First grow, how do I deal with all these plants?

Al Dente

Al Dente

Member
I got some bag seeds from a friend and like a fool I germinated them all and much to my surprise they almost all sprouted. So then I ran around like crazy reading up on growing and converting a spare bathroom shower into a grow room. Now I have a 30"x34" space and 20 plants that all seem disgustingly healthy, even the runt that needed help getting rid of its shell, and growing fast. I sort of figured that half would be male and that would open up some space but I'm afraid they will outgrow the space before I can discover their sex. So here are my questions:
How soon can I flip them? They were germinated on Feb 1 and went under the lights Feb 5th.
Any idea what strain they are? They already are noticeably skunky if that helps.
Does this look stretched, and if so would more light help?
IMG_1373.jpg

Anyway, tia for any advice!
 
def need more light that plant looks gangly, stack it on some bricks or somethin to get it closer to the light.
 
a plant usually shows sex 10-14 days after changing the photo-period, more light never hurts, what kinda of lights you using now?
 
Definitely not looking stretched man. The node spacing looks good. More light is always better when it comes to growing(the only issue is heat). You're off to a good start though. By now, they should be much larger then they appear. Hopefully you're not just usig sunlight through a window. Besides your space that you said before, what lights are you using, and how often do you water? I'm assuming that you're not PH-ing the water?
 
I'd say your light is okay, judging by the early branching, as opposed to stretching. Looks like any stretching that happened, happened early, and is now under control. Sadly, now is right about the time to transplant,lol if you want to see 'em really take off, otherwise, they *will* start stretching, reguardless of light used. I know your short on space, so here is my advice to you....

...throw them all into 1 gallon pots, and flip 'em to 12/12 a couple days afterwards(giving them time to adjust to the shock). By week two, you'll be able to get rid of the males, and put all the females in bigger pots, then finish 'em out. It's not idea to transplant during flowering, but being that you already have too many plants, you'll still have a pretty nice yield. Will barely have to feed 'em, either, with all that fresh soil. That's the way I'd do it, if it were me. :wink:

Also, you can take clones in flowering too, if that's a concern. Just take 'em by the 4th week, if you can, and they'll take root quite easily. If taken later, the cuttings can get 'woody' or hollow, and have trouble rooting, if at all. I think you'll be quite impressed by the crazy branching that grow from a cutting taken with a bud on it. They call it monstercropping.(a form of)
 
I'm using a Sunshine Systems 90w UFO and 4 15w daylight CFLs in the corners. This was a few days ago.
IMG_1323.jpg

I'm planning to replace the daylights with 2700k 23w or more CFL for flowering. I don't think the daylights are doing much. I'm trying to do a SOG since I have so many. I repotted today and it seems to me the outside plants are outside the UFO's sweet spot, so I'm thinking I should upgrade the CFLs.
After repotting today:
IMG_1375.jpg
 
Flip 'em to 12/12, and add as many(and the biggest) CFLs as you can make yourself pack in there. :)


P.S. After after 4" away, those CFLs are about as effective as holding a BIC lighter over your plant, for lighting.lol Seriously man, they do provide *some* help, but it is very minimal, reguardless of color temp. Go big, get 'em close as possible, and you won't regret it, come flowering time. :wink:
 
Dirt is Roots Organic, not adding anything yet but plan to for flowering. Watering about every 3 days now with a little mist here and there. Jawbrodt - TYVM for the advice, and yes you nailed it, I didn't get them under lights for several days after putting in the Root Riot cubes, didn't have lights ready for them. Then I got the UFO and put it too close and made leaves curl on a couple. I haven't managed to kill any yet though. It's a good thing these plants aren't puppies, the humane society would be after me.
I did repot them today, I think those are 1 gal? Doesn't say on the pot, but the guy at the hydro shop told me they were.
 
RollUpMikey - Our water is well water and its PH is 6.8 at the tap. I don't have a way to check the potting soil though.
 
Al Dente said:
Dirt is Roots Organic, not adding anything yet but plan to for flowering. Watering about every 3 days now with a little mist here and there. Jawbrodt - TYVM for the advice, and yes you nailed it, I didn't get them under lights for several days after putting in the Root Riot cubes, didn't have lights ready for them. Then I got the UFO and put it too close and made leaves curl on a couple. I haven't managed to kill any yet though. It's a good thing these plants aren't puppies, the humane society would be after me.
I did repot them today, I think those are 1 gal? Doesn't say on the pot, but the guy at the hydro shop told me they were.
Click to expand...

Yeah, those look pretty close to 1 gallon, but that didn't have to be exact. I just chose that as a good size to start them flowering, small enough to pack 'em close, and stilll have enough room for the first two weeks of root growth,(during 12/12) without constriction.They'll work fine, til you can get the boys outta there.
 
Al Dente said:
RollUpMikey - Our water is well water and its PH is 6.8 at the tap. I don't have a way to check the potting soil though.
Click to expand...


You should be fine there, too. My tapwater is also 6.8, and I use it as-is, and actually, adjust all my fert-mixes to between 6.6 and 6.8, and have really good results. My logic, is that the higher PH will help keep the soil closer to neutral, preventing it from going acidic than if, for example, I'd chose to water/feed with 6.2, for example, which would also work fine. Also, I'd say that your soil PH is fine, otherwise you'd be showing problems already, had it been way off. Keep everything you add to it, PH adjusted, and you shouldn't have any problems, IMO. :)
 
OK, that sounds like a plan. Hopefully I won't have all males. I am planning to clone and having plants old enough to clone but not flowering yet was one of my concerns, but if I can clone during early flowering that will solve that problem so thanks for that! I'll look into the monstercropping thing, but seriously, letting go of bud to make clones? I guess it's an investment, heh.
 
Kevin I think it depends on your well. What kind of minerals are in the rock/soil your well is drilled through could effect the PH, especially if there are a lot of dissolved minerals (hard water).
 
Al Dente said:
OK, that sounds like a plan. Hopefully I won't have all males. I am planning to clone and having plants old enough to clone but not flowering yet was one of my concerns, but if I can clone during early flowering that will solve that problem so thanks for that! I'll look into the monstercropping thing, but seriously, letting go of bud to make clones? I guess it's an investment, heh.
Click to expand...

Nah, what I was saying, is that by week 3, they *will* have buds forming, and therefore, your cuttings will, too.(read into monstercropping, you'll see what I mean :) ) Don't worry about losing yield, just take the very lowest branches, they don't produce anything useable anyway. I trim the first 2-3 sets for airflow, after the first couple weeks of flowering, because they are useless as producing buds. You'll see, once they start stretching.lol :wink:
 
Al Dente said:
Kevin I think it depends on your well. What kind of minerals are in the rock/soil your well is drilled through could effect the PH, especially if there are a lot of dissolved minerals (hard water).
Click to expand...



Definitely. Listen to him, and never assume anything in growing, or you could be in for huge headaches.
 
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