AK Greenlovers Garden Featuring - 2 x 400 XTE 5W LED Lights - Top Genetics!

Sledge hammer flush completed today in preparation to start introducing the sweetener on the next feed. Day 30 of flower is on Sunday. At least this reap wont take near as long as the last. next update Ill include some pictures to show the difference in flower size. They have all really started to take off doubling in size about every 2 to 3 days.

The girls are actually starting to get so big that they are drinking the pot in 3 days. Mind you I use 7 gallon pots with about 5 gallons of actual soil. In a few weeks they will likely slam the pot in 2 days... I think I'll take a trunk picture tomorrow as well...

See you all then! :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
Day 27 of Flower Update!​

Today I spent a little time evening out the canopy again. About 15 tops where trying to turn into the Bride of Frankenstein. I like to try and control as much uneven growth as possible before it turns into a problem. I wish I had taken a picture of the problem tops before I tied them all down oh well..

Three more days until the next defoliation! As you can see the screen is completely clogged with fans and big sugar leaves. My lady and I are chomping at the bit to get it done! The next update will be interesting for those who are following. Growth and flower size will be taking off like mad over the next few weeks after the reap is complete.

Here is a picture of the canopy as level as I can make it by tying down the taller tops.​
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View image in gallery​

Rocking those XTE's son!​
Here is a few of the tops I tied down. That side light will really help those shoots under the tops.​
The tops are getting bigger than my thumb at this point.​
Sadly the trunks are thicker on the other sides haha! They are still pretty massive though.​
One thing I want to cover that I noticed in the defoliation for greater yields thread. A member asked about shock and if anyone had caused hermie plants because of defoliation.

On a personal level I have not experienced this causing a plant to hermie. I think a lot of it has to do with getting them used to defoliation during veg growth. As well as the timing of it all and a stable environment.

If you try to defoliate by plucking a few leaves here and there on a daily basis you will be putting your girl through constant stress. I have read far to many stories about constant stress and hermies so we don't do that to our plants. Environment plays a HUGE role on constant stress. If you have heat issues, over watering or any other factor that is causing them constant stress cutting leaves can put them over the edge. So always think stable environment before you try to tackle something else that does cause limited stress for a few days on your girls.

When we preform a reap we get it done as fast as possible. We do not use scissors or knives for the most part. Instead we prefer to use the pinching method where you pinch the leaf off with your finger and nail both crushing and cutting the stem at the same time. This helps with healing as well as stops the plant from hemorrhaging to much water trying to heal itself.

In closing. If you do defoliate do it as quickly as possible all in one day. Make sure your grow environment is perfectly stable especially your temperature. Try to use the pinching method as much as possible. It will help your plants recover quicker from the defoliation.

If anyone has any other questions please feel free to post. I've personally been using this method for years now and feel I've gotten it down pretty well at this point.
 
Great update, looking good bro. Thanks for the tips on defoil. I tend to take a few each day, but, I wondered,, is it like, the death by a thousand cuts. I thought so. I'll be more deliberate moving forward, thanks!
 
MassMedMan said:
Great update, looking good bro. Thanks for the tips on defoil. I tend to take a few each day, but, I wondered,, is it like, the death by a thousand cuts. I thought so. I'll be more deliberate moving forward, thanks!
Click to expand...

I have tried taking a few here and there on a daily basis but noticed the growth actually slowed down due to the slight stress on a constant basis. Now we just get it done with a quickness and let all the stress happen at one time. It only takes a day or two and they go right back into full steam ahead with more space to grow as well as better air flow / light to every node.

On the lighter side of things I think my wife is now convinced she has a green thumb instead of the black one like she has always claimed to have. She is doing everything I'm doing. Hell I can't even tell which will yield more. mine are the ones on the right. Hers are the ones on the left. I poked fun in the beginning because I knew I would come out on top. Now I'm not so sure LOL! I think the student is doing as well as the master at this point...

One thing is certain though we wont have to start any new sprouts until fall most likely. :Namaste:
 
Day 30 of Flower Update!​

We got to the reap first thing this morning when the lights came on. The screen is finally opened back up and is no longer fully clogged with leaf mass. We stripped all fans with the exception of the ones near the tops. It took us about 2 hours each to do our sides. It's pain staking work but well work it come harvest day! This is a 63 day finish time so we are almost half way to harvest now! Anyways enjoy the pictures!

The canopy before defoliation.​

Closeup of the canopy tops in the center. The screen is fully clogged.​
Canopy shot after we defoliated all fans except for the top 2 or 3.​
Closeup of the screen now opened up to light and airflow.​
All fans that were removed. It's a ton actually more than I expected!​

Okay here is what to expect over the next two weeks. They are going to be in ohh shit mode again for the next day or two. Once they come out of the shock the root systems main mission is going to be over stimulating the growth of all sugar leaves in an effort to create more nodes where fans can grow. This will cause the sugar leaves to get bigger than they would have without doing the defoliation method. Bigger sugar leaves means bigger flowers. In about a week we will have piles of new fans. We will get about a weeks worth of use out of them before the final reap on day 44 or 45.

