# Very new to game. Straight forward advise please.



## Newbud (Mar 3, 2009)

Hello everyone i'm sure what i ask will have been covered somewhere several times so apologies but i am very new to this and dont always understand what i'm reading, hey we all have to start somewhere right?
Being told and read a lot of conflicting advise on the cutting off of the head of the plant and as some of you are clearly damn good at what you do i like some advice.
I have read not to top unless i have any height issues which i dont, if need be my plants can grow as tall as they want, i have full height of the room to play with, about 7 foot.
BUT i also read i should top to stop bud rot and make them bushy.
Now i dont think i have any worries about bushyness cos they are very well developed right the way up from the soil, almost as fat as they are tall.
I dont plan on leaving them to veg much longer so advise greatly appreciated.
Basically should i or shouldn't i?
Thanx in advance


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## ozzydiodude (Mar 3, 2009)

:watchplant: Grow. Your ladies look great.  IMO I would take clones. An put into flowering at any time, I was ready:hubba: 

:48: :tokie: :48:

 :headbang2: :bong1:


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## city (Mar 3, 2009)

things you and us should know. 
without knowing how you are growing or what with,lights and so on, we can only guess.. 
if you want your plants to stay low, top them or pinch the stalk(please read up on this process)





1. How tall are your plants now? 

2. How far from the lights are the tops of your plants? Is this a constant distance or have you changed it recently? 

3. How old are they? 

4. What strain are they? 

5. Did you start them from seed or clone? 

6. What type of containers are you using and what size are they in gallons?


WHAT TYPE OF GROW DO YOU HAVE?


7. Dirt? 

8. What mixture of dirt or type of dirt did you use? 

9. Is it a type that has added nutrients like "Miracle Grow"? 

10. What mixture of perlite, vermiculite and other additives have you used if any? 

11. Hydroponic? 


WHAT TYPE OF HYDROPONIC SYSTEM DO YOU USE?


12. Ebb and Flow 

13. NFT 

14. Bubbler/Deep Water 


WHAT TYPE OF MEDIA DO YOU USE? 


15. Gravel 

16. Hydroton 

17. Rockwool slab 


WHAT TYPE OF LIGHTS DO YOU USE? 


18. Fluorescent 

19. Halide

20. HPS 

21. Wattage? 

22. Ballast, is it digital or analog? 

23. Is it remote or in your grow area? 

24. What nutrients are you feeding your plants? 


HYDROPONIC FERTS?


25. What brand? What mix? What strength? 

26. How often, and when was the last time?


SOIL FERTS? 


27. What brand? What strength? What mix? 

28. How often, and when was the last time?


ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF THE GROW AREA


29. Do you use ventilation for your indoor grow? 

30. If so, what do you use? 

31. Do you use a fan?

32. What type of fan and where is it pointed? What speed? 

33. Temperature of the grow area?

34. Humidity of the grow area? 

35. Is CO2 being introduced? What method? 

36. Do you use Odor Control, (carbon, ionizer, ozone gen)? 

37. Do you use LST? HST?


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## lordhighlama (Mar 3, 2009)

hello newbud, topping, femming, supercropping, lst, they are all a matter of preference.  Some people are forced to do some training based on their grow space, not a concern for you.  There are some very good growers on this site that state and have shown that yield does not change using one training method over another.  So like I said it is mostly going to be about preference for you since you have no growing restrictions.

Topping the plant will control height and help lower growth catch up.  If you do plan on topping, give your plants enough time to recover before throwing them into flower.  Don't want to stess your she's into he she's!


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## Newbud (Mar 3, 2009)

WOW thats lot of info.. Right here goes,
Roughly 18 inches
2 lights above em 600w hps Sylvania grolux number 32's about foot and half away and one of same at side of em for extra light. Non digital ballasts.
They were little closer but plants went very bushy so moved em to about 2 foot away so they would chase the light which seemed to work well hence now why about 1 and half foot away.
They are about 4 week into veg and they were cuttings originally.
Power plant strain.
In 10l plastic square pots with holes in bottom with roughly 2 inch of some sort of pebble in bottom (B CUZZ HYDRO ON BAG) which was recommended at shop i got soil grown in canna coco using canna A and B solutions which currently mixing at 30ml of each to 10l of water.
Average ph of 5.6 with a small amount of ph upper.
Will be using cannaboost when start to flower.
They getting 1L of water a day although they starting to need little more.
Have an ossilating fan blowing and moving across them all the time the lights are on and the room they in quite large (getting filled after this trial run lol) and i have a window open most of time and another large fan to circulate air round room if and when needed.
Lucky enough not to need odour control so have no carbon filters etc.
O and no extra co2 being introduced.


