The Mountain: Grow Support From The Over 50 Club

Hey 4 Dutchess! Ok I think I understand now. However there is no tried and true response here let me explain. There are a number if factors involved when it comes to feeding and watering your plant in any size container
Among these are:

- First an foremost what medium you are growing in. More specifically what is your percent of organic matter , humus or peat. Or are you a coco noir kind of grow.

- Next what stage of growth are your plants. Obviously a small seedling or young plant needs relatively little water. In this case water placement and even a little water deprivation can help
I bottom water young seedlings and plants when possible. And I starve them a little... why? Because what do roots do when they are looking for water and or nutrients? They grow out and down in search of them. I bottom water to encourage this growth and to avoid water splash caused fungal diseases.

-Back to your plants growth stage. I encourage all new growers to understand your plants physiology as it developes
In the early stages of juvenile vegetative growth the plants need for both water and nutrients gradually increases...but...be careful here. I have stepped in and helped solve more problems at this growth stage than any other. Almost always caused by an over anxious grower over watering or over feeding. Gradually increase both as the plant develops. Think of your plant as a young child with eyes that are bigger than his stomach.

-Next consider the plahts environment. This includes day length, daytime and more importantly night time temps and rate of air flow. All of these also effect a plants transpiration rate and thence its need for water and food.

- Now lets go back to the plants growth stage. As the plant nears the end of its vegetative cycle and begins to flower its going to begin creating alot of new vegetative mass. As it does it begins to draw that stored energy from photosynthesis in its roots. This is when you always hear growers talking about how much their girls are drinking. Its also why I spent alot of late summers and autumns hauling water out of creeks.

- So I know youre thinking," My gosh! All I did was ask Holler how much water and he still hasnt told me!" Thats because there isnt a set amount. Two choices. Get a hydrometer and monitor the pots moisture level. Or stick your finger as far down in the container as possible. The soil should be moist but not wet.

Lastly become a detailed record keeper in every grow. Record daytime and night ime temps. Record what you are feeding and when. Record your watering schedule and amounts. But above all closely observe your plants Compare one to another
As a grower of literally tens of thousand vegetabl9e plants a year. I can tell you that the very slight differences will fully open your eyes to what your plants are experiencing and what steps you need to take. I would give one final opinion. Err on the side of caution and you will always have a harvest.
I hope this little watering feeding tutorial helps you.
Best of luck in all you grow!

Sent from my SM-G930V using 420 Magazine Mobile App
 
Hi y'all. I hope I'm in the right dept. I'm new on here so please bear with me.
I have been trying to find info on proper defoliating techniques with minimal success. Currently, I'm 5 weeks into flowering and I'm concerned there may be too many broad fan leaves blocking valuable light from getting to the lower area flowers.
I'm growing in a 2 x 4 closet with a 600 watt full spectrum LED lighting in FoxFarm soil and utilizing FoxFarm nutrients and feeding schedule. I have previously removed some large fan leaves @ 1 week prior to switching to 12/12 light, then again, a week later as I started flowering sequence. The buds up top are growing nicely and looking wonderful, but since this is my first grow, I'm trying for the best results as I take these two ladies to harvest.
Any thoughts or direction will be so greatly appreciated. Thanks so much
 
Navy Vet, post pics. Google Nebula Haze and ask her!!
My plan is to pick 4-5 leafs off weekly and continue in flower. Some lollypopping in flower too. I pulled off all the lower crap off and topped my SHY clones but the seeds of fire arent getting topped. I plan on flipping in two weeks. Big things in two weeks, planting my spring yard grow and flipping......... oh I wonder which will be done first!!!!! What Fun!!!! Great Day to all the OLD Folks :)
20170216_082122.jpg
20170216_082914.jpg
 
Hey Navy Vet! Heres a good rule of thumb on defoliation. Early in the growth cycle and during vegetation ,especially on plants that have been pinched, you will need to remove occasional fan leaves that are shading the lower branches. This will encourage those lower branches to elongate and give you multi topped plant. Then you can gently bend and train those branches to continue to allow light penetration as the plants grow. All of this will give you more flowering sites.