See you all on the next update! :slide:
 
Day 34 of Flower Update!​

Not much to report today. The girls are finally back on track with growth. Today they got fed week 5 Fox Farms nutes with 6 table spoons of molasses and 2 table spoons of cal / mag plus. After the feed was all complete they all were sprayed down with water mist. Resin production is taking off at this point that's for sure. They are getting REALLY sticky and starting to smell wonderful!

Next update I'll try and take some green pictures for everyone. Only 29 days left until harvest! ;)

Canopy shot 4 days after defoliation.​
 
Day 43 of Flower Update!​

Hey everyone! I finally have a few minutes to sit down and do an update. Sorry work has been crazy all week.

So here we go. It's been a full 13 days after the total defoliation of all fan leaves except for the very top fans. After the defoliation there was tons of room between nodes where you could actually see the sticks or branches. 13 days later all that space is filled with flowers and they are starting to hit their second wind. About 7 days ago the first brown cycle hit. The original hairs dies off and was replaces with a growth explosion of new flowers and fresh white hairs. This is the stage I love. They are going to get really fat really quick now. Quality wise all flowers are identical in development with exception to size variations here and there.

Feed wise we haven't changed up much and have been following the fox farms schedule with the exception of adding the cal mag and the molasses to each feed and watering. They now drink a 7 gallon pot in 2 days which is ridiculous. If we let them go to the third day we have better be watering right as the lights come on. These are by far the most beastly girls we have ever grown. That extra week of veg seems to have really made a huge difference.

Anyways back to the feed. Now that they are all exploding with second growth it is time to do a heavy lime watering. We will add 8 cups of lime to 16 gallons of water and put 4 gallons into each girl. I have found that doing this when they start their second growth spurt really REALLY helps with rapid flower growth and development. It will also help completely neutralize any kind of acid build up in your soil or those last minute deficiencies often encountered in the late stage of flower when your buds grow and swell rapidly.

Here is the canopy 9 days ago as of the last update.​
20150409_141330.jpg


Here is the canopy today. There are no voids between nodes. All that space is now filled with new flower growth. Each banana top has also swollen considerably sense the reap. The screen still has plenty of breathing room!​
13925.jpg


Center canopy shot looking down between the XTE's.​
31682.jpg


Some sexy top action.​
21929.jpg


Nice closeup of a green top with the CFL on.​
6929.jpg


Flower development is nice and even from top to bottom.​
51034.jpg


At this point I'm used to seeing a clogged screen. I'm VERY happy we made this thing a foot bigger all the way around. It really helped us with spacing for all these tops. We have talked and I think we might actually skip the last defoliation for an experiment with these XTE lights.​
41304.jpg


Experiment you say?? Why yes it's time for some science! :party:

This is our second grow with these XTE's but we have never once just run the red channel on these lights. During flower we always run both the blue and the red at max setting for the full spectrum effect. So we are thinking we will run them at full spectrum for the next 6 days to promote the last of the leaf growth we want to see. We will then run the XTE's on the red channel only at full blast for 10 days. This leaves us with 4 days until harvest. The last two days we will turn off the red channel. Then turn on the blue and white lights at full blast for 2 days. I have heard that doing this helps with potency. Then the last 48 hours they will spend in total darkness.

Curiously has anyone else running XTE lights ever done something similar in one of their grows? I'm also curious to hear from anyone who has had experience using the last few days to finish with intense blue light. If you have please give any input as it's greatly appreciated.

See you all on the next update! :bitingnails:
 
Very nice, very happy for you. Got some trimming to do.... ;)
 
Day 51 of Flower Update!​

Hey everyone! I figured I would do a quick update while I have a few minutes. We are following the fox farms feed schedule with the exception of adding cal / mag plus as well as molasses to each feed and watering. The second growth spurt is in full effect. I expect them to get much fatter over the next 12 days before harvest. Trichomes are literately everywhere even on the stems as well as the fans. From here on out we will be doubling up on the molasses on the waters at 2 tablespoons per gallon of phed water. I have to say I'm pretty happy with the over all quality so far from top to bottom. We are encountering a very slight nitrogen deficiency a bit earlier than usual. I'm guessing it just has to do with how big they were pre flower. Usually we don't need to add any N except for the cal mag plus. This time though I think we'll give them just a dash on the next feed but that's it. I still want to milk another week out of these leaves before they start to yellow when we flush.

