The Quest For Trichomes (a Story Of Micro Cultivation)

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Monster762

Monster762

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Sorry I forget you're soiless. Yah @xenon730 is right about that. Even if you aren't organic neem or karanja oil is the best IPM. Contains 200 different natural limoids that all just absolutely destroy mites. It prevents molting, reproduction and pretty much having any instincts to live at all. It also causes them to vomit profusely.

I use a tsp of neem oil, 1/4 tsp of aloe powder and protekt as an emulsifier. I put this in a quart of warm water. Shake the hell out of it and shake every once and a while during application to keep the oil suspended. Not to be used on flowers. The plant can absorb the oil systemically and it lasts about 2 weeks.

Don't go cheap. The nature's choice is garbage and even bonide. Get dynagro or neem resource.

The neem tree comes from india. People would wonder why all the crops would get eaten by locusts but they didn't touch the neem tree. It has been used for over a century.
I used garden safe pure neem extract. I'm in soil but it did not hurt plant at all. 20-25 ml per gallon to drench roots. It kills everything but the plant. And is uptaken in the plant and deters pests I'm not saying you have bug issue n I've only ever dealt with soil but if it's doing crazy things that you can't explain I would suspect something at the roots. People here blast me about my encounter with gnats and or alphids but once I put that neem on their ass the first time my plants did a complete 180. I had dead plants. Way past where yours are. And now they are almost flawless. 3 ft indoors about 2 weeks in 12/12 now. I got the neem right at a Walmart for like $5. It won't hurt plants. Stinks a bit. But all organic too.
 
Organikz

Organikz

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So how's that working out for you?
Neem oil works awesome. I also top dress karanja cake once a month. You should use a pump sprayer with fine mist for good coverage. The aloe softens the leaves and helps with coverage.

Once I have buds I run spinosad via soil feeds.

Turn off the lights before applying!
The oil will leave burn spots on the leaves. It's good to turn fans off also to allow the polish to sit on the leaves as long as possible.
 
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Dutch Jon

Dutch Jon

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Neem oil works awesome. I also top dress karanja cake once a month. You should use a pump sprayer with fine mist for good coverage. The aloe softens the leaves and helps with coverage.

Once I have buds I run spinosad via soil feeds.

Turn off the lights before applying!
The oil will leave burn spots on the leaves. It's good to turn fans off also to allow the polish to sit on the leaves as long as possible.
"Neem oil works awesome. I also top dress karanja cake . ."
Thank you I should say I am using neem and karanja meal in the soil mix and top dress I also include bacillus thuringiensis israelensis very thoroughly 100% success to date, I was more asking how was your results I know you replied 'awesome' but I understand you were having some type of major bug problems so would you say your regime eradicate the situation or a good control?
 
SMACKA

SMACKA

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Cool. This is the first time I've considered pest management, so I've got some reading to do. Let me get my bearings on the subject and report back.

It's been 2 days since they each got 4L (1.1 gal) of nutes mixed to 595 ppm (12mL/L), then pH'd to 6.

I don't know if it's going to translate over to the photos, but the plants look a lot fuller, or like they're taking up a lot more room in the tent. Haven't noticed much growth specific, but it feels better.

Here they are, puffed up in the tent...


2017 08 05 112843



Here's the Purple Kush from above...

2017 08 05 112215



Purple Kush tops - some of the tops are still clawing, others look to be opening out. Pretty sure the clawing isn't caused by over-watering. Is this perhaps leftover from the nute def/lockout?

2017 08 05 112233



Another Purple Kush top - less hooking on a lot of the tops

2017 08 05 112242



Close up of the Purple Kush soil - needs another layer of soil ontop to to get those below the surface. I'll get on that today.

2017 08 05 112326



Here's the White Widow - tried to fix the colours but probably overdid it.

2017 08 05 112530



Here's a close up of White Widow top - They seem to be a little greener, but it's only been two days so I'm comfortable letting things pan out for a few days.

2017 08 05 112623



Here's the White Widow soil - not as much overgrowth here, but the roots are growing all the way up to the top of the soil.

2017 08 05 112731




Every day or two I'm plucking off dead leaves that look unable to provide any nutritional value. Am I fine to be pruning these leaves every day, or is it possible that's stressing the plants? I've looked for a definitive answer on that but never found one.

