BONG0
10-24-2006, 05:51 AM
Cannabis Germination:
Use these steps as a guide line...
1) Add two tablespoons of bleach to one gallon of distilled water.
2) Soak seeds for 24 hours.
3) Every six hours check for cracked cannabis seeds, if you find one take it out. Place in your medium with pointed end up.
4) After 24 hours place the remaining seeds in your medium.
There are many ways to germinate your marijuana seeds... this one is recommended by one of our resident grow expert.
CUTTINGS
CARE OF MARIJUANA CUTTINGS
Once cuttings are planted and watered, place them under a flourescent
lamp where they will stay until rooted. Softwood cuttings require bottom
heat of about 21°C (71 °F), which is usually room temperature for most
propagation areas. Keeping trays of cuttings on cold concrete floors will
slow down root development. Avoid high temperatures in the tray as they
force the cuttings to produce top growth instead of roots, using up food
reserves in the cutting.
High humidity levels help reduce water loss from the cutting's leaves, but
they can also encourage plant diseases to multiply and attack your young plants.
If you use a clear dome over your tray, remove it at least once a day for
a few minutes to ??air out? the tray, and wipe condensed moisture out of the cover,
it simply interferes with light reaching the cuttings.
While domes can reduce water loss from cuttings they can also trap heat.
Keep the flourescent lamps at least a foot (30 cm) above the top of the
dome. A small thermometer placed in the propagation tray will help keep
track of propagation temperatures.
Since cuttings cannot spend their whole lives under a dome, the sooner
they can adapt to life in open air, the better. Once cuttings have lived
inside the dome for a week or so, by removing the clear cover for a few
hours during the light period, watching carefully for wilting. If they do show
signs of stress, replace cover and try again a few days later. While some
crops take longer than others to root, plants that seem ??addicted? to their
covers may be suffering from fungus disease - treat with "No Damp"
according to directions. The other possibility is high temperatures inside
the dome. (above 24°C=75°F )
FEEDING AND WATERING
Newly planted cuttings are ?? watered in? well with a mix of water and
powerthrive (one tablespoon/ one gallon) to supply vitamins that reduce
plant stress, and also to provide good contact between the cutting's stem
and the grow medium. If the cuttings are cared for under moderate
conditions (21°C tray temperature, fluorescent lighting ) they will likely not
need watering for about 59 days. Plant rooting in fast - draining mediums
such as perlite or hydrocorn may need watering more frequently. Once
cuttings can stand up well with the covers removed, they will need watering
more often. Keeping cuttings too wet will cause root and stem rot; letting
cuttings dry out will kill them just as quickly . Let experience and the
appearance of the cuttings be your guide.
Giving new cuttings fertilizer can actually cause slow rooting - the plants
have no good reason to grow roots ! Once cuttings show signs of having
new roots- either fine white roots showing on the bottom of the rockwool
cube or new light green top growth start feeding cuttings with mild fertilizer
solution. A good ?? baby food? for newly- rooted cuttings is 1/3 strength
flowering fertilizer. This food helps the new plants to grow deep, strong
roots, without forcing top growth When cuttings are definitely rooted and
producing new top growth, with the dome permanently removed, lower the
flourescent lamps gradually closer to tops of cuttings, watching closely for
wilting or signs of stress. It's possible to gradually drop the lamp within
8cm (3 inches) above the growing tips. If you are keeping these rooted
cuttings under the fluorescent lamps, be sure to raise lamps as plants
grow taller to avoid cooking new top growth Continue watering and
feeding as required, using mild fertilizer until they are transplanted to
stronger light levels.
LIGHTING
Keep Fluorescent lamps on for 18-24 hours a day while cuttings are
rooting . Once rooted and being fed the mild fertilizer solution, they will
need a six hour night to grow best. Match the timing of the dark period of
the cuttings to the night, they will have when transplanted into a grow-room
or greenhouse.
FUNGICIDES AND PESTICIDES
Since cuffings are taken from healthy, disease and pest-free stock plants,
and the grow mediums we use for rooting cuttings are considered
disease-free at the start, we usually don't have to use fungicides until a
week or so after starting the cuttings - use "No Damp" fungicide solution
as a foliar spray or water it into the medium. (1 Oml "No Damp" with one
liter of water) Repeat once a week as a precaution while cuttings are
rooting.
Insects can be very destructive to young plants. Spider mites and fungus
gnats are two of the worst insects to discover in a propagation tray, since
they can destroy all the cuttings and set back the garden. "Bug Kill" works
well against spider mites - be sure to spray underside of leaves regularly
to kill adults and hatchling as they emerge from eggs. Spray inside of tray
to pick off strays crawling from plant to plant.
Fungus gnats lay eggs in the grow medium, and when the eggs hatch, their
tiny larva chew new roots to suck food from the plants. They weaken plants
and create disease problems too. They carry fungus spores on their
bodies, which attack plants through their damaged roots. Use "sticky
cards" to check for signs of Fungus gnats In the propagation tray, and treat
all cuttings with Wilson's "Potting Soil Insecticide Dust" or similar mild
pesticide if signs of gnats appear.
Germination and More
Starting Media and Nutrients
Any propagation medium must be thoroughly soaked before seeds are sown to
assure uniform distribution of moisture. There are many different propagation media
available. Seeding trays can be filled with a soilless mix, such as peat and perlite. Peat pellets
are also popular starters. Seedlings grown in a soilless mix may have enough
nutrients available to them from the media that they would not need any additional
nutrients for the first few weeks of growth, and therefore could be watered with freshwater only. However, seedlings in an inert medium, such as rockwool or oasis, will definitely require nutrient solution at all times.
Rockwool blocks are available in several sizes, and are designed so that seeds can be placed directly into seeding
cubes, then, as the plants develop, the cubes can be nested inside larger blocks, for a "pot in a pot" system. This minimizes transplant shock, since the larger block consists of the same
material as the germination cube. Oasis horticubes are similar to rockwool cubes in that they are inert, sterile blocks with excellent drainage. Other cubes made of urethane foam and paper fiber are also available.
Tomato seeds should be sown 1/4 to 3/8 inch (0.6 to 1cm) deep. Sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite over the
seeds or cover the germination cubes or pots with a large piece of clear plastic to conserve moisture at the
surface. Avoid the use of plastic if the cubes receive direct sunlight, as the temperature may get too hot for
good germination. The plastic must be removed as soon as emergence begins.
Seedling system design
Overhead watering is the most common method used for germinating seedlings. It is important for the seedlings to be in full sun and at the proper temperature as soon as germination occurs. When watering, the water must be
sprinkled uniformly over all seedlings to avoid uneven growth. The plants must be checked often to assure they do not become water stressed. Flood and drain (ebb and flow) systems can also be very effective for germinating
seedlings. Nutrient solution or water floods a shallow tray containing the sown cubes
or pots, providing moisture from the bottom, which will diffuse throughout the
propagation block by capillary action. Once the blocks are evenly moist, the tray is
drained, which allows the cubes or pots to drain and assure aeration of the roots. This
process will need to be repeated often throughout the day, but may not need to be
done at all during the night. The advantages of this system are even moisture, no
physical beating of the leaves and tender plants, and low labor costs (especially if
timers are used).In any event, the temperature of the irrigation solution should
be at least 18° C (64° F). Irrigating seedlings with colder water will result in slower growth. During winter months,
especially in Northern latitudes, supplemental light may be required for strong growth of seedlings. The lights should operate 14 to 18 hours per day.
Marijuana Transplanting
The three stages of early development are germination, post-emergence, and
transplant. Germination should occur within one week of seeding, post-emergence is
generally 5 to 12 days, and transplanting should be done between 12 and 14 days
from seeding. Once true leaves appear (during post-emergence), seedlings should be
transferred into larger growing blocks (pots) from the original seedling cubes, then
evenly spaced to maximize light to each plant, without any crowding or shading. The
transplants must be spaced so as not to touch one another, and may need to be
spread several times during their growth. If crowded, the plants will become spindly. A
good transplant is one that is as wide as it is tall. If plants are somewhat "leggy", with
long stems, they can be transferred into the larger blocks with their stems bent 180° ,
so the original cube is upside-down inside the larger block, and the main stem forms a
"U" shape, emerging vertically upward from the block. Tomato plants readily grow
adventitious roots from the stems if given the opportunity, producing a stronger plant
with more roots. Adventitious roots will grow from the bent stem inside the block.
Transplanting into the final growing media should be done before any flowering. The final growing
media should be properly leached and moistened and be at the proper temperatures before plants
are brought in. Plants should be irrigated with nutrient solution immediately after moving.
The spacing of tomatoes in hydroponic systems can be much denser than in soil. As little as two
square feet per plant (0.2 square meters per plant) have been used with good yields and quality under
high light conditions. Spacing is a function of sunlight, so in areas of lower light wider spacing should be applied.
pH is a wonderful early warning system of problems before they happen, because it illustrates thecondition of your reservoir water!
A pH reading should be made from your reservoir. There are many factors that contribute to a changing
of the pH of your reservoir, but the most common will be due to your plants taking up nutrient and leaving
"salts" behind. A pH reading must be taken daily and preferably before you add nutrient (to give you an idea of what your plants are doing to the reservoir water) and a few hours after nutrient is added to the reservoir.
Our serious tip on pH's is getting the right pH tester. Most professional growers will stray away from any
electronic pH tester, as they tend to be inaccurate and often require calibration (which relies on a
calibrated pH solution). Our tip is to buy a cheap (<$5.00) liquid pH tester from a hydroponic shop that
gives readings in the colors Yellow, Green and Blue (these never need calibrating and will give 100%
accurate readings) Maintain nutrient pH between 5.6 and 6.2.
