Art Alexander

Newbie here;

I have two plants that are 7" after about four weeks of growth. From what I have read this seems like insanely slow growth.

The plants are from bag seeds (from a high potency bag, mind). They spent their first week and a half under sunlight, while I built my setup, and since then have been under 100 W of HPS in apx. 3 sq.ft. area, about 3 feet from the lights in a flat-white painted box.

The grow medium is 100% store-bought potting soil. Only after I started did I realize that I should mix mediums.

The plants are otherwise very healthy. My other mistake was starting in a single 8" planter. The soil at the bottom doesn't dry out until the top has been dry for days. I have a moisture meter with a long sensor and don't water until the bottom is registering below 2 on a 1-4 scale.

My goal is to play the odds and hope for one female out of these two. I was thinking that if one showed female I would yank the other and that I'd never have to re-pot.

Could this slow growth be due to having too much light? The numbers I've seen say that 100W HPS should be just right for 3 sq. ft. but as a newbie I am constantly wondering what's going on.

jjj2544

My guess is that your light needs to be closer to your plants, and maybe they need more water, I don't use a meter, but I stick my finger in the soil and if it is dry I water em. As long as you have good drainage I have found it very hard to over-water.

lilbuddie

Drop the light to about 12" and watch for overheating if you see it move the light up 6" and watch some more. You're doing a good with the watering. The probe will give you an idea of what the different moisture levels are in the pot. Don't overfertilize them! What size pot are the 7"ers in?

You don't have way too much light by any means you could actually add more if you wanted too

Oh, to answer the question in the subject...More light = tighter internodal length and denser nuggs

Good Growing
LB

[This message has been edited by lilbuddie (edited July 13, 2000).]

KGB@320/oz

yes...please give them plenty of water! I think one of my first mistakes was to listen too the "don't water till dry" school of thought. My 'watered three times a day' hydro clones are twice as big as my control 'watered every other day' clones(but to be fare, the control set is also on the perimeter of the closet, not right under the light.)

Root rot shouldn't scare you if you have good , clean, stearlized, nutrient rich, potting soil. Water at least every other day if you have good drainage! Cells need water to grow bigger, and glands need to grow bigger to produce more dank!

wolfman

Sorry, double post...



[This message has been edited by wolfman (edited July 14, 2000).]

wolfman

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, helvetica, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KGB@320/oz:
yes...please give them plenty of water! I think one of my first mistakes was to listen too the "don't water till dry" school of thought. My 'watered three times a day' hydro clones are twice as big as my control 'watered every other day' clones(but to be fare, the control set is also on the perimeter of the closet, not right under the light.)

Root rot shouldn't scare you if you have good , clean, stearlized, nutrient rich, potting soil. Water at least every other day if you have good drainage! Cells need water to grow bigger, and glands need to grow bigger to produce more dank!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wonder what crossed your mind for that kind of advice...
DO NOT give them plenty of water, and let your soil go on a natural moist/dry... or you will end with some overwatered plants for shure...

Hydro is not the same thing as soil, if you try to apply the same rules, you will destroy your plants

Even knowing that watter is one way to control plant grow, that demands a fine tunned experienced hand for good results, and i don't think that is the case...


Art Alexander...

7" is not that bad at 4 weeks, mines generaly are about 8"/9"...
Anyway, that will be strain deppendent, and it will depend on the amount of space you have for rooting and the kind of nutrients you're using/strengt...
With seedings, i use 8" pots till 6/8 weeks, time to transplant and flower...

Your question is certanly not related with to much light, Lilbuddie already pointed that... i'm just going to add that you can go with at least 62,5 W HID s/f (1000W/16 plants @ 1 plant s/f), to get optimall lightning conditions...

Everything is looking good so far, just keep it that way... don't try to make it perfect
Your goal should be to lead this babies well till harvest day, and not to be the most successfull grower on this boards; next time you can go for a bether one... got it?

Keep it simple...


wolfman







[This message has been edited by wolfman (edited July 14, 2000).]

Art Alexander

Got it. Thanks!

That brings up one more Q, sir Wolf. My 8" pot is 8" across and about 8" deep as well. Both plants are in that one pot now. Even if both turn out female I figured I would just keep one, whichever is healthier.

You say you transplant into something even larger for flowering? I only have four feet of height to work with (it's in a crawl space) and so I figured I would flower once the veg reaches about 15-18". Will I need to re-pot into something larger?

This is really a lot of fun. I feel like I'm suddenly farmer Art, watching over the lower 40 acres ( I wish)... I've already learned so much from the first time out that I can't wait to start the next round.

wolfman

You have enought space for both plants with 3 s/f, start reading a few things about transplanting...
As both are in the same pot, you're going to mess with the root system, that will slow you down about 2/3 weeks (my guess ).

you're again not to bad (talking about height), i would top them now if i were you, and would do it at least once more till flowering...

Flowering is not a question of size, but maturation... you should ONLY flower mature plants, and that will be visible when leaves start growing alternate.
Flower imature plants will lead you to lower yeld, lower pottency, strech increasing and a bigger probability of getting hermies...
I don't think you want that


wolfman

Mr Green

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, helvetica, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Art Alexander:

Even if both turn out female I figured I would just keep one, whichever is healthier.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Why would you only keep one plant? If you got two, keep two You never know, one might get sick and die on you, then you would be SOL + you would have more smoke

just food for thought.

mr g

Art Alexander

Well, I had thought that my planter was big enough for just one plant, but if it's not big enough for even one and I have to transplant anyway, I might as well try to keep both.

Now I'm torn between sticking with what I have and germinating another set of seeds for a second round just in case neither of these is female... anyway I'll take Wolf's advice and read up about transplantation. And topping.