2017 08 05 112953
 
Monster762

Monster762

3,270
263
Neem oil works awesome. I also top dress karanja cake once a month. You should use a pump sprayer with fine mist for good coverage. The aloe softens the leaves and helps with coverage.

Once I have buds I run spinosad via soil feeds.

Turn off the lights before applying!
The oil will leave burn spots on the leaves. It's good to turn fans off also to allow the polish to sit on the leaves as long as possible.
I thought it might have been the light. The neem says right on it to use for foliar spray but when I sprayed soil it burnt bottom leaves. I was under 24 hr light in veg. I can see where the oil would magnify and burn that's why I didn't spray as foliar.
 
Organikz

Organikz

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263
Thank you I should say I am using neem and karanja meal in the soil mix and top dress I also include bacillus thuringiensis israelensis very thoroughly 100% success to date, I was more asking how was your results I know you replied 'awesome' but I understand you were having some type of major bug problems so would you say your regime eradicate the situation or a good control?
More of a preventative. My mite outbreak was misdiagnosed and happened 3 weeks after I stopped applying it
 
Organikz

Organikz

3,562
263
Thank you I should say I am using neem and karanja meal in the soil mix and top dress I also include bacillus thuringiensis israelensis very thoroughly 100% success to date, I was more asking how was your results I know you replied 'awesome' but I understand you were having some type of major bug problems so would you say your regime eradicate the situation or a good control?
Where do you source your bacillus? I may start working it in.
 
xenon730

xenon730

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93
Any clawing at the end means to dial back the n a little. Go to less next time. Youre giving vega right?
 
SMACKA

SMACKA

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Any clawing at the end means to dial back the n a little. Go to less next time. Youre giving vega right?

Yep, they're getting Terra Vega nutes. I'll drop the next feed's ppm down.

Those tips were hooking pre-flush when the buildup was in effect - would they have straightened out if the Nitrogen was in check, or is it possible those hooks are just the leftovers of the buildup?
 
xenon730

xenon730

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Yep, they're getting Terra Vega nutes. I'll drop the next feed's ppm down.

Those tips were hooking pre-flush when the buildup was in effect - would they have straightened out if the Nitrogen was in check, or is it possible those hooks are just the leftovers of the buildup?
They don't go back if they're on smaller leaves past the tips or if they cause the sides to curl under usually. Ignore that then. When they start to look too dark dial it back. Give the 600 if you want to again, theyre not maxed I'm just over thinking a little bit. I like vega.
 
SMACKA

SMACKA

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It's been 5 days since I upped the nutes from 1.5mL/L to 3mL/L

Since then they've had two feeds at that strength (600 ppm), and they appear to be turning around.


Here they are in the tent (White Widow on Left, Puple Kush on Right)

2017 08 09 130445





Here's the White Widow...

2017 08 09 130329





White Widow close up...

2017 08 09 130350





Purple Kush from above...

2017 08 09 130230





Purple Kush close up...

2017 08 09 130243


Things I'm noticing:
  • Plants are taking up a lot more room
  • Purpling stems/veins seem to be disappearing
  • Leaves are turning a darker shade of green
Things I changed:
  • New pH pen, calibrated every feed
  • Flushed 24L through each of water pH'd to 6
  • Bumped nutes from 1.5mL/L to 3mL/L (~600 ppm)
  • pH'ing to 6
  • 1 gal into each 2 gal pot - tons of run off

What's next? Should I continue feeding at 600ppm, or should I give them plain water for their next feed?
 
xenon730

xenon730

630
93
It's been 5 days since I upped the nutes from 1.5mL/L to 3mL/L

Since then they've had two feeds at that strength (600 ppm), and they appear to be turning around.


Here they are in the tent (White Widow on Left, Puple Kush on Right)

View attachment 728138




Here's the White Widow...

View attachment 728140




White Widow close up...

View attachment 728139




Purple Kush from above...

View attachment 728142




Purple Kush close up...

View attachment 728141

Things I'm noticing:
  • Plants are taking up a lot more room
  • Purpling stems/veins seem to be disappearing
  • Leaves are turning a darker shade of green
Things I changed:
  • New pH pen, calibrated every feed
  • Flushed 24L through each of water pH'd to 6
  • Bumped nutes from 1.5mL/L to 3mL/L (~600 ppm)
  • pH'ing to 6
  • 1 gal into each 2 gal pot - tons of run off

What's next? Should I continue feeding at 600ppm, or should I give them plain water for their next feed?
I prefer to feed regularly. If youre worried you're giving too much, run a lower ppm with less vega or just mix as regular and dilute until whatever ppm you want. Terra nutrients are made to be fed regularly. I'm really glad these are turning around for you. Once you think they stable, flower them girls.
 
