of directly at them. The leaves look to be drying a bit, and rolling over!

Try directing the air flow towards the tent wall, at a slight angle. Have a fan on each side, blowing in the same direction, to create a mini vortex. Air movement is key, but direct constant air can take too much moisture off the plant very quickly. Just purely IMO!

Enjoying your first grow?

Cheers!

 

[QuaDub]

thaks a lot jeff1bar!! my leaves have been really dry lately and i thought it had to do with my watering teqnique but that definately makes a lot of sense. i didnt even think of that. im gunna change the fans today, keep ya posted, thanks!!

 

[QuaDub]

So about 12 hours after adjusting the light and my leaves are looking phenomenal! re-moistened and i havent even watered again. Good save Jeff1bar! thanks

 

[jeff1bar]

Glad to hear it helped Q-dub.

You mentioned about watering technique, and I thought I would pass along some wisdom. Do with it, what you will!

I have found with watering many different ways over the years, there is really a best way with soil/soilless applications. When using plastic pots, the roots will hit them, and begin their circling pattern. The bottom will hit first, and the sides later. I think most wil agree, that the key to the best plant and product, is a healthly and large rootzone. Too many people still water very heavily at the base of the stem, all the way through the cycle. When you have a clone/seedling, you have to water at the base, and then outward. There is no need to wet the entire media at this point. As the little plant gets bigger (around 3 weeks - 2 weeks veg), I start to water an inch or more from the stem, outwards. That gets bigger every time. By the second week of flower, I start around the middle, and go right to the pot edge (I use 10g smart pots for 2 weeks veg, and flower). The reason for this, is to train the roots to grow outward, instead of down. They will eventually reach the bottom, but it takes much longer, and they get much more nutes from the soil sides, until then. I just transplanted from 2g pots, after 4 weeks from seed. The entire soil mass in the pot had roots. They had just started to circle at the bottom, but were throughout the entire sides as well. It might slow the growth above ground in the first week or two, from seed/clone, but be sure that the below ground activity is happening, and building the framework for the above ground structure to come. At week 3-4 veg, they start to explode in growth. This is IMO of course, so use what works for you.

Looking forward to the next update!

Cheers

 

[McCrackin]

Glad to hear it helped Q-dub.

You mentioned about watering technique, and I thought I would pass along some wisdom. Do with it, what you will!

I have found with watering many different ways over the years, there is really a best way with soil/soilless applications. When using plastic pots, the roots will hit them, and begin their circling pattern. The bottom will hit first, and the sides later. I think most wil agree, that the key to the best plant and product, is a healthly and large rootzone. Too many people still water very heavily at the base of the stem, all the way through the cycle. When you have a clone/seedling, you have to water at the base, and then outward. There is no need to wet the entire media at this point. As the little plant gets bigger (around 3 weeks - 2 weeks veg), I start to water an inch or more from the stem, outwards. That gets bigger every time. By the second week of flower, I start around the middle, and go right to the pot edge (I use 10g smart pots for 2 weeks veg, and flower). The reason for this, is to train the roots to grow outward, instead of down. They will eventually reach the bottom, but it takes much longer, and they get much more nutes from the soil sides, until then. I just transplanted from 2g pots, after 4 weeks from seed. The entire soil mass in the pot had roots. They had just started to circle at the bottom, but were throughout the entire sides as well. It might slow the growth above ground in the first week or two, from seed/clone, but be sure that the below ground activity is happening, and building the framework for the above ground structure to come. At week 3-4 veg, they start to explode in growth. This is IMO of course, so use what works for you.

Looking forward to the next update!

Cheers

Would you say that a wide short root base is better than a skinny vertical one?

 

[jeff1bar]

Hey McCrackin,

Yes, IMO, a wider root mass will give you a stronger, healthier plant, capable of producing more product of the highest quality.

Plants are all similar in the fact that the tap root grows down, in search of water. It is pre-determined by genetics, and gravity. Water soaks into the ground, and settles to the water table in the area that you are in. The plants do not know the difference between being in the ground, to being in a pot (this is for soil/soilless growing). The tap root absorbs nutrients, but not to the degree that the side feeder roots can. Training the side branching of your roots, allows the plant to have more points for absorbtion, allows greater strength and stability, and slows the circling of roots at the bottom of the pot. When the roots hit the hard wall of the pot (mostly bottom), they will thicken, and start to twist around each other. They essentially start to strangle each other. They will also sit in water for too long, if they are vertical only. As the cycle continues, they will lose their ability to absorb the required nutes in flower. At 3 weeks veg, I start to move my water ring away from the stem. This will help to stop the tap root from going down, and branch off sideways to find water (if its there).

I can just say, try it for yourself! You should find that if you take 2 plants, and water one at the stem and around, and try the other method with the second plant. When transplanting, you should see the difference in root structure. I found that with the stem watering, when you pull the plant, the side media would fall off a little (no roots), and there would be a mass at the bottom (circling). When watering to the outside, the root structure was in the entire media. Just squeezing the sides of the container was enough to pull the whole plant out. The roots were sticking out of the sides, and are hanging out the bottom (not a circling mass). This helps out for quick regrowth when transplanting. You then water in inch or two into the old media, and the same into the new media of the transplant pot. The exposed roots at the edge of the old media, explode with new growth immediately. I often experience accelerated growth right after transplant, when I have a huge, healthy root zone.

**Note: I grow organically. This applies more to organics, but is helpful when using synethetics as well. When using syn nutes, the roots do not have to search as far to get their fix (organics need more roots to absorb the nutes that are broken down by the soil micro life). It is still recommended with any program, as the roots are the key to the plant above them!

