Sqwheels' 2nd Grow - White Widow - Soil-Less Mix 2011

So I'm in my grow room this morning misting my girls like everyday...

They look good... growing... real pretty green, stalks are strong and look real healthy. I'm having to readjust the light everyday, just a little bit on account that I keep it so close, so I know they are gaining height daily.

The thing I'm wondering about is the big fan leaves. A few of them (the oldest ones, down low on the plant) have the very tips curled under...not much, but some. There is no discoloration, they are big, some as big as my hand, and nice and green.

I just don't remember this on my first grow, and being a newbie, I'm cautious.

Is this a sign of something wrong? I'll take a picture if it would help.
 
sqwheels said:
Thanks OMM, that means alot coming from you.

I've already lurked around in bay area's journals, I'll have to look up the others you mentioned. But no matter male/female I think we all have a lot to learn and give to each other.

Thanks again. J
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:amen: Doesn't really matter. Just didn't want you to feel alone. :)

There is one more I overlooked Tmac, she and her Hubby grow together . Nice Folks. :peace:
 
astonr420 said:
is it dried out on the ends also??? or do they look normal just curled???
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No drying out, no discolor, just a little curled under, and only at the very end of the leaf.
 
Ok, this isn't a great pic, but you can see the curling leaf I'm talking about...I'm just wondering if this is an early sign of something wrong.

RSCN0038.JPG



By the way OMM, How could I feel alone...y'all are so wonderful, it's like a big party here.:high-five:
 
ok, i did some research on this, and as far as i can tell, you might have a pH problem, the thing about that is, that you are not using soil, so pH is not supposed to be a problem for you, thats why i had to look it up, mine does the same thing right now and my pH is and has been since start at 6.8 - 7.0 which is still to high!!! but this far along and i dont have anything to lower pH i just leave it, but your still early in, do you have a pH meter??? the other thing that i found that could be the problem is a overwatering problem or light to close but i dont see that being it, cus no dried out leaves...

:peacetwo:
 
astonr420 said:
ok, i did some research on this, and as far as i can tell, you might have a pH problem, the thing about that is, that you are not using soil, so pH is not supposed to be a problem for you, thats why i had to look it up, mine does the same thing right now and my pH is and has been since start at 6.8 - 7.0 which is still to high!!! but this far along and i dont have anything to lower pH i just leave it, but your still early in, do you have a pH meter??? the other thing that i found that could be the problem is a overwatering problem or light to close but i dont see that being it, cus no dried out leaves...

:peacetwo:
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Might have a PH prob...ya, I'm not using soil I don't PH test the run off, but I do regulate the feeding PH and try to keep it between 6 - 6.5. No I don't have a meter, no meters of any kind.

Overwatering...At this point I'm watering/feeding every other day. Usually they are dry all the way to my second knuckle, (I stick my fingers into the pot about an inch from the outside edge) and they weight next to nothing, I don't wait until they look weepy, but I can tell they definately need water. So I don't think it's this.

Lights...It's only 400w Hortilux blue MH, I can stick my hand and arm under it almost thouching the glass and it's not hot. I keep it real close tho, bc it's only 400w in a 4x5 room, and I'm trying to keep all the branches getting good light. They are getting big. I turn them 3 maybe 4 times a day just to keep the light even. And there's no brown or burned leaves. So I don't think it's this

These leaves are mostly at the bottom of the plant, the older growth. It's not getting worse...will wait and see I guess.

Thanks for the input. :peace:
 
Rekles said:
It could be bc your misting your plants everyday. Usually foliar feeding it maybe twice a week. Is your misting water pHd?

-Rek
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Hi rek,

I'm not foliar feeding, it's just plain water.
But No, I haven't been Ph testing the mist water, good call.

Will do this for a while and see if it makes any difference.

My tap water usually ph's around 7.5-8. I fill gal jugs and let it sit open on the countertop for a couple of days...then the night b4 or the morning of watering I mix nutes and ph test to about 6-6.5.

Thanks for the idea, maybe it's the water.
 
OMM, thanks for the encouraging words, they are much appreciated


OK, weekly update...first a couple of photos

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Overall view...the girls are rapidly filling their space

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Canopy shot...they look like twins, probably came from the same mother

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Very top of plant


Here's my thoughts...

When I brought these plants home May 18th they were about 6" tall, I guessed them to be about 2-3wks old, which means I should veg until around Jun 15-22nd, that would make them 6-7wks old.

I think I'm going to switch them to 12/12 earlier than that. This room is only 5' wide, and they are almost that big now. I know they will stretch when I switch and I don't want more height than I can handle.

