BC Northern Lights Producer Grow #2

Make sure the clones that are the shortest are directly under the lights, IE on the left and right sides of your box. As long as the roots hit the res at roughly the same time you should be ok.

Bigbux said:

I do use B-52! Good call! However today they are wilty on top and looked totally healthy on top yesterday. The rez KINDA smells like warm nastiness but nothing as bad as I've heard ppl with rot smell. So I'm praying. I want to start a journal but the 5 hr a day plus maintainance is really eatin into my time Another problem I have is my clones are different ages. Half of 'em were about a wk ahead andare 7-10". The other half are 3-5". I have no idea when to flower becuz I don't want to do it too soon and waste the lil guys or wait much longer and have the problem Ancap had the first time around.

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I've always grown from seed, but I know for me the plants always look kinda droopy in the beginning for a while until they really get rooted (roots hit the water). Then they explode. I would imagine there is nothing to worry about. My recommendation would be to take your younger plants and move them all to one side and take the older plants and move them to the other. If you mix and match them, half of the smaller ones may get over shadowed by the bigger guys and never produce anything worthwhile. Make your flowering decision based on the older bigger plants, not the smaller ones. The smaller ones will still grow and catch up somewhat. Some people actually go straight to flower and skip veg altogether. What height to flower depends on a lot of factors that you learn through the experience of growing that particular strain. I probably wouldn't let the tall ones go more than 2 more inches max, just to be safe.

Day 52 Flowering

Sorry, my camera ran out of battery so I could only snap a couple pictures until the focus died. I have new 1 day old feminized Ice seedlings that I've started. By day 10, the roots will be coming out of the bottom of the 3" cubes and will need to be transfered into the Producer. That means I have 10 days to finish and flush this current grow; maybe 12 days if I really stretch it. I'm worried they might not be completely ready by then.

Right now I've lowered my ppm to about 550 and I plan to stretch out the nutes in the res until I flush. Just checked my pH and didn't realize it was so low - 4.8. I'll have to grab some pH up tomorrow. I'm seeing about a 50/50 ratio of clear to cloudy trichomes, with amber trichomes here and there. The plants just don't have that "done" look yet, so I'm a little worried about timing. A lot changes in 10 days though...

Hey Ancap, I was facing the same problem, so I got a little closet station myself, which you seem to have as well.

You can place the little guys in the 3 inch rockwool, and let them sit under the CFL for a while. What can help you is placing a layer of perlite in the tray so the roots can grow into it. Then when you need to move into the producer, you can simply brush the perlite off the roots, place them in the netpods and away you go. It's a technique i picked up here online, and it might buy you a few extra days, perhaps even a week. Hope this helps! I would hate to see you rush your current grow...

stillcantroll said:

Hey Ancap, I was facing the same problem, so I got a little closet station myself, which you seem to have as well.

You can place the little guys in the 3 inch rockwool, and let them sit under the CFL for a while. What can help you is placing a layer of perlite in the tray so the roots can grow into it. Then when you need to move into the producer, you can simply brush the perlite off the roots, place them in the netpods and away you go. It's a technique i picked up here online, and it might buy you a few extra days, perhaps even a week. Hope this helps! I would hate to see you rush your current grow...

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That's a really great idea! Actually just the kind of idea I was looking for... I had been trying to think of a creative solution and hadn't come up with anything solid yet. I will definitely do this.

Hello all , I have a bloombox and producer,and I'm on my 6th grow,and everytime they hit the top glass,do you guys think if i only veg to 6 inches then start flowering they won't hit glass,also what do u guys think about when to prune or top ,what weeks do u think that should be done, i the past i have just let them grow on their own,and i get alot of small buds, any input would be helpfull, thanks for your time

I *wouldn't* top in these machines. you won't have room in your canopy for several tops on each plant. You need some light penetrating, these are pretty much sea of green machines, but a bit taller. Flower at 6 inches, and cut the Co2 until the second week of flower, see where that gets you. Very strain dependant as well. As for pruning, this run ive learned how much light exposure is needed. I left them bushy, and many of the branches didnt even develop. Basically, because i'm running t5's, im going to watch the branches and clip the ones that arent getting hit by t5's (ie the ones that are facing the box lids adn back of the box) as well as some of the ones in the middle of the stalk that arent getting hit by either the hps or the t5's. Less is more!

stillcantroll said:

I *wouldn't* top in these machines. you won't have room in your canopy for several tops on each plant. You need some light penetrating, these are pretty much sea of green machines, but a bit taller. Flower at 6 inches, and cut the Co2 until the second week of flower, see where that gets you. Very strain dependant as well. As for pruning, this run ive learned how much light exposure is needed. I left them bushy, and many of the branches didnt even develop. Basically, because i'm running t5's, im going to watch the branches and clip the ones that arent getting hit by t5's (ie the ones that are facing the box lids adn back of the box) as well as some of the ones in the middle of the stalk that arent getting hit by either the hps or the t5's. Less is more!

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Thanks for the input. peace

closet station? where did you get that at and how much are they?

