Uncle Ben's Gardening Tweeks and Pointers

[Mark5:9]

Thanks for the label. Looks like the only thing it's missing is Mg.

I noticed it was lacking Ca also.. but I assume they assume you have it in your soil and or tap water.

Someone going to say the ass-u-me thing?

They have a hydro version that is more complete in the micro department. I might try that one in soil next time.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Interesting ratio on a Schultz flowering food, a 15-5-25, which suggests to me what I've been saying all along, that plants need little P in relationship to the other macros. Notice too in this food the high Mg amount. http://petersabc.com/PDFs/Peters Pro/99220ppro15-5-25FPL.pdf

This type of detail and info, without ANY hype, is what "separates the men from the boyz".
http://petersabc.com/PDFs/DataSummaryChart.pdf

What's that you say? No half naked chick on the website's opening page? No colorful graphics and kiddie names? No hype of the product claiming it contains vitamins and enzymes (that the plant doesn't need, not that the claim is credible in the first place nor the amount provided.)?

Here's the entire line: http://petersabc.com/products_2C.php

UB

 

[Uncle Ben]

They have a hydro version that is more complete in the micro department. I might try that one in soil next time.

....and then you might create an elemental antagonism effect I linked you too. If you have a quality soil, then you should stick with a food designed for it. Likewise with soil-less and hydro.

UB

 

[Roseman]

I am 100% convinced that the stink pot produces is like a fart from plants consuming nitrogen.

After I started 12/12 and BLOOM nutes, with NO Nitrogen, the smell diminished. After I studied adding a little nitrogen during the Flowering Cycle, and added some N , they started stinking just as bad, again.
And the lower leaves quit dying off and the buds started swelling more rapidly.

 

[Mark5:9]

Thanks ben, I'll check that out.

I am 100% convinced that the stink pot produces is like a fart from plants consuming nitrogen.

After I started 12/12 and BLOOM nutes, with NO Nitrogen, the smell diminished. After I studied adding a little nitrogen during the Flowering Cycle, and added some N , they started stinking just as bad, again.
And the lower leaves quit dying off and the buds started swelling more rapidly.

What bloom food was it? Everyone keeps talking about bloom foods with no N and I really don't know of any that are not boosters.

 

[Roseman]

Thanks ben, I'll check that out.




What bloom food was it? Everyone keeps talking about bloom foods with no N and I really don't know of any that are not boosters.

A no brand name
called Stealth Hydro prepackaged nutes.
BLOOM N-P-K 3:15:14
(NOTE A SMALL AMOUNT OF NITROGEN IS STILL IN THERE but not much)
CALCIUM 5%, MAGNESIUM 3.5%,
SULPHUR 4%, IRON .1%,
AND BORON, COPPER, CHLORIDE,
MOLYBDENUM, AND ZINC .01%

 

[Jack in the Bud]

UB,

Concerning the upcanning thing..... Due to space restrictions I've always started my seeds in smaller pots and didn't upcan to the bigger final size one until after the plants indicated and I was sure it was a female. So I'd be interested in knowing your thoughts on doing an upcan after flowering has begun when you're sure you have a female plant.

This time around I'm planning on a 3 stage upcanning. Right now I've got them in 4 x 4 x 5 deep pots close under 4 8' flouro bulbs on 20/4. Hopefully this size pot will be sufficent until the plant is 20 days old and they come out from under the fluoros and move to the reagular grow space under the more intense lighting. At that point I'm planning on an upcan to a larger 8" diameter 7" deep pot (mainly because that's what size pots I've already got enough of on hand). Hopefully that's going to be sufficent to hold them thru another 2 weeks of vegging under 20/4 and the first 2 weeks of forcing under 12/12 until I can be sure of what's female and what's male. At that point the extra room I'll gain by being able to cull out all the males will allow me the space to upcan to the final 2 to 3 gallon size pots I have.

So what do you think? Does that plan sound acceptable or am I getting ready to fuck up severly.

Thanks.

Jack

PS: How's the wife doing? Is she tired of faking that broken leg thing yet?

 

[Uncle Ben]

UB,

Concerning the upcanning thing..... Due to space restrictions I've always started my seeds in smaller pots and didn't upcan to the bigger final size one until after the plants indicated and I was sure it was a female. So I'd be interested in knowing your thoughts on doing an upcan after flowering has begun when you're sure you have a female plant.

Root production is put on the back burner in favor of flower production. It's a PITA, but you're better off upcanning early, that is after the plant is potbound, and then sexing. Your plants should be established before flowering IMO.

