looks like they have recovered well, these plants can take a lot of stress so dont worry to much, it would take something drastic to kill them
Hardgraf's Black Sugar CFL Grow
- Thread starter Hardgraf
- Start date
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- #22
Update!
Still vegging here. growing slowly but the plants are deep green, bushy & healthy looking.
Don't think they are ready to start flowering yet. Been in veg for a about 3 weeks now so going to give them another week at 24hrs under 6500k and then see if we are ready to start flowering...
Also think it's time to re-pot over the next couple of days
Still vegging here. growing slowly but the plants are deep green, bushy & healthy looking.
Don't think they are ready to start flowering yet. Been in veg for a about 3 weeks now so going to give them another week at 24hrs under 6500k and then see if we are ready to start flowering...
Also think it's time to re-pot over the next couple of days
hi mate, cfls seem to keep these plants small when compared to hps and mh bulbs, just make sure your not over watering, it really slows down growth, make sure the pot is dry before you water again, drooping leaves is usually a sign of over or under watering been an issue,
also looking at how big them leaves are it means the growth at the nodes is not getting much light so wont grow much, try and pull the leaves out the way using pipe cleaners or something else that wont cut into the stem, try and get as much light into the inside of the plant as you can, this will make all the growth at the nodes grow and turn into branches, at the minute your not getting much light into the plant due to the size of them leaves,
i think your right on changing pots as they will have loads of roots now, and it will do them good having bigger pots so the roots can stretch out a bit
also looking at how big them leaves are it means the growth at the nodes is not getting much light so wont grow much, try and pull the leaves out the way using pipe cleaners or something else that wont cut into the stem, try and get as much light into the inside of the plant as you can, this will make all the growth at the nodes grow and turn into branches, at the minute your not getting much light into the plant due to the size of them leaves,
i think your right on changing pots as they will have loads of roots now, and it will do them good having bigger pots so the roots can stretch out a bit
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- #24
- Thread starter
- #25
Ok, done some research and I'm going to do some low stress training (LST) using the tape method.
Hopefully this should get a lot of light into the main stem
Hopefully this should get a lot of light into the main stem
lst works well, i use it all the time, i have used to to make a plant grow side ways and thats what i did with my last grow, with this grow im just doing lst to the branches to stop them growing up and make them grow out a bit first so the light gets in and these branches grow out from the plant a bit, this should give more yield, looking at the plant in the right picture you see the 2 big fan leaves, not the very top fan leaves that are slightly smaller but you see that big one that is 2 shades of green the one looking directly at us, well if it was me id remove that leaf and the one on the other side at the same part of the plant, this should then let loads of light into the plant where the nodes are, not having the light getting in will mean it wont grow, either that or pull the leaves out the way using pipe cleaners.
here is what i do with pipe cleaners
1, poke a load of holes all around the top of the pot,
2, now you have all these holes you can poke a pipe cleaner through it and put it on the stem you want to move, then hook it over that stem or leaf and then pull the pipe cleaner back through the whole so it pulls the leaf or branch out the way, then this will keep them out the way and should get loads of light in, i find pipe cleaners are easy to use as you can bend them in any way you like and re-use them,
if you get the chance to get the plant out in the sun then id do that as cfls dont throw the light very far so the sun will help and get it growing loads, keep the cfls as close as you can, try and open the plant up to get the light in else you will have no branches to growing, i had this problem with 1 plant and after some lst i got it growing and when the branches got some leaves in the light they started growing quick then,
here is what i do with pipe cleaners
1, poke a load of holes all around the top of the pot,
2, now you have all these holes you can poke a pipe cleaner through it and put it on the stem you want to move, then hook it over that stem or leaf and then pull the pipe cleaner back through the whole so it pulls the leaf or branch out the way, then this will keep them out the way and should get loads of light in, i find pipe cleaners are easy to use as you can bend them in any way you like and re-use them,
if you get the chance to get the plant out in the sun then id do that as cfls dont throw the light very far so the sun will help and get it growing loads, keep the cfls as close as you can, try and open the plant up to get the light in else you will have no branches to growing, i had this problem with 1 plant and after some lst i got it growing and when the branches got some leaves in the light they started growing quick then,
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- #27
Hi guys. Thanks for all the help.
Update, re- potted into much larger pots. the plants had almost become root-bound so good timing
Plants are doing well. This strain (Black Sugar) was advertised in being very short and squat, this is proving to be true!
I have a lot of fan leaves on both plants. I've taped down a couple of them on one plant to try and get some light to the interior which seems to be working well. I want to start to flower soon but not sure if they are substantial enough yet? I don't have a lot of height in my grow room so want to keep the plants short...
