Evening. I've done more reading on RIU, than I have posting, but I have tried to contribute here & there. Mostly I've just been reading, like this thread, from 1 - 71 pages : I've learned an extraordinary amount from UB, and others. Thanks UB for shedding light on so many things. I have to concur your approach is very comprehensive, and I just enjoy finally seeing the light, and how it shakes up what I've been told/taught over the years. I have probably a dozen other thread's bookmarked on here, and finding good new links all the time. Who knew I'd wind up with a 'minor' in botany before it was all said & done. I come from soil background of a few yrs, so I'm not a total noob, but have just started my first coco grow.
I have some questions:
I see references and/or consensus that de-fanning in the late stages of bloom to provide more light to the lower areas of canopy, is bad.. - is that right? I mean, even including in early to mid-bloom, clipping fan leaves in order to let more light in. I know some1 who believed that before harvest all the fan leaves should be removed, to just speed up trim. That I can understand, but you wouldn't want to do this procedure, say, 5 - 6 days before harvest? Right? You'd just be stressing the plant it seems. I will add: that earlier this Spring, when I was completing a cycle of Dream Queen, I pulled the colas in order to be pro-active against Bud Rot (I live in a humid area), and usually this is fine, but this caused the plants to just start dying. I like the idea of pulling the colas in order to let some of the undergrowth get light for a few more days - but this time it really sorta backfired. That was the 1st time I had ever had that happen. Most of the time I just complete the chopping in order, and not pulling the cola of the grow all at once, but during the wet season, I just do that to combat BR.
What about creating the canopy? (I did google and search RIU threads for this) I was told that 12 - 14 days into flower, go through and clear out the underbrush, 'raising' the new canopy appropriate to height of plant(s) - but leaving, I would guess, 12" to 14, maybe even 16" of bare stem at the bottom. Would you complete this procedure during one run, like in an evening, say? Or gradually remove these from over a period of a few days? You're eliminating popcorn, and just scraggle at the bottom - but this is a good thing - si?
What an epiphany about the low N count in "Bloom" products, and I have to concur, I recall grows where yellowing leaves was just accepted. Man! WTFH @#$!&* I've noticed in the Canna nutes I'm using, the A+B+Rhizo, there wasn't much N in there at all.. and that is a mix that is supposed to be used throughout veg+bloom? Hmmmm. Another thing.. (which I may just call Botanicare tomorrow).. to address the low N ratio, I do have a HUGE container of Nitrex (6-0-0) but its been, old, maybe 2 yrs? Is this OK to use? I also have a small container of Humboldt Nutrients' Verde - but again, At least 2 yrs old.
Judging from this thread the Dyna-Gro seems to be a good choice maybe for consistent application (at a lower strength right?) in bloom. seems like I need a good N solution to supplement the Canna A+B formula. Should I just get the Hi-N-Pro, the All-Pro, or the Grow? if I cant use the Nitrex/Verde b/c of age
sum1 recommended to add Cal/Mg to this lineup, and I do have some Plant Amp (Cutting Edge) available, and was just going to use that. I am showing some slight deficiencies on the margins of a few leaves, and noticed chlorosis on a few leaves too (after adding that Nitrex! I think :/ ) - Also the Plant Amp I have is probably 4 - 6 months old, that should be fine I would think.
OK , so, so sorry for the ramble & the length; but many thanks in advance for addressing the question(s) above.
try asking someone like bricktop, he will give you the skinny on your nute question.