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## Growdude (Mar 3, 2009)

Your plants are bushy and do not need topped or LST
IMO topping or LST should be done early to bush the plant out then it put into flower, if you top then flower its going to decrease your harvrst.

I would put them into flower right away or there going to be insane by the time there done. If you over grow them it just makes it hard and reduces yeild.


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## Newbud (Mar 3, 2009)

Growdude said:
			
		

> Your plants are bushy and do not need topped or LST
> IMO topping or LST should be done early to bush the plant out then it put into flower, if you top then flower its going to decrease your harvrst.
> 
> I would put them into flower right away or there going to be insane by the time there done. If you over grow them it just makes it hard and reduces yeild.


 
That will do for me fella. 
I not about to question someone with that much experience lol.
I'll switch lighting over.
Does everything sound about right with my set up etc? 
O yeah another question if i may be so rude.. How long should they be left in flower? and is it true i should jst gve them water for the last 2 weeks to flush them or can i carry on usin the cannaboost i will be using up until i cut em down?
Thanx


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## ozzydiodude (Mar 3, 2009)

:watchplant: :farm:6 to 10 weeks it veries by strain.
 Watch the hairs 60% red,the trichs should be turning amber and ready to harvest.
Everybody has different taste, some can taste the nutes they claim. I have grew two clones side by side flushed one lady the last two weeks and could not taste a difference, but two friends could.

:48: :tokie: :48:

 :headbang2: :bong1:


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## Newbud (Mar 3, 2009)

Hi again.
I am looking through posts but i goin bog eyed from starin at the screen lol (or is it the weed lol).
I'm thinkin bout keeping one plant for mother plant as i hate idea of being reliant on the friend i got the cuttings of as friendships often come and go. Can someone please advise me on what light to use for mother, would like an opinion rather than asking at shop and being sold an expensive item i didn't actually need lol.
Also when i was propagating my cuttings i just used a small fluorescent tube light hung right above said propagator on 24 hours but it took just over 2 weeks to get decent roots.
Any tips? When i get light for mother would i be able to use same light/area for propagating more cuttings? 
Just a thought cos i on a budget lol.
Thanx for advise so far just have patience with me i'll get there lol


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## pcduck (Mar 3, 2009)

I go by the color of the trics, not the hairs.
When I harvest I aim for a 30% amber - 70% milky.

I use a 6500k cfl works great for veg cab


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## city (Mar 3, 2009)

Newbud said:
			
		

> WOW thats lot of info.. Right here goes,
> Roughly 18 inches
> 2 lights above em 600w hps Sylvania grolux number 32's about foot and half away and one of same at side of em for extra light. Non digital ballasts.
> They were little closer but plants went very bushy so moved em to about 2 foot away so they would chase the light which seemed to work well hence now why about 1 and half foot away.
> ...



BAM!! Now that's some info...... thnks.
Oksize are your ok. Plants look killer. Don't know mucn about bags so your looking good to me..
 As for topping.. up to you. I would prefer one huge cola on top. But I have 2 going one topped. One not. The topped one have 3 big colas that are bigger than my one big one. So completely up to you.
Hope you keep a grow journal on this one .I wanna see how they come out.


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## ozzydiodude (Mar 3, 2009)

:yeahthat: IMO they both acure at apx same time, within a day or 2.
:watchplant: :farm: The CFL work great for Mother plants. Good growth with little electric use. Be sure to keep cfl's 3 to 6 inches away from ladies to prevent burns. A little farther will strech plants, this may make cloning easier.


:48: :tokie: :48: 


:headbang2: :bong1:


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## Newbud (Mar 3, 2009)

Thanx guys, wow it so much easier being able to ask people who no rather than try work stuff out from random threads on google lol i really appreciate the help, just need to figure out what cfl's are now, they flouresents right? I'll work it out lol.
What wattage cfl be good for mother? Oh so many questions lol, never really realised how much went into growing lol.
This going to be fun i love learnin new stuff.
I will gladly keep a journal on this grow if your interested, is there a separate forum bit for-em or just continue it here? I'll have a look now.
Should really be asleep it nearly 4 in the morning here lol.
Cheers guys your all superstars, i got good feeling bout this grow now thanx.
Found the journal section i'll get started


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## ozzydiodude (Mar 3, 2009)

:watchplant: :farm: Compact flouresents light replaces 100 watt light bulb 5700+k for Veg 2700 k for Flowering both  average 1600 to 1700 lumiens

:48: :tokie: :48: 

:headbang2: :bong1:


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## Newbud (Mar 3, 2009)

That just fits in normal household fitting? Do i just need one and is it 100w?


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## ozzydiodude (Mar 3, 2009)

Yes. 23 to 26 watts cfl. Daylight type is used for Veg.
2 cfl per square foot min..


