Help!! Newbie with a few questions! Help is so so appreciated

[Cancerbites]

Posted on auto flowering site too:
Seed: blackberry kush and green crack
Light 1000w KINGLED
Tent grow
Lights 22 inches from plants
Schedule is 14/10
plants in tent (one of each)
Soil: organic
Nutrients: bag guano and organic bloom nutrients
Started 4 weeks ago from seed

Problem/Question
New to this (which is why I ordered those seeds together instead of doing my research and learning you should grow the same stain together. Lesson learned). Anyway I started them about 4 weeks ago... my BB is growing but looks so.... sparse (not enough leaves). But is already flowering!!!!! However the leaves are curling and I don’t know if that’s normal. I’m actually really surprised it flowered so early!!! Does the plant look ok? With the leaves and leaf tip? (Has that white spot on the end) I transplanted them about 3 days ago from cups into pots. My other plant is not curling.
The GC is looking nice and plush but I’m not seeing much flower (I’m not in any hurry). How does it look? They were both started at the exact same time but one is soooo much taller? Advice my peeps? Below are pics!
1 is the Tent set up
2 is the BB kush
3 is the GC
4 is the leaves curling


How do they look? This is my first time and I’m super excited about growing my own medicine (currently fighting cancer). So ANY and ALL help/advice is so appreciated!!! Thanks guys
P.S. once I get how it’s done I will increase my number . I just didn’t want to start (and possibly kill) too many my first go.

 

[az2000]

How do you water the plants? The soil looks dry in some areas, wet in others. If you're giving it sips of water around the stalk, I suggest drenching the soil (enough for some runoff, to ensure there are no dry pockets), and let it dry thoroughly before watering again. It's common for new growers to treat cannabis like a houseplant, and give it sip every day. They usually keep the soil too wet. I don't see that in your plants. But, it's possible the soil has dry pockets. Cannabis likes complete wet/dry cycles. I judge how dry the soil is by lifting the container. It should feel very light (without reaching the point the leaves wilt. If you reach that point it's not bad. The leaves bounce back 20 minutes after watering.).

I don't know anything about your light. But, I think it's too high. It's only 185w (the "1000w" model name is just marketing."). 185w isn't bad. It should cover about 3sq ft. Maybe 4. I'd probably have it 12" from the canopy. The diodes are mounted on a white backboard. It might be able to be closer. If they were mounted in reflectors, I'd be concerned about being too close. (I haven't used LED lights like this in 4-5 years. Maybe they've changed and 12" wouldn't be good.).

 

[Cancerbites]

Yes I did water it last night around the stalk (newbie error). Will wait a few days and water entire pot. Was so concerned I was overwatering (due to curling leaves)... so thank you for the advice!! Would you say the plants look normal and healthy? Especially the tall one (BB)?? Also is the white tip a sign of nutrient def? Or normal?? I appreciate your time in helping me along with the process!

 

[az2000]

They look good. For 4 weeks (and entering into flower) they might be small. But, that could be the strain. You said you just transplanted. Autos should be planted in the container they'll flower in. Because autos have a fixed schedule, it's better to minimize the stresses. With a regular photosensitive plant (one that requires switching the lights to 12/12 before it flowers), you can take a couple extra days vegging to recover from transplant shock.

IMO, autos aren't the best choice for a new grower. New growers seem to choose autos believing "automatic" means easy. But, new growers make mistakes -- and autos don't accomodate that. You can end up with smaller plants, lower yields.

Autos are fun to grow. I think it's because they have a bonsai appearance, and they do their own thing. Lots of people grow them indoors just because they like autos. Nothing wrong with that. But, IMO, the only (objective) reason to grow autos is outdoors to get 2-3 harvests while waiting for a photosensitive to flower in the fall. Autos don't grow as tall either, so they're good outdoors if security is a concern. Indoors, I think the only reason to grow autos is if space is limited (a 4' tall tent. Or a "micro grow" cabinet.).

You said you're running 14/10 lights. I think it's customary to grow autos at 16/8. The additional light will increase yield. (But, it's a tradeoff between expense and yield. That's why I think ordinary photosensitive makes more sense indoors in a full-size tent, with only 12/12.).

