Most disorganised, last minute grow ever!

So we have 2 tarps at a right angle opposite the corner of the room, making a cordoned off section. They used the bed bases from my 2 spare single beds, quite ingeniously I thought, to rest a wooden beam across to hang the lights from. At the moment they're under a 2 lamp T5 and a 600w HPS, standing on plastic storage boxes with holes drilled into the lids to provide drainage.
We still have some white sheets to hang on the inside, I'm sure the tarpaulin is absorbing half my light, and we have another 600w HPS coming in time for flowering.
We've decided against topping and scrogging and all that for this run, we're just going to let them do what they do naturally cos right now I think they know more about what they're supposed to do than I do! But next time (cos I'm already planning my next run and the one after that!) I'm gonna be more confident in playing with them, and the OH will be more confident in letting me!
I apologise for the pics, there wasn't enough space to maneuver to get proper pics and the hps played havoc with my camera for some reason.

Cannacat said:

So we have 2 tarps at a right angle opposite the corner of the room, making a cordoned off section. They used the bed bases from my 2 spare single beds, quite ingeniously I thought, to rest a wooden beam across to hang the lights from. At the moment they're under a 2 lamp T5 and a 600w HPS, standing on plastic storage boxes with holes drilled into the lids to provide drainage.
We still have some white sheets to hang on the inside, I'm sure the tarpaulin is absorbing half my light, and we have another 600w HPS coming in time for flowering.
We've decided against topping and scrogging and all that for this run, we're just going to let them do what they do naturally cos right now I think they know more about what they're supposed to do than I do! But next time (cos I'm already planning my next run and the one after that!) I'm gonna be more confident in playing with them, and the OH will be more confident in letting me!
I apologise for the pics, there wasn't enough space to maneuver to get proper pics and the hps played havoc with my camera for some reason.

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Wow those pics really are dark! It honestly isn't like that in there, and there aren't shadows like that either, the hps made all these black lines on the camera, didn't realise they affected the pictures that much!
Anyway, I meant to ask, are the lights ok? I'm sure they should be lower but I'm worried about the hps burning the girls?

Cannacat said:

Wow those pics really are dark! It honestly isn't like that in there, and there aren't shadows like that either, the hps made all these black lines on the camera, didn't realise they affected the pictures that much!
Anyway, I meant to ask, are the lights ok? I'm sure they should be lower but I'm worried about the hps burning the girls?

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Use the back of the hand test to see if it's to hot. Put your hand palm down over the top of your plants. You should be able to keep it there comfortably for a minute without the back of your hand getting to warm. Also run a fan so it is blowing over the top of your canopy and under the light. This will help remove the hot air. I try to keep the lights as close as possible without getting to carried away. The girls love light oh yeah, the distortion in your camera is caused by electronic magnetic interference from the ballast. All ballasts do this so its not a big deal

Mad panic this morning! The girls do not look happy!

So the ones that have been under the hps overnight look really droopy, I've swapped them all round now so that they're taking turns between the hps and the t5, and I've given them a good watering and a light foliar feed. I'm hoping maybe it's just that they're adjusting to the new pots but that doesn't seem likely since the only ones affected were under the hps. It doesn't seem too warm in there and I can't see any other symptoms.

I'll see how they get on now they've been moved, watered and fed. I'll check them again before the lights go off and again as soon as they come back on. Fingers crossed.

Ok so I've been reading up on the drooping and it looks like it's a problem a lot of people have when they throw a hps in, I figure it must be plant stress from suddenly having a shit load more light thrown at them, and the different spectrum too. Now I'm just worried I've overfed them in my panic. I'm going to continue to move them around under the lights for a few days and hope for the best!

Cannacat said:

Ok so I've been reading up on the drooping and it looks like it's a problem a lot of people have when they throw a hps in, I figure it must be plant stress from suddenly having a shit load more light thrown at them, and the different spectrum too. Now I'm just worried I've overfed them in my panic. I'm going to continue to move them around under the lights for a few days and hope for the best!

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It shouldn't last to long. The difference in light intensity will cause this. Usually they pick back up after a day or so of adjustment. Your on the right track moving them around as it will build their tollerance. You could also raise the hps, and slowly lower it back down over the next few days.

Abucks said:

It shouldn't last to long. The difference in light intensity will cause this. Usually they pick back up after a day or so of adjustment. Your on the right track moving them around as it will build their tollerance. You could also raise the hps, and slowly lower it back down over the next few days.

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Thank you, glad to know I haven't got it all completely wrong, I love that I can come on here to get all my queries sorted!

I know! I've been a forum addict since the beginning of the overgrow days. It's a shame they got shut down. Over the years I have learned never to trust one source of info. A lot of growers think they know it all because they read it online. Experience is the only true teacher. Use the net as a reference and learn from that

Abucks said:

I know! I've been a forum addict since the beginning of the overgrow days. It's a shame they got shut down. Over the years I have learned never to trust one source of info. A lot of growers think they know it all because they read it online. Experience is the only true teacher. Use the net as a reference and learn from that

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Great advice!

Cannacat said:

Mad panic this morning! The girls do not look happy!

So the ones that have been under the hps overnight look really droopy, I've swapped them all round now so that they're taking turns between the hps and the t5, and I've given them a good watering and a light foliar feed. I'm hoping maybe it's just that they're adjusting to the new pots but that doesn't seem likely since the only ones affected were under the hps. It doesn't seem too warm in there and I can't see any other symptoms.

