What is your biggest question about growing cannabis?

[janie123]

Everyone has their own ideas about defoliation! If you ask 10 different growers, you'll get 10 different answers! And you'll probably find at least one person who claims it doesn't work at all!

But I'll share my own personal technique.

I don't remove leaves in veg to the same extent I do in flower. I may manifold my plants, which does involve some defoliating as you build the manifold. Other than that, I focus on getting the shape of the plant correct, and making sure there's multiple main stems under the grow light. Any defoliating I do in the vegetative stage is just to thin out the plant if it starts getting really bushy. One of the main reasons for me is to prevent White Powdery Mold which is common when you have leaves laying on top of each other. I want to make sure there's always airflow through the middle and under the bottom of the plant. In my opinion, if you can't see through the plant at all, and there's no light getting through to the bottom, it's too bushy for proper airflow.

I don't give special nutrients for training. If anything, I'm reacting to the plant. If it's not getting bushy from the nutrients, then you don't need to defoliate. If you're giving good nutrients and a good growing environment, with most strains you'll end up with some bushiness that needs to be removed for optimal growth indoors.

For me, I don't really aggressively defoliate until I'm in the flowering stage. Right before the switch to the flowering stage, I'll usually remove all the leaves and tiny growth tips on the bottom parts of the plant that aren't getting light anymore, if that's necessary (lollipop the plant). I believe this is important to do right before the switch to flowering so the plant is putting all it's effort into the top bud sites instead of the lower bud sites that will never grow into big buds no matter what you do..




I will also strip off most of the biggest fan leaves right before the switch to 12/12, leaving just the top few nodes of each cola untouched, so the plant is almost "all bones". I leaves some few extra leaves at the top of each cola because I believe it helps power the growth of the colas during the flowering stretch so they get as long as possible

Immediately before switch to 12/12 - Before & After





Week 3 after the flip to 12/12 is my last major defoliation. This is what that plant looks like 3 Weeks Later (of not doing anything or taking leaves in that time)



Usually by around week 3 the budlets have formed. At this point I again remove ALL the major fan leaves. After that, I'm done with the majority of defoliation that I do. I only remove leaves after that if they're covering a bud site (and I can't tuck it away) or if the plant starts getting too bushy through the middle and bottom.



7 Weeks later I harvested this



So basically, my (personal) defoliation could be summed up like this:

Vegetative Stage

• Some defoliation while manifolding (If I choose to manifold, I've been experimenting with Sea of Green setups lately, which involves almost no early training!)
• Defoliation of middle of plant if you can't see light coming through it (if the middle is completely dark it means the plant is too bushy)

Right Before Switch to 12/12

• Lollipop the plant (remove leaves in the lower part of the plant that will never get light)
• Thin out the middle if it's bushy
• Remove ALL major fan leaves

Week 3 after switch to 12/12

• Do another major stripping of just about all fan leaves.

After that, I remove any huge fan leaves that can't be tucked, but otherwise just wait until harvest

OH woaw , you motivate me sm Can you ever get in trouble for growing cannabis?

[stonedassassin1319]

how can i deal with temperature with a 150w HPS grow light (without cool tube)????? i have no way of keeping my 2x2x6 tent cool. every time i leave that light on and come back to check on my plants the temp is at low 90’s i fee like my babies are getting burnt up. i’ve put a bandana, right under the bulb not too close so it looks kinda like a hammock but with the 4 corners individually stuck to each corner of the metal part of the lamp with magnets, as a shade. it kind of helps with temp but now my girls don’t have direct light hitting their leaves. i have a portable AC but it’s expensive to keep running since it’s a 8,000 BTU ac. i got 2 plants growing one is like 12 inches tall i didn’t mainline it cuz i didn’t know what that was til now and the other is 5 inches tall. the stem is still weak right now and idk when to main line that one . both plants are kinda dropping due to wind burn (YOU CAN STOP READING NOW THE REST IS JUST ME BLABBING)
the supplies i have:

• 2x2x6 grow tent
• cloth pots (just transplanted my 12”)
• nutrients (big bloom, grow big, forgot the other one)
• in-line fan, 1 ducting, carbon filter, and 8” fan
• 150w HPS light , a 45w LED blue and red lights

…i think where i have my tent its not really at a good spot . it’s in my bedroom and nobody is really in there and not much air circulation. my girl and kids sleep with the ac on so it gets cold in there over night only for awhile since i’m nocturnal i control the temperature in there but there’s those times where i sleep at night for like 5 hours wake up at like 1 am. i talked about moving the tent to the dining room area where there a window and the temperature is perfect and i can maintain everything but she trips when she was the one that impulsively bought me a clone for my birthday. so it’s only right to grow the clone the best way possible so it doesn’t die. so

[3Berries]

Make sure the humidity is where it should be, in the mid 70% at that temps. The more moisture in the air the more heat it can hold.