If your readings are low < 5.0, the reservoir water will be acidic. On the color meter this will be a yellow shade. This might be a good sign showing your plants are feeding and depositing "salts" into the reservoir changing the pH reading to "Yellow" or acidic. Simply ad "pH up" available from a hydroponics shop, to bring the pH back to Green (5.6 - 6.2) two hours after adding your nutrient. If your reading is high >6.2, the reservoir water will be alkaline. On the color meter this will be a blue shade. We often have found a reservoir going blue can be an early indicator of plant problems, especially when the meter goes blue on a continual basis. By adding "pH down" available from a hydroponics shop, you can bring the pH back to green (5.6 -
6.2) two hours after adding your nutrient. A non consistent pH (i.e. a pH that goes up and down like a yo-yo) is often a sign of lack of water conditioner: See Tip 3 on Water Conditioner
Parts Per Million (or PPM Meter)
If you're a serious grower you will understand the importance of a PPM Meter. People who don't use a PPM Meter on a daily basis are looking for trouble. Our serious tip on PPM is: Never, never, ever ad nutrient "by eye" as you will never know how many "parts per million of nutrient" are in your reservoir to start with. A marijuana plant is a living plant that has needs that might change from day to day. If the temperature happens to be a
bit low it might not feed that day. And what does the amateur grower do? Blindly throw another cup or three of 2 part nutrient, plus a splash of Hydro Minerals? This would mean the reservoir would have double the required nutrient that day and is heading for a disaster. Good PPM meters are often about $100. Professional growers will stay away from any PPM meter that requires calibration... believe me they are no good. The best PPM meter is one that is self calibrating. Professional growers tend to maintain PPM's at about 1600 - 1800. When adding nutrient they ad small amounts at a time so as not to exceed their PPM maximum and take PPM measurements over a period of time. Reservoir PPM's that go down are generally a good sign, showing plants are feeding and using the nutrient on a daily basis. Reservoir PPM's that are stable or go up are an early warning indicator that your plants are not feeding and the plants might be in stress for some reason or another. Read Water Conditioner and pH Tips sect ion for help in this regard. PPM Meters stop a major problem of over-feeding your plants, one of the top 5 causes of plant deaths in the growers bible.
The Water Conditioner
Water conditioner is an often unknown element when growing hydroponically. If you have read any outdated books by Rosenthal or his other hippie mates that you should "dump" or "flush" your reservoir every two weeks, then sit down, take your blindfold off and read this: As you have read above, plants use nutrient and dump salt and residues in the reservoir. Plants will sometimes use more of one element and less of another, which will cause solidification's of salts of one type or another in your reservoir.Rosenthal and his hippie mates got around this problem by flushing regularly which cleaned all salt build-up in the reservoir, and replaced the nutrient to the correct PPM's; only to repeat this procedure two weeks later! Many professional growers will not flush at all during the entire grow cycle and only flush two or three times in the flowering cycle!
They have perfectly balanced reservoirs, and no salt residue buildup! What is their secret?
Water Conditioner (a generalized name) also called "Bio-Acids" or "Plant Acids" or "Sea Acids" depending on the
manufacturer. in Australia they are called BIO-Earth Sea Acids and solve many growers reservoir imbalance
problems. Bio-Acids as I like to call them function to break down compounds found in soils and thereby release and chelate nutrients. When such organic plant acids are added to inorganic nutrient solutions or to a
fertilizer treated rockwool or soil, pH is naturally balanced, trace elements are naturally chelated and the
organic acid levels are greatly improved. Research shows conclusively that organic acids are so vital a component of plant chemistry, that when excluded from the cultivation equation, yields are drastically reduced. Significant improvements are noticed when re-introduced and normal plant processes are restored. Talk to your local hydroponic shop about water conditioners and bio/plant acids which will reduce the amount of nutrient you waste every flush. If your hydro shop doesn't sell this product, go somewhere else. Some hydro shops make their living on
ignorant people who flush their nutrient down the drain on a regular basis.
Cannabis Light
Often an underestimated element of growing marijuana: Many amateurs strive to find the reasons why they only pull two ounces of bud a plant, when a professional using the same strain will reap a pound per plant.
Professionals tip of the day: Lights = Poundage (given all other factors are accounted for) Generally speaking, 1000watt HID, or 1000w MH lamps will provide the heaviest crops. The more light in the grow
area, the more heavier resin laden buds you will pull. This might cause some controversy out there, but this statement is reality because it's simple and it works: more light means more bud, from top to bottom! Most professionals will use a light moving system in larger areas to save on costs of running electricity thirsty ballast's.
Professionals find that more light will lower the grow cycle times, and will reduce the flowering cycle time, so that your risk is also reduced. "All other factors accounted for" are balanced pH, PPM's, water conditioning, rare-mineral supplement, temperature, airflow, co2 and humidity. Persons concerned with large power consumption, consider this: A GEC electric heater or an air-conditioner can use 2500w constantly whilst in use. 2 x 1000w Metal Halide systems will use a little over 2200w total. Your growing time is reduced with more light so you can switch to flowering cycle quicker. On a 12 hour on, 12 hour off grow cycle you are only using 1100w in a 24 hour period! More lights = greater heat. Make sure you read the temperature, Free Co2, airflow & ventilation tips to keep a constant grow room temperature. I don't get into discussions about which is better HID or MH. Professionals that I talk to find that the end results are pretty much the same for each lamp, and stress that people like Rosenthal and his hippie mates get their g-strings in a knot over color spectrums and the like when the most important factor is the amount of lumens (or light) produced per square foot of growing space. Finally, another modern professional tip: To reduce noise from your HID or MH Ballast, sit them on a block of fire-resistant "grodan" grow-wool. This will simply cut a huge amount of Ballast noise emanating from your grow room. If you're worried about the grodan, you can slip a piece of concrete sheeting between the Ballast and the grodan to reduce heat...
- 1000w Ballast on top
- Fireproof and Fire-resistant concrete sheeting
- Fire-resistant grodan slab to cushion sound
Temperature, Free C02, Airflow, Humidity and Ventilation
Also another in the top 5 casualty list: Incorrect temperature, airflow and ventilation.
Firstly with airflow and ventilation: When using high temperature globes in a confined space it is
essential to have adequate airflow and ventilation. If this criteria is not met, your plants may burn
or dry in the heat or event worse start a fire. Professional growers state that you can never have enough ventilation indoors! Install a ceilingexhaust fan in reverse to bring in air from outside, and install a second one normally to pump the air out of the room, so you know your grow room is getting "fresh" outdoors air and not stale
indoor air. If this doesn't reduce heat enough, buy exhaust fans certified to pull 450m3+ per
hour; they're worth the money. Install cheap "central heating" piping if you have to pull air from
an area away from the grow room. See "reducing fan noise" picture for sound proofing.
Use rotating floor fans to "stir up" and circulate air within the grow room.
Humidity can be a difficult problem especially in flower cycle. Excess humidity can cause molds
to rot your marijuana. Professional growers are of the opinion that excess humidity can reduce
THC in your buds. Try and reduce your humidity to 50°- 60°. This can be an extremely difficult task at times,
especially when you have a room full of marijuana perspiring buckets of water out their leaves.
We found a simple and effective solution to reducing humidity, however we must warn that this will increase temperature. Its called free Co2.
FREE Co2
- By drawing Co2 from Gas Stove
- Use Duct tubing to grow room
- More tubing will cool the Co2
- Use existing Kitchen Fan
With this method, you can significantly lower humidity, control temperature and have abundant Co2
flowing over your plants from above for next to nothing. Temperature was controlled by turning down the flame, or increased by lighting another burner. There is no danger of naked flames in the grow room as flames remain in the kitchen. The kitchen had an existing exhaust fan that was secured above to some central heating duct pipe that
ran to the grow room. In hotter weather, the duct tubing was extended from 10ft to 40ft. By running the excess tubing up and down the roof, it reduced the temperature, however there was still abundant cool Co2 flowing into the
room. Humidity rose a little after this extension. I don't know if you can appreciate the sound of 4 Exhaust fans running at once, but one might compare it to a jackhammer from inside a grow room!
Here's more excellent expert tips on reducing fan noise:
- Cut hole in ceiling and fit ducting
- Attach exhaust fan to duct tube
- Attach 4 nylon lines to fan
- Join to roof above with single line
- Enjoy the peace and quiet!
Now finally, Temperature: Many of the temperature related topics were discussed in airflow
above, but this is a pointer that needs mentioning:. Controversial like always, we decided that what we read in Rosenthals and others books was a load of shit regarding temperature. Growers found cultivating marijuana strains at suggested temperatures of 25°c -27°c achieved hemp quality ganja which was a shit smoke.
The same strains grown at 35°c - 37°c were rocket fuel and physically blew your socks off.
Maybe it was the particular strain, but we will advise you as time goes on as professional growers give me information on this topic. Here are some tips on tailoring the fertilizer mix to the particular stage of a plant's
development....
Stage Cutting Early Vegetative Rapid Vegetative
Days 7-21 6-10 0-14
Fertilizer Phosphorus Grow/Bloom Grow Formula
Superthrive, Mixture high nitrogen low
H202, Moderate levels phosphorous
WillardsWater of nitrogen and phosphorous
Lighting 7500K Flour 5600K Halide Iwasaki 3700K Halide Eye Lighting Iwasaki
Stage Early Bloom Late Bloom Finish/Fruiting
Days +/- 14 +/- 32 +/- 10
Fertilizer Grow/Bloom Mixture Bloom Formula Mixture Organic Mix
Low Dosage Low Nitrogen
Lighting 2100K Retro HPS 2100K Retro HPS (Iwasaki) 2100K Retro HPS (Iwasaki)
GENERAL MARIJUANA GROWING INFORMATION
Energy Supply
Every living creature needs energy to live, develop and grow. For most living creatures
the most important energy source is sugar (glucose). Green plants are the only ones
capable of producing these sugars themselves. These sugars are produced from water,
which is being absorbed through the roots and carbon dioxide, which is being absorbed
from the air. In order to make sugar out of these matters, the plant needs light. This
process takes place in the green pigment, (chloroplasts) and is called; photo synthesis.
