HELP!! 1st timer grower swallowed by garden

[caregiverken]

six weeks into...

Can anyone tell me when to cut off nute feeding? Thanks!

Looking good!
They have 3 more weeks to go?..I think you can feed for at least one more week..
Are you feeding organic? in soil?

 

[Bannacis]

Good for you applepie, hope that helped some. to stop feeding is dependent on strain, if you have an 8 week flowering type then at about 6 weeks (2 weeks to finish) you can do a fush of clean water thru each plant.
so if you got a 2 gallon pot, you wanna put about 6 gallons thru it. do it in parts, run a few gallons in let it set so it can soak though out the medium and to soak up left over nutes. then pour in rest. be sure to dump run off, you don't want them to suck it back into pot. then you will just give them plain water (don't have to ph adjust it) when they need it. you should get some yellowing on some of the older leaves as they start to ripen.
This is very labor intensive and takes a lot of time considering the amount you have. hooboy!
But your final product will be a lot better for it. clean burning and sweet taste.

(Edited update) I had to go back to your earlier posts...ooops see that your hydro, that would make flushing easier, just run your water with the rate I mentioned. and disregard the perlite I mentio coming up..lol sorry

Some peeps will say to add a little molasses to water to give it some carbs to feed off and to help sweeten them up. But IMO that's just not necessary. plus molasses has magnesium in it and that can leave a harsh taste and is what you sometime see in smoke that has a crackle to it when it burns. used to be the consensus that it was the left over nitrogen, not so.
I always added extra perlite to my medium so the water drained fast, you had to water more often, but a faster flush in the end was more favorable to me. So think of stuff like that for your next run...anything to make it simpler for you...and easier on your back...lol

just watch your heat and keep your humidity low or your buds could get mold. around 50% or lower if u can.
add more fans maybe.... good luck pie. doing good!

 

[applepie]

Looking good!
They have 3 more weeks to go?..I think you can feed for at least one more week..
Are you feeding organic? in soil?

Yes Ken, I have another 3 weeks to go but the leaves are turning yellow and appear to be shrinking in width. Is that a big problem and do you know how to correct it?

 

[applepie]

then you will just give them plain water (don't have to ph adjust it)

Really Bannacis? I don't have to PH water for the entire 2 wks? can you be so kind to explain why? Thanks in advance!

 

[caregiverken]

Sorry I dont know much about Hydro.
But, Older leaves will turn yellow on healthy plants in the last few weeks:)

 

[Bannacis]

Really Bannacis? I don't have to PH water for the entire 2 wks? can you be so kind to explain why? Thanks in advance!

The reason you shouldn't have to adjust ph is since you are flushing out any build up nutrients and adding plain water, your water doesn't have to be ph'ed for nutrient uptake. so fresh clean water is all you need. that is mainly for soil. you want all nutrients out of soil so no uptake is happening.
But on the other hand (argument) is that with hydro, since there is no medium per say (clay pebbles) and the only nutrients are in the plant itself, some say you need to ph the water so the roots can transfer the nutrients out of the plant. I myself think that you only need to have the ph ranged for nutrient uptake not for release...I don't think nutrients leave out the roots.
the plant will use any nutrients it needs that are left in the plant, that's why you get yellowing.
What you want is for your plants that flower (kinda like a fruit) to ripen up, you will have leaves start to turn yellow, usually the big suckers first. that's the plant drawing nutrients that are still in the leaves (so those leaves will yellow and die) that is a good thing....only in the final stages of flowering!!! also with hydro...some say you don't have to flush for 2 weeks before harvest because of no medium to hold nutrients.some say only a week...but I think 2 weeks allows the plant enough time to use up as much as any extra nutes in its system.

As for your early yellowing and leaf width shrinking... What are your temps and humidity. try to get a temp reading at top of plants. are all plants doing this? the shrinkage of leaf is it like curling under?
I seen in the big close up some leaf tip burn and curl, that can be caused by over nutrients or a lock out. and heat maybe?
How often do you change your water in your reservoir during the flowering period? and your water temps?
how many gallons is tank? prolly should change water every 2 weeks and before you run it to your plants, if its cold, let it warm up or you could shock your plants.
you want you your water temps about 70-75 degrees, to high and root rot can set in.

