1st grow journal.

[yamiacaveman]

Hi Farmerfran:

They look good - don't be scared about cutting a few of those fan leaves off especially when the girls get older. Believe me i know it's not an easy thing to do, but eventually those buds will want all the light you can give them, and cutting those big fan leaves off, definitely helps.

[Beach_Town_Brit]

What the caveman says, chop some fans
I find myself doing 2-3 major defoliations across an auto grow, as well as almost daily snipping off a fan or two.

[Farmerfran]

Thanks, i finally built up the strength to give them a haircut. It definitely helps, the very next day almost all of the lower stems lifted up.

[Farmerfran]

UPDATE:

Yesterday was feeding day yet again. All 4 plants recieved 1 gallon of water phd at 5.9. I added 2 ml of calmag. I havent had to use nutes yet due to transplanting so often as well as hell rich Fox Farms Ocean Forest is. The light is currently ser at 45/80/80. I just switched from a 24hr light schedule into a 18/6. Anyone know if this is bad to do so late in veg. My temp ranges from 73-80 degrees and humidity between 53-65%.

oh and i defoliated a little, can hardly tell but i have removed about 20 or so leaves from the 4 plants. Reallu amazed on how fast these things grow

[Beach_Town_Brit]

Looking good.
I'm sure there are strains that don't like defoliation, but I haven't found them yet. All the plants I've grown have loved their haircuts

[Farmerfran]

Thank you. It definitely seems like they love getting trimmed, theu have been reaponding with really nice growth

[Sonnyhad]

They are looking great! You must be doing something right!!

[Farmerfran]

Thank you very much

[yamiacaveman]

Looking very good! Your Temp RH seem to be in range, I don't know about the light schedule thing but as long as they continue to do well(?) Probably the only other thing I might do is to wait a few days and then look down on top of your plants and take some more of those fan leaves that are starting to cover up the bud points. I know I know, here i go again, I'm starting to sound like some kind of mad scientist about the defoliating thing. :>)

[Farmerfran]

Thanks. I have noticed that these plants definitely prefer the 18/6 rather than 24hrs, growing way faster and healthier looking. At this point ot seems like im removing a few leaves a day, once again the growth is crazy haha.

[Farmerfran]

Hahaha it's cool, defoliating is actually a little addicting to do.

[CCisme]

Very nice! Im getting close to having to do this for the first time.

[intergalactic_harvester]

they look fat and happy!! doin a great job ff!

[Farmerfran]

UPDATE:

So yesterday was feeding day yet again. I never realized how long it actually takes to mix,ph,and water the ladies, but i know its all worth it. Anyway, i decided to introduce the flora trio this time using 1ml each along with 2 ml of calmag. Each plant took a gallon phd at 6.2. I still have the lights on 18 and off for 6. I still have the settings at 45/80/80. I seem to be removing leaves daily and by thr next day it will look as if i did not do a thing.

pictures below. Ohh and i have been taking all pictures 24 hrs after watering. The plants always get a little ugly after feedings, i assume thats normal.

[alltatup]

They look fantastic, Farmer!!!!!!

[GreenArmadillo]

Beautiful!
Loving the purplish LED pics. Always gives the girls a kind of fantasy look.

And I totally agree. It shocked me when I noticed how much time it was taking me to mix up nutes, pH, feed, collect run-off, and then put the girls back. I expected like half an hour, but end up spending an average of 2 hours+.
Glad to see your grow coming along so nicely. It really shows that you love your girls and are taking great care of them.

[alltatup]

Time flies when we are tending to our beautiful girls!!!

And Harvester, you're a secular hermit: I'll bet your wife loves your hobby!!!!

[intergalactic_harvester]

ok, but still not ready to shave my head and put on tbe orange robes, lol.
and ya, she loves seeing the passion that drives and the therapeutic value. shes not so involved in it herself like in the beginning for physical reasons and the fact that shes simply not into it on the level that i am. she helps where she can, strain rezearch, equipment r&d, etc. and she loves the show, and dying for a taste! after watching them for 3 months now, who wouldnt be?

[alltatup]

That's so awesome that she supports your hobby! A family that grows together, glows together...

