HELP! Yields, Why so small??? WTF

[Madurcrazy]

So I grew 3 Gorilla Zittles, one Dutch Passion and one Blue Dream. The only complication I had was PH during veg, which I fixed each time very quick. Why are my yields so small!!

1. The PH was almost always between 6.2 and 6.8 and the water came from an underground well so it was chock full of minerals. I even had the water tested and it was very balanced and had no salts or chlorine.

2. During flowering the temps sometimes got high at the max being 80F (30C)

3. I kept the humidity during veg at 60% and during flowering at 30%

4. I used Kind Soil water only medium and watered the adult plants in their 7 gallon pots 1 liter each once a week and they were happy.

5. I manifolded them and tied them down with yarn, they always bounced back quick from the cutting and I also trimming leaves that created shade.

6. I had a meter squared tent with a 400 watt hps and a 150 watt led paired with only 5 plants.

7. In those 7 gallon pots the root ball was tiny compared to all the space that didn't get filled???

I only got 25 grams from THREE Gorilla Zkittle plants. WTF

How is it that Nebula Haze and others can get 600 grams using the same strength lights as mine, I literally do everything people say, Get a large tent with an hps light and led,keep the PH nice and airflow clean with nice temps. I was so attentive to these plants. More so than last time but, last grow was more grams. They had no deficiencies and all harvested as females and no seeds.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG??

[RagWeedDWC]

I grow in DWC so this may to help. Two things come to mind from your points above. The water from the well may have more than just minerals and stunting (Our well water is great, but has traces of chemicals from the local farms and runoffs). The other, because of your small root ball comment could be from the timing of your harvest, do you have a picture prior to harvest?

[Madurcrazy]

Hello RagWeed, I will take that into consideration and see to maybe use distilled or RO water next time. I am planning to switch to Coco as Kind Soil does not seem to be performing. I do not know if I have pre harvest photos, I know I have some veg ones. Before harvest they were a healthy green but had started to yellow and droop a bit. I heard people speak of purpling stems which only the Dutch Passion had I am not sure if that is an important note for you. I have bud photos but they probably won't reveal much.

[Tersky]

So lots of things can effect yield. How long did you veg for? How long did it flower for? As i use coco and hydro i dont know anything about supersoil so i dont know why your root ball is so small but thats a huge problem. Maybe there were soil pests eating your roots? Do you have pictures? How long have you been growing? Expecting to match experienced growers yields as a beginner is setting yourself up for disappointment. I didnt get over an ounce until my second year growing. Also, when your plants were only taking a liter of water a week during flowering that should have been a sign something is not right. I water mine a gallon every 2-3 days mid flower and expect to water them once a day towards the end of flowering.

Did you start your pot in your final container? if so then that might be your issue. It's easier to get root growth in smaller pots first then transplant into bigger pot when it needs it. I found that when i started in my final pot the veg growth in the beginning was stunted and i had to let her veg out more. I suspect you low yield has to do with lack of root development or root issues which prevented it from getting all the nutrients it needed to bulk up.

[Tersky]

Huh. Maybe it could have been the soil. That is strange. It could be the genetics too but idk. Thats frustrating man. Now im positive it's a root issue, but more of a under developed root issue that i dont have answers for. Just make sure that the coco soil is good draining. Do you use fabric or plastic pots? I prefer fabric pots cause they tend to dry quicker and drain better.

[Madurcrazy]

I use fabric pots, the water always gushes from the sides which makes me feel as though the water never got a chance to really staturate the lower soil. People did say that Gorilla Zittlez was hard to grow maybe they meant hard to harvest with high yields. It is very frustrating because these seeds cost quite a bit and so does the soil. I just really hope coco with nutrients will make a difference otherwise this is becoming an expensive hobby fail.

