Advice Please: Getting Nervous

[Woodstockfan]

your lights are fine i use those and they work great ... in 40 days my shit would be 2 ft tall...

I just discovered this shit today.

All this time what I thought were T-5 GROW bulbs are actually T-5 BLOOM bulbs!

This is thanks to those damn JACKLEGS at HTG Supply. I never, never intended to bloom under these T-5s, just veg. I ask them for GROW bulbs when I bought.

I just took them at face value based on the outside packages which all sixteen I bought were supposed to be GROW bulbs, and I never looked on the bulbs themselves when I put them in the fixtures until today.

I still have my outside past-board containeres for the tubes and I went back and checked and all of them were clearly marked GROW spectrum. But looking at the bulbs themselves, only one is a GROW bulb, the others are BLOOM bulbs, but they were packaged as GROW bulbs!!!!!!!

That sure explains my mind-numbing slow growth of my seedlings under these T-5 lights, huh?

NOW: my question and please all of you my friends give me an opinion, HAVE I DAMAGED MY PLANTS GROWING THEM WITH bloom BULBS INSTEAD OF grow spectrum BULBS????

Geez! *^*$%*#@*()#$%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sleepy79]

Nah don't worry about it. Most people will run a mix of both (I am doing it right now). If I am not mistaken the bloom spectrum should have given you more stretch.
Looking at your last pics posted about a week ago have your lower leaves yellowed anymore? Might be time to start feeding them a bit.

Just remember this is your first grow, it will not be perfect. But you will have a lot to learn from.

 

[IAm5toned]

Temps are always no higher than 80 f when lights are on, no lower than 56 at night. I've had them on 18/6 cycle.

i think that has alot more to do with it than the color temps of the lamps....
grow lamps (4100k) and bloom lamps (2700k) output the same amount of lumens of light, just at a different color.
what you should be seeing by vegging under 2700k's is slowed, stretched but sustained growth, not the crawl you describe.
your temp swings are too extreme... im guessing that the medium/roots is staying cold while the canopy gets warm, and by the time the medium gets warm enough, 1/2-2/3 of your light cycle has passed, so you get slowed growth.

i say this because i use temps to regulate the growth of my moms....
if im flowering some clones i dont want my moms growing outof control so i slow them down some by dropping the temps in the cab.
this stresses the plant slightly but it works for me. when im ready for more cuttings i gradually increase the temps so veg growth resumes.

temp swibngs greatly affect the ph as well... hint hint

 

[Woodstockfan]

i think that has alot more to do with it than the color temps of the lamps....

Thanks for the input.

Since that post, I did place a small 1000 watt ceramic fan heater in the tent and my temps are not getting lower than 71 and only as high as 83. It WAS getting cold in there at night. Maybe it helps.

WSF

 

[glyphen]

So, hows about an Update??

 

[Woodstockfan]

So, hows about an Update??

My original six plants have progressed nicely since I re-potted 'em and put them under my MH lights. Actually, today was the day for major gardening, so strange you should ask for an update.

I topped all six today in order to clone them. I want to have a mother plant, and later on when they show sex in flower, there's gonna be a killin'

These pics are minutes before I topped each for four main colas like Uncle Ben's technique teaches (had to take this much on most of the plants to have a long enough cutting anyway).

As for my four babies, they like the MH lights too and have increased their pace since I put them under yesterday.

Here's pics:

glyphen, that last baby pic: does it look sativa to you? It was one of those "mystery seeds" given free when I got my Amsterdam Indica seeds.

WSF

 

[smilingbigfoot]

its the light, cfls make plants grow slow as hell. I was growing with cfls but after 4 weeks and only two sets of leafs i switched over to hps the whole way.

 

[glyphen]

Things are coming along now!

Are you feeding yet? They look like they are telling me something but I would like to hear if/what youre feeding first.

Other then that they are looking pretty nice man, great recovery to say the least.

As far as the last lady in question, its kinda hard to tell. Its def. a hybrid of some-sort, I would imagine someone hip on the times could tell you strain specific. I think its some sort of sativa dom hybrid, but only a little. Like 60/40 or something. Just keep an eye on her when the stretching starts, if you start getting alot of stretch(like 2"-3" between nodes) even under the MH then get ready to tie down/train.

If not then she should be fine. She will jump in the first few weeks of 12/12 so be ready, but you should have a pretty good idea of her growth patterns by then.

