Knights 1st Grow - Sour Diesel & Kosher Kush

[knightstawker]

Thanks Scarfinger68 for the information. Just a question though, I figure I need to bend the main branch but maybe I'm wrong. I tried pulling the main branch a bit, but it seemed like it was trying to move it around in the soil. Of course I worried and chickened out but maybe that is what is supposed to happen? I've seen different videos about LST'ing but they all seem to be other branches outside of the main branch going upwards. So maybe I'm missing something. Any clarification or links to instructions would be good. Thanks!

There are several different ways to LST so I would do a little research on LST and see what looks best. Basically one way is to pull the branches down and out to the side and form a canopy. Another way is to wind or coil the main stalk along the edge of a round container. So for example if a certain strain does better with topping then the first method may work better. If a strain likes to grow one main cola or doesn't do well with topping then maybe the second method. You could definitely start training them now.

If you are going to LST them and form more of a canopy then you won't need lights on the sides. If you are going to let it just grow naturally up then maybe some lights on the side for the lower buds.

I personally have only used the first method after topping my plants.

Your plants look really good!

 

[knightstawker]

So I just flushed the girls for the first time with only water and no nutes after giving them nutes for the month. I watered them until they started to drain out of the bottom of the pots and then just a bit more. All I did was pH the water to 6.5 and made sure the water was room temp. Between the two of them they took in 2 liters.

They are getting taller but its all good. I'll probably start tying them down once I figure out what and how to do so properly. Just in case I hurt one of them without having the proper information. More research, seems like it never ends. Oh well, guess it's part of the game.

Anyways, its picture time.

Both Girls Close

Both Girls Farther

Sour Diesel Front & Top

Kosher Kush Front & Top

It seems the KK leaves are huge compared to the SD leaves but I'm guessing that's because of the 100% Indica of KK vs a mix for SD. The KK seems to have a few burnt tips but I believe that is because of the new leaves touching the bulbs for a few hours that one day.

Anyways, as always, thanks for stopping by and please feel free to leave any suggestions or thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[Scarfinger68]

Thanks Scarfinger68 for the information. Just a question though, I figure I need to bend the main branch but maybe I'm wrong. I tried pulling the main branch a bit, but it seemed like it was trying to move it around in the soil. Of course I worried and chickened out but maybe that is what is supposed to happen? I've seen different videos about LST'ing but they all seem to be other branches outside of the main branch going upwards. So maybe I'm missing something. Any clarification or links to instructions would be good. Thanks!

They are probably too big to start training them at the base. Most like about half way up you could pinch and bend a little. Put your finger half way and then pull the top of the plant down and see how it bends over your finger. You could place a pipe cleaner or tie it at that point and start the bend there a little... then move up and inch or so and pinch and bend at that level. Your basically making like an arch but have 2 fulcrums or bend points in that arch.

So the basis of it is to lower the top branches so the lower branches grow to the canopy. My example on a smaller scale:

Mine are topped, then pulled the top branches down so now all 4 branches are the same height.

 

[knightstawker]

Scarfinger68, as always, you are awesome. I went ahead and bent the girls tonight as you mentioned and got them to around 90 degrees. Got some zip ties holding them down with gravity holding the ends of the zip tie under the bucket for now. Tomorrow I'll head out and grab some twine and drill some holes into my pot to take over for the zip ties. Hopefully I wont have a zip tie mark on the two plants by tomorrow night.

On another note, my weather control is doing a great job. Temps are staying between 59 and 87 degrees. Unfortunatly my humidity is between 40 and 80. I think I need to figure out when the high humidity happens and take it out. One thing after another. Oh well, such is the journey.

Thanks!

They are probably too big to start training them at the base. Most like about half way up you could pinch and bend a little. Put your finger half way and then pull the top of the plant down and see how it bends over your finger. You could place a pipe cleaner or tie it at that point and start the bend there a little... then move up and inch or so and pinch and bend at that level. Your basically making like an arch but have 2 fulcrums or bend points in that arch.

So the basis of it is to lower the top branches so the lower branches grow to the canopy. My example on a smaller scale:

Mine are topped, then pulled the top branches down so now all 4 branches are the same height.

