Brown thumb grow

[Bluey]

Did you know there are 3 different types of trichomes on cannabis flowers? We really have little idea what 2 of them do or their function. We guess one of them is to deter pests. I'm just happy I have some good smoke.

[Bluey]

What I've noticed is stress can bring on trichomes early and stop or retard bud development. There comes a time in the flowers growth that buds slow and stop producing trichomes. When that is exactly probably varies a bit to a lot depending on lots of factors. Trichomes on Lower sugar leaves can start ambering up very early in flower. What it all means I don't know but I know when my buds are ready to go.

[Brwnthmb]

That’s interesting.
The two plants shown are both OG Kush. The main difference is that the first spent it’s vegetative stage outside. A minor difference could be that the first plant is much smaller, and it is in an 8” clay pot. The other is in a 3 gallon fabric. [and of course the reason for the question. The first bud (with the most trichomes) has been maturing for about twice as long.]

[Bluey]

The answer to that is complex as many factors play into trichome number and development including strain, stress, humidity, temps etc.

The sativas I have typically grown don't smell until very late flower, sometimes only a day or two prior to harvest, they don't frost up much either. Then others I have grown are so covered in trichomes you can't see much but them and stink like nothing else months before harvest.

Number of trichomes and frostiness, as much as we all love that, is not indicative of strength or effects.

Try and get your humidity as low as possible last 2 weeks before harvest and down to 40% the month before that, without pushing temps up. That will give you the best results for canabinoid levels and bud density but it strain dependant as to results also. Don't stress them.

Will more trichomes grow late in flower. Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure it matters much at that stage.

The density of trichomes and frost or strain, as in indica or sativa, is not always indicative of strength or type of effects either.

[Bluey]

The answer to that is complex as many factors play into trichome number and development including strain, stress, himidity temps etc.

The sativas I have typically grown don't smell until very late flower, sometimes only a day or two prior to harvest, they don't frost up much either. Then others I have grown are so covered in trichomes you can't see much but them and stink like nothing else months before harvest.

Try and get your humidity as low as possible last 2 weeks before harvest and down to 40% the month before that, without pushing temps up. That will give you the best results for canabinoid levels and bud density but it strain dependant as to results also. Don't stress them.

Will more trichomes grow late in flower. Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure it matters much at that stage.

The density of trichomes and frost or strain is not always indicative of strength or type of effects either.

[Brwnthmb]

I have rewritten the question.

[Bluey]

Read the GWE tutorial on when to harvest

[Brwnthmb]

These two plants are at different stages of readiness, and the more mature one has many more trichomes. (The first picture is obviously the more mature bud.) Do buds acquire more trichomes as they mature or do the trichomes themselves only turn from clear to milky?
Here’s the second, labeled #1

[Brwnthmb]

@Bluey
I’ve been adding bloom nutrients to those in bloom phase and veg nutrients to those in worn out soil, judging from yellowing leaves and too much time since repotting. So, to answer your question, I already am adding nutrients. Today was the first day that I got the ph correct before pouring in the bloom nutrient mix. I expect healthier leaves now.
My tap water is over 7, so if nothing else it needs some ph down. I do have a recurring problem of dark green leaves, and the soil is only a month old. I’ve noticed that the plants which get the dark green leaves get light bags quickly (they are thirsty). That seems to me to be a healthy sign.

[Bluey]

There's a few charts available so make sure you download the one for the medium you are using.

The pH of the soil won't change much, but you need to vary it in hydro to allow for a balanced take up of nutes so I'd say it's good practice to vary it in its recommended range. You shouldn't need to go outside that range unless your soil is out of range but assume it's good. Just watch your leaves very closely, from the bottom to the newest top ones for changes in color and shape. Taking photos can help with that.

Do you have enough light?

Take some close up of where the buds will start forming looking closely for the formation of pistols.

When do you plan on adding nutes to your water?

[Brwnthmb]

@Bluey
When you say “always vary the ph inputs within the recommended range” (or something to that effect) do you mean just to always stay within the recommended range?, ie don’t go outside the range (of 6.5-6.8) to try and correct for a too high or a too low ph?
Edit (added); I remember seeing a chart on here somewhere that shows the relationship between ph and nutrients absorption (the ph range for nitrogen absorption, for example), but I can’t locate it now. Do you remember where that is?

[Bluey]

Ok. Calibrate your ph60 following the instructions. Always rinse the probe between measurements and shake it dry.

Add your bloom nutes one at a time to the water mixing thoroughly between each one. Wait 10 minutes or so and take a reading. A drop in pH is normal for me when adding both bloom & veg nutes.

Then adjust your pH to be in the range of 6.5 to 6.8 for a soil grow. If you have been adding low pH solution to the soil in the past start this one high, say 6.8 then adjust to suit. Always measure inputs. Outputs are not accurate or repeatable (not scientific). I have measured outputs in a coco grow as low as in the 4's in a near perfect grow in coco and if I adjusted inputs I would have stuffed my grow so if you are going to measure outputs be careful.

Measure every feed and adjust each feed a little based on close observations of how your plants health is going. Always vary pH inputs through the recommended range.

[Brwnthmb]

I did, just now, correct the ph in my pitcher of tap water. Again it initially measured 7.38. 1/2ml of bloom nutrients dropped the ph to 5.76. I found that 0.1 ml of ph up brought the 750ml solution up to 6.5.
One challenge I had was measuring 0.1ml. I need a smaller syringe.
In case someone is interested I also found that I could fine tune the ph by adding water (if I had overshot the mark). For example I dropped the ph 0.3 by adding 250ml of water.

Edit: for reference 1ml/750ml=1tsp/1gallon. I find that it is much easier to work with metric units and besides my tools are graduated that way.

[Gingerbeard]

Brwnthmb about your post 43.4. That is a good question and the answer is no, I have not checked pH in that order.
Someone might remember this moment a few years ago when someone corrected me when I was pH'ing water before adding nutes. I was not having issues but it made sense that the nutrient solution is what got pH'd because the nutrients could make a difference.
This is just my opinion but based on a little experience.
Your contrary results may be because of the water you use. Unless you are using the same water as the information you are reading, count on differences. Notice people say to adjust pH. They do not tell you how much pH up or down to use at a time. I know a drop of pH down in a gallon of water from the vending machine is almost too much so when I used VM water, I always pH'd 5 gallons at a time. Tap water takes many teaspoons.
In the end, the important number is what you finally pour onto your soil. If bloom nutes are dropping your pH to an acceptable level, go with it. If you begin to see an issue, you know where you might look for a solution.
Google a little about your nutrients. You may find they do, in fact, adjust pH.

[Brwnthmb]

Using an Apera ph60-
I checked the ph of my tap water and the same sample of water with bloom nutrients added using an apera ph60. The ph of the 750ml tap water was 7.38,
After adding 1/2ml of bloom nutrients the ph was 5.48. This is nearly a 2 point drop in ph at a ratio of 1/2tsp/gallon, and it is contrary to what others have suggested.
Gingerbeard Did you try to measure the ph change yourself when adding Bloom nutrients to tap water?
Edit: and; should I adjust the input water (with nutrients) to be at the target ph (6.5 or so) or should I measure the output and make the input higher or lower l