85kryptonite said:

closet station? where did you get that at and how much are they?

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It's not a product... I have shelves in a closet/room that I've ghetto rigged to be a little clone station.

Ancap,

Are you seeing a better mix of trichomes? Judging by some of your pics (day 52) you can't be too far away.

Day 55 Flowering

I've been keeping an eye on the trichome development and still see lots of clear heads, though I am noticing more red hairs and swollen calyx's. My res ppm is still right around 550. I figure its fine to keep it where it is while things finish up. I've transfered my new Ice seedlings to the 3" rockwool. If they start shooting roots out before this grow is done, then I'll set the rockwool on top of a bed of moist perlite to buy me some time.

Please offer some feedback on how these look and how much more time you think I have. Below are pictures of the more developed buds and also some of the lesser developed buds...


More developed




Lesser developed




Clone station

As you know the buds do get dense during the last two weeks of flowering. Since your still under 8 weeks I'd say your probably looking at 10 days to 2 weeks max. The buds may not gain any more density after that. I'll add you can't be too disappointed with how things are looking. There are so many variables that come into play in getting the "dense" buds some Seed Sellers claim you'll get. Personally, I've grow some strains like "Church" that were far from "dense" buds.

Prior to posting this I looked at some pictures on some Seed Seller's websites of NL and they don't look too far away from yours. Personally, I'd look for a higher mix of amber and cloudy trichomes then chop. I still think your less than two weeks away. Just my opinion.

Ancap, you've done a great job on this grow and I've enjoyed (and learned) by watching it!

mrbill said:

As you know the buds do get dense during the last two weeks of flowering. Since your still under 8 weeks I'd say your probably looking at 10 days to 2 weeks max. The buds may not gain any more density after that. I'll add you can't be too disappointed with how things are looking. There are so many variables that come into play in getting the "dense" buds some Seed Sellers claim you'll get. Personally, I've grow some strains like "Church" that were far from "dense" buds.

Prior to posting this I looked at some pictures on some Seed Seller's websites of NL and they don't look too far away from yours. Personally, I'd look for a higher mix of amber and cloudy trichomes then chop. I still think your less than two weeks away. Just my opinion.

Ancap, you've done a great job on this grow and I've enjoyed (and learned) by watching it!

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Thanks a lot! Overall, I am proud of this grow so far!

I've learned quite a bit on this grow. Next time I'd like to increase the airflow over the canopy with a small fan. I think that is one improvement that would be very helpful. I didn't use the t5's this time because they got wet and burned out. Have you used t5's and had any noticeable success with them?

ancap said:

Thanks a lot! Overall, I am proud of this grow so far!

I've learned quite a bit on this grow. Next time I'd like to increase the airflow over the canopy with a small fan. I think that is one improvement that would be very helpful. I didn't use the t5's this time because they got wet and burned out. Have you used t5's and had any noticeable success with them?

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I've never used T-5. I've thought about adding them but just wasn't sure they would do much. Learning is what this forum is all about and I'll be curious as to how your yield turns out. As I mentioned earlier, I just let them grow and I've always been satisfied with the result. But that doesn't mean I couldn't be doing better. I might try on my next grow putting in a screen (SOG) and trimming the lower branches.

And by the way, Thanks for taking the time to keep this journal. I know it does take some time to keep it up. I will definitely let you know how my yield turned out as well.

How long into the grow do you use the 125 watt cfl? Can T5 be purchased from the store that will work in the Producer or do they have to be purchased from BCNL?

Bigbux said:

How long into the grow do you use the 125 watt cfl? Can T5 be purchased from the store that will work in the Producer or do they have to be purchased from BCNL?

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I use the cfl all the way through the grow (more lumens and adds a different spectrum). The t5's can be purchased at a local shop, but the bcnl t5's are designed to fit and plug right into the box. You would probably have to retrofit the box or run a power cord inside if it wasn't from the manufacturer.

Being that the CFL is a more blue spectrum, I'm wondering if turning it off in flowering would stop the vertical growth that sometimes is a problem with the Producer. What u think?

There are a couple of individuals I've seen use 4 strips of T5 lights instead of 2, that would require a seperate power source, but it can be done. Running a blue spectrum lamp in concert with a red spectrum during flowering has been reported to do wonders for resin production and overall THC content... or so i've been told. It's one of those many cannabis facts that are rarely if ever proven, and often disputed. When you start adding these things to the box, it's a wonderful thing, but you also run the risk of popping your breaker. This has happened to me several times, and I finally got an electritian buddy to install the producer on it's very own 20 amp circuit. It's no longer a problem for me, but it might become one for you.

It is, after all, a power usage vs yields question... but these flourescents are pretty tame on the consumption relative to the 400s, so whatever, I run them non stop. I see Ancap does the same thing.

Bigbux said:

Being that the CFL is a more blue spectrum, I'm wondering if turning it off in flowering would stop the vertical growth that sometimes is a problem with the Producer. What u think?

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I've read that the blue spectrum actually slows vertical growth because in its absense, the plant reaches a little harder. Not sure how much truth there is to that one though.