PS: How's the wife doing? Is she tired of faking that broken leg thing yet?

She's fine, I'm the one going crazy! She's got the life of Riley!

Good luck,
UB

 

[Bob Smith]

"She's got the life of Riley!"

One of my top five favorite books.

Fugging hilarious, I can't get through a page without doubling over in laughter at least once.

<Threadjack done>

 

[dakin3d]

Hey UB,

I was curious as to your cloning method? ie, cloner, soil, rockwool, plugs? do you keep them covered for purposes of humidity? what type of rooting hormone do you use? powder vs gel, brand, does it matter, etc? do you ever supplement w/ addition hormone or other, such as superthrive, b-1, etc? I appreciate the help, man. Thanks in advance

 

[Roseman]

UB, I too wanted toa sk you about cloning. My clones always produced much smaller plants, that those started with seed. Is that normal? I quit cloning.

 

[Uncle Ben]

UB, I too wanted toa sk you about cloning. My clones always produced much smaller plants, that those started with seed. Is that normal? I quit cloning.

I never have liked cloning. Seeds are just too damn convenient. Having said that, perhaps you're not taking cultural needs into consideration regarding lighting, nutrition, etc. Here's my cloning archive FWIW:

Select a cutting on the mother plant with two or three healthy nodes. Pinch off the leaf petioles (leaf stems) on the bottom node as close to the main stem as possible - this will be the main future rooting area - roots will be produced from this axial bud site and along the stem. The remaining one or two nodes above this point, with their healthy leafsets, will provide food via photosynthesis for the ensuing root growth below.

Within a short period of time, after these wounds have healed over, cut off the clone with a razor blade, knife, etc. about 1/2" or so below the bottom node, doesn't have to be done under water, just cut where it's convenient for you. Immediately dip the bottom node and stem in Rootone-F or a similiar rooting material which contains a fungicide, place into a rockwool cube or hole punched into the soil, deep enough to support the cutting while allowing for ample root growth in the near future. Close the hole with your fingers working the medium towards the stem, water to settle the soil around the submerged stem, and place in strong indirect light, providing plenty of humidity by whatever method you're comfortable with....misting, plastic bag, dome, etc. allowing some air exchange. Fresh air can be provided by taking a lit cigarette and burning a dozen holes in a large clear plastic bag placed over the cutting, or if you use a dome, by lifting the clear dome once in a while. Bottom line is, the cutting requires close to 100% RH. Common sense dictates that the plant has no means of water uptake and will incur moisture loss thru the leaves, so you must reduce excessive moisture loss by providing an environment of high humidity until roots start growing from the bottom node and the stem that had been placed below ground level.

The cutting will have droopy leaves and stems for a while, this is normal. As you see things perk up, pot up. Provide plenty of fresh air and don't expose to sun or strong direct light until you are sure you have a nice root flush, as that will only dessicate the cutting further.

Be sure to maintain sanitary conditions throughout the entire process, including sterilizing the cutting tool between cuts. Do not dip the cutting into the entire rooting compound; remove enough rooting agent from its original container to use for one cloning session.

Good luck,
Uncle Ben

 

[grow space]

Splendid thread u have UncleBen..+Rep



So, i was wondering if you could answer my question....Im at my first indoor..day 30 of bloom(white widow) Im growing with fluros and some cfls mixed in...My grow is in a shed...The night temps dropp to 4C to 5C, when lights shut down..Lights on, my temps are fine, 16C-20C...Does this major temp dropp affects much at night cycle growth(i know if too low it stuns it a lot)??
Plants itself looks great, nice and green leaves...many bud sites...So, will i do fine like this..?


Thanks in advance...

 

[Uncle Ben]

Splendid thread u have UncleBen..+Rep



So, i was wondering if you could answer my question....Im at my first indoor..day 30 of bloom(white widow) Im growing with fluros and some cfls mixed in...My grow is in a shed...The night temps dropp to 4C to 5C, when lights shut down..Lights on, my temps are fine, 16C-20C...Does this major temp dropp affects much at night cycle growth(i know if too low it stuns it a lot)??
Plants itself looked great, nice and green leaves...many bud sites...So, will i do fine like this..?

Thanks in advance...

