1st post, 1st grow

Greetings-

As my subject line says, this is my first post, and my first grow. I've spent a lot of time reading and studying up, so I'm pretty familiar with all the basics at this point. I've attached a photo of my current project, which is now exactly 4 weeks from first sprout. I guess you could call this a 'micro grow' (I think I've seen that term anyway), in a computer case. Here's some vital statistics:

Northern Lights feminized
Coco coir w/Canna Coco A & B nutrients
Pot is about 6" diameter
3 CFL's on top (forgot the temp, but very bright white, so maybe 6500)
with case closed up, temps about 83-85F

I know this is quite tiny, but that's how I wanted to start out, wife and I are nearing senior age and mostly want this for recreation right now, but maybe for 'medicinal' use as age creates more aches and pains. So I already expect the yield to be very small, but I thought I would start out with this, get the harvest and drying going, then while that's progressing start a new grow a bit larger, taking advantage of the learning curve on this one.

Some comments about the photo: the arrow is pointing out the original apex, which I have begun LST'ing about a week ago. Since then she has really bushed out as I had hoped. I know the stem is long, I just found the sticky about re-planting lower down, so I think it's too late to fix that. I still have several inches that I could lower the pot in the case, so should be okay.

One question I have that I haven't been able to figure out from all my research, exactly where do the buds start showing when I start the flowering? Is it the new tops I'm seeing since I LST'd the apex?

Also, I'm getting a little impatient and thinking about starting flowering shortly. I know the yield will be very small at this point, but as I said earlier I'm okay with that. Any comments about that would be appreciated. I could wait a bit longer if you think I should.

you can start to flower at any time change the light cycle to 12/12 and about 4 to 5 weeks you will see bud formng if not in big hurry what a little longer and try your hand with cloning saves buying clones or seeds then put into flowering

Yes, each of the tops will become bud sites. Your main stem looks nice and thick. You must have a fan going which is good. A six in diameter seems like a very small pot. You could run into problems if the roots get too tied up.

You also may need more lights in flower. Sounds like you know you will need diff spectrum for flower.

GrowinDad said:

Yes, each of the tops will become bud sites. Your main stem looks nice and thick. You must have a fan going which is good. A six in diameter seems like a very small pot. You could run into problems if the roots get too tied up.

You also may need more lights in flower. Sounds like you know you will need diff spectrum for flower.

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Yeah, I know the pot is kinda smallish, I read a lot about people doing really small grows like that. I don't have any experience, so I don't really know how it will work out. I wonder what kind of symptoms to watch for if it's too small?

I wish you all the best. And I'd be a little more patient, I know it's hard, but worth the wait.

If you're not going to repot, then throw her into flower because you don't want her too big.

LetsGetCritical said:

I wish you all the best. And I'd be a little more patient, I know it's hard, but worth the wait.

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Thanks, Lets.

GrowinDad said:

If you're not going to repot, then throw her into flower because you don't want her too big.

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I think I'll take the middle road between the two of you and wait just a few more days, then go to flower. It's fun watching her develop, but I know it'll be fun watching the next step, too.

I'm a little surprised by the size of the stem, but when I set up the computer case, I put one fan at the bottom/front, and two fans at the top/rear. Every time I took the top cover off and peaked in through the cracks, she was waving at me pretty good. It is a pretty stout stem for such a little thing.

I attached a couple more pics I snapped this afternoon. Sometimes I'll take her out to sit in the window and catch some rays. I've never read whether that's good or bad for an indoor grow, but it doesn't seem to have caused any harm yet, and it makes me feel good. I hope it's okay...maybe I should wash the window to let more light in.

why is there no side growth at all on the stem? did the plant stretch big time in its earlier stages, just curious, looks like a palm tree..

dubba86 said:

why is there no side growth at all on the stem? did the plant stretch big time in its earlier stages, just curious, looks like a palm tree..

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Yeah it did. I made the same rookie mistake as so many others by not getting it close to light at the very beginning. There is a good sticky in this forum (newbie central), currently it's at the top of the list, about re-planting stretchy stems early on. I didn't catch that thread until way too late.

Man that's a big assed stem for no more foliage than it's supporting. Not that that's a problem, just saying looks out of proportion to most.

The First symptom of a planting pot being too small (rootbound) are, the plant just quits growing in size. There's a balance between the amount of roots, and the amount of foliage on any plant, tomatoes to oak trees, does not matter. The roots have to be able to uptake enough good stuff to support the stem and foliage, and the foliage has to be able to photosynthesize enough to provide food to the roots and stem for basic tissue maintenance, and then hopefully enough of an EXCESS of nutes to add tissue growth to the plant. Basic botany. No surplus nutes getting uptaken, no top growth. It's just going to try to stay alive, not increase in size.

You run out of room for the roots to develop and expand, and the plant is going to respond by stopping it's above ground growth. Plant says "No more room for roots, OK, I'm not gonna add more stem/leaf/bud above ground that I can't support" It's gonna want to maintain that balance of above ground and below ground plant parts.