Lemme know about the feeding regime and Ill chime back in....

 

[Woodstockfan]

Are you feeding yet? They look like they are telling me something but I would like to hear if/what youre feeding first.

Other then that they are looking pretty nice man, great recovery to say the least.

Lemme know about the feeding regime and Ill chime back in....

I haven't feed whatsoever since re-potting them into the Fox Farm Ocean Forest. You know, it's said to be pretty "hot" and will feed for at least three weeks with the organic nutes it contains (this according to all the info I've read on here). Ocean Forest is pretty highly regarded on this forum, and the plants seem to be pretty happy to me.

It seems to me what they absolutely love is the Metal Halide light. The yellow leaves on the plants were there before I re-potted and moved them into the room w/ the MH lights. Since moving them, not a single leaf has turned yellow and the color has been so beautiful and dark green with all the new growth. Look at how dark green and healthy the babies look.

I haven't notice any signs that it's time to feed yet. Usually yellowing of the bottom leaves are signs of nitrogen defficiency, isn't that right? But again, all these leaves yellowed before I potted into the new Fox Farm mix. I now am seeing sprouting at the internodes where the yellow fan leaves are located. So there must be nitrogen there, right?

I've been very careful to not over water, too.

Oh yeah, glyphen, that plant pic of the top shooting up with all that "sexy" growth on it, IT STINKS LIKE SKUNK! All of these plants have begun to stink strongly over the past week or so. I'm having fun now. This is so interesting. I love watching them grow.

What do you see, glyphen my friend?

WSF

 

[txhomegrown]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned that might help a little would be to lower the PH a little. I lowered mine to around 5.8 and and it seemed to help.

 

[shrigpiece]

I will second that, can you get a small heater to keep the temps over 70 at night? while it sounds like enough light,you could rule that out by firing up that 600 mh and setting a few under it for a few days.
are you using the soil straight from the bag? I screen mine using chicken wire w/ 1/4 in holes -you would be surprised how much bark & shit is in it. I also mix in alot more perlite than it comes with to ensure good drainage.

i will third that, mj loves warmth. my plants grow slow this time of year. stick a heater in there.

 

[Trailer Park Boy]

You should have alot more growth in the newbies at day 31. I would have to speculate at this point there is a common denominator to this problem. As in the lighting, humidity, soil, something. The bigger plants are looking about 7 days old give or take. Im amazed to say the least.

Let me re-read some of your info and take another look at those plants before I say anything else.

Ill get back to this in just a sec...

It sounds like his plants are shocked and cannot absorb nutrients as they should (3.5" tall in 40 days; WHAT???)...Root damage, over watering, incorrect PH or overly compact soil are the first things that come to my mind...Sounds like nutrient lock-up to me, probably due to one of those factors.

In such an early stage of veg. growth, 6500 K T-5 fixtures should not be the issue here...

 

[shrigpiece]

It sounds like his plants are shocked and cannot absorb nutrients as they should (3.5" tall in 40 days; WHAT???)...Root damage, over watering, incorrect PH or overly compact soil are the first things that come to my mind...Sounds like nutrient lock-up to me, probably due to one of those factors.

In such an early stage of veg. growth, 6500 K T-5 fixtures should not be the issue here...

i disagree, theres no sign of lockout on those plants. they are to young. cold slows growth at this time of year. its a plant not a body builder

 

[glyphen]

What do you see, glyphen my friend?

WSF

I say you are spot on track!!!

I didnt want to say the needed N without asking first. Glad to hear that the yellow is pre-transplant, and that things are going well.


Congrats on the recovery, things are looking real nice for the rebound.

Keep it up, good luck friend.

 

[Woodstockfan]

I say you are spot on track!!!

I didnt want to say the needed N without asking first. Glad to hear that the yellow is pre-transplant, and that things are going well.


Congrats on the recovery, things are looking real nice for the rebound.

Keep it up, good luck friend.

Thanks glyphen. I appreciate your help, support, and friendship thru this.

I feel much better about things. I am beginning to have fun now. It is a big learning experience. Now I am cloning, and that is interesting and seems to be working out well. All the sudden I have too many plants .........................

Oh well. I will keep you posted.

WSF

 

[Woodstockfan]

An update.

