and thanks for labeling the tomatoes!
and thanks for labeling the tomatoes!- Thread starter
- #802
I was too busy to update yesterday, but I did manage a few pictures and height measurements.
The summer grow continues to chug along. The China Cat is starting to build flowers and the Sensi Cheese is "thinking about" starting flowering. Both plants are getting a feeding of Prescription Blend nutes (at recommended strength) each watering.
China Cat
The China Cat clone is currently at 34 inches above soil and seems to be nearing its final height. I'm watering/feeding about 2 gallons every two days. For me, this is just about ideal as it will continue to be manageable in feedings and when the time comes, trimming the harvest. I imagine I'll still get half of a pound of buds from it. I've been pretty diligent in snipping off new shoots so that the plant's energy focuses on the top colas.
The plant began its flowering stage a little more than a week ago, and is now accelerating its bud growth.
Sensi Cheese
Hmm... I'm having second thoughts about my decision to put this into a SIP. It's still growing about 1 inch each day and is currently at 67 inches above soil. I've had plants this tall before, so I'm not too worried about maintaining it, but the water consumption on this plant is a little concerning to me. I'm now filling up the 2.5 gallon reservoir each morning and then adding a gallon or two in the early afternoon and yet again in the evening. I figure I'm now adding about 5 gallons of water/nutrients each day! Most of the time it's not a big deal because I'm retired and usually home most of the day, but if I do leave the house for an all day outting, it's a issue. Also the amount of nutrients it's sucking up is about 4 times what I usually spend on one plant. I really don't need 2 pounds of bud from the same variety of plant. OK, enough whining from me about that. 
The plant still is not quite in the flowering mode, but it's getting pretty close. Lots of stigmas (hairs), but not forming pistils (stigmas, calyx, and ovule) quite yet.
Here's an updated growth chart: China Cat slowing down considerably and Sensi Cheese not slowing down at all.
China Cat
The plant began its flowering stage a little more than a week ago, and is now accelerating its bud growth.
Sensi Cheese
The plant still is not quite in the flowering mode, but it's getting pretty close. Lots of stigmas (hairs), but not forming pistils (stigmas, calyx, and ovule) quite yet.
Here's an updated growth chart: China Cat slowing down considerably and Sensi Cheese not slowing down at all.
Next time, maybe a smaller SIP?
They're looking amazing BL! What are the odds you have to feed a plant 5 gallons/day with the one nutrient brand that's gone out of business. 
And here is a terrible suggestion on the Cheese: cut off half the branches at the base. It will lower the water uptake and the harvest to more reasonable numbers. Don't actually do it, but I have no doubt it would work!
And here is a terrible suggestion on the Cheese: cut off half the branches at the base. It will lower the water uptake and the harvest to more reasonable numbers. Don't actually do it, but I have no doubt it would work!
Wouldn't a smaller SIP require watering more often? Seems like next time it might be better to drop the seed much later in the season.
They're both awesome, Beez!
I sort of favor the China Cat- I really like the way she's growing- not huge, but more buds than you can shake a stick at...
I thought about droughting, but that couldn't even happen for 6 weeks or more, so it won't help you now
Plus, droughted plants get ssooo ugly...
I sort of favor the China Cat- I really like the way she's growing- not huge, but more buds than you can shake a stick at...
That's an extreme solution, but It would work...and, like Shed said, you'd still harvest a pound or so..
I thought about droughting, but that couldn't even happen for 6 weeks or more, so it won't help you now
Plus, droughted plants get ssooo ugly...
His main concern seemed to be too big a plant with too much unneeded bud and the extra resources needed to sustain that size of plant, not the frequency per se of watering. So my thought was a smaller container might serve that purpose.
@Buds Buddy routinely grows 1 lb plants in his 5 gallon buckets. Indoors though, so there's that.
And it seems that in Flower the res has to be filled twice per day (if you want to keep it full). Outside, if it's warm, I'd bet 3-4 times per day. That's a huge ass plant. Looks much bigger than my indoor plant.
I don't think a smaller container would really help. Still the same amount of veg time in a smaller pot would most likely get rootbound.
That would be the best solution.
Your plants are looking fantastic Beez!
I'm finding SIPs bring different problems to overcome but you end up with huge plants!
I'm finding SIPs bring different problems to overcome but you end up with huge plants!
Yeah, the biggest problem is too much weed.... If that's really a problem ? Hmmmm, Is that even possible ?
Unpossible!
LOL!
- Thread starter
- #812
Thanks for the suggestion!
That fact has not gone unnoticed here.What are the odds you have to feed a plant 5 gallons/day with the one nutrient brand that's gone out of business.
I actually had briefly thought of that solution, but quickly came to my senses.This is a good possibility for next season. Really, I think I would have been much better off if I had topped the plant a couple more times. I only topped it twice and thought it would soon go into flower after that. I was so wrong...
Me too. This one seems to be an ideal size and shape for me. I tend to favor indicas over sativas.
I am not a fan of the droughting concept, so that is definitely out of the running.I thought about droughting, but that couldn't even happen for 6 weeks or more, so it won't help you now
Plus, droughted plants get ssooo ugly...
Sounds pretty absurd when I hear it back that way.
Yes, I often have to refill 3 times in one day.
There's no denying these SIPs work as advertised!
Thank you everyone for your valuable inputs!