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## Newbud (Mar 3, 2009)

so really i want 2 over the singal mother then?
Cheers man


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## city (Mar 4, 2009)

Newbud said:
			
		

> Thanx guys, wow it so much easier being able to ask people who no rather than try work stuff out from random threads on google lol i really appreciate the help, just need to figure out what cfl's are now, they flouresents right? I'll work it out lol.
> What wattage cfl be good for mother? Oh so many questions lol, never really realised how much went into growing lol.
> This going to be fun i love learnin new stuff.
> I will gladly keep a journal on this grow if your interested, is there a separate forum bit for-em or just continue it here? I'll have a look now.
> ...


Ya go ahead and and start it in the "grow journal" section. 
Copy and paste the info on your set up that you wrote out.. it'll help people understand what your grow is.. 
Id help answer questions on having a mother and clones. But I don't know jack about it.

Good luck and much green mojo to ya


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## Newbud (Mar 4, 2009)

Have started myself a journal mate see link below, cheers for the help so far


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## The Hemp Goddess (Mar 4, 2009)

Newbud said:
			
		

> so really i want 2 over the singal mother then?
> Cheers man



How many CFLs you are going to need will depend on your space.  _*Lighting should always be figured on the sq ft you have.*_  For vegging you are going to want lights with more of a blue spectrum--5000K or above.  The spectrum has nothing to do with lumens, it is the "color" the bulb puts out.  You need to be aware of both.  I personally like using a T5 for vegging--the tubes are high output.  A 54W tube puts out 5000 lumens.

If you are growing in soil, your pH is too low.


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## ozzydiodude (Mar 4, 2009)

Thank's Goddess I was typing slower than I was thinking last night. Had a drive-by attack by Lowrider packing a AK-47.


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## Newbud (Mar 4, 2009)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> How many CFLs you are going to need will depend on your space. _*Lighting should always be figured on the sq ft you have.*_ For vegging you are going to want lights with more of a blue spectrum--5000K or above. The spectrum has nothing to do with lumens, it is the "color" the bulb puts out. You need to be aware of both. I personally like using a T5 for vegging--the tubes are high output. A 54W tube puts out 5000 lumens.
> 
> If you are growing in soil, your pH is too low.


 
I growing in canna coco. Is ph to low? as folowing advise of the grow shop on ph level. He assured me that one way he does it but i'm always open to a little friendly advice.
Thanx for the interest


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## Newbud (Mar 4, 2009)

ozzydiodude said:
			
		

> Thank's Goddess I was typing slower than I was thinking last night. Had a drive-by attack by Lowrider packing a AK-47.


 
?????????????????????????????????????????


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## DutchMasterPuff (Mar 4, 2009)

Newbud said:
			
		

> ?????????????????????????????????????????



lol it was a joke referring to a hybrid that is a cross of two strains lowryder and ak47. A pun on an actual lowrider car and a gun, ak47 (kalishnakof). Put the two togethor and u have a drive by in a lowrider car with an ak47.


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## Newbud (Mar 4, 2009)

DutchMasterPuff said:
			
		

> lol it was a joke referring to a hybrid that is a cross of two strains lowryder and ak47. A pun on an actual lowrider car and a gun, ak47 (kalishnakof). Put the two togethor and u have a drive by in a lowrider car with an ak47.


 
LOL i thought as much but hey you never know, that **** goes down even in sleepy old england so it did get me mind wandering lol


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## Newbud (Mar 4, 2009)

Hi. went to my local B&Q to get cfl for mother but left empty handed cos didnt find what wanted. Non of em stated white light or daylight how do i know which to buy? Also what are t5's cos seen some tube lights with t5 printed on em but wasn't confident what light spectrum thet gave off.
I really really need to know what light to use for a mother even if it just keeps it alive because i need to switch others over to 12/12 like now. 
I limited to cash on this one so would i be ok with a couple of tube lights above mother or could i even use 250w hps? Although i think heat may be issue with hps.
Thanx


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## DutchMasterPuff (Mar 5, 2009)

Go to walmart and get some 6500K Daylight CFL's.


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## Newbud (Mar 5, 2009)

Think it more cost effective to try find one a little more local to myself. Dont know what the cost of a return ticket to america from england would be but dont reckon it be cheap lol.
Would of been good advise though, loads people doin same thing.
I'm thinking now tho that by the time i bought 2-4 lower wattage bulbs and some fittings to rig em up in i might as well bite the bullet and go for bank of T5's, 6400k 55-70w. It wont cost much more and i'll have the proper set up then.


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## DutchMasterPuff (Mar 6, 2009)

T5's would be great!


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