[Puglover1]

Last year in summer I filled empty quart Powerade bottles with water, froze several, put them near oscillating fans or just set them around in my closet, the floor has a thick plastic sheet over the carpeting. I had extras ready if the water melted, just switched them out. It helped the temps stay around 80F to the lower 80's.

[Rcass]

Hi folks,

I can give all the specs if needed but for the moment my biggest question is “has anybody encountered seedlings with yellow veins (see pic) and basically no growth. If so what was the cause(s)?”

[Rwise]

Read this

https://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabis-plant-problems/sulfur-deficiency

[Puglover1]

Rcass did you read that link? I'm not a hydro grower.

[Satyaban]

I have this disability called "essential tremor", maybe one of you all have it as well, the thing is it is hard for me to taken clear pictures when I hold a device to do it. My problem is ph, or whether to trust the testers I have. For starters I know that my tap water is pretty balanced because I had tropical fish and tested my water on a regular so historically our water here is very good. I have 2 of those stick in the soil meters and they don't really react when stuck in the pots, and they don't react when stuck in hot soil. When I say not reacting I mean the needle stays on the acidic end or as in not moving. Am I wrong in assuming the soil I used is balanced? If the FFOF and super soil are balanced shouldn't my tests say so. I don't have any faith in those testers, I have 2 that are the same, and the moist test is OK, but I don't like the light test too tough, I had to almost touch the 120w "full spectrum" led to bury the meter. If my plants are looking good maybe I am stressing myself over nothing. Its hard when there is little to do by water and get a trellis ready.
My plants 6 GSC and 1 mystery seed are at 4 wks on Friday.

[3Berries]

Those stick in the dirt combo meters are junk. Good for the moisture and light maybe.

I've found FFOF to be quite hot. I'm using some now and it locked out my K & N. Using wood ash to combat the issue.

I have an Apera pH meter and water to run off to get a good enough sample to test pH when I want to see what's up. I also test the ppm of the run off.

[Satyaban]

FFOF says their soil is 6.2 to 6.8 which is bearable. I am going to test the runoff tonight.

[3Berries]

I've got some FFOF and next time I use it I'll cut it at least 33% with perlite and add generous amounts of limestone. Happy Frog would be half that.

[3Berries]

12 hr light period. I wonder how a plant would react to 1 hr on 1 hr off over 24 hrs for the flowering period?

I use a 50 w LED as a heat booster. It cycles at 82F. But the part of the plant closest to it always seems to do better. Maybe it's just the added light?

[Satyaban]

I have my doubts about that one. I think the plants need time to switch chlorophyll production on and off. I would liken it to sleep.

[Ckbrew]

There is a veg cycle called 12/1. It is 12 hours light, 5.5 hours dark, 1 hour light, 5.5 hours dark, repeat. This keeps them in veg, while saving on electric cost. I believe it was developed to confuse LEO when looking at power usage. If this keeps them in veg I think 1 on and 1 off would do the same. They need 12 continuous hours of dark to switch to bloom. If they were already in bloom, re-veg.

[Angrypepper1964]

Hi all, im growing a single Grand Daddy Purple which is just about a pure Indica, its in its 4th. week of veg. Its a very bushy plant, I was wondering when I should switch over to the 12/12 flower cycle. I still want to weave the branches in and out of the.scrog net which I haven’t done yet, can do this after switching to 12/12, or keep it in the veg. state while spreading out the branches in the scrog net. Thanks.

[Gingerbeard]

An addendum to my PM

https://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabis-flowering-stage

[AGH]

I've done a couple of SCROG grows and you want to train the branches under the net during all of veg. This is something you should start now (I usually start training mine at 2 weeks, and keep the screen about 8" above the soil) and do throughout veg.

When growing in a SCROG, you flip once it is about 50% to 75% full depending on how much you expect your plant to stretch. With an indica cross like GDP, you'll want to wait until it's closer to 75% full. You will then continue tucking until the flowering stretch is over.

Of course, all this is up to you...keeping her in veg longer allows the plant to grow larger which increases yields.

Let us know how it's working out for you!

You might also look at The Northern Scrogger https://www.northernscrogger.com/ for some scrogging tips in addition to the ones on GWE.

[3Berries]

I just switched two 8 w GDPs to 12/12 and the stretch in the first week is quite a bit. Defoliated them quite a bit too as they were really bushy. I fimmed them both early on so they are pretty gangly now and would be easy to manipulate. I made sure they have plenty Ca and N going into flower but then back off completely.

