explosive growth in coco coir

[Clearbluesky]

I just bought 4 drain plant saucers from home Depot for $51.00 with shipping 12 inch one's. Very nice for Coco run off and connect them all together with PVC to you drain.

 

[jguit]

It might be too late and i've not tried it myself but apparently you can control stretch with day/night temp differentials.

Keeping plants short: Using day/night temperature differences (DIF) – Science in Hydroponics

scienceinhydroponics.com

 

[phxazcraig]

Appreciate the ideas all. For the small leak in one saucer where water is puddling at a 2x4, I've suctioned off the water as best I could and added a few drops of 35% peroxide to the wet wood.

The biggest problem I am currently fighting is humidity. Even without the humidifier in the tent, I get over 65% RH. There is so much leaf canopy now that there is constant humidity and wet leaves where they touch each other. I have the fan running at highest speed to get it under 63%. Starting to worry about mold in the buds. Removed humidifier and added another rotating fan.

 

[jguit]

What kind of dehumidifier do you have?

I run mine outside the tent and it can easily get RH down to 40% if needed.

 

[phxazcraig]

What kind of dehumidifier do you have?

I run mine outside the tent and it can easily get RH down to 40% if needed.

I have Phoenix Arizona Air. Once Temps go up again, should be no problem dumping loads of 20% air into the room.

 

[GanjaFarmer24]

Looks great, maybe remove all the Largest leaves to improve airflow and better light penetration.

 

[phxazcraig]

Looks great, maybe remove all the Largest leaves to improve airflow and better light penetration.

I'm going to try flowering without defoliating at this point. Feel like I missed my window there, and I'm curious to see what happens. Only my 3rd grow.

 

[jguit]

I agree with @GanjaFarmer24 and would defoliate a little bit. Especially since you're dealing with high RH. Your plants shouldn't have any issues with a pruning. Might slow down for a day, if anything.

 

[GanjaFarmer24]

In my experience, around this point of the grow, I defoliate and in 3 days, it's like I never did anything. Its frustrating, but in a good way.

 

[phxazcraig]

I agree with @GanjaFarmer24 and would defoliate a little bit. Especially since you're dealing with high RH. Your plants shouldn't have any issues with a pruning. Might slow down for a day, if anything.

Where would I begin? It's a mass 'o leaves!

 

[jguit]

Where would I begin? It's a mass 'o leaves!

Start at the bottom and work your way up.. It's a pain in the ass for sure. Dont be lazy and open up the sides of your tent! haha

I wish i defoliated more this run.

 

[phxazcraig]

Start at the bottom and work your way up.. It's a pain in the ass for sure. Dont be lazy and open up the sides of your tent! haha

I wish i defoliated more this run.

I hacked away in there this morning, after looking in and finding an even more explosive growth spurt. I wish I'd flowered earlier AND defoliated more. But maybe this will be my chance to see how a messy grow ends up? I started by trimming up from the bottom on one plant that was least trimmed. Then, partly because it's so hard to reach around in the tent now, I switched to the top and basically concentrated on the largest leaves. Still looks might shaggy, and it seemed the plants stretched another inch over the last day or so. Cutting into the space I have left to the light. Down to 24 inches.

Good news? By changing out the fan for an AC-Infinity and getting the programming right, and moving the tent exhaust duct out of the room (a problem there, as my cat loves to claw at the carbon filter, and he puts holes in the duct too), I got both temperature and humidity under control, with the canopy around 79F and RH at 50%.

I also had to go to 5x/day feeding schedule, which only makes the growth rate more problematic. Oh well, live and learn. Next tent will be taller.

One thing's for sure. If you follow good advice for feeding cannabis in coco, you'd better be thinking ahead of the curve, because they will explode on you and get in front of your plans.

 

[phxazcraig]

Here I've hacked away a lot of big fan leaves and some lower branches.

 

[GanjaFarmer24]

Its the early flower stretch, surprises me every time. Just keep weaving and tucking your tops under that top screen.

 

[jguit]

I'd defoliate even more!

 

[phxazcraig]

Its the early flower stretch, surprises me every time. Just keep weaving and tucking your tops under that top screen.

I don't know if I can weave them under any longer. The plants are already 6 inches above the top trellis, and maybe more this morning. I'm hoping to avoid topping them at this point, but they might just grow into the lights. I'm thinking of a way to raise the light another 1/2 inch, and trying to figure a way to gain an inch by lowering the pots with lower self-draining saucers. Or go get a tent that is a foot taller and change everything out somehow. Not sure I can still move the plants considering how they are grown through the trellises.

Light comes on again in an hour. I'm wondering what I'll find this morning. They seemed to really jump overnight yesterday.

 

[phxazcraig]

Argh! Holy cow are these things stretching overnight! In second week of flowering now. I think they grew 2 or 3 inches last night. I'm desperately trying to tuck the shoots back under the trellis anyway I can. Crazy mixed up branches after this I think. Took off a few.more fan leaves too. Here is my 'training process'

 

[jguit]

Looking good.. I think you'll make it as far as vertical height is concerned.

 

[phxazcraig]

Looking good.. I think you'll make it as far as vertical height is concerned.

I'm more skeptical. I just ordered a Gorilla Grow 4x4 with the idea of somehow moving everything out of this one into the new one. I saw that GG tents come with a 1-foot extension you can add if you like, taking the height from a standard of 7 feet to 8 feet. Plus there is an optional 2-foot extension you can get as well, so I could get the tent right up to my ceiling if necessary.

I started out a year ago with a $500 grow tent kit. Came with a 120W light, a 6 inch inline fan, hygrometer power controller, timer and ducting. Except for the tent and ducting, I've now replaced everything with better-quality components. I'll try to sell the old kit for $200 once I replace the tent.

My concern now is getting the plants out of the trellises to move them, and then ... back into trellises again? I may end up cutting the trellises.

 

[jguit]

Just cut the trellises.. I'd hate to have to do what you're doing. haha. I'd do everything possible to make it work.