A Newb's first attempt

just do your research man. read up about preflowers and figure out the difference between male and female preflowers. google image search for pics of each. height and number of leaves really don't have anything to do with it. so, if you want to know sex ASAP, learn the differences between male and female cannabis plants, then switch your lighting to 12/12. you'll know the sex of each plant within 2 weeks. then switch back to 24/0 or 18/6. the seed casing probably kept light from reaching the leaves at full strength, so it stretched. thats most likely the reason its taller: stretching. not good.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll have to switch the lights tonight! and I will do more research!:jointsmile:

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Originally Posted by Joyrider

Thanks for the feedback! I'll have to switch the lights tonight! and I will do more research!:jointsmile:

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Before you switch to 12/12, turn the lights out, and leave them off for 36 hours. This will make the plants show their sex a lot earlier, most of the time they'll show within the first few days of 12/12, making it easier to get the males out so the females can have all the light right away! I researched this technique plenty before i tried it and it definitely works. Both of my plants turned out to be female, although the bigger female didn't show sex till the 6th or 7th day(smaller one showed in 2 days).

The other thing i learned is that PH is key to healthy plants, 6.5 is what you're shooting for in soil. Use test strips if you don't have a digital ph pen, measure the run off water, if its too low, adjust your water higher to compensate until you're run off is close to 6.5. If you're feeding them nutrients and the soil ph is off, their not going to take in much nutrients. Also, don't be afraid to flush the plants if they look like their getting burned. Flushing my plants saved their lives when I didn't have a ppm meter and i was feeding them too much.

I'll take your word on it and I will give that a try. Heck its only bagseed and my guess is it won't kill them so why not!

I need to get a PH pen I think. I have a friend who I am going to help get a medical set-up going and he wants quantity so I think that will come in handy for hydro!

I also have secured the rights to clones of several varieties, that I will be getting soon as I get my set-up right. AK, Grandaddy purp and a few other varieties!

So I won't have to do this next time. YAY.

Anyone have a ballpark idea of how much water to put in pot that is nine inches across like the pots I in the pics. I really think that I am under watering them. But I am not sure.

Oh and before I put them in for the Dark 36 should I water them?

http://boards.cannabis.com/members/j...t-img00085.jpg

The latest!

I have performed the 36 hour night cycle. Then I have had them on a twelve/twelve. I have added (2) 26watt 1750 lumen CFL's to the area. That brings the lumens up to 11500. I am thinking thats not bad for about 150 watts.

The above pic is of the tallest one.

I have seen enormous amounts of growth since the switch in some plants and some not much acceleration of the growth. I am actually wondering about one because he has maintained his height for almost a week straight.

Next update tomorrow!
More pics then too!

regarding the growth you've noticed... here's a link to information about the 40/60 stretch/fattening of flowering cannabis plants. knowledge is power, and i pass this power to you, young grass-smoker... :jointsmile:

first the 40/60 article: CannaStats - The 40/60 Phenomena
then an example: CannaStats - 40/60 Formulas

good luck and keep reading! :thumbsup:

watering: water until theres a steady but small drainage coming out of the pot, should drain for several minutes, I believe 5 is ideal. I just start small with 12oz or so and pour that on them every 30 seconds or so until they start draining. Milwualke has the best ph pen available according to stinky! and good job on scoring the clones, must be sweet :) I was just given 4 chocolope seeds from a bottle of medical mj.

Can't wait to see the plants turn into ladies! I hope you've got some hairs by now!

First off, for your first attempt this is looking great! i wish my first was along these lines.

Just my 2 cents:

The easiest way to tell when a plant is sexually mature is when it starts showing alternating nodes. Meaning the branches won't be symmetrical. Once that happens, the plant is ready to flower/show it's sex.

It was suggested that you go 12/12 to see the sex then re-veg them with 18/6 or 24/0. That is not the preferred method. Messing with the light schedule will confuse the shit out of your plants and, if they don't hermie on you, they will at least take a few extra weeks to sort themselves out.

The best way to sex a plant is to clone for sex. Wait until your plants are sexually mature (alternating nodes) then take a few clones off of each plant. Take very good notes as to which clone came from which plant. Once those clones root, throw them into flower (12/12) when those clones start showing sex...then you know what the parent plant is and there is no need to re-veg or change the light cycle. easy as pie.

You mentioned 250-400w HPS...that's gonna be a little small for 8 plants. I have 2 400w and i only do 2-4 plants under them. Of course i like big plants...i could probably fit 8 smaller plants...but i like the low-maintenance and High yield of a big tree.

Ok. That's just my perspective, but hopefully it gives you something to think about.

good luck. looking good!
Skeet.

Yes My plants do have alternating nodes. I am thinking about keeping them very small this time just to prove that my set-up can sustain a suitable environment/climate and I gain lots of knowledge. So the plan is to keep them under 18 inches out of the soil to speed up the budding and then select my favorite plants and then clone for full out growth in round two. This round will be to perfect my skills, and then I will get my clones for round three. I need to learn how to make my own clones before I get some from my friend.

So I don't plan to to switch em back to a 18/6.

I am seeing the swelling near the nodes like in the pics on sexing in the OG grow FAQ. All but three have the swelling seen in the pics of early development of females!

So good things. I hope to see some hairs by next week!!!!

I'll post more pics in a few days when more has changed!

hope you get a lot of girls joyrider! i decided to LST mine and let em veg while i'm gone for a month or so. my brother/wife will take care of them til i get back. should be interesting. get those pics up!

-shake