New Grower. Need help please.

[GNick55]

Might be a good idea to do a light flush when your soil dries back a bit. Ffof has enough nutrients for about 5 weeks for autos. Just have to watch the leaves. They're definitely nitrogen toxic. Don't add any top dressing afterwards. When you do, do it sparingly. Ph 6,3 6.4. ffof is considered too hot for autos. Happy frog is less hot and good for 3 to 4 weeks with no added amendments. It's difficult to judge how much w.c, b,g or any top dressings to add. Save the recharge for much later. It's easier to use some liquid feed supplements. The fox farm trio is super easy to use and I've had some great results. Not growing in soil anymore. So I've switched nutrient lines.

no such thing as hot soil,..
and ph ing etc is not for soil and some soilless mixes..

 

[420autoflier]

Im

no such thing as hot soil,..
and ph ing etc is not for soil and some soilless mixes..

Ok, how about heavily amended. And are you saying don't ph your water for soil and some soiless mediums.

 

[GrowForMe85]

Post back in a few days so we can see if any better or worse, my educated guess is they'll be just fine.

Will do. In the meantime: Do you think I'm ok to turn the lights back up to 75%? RN they're at 50% @ 30" above canopy

 

[GNick55]

Im

Ok, how about heavily amended. And are you saying don't ph your water for soil and some soiless mediums.

i’ve never ph’d anything no clue what’s in my water no clue as to what ec is or ppm,.. you’ll find that most people with growing issues are ones that use all these tools in situations where they are not needed! it’s really just more bro science,..
if growing organic or with ph buffers than there’s absolutely no need to be adjusting the ph,..
it’s like light meters why? too many variables with growing to rely on “tools”
just learn to read plants through trial and error, you’ll learn lots more quickly,..

 

[PianoStan]

i’ve never ph’d anything no clue what’s in my water no clue as to what ec is or ppm,.. you’ll find that most people with growing issues are ones that use all these tools in situations where they are not needed! it’s really just more bro science,..
if growing organic or with ph buffers than there’s absolutely no need to be adjusting the ph,..
it’s like light meters why? too many variables with growing to rely on “tools”
just learn to read plants through trial and error, you’ll learn lots more quickly,..

Growing plants like it's an art form works for you, but for me, I never had a cactus survive for so much as 30 days under my care growing like that.

When I decide to grow my current plant, I read for 3 months before I started germinating this plant. And it was DEFINITELY information overload. I didn't need anywhere near that much history, geneaology, and/or evolution of the plant. But when I came at this grow like, "Alright you little chemical engine..." I've grown a monster. Every mistake made has been readily observable, and easily correctable. (Well not my failure to train it early on, but it's a mistake that I will never make again!) Daily pictures, and multiple daily journal entries have kept me on track. I expect that over time I will rely on these methods less and less, but I'm fairly certain I would have murdered this poor plant had I just taken a fly by the seat of my pants approach.

Here's what it looked like yesterday (5/13/24):

 

[GNick55]

Growing plants like it's an art form works for you, but for me, I never had a cactus survive for so much as 30 days under my care growing like that.

When I decide to grow my current plant, I read for 3 months before I started germinating this plant. And it was DEFINITELY information overload. I didn't need anywhere near that much history, geneaology, and/or evolution of the plant. But when I came at this grow like, "Alright you little chemical engine..." I've grown a monster. Every mistake made has been readily observable, and easily correctable. (Well not my failure to train it early on, but it's a mistake that I will never make again!) Daily pictures, and multiple daily journal entries have kept me on track. I expect that over time I will rely on these methods less and less, but I'm fairly certain I would have murdered this poor plant had I just taken a fly by the seat of my pants approach.

Here's what it looked like yesterday (5/13/24):
View attachment 2171069

hey i hear ya,. i should of mentioned,
guidance like from growers on this site etc are really beneficial to new growers as there’s sooo much experience with different growing methods here to help them in the right direction,.
i’ll take reliable experience anyday over internet/science/books..

 

[420autoflier]

Been growing for 10 + years. Started in soils, ffof, hf, g.o. lush and such. switched to coco and now stonewool. Been adjusting ph from the git go and I grow some Beastly auto flowers. Do what works for you but don't tell me I'm wrong. No such thing as hot soil?? Lol . For autos there is chief!!!

 

[GNick55]

Been growing for 10 + years. Started in soils, ffof, hf, g.o. lush and such. switched to coco and now stonewool. Been adjusting ph from the git go and I grow some Beastly auto flowers. Do what works for you but don't tell me I'm wrong. No such thing as hot soil?? Lol . For autos there is chief!!!

ok prove it,,

 

[cannafarmer420]

ok prove it,,

I think the misconception of hot soil is due to having partially processed compost literally creating too much heat in the root zone

 

[420autoflier]

Hot just means very heavily amended. Such as ffof. young auto flowers don't like all those nutrients right away which is why a lot of growers put a layer of ffof in the bottom of their pots and happy frog in top.. sheesh

 

[PianoStan]

hey i hear ya,. i should of mentioned,
guidance like from growers on this site etc are really beneficial to new growers as there’s sooo much experience with different growing methods here to help them in the right direction,.
i’ll take reliable experience anyday over internet/science/books..

Having been a nurse for over 30 years (and 13 years as a hobbyist musician), one thing that I have learned and had reinforced constantly, is that there is no one right way to teach/learn something. The way people digest information varies wildly. I learn far better from books, and structured analysis than I do from lectures. (My own paranoia and general distrust of other humans in action! lol) Other people struggle to take "book learning" and apply it to the real world. But practical experience comes more naturally to them.