This is what I have found that works the best for me. This is "IMO" of course, and would like to hear anything different that works for others.

Q-dub, sorry fo taking too much time on your thread.

Back to you!

Cheers!


PS - this method of watering also ensures a better chance of the entire pot being mostly dry by the next watering. If watering the center only, the top soil will be dry (and probably several inches down), but the bottom center may never fully dry out. It will be wet for a long period, bringing pests, root rot, and other nasty possibilities. As the roots strangle, they absorb less nutes, leaving more moisture in the lower soil (not what you want). Remember, as the plant gets older, the stem and area around it, absorbs much less. That is why it grows roots. Young roots can absorb much more than old roots, and as long the roots are getting the nutes, the plant is getting the nutes. I use 10g smart pots, and after 2 weeks veg/9 weeks flower, the roots fill the entire pot, and are woven into the sides of the pot at harvest.

 

[QuaDub]

Hey guys so about 2 days ago i tied the babies down and started some LSTing just to bush them out a bit before i start to flower in a few weeks. Earlier today i went to check on them and found some leaves with some yellowish brown spots. They are the only leaves on both plants that have the spots and idk what caused them.

 

[NCDude]

Thanks for sharing....

 

[McCrackin]

I always wondered what a plant with a pot like 2 inches deep but say 45 inches around would produce a plant with an incredible root surface area. I wonder what kind of nutritional deficiencies come with growing a plant in this type of setup. It would dry out very easy in the full sun so keeping her watered would be key...

 

[jeff1bar]

I always wondered what a plant with a pot like 2 inches deep but say 45 inches around would produce a plant with an incredible root surface area. I wonder what kind of nutritional deficiencies come with growing a plant in this type of setup. It would dry out very easy in the full sun so keeping her watered would be key...

Hey McCrackin,

I would say there are limits to pot depth for any plant, regardless of your watering techniques. My own rule of thumb for pots of any type would be, no more than twice as wide, as it is deep (if your pot is 12" or 1' deep, then no more than 24" or 2' wide).

**This also applies for indoor growing, as outdoor has many other issues, requirements, and differences than indoor.

As far as doing this technique and deficiencies............there shouldn't be any! If your nute program is good, this should give your plants as much as they can absorb. They also drink much more, when you have the larger rootzone. Right now, after transplant (starting 3rd week of veg), I am already watering 1.5 litres, every 3 days. Heat is not the issue either, as I am an LED grower, so evaporation is not really playing a huge roll. Using this technique, allows large quantities of water/nutes to be fed in flower, when you need them. In 7g/10g pots, they are getting 2/2.5 litres each, every 3 days. Thats 4.22/5.28 pints, or 0.52/0.66 gallons per plant. I am finding right now, that 3 days is pefect, as it is usually dry by mid day on the 3rd day.

This way does not produce big growth in the first 2-3 weeks from seed/clone, as the energy is being put into the root network, not the plant above ground. Friends often give me grief when comparing their 2-3 week old plants to mine, when they use synthetics. Lets see in another 1-2 weeks, is my response.....................well then there is no comparison, with most times double the sized plant at harvest, with double the yield.

IMO, roots and plant genetics are the keys, with the indoor environment. The skill, nutes, and everything else can be all over the board, with much less influence, when the strain is strong, and roots are treated properly.

 

[jeff1bar]

Hey guys so about 2 days ago i tied the babies down and started some LSTing just to bush them out a bit before i start to flower in a few weeks. Earlier today i went to check on them and found some leaves with some yellowish brown spots. They are the only leaves on both plants that have the spots and idk what caused them.

Hey Q-dub,

Sorry to see your ladies taking a turn in the wrong direction. I loathe to jump to conclusions with a diagnosis, so I would like to know more.

1 - How fast did the patches show up?
2 - Did you get anything on the leaves? Nutes, etc.
3 - Is it only the leaves in the pictures, or are there more? (now)
4 - Only on one plant, or both? (at this point)
5 - How often are you watering/giving nutes, etc.?
6 - Have you change any nutes, or added anything to your program recently?
7 - Are you checking your ph?

As the dead patches are high up, on newer growth, and your leaves are quite narrow and limp, it looks to be starving (not being able to get the nutes from the soil).

I had an issue on my last grow, that was ph based (soil became to acidic, and starting locking out some micro/macro nutes). The def started on new leaves near the top, and started to brown out like yours. It was noticed first on the weekest plant of the bunch, and then was less noticeable on the stronger plants as it started to affect them.

My ph issue was self-caused (even experienced growers make mistakes), as I forgot a basic rule (don't mix organics with chem based stuff). It never occured to me once when I was making the mistake, and took several weeks later to even remember the screw up. Root zone and soil micro life are my keys to success, and for my system, they control the health of my plants. I ran out of ph up organic, and couldn't find any in a hurry. I had to water, so I grabbed a bottle of AN up that I had, and used it. I got lazy, and took 2 weeks to replace my organic up, while still using the chem up. Those 2 weeks did a lot of damage, as it slowly killed the microlife I had built over the last 8 weeks from transplanting. The soil used was Promix BX, which has a little more peat, than HP. The chem up killed the bacteria/micro life in the soil that was processing the organic nutes, for uptake, and keeping the ph balanced. With some nutes not being utilized, and the peat not being balanced, it made everything right for the ph to slide down towards 5.5, which started to make some micro/macro nutes not available for uptake, thus starving the plant, even though it is being watered and fed.

You can trim off those leaves, as they are past the point of being very useful to the plant. Trim them just behind the damaged area, or take them right off if you want.

I think for anyone to give you a better diagnosis, they might some more info. Any current update with pictures would help!

Cheers!