I've never grown with organic nutrients, amended soil, etc. I started with soilless (peat and perlite) using hydroponic nutrients. I switched to a very light soil (the same soilless medium, but 25% soil added) and soil fertiizer (more organic than hydroponic/synthetic nutrients). The way I grow, I feed each watering (like soilless). I can read my plants more directly (more cause and effect.). I have a better idea whether I'm under/over feeding because it's supplied more directly. In your case, it's increasingly possible your soil's nutrients are depleted (but, probably not since you just transplanted, and that new soil probably has fresh nutrients). People who grow the way you are typically make "teas" and water with that. I don't know much about it. It has something to do with bubbling water with a cheese cloth bundle of bat guano, and other things. Your plants might benefit from that. But, you'd have to look into it more. I could be wrong.

You said you'd wait to water again. It's good that you're mindful of the common problem of watering too frequently (keeping the roots too wet, too long). But, if you watered around the stalk and it's possible the soil is dry in other areas, it may be better to give it a drench now. I suppose the water (from around the stalk) will follow the roots. But, it might not be bad if the soil is unevenly wet to make it even, and then wait for it to be dry.

 

[PlumberSoCal]

They look good. For 4 weeks (and entering into flower) they might be small. But, that could be the strain. You said you just transplanted. Autos should be planted in the container they'll flower in. Because autos have a fixed schedule, it's better to minimize the stresses. With a regular photosensitive plant (one that requires switching the lights to 12/12 before it flowers), you can take a couple extra days vegging to recover from transplant shock.

IMO, autos aren't the best choice for a new grower. New growers seem to choose autos believing "automatic" means easy. But, new growers make mistakes -- and autos don't accomodate that. You can end up with smaller plants, lower yields.

Autos are fun to grow. I think it's because they have a bonsai appearance, and they do their own thing. Lots of people grow them indoors just because they like autos. Nothing wrong with that. But, IMO, the only (objective) reason to grow autos is outdoors to get 2-3 harvests while waiting for a photosensitive to flower in the fall. Autos don't grow as tall either, so they're good outdoors if security is a concern. Indoors, I think the only reason to grow autos is if space is limited (a 4' tall tent. Or a "micro grow" cabinet.).

You said you're running 14/10 lights. I think it's customary to grow autos at 16/8. The additional light will increase yield. (But, it's a tradeoff between expense and yield. That's why I think ordinary photosensitive makes more sense indoors in a full-size tent, with only 12/12.).

I've never grown with organic nutrients, amended soil, etc. I started with soilless (peat and perlite) using hydroponic nutrients. I switched to a very light soil (the same soilless medium, but 25% soil added) and soil fertiizer (more organic than hydroponic/synthetic nutrients). The way I grow, I feed each watering (like soilless). I can read my plants more directly (more cause and effect.). I have a better idea whether I'm under/over feeding because it's supplied more directly. In your case, it's increasingly possible your soil's nutrients are depleted (but, probably not since you just transplanted, and that new soil probably has fresh nutrients). People who grow the way you are typically make "teas" and water with that. I don't know much about it. It has something to do with bubbling water with a cheese cloth bundle of bat guano, and other things. Your plants might benefit from that. But, you'd have to look into it more. I could be wrong.

You said you'd wait to water again. It's good that you're mindful of the common problem of watering too frequently (keeping the roots too wet, too long). But, if you watered around the stalk and it's possible the soil is dry in other areas, it may be better to give it a drench now. I suppose the water (from around the stalk) will follow the roots. But, it might not be bad if the soil is unevenly wet to make it even, and then wait for it to be dry.

Dude, this right here is what makes this site so good. Awesome info. I haven't grown indoors in about 40 years but have learned more in just the past couple months then I've every wanted or needed to know about all the changes and improvements. If I didn't think my wife would kill me for spending hundreds on a light I'd consider giving it another go. Thank You!

 

[az2000]

If I didn't think my wife would kill me for spending hundreds on a light I'd consider giving it another go.