That's what makes these forums great. Tons of experience with different techniques melding together. Just not so much from me, my understanding of the chemistry far outweighs my experience in the grow room.

 

[Mothman]

it’s like light meters why? too many variables with growing to rely on “tools”
just learn to read plants through trial and error, you’ll learn lots more quickly,..

Mmm, I dunno Nick. Not sure how that would work for someone like me. With my single grow a year, I’d probably be in the grave before trial and error gave me a quality grow. But using these tools:

• waterproof pH meter,
• AC Infinity controller, and
• Photone for lights

has helped me understand cause and effect in my plants. After 3 grows and a ton of research here and elsewhere, I’ve gotten more in sync with my plants and their needs and responses. But I still wouldn’t be comfortable growing without those 3 tools. Not yet anyway.

 

[GNick55]

Mmm, I dunno Nick. Not sure how that would work for someone like me. With my single grow a year, I’d probably be in the grave before trial and error gave me a quality grow. But using these tools:

• waterproof pH meter,
• AC Infinity controller, and
• Photone for lights

has helped me understand cause and effect in my plants. After 3 grows and a ton of research here and elsewhere, I’ve gotten more in sync with my plants and their needs and responses. But I still wouldn’t be comfortable growing without those 3 tools. Not yet anyway.
View attachment 2171175

looks great!
alright i take it back, haha

 

[GNick55]

Hot just means very heavily amended. Such as ffof. young auto flowers don't like all those nutrients right away which is why a lot of growers put a layer of ffof in the bottom of their pots and happy frog in top.. sheesh

seriously there is no such thing as hot soil..
so from what your saying you cannot plant autos in the ground outdoors?
not trying to stir the pot but hot soil is total nonsense any issues is the growers fault..

 

[PianoStan]

seriously there is no such thing as hot soil..
so from what your saying you cannot plant autos in the ground outdoors?
not trying to stir the pot but hot soil is total nonsense any issues is the growers fault..

But what exactly do you mean by "hot soil"?

"Hot" as in temperature wise? If so, I'm sure that I read about incorrectly prepared compost actually being too hot, and cooking the roots.

Or do you mean "hot" more like a "hot shot" of heroin? Because couldn't soil with too many nutrients, or in the wrong amounts, do more harm to the roots and plant metabolism than not?

I'm also not trying to stir the pot, but this is an interesting debate, even though I don't grow in soil.

 

[GNick55]

But what exactly do you mean by "hot soil"?

"Hot" as in temperature wise? If so, I'm sure that I read about incorrectly prepared compost actually being too hot, and cooking the roots.

Or do you mean "hot" more like a "hot shot" of heroin? Because couldn't soil with too many nutrients, or in the wrong amounts, do more harm to the roots and plant metabolism than not?

I'm also not trying to stir the pot, but this is an interesting debate, even though I don't grow in soil.

yes like fox farm soils, soils pre amended for growing..
saying they are too strong, haha

 

[PianoStan]

That's for hydro. 6.4 for soil.

I was just reading Ed Rosenthal's book 'Cannabis Grower's Handbook' and came across 2 things.

First was this:
"Slightly acidic soils with a pH range from 5.8-6.5 are regarded as cannabis friendly. The pH of the soil interacts with the soil's composition to affect nutrient solubility. Soils with a high percentage of organic matter contain nutrients that are soluble between pH levels of 5.0-6.5. Phosphorus, manganese, and boron are less soluble at pH values above 6.5."

It then went on to say that sour smelling compost has turned anaerobic, and should not be used.

It also suggests that growers looking to focus on organic growing should read Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis' book "Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web" for managing soils without chemicals.

 

[cannafarmer420]

Hot just means very heavily amended. Such as ffof. young auto flowers don't like all those nutrients right away which is why a lot of growers put a layer of ffof in the bottom of their pots and happy frog in top..

I grow for 2 weeks in a solo cup then they go in the ground or the final pot directly. Indoors and outdoors, never bothered mine. That's my anecdotal experience

 

[PooToe]

For my style, I like to incorporate both science and hard-earned experience. I've grown for over 30 yrs so I have plenty of anecdotal experience but some recent scientific facts that have come to my attention have put into question some of the "facts" that I had assumed were true through my anecdotal experience and advice from others.

I agree that growing can be done in a myriad of ways, but I like to use a more fact-based approach meaning science rather than rely completely on word of mouth. Having changed my style to accommodate more science has not only improved my yields but I can now steer my crops easier and keep them in growth mode rather than stunting them and having to get them back into growth mode wasting time and energy in the process.

One of the things I tell newbs when they're looking for grow advice is that the advice I'm giving them is to show them ONE way of doing it and that they should take what I'm telling them and try and mold it to their own style. I had a newb that loved the ScrOGs I'd grow and wanted to emulate that. I went ahead and took him under my wing and gave him advice. He killed both runs. The moment he stopped attempting ScrOG and ran a free grow he saw great success. Go figure.

 

[GrowForMe85]

Update: It's been three days since I heeded advice and havent watered them in 5-6 days now. I bought one of those cheap soil meters to tell me if the soil was moist. It's still reading at slightly moist at the bottom of the pot (I nearly drowned those poor girls!).

I also suspect that having the fabric pots just sitting on the floor of the tent is hurting airflow so I ordered some risers for them which will be here today.

They seem happy and I'm noticing proper amount of leaves on new growth. There's still some burning happening but it doesn't seem to be spreading and even the flower sites that were crispy are showing signs of new growth.

I have been using LST and I did top them 2 weeks ago. Having limited height is my reason for doing it. Last night I did a final bout of LST and a very light defoliation.

This is what they are looking like this afternoon before they take a short nap.