Wanna Ask The Old Farts A Question?

[attila76]

Phos def due to dolomite lime? Fix?

Phos def due to dolomite lime? Fix?

Yo Hemp Cat,

I'm sure that you got the best answer for this problem.

On the 3rd of March I added (probably too much) dolomite lime to my soilless mix. (why I ask myself, everything was going just fine).

Now my leachate, when using the "pour thru method", is showing a ph of 6.7 to 6.9.

I believe that high ph is causing Phos def.

As a corrective measure I am now watering/ feeding with a ph of 5.5.

Will this correct the problem? Do you concur with my assessment?

My leaves are smaller then usual, and very green. Here are a few pictures:

Very stressed out, and thankful for peeps like you.

Be well
Atilla

 

[HempKat]

Yo Hemp Cat,

I'm sure that you got the best answer for this problem.

On the 3rd of March I added (probably too much) dolomite lime to my soilless mix. (why I ask myself, everything was going just fine).

Now my leachate, when using the "pour thru method", is showing a ph of 6.7 to 6.9.

I believe that high ph is causing Phos def.

As a corrective measure I am now watering/ feeding with a ph of 5.5.

Will this correct the problem? Do you concur with my assessment?

My leaves are smaller then usual, and very green.

Very stressed out, and thankful for peeps like you.

Be well
Atilla

Well the long and short of it, based on your statement that everything was fine and you don't know why you added the dolomite lime, the correct diagnosis is that you loved your plant too much. Growers do this frequently thinking they can force the plant to behave even better then it does naturally.

Now going beyond that yeah, I think your accessment is right, I think the high ph of dolomite lime pushed the ph too high and caused nutrient lockout. I do see potential signs of a phospherous deficiency but I also see what looks like calcium deficiency. Multiple deficiencies is also an indicator of a ph imbalance causing nutrient lockout.

I get what you're trying to do by adding the lower ph solution but the proper treatment for ph imbalances is to flush the medium the plants are in by watering with just pure ph nuetral water and then start feeding again with solution balanced to the proper ph. The problem you're going to have though is the dolomite lime. Besides being a good source of calcium and magnesium dolomite lime is typically used to buffer the medium for ph by raising the ph of whatever you add water/nutrient wise. So as long as the dolomite lime is in there it's going to be pushing the ph higher then it is before you water. I'm thinking you'll have to test the runoff a few times to figure out what you need to make your water/nutrient mixes going in, to get your best ph level for your plants. You don't want to just throw something acidic at it because that will more then likely just imbalance the ph to the other extreme of too low. The deficiencies you see now may clear up but new ones will form.

 

[gabjaz]

Hi HempKat,

Hope you are having a great day! I can't thank you enough for all your sage advise. You have helped my over a couple of really bumpy spots.

I've got my Ph pen and I'll go to my local hydro grow shop on Tues. to buy some calibration solutions. My pen didn't come with any, but it did come with detailed instructions. So I should be good for the last couple of weeks of my grow.

I know that taking early samples and doing a quick dry is sort of frowned upon, but what can I say. I haven't had anything to smoke in a really long time, so I clipped a bud, dried hung it up for a couple of days then used the quick steam dry method posted on this site.

All I can say is "Oh wow!" It is really good with a heck of a kick, and soooo smooth! And the clipping I took wasn't even one of the really frosty ones! Today, I took another couple of clippings of some that are frosted up and I can't wait to try them .

You are the best,
Gabs

 

[Gold123]

Hi HempKat,

Hope you are having a great day! I can't thank you enough for all your sage advise. You have helped my over a couple of really bumpy spots.

I've got my Ph pen and I'll go to my local hydro grow shop on Tues. to buy some calibration solutions. My pen didn't come with any, but it did come with detailed instructions. So I should be good for the last couple of weeks of my grow.

I know that taking early samples and doing a quick dry is sort of frowned upon, but what can I say. I haven't had anything to smoke in a really long time, so I clipped a bud, dried hung it up for a couple of days then used the quick steam dry method posted on this site.

All I can say is "Oh wow!" It is really good with a heck of a kick, and soooo smooth! And the clipping I took wasn't even one of the really frosty ones! Today, I took another couple of clippings of some that are frosted up and I can't wait to try them .

You are the best,
Gabs

Keep it up, soon there will be nothing left to harvest, patience.

 

[darksith]

Hey hempkat. i have quick question about flip flop. i have seen many threads about it but nothing simple how to. if i understand correctly it works like 1 ballast and 2lights, with 2 timers, one for one light, 12hours on one light on then off and 12hours of other light,

can i mod my 400w hps ballast n light to flipflop so i could use 400+400 w

very badly made sketch but im thinking something like this.