Here's a couple of photos including them int heir natural environment
...
Here's a pic of the exhaust system, now installed and running well. Rhino 4" filter with RUK 4" fan out of the side of the attic beams
Update, re- potted into much larger pots. the plants had almost become root-bound so good timing
Plants are doing well. This strain (Black Sugar) was advertised in being very short and squat, this is proving to be true!
I have a lot of fan leaves on both plants. I've taped down a couple of them on one plant to try and get some light to the interior which seems to be working well. I want to start to flower soon but not sure if they are substantial enough yet? I don't have a lot of height in my grow room so want to keep the plants short...
Here's a couple of photos including them int heir natural environment
...
Here's a pic of the exhaust system, now installed and running well. Rhino 4" filter with RUK 4" fan out of the side of the attic beams
- Thread starter
- #28
Update.
Done a little trimming, couple of the biggest fan leaves have come off. Going to keep vegging for now, just will have to make sure they don't get too tall as we are lacking headroom and these big CFL bulbs give off enough heat to burn the plants within 6"...
Was thinking of installing another 125w 2700k bulb for flowering along side the current 6500k bulb, taking the total wattage to 250w. If so I'll probably buy another reflector and try to DIY the two reflectors together
As I understand the 2700k bulbs give off a little more heat than 6500k? Also is a 50/50 ratio good enough or should I be aiming to provide more 2700k light?
Cheers
Done a little trimming, couple of the biggest fan leaves have come off. Going to keep vegging for now, just will have to make sure they don't get too tall as we are lacking headroom and these big CFL bulbs give off enough heat to burn the plants within 6"...
Was thinking of installing another 125w 2700k bulb for flowering along side the current 6500k bulb, taking the total wattage to 250w. If so I'll probably buy another reflector and try to DIY the two reflectors together
As I understand the 2700k bulbs give off a little more heat than 6500k? Also is a 50/50 ratio good enough or should I be aiming to provide more 2700k light?
Cheers
.....jus sayin
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- #30
Hi, thanks for the advice
I've just re-potted them and the new pots shown in the most recent prictures are nearly twice the size. I'll probably top up the soil to nearer the top of the pots.
I've just re-potted them and the new pots shown in the most recent prictures are nearly twice the size. I'll probably top up the soil to nearer the top of the pots.
I've been told to use more 2700k light for flowering. Say 70-30.
Why not introduce another 42 watt 2700k?
dont bury the plant any deeper by adding soil to the top, if your gonna add soil pull the plant and add it to the bottom , .once a plant is growing ,such as yours , ya cant bury the "crown" the point where the plant comes out of the soil,.If ya do you'll probably kill the plant , the roots near the surface need to be able to breath.. just like you and me. 
..unless your a rock ..
..unless your a rock ..- Thread starter
- #33
Not planning on drowning them in soil, just a wee top-up. Was watching a Jorge Cervantes video which suggests that if a plant is re-potted deeper then the newly buried stem will develop new root sites & will not harm the plant.
Regarding 2700k bulbs, I'll probably just install another 125w bulb taking the total to 250w 50/50 6500k & 2700k. Good suggestion with extra 2700k bulbs, its just finding the space to suspend them in our tiny garden! Pleased I took some time researching strains & didn't jump in & order some huge sativa strain with our 2 1/2 foot headroom!
Regarding 2700k bulbs, I'll probably just install another 125w bulb taking the total to 250w 50/50 6500k & 2700k. Good suggestion with extra 2700k bulbs, its just finding the space to suspend them in our tiny garden! Pleased I took some time researching strains & didn't jump in & order some huge sativa strain with our 2 1/2 foot headroom!
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- #34
Update.
Plants are doing well and are responding positively to our organic tomato fertilizer which we are feeding once per week at 1/20 dilution (half recommended strength).
We only have about 6" of headroom left to the bulb so I think switching to 12/12 will happen this weekend. I have a 125w 2700k bulb with E40 plug and extension and timers, just need to figure out how to incorporate it into the exsisting reflector so it can hold both bulbs giving a total wattage of 250w.
I feel some DIY coming on, can anyone suggest a way to suspend 2 125w bulbs in a basic reflector?
This is the current reflector setup. As you can see, we're running out of headroom! Preferably I would like to keep the reflector but somehow get it to hold both bulbs?
Also, think they are nearly ready to sex as white hairs are starting to appear at the nodes so they both look like girls so far. I'll put up some detailed pictures once we swap to 12/12.