[Pizzajoe]

Can you clone a cloned plant or does it lose potency.

[SoOrbudgal]

I've not experienced any lack of potency and i've cloned a clone.

[ethanjon]

What photoperiod should I use for standard feminised seeds?

[SoOrbudgal]

anyone you like

[stonedassassin1319]

how can i deal with temperature with a 150w HPS grow light (without cool tube)????? i have no way of keeping my 2x2x6 tent cool. every time i leave that light on and come back to check on my plants the temp is at low 90’s i fee like my babies are getting burnt up. i’ve put a bandana, right under the bulb not too close so it looks kinda like a hammock but with the 4 corners individually stuck to each corner of the metal part of the lamp with magnets, as a shade. it kind of helps with temp but now my girls don’t have direct light hitting their leaves. i have a portable AC but it’s expensive to keep running since it’s a 8,000 BTU ac. i got 2 plants growing one is like 12 inches tall i didn’t mainline it cuz i didn’t know what that was til now and the other is 5 inches tall. the stem is still weak right now and idk when to main line that one . both plants are kinda dropping due to wind burn (YOU CAN STOP READING NOW THE REST IS JUST ME BLABBING)
the supplies i have:

• 2x2x6 grow tent
• cloth pots (just transplanted my 12”)
• nutrients (big bloom, grow big, forgot the other one)
• in-line fan, 1 ducting, carbon filter, and 8” fan
• 150w HPS light , a 45w LED blue and red lights

…i think where i have my tent its not really at a good spot . it’s in my bedroom and nobody is really in there and not much air circulation. my girl and kids sleep with the ac on so it gets cold in there over night only for awhile since i’m nocturnal i control the temperature in there but there’s those times where i sleep at night for like 5 hours wake up at like 1 am. i talked about moving the tent to the dining room area where there a window and the temperature is perfect and i can maintain everything but she trips when she was the one that impulsively bought me a clone for my birthday. so it’s only right to grow the clone the best way possible so it doesn’t die. so

update on my first . i think i accidentally mainlined her without knowing what mainlining was

[Angrypepper1964]

Hi Nebula, I defoliated a few times and including at 4 weeks into flower, should I defoliate more? Thanks.

[Blowdout2269]

Defoliation is a personal preference. I try and use that particular technique when there is absolutely no other option. Try leaf tucking and bending, or stretching branches apart first. This will help keep leaves from laying on each other and ensure better light penetration to the lower growth.
I hope you find this helpful, even though the response was somewhat belated.

[Gregcan]

I’m disabled and my hip has become so bad I can’t stand and take care of my plants like they should be, and I had a flooded house last summer that I still can’t get together being alone. How do I find someone to help me off and on moving plants trimming and training them. During the pack out of my belongings the guys offered to help me get them back together but I didn’t get any names or numbers to contact them (I was in shock from having heart surgery coming home and my house flooded the next morning)I’m in the North Las Vegas area, Greg

[changeofpace2014]

Sorry to here your disability is causing you so much grief. I googled for nevada or las vegas cannabis clubs but there were no results. Perhaps some one on this board or other similar boards may be of some help..

[Puglover1]

Do you use Facebook? There are some cannabis growing groups, and another for FECO that is focused on helping ill people. You might find a member who lives nearby. Tag me if you want the names of the Pages/groups.

[Ckbrew]

Find someone who is willing to help out for a share of the harvest.

[Atriax]

New grower: finally got the amount of water for each pot dialed in enough to get runoff. I tested the runoff and the PH was 6. The distilled water I was using had a PH of 7, up until yesterday when i had to water with regular tap water that had a ph of 9. So would that mean that my soil has a low enough ph where I can just use tap water and not adjust it with PH down?

[Rwise]

Distilled water can not be PH tested as there is nothing in it to read, you will have to add something like epsom salt to it so your meter can read it. Also distilled water will become acidic setting, that can be boiled off.

[Bluey]

Rwise is quite correct. It is not possible to measure distilled water pH (without specialised lab equipment). I use rainwater and I cannot measure the pH accurately in that without adding a small amount of salts or something.
Aim for pH runoff of around 6.5 with a decent pH meter, an Apera PH60 is the one to use..anything cheaper is junk.

[Ckbrew]

Does anyone know the weight percent of wet, fresh harvested bud to dry bud? I'm guessing 25 - 35%, anyone have something better than a guess?

[Bootsy]

If I wet trim, i get pretty consistantly close to 20% of wet weight when dry.