So in summary, I'm thinking next year, I will plant a little later in the season, top the plant more often, and set up an automatic watering system. I know @StoneOtter is trying out Earthbox automatic watering system and I think something like that could help me here as well. I just need to figure out a feeding solution if I do that. Maybe Grow Dots. They seem to be working pretty well for @Carcass.
So far I turned it on and haven't looked back. We'll see how it does in the end! It appears to be a good way to go auto.
5 + gallons a day is just incredible! What a plant! A definite candidate for auto water!I was too busy to update yesterday, but I did manage a few pictures and height measurements.
The summer grow continues to chug along. The China Cat is starting to build flowers and the Sensi Cheese is "thinking about" starting flowering. Both plants are getting a feeding of Prescription Blend nutes (at recommended strength) each watering.
China Cat
The China Cat clone is currently at 34 inches above soil and seems to be nearing its final height. I'm watering/feeding about 2 gallons every two days. For me, this is just about ideal as it will continue to be manageable in feedings and when the time comes, trimming the harvest. I imagine I'll still get half of a pound of buds from it. I've been pretty diligent in snipping off new shoots so that the plant's energy focuses on the top colas.
The plant began its flowering stage a little more than a week ago, and is now accelerating its bud growth.
Sensi Cheese
Hmm... I'm having second thoughts about my decision to put this into a SIP. It's still growing about 1 inch each day and is currently at 67 inches above soil. I've had plants this tall before, so I'm not too worried about maintaining it, but the water consumption on this plant is a little concerning to me. I'm now filling up the 2.5 gallon reservoir each morning and then adding a gallon or two in the early afternoon and yet again in the evening. I figure I'm now adding about 5 gallons of water/nutrients each day! Most of the time it's not a big deal because I'm retired and usually home most of the day, but if I do leave the house for an all day outting, it's a issue. Also the amount of nutrients it's sucking up is about 4 times what I usually spend on one plant. I really don't need 2 pounds of bud from the same variety of plant. OK, enough whining from me about that.
The plant still is not quite in the flowering mode, but it's getting pretty close. Lots of stigmas (hairs), but not forming pistils (stigmas, calyx, and ovule) quite yet.
Here's an updated growth chart: China Cat slowing down considerably and Sensi Cheese not slowing down at all.
Just sprayed BT this morning in case you're interested... 
- Thread starter
- #815
That's good to know. I'm pretty sure I'm going to order one, but probably won't be able to properly set it up until next season.
Thanks for the reminder! I still have a little time here before I need to start spraying.Just sprayed BT this morning in case you're interested...
- Thread starter
- #816
Oh no! 
Yesterday evening, I went out to see if Sensi Cheese needed more water, and found this. It was a bit breezy in the late afternoon, but nothing out of the ordinary.
I'm really surprised that this limb broke. It seemed pretty solid and the weight from flowers hasn't even started yet. It's still attached, but not by much. I taped it up and added some support so we'll see how it goes.
I've been trying to prune these lower branches to decrease the weight an increase the air flow, but I guess it wasn't enough. I'm a little nervous about tying up that limb to the one above it, because that upper limb is where I topped it several weeks ago. Usually that's a weak point for branches. I need to think more on the best plan of action. Maybe I need to write if off and remove it. Until then, it seems to be holding up ok.
You were not supposed to let the Cheese read my comments in your thread!
with the repair job and maybe strap the other side ones together in case it's a thing.
And take its phone away!
Me too. Now that branch is carrying twice the weight. I'd tie that upper one across the plant (but higher up) to the same node on the opposite side for extra support.
with the repair job and maybe strap the other side ones together in case it's a thing.And take its phone away!
- Thread starter
- #818
You were not supposed to let the Cheese read my comments in your thread!
I thought about blaming you for this.
Thanks for the advice. I did add a stake last night to the other side to support the branch opposite to the one that broke. Because of the rectangular shape of the pot, it's going to be difficult to properly support the other branches with stakes into the pot soil. Maybe I'll need to make a free-standing support system...Me too. Now that branch is carrying twice the weight. I'd tie that upper one across the plant (but higher up) to the same node on the opposite side for extra support.
Ouch is right!
Hey, could you put a "belt" around the whole plant? (probably about halfway up)
Not really a belt, actually a piece of twine or something with a slipknot in it..then snug it up a little to take up any slack, and pull the branches inward just a little bit.
Then the plant supports itself...
I do that on mine to keep the buds off the walls in the box, and it works really well, for something
so simple.
It's pretty easy to do compared to some other methods.
Hey, could you put a "belt" around the whole plant? (probably about halfway up)
Not really a belt, actually a piece of twine or something with a slipknot in it..then snug it up a little to take up any slack, and pull the branches inward just a little bit.
Then the plant supports itself...
I do that on mine to keep the buds off the walls in the box, and it works really well, for something
so simple.
It's pretty easy to do compared to some other methods.
Heavenly Hybrid
Well-Known Member
Dang Beez, I’m sorry about that branch. It makes me think of when FelipeBlu lost a big branch like that and stuck it in water. If I remember right, it did root; maybe you could have it grow separately? Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise and will lighten her unending thirst? I dunno 
. Anyhow, it is a bummer, I’m confident you’ll work it out. You do grow such beautiful plants Beez. 
. Anyhow, it is a bummer, I’m confident you’ll work it out. You do grow such beautiful plants Beez.