Chronic - 6th week of flower...are they ready? Help!

[imanoob]

Going into the 6th week of flower and the plants are looking great...not as sugary as i would have hoped...but not to worry.

We stopped using the uvb for now...just until we get another timer. I think the plants were getting a little stressed out by it.

Anyhoo, my friend happened to check our two chronic plants, he said the tricomes are starting to go amber...some are bent over. After searching, its seems that the indoor flowering time is 56-63 days (8-9 weeks).

I use bigbud, could this be the reason for the earlier than normal time?

Any advice would be great, im a first timer

 

[Gblink3]

6 weeks is just too short for any strain, almost 8 weeks is the minimal for almost all indicas.

 

[imanoob]

Yo Gblink3 , thanks for replying...yeah i thought 6 weeks was waaaay too short for chronic flowering.

I wish I could remember where I read/saw it, but I *think* it said bigbud speeds up the flowering process? Anybody confirm this or was I too stoned one night haha!

Just incase its important, the last week i had very high temps (85+...one day it was 90!)...could this have caused the tricomes to go amber/bend? I now have a cooltube which seems to have worked (temps are about 80ish)

 

[chronicj69]

pics plz>>>>>>>

 

[BCSavage]

i thought it was 8 weeks total? 4 veg/4flow?

 

[chodkola]

i thought it was 8 weeks total? 4 veg/4flow?

No that only applies to the flowering stage, there is no set amount of time that you have to veg for..

I wish I could remember where I read/saw it, but I *think* it said bigbud speeds up the flowering process? Anybody confirm this or was I too stoned one night haha!

Just incase its important, the last week i had very high temps (85+...one day it was 90!)...could this have caused the tricomes to go amber/bend? I now have a cooltube which seems to have worked (temps are about 80ish)

You cant speed up the flowering process only make it more productive.
Higher temps wont make your plant flower better/faster it should actually just make it wilt... at least my shit wilts.. but anyway congrats on the cooltube, one of my favorites and good luck wit yo shit.

 

[BCSavage]

learn something new everyday.

 

[chodkola]

Any other questions BCsavage

 

[BCSavage]

I prolly have thousands of questions rolling around in my head. First time grower, long term smoker. I'll organize my thoughts and start a thread so I'm not crapping on imanoob's thread.

 

[chodkola]

haha ok sounds good hit me up

 

[imanoob]

Yo Chodkola,

Ah, the BigBud makes it more productive but doesnt speed up the flowering process ok that makes sense. Thanks for stopping by letting me know.

Yeah, it wilted a little...but as strange as it sounds they seem to be used to it. They dont wilt...at all when its 85.

Yeah the coolube is awesome...you can actually touch the glass...its warm but not too hot (i have a 600w hps in there just now). Today the temp was back up at 85...im going to have to re-think my setup cause i assumed dropping 170 bucks on the cooltube and fan would be my answer.

Going for more ducting today...hope that by using cold air (i say cold, i mean air from my window instead of air from the room itself) it will be the solution.

But...back to the Chronic.
Lots of the hairs in the buds are still pure white...only some are amber/brownish. When i checked with the 60x microscope the tricomes where still clear...so i dont think its quite ready...but it doesnt look far off.

What i want to get straight in my head is;

1) If the flowering time is 8-9 weeks do i start flushing for 2 weeks now as im currently in my 6th? Or do you flower for the full 8-9weeks THEN flush for 2 weeks?

Does the flowering time include flushing or are the totally seperate?

Phhheewww....i need a doobie are typing all that

 

[Boneman]

Ok here is the deal with flowering - You are correct with the 56-63 days..But that is under perfect conditions. Most ppl start their flowering count the day they switch the lights over, first mistake, you need to start the count on the first sign of flowering. This may not be scientifically correct but thru experience, you will harvest much closer to the breeders average flower times.
I grow serious seeds strains and they are without a doubt one of the best and most stable strains out there My last AK-47 grow (has the same flower time as chronic) was harvested on day 70 of flower.
You need to keep a watch with your scope and make sure you see them turning amber before starting to flush. Flush them and give only water for the last 10-14 days leaving them to really dry out before harvest.
After you get some grows under your belt, you will know when your plants are done just by the looks of them.
Hang tight bubba and let them finish.

The 56-63 days includes flushing. But dont be totally set on those numbers.

