Newbie with small buds outside

[brownie74]

Hi guys, first time grower here in the southern Mediterranean, where we are getting into winter. Still we have 20 degrees some days. I’ve been growing skunk kush since mid-July. It’s outside in plant pots. Issue seems to be that the buds are taking very long to develop. The leaves are starting to die. I attach a photo to show what the buds look like. I am watering daily (about 2 shot glasses into my 25L pots), I am using nutrients supplies from a head shop.

Is it due to lack of light that they are growing so slow? Both plants about 60cm tall. Last couple of weeks I’ve had them in a dark bedroom at night for 12 hours. A little improvement on buds perhaps. But looking at them they seem to me to be a long way from what I know to be useable buds.

Any advice on what I’m doing wrong? Do I need to bring them inside and use lamps? Maybe I started too late in the summer?

 

[Goodshit97]

I am watering daily (about 2 shot glasses into my 25L pots),

Say what? Thats like a 6 gallon pot i think? Should be watering a gallon at a time then wait til it dries up.

 

[brownie74]

But when I put enough water in for it to come out the bottom , the leaves started curling - so I figured it was too much

So I’m underwatering the guys? Damn!

 

[brownie74]

I’m going to increase the water a bit each time I water them

 

[Goodshit97]

But when I put enough water in for it to come out the bottom , the leaves started curling - so I figured it was too much

So I’m underwatering the guys? Damn!

What are you growing them in? Soil? It looks pretty compact, cannabis likes a nice even balanced soil, with plenty of aeration and drainage, like perlite, pumice, vermiculite, or similar.

 

[brownie74]

Yes you’re right. I think it’s too dense and holding the water. I think that’s why I can’t water them properly

I pushed holes in the soil with a pencil to try increase drainage. Didn’t help.

What can I do? I can’t add perlite now.

Repot them in a soil/perlite mix?

 

[Goodshit97]

Yes you’re right. I think it’s too dense and holding the water. I think that’s why I can’t water them properly

I pushed holes in the soil with a pencil to try increase drainage. Didn’t help.

What can I do? I can’t add perlite now.

Repot them in a soil/perlite mix?

No. I wouldnt transplant them in flower, i think itll make more problems for you. Are those pots plastic or clay?

 

[brownie74]

They are plastic pots

You’re almost certainly right , the soil is too dense , next year I’ll mix perlite

 

[Goodshit97]

They are plastic pots

You’re almost certainly right , the soil is too dense , next year I’ll mix perlite

What soil are you using?

Do you have a drill and drillbit?

Id put some holes all over that pot to let air in and excess water drain out.

 

[brownie74]

A generic soil I bought that is used for growing flowers. I don’t read Italian so I can’t tell you more

I have a drill. How many holes and how deep? I will do this tomorrow

 

[Goodshit97]

A generic soil I bought that is used for growing flowers. I don’t read Italian so I can’t tell you more

I have a drill. How many holes and how deep? I will do this tomorrow

Ahhh gotcha lol.

As many as you see fit, just dont go with anything large. Personally i would put a piece of tape on the drillbit, just far enough down to keep the bit from digging out soil/roots, then go in just til you hit the tape.

 

[brownie74]

Gotcha. I wonder if there’s some way I can work out where the roots have gone to

But generally I need to drill in a few inches right? I mean , it’s not a matter of just creating holes in the pot? I need to make a channel in the soil too, right?

 

[Goodshit97]

Gotcha. I wonder if there’s some way I can work out where the roots have gone to

But generally I need to drill in a few inches right? I mean , it’s not a matter of just creating holes in the pot? I need to make a channel in the soil too, right?

No need to go much deeper than the thickness of the pot. When you water, those "channels" will fill right back up with soil.

 

[brownie74]

Gotcha. Thanks a lot. I’ll give it a try

 

[brownie74]

So once I’ve drilled these holes, should I start increasing the water volume?

 

[Goodshit97]

So once I’ve drilled these holes, should I start increasing the water volume?

I would start with a half gallon or 2 liters if thats how you measure. I know USA always gotta be different.

Sorry for delayed response, never hit post. Lol.

 

[TSD]

Yeah you need to water to saturate then let them dry almost completely in between. They might need more light, I'm not familiar with the Mediterranean climate, how many hours of light are they getting? What are you feeding them? They look very dark green with burnt leaf tips, which is usually a sign of too much nitrogen... that could be on account of the soil you used containing slow release N... which we don't want for weed .... flower soil usually has slow release nutes.

 

[brownie74]

OK, im going to drill both plants tomorrow. Then i will wait a couple of days to let them dry from todays watering, then i will put 2L into one of them and maintain my current watering schedule on the other. Lets see what happens.

 

[brownie74]

Yeah you need to water to saturate then let them dry almost completely in between. They might need more light, I'm not familiar with the Mediterranean climate, how many hours of light are they getting? What are you feeding them? They look very dark green with burnt leaf tips, which is usually a sign of too much nitrogen... that could be on account of the soil you used containing slow release N... which we don't want for weed .... flower soil usually has slow release nutes.

Currently they are getting about 10 hours of decent day light, but not summer sun. About 20 degrees C. Enough to tan light skin.

 

[brownie74]

Yeah you need to water to saturate then let them dry almost completely in between. They might need more light, I'm not familiar with the Mediterranean climate, how many hours of light are they getting? What are you feeding them? They look very dark green with burnt leaf tips, which is usually a sign of too much nitrogen... that could be on account of the soil you used containing slow release N... which we don't want for weed .... flower soil usually has slow release nutes.

I've tried watering a lot before and it didnt help. I think the soil is too dense. But i will try again after drilling holes.