One last question, is it safe to run 125w of CFL's, oscilating fan and extraction system (4" RUK fan) through this one plug extension?...
Thanks all!
Plants are doing well and are responding positively to our organic tomato fertilizer which we are feeding once per week at 1/20 dilution (half recommended strength).
We only have about 6" of headroom left to the bulb so I think switching to 12/12 will happen this weekend. I have a 125w 2700k bulb with E40 plug and extension and timers, just need to figure out how to incorporate it into the exsisting reflector so it can hold both bulbs giving a total wattage of 250w.
I feel some DIY coming on, can anyone suggest a way to suspend 2 125w bulbs in a basic reflector?
This is the current reflector setup. As you can see, we're running out of headroom! Preferably I would like to keep the reflector but somehow get it to hold both bulbs?
Also, think they are nearly ready to sex as white hairs are starting to appear at the nodes so they both look like girls so far. I'll put up some detailed pictures once we swap to 12/12.
One last question, is it safe to run 125w of CFL's, oscilating fan and extraction system (4" RUK fan) through this one plug extension?...
Thanks all!
, I think your gonna run out of headroom not that it's a bad thing
, but them ladies are gonna probably double in size , don't ya think ? they look sweet. you power cord should be able to handle what your running no problem ,just feel the plug ,at the wall , is there any heat ? a little warmth is ok , but not heat , if so a bigger cord is needed,, here's a little emergency reflector I made.. cost was nothing
..hope it's a little hempfull to ya
, but them ladies are gonna probably double in size , don't ya think ? they look sweet. you power cord should be able to handle what your running no problem ,just feel the plug ,at the wall , is there any heat ? a little warmth is ok , but not heat , if so a bigger cord is needed,, here's a little emergency reflector I made.. cost was nothing
- Thread starter
- #36
Thanks! This is a great idea however I don't think I have the space to accomodate both bulbs this way due to their size.
Are you aware of any techniques to keep the plants at their current height or a bit taller? Problem with these big CFL bulbs is that if the leaves are too close (< 4") you get bad heat stress...
Should I attempt to bend the main stems away from the light and tie them down? Plants are reasonably mature now so this might prove difficult...
Are you aware of any techniques to keep the plants at their current height or a bit taller? Problem with these big CFL bulbs is that if the leaves are too close (< 4") you get bad heat stress...
Should I attempt to bend the main stems away from the light and tie them down? Plants are reasonably mature now so this might prove difficult...
there's no way to keep em the same size, if you want buds on em.as buds grow the're gonna get taller and wider,. you can try some bending , but if your gonna put them to flower ,don't be cutting anything ,,as it wont recover at the cut area... i cant figure how your gonna put 2 bulbs in that reflector without a major overhaul....maybe I havent smoked enough today .....yet...
you can see the growth on this plant and see where the cola starts ,..
thats the growth after light change..
you can see the growth on this plant and see where the cola starts ,..
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- #38
Haha, that cola's a beast! uh oh!
So if I don't top them and just let them flower into the bulbs do you think the heat stress will damage them badly?
the only other option is to swap out all the bulbs for loads of small household ones which give off less heat but can hang amongst the plants. Don't really want to have to do that...
I'm going to have a DIY bash at the reflector & see what happens.
So if I don't top them and just let them flower into the bulbs do you think the heat stress will damage them badly?
the only other option is to swap out all the bulbs for loads of small household ones which give off less heat but can hang amongst the plants. Don't really want to have to do that...
I'm going to have a DIY bash at the reflector & see what happens.
- Thread starter
- #40
Yeah this looks very well though out. Unfortuantely I've already invested in the bulbs etc so I'll try to do the best I can with what I have.
That's a good point you make actually, the previous heat stress may not have been attributed to the plants being close to the bulbs but rather that we had no ventilation and the temp was up to 93 degrees in the actual room. Now with the temp under control (constant 24c) and a fan on the bulbs, the plant might be able to tolerate being 2" from the bulb...
I'm going to switch to 12/12 tomorrow and let them grow out, If I encounter any heat problems I can always try to move the bulbs further up into the corner of the roof which will give me a bit of extra room
That's a good point you make actually, the previous heat stress may not have been attributed to the plants being close to the bulbs but rather that we had no ventilation and the temp was up to 93 degrees in the actual room. Now with the temp under control (constant 24c) and a fan on the bulbs, the plant might be able to tolerate being 2" from the bulb...
I'm going to switch to 12/12 tomorrow and let them grow out, If I encounter any heat problems I can always try to move the bulbs further up into the corner of the roof which will give me a bit of extra room