(photo=light, synthesis=produce, therefore photo synthesis means; produce through
light).
Cannabis Lights
As above, the plant needs light for its energy supply. Because we are talking about
growing indoors, we will have to supply a light source. Normal lamps are less suitable for
the job. A plant needs light of certain wavelengths, which are not or not present or strong
enough in normal lamps. The some company??s. recommend the use of type SON T lamps.
They are suitable for both the growth stage, as well as the flowering stage. Ballast's are
necessary for these lamps. Ballast's of 600 watts have the most favorable output of
delivered light per watt. Depending on the variety we recommend to use between 400 and
800 watts per m2. With insufficient light the plant remains light-green in colour and
becomes unnaturally thin and protracted. The buds will also remain smaller with
insufficient light.
Saving on marijuana light is stealing from yourself!.
The efficiency of the lighting in the grow room can be strongly increased by covering
your grow room with reflective materials. You could paint the walls with mat white paint
or cover the walls with white plastic. Ensure that the room can be easily cleaned because
spraying might pollute the walls quite a bit. Most sorts of your "favorite plants" remain
in their vegetative (grow) state when the light cycle is maintained at 18 hours. Your
"favorite plant" is a so called short day plant, in this we mean that the plant will start
flowering when we shorten the light period. Plants are initiated into the flowering phase
by shortening the day period to 12 hours on and 12 hours off per 24 hours. Your
"favorite plants" that originate from the tropics do not react to changing day lengths
but flower after a certain time. That is logical if you realize that a day in the tropics lasts
approximately 12 hours the whole year round. The lamp must hang at a distance from the
plants that will not cause any scorching of the leaves. This distance differs with the
wattage of the lamp. We recommend a distance of: 400 Watt- 45 cm; 600 Watt- 85 cm;
1000 Watt- 105 cm. Don't hang the lamp any higher above the plants than necessary.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is absorbed by the plant through its pores. In small spaces, the present
carbon dioxide will soon be used up. Therefore the air in the growroom has to be
replenished regularly. For this you need to buy an exhaust fan. You have to make sure
however that it is powerful enough to replenish all the air at least 20 times per hour. The
fan can be connected to a time clock or thermostat and/or hygrometer. To provide for an
optimal gas change for the plant we also recommend to place an oscillating fan in the
growroom, in order to have a constant air flow along the plants.
In urban areas the carbon dioxide concentration might increase to a higher value than the
normal 0.03% which is 300 ppm (parts per million). From regular horticulture we know
that adding extra carbon dioxide to a concentration of 0.15% highly stimulates the
growth and the speed of photo-synthesis. This results in faster and higher yields. This
yield increasing effect is most powerful with intensive lighting and inert substrate
cultivation, such as rockwool. Another effect that has been reported by growers is the
fact that a higher carbon dioxide concentration makes the plants less sensitive to higher
temperatures.
A third effect is that there is less need to ventilate (unless the humidity is too high)
because you don t depend on carbon dioxide from the outside air. In greenhouses the
exhaust gas of oil-fired central heating is conducted back into the greenhouse. To raise
the carbon dioxide concentration in grow rooms, it is usually supplied from bottles. There
are two ways to provide for more carbon dioxide in the growroom.
(I) The cheapest way is to buy a pressure regulator that can be adjusted so that after
ventilation (when carbon dioxide is dispelled from the room) the right amount of carbon
dioxide will be released inside again. The exact quantity you need is something you have
to work out yourself. You calculate this as follows: Length x Width x Height of the
growroom in meters gives the volume of the room in cubic meters. One cubic meter is
1000 liters. If for instance you want to increase the concentration from 0.03% to the
required level of 0.15%, you need to add 0.12% carbon dioxide. Suppose your grow room
measures 2 x 2 x 3m , which is 12000 liters. 0.12% of 12000 liters is 14.4 liters. So to this
room, 14.4 liters of carbon dioxide should be added to obtain an optimal gas
concentration. This needs to be done after every exhaust period. This only needs to be
done during the "day period", because the plants only use carbon dioxide when the light
is on. One kilo of carbon dioxide is approximately 500 liters. So a 10 kilogram bottle
contains approximately 5000 liters. This means that a grow room of 2 x 2 x 3m needs two
bottles per grow period.
(II) The second system to keep the concentration of carbon dioxide at the right
percentage is by the use of a carbon dioxide meter and a computer controlled pressure
regulator. The concentration of gas is constantly measured and the computer makes sure
that with a too low concentration, the right quantity of gas is added. The ventilator could
also be connected to this computer. This system is not cheap but once it has been
installed you don't need to worry about it anymore.
Marijuana Temperature
The recommended day temperature with the cultivation of your "favorite plant" lies
between 25 and 28 deg C. With higher temperatures the growth will slow down and the
yield and quality will decrease (many growers experience this during summer). In the
dark, other chemical reactions occur in the plant than in daytime. A lower temperature
suits them best. The recommended night temperature lies between 15 and 20 deg C. With
temperatures lower than 15 deg C the growth is obstructed, lower than 10 deg C the
growth stagnates and lower than 5 deg C will damage the plant. The most ideal situation
would be a grow room with both heating and air-conditioning.
The roots are especially sensitive to low temperatures. The absorption of nutrients
through the roots is an active process. This means that the root needs energy to absorb
the nutrients, but also to be able to select these nutrients. The root can, to a certain
point, choose which and how much nutrient it absorbs. This process can be seriously
disturbed with too low a temperature, because then there is insufficient energy available
for this process. Therefore you have to make sure that when watering the plants the
water is approximately 23 deg C. With cultivation on rockwool the nutrient solution
temperature is held constant with the use of a special twin glass sleeved aquarium heater
that has a built-in thermostat.
Water
It speaks for itself that the plant must receive enough water. Don't forget that the water
needs of a plant, in time, can strongly differ. Freshly transplanted seedlings and cuttings
require less water than a flowering adult plant. It is of great importance that the plant has
a well developed and healthy set of roots for the optimal absorption of water (and the
nutrients that will be mentioned here after).
Most of the water absorbed by the plant is evaporated via the leaves. By doing so the air
in the grow room becomes humid.
Relative Humidity
The humidity will decrease because of the ventilation in the grow room. To measure the
humidity , you need a hygrometer. A high relative humidity is very important for the
seedlings in the beginning of the cycle (between 60% and 75%). At the end it is
important to keep the RH low (40% to 50%) because it could cause the buds to rot. If
the humidity is too high, you need to exhaust more air. If the humidity is too low you
could first try to increase it by hanging some wet (clean!) towels or sheets in the room
and by often spraying the underside of the leaves (normal tap water). If this is not
sufficient you might consider buying a humidifier.
Nutrients in General
For the healthy development of a plant a number of nutrients are indispensable. The
following elements are necessary: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus,
sulphur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum,
borium and chlorine. Carbon is being absorbed through carbon dioxide. (In carbon
dioxide one particle of carbon is attached to two particles of oxygen). Hydrogen and
oxygen are mainly absorbed by means of water. (In water two particles of hydrogen are
attached to 1 particle of oxygen). These matters have already been explained.
NITROGEN (N)
Nitrogen together with phosphorus and potassium are the main ingredients in normal
fertilizers. All proteins, also the ones in the plant, contain nitrogen. All enzymes (these are matters
that regulate the character and speed of the chemical reactions in the plant) are proteins.
Especially chlorophyl with which the plant produces sugars (with the help of light, water
and carbon dioxide) contain many proteins and therefore a lot of nitrogen. From the
previous you might understand why nitrogen is such an important nutrient for the plant.
When a plant receives too little it is first shown by the colour. Because so much nitrogen
is needed to make chlorophyl, a shortage will be noticed here first. The plant will become
failingly light green. This fading starts first with the older leaves. BUT: when there is
insufficient light it is of no use for the plant to make chlorophyl which also gives this light
green colour. When this is the cause however, the leaves also tend to "reach out for the
light" in their shape. With a nitrogen shortage you don't see this. Also with a nitrogen
shortage the plant becomes more susceptible to mycosis. With too much nitrogen the
opposite will happen. The plant becomes unnaturally dark green and the growth
stagnates.
PHOSPHORUS (P)
Just like nitrogen, phosphorus is important for protein chemistry of the plant, especially
in the regulation processes. A shortage of it is expressed as slow growth and sometimes
a purple-ish colouring of the whole leaf. The chance of a phosphorus shortage is small
with the right nutrition. An excess is more likely to occur, especially with substrate
cultivation, because phosphorus can accumulate in the root environment. When this
happens the plant can't absorb enough zinc so the symptoms are similar as with a lack of
zinc (see Zn).
POTASSIUM (K)
This nutrient is especially important in the humidity regulation. With a potassium
deficiency, symptoms of burning occur. (see page 10). With too much potassium there will
be a shortage of calcium and magnesium. (see Ca and Mg). During the flower period the
plant requires more potassium.
