Northern Lights auto still gaining height at 9 &1/2 weeks.

[Heisenbud]

My Northern lights auto ~ not far off from Harvest now

Very pleased the way she is going, she is at 81 days (starts week 13 on 7th Dec')

Looking forward to harvesting in a few more days. Keeping a close eye on Trichomes. The plant reached a final height of 135 cms on the 22nd Nov' at which point I stopped feeding..
I decided not to drown the plant, but continued using Ph'd distilled or de-humidified water, 2 litres daily as normal. I used 'Flash clean' the first watering.
My first run-off readings after first flush were Ph: 6.4 with EC: 0.00 ~ This was surprising, as the previous readings were Ph: 6.2 & EC: 0.8 which showed the 'Flash clean' did a good job. The plant leaves are just slowly giving up nutrients, showing fading and brown tips, nice to see her going gracefully. ~ I have always been a stickler for Ph & EC readings with good run-off. ~ The grow medium was re-used coco coir professional / perlite 50/50. At this final stage, the buds are engorging the pistils and smaller sugar leaves. The trichomes, when looking deep into the calyx are cloudy/frosted mainly, with very few if any amber. I've read that with the Northern Lights auto strains some don't turn. I have a few more new trichomes forming which is normal. ~ I took on board the problems I had with my first grow, which was a 'Tatanka' (cbd) I learnt my lessons well. This second grow has been great fun, although like a parent nursing it's new born baby hi-hi .... .. .... .. certainly an enjoyable learning curve. I now need to make sure I do a good job with drying/curing. It's a big plant for an indoors grow, it filled out the 80 x 80 cms tent well & my budget LED lamps have done a good job imho. If I get between 50g / 80g dry I shall be over the moon. Can't wait to start my next (3rd grow) ~ I didn't do any LST, consequently, I had to pull the main cola into the corner with a plant yoyo to distance it from the LED's ~ when watering through the grow, I rotated the plant 180 deg's this insured the main cola had a divided amount of light ~ It worked out well. I will probably harvest the main cola first & then drop the lights down onto the even canopy; although buds below are pretty near ready too. The plant has been very open and allowed light to the lower ranks well.

[Heisenbud]

Looking forward to seeing how long these take for you and how they turn out for you - thanks for sharing and keep us posted!!

A week on, I feel more confident that I will get some good out of it, Upper buds frosting up and producing trichom s on the calyx's ~ I think this plant thinks it's growing on the outside I got rid of a 60 x 60cm tent after my first grow (this fitted thru a standard door opening which was handy), I knew I needed something a bit bigger to accommodate one good plant, so I went for the 80 x 80 x 200 cms, ~ but not expecting this, glad I got the extra height. I've got the main cola tucked to the side, got the lamp down and pulled in side stems with electric cable ties. So helping it on it's way. I'm hoping you can do the same as photoperiods, and part harvest the top and let the lower buds mature. I've got two more Northern light auto seeds from RQS ~ I have two also from 'Seedsman' the first one of theirs failed. So will grown on with the N.L. Auto's to see if I can do better. From a first big failure, I've got my act together with Ph & EC 15% / 20% run off with my 50/50 coco/perlite medium in a 12.5 litre airpot and growing a healthy plant. ~ I water my Auto with 2 Litres of feed a day, at any time that's convenient ~ I get a variable 300 / 400 ml run-off all good Ph & EC.

[AGH]

Interesting to see the information on Northern Lights Auto. I got some as bonus seeds when I ordered from MSNL and I am planning on working them in to next years grows (I'm able to get 2 photos and 1 auto grown per year. I don't grow in Dec/Jan due to the basement being too cold and vacations, etc). Looking forward to seeing how long these take for you and how they turn out for you - thanks for sharing and keep us posted!!

[SoOrbudgal]

This is also do to low power lighting and spectrum. It's good you've gotten to this stage of the grow and learn how they develop. It's healthy cause it's kept growing because of the care you been giving it. Most of us learned doing it this way and some of us killed them LOL.

[3Berries]

I'm growing some Bubba Kush auto and they are really lanky with 3-4" between nodes. I fimm it at the third node or so.

[Heisenbud]

This is crazy to me, all of my autos are usually done by 10:00 or 11 weeks. Yours looks like it has six or seven weeks to go. Is it one of those XL autos?

Some breeders describe it as a compact Auto ~ a lot of variations it seems. This RQS version which is tallish, is not performing to their specs. If I had trained that main cola it would have had a nice canopy which would have benefited with more light..The plant is nice and airy with light getting to all the buds, but not enough of it at the moment. Hope to improve that. ~ I have a few more seeds, and should do better next time now I know what to expect.


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[Franklin]

This is crazy to me, all of my autos are usually done by 10:00 or 11 weeks. Yours looks like it has six or seven weeks to go. Is it one of those XL autos?

[Heisenbud]

[QUOTE=Heisenbud;n580329]My Northern lights auto has reached 130 cms in height & still growing, about 4 cms a day.

Update: 14/11/22 There seems to be some joy now, The plant has slowed down it's growth to 2 cms a day. Current height 134 cms. Trichomes are more apparent. I can see some on the calyx's & getting some nice terpene smell. The plant looks like a 'Christmas tree'. As an after thought, I wish I had fimmed or trained the main cola. 'You live and learn'. I am pulling the main stem into the corner of the tent with a 'Yoyo' I will probably use a second one to bring it down further which will bring it a few inches away from the LED's. I can then bring the lamp down again to give tthe other buds more light. All leaves are in good shape. I have added some silicone the last three feeds; I understand this can help trichome development. I accidently broke?? a branch of the main stem, it was only hanging on by a heel, there was sap leaking from it. I pulled it back with a cable tie and bandaged with duct tape ~ that was four days ago and it doesn't seem to have suffered, is growing & producing trichomes..

[Going2fast]

Flower stretch usually lasts about 2 weeks. My observations once the top buds get to the size of small marble they are done going up. Yours may gain a few more. Northern lights is notorious for taking it's time.

[Heisenbud]

My Northern lights auto has reached 130 cms in height & still growing, about 4 cms a day. (80 x 80 x 200cms grow tent ~ 18/12) Bud size modest, they seem slow to develop at the moment, small show of trichomes under the scope. I am on a learning curve & let the plant grow naturally without training. My question: Would the plant have to stop growing before buds start to get bigger & trichomes develop more?
I'd be happy to know what you think ? Thanks.