Not long ago I remember where it was surveyed amongst cannabis cultivators as to what was their #1 grow issue. Overwhelmingly, the answer to their question was - ventilation. Keeping things in context, I have a Bloom Box that is equipped to grow nine plants. Let me mention that growing nine Indica’s, (forget LST methods) in a box was nerve wracking. With those grows I soon realized that ventilation was truly the main issue. From a logistic POV I was not able to attend to the backside of the plants on the back row. The results were disappointing as harvest day did not meet my expectations as 1/3 of those bushy little girls went to the dumpster because of wet-leave and total destruction by mold.
I now only grow 5 girls, spread them out, and use LST fully. The environment seems to be more friendly to the arrangement, and it makes progress monitoring much easier. But by week 5, it has appeared that like everything else on the plant vying for nutrients, fan leaves go crazy. And unfortunately that means leaves laying on each other, huge leaves moving inward to the shaft, and finally covering the girls that need everything to develop. So, gingerly, I used the “if it touches or hides remove it” defoliation methods. That is working out nicely. However, I do see that the leaves that the fan leaves were interfering with are curled downward and quite lackluster. Now, I do have a fan in the box, blowing over the plants. I run LED’s, T5’s, and CO2 (12 on 12 off). Ironically, the girls look great (week 5), and the roots are massive. PH is set within the DWC guidelines, water is clean, air stones running good.
I do have two questions:
1. How is it that when I look at large growing areas, i.e. commercial warehouses, 300-400 plants growing (tightly) together. I wonder “WTF” how is he keeping a great per cent ages of product/girls from 300-400 plants and I am still trying to keep a full 100% of my crop?”.
2. What strategies/suggestions can you give to avoid continued lack-luster - semi-moist leaves.
3. Should I direct the fan differently. Thanks for the work you do -
Vortex,
Proud Patreon Team Member
I now only grow 5 girls, spread them out, and use LST fully. The environment seems to be more friendly to the arrangement, and it makes progress monitoring much easier. But by week 5, it has appeared that like everything else on the plant vying for nutrients, fan leaves go crazy. And unfortunately that means leaves laying on each other, huge leaves moving inward to the shaft, and finally covering the girls that need everything to develop. So, gingerly, I used the “if it touches or hides remove it” defoliation methods. That is working out nicely. However, I do see that the leaves that the fan leaves were interfering with are curled downward and quite lackluster. Now, I do have a fan in the box, blowing over the plants. I run LED’s, T5’s, and CO2 (12 on 12 off). Ironically, the girls look great (week 5), and the roots are massive. PH is set within the DWC guidelines, water is clean, air stones running good.
I do have two questions:
1. How is it that when I look at large growing areas, i.e. commercial warehouses, 300-400 plants growing (tightly) together. I wonder “WTF” how is he keeping a great per cent ages of product/girls from 300-400 plants and I am still trying to keep a full 100% of my crop?”.
2. What strategies/suggestions can you give to avoid continued lack-luster - semi-moist leaves.
3. Should I direct the fan differently. Thanks for the work you do -
Vortex,
Proud Patreon Team Member
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