Let's talk about sex babe ~

[LittleNut]

I am a first time grower with these statistics - My whole chamber combined is 5 foot X 3 foot on a table top, that is divided in 1/2. Everything is covered in reflective material and one chamber is 18/6 and the other is 12/12. Each Chamber is a 125 watt CFL with reflective covers. Have the 12/12 basically sealed shut so no light comes in. I am using the FoxFarm ingredients and feeding according to the schedule. I started 7 plants on May 9th and they have progressed wonderfully into the 12/12 schedule as of June 13. I have 95% identified 2 as male and 3 female with 2 unable to know yet. This being my first time I am still iffy on my identification of male/female yet. I still have all 7 plants in their original 3 inch X 3 inch containers and realize that I need to transplant them to bigger pots as soon as possible. I never expected to really truly get this far my first time and have such great plants. Here are my questions or I guess I want someone with some knowledge to tell me my thinking is correct.

1) I bought 9 inch round planters to replant them in - my thinking was that 9 will fit very nicely in the 12/12 chamber and I am unsure now if that is the correct size to transplant them in? Any help or thoughts?

2) Since I am 95% sure that 2 are males, I need to remove them obviously. Of the 5 remaining should I transplant them before I actually know the sex and then get them out if the turn out to be male or should I wait until I am certain of the sex before I transplant them?

3) Is it too late to top them and try to keep them shorter so I don't have to move them to the floor? Or should I have done that prior to moving them to 12/12 ?

This newbie appreciate any and all help or advice. I have been planning this for over 2 years reading up on everything I could and now I am fearful of the details and have no self confidence yet.

Thanks
Littlenut

Attachment 276680Attachment 276681

LittleNut Reviewed by LittleNut on 06-27-2011. Let's talk about sex babe ~ I am a first time grower with these statistics - My whole chamber combined is 5 foot X 3 foot on a table top, that is divided in 1/2. Everything is covered in reflective material and one chamber is 18/6 and the other is 12/12. Each Chamber is a 125 watt CFL with reflective covers. Have the 12/12 basically sealed shut so no light comes in. I am using the FoxFarm ingredients and feeding according to the schedule. I started 7 plants on May 9th and they have progressed wonderfully into the Rating: 5

[CanGroIt]

1) I bought 9 inch round planters to replant them in - my thinking was that 9 will fit very nicely in the 12/12 chamber and I am unsure now if that is the correct size to transplant them in? Any help or thoughts?

2 to 4 times the size of the container used for veg should be sufficient for flower....

2) Since I am 95% sure that 2 are males, I need to remove them obviously. Of the 5 remaining should I transplant them before I actually know the sex and then get them out if the turn out to be male or should I wait until I am certain of the sex before I transplant them?

Your plants desperately need to be transplanted....do so, then remove any males.... They should have been transplanted, at the very least, the day they were put into 12/12....

3) Is it too late to top them and try to keep them shorter so I don't have to move them to the floor? Or should I have done that prior to moving them to 12/12 ?

Technically, you can top....but it will cause some stress and might delay flower a bit.... I wouldn't if I were you....I would remove the lower growth instead and leave the tops where most lumens are available....but it's up to you....


This newbie appreciate any and all help or advice. I have been planning this for over 2 years reading up on everything I could and now I am fearful of the details and have no self confidence yet.

Nothing builds confidence like experience....have fun:thumbsup:

Thanks
Littlenut

What is under each one of your pots? Looks like paper towels....been drying out fast?

CGI::::::

[Purple Daddy]

What is with people going into flowering with barely over a month of veg growth? I see this time and time again "I germinated 7 weeks ago and now I'm on 12/12". To each their own but IMO you seriously decrease your total yeild. You should have transplanted before the 12/12 and IMO thats too many plants for that space and light. You're probably going to need more light to get them to finish flowering.

[LittleNut]

Thanks for your advice. I realize I have made a few mistakes along the way, but my plants are healthy and thriving and I certainly will be happy with ANY yield I get this time. I will learn as I continue to grow and see where my deficiencies are and where my strong points are. As far as vegging longer, I do realize that and lighting are the keys to yield, but I have never taken a plant from seed to finish and was strictly following the FoxFarm instructions to the T. I will also learn to make adjustments along the way each time I pop a seed.

[LittleNut]

CGI ~ Thanks for your wonderful advice and encouragement . I removed 3 males and discarded them. I then transplanted the other 4 of which I am 100% certain 3 are female and 1 is still unknown. I also transplanted the 4 in the vegging chamber into 9 inch pots and topped them to try to keep them shorter and bushy. I also trimmed all the lower leaves on the ones in flowering and since today was feeding day, I went ahead and fed them as usual. Yes, those are paper towels under the plants in their old containers and they were just slightly slightly damp each time I watered or fed my plants, which was on a daily basis usually right before lights out. Thanks again for your help. I feel 100X's better about my first grow ~:thumbsup:

[CanGroIt]

What is with people going into flowering with barely over a month of veg growth? I see this time and time again "I germinated 7 weeks ago and now I'm on 12/12"....

If an indoor grower vegetates for longer than 4 weeks, their plants become counter productive IMO, depending on space/method/knowledge.... The purpose of indoor growing is to grow smaller plants that mature much faster than outdoors.... Which is why most indoor growers don't veg as long....and I'm sure some do, but like you said, to each his own....

@littlenut - Glad I can help!

CGI::::::

[LittleNut]

As a follow up to this post. I was able to bring 5 plants to a full harvest, which resulted in a little less than 3/4 ounce of bud and enough trim to make several sticks of butter. I have never had a green thumb, couldn't keep a plant alive if my life depended on it and would never have thought I would be as happy with my first attempt. I made a few mistakes, learned a hellava lot and found myself immersed in these plants like I have never been before. Making some slight adjustments to my grow chamber and starting all over again. Thanks for all your advice and support for this first timer !

[sunbiz1]

If an indoor grower vegetates for longer than 4 weeks, their plants become counter productive IMO, depending on space/method/knowledge.... The purpose of indoor growing is to grow smaller plants that mature much faster than outdoors.... Which is why most indoor growers don't veg as long....and I'm sure some do, but like you said, to each his own....

@littlenut - Glad I can help!

CGI::::::

Hi,

This would depend on your goals as an indoor grower. I have a 2 story home w/original 100 year old glass, so I have the benefit of growing indoors using good old Mr. Sun b/c the glass allows full UV. Most of my indoors are 4-5 ft before I flip them. To thread author, sorry to hear about the low yield etc. I'm certainly no expert, consider myself intermediate and it took almost a decade to get that far. Better luck on the next grow.

Have a good holiday weekend!

[Purple Daddy]

It's taken me a number of grows to (yet) have a nice yeild but I'm Xing my fingers this year.

I think trying to keep it simple is best until you're confident you can identify problems and know how to correct them. Outdoors there are variables beyond your control and indoors you're limited by environment. Greenhouse seems to be the best trade off as you can somewhat control your indoor environment much better while still getting the benefits of mother nature.

[rattlingdags]

I veg for around a month but with clones not seedlings and that makes a major difference. Too much longer than a month for veg and I'm worrying about height during bloom. I top and LST which helps but even so my latest girls veged for nearly 5 weeks and they've shot up like nothing before; so now I'm worrying about light penetration.

Fingers crossed for you this season PD

Good on you LittleNut well done :thumbsup: On with your next grow