MAGNESIUM (Mg)
Magnesium is necessary for the production of chlorophyl. With a deficiency the plant will
yellow between the veins, initially in the older (strange enough not in the very oldest)
leaves. Your "favorite plant" is a true magnesium lover. Too much would make the
growth stagnate, but this has never been established with the cultivation.
CALCIUM (Ca)
This nutrient is "built-in" the cell walls and membranes of the plant cells. A shortage
might occur in the leaves when the relative humidity is too high (and they cannot
evaporate enough water), and with a potassium overdose. With a lack of calcium, the
young leaves and new buds die. The plant also becomes very susceptible to mycosis. If
the calcium deficiency is being caused by a too high humidity, the entire crop can be
ruined in no time through molding. An overdose of calcium has never been established
with this plant.
SULPHUR (S)
The plant uses sulphur to build up proteins. Overdoses or deficiency are unknown in
practice.
IRON (Fe)
The plant uses iron in its enzymes. When growing on soil, both overdose and deficiencies
are unknown. When growing on rockwool however, an iron deficiency might occur as a
consequence of a too high pH.
An iron deficiency is easily recognized by the chlorosis of leaf tissue on the growing
shoots. Leaves in the shoots have a network of green veins which stand out among the
yellow or white tissue between the veins.
MANGANESE (Mn)
The plant also uses this in its enzymes. Deficiencies and overdoses are both unknown
when growing on soil. A lack might occur when growing on rockwool because of a too high
pH. This is recognized by a yellowing between the veins of the new leaves (but not the
very newest).
COPPER (Cu)
Copper deficiencies are extremely rare. Be careful not to confuse this deficiency with the
symptoms of overfertilization.
ZINC (Zn)
Zinc is also used in the enzymes. A zinc deficiency is usually the result of an overdose of
phosphorus. The symptoms are chlorosis of tissue between the veins of top shoots
starting at the base of the leaf. A radial or horizontal twisting of the leaf blades in the
growing shoots is a dead give away.
BORON (B)
The plant needs boron to transport sugars. When there is a deficiency symptoms first
appear on the growing shoots which turn brown or grey and die. The shoots may look
burnt. A good indication of B deficiency is that after the top shoot dies, actively growing
side shoots start to grow but die also.
MOLYBDENUM (Mb)
This nutrient is needed for a few important enzymes in the plant that play a role in the
manufacture of nitrogen. Extremely rare, look for another cause.
IMPORTANT !!!
One of the things you never find in other manuals is the following: We have told you
before that the absorption of nutrients is an active process and that plants can, within
certain limits, decide what and how much they absorb with their roots. Suppose that a
nutrient solution contains nutrient A and nutrient B in equal amounts. The plant grows
fine but it happens to use some more of A than of B. After some time the EC has dropped
and is adjusted with new nutrients that again contain equal amounts of A and B. But more
has been used of A, so after adjusting, the solution contains more of B than of A. If this
continues for a while the solution will contain too much of B and too little of A whereas
the EC has the right value. With the EC you determine the concentration of nutrients but
not WHICH nutrients. Besides, the plant also expels certain toxins through the roots into
the drainage water. For these reasons we strongly advise you not to use the drainage water a second time.
MARIJUANA VEGETATIVE GROWTH
Once sprouted, the plant starts vegetative growth. This means the plant will be
photosynthesizing as much as possible to grow tall and start many grow tips at
each pair of leaves. A grow tip is the part that can be cloned and propagated
asexually. They are located at the top of the plant, and every major internode. If
you "top" the plant, it then has two grow tips at the top. If you top each of
these, you will have 4 grow tips at the top of the plant. (Since it takes time for
the plant to heal and recover, it is usually faster to grow 4 smaller plants and not top them at all.)
All plants have a vegetative stage where they are growing as fast as possible
after the plant first germinates from seed. It is possible to grow plants with no
dark period, and increase the speed at which they grow by 15-30. Plants can be
grown vegetatively indefinitely. It is up to the gardener to decide when to force
the plant to flower. A plant can grow from 12" to 12' before being forced to
flower, so there is a lot of latitude here for each gardener to manage the garden
based on goals and space available.
A solution of 20-20-20 with trace minerals is used for both hydroponic and soil
gardening when growing continuously under lights. Miracle Grow Patio or
RapidGrow plant food is good for this. A high P plant food such as Peter's 5-50-17
food is used for blooming and fruiting plants when beginning 12 hour days. Epsom
salts (1 tsp.) should be used in the solution for magnesium and sulfur minerals.
Trace minerals are needed too, if your food does not include them. Miracle Grow
Patio includes these trace elements, and is highly recommended.
Keep lights on continuously for sprouts, since they require no darkness period like
older plants. You will not need a timer unless you want to keep the lamps off
during a certain time each day. Try to light the plants for 18 or more hours, or
continuously at this point. Later, if you want to mature the plants indoors, you
will need to cut back light to 12-13 hours with strict, regular uninterrupted
darkness to get plants to produce flowers.
Bend a young plant's stem back and forth to force it to be very thick and strong.
Spindly stems can not support heavy flowering growth. An internal oscillating fan
will reduce humidity on the leave's stomata and improve the stem strength as well.
HYDROPONIC VEGETATIVE SOLUTION, per gallon
Miracle Grow Patio (contains trace elements) _ teaspoon
Epsom salts 1 teaspoon
Lime (if not added to medium) 1 teaspoon
Human Urine 1/4 cup
Oxygen Plus Plant Food (OPTIONAL) 1 teaspoon
This mixture will insure your plants are getting all major and minor nutrients in
solution, and will also be treating your plants with oxygen for good root growth,
and potassium nitrate for good burning qualities. Another good growth phase mix
is 1/4 tsp. Peter's 20/20/20 fertilizer per gallon of water, with trace elements and
oxygen added.
MARIJUANA FLOWERING
The plant will be induced to fruit or flower with dark cycles of 11-13 hours that
simulate the oncoming winter in the fall as the days grow shorter. As a
consequence, it works out well indoors to have two separate areas; one that is
used for the initial vegetative state and one that is used for flowering and fruiting.
There is no other requirement other than to keep the dark cycle for flowering very
dark with no light interruptions, as this can stall flowering by days or weeks.
Once a plant is big enough to mature (18"-18 feet), dark periods are required for
most plants to flower and bear fruit. This will require putting the lamp on a timer,
to create regular and strict dark periods of uninterrupted light.
Give flowering plants high P plant food and keep them on a strict light regimen of
12 hours, with no light, or no more than a full moon during the dark cycle. 13
hours light, 11 dark may increase flower size while still allowing the plant to go
into the flowering mode. Use less light, longer dark periods to speed maturity
toward the end of the flowering cycle.
Two shelves can be used, one identical to the other, if strictly indoor gardening is
desired. One shelf's lights are set for 12-13 hours, and one is lit continuously.
Plants are started in continuous light, and are moved to the other shelf to flower
to maturity after several weeks. This flowering shelf should be bigger than the
"starting" or "vegetative" shelf, so that it can accommodate larger plants. Or,
some plants can be taken outside if there is not enough space on the flowering
shelf for all of them near harvesting.
A light tight curtain can be made from black vinyl, or other opaque material, with
a reflective material on the other side to reflect light back to the plants. This
curtain can be tied with cord when rolled up to work on the garden, and can be
velcroed down in place to make sure no light leaks in or out. If the shelf is placed
up high, it will not be very noticeable, and will fit in any room. Visitors will never
notice it unless you point it out to them, since it is above eye level, and no light
is being emitted from it.
Flowering plants like very high P level foods, such as 5-50-17, but 10-20-10
should be adequate. Nutrients should be provided with each watering when first flowering.
Trace elements are necessary too; try to find foods that include these, so you
don't have to use a separate trace element food too.
HYDROPONIC FLOWERING SOLUTION per gallon
_ strength high P plant food, such as 4-12-6, or 5-50-17, etc.
1 tsp. Epsom salts
1 tsp. lime (if not part of the medium)
1 tsp. Oxygen Plus Plant Food (Optional)
_ tsp. Trace Element food
I cannot stress enough that during the flowering phase, the dark period should
not be violated by normal light. It delays flower development due to hormones in
the plant that react to light. If you must work on the plants during this time, allow
only as much light as a very pale moon can provide for less than 5 minutes. Keep
pruning to a minimum during the entire flowering phase. Bring the dark period down
to 10 or 8 hours to hasten maturity after flowering for 4-6 weeks.
A green light can be used to work on the garden during the dark period with no
negative reactions from the plants. These are sold as nursery safety lights, but
any green bulb should be OK.
Flowering plants should not be sprayed often as this will promote mold and rot.
Keep humidity levels down indoors when flowering, as this is the most delicate
time for the plants in this regard.
Early flowering is noticed 2-3 weeks after turning back the lights to 12 hour days.
Look for 2 white hairs emerging from a small bulbous area at every internode. This
is the easiest way to verify females early on. You can not tell a male from a
female by height, or bushiness.
4-6 weeks after turning back the lights, your plants will be covered with these
white pistils emerging from every growtip on the plant. It will literally be covered
with them. These are the mature flowers, as they continue to grow and cover the
plant. Some plants will do this indefinitely until the lights are turned back yet
again. At the point you feel you're ready to see the existing flowers become ripe
(you feel the plant has enough flowers), turn the lights back to 8-10 hours. Now
the plant will start to ripen quickly, and should be ready to harvest in 2-3 weeks.
Look for the white hairs to turn red, orange or brown, and the false seed pods (
you did pull the males, right?) to swell with resins. When most of the pistils have
turned color (~80%), the flowers are ripe to harvest.
Don't touch those buds! Touch only the large fan leaves if you want to inspect
the buds, as the THC will come off on your fingers and reduce the overall yield if
mishandled.