You don't want a timer based flip flop. By timer based I mean 2 timers. The chances of them not being synched exactly is high, and this will lead to both timers being on at the same time. You can however get a timer to control a 120v coil that runs a relay that will flip flop your lights. You can build 1 yourself for about 1/4 of the price that they charge in the stores.
You need:
a simple timer
male cord end with lead
120v ice cube relay
a metal box to put the relay inside of
You wire the ballast to the relay, then each lamp to the other side of the NO and NC relay terminals. The ballast runs 24/7, the relay is controlled by the timer. This is how they build them, you can get all these items at any electrical wholesale store, or at radio shack.
Things to note, you want the highest voltage rating on the contacts, it won't be high enough, but it will work for a long time and may need to be replaced eventually, but thats years away.
Always put these relays inside a metal enclosure for safety. They will not start on fire, but its always better to be catious.
I have examined the ones they sell at the hydro stores, and I have reproduced them myself for way cheaper.

 

[gabjaz]

Keep it up, soon there will be nothing left to harvest, patience.

I'll clip for samples no more.... But, yummy!

 

[HempKat]

Hi HempKat,

Hope you are having a great day! I can't thank you enough for all your sage advise. You have helped my over a couple of really bumpy spots.

I've got my Ph pen and I'll go to my local hydro grow shop on Tues. to buy some calibration solutions. My pen didn't come with any, but it did come with detailed instructions. So I should be good for the last couple of weeks of my grow.

I know that taking early samples and doing a quick dry is sort of frowned upon, but what can I say. I haven't had anything to smoke in a really long time, so I clipped a bud, dried hung it up for a couple of days then used the quick steam dry method posted on this site.

All I can say is "Oh wow!" It is really good with a heck of a kick, and soooo smooth! And the clipping I took wasn't even one of the really frosty ones! Today, I took another couple of clippings of some that are frosted up and I can't wait to try them .

You are the best,
Gabs

Well taking samples is really only frowned on if they're taking for no particular reason other then to get high, especially if you have something else already to smoke. No if you have no smoke then you have no smoke, most everyone can understand that. Here's the thing though, if it's not done, then as good as it seems you're cheating yourself so only take as little as you need. If you've been without any weed for a week or more then keep in mind also that your judgement is off. Taking an extended break from smoking will allow you to get high off of less when you first start up again. Also keep in mind that during the final couple of weeks of flower the buds will go thru a swelling phase usually. If they haven't or are not finished then everytime you clip something off you're losing more then just what you get, you're also losing what could have been. That's the real reason sampling is frowned upon.

All in all it sounds like things are going well for you so just keep doing what you're doing. Also if you can manage to harvest enough to hold you until you complete your next harvest, then you'll never have to do without weed ever again unless you choose to do so.

 

[Fat J]

Hey all, there seems to be some good advice in this thread (thx HK) and I was wondering if I could ask a question...

I been growin a while now and I usually fim or top my plants a few days before going 12/12, and the stretch period helps even the canopy, but this time, i was busy and kept forgetting (weed does that to me sometimes...) and I only got 4 of em topped/fimmed in time, now I have some ladies that are 3 weeks into bloom and they are doin great but I would like it if the canopy was a touch more even... the main colas are a bit taller (pics in the thread in my sig). I normally stop pruning after 1 week 12/12 and wouldnt fim after that either, but I saw a random thread that said you could fim/sc during bloom and it would cause fatter buds... am I stoned or did I read that right no, i read it right. Is this dude full of crap or is there truth in dem dere words? Should i try femmin em 3-3.5 weeks in bloom?

Any advice greatly appreciated ^.^

 

[HempKat]

Hey all, there seems to be some good advice in this thread (thx HK) and I was wondering if I could ask a question...

I been growin a while now and I usually fim or top my plants a few days before going 12/12, and the stretch period helps even the canopy, but this time, i was busy and kept forgetting (weed does that to me sometimes...) and I only got 4 of em topped/fimmed in time, now I have some ladies that are 3 weeks into bloom and they are doin great but I would like it if the canopy was a touch more even... the main colas are a bit taller (pics in the thread in my sig). I normally stop pruning after 1 week 12/12 and wouldnt fim after that either, but I saw a random thread that said you could fim/sc during bloom and it would cause fatter buds... am I stoned or did I read that right no, i read it right. Is this dude full of crap or is there truth in dem dere words? Should i try femmin em 3-3.5 weeks in bloom?