I'll see how they get on now they've been moved, watered and fed. I'll check them again before the lights go off and again as soon as they come back on. Fingers crossed.

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They are fine Just adjusting. Plants will do this when they are feeling waterlogged too. Also I had plants once that overnight would droop then perk back up an hour into their day. It does seem to me that they may be a little bit overwatered though otherwise they are coming along just beautifully no need to freak

They look more than ready for a topping! Time to get you some nice bushies going instead of lanky Christmas trees

growman3666 said:

They are fine Just adjusting. Plants will do this when they are feeling waterlogged too. Also I had plants once that overnight would droop then perk back up an hour into their day. It does seem to me that they may be a little bit overwatered though otherwise they are coming along just beautifully no need to freak

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They're looking much better now, yesterday they were looking a little washed out, they went quite a pale green, but I read that that's cos they're still adjusting to the new hps, like trying to absorb less light. I was just reading somewhere that a 400w hps gives off 50000 lumens and a 1000w hps gives off 140000 lumens, so we're somewhere in the middle with our 600w. Considering that they were just under the 4000 lumen t5 before, no wonder the change has come as a shock to them!
I think possibly they might need an extra few days in veg to make up for the lost growth of the last few days that they've been stressed. One thing they definitely weren't is overwatered because I'm obsessed lol, it's the one thing I've kept getting pressure on (from the dude we got em from) and won't give in, I know when my girls want food and I'm not sticking to anybody else's idea of the right watering schedule!
As for topping, I'm not allowed to lol! No playing with the first crop, is the general gist!
Will post pics later when they wake up.

Abucks said:

I know! I've been a forum addict since the beginning of the overgrow days. It's a shame they got shut down. Over the years I have learned never to trust one source of info. A lot of growers think they know it all because they read it online. Experience is the only true teacher. Use the net as a reference and learn from that

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I've noticed that nearly everybody you speak to has their way of doing things and are convinced that there's is THE right way. So I'm reading everything, listening to everyone, and then doing what feels right for my lot!

Cannacat said:

I've noticed that nearly everybody you speak to has their way of doing things and are convinced that there's is THE right way. So I'm reading everything, listening to everyone, and then doing what feels right for my lot!

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I agree, everyone's system is the perfect system and technique. I just wish they would all learn that my way is the only right way to grow, and that I'm the only one who knows everything

So I've got my Canna A & B but unfortunately, as seems to be becoming habit, I have them from somebody else's big bottles so I have no instructions!
The guy we got it from told me 3ml of each to 1 litre of water, does this sound right? I'm gonna look it up anyway but wanted to see if I could get some opinions on it. I don't think they're ready for an increase in nute strength just yet, what with the light stress they've had the last few days but hopefully they'll start to catch up a bit now.

Cannacat said:

So I've got my Canna A & B but unfortunately, as seems to be becoming habit, I have them from somebody else's big bottles so I have no instructions!
The guy we got it from told me 3ml of each to 1 litre of water, does this sound right? I'm gonna look it up anyway but wanted to see if I could get some opinions on it. I don't think they're ready for an increase in nute strength just yet, what with the light stress they've had the last few days but hopefully they'll start to catch up a bit now.

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canna gardening.com
They have a great feed calculator to use as a guideline.

Abucks said:

canna gardening.com
They have a great feed calculator to use as a guideline.

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Thanks!

Looking good today. Still getting some paling and drooping leaves towards the end of the light cycle but they seem so much stronger and the new growth that they were just getting when they were transplanted is now actually growing again, thankfully!

Terrible pics again unfortunately the ballast seriously dislikes all my cameras!

Abucks said:

canna gardening.com
They have a great feed calculator to use as a guideline.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Looking good today. Still getting some paling and drooping leaves towards the end of the light cycle but they seem so much stronger and the new growth that they were just getting when they were transplanted is now actually growing again, thankfully!

Terrible pics again unfortunately the ballast seriously dislikes all my cameras!

It looks like the are coming around! Unfortunately most ballasts on the market have a high amount of electromagnetic interference. This is what causes the banding in the pics. The only ballasts I've found that don't do this are the solistek matrix serries.

Girls are looking good, upped their feed a little today, only by about 100ml. I've seen a lot about them needing a litre a day but mine don't need anywhere near that much, am I underwatering? I've been very careful not to over water, now I'm worried I've gone the other way, but then surely the girls would've let me know? They've just had 400ml each of canna A&B at 4ml a litre, and they're nice and wet. Now I've got people saying they need feeding everyday now and others saying don't give them anything else until they dry out, which is how I've done it so far but they're not babies anymore and I really need a major growth spurt from them over the next few weeks! My partner is sure we should switch to 12/12 when they've done 4 weeks at veg but I don't think they'll be ready by next Tuesday, especially since they're only just getting over the stress from the transplant and new light, I know we've lost a good few days growth there because I can see it.
Also, the colour of the leaves is starting to come back in, which is great but now I'm concerned that my leaves look a little like a picture I've just seen of nitrogen deficient plants, so I'm going to give them another day and then see how they're looking. I really don't think they're deficient in anything, I'm sure it's just that they're returning to their proper colour but it can't hurt to be extra vigilant.