First Grow... 5 Fem Ice - 2 Fem BlackJack

[DRSICE]

Hey all, First grow and need a couple ?'s answered.

Planted Dec. 15 Germanated in rockwool & humidity dome- sprouted dec 18 and 19
( 3 weeks old from planting )

Setup -

4' x 5' x 6' high
mylar
2.5 gallon dwc w/airstones - 3.5" netpots w/hydroton
temps 77F - 82F
Humidity 38-42
PH 5.8 - 6.0
Water - Tap sitting 24-48 hours before use ( ph down 1 ml per gallon )
Water Temps 68F-72F
5- ice femenized ( onlinealien )
2- blackjack femenized ( onlinealien )
Lights 2-400watt metal halide 1 with hp conversion
Light 18" from top plants
Exhaust and intake
Fan circulating
Nutes - AN 2part a&b 10ml per gal. - Fulvic 8ml per gal - B52 6ml per gal ( started on 1/5 )
Useing Advanced Nutrients custom recipe #2 ( www.progressivegrowth.com )
Never pruned , lst , topped
Approximately 5" tall

Plan to veg til end of Jan ( will attempt to clone at that time )

Questions

A) Why are fan leaves so large?
B) Can I remove to allow for lower branching?
C) Why are the tops of the plants closed like praying?

Thanks to all for your knowledge and experiences I have read the last couple months.

Regards,

DRICE:vader1:

DRSICE Reviewed by DRSICE on 01-07-2007. First Grow... 5 Fem Ice - 2 Fem BlackJack Hey all, First grow and need a couple ?'s answered. Planted Dec. 15 Germanated in rockwool & humidity dome- sprouted dec 18 and 19 ( 3 weeks old from planting ) Setup - 4' x 5' x 6' high mylar 2.5 gallon dwc w/airstones - 3.5" netpots w/hydroton Rating: 5

[DRSICE]

more pics

[mackSwell]

Hunh!

Those are some mighty big fan leaves for young plants. Maybe just a quirk of the strain? Can't see how it could be a bad thing though... More leaf surface area allows for more conversion of light to growth.

I wouldn't remove them if I were you. Those biggies at the bottom are probably going to be advantageous! Your plants will do more of their branching higher up on the plant where they can consistantly get light. This is a good thing.

If they are really bothering you, try LST instead of pruning first. Just tie them aside to let some light get to lower branches if you see them trying to grow. You could even add some side-light or up-light to compensate for that shading growth. Cutting them should be your last resort, IMHO. It will reduce your plants' photosynthesis - therefore, temporarily, their growth.


As for the tops being so closed up, I suspect that's directly related to the size of the fan leaves. Healthy new growth should hold itself upright in a kind of V shape, so with your leaves being large & broad, they may simply not have the room to unfurl & flatten out as quickly. I say just keep an eye on them, and see if they don't flatten out a bit in a few days.

It looks also like you have abundant new growth and like ZERO stretching (good for you!), so all those leaves bursting from the top at once are bound to get a little crowded. Again, this is a good thing! Dense, short, bushy, healthy-looking plants. They look really good to me... I'll bet you get some huge colas on those plants come flower time!

And you've got a nice set-up. Very ambitious for your first grow!

How much vertical room do you have? I ask because given the size of the leaves, I think those plants want to get big. If you have the headroom, you may want to let them! (More plant = more bud!) Accounting for your lights, eyeball your grow area. When the plants are filling about a third of your vertical space (since they may well triple in size during flower), go to 12/12. This may mean being patient (I know it's hard!) and waiting beyond your proposed end of veg. All of this is assuming you plan to flower after you try to clone them. Probably worthwhile to keep them in veg until you see your clones getting good roots & new growth anyway.

Keep in mind that you can't take "feminized" to the bank - You might end up with some males in there, and there's a good chance at least one will go hermie. So label your plants & clones well so if a plant goes male/hermie on you during flower, you can ditch the cooresponding clones if you wish rather than using up your resources on them.

Continued good luck to you!

[DRSICE]

Thanks mackSwell for the kind words and input

I have arranged some of the fan leaves so the new growth can be free. ( and there is alot of it) some as long as 2-3 inches. Even at sencondary growth new shoots are approx. 1" (Yee Ha )

As far as vertical space I have 48" of vertical space to grow

Will post new pics tonite


Regards,

DRSICE:vader1:

Check out current grow log

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=97659

[MisterE]

Hmm, 4 feet of vertical space free and clear to grow in. I'd just bear in mind with your estimated veg. time that when you go to 12/12 to start the flowering, the plants will double in height.

Looking nice.

[DRSICE]

Hey all,

Update with new pics below. Plants are 3 weeks old today ( when sprouted )

Nothing notable has changed. ( except GROWTH)

Pic 1 and 2 is of BlackJack ( Phoebe )
Lots of underneath Branching some 2 - 3 inches and growing out

Pic 3 , 4 and 5 are ICE ( Piper )
At almost 6" tall she has underneath branches almost as long

Pic 6 and 7 are ICE ( Izzy )
Again so much underneath growth and look at her wing spand ( is that ok )

Pic 8 is all the girls ( slumber party tonight )

I have been trying to train fan leaves down and out of the way so lower new growth can get to light.

Also if you notice the red or purple in the stems. I have been monitoring this and its been there since day one. If anyone hasany suggestions please inform me. I have read it could be strain related or mg deficiency. Was considering epsom salt at 1/4 teaspoon. But growth has not stopped or slowed so will continue to monitor. ( unless grow gods - Zandor-Stinky-KindPrincess-Bluebear- Xcrispi-WeedHound- advise otherwise and the rest of you here at cannabis.com I appologize I didn't reference all the grow gods individually ( plants would be smokeable by then) just have read alot of thier posts

Regards,

DRSICE :vader1:

Check out current grow log

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=97659

[DRSICE]

more pics

Plan on upping the nutes friday 1/12 to:

13ml sensigrow A
13ml sensigrow B
6ml B52
8ml fulvic

All values per gallon
PPM should be around 900

Regards,

DRSICE :vader1:

Check out current grow log

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=97659

[mackSwell]

Red on stems can be indicative of Phosphorous deficiency... I don't think it is associated with Mg at all. But it is more likely to be a quirk of the strain, & since you've seen it from the get-go and no other signs of P deficiency (red/purpling on leaves, slow growth), I think you're right not to worry about it.

As MisterE said, most plants merely double (rather than triple) in size during flower. You can either figure on triple to be safe, or assume double and LST if they get too tall.

Lookin' good!

[DRSICE]

Hey all ,

Just changed and upped Res. nutrients.

13ml Sensi Grow A
13ml Sensi Grow B
6ml B52
8ml fulvic

All values per gallon
PPM around 1000

Plants look to be fine up til then ( hope not to much )
Been drinking around 1/2 to 3/4 gallon per day. since tuesday Topping of with ph water only.

Much much branching.

Will post pics tomorrow evening.


Regards,

DRSICE :vader1:

Check out current grow log

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=97659

[fasts102376]

dude they look so heathy i hope there a female's for yea! i would'nt take ur ppm over 1200.. keep us posted