 

[Scarfinger68]

I went ahead and bent the girls tonight as you mentioned and got them to around 90 degrees. Got some zip ties holding them down with gravity holding the ends of the zip tie under the bucket for now. Tomorrow I'll head out and grab some twine and drill some holes into my pot to take over for the zip ties. Hopefully I wont have a zip tie mark on the two plants by tomorrow night.

Congratulations! So far you have surpassed me. I didn't try LST until my current grow which is like my 5th grow.

Even if you stopped with one 90 degree bend, you are going to increase your yield. The lower branches will get more light and then more bud sites to the light As the other branches grow up, you can start bending them down and out to what ever direction you want to.

 

[knightstawker]

Congratulations! So far you have surpassed me. I didn't try LST until my current grow which is like my 5th grow.

Even if you stopped with one 90 degree bend, you are going to increase your yield. The lower branches will get more light and then more bud sites to the light As the other branches grow up, you can start bending them down and out to what ever direction you want to.

Thanks Scarfinger68, without folks like you and this place, I'd still be wondering why my seeds aren't germinating.

So thanks alot! I got your PM as well but since I don't have over 50 posts yet, I am still unable to PM. But I'll do as you mentioned.

 

[knightstawker]

Also I was wondering, should I go ahead and try topping these girls? I was reading over using the FIM method and liked that idea since I'm looking for a majority of clones from these girls and not putting these two thru the veg process.

Thanks again.

Congratulations! So far you have surpassed me. I didn't try LST until my current grow which is like my 5th grow.

Even if you stopped with one 90 degree bend, you are going to increase your yield. The lower branches will get more light and then more bud sites to the light As the other branches grow up, you can start bending them down and out to what ever direction you want to.

 

[Scarfinger68]

Yes definitely. I have limited experience, but I do both. Mainly I "FIM" just to see what I get (I don't feel very accomplished with FIM'ing) and I "TOP" knowing I will get 2 branches. Then you can "TOP" those 2 branches, so forth and so forth. There is a technique called main-lining that is basically a very structured LST technique. It basically keeps all the hormonal mojo at the same level. Something to check out in your spare time.

This is a Snow White I am currently growing. Its a clone in a 1 gallon pot that I did some HST, LST, FIM, and topping to. I also used some electrical tape and taped the main branch down below the soil level for a while. Oh! And I chopped about an inch off the bottom of her roots when I transplanted her to the 1 gallon container. I have to say I really treated this plant with... callus disregard for her safety. I just looked at it as an experiment and what ever happened,... happened. She tolerated it well and is looking good in flower now.

 

[knightstawker]

So I've finally LST'ed and FIM'ed the girls a bit. More LST than anything but I've FIM'ed a few of the branches. Hopefully everything works out.

Both

Sour Diesel

Kosher Kush

Hopefully I did everything properly. I think I'm going to try and have the main branches of both girls somehow follow the circle of the pot. So giving it a nice circle look along with giving all the branches a chance to reach up to the lights. Lets see how it goes.

 

[Scarfinger68]

They look very healthy.

Everything looks good.

 

[knightstawker]

So it seems my Kosher Kush has started getting brown spots on a few leaves. Any idea what this might mean?

 

[Scarfinger68]

My initial thought is a "Phosphorus Deficiency" What is causing it is the question. It is either a lack of the nutrient or it is there but not able to be used by the plant.

I would first check the PH. Ph of the soil if you can. If you can't check soil PH, then check the runoff PH. Soil PH should be 5.5 to 6.5 for Phosphorus uptake.

My guess is that your runoff PH may be in the 4.0 range.

I would flush once or twice, check PH levels and then feed with a 1/2 strength mixture.

My plants do well when my runoff PH is in the 6.0 to 7.0 range. I do not check my soil PH.

 

[KingJohnC]

here is the cannabis leaf deficiency chart

here is the Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver

Cannabis Plant and Pest Problem Solver - Pictorial

 

[Scarfinger68]

The only problem with that plant list, (thanks for supplying it KingJohnC) is that this specific leaf profile **Dark green leaf with darker black spots** doesn't show up on the leaf deficiency chart that was supplied by KingJohnC.

