Re: Scientific's Hydro Dwarf Low Flyer 24/7 Illumination Fireplace Grow Journal - 201
Hi Bubbi! Thank you very much for your kind words and encouragement.
As you have read, I have seriously trimmed my plant
four times now. I have read that you're not supposed to do that to autoflowers because they bloom automatically and don't have time to recover from a lot of defoliation, but my plant was getting so dense and bushy that it was getting wet condensation on the leaves from (I think) the moisture coming up from the wet clay balls growth median combined with lack of air flow.
Why my plant is so dense when others growing the same strain don't have that happening is an open question. I have read that hydroponic growth can go out of control, and my lights are on 24 hours a day, and I have lots of light (though I'd like more now that she's bigger and blooming), and of course I bent the poor plant over 90 degrees when in was only two inches tall so all of the growth on one side was compressed. (Next time I'll let it get taller before trying to bend it over like that to leave more room.) And of course my early problem with the too wet rock wool probably stunted an already dwarf strain...
Whatever the cause, she was just too bushy so I kept pulling off leaves that were damaged or blocking light or air flow. Then when she went into flower I stripped away the lower greenery that wasn't going to contribute to making buds. Every time I have thought that I'm doing too much and every time she has popped right back. Even now, she is getting very bushy yet
again but I have resolved to leave her along alone (or leaf her alone
) until she is done blooming.
The other part of all that trimming is removing the little buds that form where the leaves come out from the stock (i.e. the "nodes") so that only the branches that I choose to grow get to grow, and those chosen branches grow up into a flat surface that is an equal distance from the light.
All of this training--"no-technique training," "low stress training," "defoliating," and "lollipopping"--are just techniques that I have read about and wanted to try. It has been fun and interesting to see how it works. Someday I want to grow a photoperiod (i.e. non-autoflower) strain and try "mainlining" or "manifolding" it. Have you read about that training technique? It looks absolutely brilliant to me.
As for the probably 40 grams or so(?) of leaves that I have trimmed off the plant so far, I didn't have the heart to just toss them. (A naturopathic doctor suggested juicing them...) I did dry some of the little growth tips that had pistils--proto-buds?-- in the microwave and did get a slight buzz from them, but they tasted
awful! So now I have put the cuttings in a jam jar and am experimenting with curing them, not so much because I ever plan to use them but because I'd like to get some practice with that before I have to do it with the real thing.
Anyway, after a rough start, all is well here lately. The only "problem" is that the plant has gotten so big that she is starting to outgrow the little fireplace that is her grow room. I have repositioned what stuff I can to make room for her and am training her into the open space, and according to what I have read about autoflowers in general and this strain in particular she should stop growing soon and put all of her energy into making
big fat buds. I'm looking forward to that!
It's time to go have a look at the girl, take her daily portrait, and record her reservoir depth, pH, PPM, etc. etc. She is a fun science project who is also a beautiful plant that turns into ganja. What's not to love?!
I think a bigger reservoir would help to keep the system more stable. Also, I think I remember that Advanced Nutrients A&B mix--one of them--is supposed to have some kind of pH buffering that make pH more stable? Has anyone got any experience with anything like that? <edit: Over on the Hydroponics forum I was told that Advanced Nutrients' "pH Perfect Technology" works perfectly.>