Any advice greatly appreciated ^.^

Well for the most part I'm with you on not trimming, topping or Fimming, too long into flower. That's more with your typical 8 week strains that so many go with. Other strains that are more sativa influenced and go longer tend to do more stretching for a longer period of time. Those you could probably get away with Fimming or topping later into flower then normal. So I wouldn't say the guy who said that it's good to do is full of crap but I would say he's not 100% accurate either.

Now there is an option you could try which is more like LST. Essentially take the part that's taller then the canopy and bend the stalk at a point just below the canopy such that the stalk forms the shape roughly of an upside down L or like the number 7. This evens out the canopy and if done right the stalk should become stronger and able to support a greater transfer of fluids to the buds above that point. If you can and there is a suitable gap in your canopy, that's where you should try to get the top being bent, to lean towards. That way you even the canopy and don't block lighting to lower bud sites too much. In essence it's kind of like envisoning a big invisible ScrOG screen over your plants.

 

[gabjaz]

Are These Ready to Harvest?

Are These Ready to Harvest?

I was just reading about when to harvest in the growers forum. And there was one post that said when the pistals turn amber they are past their prime and starting to degrade?

Everything else I have read says to wait until 50%~ 70% change color? I was thinking probably another week, but they are changing fast..

Do you think these are ready to harvest?

Thanks, Gabys

PS: No smoke for months and months and then only a taste.... Actually I'm a new old smoker .....So my little sample was very welcome.

 

[Fat J]

Thanks HK - sounds good. I had a feeling that was the case, but I wanted to ask - when I get the urge to over-love my plants I try to do research instead... ruins less crops that way ;-) I'm t lazy to try 2 train them and they r 2 big at this point, gotta remember my fimmin next round.

One other thing - any advice on how to take the best, fastest rooting clones - im using a homemade aero cloner and it works great... usually, but I dont know much about what im doin when i cut them.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

gabjaz, the degradation that is talked about refers to the trichomes, which are the frost that glistens on the flowers. The bulbs on a stalk, when viewed close up, change in color trough their lives. When they are clear, the resin inside is still not ripe. When they cloud up white, the resin is at peak ripeness, and when the color turns an amber color, the trichome will start to shrivel a little bit, like an overripe fruit, because the resin inside is in fact past ripe and starting to degrade. It is at this point of degradation that a chemical transformation takes place in some of the resins properties and other chemicals come about. These new compounds are the ones the effect the heaviness of the buzz to some extent.

Sometimes this trichrome ripening corresponds fairly well with the change of color of the pistils (hairs) and when the majority of them are turned color, the trics will be at or close to ripe. Many strains and hybrids will not fully ripen until after all of the pistils have turned.

Your look to me like they need some time. Your crave for some more of that buzz may override my suggestion.
But, I'd give em another week maybe two.
lol...We don't have to be strong if we don't want to.

 

[HempKat]

I was just reading about when to harvest in the growers forum. And there was one post that said when the pistals turn amber they are past their prime and starting to degrade?

Everything else I have read says to wait until 50%~ 70% change color? I was thinking probably another week, but they are changing fast..

Do you think these are ready to harvest?

Thanks, Gabys

PS: No smoke for months and months and then only a taste.... Actually I'm a new old smoker .....So my little sample was very welcome.

Been there, done that, and I know exactly how you feel, alas the bad news is that magical feeling wears off a bit after a while but not too much, just enough to keep you from molesting your plants before they're done

As for what you saw in the forum, if the guy said when the pistils turn amber and not when the trichomes turns amber, then he hasn't a clue what he's talking about. Pistils or what we call hairs are not what produce THC. They do sometimes change to an amber color but not always, it depends on the strain. However all their color change means is one of three things. One is that the plant got damaged in some way. Two would be because they just naturally aged and died (pistils only stay alive a few weeks, not the whole flower cycle). Three would be that they served their purpose by catching some pollen on the hair which causes a chemical reaction which is transmitted down the hair into the flower where a seed then begins to grow. After which the hair changes color and dies off.

Now if he said trichome or resin and you accidentally said he said pistils then he is right, trichomes do turn amber when they age and it is a sign of THC degradation. However it does turn into something else which has positive effects if you like being stuck to the couch and it does help more with pain. If you want more pure THC then you want to harvest when trichomes are mostly cloudy. This will give you as much of an up, speedy kind of high as that strain can give you. The more amber you let develope the more that up high will mellow with a nice body stone to go with it. Most people shoot for around the 50/50 range meanig half cloudy half amber. That is considered to be the best of both worlds. Me I like the more up high. I have no trouble sleeping so I don't need something to makes me nod off. So I shoot for like 80% cloudy and 20% amber.