From everything I've learned here, I don't think it will hurt them at all to switch to 12/12 early.

I think they are doing well and I'm getting excited for the switch because that's when all the real magic begins.

Thanks to all for your visits and encouragement

Happy Growing:yahoo:
 
you know you can actually start 12/12 as soon as the ladies are at 12" tall!! I did mine at 13" cus i didnt have much lift room for the lights to hang, and she grew to what is now at 26 in.!!! so yea i think you should!!!
are you gonna use that MH for flower as well??? or do you have a HPS ???

:peacetwo:
 
Your leaves look fine, especially the new growth. Go to flower, expect them to double in height at least--moving the light up each day is excellent procedure to try to minimize stretch. May want to get some stakes to train the branches out a little to "open up" the middle of each plant and better fill the space laterally.
 
Rekles said:
If you want to goto 12/12 then go to 12/12. If your worried about space..then flower sooner. Better to have a plant a little shorter than a plant too big for the space.

Going to take clones???

-Rek
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Hi Rek,

Ya my thoughts exactly, a little smaller and more managable is the way for me.

I don't really have anyplace to keep clones or a mother for that matter. Until I joined 420mag I never gave it a thought and set myself up to just grow a couple of plants. But since joining, I think maybe that's possible with some minor adjustments to my small space. I've seen other people here do it. But in answer to your ?? No, not this time.


astonr420 said:
you know you can actually start 12/12 as soon as the ladies are at 12" tall!! I did mine at 13" cus i didnt have much lift room for the lights to hang, and she grew to what is now at 26 in.!!! so yea i think you should!!!
are you gonna use that MH for flower as well??? or do you have a HPS ???

:peacetwo:
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Hi Astonr,

I do know that now, but I didn't before I joined 420mag. I've learned so much stuff here, sometimes my brain is frazzled. I'm having so much fun, and everyone is so helpful, and the posts are full of great info, I just can't say how great it is that I've found this site.

I'll be using the same 400w Hortilux MH bulb I used for veg. According to the literature, it's suppose to give the proper spectrum for both veg and flower. It seemed to work good last time. We shall see what happens this time.


OldMedMan said:
Hi Young Lady. ;)

Yep, I agree with every one else, put them in flower. Don't want them to grow into the light. They look beautiful and healthy. Nice!:cheertwo:
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Hey OMM,

Yep, I'm going to switch the light tonight, I've got all my nutes ready now, but still don't have a meter, I'm still not sure what to buy and there are so many different kinds available and at least that many opinions as to which you need. EC..pH..TDS.. and others.

I just want to K I S S...Keep It Simple Stupid.

I don't think I have to worry about the light height, the room has an 8' ceiling and they are only about 2' tall. I'm the short one.:laughtwo:

OG13 said:
Your leaves look fine, especially the new growth. Go to flower, expect them to double in height at least--moving the light up each day is excellent procedure to try to minimize stretch. May want to get some stakes to train the branches out a little to "open up" the middle of each plant and better fill the space laterally.
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Thanks OG for the look, and the comments.

My plan is to pull them out tonight and trim some of the lower skinny branches that don't have much promise of blooming good. I think that will let the upper flower sites get more nutes and grow bigger. I will stake as necessary.



OK, this is what I'm wondering about.

I've been watching BeIrie's latest grow. His grow is something called SOG, which I'm still not completely clear on, but his end result is amazing. The before and after pics is all the proof you need that it works, at least for him.

My last grow, actually my first, my only other grow besides this one, I accidentally forgot to water on schedule one time. The plants were really dry and weepy the next day when I did water. Over the next week or so about 50% of the big fan leaves gradually turned yellow and I picked them off. Now at the time I thought this was going to kill my plants, but I was determined to salvage whatever I could, so I just kept caring for them.

As it turned out they seemed to get bigger and better buds after this. It's almost like those big ol' leaves were in the way, maybe blocking light and taking up nutes that the buds wanted.

So, back to my thought...Can I apply the defoliage theory to my grow? BeIrie defoliates his plants on purpose @ 21 and 45 days after he switches to 12/12, with the purpose of making better buds. Do you think this therory would apply equally to my soil-less grow?

Thanks for all your comments and encouragment

Let me know what you think about the defoliation theory


Happy Growing Everybody:thankyou:
 
They look so healthy! :bravo: You can flower right from seed, check out sponsor/member speescees, he and others have done a lot of 12/12 from seed. I'd definitely jump on the "might as well flower now" bandwagon.

You're doing a very good job, and they look so loved - nice greenthumb! :thumb:

A good PH meter really really helps.
 
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