Continued in next post........
Use these steps as a guide line...
1) Add two tablespoons of bleach to one gallon of distilled water.
2) Soak seeds for 24 hours.
3) Every six hours check for cracked cannabis seeds, if you find one take it out. Place in your medium with pointed end up.
4) After 24 hours place the remaining seeds in your medium.
There are many ways to germinate your marijuana seeds... this one is recommended by one of our resident grow expert.
CUTTINGS
CARE OF MARIJUANA CUTTINGS
Once cuttings are planted and watered, place them under a flourescent
lamp where they will stay until rooted. Softwood cuttings require bottom
heat of about 21°C (71 °F), which is usually room temperature for most
propagation areas. Keeping trays of cuttings on cold concrete floors will
slow down root development. Avoid high temperatures in the tray as they
force the cuttings to produce top growth instead of roots, using up food
reserves in the cutting.
High humidity levels help reduce water loss from the cutting's leaves, but
they can also encourage plant diseases to multiply and attack your young plants.
If you use a clear dome over your tray, remove it at least once a day for
a few minutes to ??air out? the tray, and wipe condensed moisture out of the cover,
it simply interferes with light reaching the cuttings.
While domes can reduce water loss from cuttings they can also trap heat.
Keep the flourescent lamps at least a foot (30 cm) above the top of the
dome. A small thermometer placed in the propagation tray will help keep
track of propagation temperatures.
Since cuttings cannot spend their whole lives under a dome, the sooner
they can adapt to life in open air, the better. Once cuttings have lived
inside the dome for a week or so, by removing the clear cover for a few
hours during the light period, watching carefully for wilting. If they do show
signs of stress, replace cover and try again a few days later. While some
crops take longer than others to root, plants that seem ??addicted? to their
covers may be suffering from fungus disease - treat with "No Damp"
according to directions. The other possibility is high temperatures inside
the dome. (above 24°C=75°F )
FEEDING AND WATERING
Newly planted cuttings are ?? watered in? well with a mix of water and
powerthrive (one tablespoon/ one gallon) to supply vitamins that reduce
plant stress, and also to provide good contact between the cutting's stem
and the grow medium. If the cuttings are cared for under moderate
conditions (21°C tray temperature, fluorescent lighting ) they will likely not
need watering for about 59 days. Plant rooting in fast - draining mediums
such as perlite or hydrocorn may need watering more frequently. Once
cuttings can stand up well with the covers removed, they will need watering
more often. Keeping cuttings too wet will cause root and stem rot; letting
cuttings dry out will kill them just as quickly . Let experience and the
appearance of the cuttings be your guide.
Giving new cuttings fertilizer can actually cause slow rooting - the plants
have no good reason to grow roots ! Once cuttings show signs of having
new roots- either fine white roots showing on the bottom of the rockwool
cube or new light green top growth start feeding cuttings with mild fertilizer
solution. A good ?? baby food? for newly- rooted cuttings is 1/3 strength
flowering fertilizer. This food helps the new plants to grow deep, strong
roots, without forcing top growth When cuttings are definitely rooted and
producing new top growth, with the dome permanently removed, lower the
flourescent lamps gradually closer to tops of cuttings, watching closely for
wilting or signs of stress. It's possible to gradually drop the lamp within
8cm (3 inches) above the growing tips. If you are keeping these rooted
cuttings under the fluorescent lamps, be sure to raise lamps as plants
grow taller to avoid cooking new top growth Continue watering and
feeding as required, using mild fertilizer until they are transplanted to
stronger light levels.
LIGHTING
Keep Fluorescent lamps on for 18-24 hours a day while cuttings are
rooting . Once rooted and being fed the mild fertilizer solution, they will
need a six hour night to grow best. Match the timing of the dark period of
the cuttings to the night, they will have when transplanted into a grow-room
or greenhouse.
FUNGICIDES AND PESTICIDES
Since cuffings are taken from healthy, disease and pest-free stock plants,
and the grow mediums we use for rooting cuttings are considered
disease-free at the start, we usually don't have to use fungicides until a
week or so after starting the cuttings - use "No Damp" fungicide solution
as a foliar spray or water it into the medium. (1 Oml "No Damp" with one
liter of water) Repeat once a week as a precaution while cuttings are
rooting.
Insects can be very destructive to young plants. Spider mites and fungus
gnats are two of the worst insects to discover in a propagation tray, since
they can destroy all the cuttings and set back the garden. "Bug Kill" works
well against spider mites - be sure to spray underside of leaves regularly
to kill adults and hatchling as they emerge from eggs. Spray inside of tray
to pick off strays crawling from plant to plant.
Fungus gnats lay eggs in the grow medium, and when the eggs hatch, their
tiny larva chew new roots to suck food from the plants. They weaken plants
and create disease problems too. They carry fungus spores on their
bodies, which attack plants through their damaged roots. Use "sticky
cards" to check for signs of Fungus gnats In the propagation tray, and treat
all cuttings with Wilson's "Potting Soil Insecticide Dust" or similar mild
pesticide if signs of gnats appear.
Germination and More
Starting Media and Nutrients
Any propagation medium must be thoroughly soaked before seeds are sown to
assure uniform distribution of moisture. There are many different propagation media
available. Seeding trays can be filled with a soilless mix, such as peat and perlite. Peat pellets
are also popular starters. Seedlings grown in a soilless mix may have enough
nutrients available to them from the media that they would not need any additional
nutrients for the first few weeks of growth, and therefore could be watered with freshwater only. However, seedlings in an inert medium, such as rockwool or oasis, will definitely require nutrient solution at all times.
Rockwool blocks are available in several sizes, and are designed so that seeds can be placed directly into seeding
cubes, then, as the plants develop, the cubes can be nested inside larger blocks, for a "pot in a pot" system. This minimizes transplant shock, since the larger block consists of the same
material as the germination cube. Oasis horticubes are similar to rockwool cubes in that they are inert, sterile blocks with excellent drainage. Other cubes made of urethane foam and paper fiber are also available.
Tomato seeds should be sown 1/4 to 3/8 inch (0.6 to 1cm) deep. Sprinkle a thin layer of vermiculite over the
seeds or cover the germination cubes or pots with a large piece of clear plastic to conserve moisture at the
surface. Avoid the use of plastic if the cubes receive direct sunlight, as the temperature may get too hot for
good germination. The plastic must be removed as soon as emergence begins.
Seedling system design
Overhead watering is the most common method used for germinating seedlings. It is important for the seedlings to be in full sun and at the proper temperature as soon as germination occurs. When watering, the water must be
sprinkled uniformly over all seedlings to avoid uneven growth. The plants must be checked often to assure they do not become water stressed. Flood and drain (ebb and flow) systems can also be very effective for germinating
seedlings. Nutrient solution or water floods a shallow tray containing the sown cubes
or pots, providing moisture from the bottom, which will diffuse throughout the
propagation block by capillary action. Once the blocks are evenly moist, the tray is
drained, which allows the cubes or pots to drain and assure aeration of the roots. This
process will need to be repeated often throughout the day, but may not need to be
done at all during the night. The advantages of this system are even moisture, no
physical beating of the leaves and tender plants, and low labor costs (especially if
timers are used).In any event, the temperature of the irrigation solution should
be at least 18° C (64° F). Irrigating seedlings with colder water will result in slower growth. During winter months,
especially in Northern latitudes, supplemental light may be required for strong growth of seedlings. The lights should operate 14 to 18 hours per day.
Marijuana Transplanting
The three stages of early development are germination, post-emergence, and
transplant. Germination should occur within one week of seeding, post-emergence is
generally 5 to 12 days, and transplanting should be done between 12 and 14 days
from seeding. Once true leaves appear (during post-emergence), seedlings should be
transferred into larger growing blocks (pots) from the original seedling cubes, then
evenly spaced to maximize light to each plant, without any crowding or shading. The
transplants must be spaced so as not to touch one another, and may need to be
spread several times during their growth. If crowded, the plants will become spindly. A
good transplant is one that is as wide as it is tall. If plants are somewhat "leggy", with
long stems, they can be transferred into the larger blocks with their stems bent 180° ,
so the original cube is upside-down inside the larger block, and the main stem forms a
"U" shape, emerging vertically upward from the block. Tomato plants readily grow
adventitious roots from the stems if given the opportunity, producing a stronger plant
with more roots. Adventitious roots will grow from the bent stem inside the block.
Transplanting into the final growing media should be done before any flowering. The final growing
media should be properly leached and moistened and be at the proper temperatures before plants
are brought in. Plants should be irrigated with nutrient solution immediately after moving.
The spacing of tomatoes in hydroponic systems can be much denser than in soil. As little as two
square feet per plant (0.2 square meters per plant) have been used with good yields and quality under
high light conditions. Spacing is a function of sunlight, so in areas of lower light wider spacing should be applied.
pH is a wonderful early warning system of problems before they happen, because it illustrates thecondition of your reservoir water!
A pH reading should be made from your reservoir. There are many factors that contribute to a changing
of the pH of your reservoir, but the most common will be due to your plants taking up nutrient and leaving
"salts" behind. A pH reading must be taken daily and preferably before you add nutrient (to give you an idea of what your plants are doing to the reservoir water) and a few hours after nutrient is added to the reservoir.
Our serious tip on pH's is getting the right pH tester. Most professional growers will stray away from any
electronic pH tester, as they tend to be inaccurate and often require calibration (which relies on a
calibrated pH solution). Our tip is to buy a cheap (<$5.00) liquid pH tester from a hydroponic shop that
gives readings in the colors Yellow, Green and Blue (these never need calibrating and will give 100%
accurate readings) Maintain nutrient pH between 5.6 and 6.2.