It will eventually turn to rust color *calcium deficiency*, or it will turn to a more necrotic *phosphorus deficiency* or potentially a nute burn or this or potentially that and it goes on and on.

For one you are growing in soil. Its not like a Hydro where you can just mix up the right stuff and fix the problem.

My guess is you have all the nutrients in this that you need... and now they are locked out by PH problems. If you add more nutrients to fix your perceived deficiency you may be complicating the problem.

At minimum flush and check runoff PH. Flush until you get it at least to 6.0 PH Then add a PH'd 1/2 strength fertilizer. Or even *If you think your PH is to high 7.0+** add a simple 10-10-10 dry, slow release fertilizer (Maybe 1 or 2 tsp. depending on your pot size) as a top dressing which will lower PH. Or just PH your ferts a little lower.

I have had that same coloration before and the above solutions have worked for me. The good thing is you noticed it early and now as long as you don't make major corrections (for example adding full strength nutes to fix a deficiency) things will be ok and you won't make it much worse.

*Remember those leaves will continue to decay a little and look worse. No corrective measure with work right a way.

Things look great and good luck.

 

[knightstawker]

Calibrated my meter with some 7.01 PH solution and verified meter was good at 7.0 as always. I went ahead and flushed out KK with a gallon of 6.5 PH'ed water. Runoff water was at 5.8. Added another half gallon of 6.5 and it got to 6.0. About to go add some 1/2 nutes of Jack's Classic 20-20-20 and a drop of SuperThrive and I'll test and report back runoff with nutes. I'll report back with some pictures too.

Thanks for the assistance ScarFinger68 and KingJohnC !

My initial thought is a "Phosphorus Deficiency" What is causing it is the question. It is either a lack of the nutrient or it is there but not able to be used by the plant.

I would first check the PH. Ph of the soil if you can. If you can't check soil PH, then check the runoff PH. Soil PH should be 5.5 to 6.5 for Phosphorus uptake.

My guess is that your runoff PH may be in the 4.0 range.

I would flush once or twice, check PH levels and then feed with a 1/2 strength mixture.

My plants do well when my runoff PH is in the 6.0 to 7.0 range. I do not check my soil PH.

 

[knightstawker]

So as luck would have it, I guess as I was finishing the PH measurements before feeding, I must have broken the PH meter bulb. So reading the PH of the water when I was adding nutes and stuff the meter was giving crazy numbers. Checking it with the 7.01 liquid, it was showing 4. Sigh, so I think that meters done with. Luckily I had the PH test strips, so got the water to 6.5 again and added nutes and moved on.

Also, I noticed that some of my branches are turning red. Not sure what's up with that or if its even a problem. I've read that it might be the breed but how in the world do we figure that out?

Thanks again.

 

[KingJohnC]

purpling in stems usually mean a micro nutrient deficiency, i would add more calcium and magnesium.

 

[Scarfinger68]

Phosphorus deficiency can also cause some purpling on the stems. Spots could be a magnesium deficiency. I stick by my assertion that it is a PH problem.

I sounds like you may be getting a handle on the PH. I use the hydroponics liquid drop tester.

My natural water PH is 7.0 to 8.0. I personally don't PH the water I use to flush with.

 

[Scarfinger68]

I see some yellowing between the life veins which leads me to believe that there could be a magnesium deficiency.

After you get the PH where you want it, you can spray the leaves with a 1 tsp. Epsom salt / per gallon of water mixture (spray at end of lights on cycle to avoid hot spots from water droplets on leaves).

You could water you plants with this same mixture or just use the 1/2 strength nutes if this has magnesium in it already. Magnesium is a common deficiency in soil. I add garden lime to my soil to help balance the PH and provide magnesium.

But I always defer to a PH problem first... then make small changes to fix perceived nutrient problems.

 

[KingJohnC]

i believe it is a pH adjustment problem as well, i would still add a small amount more of calcium and magnesium until you see an improvement in the plant. damaged leaves will not heal, pay attention to the stems colour and new growth.