You can grow using ordinary household LED light bulbs (without going big into indoor growing):

I think it would be fun to grow one or two short plants in a 2x4 4' tall tent. Those are 8w (60w-equiv) lightbulbs. You need 15-20w/sq ft in veg. 20-30w/sq ft in flower (I'd be closer to 30 in late flower. But, I've flowered and had dense nuggets with just 18-22w/sq ft. <<link).

You can't see it in those photos, but the plastic diffusion globes are cut off. This makes the lightbulbs very directional. The LEDs are mounted on the base of the bulb, all facing the same direction. The reflectors don't help much (compared to an omnidirectional lightbulb). That's what makes these LED lightbulbs cheap to use. It's strong, direct light. (One downside is that you need to power these through a GFCI outlet. With the globe removed, there usually are electrical surfaces exposed. The ground-fault outlet will protect against electrocution. I think it would be hard to touch a surface, especially with it recessed inside a reflector like that. The little LED squares are extremely hot. You'll feel that before any shock. But, still... there is a hazard.).

I document how to make those tent-leg socket holders, and some other info here. (<<link). Maybe talk the wife into having one "houseplant" as a hobby, a cheap grow. (The photos above show a plant I grew with MiracleGro "Tomato." That's super cheap. 5/8tsp per gal. I couldn't make it burn when I fed twice that amount. But, did get N toxicity. That was in a 2gal container. The "saucer" is a bucket I cut down. I sometimes water for 20% runoff. Ordinary saucers are too shallow for me. The OP probably wouldn't water for that much runoff. I think organic growers try to keep the nutrients in the soil. Just a little runoff.). A 2x2 tent, with one plant. A 5' tall tent would let you grow a bit larger. But, a 4' tall is fine. Grow an auto strain. I've used a 3gal pot in that 4' tall tent (shown). It gets a little cramped. I have to do some LST'ing in flower. A 2gal container would help keep it properly sized. (I harvested 220g dried from a Northern Storm auto grown in a 3gal container in half that 4x2 4' tall tent.).

Like I said to the OP, I don't think autos are optimal for indoor growing (except when space is limited). But, they're fun to grow. You spend more on lighting than you need to. But, with lightbulbs at 20-30w/sq ft... it's not bad. You'd run 40-50w/sq ft with a more top-down (traditional) light in a 7' tall tent. You'll run the auto lighting 16/8. But, you'll use fewer watts. So, it's a wash. (I think having the light spread around the plant creates an efficiency you don't get with single-point top-down light.).

Anyway, your wife might find that to be a fun, inexpensive hobby. Start small in a 1gal container and just 3-4 lightbulbs. Scale up as you decide you like doing that.

I haven't looked at the lightbulbs being sold (for the past 3-4 years). I'm just starting to revisit that topic. I notice many PAR-38 (and 30, 20; BR-30) floodlights made of plastic. Back when I got into this, they were all glass. I liked one glass floodlight. But, it's not made anymore. (You wouldn't use it in a small space like that anyway. Too intense.). I'm thinking the new plastic ones might be good. Cut the lens off. They already come in a reflector. Some of them are small and lower-watt (like the PAR-20 or BR-30). They might be suitable for a small space like the above. I'm preparing to look at that topic more closely (measure the light output, compare it to globeless-reflected "lightbulbs").

Apologies to the OP for going off topic. However, lightbulbs like this can be useful for sidelighting (supplementing) in late flower.

 

[PlumberSoCal]

You can grow using ordinary household LED light bulbs (without going big into indoor growing):

View attachment 883655

View attachment 883656

I think it would be fun to grow one or two short plants in a 2x4 4' tall tent. Those are 8w (60w-equiv) lightbulbs. You need 15-20w/sq ft in veg. 20-30w/sq ft in flower (I'd be closer to 30 in late flower. But, I've flowered and had dense nuggets with just 18-22w/sq ft.).

You can't see it in those photos, but the plastic diffusion globes are cut off. This makes the lightbulbs very directional. The LEDs are mounted on the base of the bulb, all facing the same direction. The reflectors don't help much (compared to an omnidirectional lightbulb). That's what makes these LED lightbulbs cheap to use. It's strong, direct light. (One downside is that you need to power these through a GFCI outlet. With the globe removed, there usually are electrical surfaces exposed. The ground-fault outlet will protect against electrocution. I think it would be hard to touch a surface, especially with it recessed inside a reflector like that. The little LED squares are extremely hot. You'll feel that before any shock. But, still... there is a hazard.).

