Mandala-Satori and Delta9-SuperStar Day1 bloom diary

YaK · #1 01-16-2008, 05:11 PM

Well, I've made it this far, and havent killed anything yet!

I have however, screwed up MANY MANY times and learned alot from all of the good folks here.

Here's where I'm at right now. I just built my flowering area, it is incomplete because I need an exhaust fan and a scrubber for it, but I will get that soon.

I am flowering with 3 - 150 watt HPS lights that I got from Amazon.com for 18 bucks each... shipped!

I know they arent the best lights.... but I've never grown anything before, and decided not to spend a fortune on equipment, just so I could kill valuable plants. If all goes well with these three plants that I am flowering, I will buy a 600 watt HPS/MH light.

The three plants I am flowering are..... TWO Satori, from Mandala Seed Co.

Here is the big one, sprouted on Dec. 5th "Tori"

Here is the small one that I call "Palm Tree" this one sprouted on Dec. 3rd, and I did something to seriously stunt it

and last but not least, my short bushy SuperStar (no name for hopefully 'her')

I'm undecided if I should trim these down and "lolipop" them, or just let them bush out. I welcome any advice (as always)

The roots are all nice and white, and filling up the rez nicely.

MagusALL · #2 01-16-2008, 05:14 PM

they are going to grow a lot so id lollipop them. saved space and lets your plants really use all that light for the main cola. nice setup though. way to use your head and wallet wisely.

YaK · #3 01-16-2008, 05:16 PM

a couple more specifics, this is an aero system... and I am using fox farm nutrients. (3 pack, grow big, big bloom, and tiger bloom) oh, and I also have CalMag and Clearex (thanks jcommerce!) for when I flush the system.

I've kept the PH in the desired range so far ... 5.5 - 6.2 - working hard to keep it at around 5.8 as much as possible to prevent nute lockout.

I've scaled back the PPM and am trying to watch the plants to learn what they like, but so far... I use about 1/4 to 1/3 strength.

My main issue right now on day 1 of flowering, is how to prune them.

YaK · #4 01-16-2008, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagusALL

they are going to grow a lot so id lollipop them. saved space and lets your plants really use all that light for the main cola. nice setup though. way to use your head and wallet wisely.

Hi.. ...... ... Thanks!

I kind of want to, but it just breaks my heart to cut anything from them!

Is it just the bottom 3rd of the plant that should be trimmed back... should I concentrate on the smaller nodes and let the fatter ones rampage?

I think the palm tree is kind of pre-lollipopped I cant see any trimming that needs to be done on that little sucker.

The other two I had topped once about 1 month into veg, "Tori" (the satori) grew 3 new branches going up, and the SuperStar grew 2.

Is there a point in time when it is best to prune them back to reduce the stress? Should I wait a couple of weeks, or just hammer the bitches?

On a side note, I have GOT to get a freaking carbon scrubber... because when I walk in my house, these things stink to high heaven. smells good, but I dont want a neon sign in the neighborhood, even if I am growing legally.

MagusALL · #5 01-16-2008, 05:26 PM

i hear that. mine stink up my place even with the carbon scrubber. i need a bigger one thats a fact. im not sure what percentage to trim, i just look and see which ones arent getting any light and then trim those until the plant has just the one big cola. this way it gets all the light it can while still letting the right stuff get to the bud. just my personal theory on that. also how do you top your plants? ive never done it but plan to try some new stuff out my next grow. looking good

YaK · #6 01-16-2008, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagusALL

i hear that. mine stink up my place even with the carbon scrubber. i need a bigger one thats a fact. im not sure what percentage to trim, i just look and see which ones arent getting any light and then trim those until the plant has just the one big cola. this way it gets all the light it can while still letting the right stuff get to the bud. just my personal theory on that. also how do you top your plants? ive never done it but plan to try some new stuff out my next grow. looking good

Well... at about 4 weeks, close to 5 weeks, I figured I'd top them. All I did was go to the top of the plant, and snip off the new growth at the stem.

I'd take pictures of the stumps that I cut at the top of the plant, but they are in darkness! so cool.

Anyway, from what I read, the theory is you cut the top off, and instead of having one top, TWO or more tops grow from the sides of where you cut. Sure enough, 3 grew from my Satori, and 2 grew from my SuperStar. I will try to get pictures tomorrow afternoon.

MagusALL · #7 01-16-2008, 09:23 PM

sounds good

YaK · #8 01-17-2008, 07:02 PM

I'm a fuckin horrible photographer, and actually, a horrible gardener. Thank god for simple steps to keep my stupid ass in line.

here are the best pictures I could conjure up. you may see a little dried nub around the center area of the photo. That is where I topped it, and you can see the stems that shot up on all sides of it.

the satori..

and the superstar:

I did not top the palm tree, because it was too small.

I also have what looks surely to be thrips on a clone plant that I bought from a med shop, I am SO bummed, I'm not sure if I should just ditch the plant to lessen the chances of contaminating my other vegging plants, or just treat it, and hope for the best on all the rest.

My clean environment contaminated by a shitty kush clone!!! FUCK.

daddychrisg · #9 01-26-2008, 11:19 PM

Is there a point in time when it is best to prune them back to reduce the stress? Should I wait a couple of weeks, or just hammer the bitches?

I like to trim @ the end of week one, and three of flower...At the second trim, 1/3 of the plant is trimmed up.

I also have what looks surely to be thrips on a clone plant that I bought from a med shop, I am SO bummed, I'm not sure if I should just ditch the plant to lessen the chances of contaminating my other vegging plants, or just treat it, and hope for the best on all the rest.

You need an area to quarantine your new cones so you can kill any little fucking thing that is crawling, flying, or squirming around on them...Don't forget that there can be bugs deep inside of rock wool!

YaK · #10 01-27-2008, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daddychrisg

Is there a point in time when it is best to prune them back to reduce the stress? Should I wait a couple of weeks, or just hammer the bitches?

I like to trim @ the end of week one, and three of flower...At the second trim, 1/3 of the plant is trimmed up.

I also have what looks surely to be thrips on a clone plant that I bought from a med shop, I am SO bummed, I'm not sure if I should just ditch the plant to lessen the chances of contaminating my other vegging plants, or just treat it, and hope for the best on all the rest.

You need an area to quarantine your new cones so you can kill any little fucking thing that is crawling, flying, or squirming around on them...Don't forget that there can be bugs deep inside of rock wool!

Hey, thanks for checkin in DCG.. I didnt get answers, and I basically did as you suggested. At the end of week 1, I started trimming from the bottom up nodes that I knew wouldnt get any light, but I didnt overdo it because I wasnt sure which would come up and make a good budsite.

I'm at the end of week two and just watching to see what branches may still need to be trimmed off, I will do as you suggest and wait until the end of the 3rd week to make the final cuts.

I'm wanting to really get good at the cloning gig, because buying clones from an outside source is too risky. I had another thread about that clone, and it turned out to be MITES.

good riddance plant AND mites!