You can go to Google.com and ask a question and you can get some decent answers. don't make the question to wordy, sometimes just putting in subjects like " hydro water temps" it will auto fill in different suggestions.
Read different articles and find common answers. but take caution not all is correct, so be selective.
Or like the forum here...there's a bunch of good knowledgeable peeps. or message me directly and I will be more than happy to do my best to find an answer for you.

I'm a Soil/soilless grower, cause its more forgiving, less prone for mistakes. I grow organically... better overall quality buds. but not as automatic (watering) and usually hydro you have faster growth and sometimes a shorter flowering period (about a week) sometimes!!!
hope this helps some...sorry for such long rant...lol :woot:

 

[Max Frost]

Really Bannacis? I don't have to PH water for the entire 2 wks? can you be so kind to explain why? Thanks in advance!

The reason pH is not important at that point is because your plants are basically done feeding. You're no longer concerned with the pH range because the uptake of nutrients is no longer happening. The reason pH is so important in the first place is because nutrients are only available to the plant within a certain pH range. Above and below this range, nutrients become "locked out" and unavailable to the plant. Since you're flushing now, and only giving plain water, the pH does not matter. ALSO...the chemicals in the pH up and down can also affect the flavor of your bud. It's best if they are not even present and in your plant's system. Hope that is helpful. By the way Apple Pie...you've done a terrific job! Congratulations!

Best,

Max :wacky:

EDIT: What? That wasn't here when I started! Haha. Well, I'll leave this up anyway!

 

[Bannacis]

same here..lol Max said it right....just not as winded as I was.:p

 

[applepie]

Thanks Max & Bannacis for being so helpful! Btw, I have 11 more days until the 9 wk mark, do I start to flush now? Do I need to add molasses and if so, 1 tsp per gal? Thanks!!!!

 

[Max Frost]

Thanks Max & Bannacis for being so helpful! Btw, I have 11 more days until the 9 wk mark, do I start to flush now? Do I need to add molasses and if so, 1 tsp per gal? Thanks!!!!

Hi Apple Pie,

Well, it's really strain-dependent! If you know anyone who has grown the strain out, it would be helpful to ask them what their experience was. In the end though, it comes down to the plant telling you when it's ready. The way I do it, is to watch the tricomes (resin glands) to tell me what stage of maturity the plant is at. Here's a link to a post that will explain it MUCH better than I ever could...



I hope that helps you understand this method. IMO, it's the best way to know.

If the picture above is recent, IMO, you may have more than 3 weeks to go. I went back and looked to see what strains you were running, then I Googled the NYC Diesel, and found that the flowering time on it can be over 12 weeks. On the GSC, I saw reported finish times of from 9 to 11 weeks.



To view the tricomes, you'll need a scope. With the set-up you've got, I'd be surprised if your husband doesn't already have one. However, this is the kind of scope you'll need:



They're not expensive, and are an invaluable aid in the grow-room at harvest time especially! Hope this is helpful, and I wish you the best of luck! Again..congrats on a SUPER job!

Oh yes....and as for the molasses...you can use it at that rate and be fine. I sometimes go as high as 1 TBSP in flower.

Best,

Max :wacky:

 

[applepie]

Hi Apple Pie,

Well, it's really strain-dependent! If you know anyone who has grown the strain out, it would be helpful to ask them what their experience was. In the end though, it comes down to the plant telling you when it's ready. The way I do it, is to watch the tricomes (resin glands) to tell me what stage of maturity the plant is at. Here's a link to a post that will explain it MUCH better than I ever could...



I hope that helps you understand this method. IMO, it's the best way to know.

If the picture above is recent, IMO, you may have more than 3 weeks to go. I went back and looked to see what strains you were running, then I Googled the NYC Diesel, and found that the flowering time on it can be over 12 weeks. On the GSC, I saw reported finish times of from 9 to 11 weeks.



