Is this a manganese deficiency? How about lollipopping?

[BR2K]

Disclaimer: In the confusion of moving into a new home, my Seedsman order freebies being a little different than what than what they said they were sending me and being my first grow, I'm not absolutely certain of my plant's genetics. The packages indicated Royal Cheese, AK47 and Northern Lights. All of them autos.

Overall, I'm pleased and excited (not to mention impatient) with my first grow. TONS 'O FUN! Three of my plants are looking pretty darn good. Two of them, Royal Queen Cheese Autos I think, are almost a foot tall at 28 days old. My runt has been exhibiting distress from the beginning but has chugged along and is almost as tall as the others. They're all supposed to be primarily indica but the runt looks like sativa. The closest I could come up with is a manganese deficiency, according to the GWE diagnostic pictorials. What say you?

Also, since I have your attention, would lollipopping my healthy plants NOT harm them? The bottom leaves aren't getting much light...

[Canuck147]

Looks pretty good actually - could be a darker green - maybe your a little light with your calcium/magnesium?
Plants look very healthy - everyone gets a runt once in a while - keep it growing, might surprise you in the end.

Now - if those autoflowers were mine - I would not cut leaves off the bottom - I would cut 2 leaves off nearer the top. Specifically - 2 leaves that are blocking bud sites underneath - you trim those off and those 2 bud sites you exposed will begin to shoot up with the main cola.

If you do that, and the plant responds accordingly - then trim 2 more that are blocking bud sites underneath - and you are off to the races.

I have cut more than 2 at a time - and the plants look absolutely hilarious - they look naked - but a few days later - the plant makes you look like a genius.

I have never lollipop so not sure about that - but - in my experience, topping doesn't slow the grow down much. Training pisses my plants off and they slow right down in their growing. So if your impatient - keep training to a minimum.
Good luck growing.

[BR2K]

I have heeded your advice, maybe got a little over zealous. Still, I greatly appreciate it!

[BR2K]

Looks pretty good actually - could be a darker green - maybe your a little light with your calcium/magnesium?
Plants look very healthy - everyone gets a runt once in a while - keep it growing, might surprise you in the end.

Now - if those autoflowers were mine - I would not cut leaves off the bottom - I would cut 2 leaves off nearer the top. Specifically - 2 leaves that are blocking bud sites underneath - you trim those off and those 2 bud sites you exposed will begin to shoot up with the main cola.

If you do that, and the plant responds accordingly - then trim 2 more that are blocking bud sites underneath - and you are off to the races.

I have cut more than 2 at a time - and the plants look absolutely hilarious - they look naked - but a few days later - the plant makes you look like a genius.

I have never lollipop so not sure about that - but - in my experience, topping doesn't slow the grow down much. Training pisses my plants off and they slow right down in their growing. So if your impatient - keep training to a minimum.
Good luck growing.

Awesome, thank you!!! I'll be studying them to identify additional places to defoliate. The info about training is extremely valuable as well. According to the vendor information, I could be harvesting as soon as May 9th...if that's in any measure accurate. I'm curious if the runt is just an anomaly or if it some sort of sativa strain. Of course, then the drying, curing...oh the horror...

[Canuck147]

If you're unsure of taking off leaves to expose possible branches - just do it on one plant and wait a couple of days, see what happens.
If the vendor says 65 days flowering - it means just that - start counting the 65 days first day of flowering.
Good luck growing.

[Canuck147]

Yeah and about the training - I had one plant stop growing for like a week - started again but every time I snipped off leaves she would pout for a couple days. Figured out to lessen her anger I snipped or trained on watering days.

[BR2K]

I took your recommendation. I took most of the leaves from my ni-bon (number two) plant. I didn't take any from the smallest two. According to Royal Queen Seeds data sheet, flowering time is between 5-7 weeks. They indicate 9-10 weeks for harvest, after sprouting. Honestly, I'll wait for the plants to tell me when they're ready. I think I'm most impatient because I want to start Laughing Buddha, Acapulco Gold and Zombie Death Fuck seeds. They're what I actually ordered. I'm very glad the wisdom of GWE and the regulars on this forum guided me to start with what I did. The sativa photo period strains may be a bit more of a challenge...