 

[imanoob]

Hey Boneman, just checked out your ak47...that is a seriously good looking plant. Lots of bud porn to drool over haha!

I vegged my other plants (strawberry haze + sweet tooth) for 4 weeks they are huge, but the chronic only got 2 weeks of veg.

Its currently in day 38 of flower so I must be a few weeks off...but at least i know the flowering/flushing thing now...so I wont make any stupid mistakes right at the end of the grow and mess it up (famous last words haha)


I have read alot on RIU and from Jorge's Grow Bible...im going to do the following when they are ready.

Flush for 10-14 days
Before cutting the plants down leave them in complete darkness (26-48 hrs)

You just flush with water? No molasses or other things like AN Final Phase?

Cheers man!

 

[Boneman]

I use molassas and humboldt "gravity" during flower. Unsulphured molassas @1 tblsp per gal. Nothing but water the last two weeks. No water for about the last 4-6 days. I dont do any extra dark time so to speak. When the lights go off for the last time, they will get the normal 12 off + I will leave them off until i reach the best time for me to harvest. They usually get probably 24 hrs of darkness

 

[cowboylogic]

I use molassas and humboldt "gravity" during flower. Unsulphured molassas @1 tblsp per gal. Nothing but water the last two weeks. No water for about the last 4-6 days. I dont do any extra dark time so to speak. When the lights go off for the last time, they will get the normal 12 off + I will leave them off until i reach the best time for me to harvest. They usually get probably 24 hrs of darkness

Sup Boneman, was wondering if you put them into a few days of darkness before flowering? I have tried this on my current grow. Granted I vegged until preflower, then gave them about 38 hrs of darkness before going 12/12. Gotta say within a few days they had begun full flower. Do you have any experience with doing this with a plant that has not preflowered yet. And if so, does it still excelerate the beginning of flowering? Also, what are the benefits of a dark period before harvest? Thanks

 

[Boneman]

Sup Boneman, was wondering if you put them into a few days of darkness before flowering? I have tried this on my current grow. Granted I vegged until preflower, then gave them about 38 hrs of darkness before going 12/12. Gotta say within a few days they had begun full flower. Do you have any experience with doing this with a plant that has not preflowered yet. And if so, does it still excelerate the beginning of flowering? Also, what are the benefits of a dark period before harvest? Thanks

Hey cowboy...I dont do the "dark period" before flowering. I really dont see any benefit to leaving them in the dark for a day or two then followed by 2-3 months of flowering. I dont really do the "dark thing" before harvest other than maybe leaving them in the dark a bit longer than usual to accomidate a time that makes it easy for me to accomplish...if that makes any sense

 

[imanoob]

I use molassas and humboldt "gravity" during flower. Unsulphured molassas @1 tblsp per gal. Nothing but water the last two weeks. No water for about the last 4-6 days. I dont do any extra dark time so to speak. When the lights go off for the last time, they will get the normal 12 off + I will leave them off until i reach the best time for me to harvest. They usually get probably 24 hrs of darkness

As always Boneman, thanks for the great info! I take notes and keep them safe...got a good grow bible of my own coming along haha!

From what I can gather, Humbolt Gravity is a bud/flower hardener...i dont have that one...is bigbud similar? Or is that just for THC production? Is it worth while picking Gravity aso?

Even tho there are a lot of bud sites which are pretty decent in size...they aint nothing compared to your ak47
The main colas on your plants were kickass!!! If my plants are on week 6...how much can i expect them to put on in weight?
Chronic (8-9 weeks)
Arjen Strawberry Haze (10-14 weeks)

Or has most of the work been done and its just ripening now?

 

[Boneman]

Gravity is simliar to big bud so if you have that, then just go with it. I am a big fan of AN's but havent gotten big bud yet.

You are in for a good treat with both strains. They will both swell up in the coming weeks and I imagine its time to use the bud hardner on the chronic now. Just be careful cuz that shit is hot and can fry your plants in a heartbeat. Use 1/4 - 1/2 strength to be on the safe side.

 

[imanoob]

I got the bigbud 2nd week into flower and started on 1ml per plant (1.5-2l)...they are now on 4ml each. I noticed a little yellowing on the smaller plant...so toned her amount down to 2ml.

I will keep on using it until i flush...

cheers again dude!