 

[HempKat]

Thanks HK - sounds good. I had a feeling that was the case, but I wanted to ask - when I get the urge to over-love my plants I try to do research instead... ruins less crops that way ;-) I'm t lazy to try 2 train them and they r 2 big at this point, gotta remember my fimmin next round.

One other thing - any advice on how to take the best, fastest rooting clones - im using a homemade aero cloner and it works great... usually, but I dont know much about what im doin when i cut them.

No but if you find out let me know My experience though is almost all the clones I've done made it and almost all took about two weeks. Also while I've grown on and off for 30 some years I'm relatively new to cloning myself and I just use a basic humidity dome approach. Hopefully one of the other old farts will wake up long enough to impart some knowledge?

 

[PassionForMaryJ]

No but if you find out let me know My experience though is almost all the clones I've done made it and almost all took about two weeks. Also while I've grown on and off for 30 some years I'm relatively new to cloning myself and I just use a basic humidity dome approach. Hopefully one of the other old farts will wake up long enough to impart some knowledge?

He could go with one of my favorite methods to clone, which would be a bubble cloner, I do not think he will get them rooted much faster, because some strains take longer, which can be due to due a few variables like the state the mother plant was in at the time, the temps maintaned, whether or not the cut got contaminated somehow, etc... and also just because some just natuarly root slower than others, he would probably get a higher sucess rate though, I always got about a 95% sucess rate unless I did something wrong.

I wish I still had the pics of the how to I made when I put my little cheap one together, they may actually still be on here somewhere, I am pretty sure I posted them here, as well as OG back in the day...

If they are not then I am sure there has to be a good thread somewhere on here about using a bubble cloner, if not after I get some sleep I can try to help him out.

 

[obscuredbycloud]

I hope I won't need this thread, but.......I am sure I will, so bookmarked!!!!

 

[HempKat]

He could go with one of my favorite methods to clone, which would be a bubble cloner, I do not think he will get them rooted much faster, because some strains take longer, which can be due to due a few variables like the state the mother plant was in at the time, the temps maintaned, whether or not the cut got contaminated somehow, etc... and also just because some just natuarly root slower than others, he would probably get a higher sucess rate though, I always got about a 95% sucess rate unless I did something wrong.

I wish I still had the pics of the how to I made when I put my little cheap one together, they may actually still be on here somewhere, I am pretty sure I posted them here, as well as OG back in the day...

If they are not then I am sure there has to be a good thread somewhere on here about using a bubble cloner, if not after I get some sleep I can try to help him out.

Well they did do an upgrade a while back and I think pictures already posted couldn't be transfered over to the upgraded system? I'm not sure though. If the pictures are still in your gallary here then the thread should still be here. If not you may have to do it over again.

 

[HempKat]

I hope I won't need this thread, but.......I am sure I will, so bookmarked!!!!

Now now, don't go into a grow expecting problems, be ready to handle them if they come up, sure but don't jinx yourself by expecting problems before they happen.

 

[obscuredbycloud]

No not so much as problem but how can I grow better. But I do know of a few week spots in my set up just not sure the best way to solve them. I have no shortage of ideas....but that is where experience comes in.

Such as cooling my res. I am running an aero system and the res is in my 4x4 grow hut. Moving it out of the hut is something I might have to do, but figuring out the drainage is another issue. My last grow, with the aid of frozen 2lt water bottles I could keep my temp in the low 70s. But I can't do that again. I need a better solution.

The other concern I have on the solution is the electricity it will need. As of now 1k light, dehumidify, pumps, fans and I have another little area for mothers with T5's. As well as everything else in my house..lol

So I know of many ways I could throw electricity at the issue, but I need something efficient that I can keep my temps in the high 60's. I have been thinking about homemade chillers, mini radiators, ice boxes, coolers with coils, mini refrigerators.

I guess the problems with any of these solutions I don't have any numbers to think about. I have a 15gal res now, and should up it before my next grow for 24 plants. My temps don't get above the low 80's on hot days with the AC unit I have. So I haven't been able to start building something cause I am to unsure of the direction.

Just throwing it out there man!

 

[RippinDoobz]

Hey folks! I'm somewhat new to growing, I have a couple times in the past but it didn't work out very well. I'm planning on making another attempt this year but I have a few questions.

I am planning on starting with seedlings but also going straight from seed. I live in a relatively populated area.
What are some good techniques to aid me in discretion? I have a few spots already picked out, but a couple are somewhat active with an ATV or two, not much. But I need to know how to hide them appropriately.
I have heard that planting too close to pine trees isn't a good idea due to acidic level of the soil.
Would it really be a problem or are there any rules to follow in that situation?