First grow (flowering stage only) with pics

[Chromophore]

yah ranger I think maybe a bit much. Next group I have going into 12/12 will be about a foot shorter and with a "bushier" habit.

[tlranger]

I added Cfl plus flur to my last hps grow. Just wondering how you arranged your lights for Max eff..

[OMB]

Simply beautiful Chromophore! That first pic bud?...wow! I just bet those T5HO's will payoff for you too, Very nicely done indeed. :thumbsup:

[Chromophore]

ranger at this point I just mounted them on the ceiling at about the same level as my HPS. Fairly crude and not optimal I'm certain. Once the plants are out of there and I have room and time to work I'll re-arrange things more thoughtfully. I have another 4X4' T5 ballast/hood as well. What I'm thinking is position the HPS directly overhead and mount the long T5s along either side, but closer to the walls, lower, and at a 45 degree angle. That will give the outer edges of the canopies some nice, direct light. I could even splurge and put in 4 racks, one along each wall for the most complete coverage. But that would take my total wattage to 600+(4x216)=1,464! Output would then be about 166,000 lumens or 5,533 lumens/ft² . That seems like it might be a bit more than I need for this scale of grow. And my electricity bill...

[Chromophore]

OMB the thick buds on that plant are almost scary. Still a few weeks from harvest and they are becoming simply massive. A friend was over last night who has extensive experience growing. He looked at that Afghan-looking plant and his jaw literally dropped. He looked at me and said, "dude, you see this shit right here (pointing to Afghan bud) these buds are going to be fucking phenomenal".

[tlranger]

Does sound good even if it does cost a shade more

[Chromophore]

So, I'm nearing the end of week 6 and am noticing some things that are a bit puzzling. For maybe the last few days, I'd say, days 37-41, my impression is that the buds are not enlarging, or at least not as noticeably. :wtf: The plants look really goo, maybe too good. Not a yellow leaf for days. The buds are noticeably whitening with trichomes, but the just aren't exploding anymore. Under my 14X hand-lens, I first noticed cloudy trichomes about the same time the bud explosion slowed,. Right now I'd guesstimate 60-70% clear, the rest cloudy, especially on the larger bud leaf surfaces. Edges and calyxes, they're still clear. No ambers. Pistils are still quite long, but starting to brown on the tips. My guess is that I'm at the magical "2 weeks before harvest" point, and need to start flushing. I fear the plants are a little over-nuted. My concern is that the buds still have some spaces to fill in, but now things seem to be slowing down. I'm hoping my elders here are going to tell me that I need to take a chill pill and everything is on course. I'll post pics later tonight.

[catbuds]

Yep Chromophore! Take that that chill pill! Things are exactly as they should be! Since you're organic, don't use a manufactured flush product; instead, use 1 Tbs epsom salts per gal of water, fill pots to top & let run through 3X's; then, 1Tbs molasses per gal of water, fill pot to top & let drain. The epsom salts add magnesium (as a deficiency in this give you buds that won't burn), & of course the molasses are taken up by plants, converted to plants sugars, helps plump up those trichromes. Then nothing but plain water from then on out! Then.....sit back & smile & use that little hand lense 5 or 6 X's a day, cause we know you'll want to!!!! Damned! How is it I get so excited about other peoples grow? Ahh. Who knows? BUT ITS FUN!!!!

[Chromophore]

Thanks catbuds. So I do the Epsom salt treatment once, then pure water/molasses after that? Or do I do your treatment each time I water? I have read that the buds will "swell" again toward the end of the flowering cycle. I hope so.

[catbuds]

The 3 flushes with the epsom salts, then the molasses water at the same time. If they start swelling again (some strains do, some don't), you can do the molasses again, but not TOO close to harvest, about a week is as close as I go. But your HARD work (play?) is over. Basically sit back & watch (with a big ole grin!). Just keep your eyes peeled for things like spider mites & mold, because this is the time that would be the most devastating. Maybe increase your air flow, more direct fan power pointed toward the buds. This is your 'happy hour'! You're about to reap the harvest (rewards) of your efforts! RELAX.....