All of my six original plants are recovered from pruning for clones and are seriously vegging. I am satisfied at their growth rate now, and It shouldn't be more than a couple-three weeks max before they will be ready to flower. The plants and I are feeling a lot better about each other at this point

My clones are now two weeks in the cloning machine and it looks like I am going to get roots on all six. Then when I see sex on the originals, I can choose my mothers and reduce my plants. I have too many at the present time. But I wanted to insure that I am started toward self-sustaining supply of herb.

Man, I've learned a lot. It's getting to be the relaxing fun project I got into this for. Imagine how I'll get into this once I'm stoned

Love watching them grow! Glyphen warns that rougher waters lie ahead though.....................

WSF

 

[glyphen]

Yup, its gonna get a little harder but you already braved the storm in a tough situation so I think you'll be fine. As Im sure you've already read, diagnosing your babies is key.

Study that like it was finals week in College. No joke, you wanna be a doctor for your ladies.

Truthfully, I would imagine you dont even want to share to this place (RIU)for too terribly long for real peace of mind so you really need to learn to have a good doctor/patient relationship to sustain self-supply for the long haul.

Over time weird stuff is gonna come up, stuff that only happens because your lady has been alive for 18 mo's, or because your room needs cleaning(usually the room tells you the first time)
or whatever.

But basically, shit happens. You have to find the nerve to get through it and stick to the program, and it looks like you have it!

Good job man, you dodged a bullet and most people would've given up. Just make sure you dont ever over feed, and keep an eye on them and Im sure you will be doing great!! Never add your nutes directly to the soil, always mix in another container. Keep it clean, and dont even tell your best friend about it(Seriously).

Last but not least, dont tell anyone when its done you made it either. You never know, but thats the last thing to ever risk. Your gonna be proud, really proud. But other then the wife(Optional) dont tell anyone. Loose lips cause problems. One person tells one person and your fucked. Never happened to me, never admitted to anything in my life. 58 years, its still working. My opinion was I can avoid the situation, by disabling it. Take the wind out of the sail my friend, and keep your garden to yourself.

Other then that,
Your gonna do great! Should be getting nice finished stuff by June!!

Good luck friend

-G

 

[Woodstockfan]

............
Keep it clean, and dont even tell your best friend about it ....................... Last but not least, dont tell anyone when its done you made it either. You never know, but thats the last thing to ever risk. Your gonna be proud, really proud. But other then the wife(Optional) dont tell anyone. Loose lips cause problems. One person tells one person and your fucked.

I hear you. I will tell no one. Thanks for your good advice.

WSF

 

[Dropastone]

The thing about friends, they're gonna ask you where you got that killer bud from and how can you afford to smoke that dank bud all the time. I just started my first grow and I got a friend that I would call my brother. We hang out all the time and get our weed from the same dude and we're all good friends. I haven't told him shit but he's gonna know there's something going on when I stop getting shit from our dude and I got the killer bud all the time.

 

[glyphen]

The thing about friends, they're gonna ask you where you got that killer bud from and how can you afford to smoke that dank bud all the time. I just started my first grow and I got a friend that I would call my brother. We hang out all the time and get our weed from the same dude and we're all good friends. I haven't told him shit but he's gonna know there's something going on when I stop getting shit from our dude and I got the killer bud all the time.

He might think somethings up when you cant get the same bag for him, you are right.

But if you give him the run around, act like your calling someone who isnt answering and smoke YOUR buds w/him it will apease the pain. Eventually he will get irritated w/your dealer, and the fact you can never seem to meet up with him. It'll turn into a joke as long as you play your cards right, just never let on that you are growing it, NEVER. And as tempting as it may be, the same goes for selling it.

DONT DO IT. You are asking for trouble. Just DONT. Even if you think you can fib a little and tell your friends you got it from a friend, and maintain that secret so they dont know its you growing. Dont do it. You aren't the first to try that, and it only works for a while. Seriously, dont your friends tell you whos got the best buds around? Word gets around, especially about HOME GROWN. So dont do it. Dont be the guy, that knows some guy that has the best weed in wherever you live. BAD IDEA.

From there just make sure you dont flaunt your stash and NEVER tell anyone whats really going on. Plus, if hes REALLY your buddy, he should be able to get a nug or two on the hand me down to satisfy the pain of not getting his own bag.

By the next time you see him, he will prolly have his own bag. Problem diverted till next time.

Im old, I dont smoke with anyone except my wife. And she couldn't grow mold on bread and Id like to keep it that way.

I honestly believe that the best way to keep a secret is to never tell anyone.
Call me crazy, but it works.

(Joke)