As the plant matures it will actually begin to cut unnecessary fan leaves off. The plant will actually form an abcission layer of cells between the stem and the leaf petiole. Thats why the plant begins to show yellowing leaves as it matures and heads to senescence. At 5 weeks you should begin to see some signs of that occuring. At that time those fan leaves left on the plant arent generating much more energy to be used for flowering and in fact they can be removed. This allows more light penetration to the flowers and the plant will begin to out all of its effort into reproducing. Best of luck in all you grow!

Sent from my SM-G930V using 420 Magazine Mobile App
 
Ok, I may figured this photo thing out, for now. Take a look. Feel free to let me know what you think. This is the first time I have ever successfully gotten plants this far.
image38019.jpg
image38020.jpg
image38017.jpg
image38018.jpg
 
Hey NV! Ok you are just starting to cross the bridge. I would begin to take off the fan leaves that are shading the lower branches. Also you stems are still dairly pliable. Those plants still have time to benefit from training. Since your in 5 gal buckets. Go get a drill and some strong twine or even wire. Drill holes around the lip of the bucket a half to an inch down from the top and roughly in line with the outside branches. Thread your string through the holes. Now gently...gently begin to bend out and down the branches. Remember in Navy jargon...Easy as she goes Sailor! You dont have to bend them out all at once .Pull them out a little then in a day or 2 you can bend them more. As you do this watch the growth9 reach back to the light . You will effects within a matter of hours if you observe closely. Now a day or two later you will notice other branches that need trained. As you move these think swirly topped ice cream cone arrange the branches by bending them slightly at an angle to allow for max light penetration. Some of those less developed flowers maybe candidates for back building. This is a method of breaking the apical dominance within a budding branch by pruning or pinching. Overall great job by the way. Take copious notes on what you did and when you did it. Best of luck in all you grow!

Sent from my SM-G930V using 420 Magazine Mobile App
 
Thanks so much Holler! I tend to the trimming and string theory tomorrow! :-)
I gather I should try to train the branches to fill the open areas around and between the plants, which in turn will open up the center of the plant for light to penetrate better to the lower limbs. Sound about right?
Again, I appreciate the guidance! One day, I hope to share the knowledge too. :-)
 
NV, they look great too me!
Holler, Im a newbie! Just learned how to PH, follow a schedule. Ive got "when" to water down its just how much Im not sure about. I still have a bad habit of watering new sprouts and clones too much and Im trying to shake it. I just discovered foliars and WOW!
Look at my 2016 yard grow!! Not too bad for a newbie!!!! Great Day fellow Old Timers!!!!!!
20160915_101449.jpg
20160915_101423.jpg
20160915_100910.jpg
20160924_071239.jpg
20161003_111615.jpg
20161015_121005.jpg
 
Hey Linda Im sorry it took so long to get back with you. I assume that you are talking about those self contained Aerogrowers .Am I correct?
Its all the same principle. Aeroponics basically involves misting nutrient rich water onto to plants suspended roots. Can you get explosive growth with this method ? Yes you can. It is not a growing method that I would recommend for a new grower however.

Sent from my SM-G930V using 420 Magazine Mobile App
 
NavyVet said:
Does anybody know of a lab where samples can be sent for testing, THC and CBD levels etc?
Click to expand...

Google it. They have them. Ive thought about it too and wonder what the cost is? The meds Im growing have been the cleanest meds Ive ever smoked! I can only imagine all the crap Ive ingested not knowing any better and years of smoking what was available. Its been 7 yrs since Ive seen brown weed from Mexico, Thank God!
 
4Dutchess said:
Google it. They have them. Ive thought about it too and wonder what the cost is? The meds Im growing have been the cleanest meds Ive ever smoked! I can only imagine all the crap Ive ingested not knowing any better and years of smoking what was available. Its been 7 yrs since Ive seen brown weed from Mexico, Thank God!
Click to expand...

Thanks Dutchess, I have done some searches, but haven't found quite what I'm looking for. Thought with all the experienced folks on this thread, someone would know of and recommend a lab or three.
Part of what brings this to my mind is, back in the seventies, some government agencies were spraying the herbicide "Paraquat" on outdoor herbal gardens. Labs were made available to check your stash for toxins. You could send a sample in, along with your own special code. Then after a week or so, call in to a special number, apply your code and you'd get a yay or nay whether your stash was contaminated or not.
I was hoping for additional info, like confirmation on strain, sativa/indica percentiles, along with potency and contaminants.
 
Back
Top Bottom