[Farmerfran]

UPDATE:

Yesterday was watering day and i noticed that the pot was light as usual but my plants were a little droopy. Has any of you had this happen?is it normal and i just happened to take notice? So, i just went with phd water and 3ml calmag. Ive adjusted the intensity of the light because i got a new working area. The settings are now 50/90/90.

its becoming a jungle......

[intergalactic_harvester]

hi farmer. your plants are beautiful and healthy! dont panic and cut off thier feed! check everything first. temps, humidity, ph, all of it . if ur environment is within parameters, they probly tellin you they need feeding a day sooner! they are picture of health, and i zoomed in good. very nice.

[jacobsonwyatt41]

The plants in the develop box unquestionably smell now, yet it just ended up plainly detectable inside the most recent couple of weeks. Indeed, even now it's not all that terrible, and you would need to be in an indistinguishable room from them to notice it.

[Farmerfran]

UPDATE:

yesterday was feeding day once again. Its looking like i need to be checking if these plants need water more frequent. I walked into my room to see that one plant was completely wilted. After a watering and a good night rest it bounced back pretty nice. I am watering each plant with 1gal of distilled water phd at 6.1 with 1ml of each of the flora trio nutes as well as 3ml of calmag. I have bumped the intensity of the light it is now at 50/90/90.

now i have a question. Do you all water with a set amount of water? How much water is enough water? I always het runoff jist curious about what you all do.

[alltatup]

http://www.growweedeasy.com/how-often-water-marijuana

[Beach_Town_Brit]

Hi Farmer, I've fallen into 2-3 feeds a week. Through most of the grow 1/2 a gallon per 3 gallon pot of coco/perlite seems to work.

I love my grow but I also try to control the amount of time it sucks up so when I make a gallon of nutes I typically do a runoff watering right then but save the leftover for a lighter feed later in the week. No real grow reason for that, it just saves me making nutes twice a week.

[Farmerfran]

Thanks for the advice, thats a pretty smart idea Brit

[intergalactic_harvester]

havent grown in soil yet farmer, but hopefully someone will get you back soon...sorry

[NebulaHaze]

Your plants look beautiful! It's best to listen to the plant when watering as opposed to following a set amount on a schedule because each plant is different and many factors affect a plant's water needs including number of leaves, temperature, humidity, and growing medium. Plants continue to drink more and more water as they get bigger because each leaf is constantly evaporating water, which sucks up water from the roots like a straw. (The more leaves, the greater the humidity in the air, and the more water the plant drinks) If you're already watering your plants thoroughly enough to get runoff water out the bottom and the plants are still drying out, it means you likely need to water plants more often or find another way to add extra water at a time. For example you could possibly transplant plants to a bigger container, which will be able to hold more water at a time.

If there's one tiny thing, the plants look a touch dark to me, which could be a sign of too much Nitrogen. Giving plain pH'ed water for a few waterings could help them use up what's in the soil and what's being stored in the leaves. It's tempting to want to give lots of nutrients but it's important to remember that nutrients are like a multivitamin to your plants, while light is like food. Eating a bunch of multivitamins will make you sick, but eating a bunch of food will make you bigger! It's important to add lots of light to get plants to grow, but giving more than the optimal amount of nutrients can actually keep your plant from reaching its full potential. I only say anything because your plants look great (and actually it could just be the LED lighting!)

[Farmerfran]

Thanks for the information and good word. Yeaaah, my plants are definitely nitrogen rich. I messed up and did not mix anything into my soil and i am using FF Ocean Forest.

[yamiacaveman]

Hi Farmerfran -- What Nebula said about the watering schedule -- Best to listen to your plants!
Also what Nebula says about the Nitrogen, maybe try just giving them some plain ph'd water and see what happens, on the other hand, I used the FF Ocean Forest with 2 chocolate skunk auto's and they where a dark green right from the start and are turning out great - maybe just genetics, maybe FF soil, maybe what Nebula said about the lighting -- They do look great!

[Farmerfran]

Soooooo not really an update on my grow....but i thought i would give you all the 1st peak at what i just received because i am absolutely on cloud 9.



what do you all suggest i start with...

[GreenArmadillo]

Holy crap, that's alota seeds. =D

[intergalactic_harvester]

nice menu! wow. thats more than a year of work there farmer, perpetual style every month!

[alltatup]

Let the games begin!!!!