To view the tricomes, you'll need a scope. With the set-up you've got, I'd be surprised if your husband doesn't already have one. However, this is the kind of scope you'll need:



They're not expensive, and are an invaluable aid in the grow-room at harvest time especially! Hope this is helpful, and I wish you the best of luck! Again..congrats on a SUPER job!

Oh yes....and as for the molasses...you can use it at that rate and be fine. I sometimes go as high as 1 TBSP in flower.

Best,

Max :wacky:

how do I give trophie?

 

[FruitOfTheLabor]

id stop the nutes wen u see the buds start swelling and the pistils are mainly changing from white to orange/brownish..

if u can get a microscope 60-100X and check ur trichs.. ill usualy start flushing 14 days before harvest.. but u will only REALLY Know wen to start flushing after uve ran the strain.. or some1 gave u the strain says it goes however many days..

say the breeder says 7-10 weeks right.. well off the bat.. I would say start counting the days of flower wen u see the plant stop stretching and start to bud/crest. then go off there 7-10 weeks.. every time ive ever harvested early. I end up getting a wayyy less harvest.. and less potent buds. this is why the microscope is soo important. u can get at radio shack for 12-15 bucks.. its a cheapo crap one. but it works.. or.. hydrostore or website.. pay 25 and get a great one..

u will not regret spending the money.. it will help every single grow. especially if u want to run more then 1 strain at a time.

 

[cctt]

As has been mentioned already in this thread, many of these factors are highly strain dependent. I've grown Sour Diesel several times before and let me tell you what I've learned about it.

• It stretches a lot. Looks like you already know this by now. After you get used to that you'll learn to deal with it ahead of time. I actually like the stretch because it allows me to flip smaller plants and let them finish filling out the space in flower.
• It likes low EC. Sharing a res with other strains they'll be doing fine while it burns, or it'll be doing fine while they beg for more. If you haven't been keeping it low, you may want to spend more time flushing.
• It can handle heat! This makes it great for summertime or in an environment you otherwise might have a hard time cooling.
• It's best when flowered for at least 10 weeks. I did mine last for 11 and it turned out very well.
• It doesn't like being pushed too hard late in flower, otherwise it is highly prone to foxtailing. If you don't mind foxtails, go for it, but for a nicer look to the buds I recommend raising the lights and stopping any CO2 enrichment during the last several weeks.
• Flavor is fantastic! This is one my favorites and you picked a good place to start.

Hope this helps!

 

[applepie]

• It doesn't like being pushed too hard late in flower, otherwise it is highly prone to foxtailing. If you don't mind foxtails, go for it, but for a nicer look to the buds I recommend raising the lights and stopping any CO2 enrichment during the last several weeks.

Hope this helps!

May I ask you what us foxtailing?

 

[caregiverken]

May I ask you what us foxtailing?

I found these photos of "Foxtailing" on the web

 

[Reebs]

it's been 3 + weeks, did this room come down yet? i'm interested to know what came out of those monsters

 

[vaporedout]

probably still trimming/cutting down the forest. if ya need hands PM me :)

 

[applepie]

yes just cut down. will post pic and stats in a few

 

[BudLightyear]

You have a natural green thumb, looks like amazing work!

 

[applepie]

Hi! OMG it's soooo much work!! I thought it would be a breeze but noooo imo this part is the hardest! Anyways, just thought I share some stats <LOL - newbie talking stats!! lmao>...
It turns out that it didn't amount to that much. It was approx half gpw. but that's ok cuz A LOT has went wrong with humidity, water temp, etc and I might even have cut it too early.

Oh, if anyone wonders why there's banana hanging in the middle of the room, its because I read somewhere that ripe fruits for a few days help ripen flowers, but what do I know lol. I also put a small piece of green apple peel inside jar when curing due to over-drying (cuz I couldn't get to it fast enough lol)

Other updates: The hubby front is pretty content for the time being and my local dispensary is delighted cuz I've been donating a portion to them (4 jars so far).

Any inputs? scores? ratings, feedbacks, comments or tips from the experts?