If your readings are low < 5.0, the reservoir water will be acidic. On the color meter this will be a yellow shade. This might be a good sign showing your plants are feeding and depositing "salts" into the reservoir changing the pH reading to "Yellow" or acidic. Simply ad "pH up" available from a hydroponics shop, to bring the pH back to Green (5.6 - 6.2) two hours after adding your nutrient. If your reading is high >6.2, the reservoir water will be alkaline. On the color meter this will be a blue shade. We often have found a reservoir going blue can be an early indicator of plant problems, especially when the meter goes blue on a continual basis. By adding "pH down" available from a hydroponics shop, you can bring the pH back to green (5.6 -
6.2) two hours after adding your nutrient. A non consistent pH (i.e. a pH that goes up and down like a yo-yo) is often a sign of lack of water conditioner: See Tip 3 on Water Conditioner
Parts Per Million (or PPM Meter)
If you're a serious grower you will understand the importance of a PPM Meter. People who don't use a PPM Meter on a daily basis are looking for trouble. Our serious tip on PPM is: Never, never, ever ad nutrient "by eye" as you will never know how many "parts per million of nutrient" are in your reservoir to start with. A marijuana plant is a living plant that has needs that might change from day to day. If the temperature happens to be a
bit low it might not feed that day. And what does the amateur grower do? Blindly throw another cup or three of 2 part nutrient, plus a splash of Hydro Minerals? This would mean the reservoir would have double the required nutrient that day and is heading for a disaster. Good PPM meters are often about $100. Professional growers will stay away from any PPM meter that requires calibration... believe me they are no good. The best PPM meter is one that is self calibrating. Professional growers tend to maintain PPM's at about 1600 - 1800. When adding nutrient they ad small amounts at a time so as not to exceed their PPM maximum and take PPM measurements over a period of time. Reservoir PPM's that go down are generally a good sign, showing plants are feeding and using the nutrient on a daily basis. Reservoir PPM's that are stable or go up are an early warning indicator that your plants are not feeding and the plants might be in stress for some reason or another. Read Water Conditioner and pH Tips sect ion for help in this regard. PPM Meters stop a major problem of over-feeding your plants, one of the top 5 causes of plant deaths in the growers bible.
The Water Conditioner
Water conditioner is an often unknown element when growing hydroponically. If you have read any outdated books by Rosenthal or his other hippie mates that you should "dump" or "flush" your reservoir every two weeks, then sit down, take your blindfold off and read this: As you have read above, plants use nutrient and dump salt and residues in the reservoir. Plants will sometimes use more of one element and less of another, which will cause solidification's of salts of one type or another in your reservoir.Rosenthal and his hippie mates got around this problem by flushing regularly which cleaned all salt build-up in the reservoir, and replaced the nutrient to the correct PPM's; only to repeat this procedure two weeks later! Many professional growers will not flush at all during the entire grow cycle and only flush two or three times in the flowering cycle!
They have perfectly balanced reservoirs, and no salt residue buildup! What is their secret?
Water Conditioner (a generalized name) also called "Bio-Acids" or "Plant Acids" or "Sea Acids" depending on the
manufacturer. in Australia they are called BIO-Earth Sea Acids and solve many growers reservoir imbalance
problems. Bio-Acids as I like to call them function to break down compounds found in soils and thereby release and chelate nutrients. When such organic plant acids are added to inorganic nutrient solutions or to a
fertilizer treated rockwool or soil, pH is naturally balanced, trace elements are naturally chelated and the
organic acid levels are greatly improved. Research shows conclusively that organic acids are so vital a component of plant chemistry, that when excluded from the cultivation equation, yields are drastically reduced. Significant improvements are noticed when re-introduced and normal plant processes are restored. Talk to your local hydroponic shop about water conditioners and bio/plant acids which will reduce the amount of nutrient you waste every flush. If your hydro shop doesn't sell this product, go somewhere else. Some hydro shops make their living on
ignorant people who flush their nutrient down the drain on a regular basis.
Cannabis Light
Often an underestimated element of growing marijuana: Many amateurs strive to find the reasons why they only pull two ounces of bud a plant, when a professional using the same strain will reap a pound per plant.
Professionals tip of the day: Lights = Poundage (given all other factors are accounted for) Generally speaking, 1000watt HID, or 1000w MH lamps will provide the heaviest crops. The more light in the grow
area, the more heavier resin laden buds you will pull. This might cause some controversy out there, but this statement is reality because it's simple and it works: more light means more bud, from top to bottom! Most professionals will use a light moving system in larger areas to save on costs of running electricity thirsty ballast's.
Professionals find that more light will lower the grow cycle times, and will reduce the flowering cycle time, so that your risk is also reduced. "All other factors accounted for" are balanced pH, PPM's, water conditioning, rare-mineral supplement, temperature, airflow, co2 and humidity. Persons concerned with large power consumption, consider this: A GEC electric heater or an air-conditioner can use 2500w constantly whilst in use. 2 x 1000w Metal Halide systems will use a little over 2200w total. Your growing time is reduced with more light so you can switch to flowering cycle quicker. On a 12 hour on, 12 hour off grow cycle you are only using 1100w in a 24 hour period! More lights = greater heat. Make sure you read the temperature, Free Co2, airflow & ventilation tips to keep a constant grow room temperature. I don't get into discussions about which is better HID or MH. Professionals that I talk to find that the end results are pretty much the same for each lamp, and stress that people like Rosenthal and his hippie mates get their g-strings in a knot over color spectrums and the like when the most important factor is the amount of lumens (or light) produced per square foot of growing space. Finally, another modern professional tip: To reduce noise from your HID or MH Ballast, sit them on a block of fire-resistant "grodan" grow-wool. This will simply cut a huge amount of Ballast noise emanating from your grow room. If you're worried about the grodan, you can slip a piece of concrete sheeting between the Ballast and the grodan to reduce heat...
- 1000w Ballast on top
- Fireproof and Fire-resistant concrete sheeting
- Fire-resistant grodan slab to cushion sound
Temperature, Free C02, Airflow, Humidity and Ventilation
Also another in the top 5 casualty list: Incorrect temperature, airflow and ventilation.
Firstly with airflow and ventilation: When using high temperature globes in a confined space it is
essential to have adequate airflow and ventilation. If this criteria is not met, your plants may burn
or dry in the heat or event worse start a fire. Professional growers state that you can never have enough ventilation indoors! Install a ceilingexhaust fan in reverse to bring in air from outside, and install a second one normally to pump the air out of the room, so you know your grow room is getting "fresh" outdoors air and not stale
indoor air. If this doesn't reduce heat enough, buy exhaust fans certified to pull 450m3+ per
hour; they're worth the money. Install cheap "central heating" piping if you have to pull air from
an area away from the grow room. See "reducing fan noise" picture for sound proofing.
Use rotating floor fans to "stir up" and circulate air within the grow room.
Humidity can be a difficult problem especially in flower cycle. Excess humidity can cause molds
to rot your marijuana. Professional growers are of the opinion that excess humidity can reduce
THC in your buds. Try and reduce your humidity to 50°- 60°. This can be an extremely difficult task at times,
especially when you have a room full of marijuana perspiring buckets of water out their leaves.
We found a simple and effective solution to reducing humidity, however we must warn that this will increase temperature. Its called free Co2.
FREE Co2
- By drawing Co2 from Gas Stove
- Use Duct tubing to grow room
- More tubing will cool the Co2
- Use existing Kitchen Fan
With this method, you can significantly lower humidity, control temperature and have abundant Co2
flowing over your plants from above for next to nothing. Temperature was controlled by turning down the flame, or increased by lighting another burner. There is no danger of naked flames in the grow room as flames remain in the kitchen. The kitchen had an existing exhaust fan that was secured above to some central heating duct pipe that
ran to the grow room. In hotter weather, the duct tubing was extended from 10ft to 40ft. By running the excess tubing up and down the roof, it reduced the temperature, however there was still abundant cool Co2 flowing into the
room. Humidity rose a little after this extension. I don't know if you can appreciate the sound of 4 Exhaust fans running at once, but one might compare it to a jackhammer from inside a grow room!
Here's more excellent expert tips on reducing fan noise:
- Cut hole in ceiling and fit ducting
- Attach exhaust fan to duct tube
- Attach 4 nylon lines to fan
- Join to roof above with single line
- Enjoy the peace and quiet!
Now finally, Temperature: Many of the temperature related topics were discussed in airflow
above, but this is a pointer that needs mentioning:. Controversial like always, we decided that what we read in Rosenthals and others books was a load of shit regarding temperature. Growers found cultivating marijuana strains at suggested temperatures of 25°c -27°c achieved hemp quality ganja which was a shit smoke.
The same strains grown at 35°c - 37°c were rocket fuel and physically blew your socks off.
Maybe it was the particular strain, but we will advise you as time goes on as professional growers give me information on this topic. Here are some tips on tailoring the fertilizer mix to the particular stage of a plant's
development....
Stage Cutting Early Vegetative Rapid Vegetative
Days 7-21 6-10 0-14
Fertilizer Phosphorus Grow/Bloom Grow Formula
Superthrive, Mixture high nitrogen low
H202, Moderate levels phosphorous
WillardsWater of nitrogen and phosphorous
Lighting 7500K Flour 5600K Halide Iwasaki 3700K Halide Eye Lighting Iwasaki
Stage Early Bloom Late Bloom Finish/Fruiting
Days +/- 14 +/- 32 +/- 10
Fertilizer Grow/Bloom Mixture Bloom Formula Mixture Organic Mix
Low Dosage Low Nitrogen
Lighting 2100K Retro HPS 2100K Retro HPS (Iwasaki) 2100K Retro HPS (Iwasaki)
GENERAL MARIJUANA GROWING INFORMATION
Energy Supply
Every living creature needs energy to live, develop and grow. For most living creatures
the most important energy source is sugar (glucose). Green plants are the only ones
capable of producing these sugars themselves. These sugars are produced from water,
which is being absorbed through the roots and carbon dioxide, which is being absorbed
from the air. In order to make sugar out of these matters, the plant needs light. This
process takes place in the green pigment, (chloroplasts) and is called; photo synthesis.
