HELP! What am I not doing wrong?

[piercer]

I started growing last May and have 4 completed grows under my belt, but I end up with one problem I have yet to solve; Smaller than average colas and a big pile of popcorn! I'm growing in Fox Farms Ocean Forrest and using the Fox Farm Trio, My water is at a perfect 6,1 ph and I'm doing it all in a 2X4X5 grow tent with a 200w light, and my temps are spot on, I get flowers all up and down all the branches. but they won't swell up enough to form together those big, beautiful buds. I'd like to try hydro, but if I'm just going to end up with more popcorn, why bother? I really need some advice,

[Gingerbeard]

Iff all else is equal, genetics.

[piercer]

I guess it could be possible, but all 4 grows? Two with seeds ordered from Humboldt and the other two were seeds from North Atlantic Seed Co,

[Gingerbeard]

Hold on a second. My bad. I thought you were saying your current grow is subpar compared to your others.
What do you consider smaller than average grows?
Even if you use the same soil, light, pH, and nutrients and get your seeds from the same plant as someone else, you won't get the same results. That's just the way it is. My very own personal theory is water quality has a lot more to do with growing than people give credit.
If you have been using FF products, maybe switch to something else?
Breeder don't mean jinky. Even Cadillac has recalls.

[Rwise]

6.1 ph is not perfect for flowering in soil, not even in veg. 6.5-6.8 ph in flower, 6.2-6.5 ph in veg, so at 6.1 ph they cannot feed properly.
Got pictures?

[Smallgrow]

+1 to Rwise
Also read up on defoliation and lollipoping on the main GWE site. You gotta get all the lower stuff removed before flower if you want to build big buds

[Ckbrew]

Sounds to me that they need more light. How old is yours, is that watts measured from the wall? I would think 200W in a 2x4 would be enough but if the light is fading out, time for an upgrade.

[Bluey]

After experimenting with my last grow re defol I'd say Rwise and Ckbrew have nailed it. I still got big buds with almost zero defol and I didn't do any lower bud removal. I actually got the highest yields per plant to date.

200w new modern full spectrum LED is fine for autos or starting out a grow but its underpowered for flower and big buds in a 4x2. You need at least 240 perfect watts. If you have a 120v supply your light may only be doing 140w. Most LED light outputs are measured with a 240v supply and if you are on 120v you could be taking a 30% hit on output.

Light is food for your plant. You could consider adding two small under canopy waterproof flood lights say 40w each added to your existing 200w. These are cheap and don't have to be grow lights and may fix that problem you are having. I suspect you may go close to doubling your yield.

Alternatively replace your current light with a 320w bar light made for a 4x2.

[Smallgrow]

Interesting about your latest low defol grow.
I do agree that with out enough light as a starting point you won’t get far. 200w is on the low side

[piercer]

Thank you everyone for the input and an undersized light looks to be the problem, I bought this 4X2 as a complete kit and the 200w LED light that came with it is not enough, Y'all nailed it! A 320w LED is being ordered! The light they included with the package apparently is meant for growing tomatoes and other veggies,