AimAim said:

Man that's a big assed stem for no more foliage than it's supporting. Not that that's a problem, just saying looks out of proportion to most.

The First symptom of a planting pot being too small (rootbound) are, the plant just quits growing in size. There's a balance between the amount of roots, and the amount of foliage on any plant, tomatoes to oak trees, does not matter. The roots have to be able to uptake enough good stuff to support the stem and foliage, and the foliage has to be able to photosynthesize enough to provide food to the roots and stem for basic tissue maintenance, and then hopefully enough of an EXCESS of nutes to add tissue growth to the plant. Basic botany. No surplus nutes getting uptaken, no top growth. It's just going to try to stay alive, not increase in size.

You run out of room for the roots to develop and expand, and the plant is going to respond by stopping it's above ground growth. Plant says "No more room for roots, OK, I'm not gonna add more stem/leaf/bud above ground that I can't support" It's gonna want to maintain that balance of above ground and below ground plant parts.

Click to expand...

I understand you got a new member of your fan club........

AimAim said:

The First symptom of a planting pot being too small (rootbound) are, the plant just quits growing in size. There's a balance between the amount of roots, and the amount of foliage on any plant, tomatoes to oak trees, does not matter. The roots have to be able to uptake enough good stuff to support the stem and foliage, and the foliage has to be able to photosynthesize enough to provide food to the roots and stem for basic tissue maintenance, and then hopefully enough of an EXCESS of nutes to add tissue growth to the plant. Basic botany. No surplus nutes getting uptaken, no top growth. It's just going to try to stay alive, not increase in size.

You run out of room for the roots to develop and expand, and the plant is going to respond by stopping it's above ground growth. Plant says "No more room for roots, OK, I'm not gonna add more stem/leaf/bud above ground that I can't support" It's gonna want to maintain that balance of above ground and below ground plant parts.

Click to expand...

OP. you will probably notice some drooping of the leaves for no reason, and maybe even some curling.

Bakatare666 said:

I understand you got a new member of your fan club........

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Ha! Didn't know I had a fan club, gonna have to have some beanie hats made with big ears. Think I know who you are talking about, good dude and knows his shit. FWIW you're in my inner circle of people I pay attention to. You're careful not to offer opinions on something you don't have first hand experience with, and not afraid to bitch slap anyone tossing out shit advice.

Sorry OP, not gonna derail your thread, Bak and I can take it to the PM / back room.

Peace all - AIM

AimAim said:

Ha! Didn't know I had a fan club, gonna have to have some beanie hats made with big ears. Think I know who you are talking about, good dude and knows his shit. FWIW you're in my inner circle of people I pay attention to. You're careful not to offer opinions on something you don't have first hand experience with, and not afraid to bitch slap anyone tossing out shit advice.

Sorry OP, not gonna derail your thread, Bak and I can take it to the PM / back room.

Peace all - AIM

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Thanks man, I could say the same about you!
Ya, somebody told me tonight he had met a cool, sharp guy 'Aimaim', and I should look for him, an I told him we have corresponded in the past.
Again, sorry, OP.
We're not threadjacking.

AimAim said:

Man that's a big assed stem for no more foliage than it's supporting. Not that that's a problem, just saying looks out of proportion to most.

Click to expand...

Yeah, after looking at dozens of pics of plants, I don't recall seeing anything that looks quite like mine that way. Looks like a little Bonsai palm tree. Makes her kind of unique...

AimAim said:

The First symptom of a planting pot being too small (rootbound) are, the plant just quits growing in size. There's a balance between the amount of roots, and the amount of foliage on any plant, tomatoes to oak trees, does not matter. The roots have to be able to uptake enough good stuff to support the stem and foliage, and the foliage has to be able to photosynthesize enough to provide food to the roots and stem for basic tissue maintenance, and then hopefully enough of an EXCESS of nutes to add tissue growth to the plant. Basic botany. No surplus nutes getting uptaken, no top growth. It's just going to try to stay alive, not increase in size.

You run out of room for the roots to develop and expand, and the plant is going to respond by stopping it's above ground growth. Plant says "No more room for roots, OK, I'm not gonna add more stem/leaf/bud above ground that I can't support" It's gonna want to maintain that balance of above ground and below ground plant parts.

Click to expand...

That makes sense. That also goes along with something I had read about purposefully using a small pot to limit the growth for a small stealth cabinet, such as mine. But, from that logic, I could run into a point where if I don't go into flower right away (like GrowinDad advised) I could really curtail the bud growth.

Bakatare666 said:

OP. you will probably notice some drooping of the leaves for no reason, and maybe even some curling.

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Haven't noticed that yet, but it does seem like the growth is slowing down in the last couple of days.

Here's what I think I'll do. I have another pot that just fits in the cabinet, it's about an inch wider and a couple inches taller. I think this weekend I'll transplant it and then start flowering.

bseeds said:

you can start to flower at any time change the light cycle to 12/12 and about 4 to 5 weeks you will see bud formng if not in big hurry what a little longer and try your hand with cloning saves buying clones or seeds then put into flowering

Click to expand...

4-5 weeks? Damn, must be a landrace sativa .