First grow! Closet box, CFL's - starting at week 2 of 12/12

Hi, this is my very first grow. Veg was a disaster, so I kind of rushed these clones (off my very very first plant) into flowering before I screwed them up! There are 3 female sativa clones and 1 female indica from seed and put into 12/12 early. Nothing has gone as planned, but so far I'm feeling pretty good with how things are going. I'm a hobby grower, honestly I'm just aiming for enough good bud to stuff a couple bowls before cooking dinner or whatever. Why is this illegal??

I'm growing in a 5x4x1.5 feet closet box. It was originally planned to grow 2 plants, but I some how ended up with 4. There are 2 DIY CFL light fixtures made from hvac ducting, I think 150w each. I also have a gutted computer case with a 23w CFL for clones. My next run I'm going to do some upgrades to the box :)

For medium I'm using original Sea Soil. 3 parts Sea Soil to 1 part perlite. I mulch the top of my pots with Sea Soil without the perlite. This helps to keep the perlite from floating to the top if I water too quickly.

Nutrients I'm using Earth Juice Grow, Bloom and Catalyst. I also have Microblast but I will try to go without to keep things simpler for me. I've screwed up/burn/destroy plants with organic nutrients. Right now I find it's best to just water the plant and let it eat what is already in the soil.

This is the 2nd week of flower.

sativa

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/...psc191be38.jpg

2 other sativas. The burnt tips are from touching the light bulbs. I keep the lights nice and close to the plants, but they're growing quite quickly

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/...ps802a6089.jpg

The indica. I cannot for the life of me figure out why it's showing signs of nitrogen toxicity. It's never been fed, and has been in that soil for 2 weeks..

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/...ps630a1d4a.jpg


It's time to feed the sativa plants I think, the lower leaves are starting to turn pale/yellow. I'm nervous, I have over done it too many times, even using organic nutes. But they sure must be hungry, they've done a lot of growing in 2 weeks!

I took this picture this evening of the lower parts of one of the plants. Ideally I would have had a major top cola, but to me, bud is bud :) even pop corn

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/...psf5b36e7e.jpg


thanks for looking.

Nice pics, welcome to you and your grow log! I am a month into flowering with my first grow and I am experiencing entire leaves at the bottom of my ladies turning a very light-yellow color before they weaken and fall off. This has only occurred with 2 leaves so far, but I see some more beginning to yellow on the bottom and have read that this is normal as the plant is draining nutrients from the leaves.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by d00g

Nice pics, welcome to you and your grow log! I am a month into flowering with my first grow and I am experiencing entire leaves at the bottom of my ladies turning a very light-yellow color before they weaken and fall off. This has only occurred with 2 leaves so far, but I see some more beginning to yellow on the bottom and have read that this is normal as the plant is draining nutrients from the leaves.

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I'm in no way an expert, but I think the plant shouldn't be yellowing as you described (draining nutrients) until towards the end of flowering, before harvest. Does this only apply to hydro and/or soilless? Maybe one of our senior growers can chime in :)

Nitrogen deficiency is the most commonly occurring nutrient deficiency in cannabis.

Symptoms
Lower leaves first appear pale green. The leaves then yellow and die as the N travels to support new growth. Eventually the deficiency travels up the plant until only the new growth is green, leaving the lowest leaves to yellow and wither. Lower leaves die from the leaf tips inward.

...In the middle to the end of the flowering stage, plants frequently show a N deficiency. They're using the nutrients that were stored in the leaves and dropping their oldest, bottom fan leaves. To prevent the deficiency from getting extreme, switch over to bloom nutrients gradually unless the bloom fertilizer contains some N. - Ed Rosenthal

I am 4 weeks into flower, the shop for my strain states 7-9 weeks to harvest from flower. I do give nutrients containing N, so hopefully it's normal for me. That is Nitrogen deficiency though, and not toxicity.

Nitrogen deficiency is probably the most common deficiency of plants being pushed to perform, but I think over doing it is the biggest killer.

If you are using products that increase P and K or use Molasses, they will all throw the nitrogen out of wack- the more you do to try and compensate the worse the imbalance will get, I'm a firm believer that plants must have balanced nutrients through the entire process, I have had molasses cause yellowing leaves when I didn't use something to balance it..... Just a thought- looking forward to seeing others opinions....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crystaliscious

If you are using products that increase P and K or use Molasses, they will all throw the nitrogen out of wack- the more you do to try and compensate the worse the imbalance will get, I'm a firm believer that plants must have balanced nutrients through the entire process, I have had molasses cause yellowing leaves when I didn't use something to balance it..... Just a thought- looking forward to seeing others opinions....

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What have you found to work to balance molasses?

I use a small amount of whatever I used in Veg to balance the molasses- small amount- about 1/4 - this keeps the nitrogen from dropping out and the leaves from turning a funny puke yellowy color….
I sometimes use Oneness( which I have around but won't buy again) - but I usually go to the regular garden center and just buy a good organic all around fertilizer- Murphy's is pretty good and half the price of the weed nutes….

To add to Crystal's comments about molasses, I have read that using too much and too often can suffocate the roots, as the water becomes viscous and oxygen exchange is hampered. I'm using it at 1/2 tsp/gallon during late flower with just a tiny pinch of Cha Ching, which is a P/K micro-nute. Also, when you feed microbes in the soil, remember there is no guarantee that you're only feeding the good stuff. I saw a small grow recently where this guy was over fertilizing terribly with several different fertilizers and gobs of molasses. The soil horizon was literally green from algae and moss and God knows what thriving in there. His plants look like death.

I use a good dose of molasses, 2 tablespoons/gallon. And I add it two out of every three waterings (feed-water-water). I use only omri listed organic nutrients and probiotics. The soil is nice and healthy when I harvest and break open the rootball. Smells like fresh earth.

I NEVER use a bloom nute that is devoid of nitrogen. Tiger Bloom by fox farms has enough nitro to support plant growth/nitro needs during flower, as do many others. I agree with what everybody is saying about nute balance. It is easy to over feed & have problems with nute burn. I dilute the recommended amount by half untill/unless the plants say they need more. They will tell you if you pay attention & learn their language. :)

my post went to the wrong thread and I can't delete. shyte

That's ok Shov. Your post came in on my gmail & I answered it on my thread! I've done that too. Hopping around too fast on the forum to keep up with yourself! ;)

sorry everyone. i had an insanely extremely close call with my landlord. i've gotten rid of all the plants, clones etc. and i'll have to start again from seed once this blows over/once my heat starts working again! i'm not a bad guy, i just wanted to grow a few plants. unfortunately my landlord might not see it like that..

but there's some really good info in this thread. thanks to everybody who posted :) i'll be back!