HYDRO Holiday Treats -(here we grow again)-

[BU2B]

Folding like u would do in super cropping?
Not to that extreme. Just folding them over, no crease or knot. But if you were going to super-crop, this would be a good stage to do so. I know some who have super-cropped much later, up to 3 weeks into flowering. But I'm not that brave. I've found that if you wait until the stretch happens to super-crop 'many, many' strains will develop hollow stems to help support the weight of the coming flowers. I think that I only super-crop 50% of the time (and that's being generous in favor of super-cropping). I find most of my plants don't 'need' to be super-cropped, but that hasn't stopped me yet. lol

 

[BU2B]

Update 27b: 9.19.21 (Same information, hopefully better photo's after a little more defoliation)

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Both girls are progressing right on schedule and SO FAR there have been no major issues or big problems that have left me scratching my head wondering what to do next. Due to this; I'm able to focus a bit more on the grow and not the issues related with it. In regard to keeping the canopy level, I'm sure there are a multitude of great reasons why indoor growers should quickly acquire the skill; but here are my top few:

• It spreads your plant out and that is essential with flowering coming up.
• It allows all growth tips to get light evenly (something only required with indoor growing)
• It exposes growth tips just under the canopy so that they can grow up to the same height as the canopy
• Folding over your plant at this point can also result in MORE growth tips and hence more bud packets

Here are a few photo examples from this grow, taken this morning:

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[Gracey]

I'm loving hearing this! I was just filling my gallon jugs to top off my 2 tubs and thinking I should probably change the water instead since it's been about 3 weeks (today is wk6 day2 of veg) but I will wait for transition time in a couple of weeks. What will I do with all the extra time though? My husband originally started our hydro grow and he only changed the water maybe once for rinsing/flushing before harvest. But he also was blatantly lax on many a housekeeping chores. Since I've taken the reins I like to be as spot on as possible.

 

[BU2B]

Update 28: 9.22.21

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Week 8 Day 1. 1 more week until I start changing the Light schedule. The girls got a fresh tub with transition to bloom nutes and a little cal/mag to keep Choco happy. The tub liquid levels are 5 inches below the top of of the lids. With a 2 inch net pot that means the roots are out of the water for 3 inches.

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[BU2B]

Update 29: 9.23.21
Week 8 Day 2. As you can see, folding back branches, selective defoliation and keeping the canopy level has done its job. A myriad of growth tips are all exposed and relatively even with the rest of the canopy.​

Growth Tips

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[BU2B]

Update 29b: 9.23.21 Week 8 Day 2

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The plan for the coming week is pretty simple. Just keep watering them and allow them to grow for another week before the BIG defoliation at the start of Transition to Bloom next Wednesday. Beginning on the 29th the girls will get their first ever darkness. I'll be adding 2 hours of darkness per day until they are up to 12&1/2 contiguous hours of darkness. I keep the light on at night and off during the daylight hours. In the summertime this means the light is on when the ambient temperature is lowest which keeps temps down in the tent. In the winter I also keep the lights on at night, again, because this is when it's coolest and warming the tent up on a winters night is a good thing. The reason I go with 12&1/2 hours of darkness is so that I have 15 minutes on either end or 30 minutes all on one end for opening the tent if I want or need to to take photo's etc. and it still doesn't affect the 12 hours of darkness.

Don't be surprised when it comes time for the start of flowering defoliation if you see more leaves on the plant(s) than most leave in place. Until the girls start kicking out flowers leaves are still necessary for the plant to grow and get proper nutrition. I find that I usually do a bigger defoliation at week 3 of flowering as flowers are already established, bud sites are easy to identify and expose and this defoliation needs to last for 5 weeks, only 2 of which the girls will be producing new leaves.

To be quite honest, I'm getting a little excited for flowering to start...

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Heck yes having 30 budsites is pretty exciting LOL. I only see that with my outdoor freedom gals. Great write up an teachings with your grows BU2B lots of information and simple explanations.

 

[BU2B]

Unnumbered update: 9.22.21 Week 8 Day 3

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Each plant is about 24” in diameter and 10” tall
Or 61 cm diameter and 25 cm tall
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[BU2B]

Thanks SoOrbudgal as Popeye would say “I yam what I yam” and I’m really not fond of yams. 🤣

 

[Ckbrew]

Are all the bud sites near the top of the canopy?

 

[BU2B]

Ckbrew not all but the vast majority - and all bud sites will be exposed in just under a week. By the 3 week defoliation I will know which ones are staying and which growth tips are going. Both plants will have 100 or so growth tips by time for Transition to bloom. Week 3 of flowering, about 40 of the least productive and growth tips that are not going to reach the top of the canopy will be culled - leaving around 60 bud sites per plant to reach maturity.

 

[BU2B]

Update 30: 9.28.21. Week 8 Day 6

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Two more days until the big defoliation and transition to bloom which happens Wednesday

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[SoOrbudgal]

I can't wait to see them abit more naked LOL i just want to crawl in there and shed some light.

 

[BU2B]

Update 31: 9.28.21 Week 8 Day 7

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Transition to bloom starts tomorrow. I gave the girls a haircut this morning in preparation for the event.

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Both girls before the trim up

Roots Chocolate Mint OG - I got distracted and overlooked getting a photo of BK's roots.

Banana Kush - Defoliation

Chocolate Mint OG - Defoliation

After 6 hours of recovery - other than the fact that you can now see through them - they look pretty much the same as before defoliation.​

 

[TOKABIGONE]

Wow! that's one hell of a root mass! Looking spiffy!

 

[Ckbrew]

Still sleeping?

 

[BU2B]

First ever darkness for them. Transition to bloom started this morning at 5:30. WooHoo!

 

[Ckbrew]

Let the transformation begin.

 

[BU2B]

Update 32: 9.29.21 Week 9 day 1 (Transition to bloom)

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Beginning this morning both plants started their first dose of bloom enhancer along with their regular feed and water.
(1ml per liter of Bud Candy)
I start counting flowering once the first flowers appear. Due to this the date format will change to indicate time in flower not the amount of time the plant has been alive.​

 

[BU2B]

Update 32b: 9.29.21 We Have Pre-flowers!
I went in to add more time to the timer and looked the girls over. After only 2.5 hours of darkness they both have pre- flowers forming I think they’re ready to get down to business.

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Banana Kush

Chocolate Mint OG​