I document how to make those tent-leg socket holders, and some other info here. (<<link). Maybe talk the wife into having one "houseplant" as a hobby, a cheap grow. (The photos above show a plant I grew with MiracleGro "Tomato." That's super cheap. 5/8tsp/gal. I couldn't make it burn when I fed twice that amount. But, did get N toxicity. That was in a 2gal container. The "saucer" is a bucket I cut down. I sometimes water for 20% runoff. Ordinary saucers are too shallow for me. The OP probably wouldn't water for much runoff. I think organic growers try to keep the nutrients in the soil. Just a little runoff.). A 2x2 tent, with one plant. A 5' tall tent would let you grow a bit larger. But, a 4' tall is fine. Grow an auto strain. I've used a 3gal pot in that 4' tall tent (shown). It gets a little cramped. I have to do some LST'ing in flower. A 2gal container would help keep it properly sized. (I harvested 220g dried from a Northern Storm auto grown in a 3gal container in half that 4x2 4' tall tent.).

Like I said to the OP, I don't think autos are optimal for indoor growing (except when space is limited). But, they're fun to grow. You spend more on lighting than you need to. But, with lightbulbs at 20-30w/sq ft... it's not bad. You could run 40w/sq ft with a more top-down (traditional) light in a 7' tall tent. You'll run the auto lighting 16/8. But, you'll use fewer watts. So, it's a wash. (I think having the light spread around the plant creates an efficiency you don't get with single-point top-down light.

Anyway, your wife might find that to be a fun, inexpensive hobby. Start small in a 1gal container and just 3-4 lightbulbs. Scale up as you decide you like doing that.

I haven't looked at the lightbulbs being sold (for the past 3-4 years). I'm just starting to revisit that topic. I notice many PAR-38 (an 30, 20; BR-30) floodlights made of plastic. Back when I got into this, they were all glass. I liked one glass floodlight. But, it's not made anymore. (You wouldn't use it in a small space like that anyway. Too intense.). I'm thinking the new plastic ones might be good. Cut the lens off. They already come in a reflector. Some of them are small and lower-watt (like the PAR-20 or BR-30). They might be suitable for a small space like the above. I'm preparing to look at that topic more closely (measure the light output, compare it to globeless-reflected "lightbulbs").

Apologies to the OP for going off topic. However, lightbulbs like this can be useful for sidelighting (supplementing) in late flower.

I had two 250 watt MH's and several 4' florescents along the wall. Sure wish I still had pics. Grew some good bag seed plants back in the day but returned to soil as the expense of lighting and A/C was killing me.

I've read about cutting off the defusers, haven't tried yet. I did try to veg clones under standard LED's a few months ago when our weather was horrible. Didn't work well.

I don't know, maybe I'll set up a grow this winter in the garage but I have so many project's going as it is.

I plan on my first coco grow next month in a greenhouse with supplemental solar LED's to extend the light period then moving them to another greenhouse to allow them to flower. I'd like a monthly harvest and not have to purchase unless there's something I really wanna try.

 

[az2000]

I'd like a monthly harvest and not have to purchase unless there's something I really wanna try.

I had an idea of growing autos in a 4x4 tent. Add a seedling every 2 weeks. Autos are usually harvested after 11-12 weeks. But, I usually went 12-13 weeks. In which case I would have 6-7 plants in the tent. Every two weeks: chop one down as I add a new seedling. Rotate one in as I take one out. (Sit the juvenile plants on something so the canopy is fairly even).

I thought that would be more pleasant than the mind-numbing (boom/bust) of drying/trimming 4-5 photosensitive plants at the same time. It would also be a great way to get a lot of experience, trying different things. Instead of waiting 3 months to try something different, I thought I could try something different every 2 weeks. (That could create its own problems, keeping track of what's happening with each plant, and why. But, if someone were methodical, organized, document things very well... they could get 3 years experience in 6 months. Different soils, nutrients, strains.