First indoor grow - delicious seeds selection

[olafthegreen]

So I'm going to retrospectively add some photos for my first grow and continue onward, tomorrow is week 4 of flowering.

Happy to receive comments, suggestions and improvements. Obviously being my first grow there's already plenty of small things I would have done slightly differently, all about the learning from this, so if you spot anything please let me know.

So growing in a 1.2m square 2m high bud box light tent
Coco with perlite I added at about 30%
Using canna nutes - I have A+B & got a 250ml of PK & bloom boost
600W HPS

First week of flowering I added another 250W HPS mainly because it was pretty cold at night.

Started seeds 13th March:

2 x Jagg Kush
2 x Delicious Candy
2 x Critical Jack Herrer
2 x Critical Kali Mist

Used paper towel method.

1 Jagg didn't pop, nor one of the Jack.

March 24th


April 8th


April 15th


Between this time I started doing some topping I fim'd 3 of the plants and LST 1 of these, another I did some very basic LST, and the other 2 I left. I knew this would be a pain later with different heights, but figured i could sort that with some props.

I though that I would like to see the differences in methods, in hindsight I should have topped one, but the Jagg Kush (which i left) already had split into 2 main stems so I was pretty sure that's how the topping method would result anyway, and i really wanted to see what would happen with that plant.

I did nothing with the Jack either, the plant was always a bit warped and twisted when young - I don't know why - roots?!, I didn't have high hopes for it, but later has kinda sorted itself out. It's not going to be a big yielder.

April 30th


One of these plants (a Kali Mist) was for somebody else to take and continue outside, but when they saw the size they changed their minds because it was going to be way too obvious at this point in their naked garden.

So I switched to 11h 45 light / 12h 15m darkness 3rd May & started adding boost to nutes - but only 1ml / plant per day or it's gunna be gone in no time. I've read that some find it effective and others pointless, so thought screw it, get a small one and use it totally not to their suggestions.

I found their nutes were way too strong all the way through if I did them at the suggested strength, so instead normally went for 3/4 of their suggestion. (for a+b). Is this common for manufacturers?

May 17th



May 23rd (pH pen had broken and I'd also read the canna chart wrong and given too many nutes) followed with a flush and reduced nutes for a few days.


May 26th - things were looking happier again


So far I'm happy with the way things are progressing. I will get some proper photos tonight of the current state of play. I'm toying with defoliating a little with some of the plants cos they are so dense.

 

[olafthegreen]

I've noticed that most of the photos are from when I've been asking for advice - ie a problem, not when they were at their most lush, let's try to correct that with one of the delicious candy from yesterday:

 

[olafthegreen]

Here we go day 30 of flowering.

Delicious candy


Critical jack


Critical kali mist


Jagg kush

 

[OldMedUser]

Frosting up nicely fairly early in the game so should be a decent crop.

 

[olafthegreen]

Frosting up nicely fairly early in the game so should be a decent crop.

That's music to my ears!

Only every done a few autos outdoors so really have no idea what to expect, or what I'm doing!

I love that there's so much information out there, it's just a shame there's so much misinformation to sift through as well.

 

[olafthegreen]

today is day 34 since switch. I started PK this week, seems to be boosting things along.

 

[SilentBob024]

Looking nice. I'll be staying tuned. Good job bud.

 

[olafthegreen]

Day 36 of flowering been giving PK.

 

[olafthegreen]

I know you’re all hanging on the edge of your seats so here’s day 40 of flower in actual technicolor!

 

[SilentBob024]

Looking good bud!

 

[olafthegreen]

Looking good bud!

Thanks Bob, starting to get excited now I can see how it's so easy to harvest too early.

From looking at other peoples journals and online I kinda get the feeling the furthest along plant (in the first 2 photos) is about 3 weeks away, but I have very little experience at this phase, all my previous grows were outside and chopping was dictated more by visitors &/ mould than my personal preference!

What do you recon?

 

[SilentBob024]

Thanks Bob, starting to get excited now I can see how it's so easy to harvest too early.

From looking at other peoples journals and online I kinda get the feeling the furthest along plant (in the first 2 photos) is about 3 weeks away, but I have very little experience at this phase, all my previous grows were outside and chopping was dictated more by visitors &/ mould than my personal preference!

What do you recon?

Grab a 10$ micro magnifying glass. Every hydro store sells them. What I look for is a good mix of crystals. I want almost all of them entirely cloudy. I want to see a couple clear ones but not to many at all. Clear ones make the buzz very rushy and all in your head so lol. But, my tell tale sign is the orange crystals. Once I see a good trickling of orange ones showing up all over many many buds then I chop. Once I see that I just shut lights off for two days and keep a couple fans going for sure. But also big time before you turn off the lights for 2-3 days make sure it's used up it's water in the pot. Don't want mould. Even a bit damp is no bueno. Go dry as you can before lights out. Chop in the dark as well. Everyone has their own take on it but that just works for me. Lol but guarantee there will be like 50 people who say different from that. It's all personal experience I suppose right. But you're doing great man. I just pulled two clones out of my cloner now and into cups. Pretty excited myself on that. Did a little experiment to see what seems to work better for future cloning. Glad I did that lol. Did the same with stress training as well. Like to various degrees to see if there was a difference quality wise and so on. Got so much info to go off of now. This run will be great and all but I think next one will be even better! Did you use pk at all for the last few weeks or anything special in that way? Any flower boosters aside from your average flower nutrients?

