Tuesday's Horror Stories - Main Stem Snapped - 104W CFL Soil Autos

[mreko]

Tuesday's Horror Stories - Main Stem Snapped - 104w CFL Soil Autos
Day 62 Today - 1st GROW

What strain is it? Dutch Automatic
Is it Indica, Sativa or Hybrid? What percentages? 55% Sativa with Ruderalis, Northern Light, Santa Maria and Afghani genetics. (according to seed bank)
Is it in Veg or Flower stage? Flower
If in Veg... For how long? 4 weeks
If in Flower stage... For how long? 4 weeks
Indoor or outdoor? Indoor
Soil or Hydro? Soil
If soil... what is in your mix? soil + Compost mix + Vermicompost mix + 20% Perlite
If soil... What size pot? 10/12 Litre - 2.5 Gallons
Size of light? 104w= 2x32w + 1x22w + 1x18w
Is it aircooled? No
Temp of Room/cab? no data - Comfortable +/- 23C / 74F
RH of Room/cab? ? no data
PH of media or res? no data
Any Pests ? a few fungus flies - now gone
How often are you watering? As needed - Once every 2/3 days
Type and strength of ferts used? No ferts - Banana brew

This is the story of Two Auto Flowers

One left untouched, looks really good and healthy. The other one Low Stress Trained, healthy and strong until day 26.

LST

SNAPPED! Day 26

Couldn't Save her

So Day 62 today, I received a lot of help since I joined the forum. (Posting a FAQ thread freaking out about the snap)

Both sisters now look healthy and almost ready to harvest.

I want to thank everyone who helped along the way, and also welcome new suggestions for the upcoming days, since this is my first grow it will be my first harvest as well!



ps > original FAQ thread Tuesday's Horror Stories - Auto flower main stem snapped

 

[daTenshi]

Front row seat! Subbed

 

[Spimp]

sub'd

 

[CO Finest]

 

[mreko]

DAY 64

Today I felt artsy and decided to take some pictures with the good camera

Only bud close-ups, let me know what you think. Are we close to harvest day?

Healthy Girl

Injured Girl

I think we are really near to the harvest day for the healthy girl, it's just a matter of how do I like my smoke at this point right?

The injured girl is looking good, she will need some more time. But I also think she has kind of an 'albino' gene, not that dark green tone her sister has, that could make her look that she's not ready yet and she could be closer to harvest than I think.

Cheers!

 

[daTenshi]

They are starting to swell up, but I would wait a little more. Usually the flowering period breeders give, are off a little by a week or two.
Since you got such a good camera, you should zoom in as much as you can and look at the trichomes, that way you can figure out how much you want them to go on for.

I suggest if you didn't, to check out this link, it is very detailed.
Trichome development and harvest time: how to get the best high

And some pictures:

 

[mreko]

Thanks daTenshi! I'll try see If I can get a good zoomed in pic!

 

[Spimp]

Another week or two mreko!
In the 9th picture there is a nice swollen calyx. You want dozens of those before you chop.

 

[mreko]

Well, this is the best I can do for now. I need to get a magnifying glass or something. And a tripod would be amazing hehe

I see some clear trichromes, some cloudy ones as well, depending on the part of the plant. But I don't see any amberish one yet, I think I'll have to wait some more

 

[daTenshi]

In the 9th picture there is a nice swollen calyx. You want dozens of those before you chop.

Some sexy fox-tailing


Yep, a little more to go

Coming along nicely

 

[mreko]

hey you guys! quick question: Do you usually give the plant a full 24 hour dark phase before cutting them down?
I've read in one of the articles @daTenshi shared in here () that it's best to cut the plant when the lights are supposed to go back on again. But I've also read somewhere that some growers let them 'sleep' for 24 hours before harvesting. What do you think is the best way to go?

Peace!

 

[daTenshi]

I think this "technique" is more, try and see based. I seen many opinions that say it does help, many opinions that it doesn't, nothing about being harmful in any way, so I think there's nothing to lose if you do try it. I never have tried this myself that's why I can't give a more informed opinion, but there are plenty of others that have and only thing can do to help is to give you more reading material and let you form your own opinion

24 hrs of dark before harvest to increase resin?

If you do decide to try it, would be great if you did a comparison, for example harvest some and some leave in darkness, and tell us the results

 

[mreko]

DAY 69

So I found a magnifying glass and taped it to the lens of my camera, I took some cool trichrome pictures. I bet I could've taken better pics with a tripod to reduce camera shake but oh well..

Hope you like these! I can't wait to harvest the girls!!!

I still see some clear glands, a lot more cloudy ones but not amber ones yet. Lightning of pictures may confuse you to see some amberish, but I can't see them with my naked eye (If that's even possible)

Also, I cut some popcorn buds to try yesterday. I quick dried them on the stove. It was a soft but long head high type of smoke. It was a good first taste overall.

Aiming to harvest 5-7 days from today. What do you think?

Cheers
Peace!

 

[daTenshi]

Looking great

Think 7 days will be right around there. Do keep checking those sexy tricomes, great close-ups by the way Why I say this is because trichomes don't stop maturing during cure, since the plant will still use her remaining water and sugars till she wilts. Heard most people harvest at around 20% amber trichomes, to leave a safe marge for after it is cut down. Also some plants develop amber trichomes at different rate then others, so consistent checking if possible would be perfect

 

[mreko]

That's good to know daTenshi! I'll keep checking them out, and start preparing all the things I need for harvest day

 

[Spimp]

Here's something you can do to help. For the last week give her less and less light everyday. This will help the trichome development some. I would say 1-2 weeks imo.
Does she have swollen calyx's yet? That's where the weight is my man. Let those sucker's fill up til they almost pop.

 

[mreko]

I'll definitely try that Spimp. I just subtracted 15 minutes of light for today , I'll try do the same for the upcoming days. Maybe 15 minutes a day is too much?
She is now at 12:30 dark / 11:30 light schedule. By next Thursday she will be at 14:15 dark / 9:45 light If I subtract 15 minutes every day.

And also to be completely sincere I have no idea when a calyx is swollen or not. I mean I see them covered in trichromes they look nice and all but since I don't have the experience I can't tell for sure If they are swollen or normal size

I'll try focus on that and do some research on calyxes, I know it's not the first time you pointed that out

Thanks man!

I'll keep you guys posted

Peace

 

[Spimp]

Nah, 15 mins isnt too much. I've been know to shave off hours if needed Too much dark in the last week is not a problem. Here is a picture of swollen calyx's:

See how the one at the top is more ball shaped than narrow? That's swollen.

 

[mreko]

Another sign of a swollen calyx would be a pistil starting to shrink and disappear? I think I'm starting to get the idea

 

[Spimp]

Ya kinda.

Old School growers used to go off the Pistol being "withered" aka browned and shrinking. That's a good sign you are in the "harvest window". They would also squeeze the buds to feel the density.

Today we check trichomes to give us a more refined "harvest the effect you want" philosophy. But you will still have a decent 2-4 week window where thc is at its peak.
The issue is weight. Some strains put on most of the weight in the last two weeks, so chopping early can give you good bud but alot less of it. Like 20% less in some cases.

So here is the best advice I can give you-- When you think its ready, buy an 1/8th of some really good smoke, then don't touch your girl for another week.
The smoke will keep you from the early harvest out of med's excuse.