(photo=light, synthesis=produce, therefore photo synthesis means; produce through
light).
Cannabis Lights
As above, the plant needs light for its energy supply. Because we are talking about
growing indoors, we will have to supply a light source. Normal lamps are less suitable for
the job. A plant needs light of certain wavelengths, which are not or not present or strong
enough in normal lamps. The some company??s. recommend the use of type SON T lamps.
They are suitable for both the growth stage, as well as the flowering stage. Ballast's are
necessary for these lamps. Ballast's of 600 watts have the most favorable output of
delivered light per watt. Depending on the variety we recommend to use between 400 and
800 watts per m2. With insufficient light the plant remains light-green in colour and
becomes unnaturally thin and protracted. The buds will also remain smaller with
insufficient light.
Saving on marijuana light is stealing from yourself!.
The efficiency of the lighting in the grow room can be strongly increased by covering
your grow room with reflective materials. You could paint the walls with mat white paint
or cover the walls with white plastic. Ensure that the room can be easily cleaned because
spraying might pollute the walls quite a bit. Most sorts of your "favorite plants" remain
in their vegetative (grow) state when the light cycle is maintained at 18 hours. Your
"favorite plant" is a so called short day plant, in this we mean that the plant will start
flowering when we shorten the light period. Plants are initiated into the flowering phase
by shortening the day period to 12 hours on and 12 hours off per 24 hours. Your
"favorite plants" that originate from the tropics do not react to changing day lengths
but flower after a certain time. That is logical if you realize that a day in the tropics lasts
approximately 12 hours the whole year round. The lamp must hang at a distance from the
plants that will not cause any scorching of the leaves. This distance differs with the
wattage of the lamp. We recommend a distance of: 400 Watt- 45 cm; 600 Watt- 85 cm;
1000 Watt- 105 cm. Don't hang the lamp any higher above the plants than necessary.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is absorbed by the plant through its pores. In small spaces, the present
carbon dioxide will soon be used up. Therefore the air in the growroom has to be
replenished regularly. For this you need to buy an exhaust fan. You have to make sure
however that it is powerful enough to replenish all the air at least 20 times per hour. The
fan can be connected to a time clock or thermostat and/or hygrometer. To provide for an
optimal gas change for the plant we also recommend to place an oscillating fan in the
growroom, in order to have a constant air flow along the plants.
In urban areas the carbon dioxide concentration might increase to a higher value than the
normal 0.03% which is 300 ppm (parts per million). From regular horticulture we know
that adding extra carbon dioxide to a concentration of 0.15% highly stimulates the
growth and the speed of photo-synthesis. This results in faster and higher yields. This
yield increasing effect is most powerful with intensive lighting and inert substrate
cultivation, such as rockwool. Another effect that has been reported by growers is the
fact that a higher carbon dioxide concentration makes the plants less sensitive to higher
temperatures.
A third effect is that there is less need to ventilate (unless the humidity is too high)
because you don t depend on carbon dioxide from the outside air. In greenhouses the
exhaust gas of oil-fired central heating is conducted back into the greenhouse. To raise
the carbon dioxide concentration in grow rooms, it is usually supplied from bottles. There
are two ways to provide for more carbon dioxide in the growroom.
(I) The cheapest way is to buy a pressure regulator that can be adjusted so that after
ventilation (when carbon dioxide is dispelled from the room) the right amount of carbon
dioxide will be released inside again. The exact quantity you need is something you have
to work out yourself. You calculate this as follows: Length x Width x Height of the
growroom in meters gives the volume of the room in cubic meters. One cubic meter is
1000 liters. If for instance you want to increase the concentration from 0.03% to the
required level of 0.15%, you need to add 0.12% carbon dioxide. Suppose your grow room
measures 2 x 2 x 3m , which is 12000 liters. 0.12% of 12000 liters is 14.4 liters. So to this
room, 14.4 liters of carbon dioxide should be added to obtain an optimal gas
concentration. This needs to be done after every exhaust period. This only needs to be
done during the "day period", because the plants only use carbon dioxide when the light
is on. One kilo of carbon dioxide is approximately 500 liters. So a 10 kilogram bottle
contains approximately 5000 liters. This means that a grow room of 2 x 2 x 3m needs two
bottles per grow period.
(II) The second system to keep the concentration of carbon dioxide at the right
percentage is by the use of a carbon dioxide meter and a computer controlled pressure
regulator. The concentration of gas is constantly measured and the computer makes sure
that with a too low concentration, the right quantity of gas is added. The ventilator could
also be connected to this computer. This system is not cheap but once it has been
installed you don't need to worry about it anymore.
Marijuana Temperature
The recommended day temperature with the cultivation of your "favorite plant" lies
between 25 and 28 deg C. With higher temperatures the growth will slow down and the
yield and quality will decrease (many growers experience this during summer). In the
dark, other chemical reactions occur in the plant than in daytime. A lower temperature
suits them best. The recommended night temperature lies between 15 and 20 deg C. With
temperatures lower than 15 deg C the growth is obstructed, lower than 10 deg C the
growth stagnates and lower than 5 deg C will damage the plant. The most ideal situation
would be a grow room with both heating and air-conditioning.
The roots are especially sensitive to low temperatures. The absorption of nutrients
through the roots is an active process. This means that the root needs energy to absorb
the nutrients, but also to be able to select these nutrients. The root can, to a certain
point, choose which and how much nutrient it absorbs. This process can be seriously
disturbed with too low a temperature, because then there is insufficient energy available
for this process. Therefore you have to make sure that when watering the plants the
water is approximately 23 deg C. With cultivation on rockwool the nutrient solution
temperature is held constant with the use of a special twin glass sleeved aquarium heater
that has a built-in thermostat.
Water
It speaks for itself that the plant must receive enough water. Don't forget that the water
needs of a plant, in time, can strongly differ. Freshly transplanted seedlings and cuttings
require less water than a flowering adult plant. It is of great importance that the plant has
a well developed and healthy set of roots for the optimal absorption of water (and the
nutrients that will be mentioned here after).
Most of the water absorbed by the plant is evaporated via the leaves. By doing so the air
in the grow room becomes humid.
Relative Humidity
The humidity will decrease because of the ventilation in the grow room. To measure the
humidity , you need a hygrometer. A high relative humidity is very important for the
seedlings in the beginning of the cycle (between 60% and 75%). At the end it is
important to keep the RH low (40% to 50%) because it could cause the buds to rot. If
the humidity is too high, you need to exhaust more air. If the humidity is too low you
could first try to increase it by hanging some wet (clean!) towels or sheets in the room
and by often spraying the underside of the leaves (normal tap water). If this is not
sufficient you might consider buying a humidifier.
Nutrients in General
For the healthy development of a plant a number of nutrients are indispensable. The
following elements are necessary: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus,
sulphur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum,
borium and chlorine. Carbon is being absorbed through carbon dioxide. (In carbon
dioxide one particle of carbon is attached to two particles of oxygen). Hydrogen and
oxygen are mainly absorbed by means of water. (In water two particles of hydrogen are
attached to 1 particle of oxygen). These matters have already been explained.
NITROGEN (N)
Nitrogen together with phosphorus and potassium are the main ingredients in normal
fertilizers. All proteins, also the ones in the plant, contain nitrogen. All enzymes (these are matters
that regulate the character and speed of the chemical reactions in the plant) are proteins.
Especially chlorophyl with which the plant produces sugars (with the help of light, water
and carbon dioxide) contain many proteins and therefore a lot of nitrogen. From the
previous you might understand why nitrogen is such an important nutrient for the plant.
When a plant receives too little it is first shown by the colour. Because so much nitrogen
is needed to make chlorophyl, a shortage will be noticed here first. The plant will become
failingly light green. This fading starts first with the older leaves. BUT: when there is
insufficient light it is of no use for the plant to make chlorophyl which also gives this light
green colour. When this is the cause however, the leaves also tend to "reach out for the
light" in their shape. With a nitrogen shortage you don't see this. Also with a nitrogen
shortage the plant becomes more susceptible to mycosis. With too much nitrogen the
opposite will happen. The plant becomes unnaturally dark green and the growth
stagnates.
PHOSPHORUS (P)
Just like nitrogen, phosphorus is important for protein chemistry of the plant, especially
in the regulation processes. A shortage of it is expressed as slow growth and sometimes
a purple-ish colouring of the whole leaf. The chance of a phosphorus shortage is small
with the right nutrition. An excess is more likely to occur, especially with substrate
cultivation, because phosphorus can accumulate in the root environment. When this
happens the plant can't absorb enough zinc so the symptoms are similar as with a lack of
zinc (see Zn).
POTASSIUM (K)
This nutrient is especially important in the humidity regulation. With a potassium
deficiency, symptoms of burning occur. (see page 10). With too much potassium there will
be a shortage of calcium and magnesium. (see Ca and Mg). During the flower period the
plant requires more potassium.
MAGNESIUM (Mg)
Magnesium is necessary for the production of chlorophyl. With a deficiency the plant will
yellow between the veins, initially in the older (strange enough not in the very oldest)
leaves. Your "favorite plant" is a true magnesium lover. Too much would make the
growth stagnate, but this has never been established with the cultivation.