 

[olafthegreen]

Grab a 10$ micro magnifying glass

I've got a magnifier, I will try to get to the back to check the trichomes on that plant tonight. This morning it looks like the plants have gone into another stage of bud-making. There's new pistils growing over the top of the old ones, so there's obviously still some fattening up to go.

Any flower boosters aside from your average flower nutrients?

I have been running PK for the last 10 days, slowly decreasing the amounts down from 1.5ml / litre. We're down to about 0.8ml / litre now.

I used the canna boost at 1ml / litre for about 25 days after changing to flowering, but that's all gone now.

Did a little experiment to see what seems to work better for future cloning. Glad I did that lol. Did the same with stress training as well. Like to various degrees to see if there was a difference quality wise and so on. Got so much info to go off of now

I've learnt loads from all my experiments, it's been said so many times but experience is what makes us improve, so the more experiences the better!

Thanks for your help

 

[SilentBob024]

I've got a magnifier, I will try to get to the back to check the trichomes on that plant tonight. This morning it looks like the plants have gone into another stage of bud-making. There's new pistils growing over the top of the old ones, so there's obviously still some fattening up to go.



I have been running PK for the last 10 days, slowly decreasing the amounts down from 1.5ml / litre. We're down to about 0.8ml / litre now.

I used the canna boost at 1ml / litre for about 25 days after changing to flowering, but that's all gone now.



I've learnt loads from all my experiments, it's been said so many times but experience is what makes us improve, so the more experiences the better!

Thanks for your help

How far into flowering are you now currently? If you're getting a new boost of pistils everywhere, it may even be heat stress. I had three plants in my last grow that were overly sensitive to heat and humidity at all. It was a nightmare. The rest were fine but my fruitbowl, red dragon and a golden berry got affected. The rest of the strains were totally fine. So I had to increase air out and in to cool it off a bit. Oh well. Live and learn lol. I hope it's new growth you're getting and not heat stress like I had lol. Yeah canna boost is my fav boost product. Carbo logic is another one I use with it. When it's in full tilt for flowering, I'll do up a nutrient feed one day, then next feed instead of water, I give a little boost, but I also mix in full strength carbo logic. Works like a beast. That and I've tried using "the enhancer" which is like a co2 pop bottle you hang above the grow. I noticed between that and the carbo logic, there's a noticeable difference entirely. Won't not use them together now lol. You use a co2 product at all? Pop bottle is about as far as I'll go with co2 as I have bad luck and don't need an oopsie happening in the house lol.

 

[olafthegreen]

How far into flowering are you now currently?

Today is day 42 of flowering. Things haven't been very hot in there the last few days as its been a bit milder here, so I'm not sure it's that Temps have been around 26 and under - whereas for the previous month they were more like 28. They all seem to be just growing more and getting fatter, looks pretty natural. It's not just the tops.

Haven't looked into CO2 at all, just had a quick look for the enhancer. here it's like 50$ for a bottle? worth it?

 

[SilentBob024]

Well here's another option as 50$ is steep regardless. Yeah I'd say the difference is noticeable and worth using it. But... Counter point... I'm cheap so... Considering what it is exactly I just drilled a small hole in the cap of a 2L at home. Then went to the store and bought the enhancer refil packages lol. Way cheaper that way. Way cheaper. I just poured in the contents and then the 1L of warm water. I tied heavy duty fishing line really tight under the lip where the cap screws on. Shake it up and let it be. You'll know it's working when after you shake it you can feel pressure building up under your finger over the hole in the cap. Works... Like a bloody charm lol

 

[olafthegreen]

The recharge is half the price. I like your thinking!

 

[OldMedUser]

Those little CO2 bottles are next to useless unless you are keeping the air in the grow room. The second you turn on your exhaust fan or if it's running all the time you get zero benefit.

So unless you're going to build a sealed room setup you shouldn't even bother. Regular or constant air exchange will give the plants all the CO2 they will need.

Up until recently it was cool enough in my grow room that my exhaust fan wasn't coming on so I'll burn an alcohol lamp in there to add CO2. I have a CO2 controller so I can see how much CO2 is in the air and I was constantly over 1500 ppm where ambient CO2 is a little over 400.

Now with a 2nd 400 going and warmer temps my exhaust fan is kicking in every 15 min so I'm not adding any CO2.

Just hanging out in your grow room can get the CO2 up over 1000 if no exhaust is running. Even a candle can get it over 1500 in 20 min. Since getting the CO2 controller I've tried a bunch of things and the alcohol lamp is the easiest.

 

[olafthegreen]

Day 45 of flowering, think the fan And humidity are causing issues again some of the leaves are curling at the edges; fan was adjusted last night and they seem a bit happier this morning,

 

[olafthegreen]

Those little CO2 bottles are next to useless unless you are keeping the air in the grow room. The second you turn on your exhaust fan or if it's running all the time you get zero benefit.

I was wondering about this, as I'm currently running the exhaust all the time when the lights are on.

I'm going to have to look at some upgrades to the growing space for the next grow (thinking ac, heating & co2), but this time I'm pretty committed to finishing off without spending too much more. Obviously with the initial setup of the tent, lights, fans etc I'm pretty invested in this grow already!

There's no way burning stuff is going to be a viable option until the winter temperature wise, then it's probably essential!!

Now with a 2nd 400 going and warmer temps my exhaust fan is kicking in every 15 min so I'm not adding any CO2.

I read somewhere that CO2 does allow you to run things at a higher temperature with less risk of hermes / stress for the plant, do you know the optimum for flowering with 1500ppm CO2?

Thanks for your support!