I took a bunch of pictures this time as well as some green photos with some good closeups. I hope you all enjoy.


Canopy shot day 51 of flower​
20150426_153501.jpg


Random top showing the second growth spurt.​
20150426_153524.jpg


Lower branch having the opportunity to turn into their own tops.​
20150426_153549.jpg


Canopy top to bottom showing quality as the same.​
20150426_153717.jpg


Trichome development as well as a sexy top shot.​
20150426_153842-2.jpg


More green closeups.​
20150426_153842.jpg


And some more...​
20150426_153927-2.jpg


Same top just not as zoomed in.​
20150426_153927.jpg


Another quality shot of how it's all top shelf with no fluff.​
20150426_153951.jpg


A picture of the slight N deficiency..​
20150426_154025.jpg
 
I think they are showing signs of you getting every bit out of them great job!

You've inspired me as far as making up some cans for an upcoming grow. I'm playing with some autos in a guerrilla grow and I was planning on following your style.

I drilled some holes in some just over five g cans,, about an inch up, my idea, following you but I might be off,, please correct me,, drop couple inches of hydrostone, add couple gallons of soil, add inch or two of hydro stone,, then top with soil. Is that your basic setup?

I'm thinking about modifying the lower soil mix a bit. They are autos so I'm not going to get crazy,, just thinking based on reading your journal.

What do you think? See my link for the can/pot itself, but they are tall, and just over five gallons.

Thank you, best wishes on a sweet finish!
 
MassMedMan said:
I think they are showing signs of you getting every bit out of them great job!

You've inspired me as far as making up some cans for an upcoming grow. I'm playing with some autos in a guerrilla grow and I was planning on following your style.

I drilled some holes in some just over five g cans,, about an inch up, my idea, following you but I might be off,, please correct me,, drop couple inches of hydrostone, add couple gallons of soil, add inch or two of hydro stone,, then top with soil. Is that your basic setup?

I'm thinking about modifying the lower soil mix a bit. They are autos so I'm not going to get crazy,, just thinking based on reading your journal.

What do you think? See my link for the can/pot itself, but they are tall, and just over five gallons.

Thank you, best wishes on a sweet finish!
Click to expand...

A lot of our growing success is how we layer the soil in our pots. Having that really chunky layer on the bottom and top is also key. If you are going with plastic buckets you might want to go with a slightly thicker layer on the bottom. It will really help with root development as well as it being almost impossible to over water your girls. As for the middle layers they are uber at trapping both liquid as well as air. You will get explosive root growth doing the layer method. That thick top layer helps keep your first 6 inches of soil just as damp or as dry as the rest of your soil in the pot. Those first 6 inches wont dry out before the bottom does. If your buckets are really tall perhaps do a gallon of soil and then a quart of medium sized growstones. On ours we do 2 gallons of soil but they are also really short and fat. More layers would also help trap much more air and that's going to be important when your not using breathable pots. If you get a drill and put a zillion little holes all over you'll get the added benefit of air pruning which promotes a bigger bushier root system.

We have been doing the layered pots for a year now and there has always been a huge difference between our yields then and now. Mary Jane just loves those quick wet and dry cycles in soil. It helps promote a massive root system which always helps in final yields.
 
Let me ask you this AK. I have some smart pots coming, 3,5, and 7g,, and I already like how they perform, and the low profile they offer. They're also a little easier to hide because they're so short.

But the plastic ones have advantages and I could drill, a zillion holes like you say, maybe I'll try one of each.

This is going to be the summer of learning ;)

Would you use those over the plastic buckets?
 
AK GreenLover said:
Day 43 of Flower Update!​

Hey everyone! I finally have a few minutes to sit down and do an update. Sorry work has been crazy all week.

So here we go. It's been a full 13 days after the total defoliation of all fan leaves except for the very top fans. After the defoliation there was tons of room between nodes where you could actually see the sticks or branches. 13 days later all that space is filled with flowers and they are starting to hit their second wind. About 7 days ago the first brown cycle hit. The original hairs dies off and was replaces with a growth explosion of new flowers and fresh white hairs. This is the stage I love. They are going to get really fat really quick now. Quality wise all flowers are identical in development with exception to size variations here and there.

Feed wise we haven't changed up much and have been following the fox farms schedule with the exception of adding the cal mag and the molasses to each feed and watering. They now drink a 7 gallon pot in 2 days which is ridiculous. If we let them go to the third day we have better be watering right as the lights come on. These are by far the most beastly girls we have ever grown. That extra week of veg seems to have really made a huge difference.

Anyways back to the feed. Now that they are all exploding with second growth it is time to do a heavy lime watering. We will add 8 cups of lime to 16 gallons of water and put 4 gallons into each girl. I have found that doing this when they start their second growth spurt really REALLY helps with rapid flower growth and development. It will also help completely neutralize any kind of acid build up in your soil or those last minute deficiencies often encountered in the late stage of flower when your buds grow and swell rapidly.