SMACKA

SMACKA

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28
Here's the difference a week makes after bumping up nutes...


Before/After

Before after 1wk
 
xenon730

xenon730

630
93
Here's the difference a week makes after bumping up nutes...


Before/After

View attachment 728151
Very nice. Just don't get ahead of yourself and overfeed now. people tend to over correct, much like driving. If they're coming back steadily, they don't need more to go faster. You gonna flip them soon?
 
SMACKA

SMACKA

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28
Very nice. Just don't get ahead of yourself and overfeed now. people tend to over correct, much like driving. If they're coming back steadily, they don't need more to go faster. You gonna flip them soon?

Totally! Learned my lesson on over-correcting when I put a golf cart in the pond at 14 ;)

I'd like to flip them, but as your last post said, want to ensure they're stable... and... one week of good growth doesn't exactly scream stability lol.

There are spots that look waxy, so for the next feed I'll dial back nutes to 500 ppm and see how things progress. With a bit of luck they should be ready in another few days (week max), then we're into uncharted territory... ;)
 
xenon730

xenon730

630
93
Totally! Learned my lesson on over-correcting when I put a golf cart in the pond at 14 ;)

I'd like to flip them, but as your last post said, want to ensure they're stable... and... one week of good growth doesn't exactly scream stability lol.

There are spots that look waxy, so for the next feed I'll dial back nutes to 500 ppm and see how things progress. With a bit of luck they should be ready in another few days (week max), then we're into uncharted territory... ;)
I tend to give 2 weeks to gauge a recovery and that seems like what youre going to do. Sometimes i just do it though. They still have weeks of veg at flip so if I'm really confident i fixed the problem ill just flip them. I dont think you should do that and it prevents learning, just wanted to explain the life cycle a little bit with an example.
 
SMACKA

SMACKA

119
28
I tend to give 2 weeks to gauge a recovery and that seems like what youre going to do. Sometimes i just do it though. They still have weeks of veg at flip so if I'm really confident i fixed the problem ill just flip them. I dont think you should do that and it prevents learning, just wanted to explain the life cycle a little bit with an example.

Sounds like we're on the same page.

I think pH was the issue, misdiagnosed as nute burn when someone said I was "feeding them at twice their max strength!" and pointed me to a different feeding schedule.

pH issues continued, but then I'd added under-feeding to the list of issues... that continue for 2-3 months.

Then, at once, I bought a new pH pen, calibration liquid, pH down, and moved the thread here.

Fixed pH, flushed, and bumped nutes back to 595 ppm (~3mL/L) and now they seem to be turning around.

Let's see how the next few weeks look :)
 
SMACKA

SMACKA

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28
Took a few days off to hang out at the lake. Gave the girls a couple litres of pH'd water before I left.

Just got home and (thankfully) the girls are still standing.

It's been exactly one week since I bumped up the nutes and what a difference 7 days can make. They look way better.


2017 08 13 145251


I don't want to overdo it, but will probably stick to mixing nutes to ~600ppm, as the leaves still look pale/lime green and the water I'm starting with is ~200ppm.

It's getting bushy in there, so I've got a couple big decisions coming up...
  1. First, I need clones...
  2. Second, I need to switch to flower...
  3. Third, I need to keep these girls alive for 8 days for the last week of August when I'm out of town.

I'm deciding whether it makes more sense to plugin some auto-dripping spikes...
Drip spikes





Or a larger tray and a bottle that auto waters:

 
SMACKA

SMACKA

119
28
It's been another 5 days. This weekendL
  • I'll take 4 clones from each
  • Tie them down
  • Switch them to 12/12

Here's the state of veg...

2017 08 17 120143



The PK's leaves (right) are still hooking down - any idea what this is? It's not over-watering, and shouldn't be any type of lockout as the flush should've corrected that, and I'm putting plenty of water through per feed.

The WW leaves are still yellowing on the bottom, and lime green - does she need more nutes? They're being fed around 600ppm.
 
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