CALCIUM (Ca)
This nutrient is "built-in" the cell walls and membranes of the plant cells. A shortage
might occur in the leaves when the relative humidity is too high (and they cannot
evaporate enough water), and with a potassium overdose. With a lack of calcium, the
young leaves and new buds die. The plant also becomes very susceptible to mycosis. If
the calcium deficiency is being caused by a too high humidity, the entire crop can be
ruined in no time through molding. An overdose of calcium has never been established
with this plant.
SULPHUR (S)
The plant uses sulphur to build up proteins. Overdoses or deficiency are unknown in
practice.
IRON (Fe)
The plant uses iron in its enzymes. When growing on soil, both overdose and deficiencies
are unknown. When growing on rockwool however, an iron deficiency might occur as a
consequence of a too high pH.
An iron deficiency is easily recognized by the chlorosis of leaf tissue on the growing
shoots. Leaves in the shoots have a network of green veins which stand out among the
yellow or white tissue between the veins.
MANGANESE (Mn)
The plant also uses this in its enzymes. Deficiencies and overdoses are both unknown
when growing on soil. A lack might occur when growing on rockwool because of a too high
pH. This is recognized by a yellowing between the veins of the new leaves (but not the
very newest).
COPPER (Cu)
Copper deficiencies are extremely rare. Be careful not to confuse this deficiency with the
symptoms of overfertilization.
ZINC (Zn)
Zinc is also used in the enzymes. A zinc deficiency is usually the result of an overdose of
phosphorus. The symptoms are chlorosis of tissue between the veins of top shoots
starting at the base of the leaf. A radial or horizontal twisting of the leaf blades in the
growing shoots is a dead give away.
BORON (B)
The plant needs boron to transport sugars. When there is a deficiency symptoms first
appear on the growing shoots which turn brown or grey and die. The shoots may look
burnt. A good indication of B deficiency is that after the top shoot dies, actively growing
side shoots start to grow but die also.
MOLYBDENUM (Mb)
This nutrient is needed for a few important enzymes in the plant that play a role in the
manufacture of nitrogen. Extremely rare, look for another cause.
IMPORTANT !!!
One of the things you never find in other manuals is the following: We have told you
before that the absorption of nutrients is an active process and that plants can, within
certain limits, decide what and how much they absorb with their roots. Suppose that a
nutrient solution contains nutrient A and nutrient B in equal amounts. The plant grows
fine but it happens to use some more of A than of B. After some time the EC has dropped
and is adjusted with new nutrients that again contain equal amounts of A and B. But more
has been used of A, so after adjusting, the solution contains more of B than of A. If this
continues for a while the solution will contain too much of B and too little of A whereas
the EC has the right value. With the EC you determine the concentration of nutrients but
not WHICH nutrients. Besides, the plant also expels certain toxins through the roots into
the drainage water. For these reasons we strongly advise you not to use the drainage water a second time.
MARIJUANA VEGETATIVE GROWTH
Once sprouted, the plant starts vegetative growth. This means the plant will be
photosynthesizing as much as possible to grow tall and start many grow tips at
each pair of leaves. A grow tip is the part that can be cloned and propagated
asexually. They are located at the top of the plant, and every major internode. If
you "top" the plant, it then has two grow tips at the top. If you top each of
these, you will have 4 grow tips at the top of the plant. (Since it takes time for
the plant to heal and recover, it is usually faster to grow 4 smaller plants and not top them at all.)
All plants have a vegetative stage where they are growing as fast as possible
after the plant first germinates from seed. It is possible to grow plants with no
dark period, and increase the speed at which they grow by 15-30. Plants can be
grown vegetatively indefinitely. It is up to the gardener to decide when to force
the plant to flower. A plant can grow from 12" to 12' before being forced to
flower, so there is a lot of latitude here for each gardener to manage the garden
based on goals and space available.
A solution of 20-20-20 with trace minerals is used for both hydroponic and soil
gardening when growing continuously under lights. Miracle Grow Patio or
RapidGrow plant food is good for this. A high P plant food such as Peter's 5-50-17
food is used for blooming and fruiting plants when beginning 12 hour days. Epsom
salts (1 tsp.) should be used in the solution for magnesium and sulfur minerals.
Trace minerals are needed too, if your food does not include them. Miracle Grow
Patio includes these trace elements, and is highly recommended.
Keep lights on continuously for sprouts, since they require no darkness period like
older plants. You will not need a timer unless you want to keep the lamps off
during a certain time each day. Try to light the plants for 18 or more hours, or
continuously at this point. Later, if you want to mature the plants indoors, you
will need to cut back light to 12-13 hours with strict, regular uninterrupted
darkness to get plants to produce flowers.
Bend a young plant's stem back and forth to force it to be very thick and strong.
Spindly stems can not support heavy flowering growth. An internal oscillating fan
will reduce humidity on the leave's stomata and improve the stem strength as well.
HYDROPONIC VEGETATIVE SOLUTION, per gallon
Miracle Grow Patio (contains trace elements) _ teaspoon
Epsom salts 1 teaspoon
Lime (if not added to medium) 1 teaspoon
Human Urine 1/4 cup
Oxygen Plus Plant Food (OPTIONAL) 1 teaspoon
This mixture will insure your plants are getting all major and minor nutrients in
solution, and will also be treating your plants with oxygen for good root growth,
and potassium nitrate for good burning qualities. Another good growth phase mix
is 1/4 tsp. Peter's 20/20/20 fertilizer per gallon of water, with trace elements and
oxygen added.
MARIJUANA FLOWERING
The plant will be induced to fruit or flower with dark cycles of 11-13 hours that
simulate the oncoming winter in the fall as the days grow shorter. As a
consequence, it works out well indoors to have two separate areas; one that is
used for the initial vegetative state and one that is used for flowering and fruiting.
There is no other requirement other than to keep the dark cycle for flowering very
dark with no light interruptions, as this can stall flowering by days or weeks.
Once a plant is big enough to mature (18"-18 feet), dark periods are required for
most plants to flower and bear fruit. This will require putting the lamp on a timer,
to create regular and strict dark periods of uninterrupted light.
Give flowering plants high P plant food and keep them on a strict light regimen of
12 hours, with no light, or no more than a full moon during the dark cycle. 13
hours light, 11 dark may increase flower size while still allowing the plant to go
into the flowering mode. Use less light, longer dark periods to speed maturity
toward the end of the flowering cycle.
Two shelves can be used, one identical to the other, if strictly indoor gardening is
desired. One shelf's lights are set for 12-13 hours, and one is lit continuously.
Plants are started in continuous light, and are moved to the other shelf to flower
to maturity after several weeks. This flowering shelf should be bigger than the
"starting" or "vegetative" shelf, so that it can accommodate larger plants. Or,
some plants can be taken outside if there is not enough space on the flowering
shelf for all of them near harvesting.
A light tight curtain can be made from black vinyl, or other opaque material, with
a reflective material on the other side to reflect light back to the plants. This
curtain can be tied with cord when rolled up to work on the garden, and can be
velcroed down in place to make sure no light leaks in or out. If the shelf is placed
up high, it will not be very noticeable, and will fit in any room. Visitors will never
notice it unless you point it out to them, since it is above eye level, and no light
is being emitted from it.
Flowering plants like very high P level foods, such as 5-50-17, but 10-20-10
should be adequate. Nutrients should be provided with each watering when first flowering.
Trace elements are necessary too; try to find foods that include these, so you
don't have to use a separate trace element food too.
HYDROPONIC FLOWERING SOLUTION per gallon
_ strength high P plant food, such as 4-12-6, or 5-50-17, etc.
1 tsp. Epsom salts
1 tsp. lime (if not part of the medium)
1 tsp. Oxygen Plus Plant Food (Optional)
_ tsp. Trace Element food
I cannot stress enough that during the flowering phase, the dark period should
not be violated by normal light. It delays flower development due to hormones in
the plant that react to light. If you must work on the plants during this time, allow
only as much light as a very pale moon can provide for less than 5 minutes. Keep
pruning to a minimum during the entire flowering phase. Bring the dark period down
to 10 or 8 hours to hasten maturity after flowering for 4-6 weeks.
A green light can be used to work on the garden during the dark period with no
negative reactions from the plants. These are sold as nursery safety lights, but
any green bulb should be OK.
Flowering plants should not be sprayed often as this will promote mold and rot.
Keep humidity levels down indoors when flowering, as this is the most delicate
time for the plants in this regard.
Early flowering is noticed 2-3 weeks after turning back the lights to 12 hour days.
Look for 2 white hairs emerging from a small bulbous area at every internode. This
is the easiest way to verify females early on. You can not tell a male from a
female by height, or bushiness.
4-6 weeks after turning back the lights, your plants will be covered with these
white pistils emerging from every growtip on the plant. It will literally be covered
with them. These are the mature flowers, as they continue to grow and cover the
plant. Some plants will do this indefinitely until the lights are turned back yet
again. At the point you feel you're ready to see the existing flowers become ripe
(you feel the plant has enough flowers), turn the lights back to 8-10 hours. Now
the plant will start to ripen quickly, and should be ready to harvest in 2-3 weeks.
Look for the white hairs to turn red, orange or brown, and the false seed pods (
you did pull the males, right?) to swell with resins. When most of the pistils have
turned color (~80%), the flowers are ripe to harvest.
Don't touch those buds! Touch only the large fan leaves if you want to inspect
the buds, as the THC will come off on your fingers and reduce the overall yield if
mishandled.
Continued in next post........