Here is the canopy 9 days ago as of the last update.​
20150409_141330.jpg


Here is the canopy today. There are no voids between nodes. All that space is now filled with new flower growth. Each banana top has also swollen considerably sense the reap. The screen still has plenty of breathing room!​
13925.jpg


Center canopy shot looking down between the XTE's.​
31682.jpg


Some sexy top action.​
21929.jpg


Nice closeup of a green top with the CFL on.​
6929.jpg


Flower development is nice and even from top to bottom.​
51034.jpg


At this point I'm used to seeing a clogged screen. I'm VERY happy we made this thing a foot bigger all the way around. It really helped us with spacing for all these tops. We have talked and I think we might actually skip the last defoliation for an experiment with these XTE lights.​
41304.jpg


Experiment you say?? Why yes it's time for some science! :party:

This is our second grow with these XTE's but we have never once just run the red channel on these lights. During flower we always run both the blue and the red at max setting for the full spectrum effect. So we are thinking we will run them at full spectrum for the next 6 days to promote the last of the leaf growth we want to see. We will then run the XTE's on the red channel only at full blast for 10 days. This leaves us with 4 days until harvest. The last two days we will turn off the red channel. Then turn on the blue and white lights at full blast for 2 days. I have heard that doing this helps with potency. Then the last 48 hours they will spend in total darkness.

Curiously has anyone else running XTE lights ever done something similar in one of their grows? I'm also curious to hear from anyone who has had experience using the last few days to finish with intense blue light. If you have please give any input as it's greatly appreciated.

See you all on the next update! :bitingnails:
Click to expand...

love science. so happy to see you doing this. I left a tomato in my veg tent. it fruited under nothing but blue light. it tasted awesome i was shocked. I think there is more to blue light than we think. could you do a defoliation demonstration? you could defoliate only half of your plants. your system would be perfect for it. :) hard for a lot of guys to cut their plants. be nice to see it for the scared ones out here :) those are some fricking awesome lights you have!
 
MassMedMan said:
Let me ask you this AK. I have some smart pots coming, 3,5, and 7g,, and I already like how they perform, and the low profile they offer. They're also a little easier to hide because they're so short.

But the plastic ones have advantages and I could drill, a zillion holes like you say, maybe I'll try one of each.

This is going to be the summer of learning ;)

Would you use those over the plastic buckets?
Click to expand...

Ever sense switching over to these breathable pots we haven't used a single plastic pot. Once I pulled that root.. Well Frankenstein sized root ball I knew just how bad ass air pruning was to rapid root growth. I just like the idea of air being able to move freely in and through the pots themselves. Those smart pots along with layering really do some crazy things to over all growth. If you do use the plastic outside let me know how it works out with the layer method, but I would go with the smart pots from personal experience with our own grows and seeing the final root masses on both pots.
 
Hi GreenLover,

Love your work so far.

I had a couple questions about the veg phase namely you mentioned you did a lot of tying down.Was this the only method along with the defoliation at week 5 ? or did you top or fimm at all ? those internodes as very tight ! and do you think the veg light has also helped with the tight internode spacing compared to previous runs without it ??

Cheers Mate
 
Longjohnsilve said:
Hi GreenLover,

Love your work so far.

I had a couple questions about the veg phase namely you mentioned you did a lot of tying down.Was this the only method along with the defoliation at week 5 ? or did you top or fimm at all ? those internodes as very tight ! and do you think the veg light has also helped with the tight internode spacing compared to previous runs without it ??

Cheers Mate
Click to expand...

From the moment they get their 5th node I start to tie them down to promote bushiness. I continue to do this for about a month and then start defoliating in preparation for flowering. One of the main reason why we have such tight nodes has to do with those extreme veg lights. They are a targeted blue only lights with 5w diodes. Those lights are hands down the very best veg lights we have ever used and we have used everything. The growth those beasts produce as well as those node pretty much being stacked on each other really pay off when its stretch time.

We do not top or fim at all. We mostly go for LST by tying down branches to promote bushy plants with even tops

We do defoliate pretty heavy right at the end of veg before the flip as well as reap everything we think wont make the screen once its in place. The defoliate in veg just before flower helps prevent the plants nodes from stretching near as much as they would without doing so and I love that.
 
Hey mate. Looking amazing. I'm curious about the defoliating you do in veg. Does it involve clearing out a lot of the undergrowth, which you are going to have to clear out sooner or later anyway? Or taking off fan leaves as well for more light distribution in the top half? My defol experiment didn't go so well so far- will post on the defol thread at some point. Next time I'll do more defol during veg and see how that works out.
 
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