Help? what's wrong here?

HELPME!

Member
First off i'm brand new to the forum. Probably should have started by reading some of the more experienced peoples threads before I buried any seeds. I am a first timer and not getting the results I expected. I didn't want a big time operation, just a single plant to support personal use. Space is limited so I decided to use the closet. Went to the hardware store and got a 4ft light fixture and two "plant lights" plus two extra globe type lights. I started on 14on/10 off for about 2 Weeks until I was advised that wasn't enough time on. I'm now using 20 on, 4 off. Today marks 8 Weeks and i'm not thrilled with my results. Wondering if I should just abort mission out if there's any hope left. Using Monty's Joy Juice sparingly, and she's in a 5 gallon bucket. Any thoughts / constructive criticism would be much appreciated. I'm going to try to attach a , but doing this from my phone so it will likely come in next post
 

HELPME!

Member
The 3rd picture illustrates one of my major concerns. Why is the "stalk" so narrow? Does it have anything to do with such a short light cycle in the beginning? I am happy that my first baby seems healthy enough, but she isn't as bushy and hearty as I expected. This is the 1st go around, and I am decaying whether its worth the risk to let her keep growing to maturity, or just start over altogether. Any input from someone who has experience would be awesome. Thanks people
 

boneheadbob

Well-Known Member
I say its time to switch to 12/12. Keep those CFL's close to the top and find the CFL growers thread for more tips.

Other then that I would not worry
 

Weed Anubis

Well-Known Member
they look pretty healthy, only thing is if using cfl u need a lot of bulbs for the distance u have your lights they need to be closer so your plant does not be so stretchy, also what are ur nutes like? and soil mix? 8 weeks is a long time for a small amount of vertical growth around week 3-4 should have exploded. next time need to keep the cfl's close but for now go for bloom 12/12 lighting what are "plant lights" are u positive they are in the right spectrum? for growing? need daylight spectrum for veg and cool white for bloom (i think i don't use cfls) i suggest you buckle and put in about $200 for a HPS (high pressure sodium) lighting and use that over cfl , u have the space, just going to need a fan if u do that.
 

HELPME!

Member
Already go to 12&12? At the risk of proving my ignorance, what makes you think now is the time? Knowing why you say to switch will help next time around. Do you switch after a certain # of days, or after she looks a certain way? I bought two different bottles of Montys... The one I haven't used yet says its for flowering- should I switch over to that when I do go 12/12? Ooh... Thanks for the advice buddy.
 

ML75

Active Member
eeeekkkk lol and she has those funky 3 leaves cus she is stressed or was stressed at one point. I had a plant like that and it hermied. you can still go ahead and try to flower her. but my reccomendation (and everyone will have their own) is to veg 18/6 its a good balance inbwtween your 14/10 and your 20/4

take it as this plant was a good learning experience for you and then do better with your next plant. pick the 18/6 light cycle and leave it at that, dont go changing her lights on her. until you are ready to flower and then switch her to 12/12 (you may as well do that right now)
 

Vindicated

Well-Known Member
Your whole setup looks off. I use a single 200 watt CFL bulb under a light hood fixture. I keep the light about 6-8 inches from the plant starting from when it's a seedling. Light cycle is 18/6 during first month. In a 2x2 area I can fit four 1 gallon fabric pots or four 6" diameter plastic pots.

2012-03-28_15-31-22_114.jpg2011-05-23_20-12-54_2.jpgIMG_0675.JPG
 

Weed Anubis

Well-Known Member
no you dont have to make it bloom ML75 has a good point u can keep in veg and keep on it. i only say bloom beacuse normally u bloom after 6 weeks, tho plants can be kept in veg forever. (with grooming) i only say bloom so u can be on ur way to your next grow, there isnt much u can do now if u keep the in veg i feel like its only going to try to get taller, if u bloom it will still grow anyways plus u don't want to put in too much time for a small harvest, u will only use up ur veg-ing nutes, so my vote is bloom em move lights closer. maybe even create a net ceiling to promote it to grow out and stop the grow up and create a level canopy so u can have the lights as close as u can
 

CashCrops

Well-Known Member
First off those aren't CFL's there incandescent. The nodes look stretched probably from the lighting being to far away from the canopy and you have no perlite or vermiculite which help get oxygen to your roots. I would repot it in a 5 gallon and get some perlite at the minimum.
 

Vindicated

Well-Known Member
That Philip plant light isn't going to do anything except make your xmas decorations look pretty. The florescent light is okay for seeds, but you want at least 125-200 true watts (not incandescent equivalents) and you want to get the lights within inches of the plant. The fact that the box says it's for plants make me think its actually the wrong type of bulb. Probably meant for aquarium water plants or a tiny terrarium. For cannabis, you want photography or horticultural lighting. 6500K or daylight is the color temp your after.
 

HELPME!

Member
Do you have suggestion on good light to buy? Like brand name? I'm headed to go search now. Would you suggest a couple more lights too? You mailed it on the "aquarium" comment- packaging says Plant/aquarium. While i'm getting supplies, anything else I should pick up? I guess I've decided to let her live given the comments I've gotten so far. Will upgrade the setup completely before next time.
 

lagarrettBLUNT

Active Member

Hobie

Well-Known Member
grow with T-5 , Bloom with HPS @ 12-12 .Grow is at least , 16 on - 8 off -- overhead lights are better and at some time include side lights. I use sunleaves and hydro-farm lights . Been Growing inside 8 years , outside for 40 . I use a soil mix , fox farm ocean , cocca , pearlite . Use soil for only one grow .Good Luck .
 

doby mick

Active Member
Hi there have you tryed T5 Flouesent ? If not give them a go when i started i used The T5 s myself and must say i did alright on them and what you do is get a 4 tube one and have 2 blue spectrum bulbs and 2 red spectrum and good timer and then set for 18/6 for first 5 weeks then 12/12 for 8 weeks if you are doing 8 week flowering. Depending on your budget, if it was me personaly seeing the room you seem to have, i would go and buy a 4 tube t5 for vegging and a 400 watt hps for flowering, and prehaps do sea of green and use up the availlble o consider this when thinking of space and too increase your harvest, as all these so called yeilds these seed companys bost about can usely only be acheived by very good growers, so when considering numbers of plants as i know 1 plant wouldnt keep me going for 8 or 9 weeks. These are just a few things to think about, i hope thing go alright for you and your grow Doby Mick
 

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
head out to home depot or wal mart and pick up about 12 CFL's 6 6500k 26w CFL (daylight) and 6 2700k 26w cfl (soft white)

then head to home depot and pick up a few Y splitters and some sockets and rig everything up all around the plant. it will grow, your looking at about 7$ for the 2700k CFL's and around 24$ for the 6500k CFL and maybe another 12$ on Y's and fixtures unless you have some old lamps kicking around you can use.

Marijuana needs ALOT of light to grow vigorous and up to peoples expectations.

if you dont have the cash to invest maybe think about hardening the plant off over the next few weeks to the outdoors and then place it outside after end frost date in your area. you wont see a harvest untill october butthat plant will become a monster given its head start. just if you decide to plant outside dig a 20 gallon or bigger hole in the ground and fill it with some compost and soil. wal mart sells bags of dehydrated manure for like $1.50 each a couple of them with a bag of pro mix will give you great results
 

HELPME!

Member
I'm going to go look at lights now. Thanks for all the advice. Just wondering, since were past the frost date where I live, could I just set the thing outside? I probably won't, but just wondering how she would do if I left her in the bucket in a sunny spot in my yard?
 
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