Welcome to the thread! Based on your plants' health, how can you argue with success? 4C aka 40F is pretty damn low though. Indicas would not be too bothered with that, sativas surely would. The only thing it will do is slow down growth, plant health should be fine, the latter being more important. I'm talking disease and insect pressures, tendency for plants to use up carbos at night via respiration (versus cell division/elongation) because of excessive night time temps, etc. Having said that, optimum temps would be around 28/18C day/night. Might wanna consider a space heater or better still, use the heat from a HID rig - place the ballast real close to the garden, contain some of the heat with closely placed side reflective panels.

UB

 

[grow space]

Thanks for the response UB...
But, i want to keep the bill low as possible, and a heater would jack that surly up..i have already experimented with a heater...But when i continue like this, will i notice a big loss of the final product..?

 

[MikeyPeenz]

Hey ben! We spoke earlier in the week about my plants, i had acquired some nutrients by schultz, it wa a 10-15-20 i believe, i have sinc then acquired some nuts, the only kind available was a miracle gro its all purpose water soluble, 24-8-16. I have been trying to figure out the problem of my leaves seem to be getting burnt at the tips..then it spreads through out the leaf and it becomes brown and crumbles. I have nuted these girls once and added very little solution to try and build them up. I find myself having to water every day or day and half. I have pics posted below, does this seem more like a over watering problem a deficiency of some sort?

The first 3 pics are from 11/11.

The rest are from today, which is day 21 of the plants, they have been in veg since the beginning of the week.

 

[merahoon]

You mentioned that people normally blame their deficiences on their pH. How can you tell what is really the problem? I normally think my plants are getting enough of something so my first instinct is to give them more of that nute but what if it was a pH problem and that nute was locked out cause the pH was off, now I'm going to burn my plants..

 

[Roseman]

+ REP 4 u, Uncle Ben

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

I remember someone online at one time(maybe here) posting the results of the FINAL YEILD from plants that were vegged for 24/0, 18/6, and 20/4.
The results were that the plants that had recieved 4 hours darkness out yielded the others followed by18/6. 24 hours light veg was the LOWEST yielding of the three. Im too lazy to search for it but those were the posted results. YMMV but I doubt it. I believe the plants will yeild more in the long run if given short rest periods of darkness during veg.

yeah i remember this too

 

[Uncle Ben]

Thanks for the response UB...
But, i want to keep the bill low as possible, and a heater would jack that surly up..i have already experimented with a heater...But when i continue like this, will i notice a big loss of the final product..?

You mind is not wrapped around botany, think outside of the box. Your yields are dependent on the amount of healthy foliage (and roots) you have going into 12/12, and what's left when they finish. The temps I recommended is based on the photosynthesis processes regarding simple/complex carbos production.

Hey ben! We spoke earlier in the week about my plants, i had acquired some nutrients by schultz, it wa a 10-15-20 i believe, i have sinc then acquired some nuts, the only kind available was a miracle gro its all purpose water soluble, 24-8-16. I have been trying to figure out the problem of my leaves seem to be getting burnt at the tips..then it spreads through out the leaf and it becomes brown and crumbles. I have nuted these girls once and added very little solution to try and build them up. I find myself having to water every day or day and half. I have pics posted below, does this seem more like a over watering problem a deficiency of some sort?

The ratio is fine, now I need the amount you're using and frequency of application. You have to balance your fertilizers with plant requirements and based on your low lighting situation, I would think they would need very little salts (food).

You mentioned that people normally blame their deficiences on their pH.

Yep, it's an easy excuse, so folks parrot it.

How can you tell what is really the problem?

Understanding what makes a plant tick, botany. Experience plays a big part, process of elimination, learning to read your plants.....there's no easy answer. What you don't want to do is after failing, you don't understand why your garden failed. There's nothing wrong with a screwed up garden as long as you can learn from the experience and correct your actions. Kinda like getting a divorce upon a failed marriage.....

I normally think my plants are getting enough of something so my first instinct is to give them more of that nute but what if it was a pH problem and that nute was locked out cause the pH was off, now I'm going to burn my plants..

You're gonna burn you plants no matter what the pH is if they don't need the fertilizer. Very few elements (nutes) are locked out unless the pH is really wacked out, which is rare under normal circumstances. Since pH concerns you so, buy an accurate meter like a Hanna and of course calibrating fluids. Learn how to measure too. If I had to guess, I bet most of the pH values folks divulge are wrong because of a cheap meter, lack of calibration, and/or misuse.

What food are you using and are you sure you plants actually getting what they need? You can't go by a label unless it reveals contents, and I don't mean crap like "vitamins and enzymes". I mean stuff that is really pertinent to plant development - macros and micros.

Bueno bye,
Ben