[Tersky]

I think if you get better draining soil you should see some improvements. It sounds like there was a drainage issue in the soil. It can be an expensive hobby to start, but once you get more familiar with everything and dial in your setup, the cost is not bad. Just nutes, electricity, seeds and bulbs. It can get frustrating but i encourage you to stick with it! It takes practice so just take this as a learning experience. I would also try to find a more forgiving strain until you are happy with the results, then try growing the harder less forgiving strains. I understand and feel your frustration. I think a lot of us have been where you are at some point.

[Mr.furley]

600 grams in a Sq, meter is a experience grower, under Optimum conditions with 1000 watt light, just with the PH problems and flowering Temps above 80f you are missing the Optimum conditions criteria.

How long did you veg,? I'm assuming these are photoperiod Planets?

[Madurcrazy]

Hello Furley, I Vegged for about 2 months and Flowered for 57 days before I plunged them into darkness for 48hrs before harvest. Yes, they are indeed photoperiod. I think the HPS during summer really screwed the temps up next time I will make sure they hit flower in winter.

[Mr.furley]

Got any pictures?

[Madurcrazy]

I can't seem to find a picture of the whole plants but I have photos of buds on the plant and an in veg photo

[9fingerleafs]

i would blame it on the soil, 7 gal pots using one liter a week? i give my 7 gal 6 liters every day using coco. the fact that the plant wasnt drinking means it just wasnt growing

[Madurcrazy]

Thank you, I think Kind Soil is really a problem. Also I kept it for 3 months as well before using it. We plan to grow with Coco next using General Hydroponics trio. Do you think that will make a difference? They definitely weren't growing as expected as most people say they triple in size while in flower but mine certainly did not.
Why do you think a plant would use so little water with such a small root ball? Was the soil to hard to spread out in or could there have been a pest?

[9fingerleafs]

its very hard to pin point a specific reason but im sure you will see a big improvement with coco, i use to grow in fox farms soil and i can tell you my plants grow twice as fast in coco, i never went back to soil. a bug or pest living inside the soil and eating the roots could be one reason why the plant wasnt growing but only a deep inspection will tell you. there is not a single pest or issue that only affects water intake, meaning if you had a bug or any other problem you would see the plant reacting negatively. for example root aphids eat roots and the plant shows magnesium deficiency

[sgiacomo]

I’m in 5 gallon pots with Roots 707 soil and once established my ladies drink a quart a day. One liter a week isn’t much water

[Madurcrazy]

I completely agree, Why do you think a plant would take so little? Were they sick? They didn't look like it. I am so confused.

[SoOrbudgal]

If I may chime in...initially on first waterings it takes time to absorb water in soil. It will run away if poured quickly, try starting with small water bottle in a circle around plant and gradually moving outward slowly to really soak the soil. Then on future waterings keep adding more and more water I will carry them to a bath tub set them there and give them gallon drinks until they get to big and move. My 2cents, but they need lots of fluid to get a healthy start and deep roots. I'm talking month old seedlings not starts but hydration needs consistency while young.

[Toker1]

How high up we’re your lights from the plants?
i assume you are using air cooled hoods. And 150w LED, is that the par value or from the wall?
how did you train your plants? Did you top them and low stress train? How was the light coverage? Did you notice branches in dark spots? Where did you measure temperature? Were you close to the canopy or on the floor?
i see PH was 6.2-6.8 is that what kind soil recommends? What was the run off PH during the grow?
1 liter in 7 gallons of soil seems very light on the watering side. My 10 gallons get 8 liters 3 times per week. I would water until you see 20-30% run off next time.

[s62]

I agree with all of this except the runoff part. You don’t want to do that in KindSoil/supersoil

[Toker1]

s62 great point! I should have said kick the kind soil out to the curb as well. Hot soil that needs no nutrients is a beast of its own. Would not recommend it to new growers. Especially if it’s already giving them issues. Better to know/understand feeding and PH than skipping that part because it’s easier. IMHO.

[s62]

Agreed, maybe. KindSoil should be beginner friendly, but I suspect it’s a little finicky in truth.

[Sww]

5 plants in a m2 square metre area.that awful.did you defiolage