?My recent buds - Question?

Hey gang,

Curious question for all of you brilliant growers....

Why are my buds light/open/stringy like instead of dense and compact? I received clones from a friend, and I've seen his grown and his turned out more dense, compact, and there was more trichrome development.... mine turned out more fluffy and with less trichs. What's the cause for such things like this happening? (It's not the strain, it has to be the grower/method/enviroment)

This actually happened to me on my previous grow as well, and it's not a great appearance.

I wish I had pictures but my phone broke.

I will be checking back regularly to add anymore information that I can to help the diagnosis but really I was hoping maybe there were a few "rules of thumb" for creating the more dense product - rather than the fluffy, flakey, dry flowers.

What was your:
- average, max, and minimum temperature
- average, max, and minimum humidity
- amount of light during flowering

Usual cause is consistently high temperatures during lights on and high night time temperatures. And don't discount genetics there are lackluster breeders out there and also consider the lineage what you are growing for instance if you are growing a 100% sativa or sativa dominant plant that is not known for producing dense flowers that is what you will get.

WayBaked said:

What was your:
- average, max, and minimum temperature -
- average, max, and minimum humidity -
- amount of light during flowering -

Click to expand...

82 degrees, 93 degrees, 71 degrees
45%, 53%, 40 %
12hours on 12hours off - 12 plants 1200W total

bestingr said:

82 degrees, 93 degrees, 71 degrees
45%, 53%, 40 %
12hours on 12hours off - 12 plants 1200W total

Click to expand...

Your temps are on the high end, you should aim closer to 75 average 85 max. In late flowering the plants will create airy, fluffy buds as an attempt to keep cooler in warmer environments. Bring your temps down and your buds should dense up.

Light seems okay, what was the size of the grow room, veg time, flower time?

WayBaked said:

Your temps are on the high end, you should aim closer to 75 average 85 max. In late flowering the plants will create airy, fluffy buds as an attempt to keep cooler in warmer environments. Bring your temps down and your buds should dense up.

Light seems okay, what was the size of the grow room, veg time, flower time?

Click to expand...

4.5ft W x 9ft L x 10ft H
8 weeks Veg
8 weeks Flower

What little trich development there was it was all cloudy

bestingr said:

4.5ft W x 9ft L x 10ft H
8 weeks Veg
8 weeks Flower

What little trich development there was it was all cloudy

Click to expand...

You're also getting less than 30 watts per square foot in your room. You should aim for 40-50 watts per square foot. I use 60 watts per square foot.

Especially with 8 weeks of veg, those plants will get large and need more light.

Get your temps down and your light up (which will be hard because they work against each other) and you should see a vast improvement in nug density and yield/potency.

bestingr said:

4.5ft W x 9ft L x 10ft H
8 weeks Veg
8 weeks Flower

What little trich development there was it was all cloudy

Click to expand...

8 weeks flowering???


Even heavy INDICA dominant strains generally take longer than 8 weeks.


I think your issues are high temps, early harvest and most likely heavily yellow plants at harvest time.



J

Early harvest? 8 Week Strains are quite common or at least that was my understanding....

bestingr said:

4.5ft W x 9ft L x 10ft H
8 weeks Veg
8 weeks Flower

What little trich development there was it was all cloudy

Click to expand...

You have nowhere near enough lights for that space. Your temps are much too high.

The combination of those two major issues results in the problems you are describing.

Get more light, or section off your grow space, and get those temps down. 74 minimum 84 maximum, with atleast a 10 degree drop during lights out.

bestingr said:

Early harvest? 8 Week Strains are quite common or at least that was my understanding....

Click to expand...

Yes 8 week strains are common. When its 8 weeks of actual flowering and not 8 weeks after switching to 12/12.

The stretching phase can last up to 3 weeks depending upon age and strain.


I am yet to come across a strain that's done in 8 weeks of 12/12.


My 8 week strains have been finished in 9 weeks of 12/12.




J

I went through the same thing and it's high temps. Your thermostat might say the temps are reasonable but measure the temps at the canopy and you might be shocked.

maybe i missed it but how far away are your lights and what type of lighting are you using. plays a large roll in bud density.

jondamon said:

Yes 8 week strains are common. When its 8 weeks of actual flowering and not 8 weeks after switching to 12/12.

The stretching phase can last up to 3 weeks depending upon age and strain.


I am yet to come across a strain that's done in 8 weeks of 12/12.


My 8 week strains have been finished in 9 weeks of 12/12.




J

Click to expand...

my plushberry and jilly bean are both done at exactly 8 weeks with 10% amber and maybe 10% clear

mrbungle79 said:

my plushberry and jilly bean are both done at exactly 8 weeks with 10% amber and maybe 10% clear

Click to expand...

Then you must be very fortunate.


As I said there are very few strains that are completely finished after 8 weeks of 12/12.

I ran an 8 week indica last year and she finished after the 9th week of 12/12.

Due to taking 7 days to switch from veg to flower.


Most strains if flowered before maturity take 2 weeks to switch from veg growth to flowering hence the term the stretch.
This "stretch" is still classed as veg growth and flowering doesn't begin until flower setting starts.




J

When you say 1200 watts total is that with HID lighting or 12 100w cfls or the like. That makes a big difference also. I had very fluffy stringy buds when I first started with cfls. I hope we are talking hid because that's waaaay to much space for fluorescents imo

If you cant add more lights, dont run as many plants. Try running six plants. Just because your room is that big doesnt mean you have to fill it. I have a 5x9 room also. I run a 1000w hps. 6-7 plants at most is what i run and have good density. Also try and get those temps down.