It's day 14 for my autos, should I think about LST soon?

[SleepyTibbs]

quirk I watered them about 14 hours ago with just a SOLO cup of water. Should I wait to water the whole pot until next watering or just get the whole pot wet a little after the lights come back on in the morning? I would assume that they should be okay on water until probably the 29th with that SOLO cup they had, but you know what they say about assumptions. I haven't pulled the sad one yet but she is even more sad than before lol Think im just gonna let her go and focus on the healthy ones.

[Puglover1]

quirk - I have blurple lights. Using veg now, when would you suggest I switch to both veg & bloom? I have my double timer set one side for 12/12, one for 18/6 and an open outlet for 24/7. Makes it easier than laying on the floor reprogramming timers. Thnx.

[quirk]

Puglover1, I use an 18/6 schedule from day 1. Typically turn them off 1368 hours later.

[quirk]

In the green bar at the top of the page, click on the three horizontal lines to the left, then click on plant problems, then on wilting leaves. I'm horrible at diagnosing and while the converse is possible, it looks like the medium is too dry. Here's a watering tip. When the bag feels light, thoroughly moisten entire pot to a SLIGHT runoff. Make a note of how much water was required and get a feel for that weight. Next time the bag feels light, probably 3-4 days at that age, add water using slightly less. Better moist than wet. Roots gotta breathe. If possible elevate pots, and provide air circulation. Your plants look fine and droopy doesn't have a communicable disease. Sorry to be long winded and good luck.

[Puglover1]

quirk My autos have been in pots in the closet on 24/0 veg for 10 days. They were 'born' on 4/11. Do you flip to flower mode after two weeks, and how many hours/day of lights? Thnx.

[SleepyTibbs]

Okay so armed with the info you kind people have offered me and a visit to my local nursery to show some pictures and get a little more advice I have come up with my plan. I am going to let them grow out until somwhere around the start of week 3 then prune below the 4th node and begin LST as quirk has shown. Before I try to bend it I will water to help keep the plant in place and avoid excess stress as SoOrbudgal mentioned, and I plan on adding 1/4 of the recommended schedule of FF's grow big in that watering.

That said I have 2 more questions if anyone can answer them and then I'll shut up for awhile.

1. The sad plant is looking even more sad today and I noticed the tips of its leaves are bright green and an orange spot is forming as shown in the picture. Should I just cull this poor little thing? I dont mind trying to let it recover if its not going to hurt the others but I was thinking maybe it is root rot and i dont want the others to catch any disease or fungus.
2. I have also attached pictures of the healthy ones. When i took the pictures I just finished watering and the lights came on about 3 hours before that. Was wondering if they are showing early signs of heat stress? Although i think they are just unfurling as they grow.

Again I truly appreciate this community, I feel have learned a lot from people here in a short time. 😁

[SoOrbudgal]

Exactly SleepyTibbs

[SoOrbudgal]

SleepyTibbs yes don't use distilled use spring water or Ph drinking water.

[SleepyTibbs]

Canuck147 that sounds similar to why I decided to switch to spring water today. What i was reading said that when distillled water comes in contact with air it starts pulling in CO2 which can drop its PH down to 5.5

[Canuck147]

Not sure about that - but if one tries to change the pH of distilled water one will make it either too alkaline or too acidic.

[SleepyTibbs]

Canuck147 meaning it shouldnt negatively affect the soil PH?

[Canuck147]

Distilled water has no buffering ability.

[SleepyTibbs]

Lol I know questions are part of what the forum is for but I dont want to bombard anyone. I was planning on using liquid nutes at 1/4 of the suggested schedule. I have been watering with distilled water from walmart though up until today and just read last night that when distilled comes into contact with oxygen its PH can drop from 7 all the way down to 5.5, im hoping i didnt mess up PH too bad in the soil as I dont have a tester but im going to get some spring water and some FF liquid nutes today. Plan on watering today with just water then when i water next time in about 3 days i was thinking id add nutes

[SoOrbudgal]

Morning SleepyTibbs your questions are not annoying cause they show intelligence LOL sorry but it's true. It's just a matter of growers preferances with dry or liquid nutes. Me, i've always used a liquid with soil grows indoors but i also build my soil prior so that really don't need much food till after few good waterings an soil gets deplieted you'll know if they begin to yellow alittle bit or get much lighter green. Anyway.......autos need to start gradually feedings 1/4>1/2 then if no real Ph issues like leaf burns or spotting heavy, you can feed more. It's just getting to know them an how they react less is better. Small leaf tip burn is no big deal.

[SleepyTibbs]

Do you use dry or liquid nutes at all when you grow autos? Apologies if I am annoying with all these questions, you have been a well of information for me today.