First Grow Ever!

[Melvan]

I would just hit the grow shop and get bottles of ph up and ph down. Household fixes like lemon or baking soda fix it for a bit, but it doesn't hold.

You just want to maintain it at 6.5-6.8. If your powder test is telling you 7.0 I'd bet it's actually higher. You're also using FoxFarm feeds, with built in ph buffers, that may be actually taking you too low on ph.

If you're going to grow in compost you need a ph pen for the soil. Maybe next go around just use ProMix BX, which in itself is ph neutral, and much easier for a new grower to work with.

 

[budz4me]

Yeah next grow I was planning on using something like FF ocean forest. I plan on getting a better PH monitor.


But what I was suggesting wasnt a home remedy. It is actually amending the soil with either lime or holly tone to change the PH.

Thanks a bunch for all your input..all is needed and welcomed!

 

[Melvan]

Ocean Forest runs hot, people have lots of troubles with it, and it's 3x the price of a whole bale of ProMix.

The compost is the problem, it should really only be about 20% of what's in your bucket. Honestly, I think your best option is give them a week of just water to start correction, then pot up, leaving out the compost, adding either the ProMix, or your own mix of vermiculite and perlite.

 

[budz4me]

Ocean Forest runs hot, people have lots of troubles with it, and it's 3x the price of a whole bale of ProMix.

The compost is the problem, it should really only be about 20% of what's in your bucket. Honestly, I think your best option is give them a week of just water to start correction, then pot up, leaving out the compost, adding either the ProMix, or your own mix of vermiculite and perlite.

3 days of 12/12 then re-potting, and I am assuming 24/0 again? wont hurt? I agree with you on the compost...I used it as a soil, instead of an amendment. My fault from the get go.

 

[Melvan]

No, don't flip back to 24/0. Just pot up and add a week to your harvest date.

You're going to see reduced yields, but as this is your first grow you wouldn't even know that if I hadn't told you, lol. Your first run isn't suppose to be perfect, it's suppose to be learning about all these little things so that your second run will be so much better.

 

[budz4me]

Just acquired 2 new 150W HPS lights and a 4" centrifugal fan, Setting it all up now as my veg box.

As far as my girl goes, she is looking much better. Right now she is pretty dry, I find that she likes to be dried out some before a good watering. She responds nicely to that.

Will send update pics when I get the old box set up with the new lights and vent.

 

[7greeneyes]

Sorry had to dip out yesterday.

Good news on the improving plant health.

 

[budz4me]

pics

 

[budz4me]

Potting up all but one of my plants. The one in the tent on 12/12 is not being changed.

I have 2 I just finished moving from a 2 gallon pot to a 5 gallon pot. They are well, lets just say they are "adjusting" in a slightly less than desirable way.

I am about to do the next 2. They are both in the same 2 gallon pot....again huge under sight there.

I am going to leave them together and move them to a 5g pot and see how they do.

 

[budz4me]

Pics:

 

[budz4me]

this is one of 2 plants I now have in my veg box. I transplanted them both into 5g buckets at the same time...this one is doing way better.

 

[budz4me]

These are the 2 I just xplanted into a 5g bucket...both were doing so well....I hate the thought of killing one....so I will let them grow then kill the one that isnt female....smart, stupid? Feedback?

Please note I am working with minimal space....and these 2 are outside, which is going to be a concern very soon if they continue this growth rate.



I started without the proper setup....so from now on I will not be doing anything outdoors, now that I have the tents/lights ,etc. This is just a trial first run

 

[budz4me]

update on all things green over here.

My main girl is rocking along...2nd week of flower started Tuesday. Plant is growing faster than I thought it would. Last night alone it gained almost 2 inches (i checked it at 9pm before lights out...then at 5pm the next day so 20 hours it grew 2 inches) Not sure if thats normal in flowering.

I had my 400W HPS cool tube 1 inch from the top flower. When I checked it it looked like it had its face smooshed up against a window lol. One of the leaves were burned badly but I expect it will be fine.

The other 4 I have in my veg box are doing ok. I am afraid that starting them outdoors will make them too tall for my flowering tent. We shall see.

 

[budz4me]

I got a problem and I am not sure how to handle it.

The plant is too tall. If it keeps growing at this rate...it will be way too tall for my tent (2x4x5 feet).

She is in the 3rd week of 12/12 and there are lots of buds starting to form so she seems very happy, just hope she slows down a bit and works on those buds instead of growing.

 

[7greeneyes]

you could drill a hole at the top of the pot and ever so gently pull the plant down more and more everyday to the side till you have enough room, so to speak. tying it off with a soft line.

Kind of a VLST program. Very Light Stress Training...lol...good luck.

 

[budz4me]

you could drill a hole at the top of the pot and ever so gently pull the plant down more and more everyday to the side till you have enough room, so to speak. tying it off with a soft line.

Kind of a VLST program. Very Light Stress Training...lol...good luck.

Good thinking, hopefully she calms down soon and concentrates on those flowers....we will see I guess.

 

[budz4me]

Here is my girl...and my lack of height situation!! Not too bad for vegging under CFL's huh?

Week 3 of flowering begins tomorrow. Noticeable odor from plant, also got some nice flowers/buds starting to form!!.


See where the main stalk just took off from the rest of the plant? That growth is all within 2 weeks....it has went from 25" to 37" in 14 days! Almost an average of an inch per day during flower!!!

 

[7greeneyes]

Ocean Forest runs hot, people have lots of troubles with it, and it's 3x the price of a whole bale of ProMix.

The compost is the problem, it should really only be about 20% of what's in your bucket. Honestly, I think your best option is give them a week of just water to start correction, then pot up, leaving out the compost, adding either the ProMix, or your own mix of vermiculite and perlite.

I've never had one problem with FFOF, yes it's hot but if you know how to transition then it's no problem. The problem with them was about 5 years ago on the east coast they had outsourced their amendments and ened up with a very bad product. Luckily I live on the Left Coast and was able to avoid that whole scene.

clones/seedlings go into MGSS mix.

rooted clones go into 50-50 MGSS/FFOF

then into my 30-30-40 (FFOF-FFHF-Perlite)

Fox farms has the most accessible nute lines for ppl who don't have time to cook organics but want the same quality.

 

[N.E.wguy]

I've never had one problem with FFOF, yes it's hot but if you know how to transition then it's no problem. The problem with them was about 5 years ago on the east coast they had outsourced their amendments and ened up with a very bad product. Luckily I live on the Left Coast and was able to avoid that whole scene.

clones/seedlings go into MGSS mix.

rooted clones go into 50-50 MGSS/FFOF

then into my 30-30-40 (FFOF-FFHF-Perlite)

Fox farms has the most accessible nute lines for ppl who don't have time to cook organics but want the same quality.

thats alot of foffing your gonna have to keep that to a min.. or ban stick

 

[budz4me]

What the heck is up with these plants? Here are the same 2 plants from post #92 in this thread...I transplanted them 2 weeks ago and here they are now....