lighting question

[crare]

1st time grower, long time smoker

i have a few questions

1. i know that periods of light in the dark cycle is bad for flowering. would a 2 hour or so period of dark every week or two in a light cycle be as bad?

2. the plants shown here have been flowering probably six to eight weeks or so, and the buds are still pretty small, but the 'hairs' are startin to turn brown. i don't have a magnifier to check the trichomes but on close inspection they seem clear/white. i don't want to harvest right now seeing as how small the buds are. when should i harvest? should i do it right away becuse they're turning light red/ brown?

information about the plants: bagseed
setup: 3x26w fluorescent bulbs + 2x40w fluorescent tube in small closet, two plants, timer
soil: scott's potting soil seed starting
fert: started with miracle gro liquid houseplant food 8-7-6
when i started flowering i switched to schultz nutri-gel all purpose plant food 10-10-5, it was the highest phosphorus content food i've been able to find (i think phosphorus, or whatever the middle number is)

i put them on 12/12 for maybe 3 or 4 weeks, then like 11 light 13 dark, which i fear may have forced them into trying to finish, so i moved it back to 12/12 which is my next question: is doing that bad?

also the large plant is leaning like crazy but i propped it up a little bit.

and lastly just take a look at my plants and tell me what you think. this is my first time really growin anything besides a chia pet. i have a pretty shabby digital camera so i can't take really good pics like i'd like to.

thank you - crare

ps any suggestions about what i can do to grow better next time are welcome, and suggestions about how to get the biggest yield possible from the point that i am at right now are also welcome

crare Reviewed by crare on 11-07-2006. lighting question 1st time grower, long time smoker i have a few questions 1. i know that periods of light in the dark cycle is bad for flowering. would a 2 hour or so period of dark every week or two in a light cycle be as bad? 2. the plants shown here have been flowering probably six to eight weeks or so, and the buds are still pretty small, but the 'hairs' are startin to turn brown. i don't have a magnifier to check the trichomes but on close inspection they seem clear/white. i don't want to Rating: 5

[crare]

that was originally just supposed to be a lighting question. turned into a little bit more.

[crare]

also i don't have a lot of these seeds left and i'd like to regenerate once or twice. i'd also like to clone. is regeneration easy/successful? is cloning easy/successful? what else do i need to know besides what is on numerous internet guides?

[harris7]

changing the photoperiod is always bad!
it often causes your plant to go hermi.

why would you want to have 2 hour dark i your light cycle...
it's a bad idea

putting your plant on 11/13 will make it finish faster but lower the yeild.

you really should be able to find a flowering fert with more phosphorus and less nitrogen. since you havent had one it has probaly reduced you yeild

hope this helps

[crare]

yes thank you that does help.

i know if i look harder i'll find better fertilizers

and with the 2 hours of dark during light cycles: i live with my girlfriend in an apartment and sometimes her mom comes to visit (way too often, in my opinion), and we can't have a timer sittin there in the wall with a cord goin to the closet with light coming out, so all that can be done really is to unplug the timer and hide it. i'm paranoid enough just thinkin she's gonna open up the closet for no reason at all, so i throw the trash can in front of the closet. i guess a solution to this would be light cycles during the evening and dark during the day, but that just seems weird to me, and i don't know how good the closet door is at keeping out light.

whatever, i'm gonna throw a bud in the toaster to try to dry it out a bit, then smoke it. too damn impatient for this growing

[bejay]

doubt a fertilizer change is going to make much difference your plant looks pretty good to be growing with flouros and while the buds may fill out a little more there probably isn't much that will help the yield at this point if you could get a better lighting system for your next grow im sure a hps would help alot.
there is alot of info on cloning on the internet and what works for you might not work for someone else would just keep it simple at first and use a propagation tray with dome and a rooting gel or powder, for a meduim you can use soil, or perlite and vermiculite take more cuttings than what you need as you may have a high failure rate on your first few attempts.

[crare]

i actually put the lights back to 12/12 and the buds are starting to grow larger, new white pistillates (i think they're called) are comin out on the tops of the buds.