First 400w HID grow with pics - comments welcome

Hey All

This is my first grow with artificial lighting using a 400w HPS son agro bulb, it's going well I think, the plant is roughly 3 weeks old, using full spectrum nutrients in the right proportions. The environment in the grow space is a little hotter (~30-35c) and a little dryer than I would like but I'm doing the best I can with what I have at hand, quality potting soil mixed with compost soil. Running the lights 24h since germination the growth is phenomenal - I must be doing something right, right?

I have no idea what strain the plant is but I am open to any speculation on the subject, sativa/indica/hybrid?

Any speculation on the sex? It has no pistils coming in yet, it's still in veg stage.

Can I "tip" or "fim" the lower growth shoots? (The ones between the 1st, 2nd, 3rd sets of fan leaves?) I read somewhere that if you do this in a spiral pattern from bottom to top then more growth tips get more light, any truth to this?

Comments welcome!

from the look of the 4th photo it looks like you have a teardrop shaped pre flower coming up, which would signify female.
Good luck.

I don't know, I think they look like more internode branches? The growing tip is node number 7 or 8.

Another 10-14 days and it's going to 12/12 lighting to trigger flowering.

More photos...

Yeah, I don't see anything. It's got a few weeks. Looks alright though! Happy growing!

good job. u can top or fim any time. next time fill ur pots up more so the air flow hits more of her. the circular or spiral ur talking about is when u lst(low stress training) u tie down going around the pot to expose buds that will be produced when u fim to the light. good luck

Your plants are doing amazing! xD better than mine

Thanks for the positive replies folks

I'm thinking that it will become root bound eventually, so I will be cutting the bottom off the pot and sitting it on top of another pot the same size filled with new soil mix, the plant should love it just in time for flowering.

I'm also very tempted to FIM this plant, now that involves just cutting out ~80% of the newest growing tip on top is that right?

I read somewhere else that if I tip just above the second true node (very thick stem) then it should create 4 main stems is that true?

Some more images, I should just make this a grow journal...



Can someone please explain this last image to me? Is this normal? That's a single leaf growing out of the main stem node number 7

I'd like to try Uncle Bens Topping Technique
https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/151706-uncle-bens-topping-technique-get.html


"
Selecting the point for topping to get 4 main colas -

To get 4 main colas, let your seedling or cutting (clone) grow to about 5-6 nodes and pinch out (cut) the stem just above the 2nd true node. The node where the cotyledons attach doesn't count. The result will be a redistribution of the auxins and other hormones that normally collect in the tissue of the terminal leader's tip. These ho moans will be redistributed to dormant buds that reside in the nodal axis where the leaf petiole attaches to the "trunk", below the cut. The new foliar output response will be quick (within 24 hrs., see photo below) if you have a healthy growing seedling and will be your future main colas - 4 instead of the usual 1:
"

So the 2nd "true" node: Skip the cotyledons node, skip the next node (3 finger leaves), skip the next node (first true node), then cut above the next node (2nd true node?). Did I get that right? Or is my "3-finger leaves" node considered a "true" node?

As in this image from Uncle Bens page...
View attachment 2985865


Thanks for the help