2nd grow, first journal.

cool, update for the clones if you want some tips on keep em alive. people mess with em too much. mist every day one time and lengthen it to 2 days as second week. dont move em around if possible. they dont like being fucked with.

Day 30
Decided to flip the lights to 12/12 yesterday because when considering how tall the plants would be without the LST, I think they're about the same size as my last grows plants, which maxed out at just over two feet. I think this is a good time to flip, because 2 feet is starting to be to tall for my little hps, i think, what do you think? The plants have grown considerably since my last update 5 days ago. They are growing much nice that my first try, which I think has a lot to do with my watering. I've cut back to only watering when the soil is nearly devoid of moisture. I've read this will encourage the roots to venture out into the new soil, which is good of course. Going to find the flower nutes that Relaxed recommended and hope for the continued health of my girls. So heres a macro of the three, and a close up of the base of one of them, highlighting so small growth I'm thinking about clipping-- should I? If so, now or a little farther along into flower? Also, last grow I was using smaller pots, just under a gallon in size, and had read that its best to stick to one cola with small pots. Is two gallons big enough for multiple? Is there a certain amount I should stick to, or should I just let it go naturally, and only remove the seriously small shoots that would be able to reach the canopy?

Here they are

if you want to take clones I suggest normally take em and let the plant veg. a week best 2 more so the topped are turns to a limb and thus full bud. as a newbe you will learn but in a pinch like now go ahead and take some clones if youwant but not after a week in flower or you are wasting top bud places in the long run. get the seabird guano and a tablespoon per plant using a hole dug with pen. I have been using chinese chop sticks lately to good use since many extra come with a meal. Dont top anymore after a few days and again normally top in veg. with a week before flower. I know I repeated but its that important. Lastly with seabird guano only feed every 3 to 4 weeks. watching....

looks like heat damage. you are far enough along they will be fine. just focus on watering when the pot is clearly light in wieght vs. full of water. otherwise knats will come. If you do see any knats start to appear that is a warning you have watered too much. the leaf curlingup is heat stress that when excessive will burn up. when it is not green anymore if that happens remove it.

I see you are continuing the day count. you should start your count now from the day you flipped to flower 12/12. Before was veg. time.

Week 2
Ok, so I need help. I just opened my closet today, and the lower leaves of one of my girls are limp as a noodle. Normally I wouldn't water until tomorrow, and the pot isn't quite at its dry weight so I don't think its thirsty. The limpness seems to be progressing upwards. WTF is going on, I didnt run into this my first grow. The plants look healthy in all other respects. Take a look.

how long had your lights been on for? If I open my tent right after lights come on things always look really droopy until an hour or two later

what size pot and when did you last water? keep in mind as they go thru flower roots grow bigtime and you may need to water more often then in veg. I wouldnt water every 3 days for sure unless you are in airpots and 400 or above hps close but that isnt the case here. If you water does it bounce back after an hour or 2? IF so, that is the case. Sometimes lower leaves can hang and die off if they dont get light bc of canopy above but cant tell from pic.

The pot wasnt at its dry weight so im going to water in the morning. I picked up a ph pen and some jamacian guano 1-10-1. After giving the ph pen and hour to soak it reads 7.8 -.-

calibrate the pen. Get some ph down and add water if you make it go low to raise it. I used jamacian guano but didnt like it. Go easy say a teaspoon and watch for a week. I would amend the soil and water with phed water 6.2-6.5. The seabird gauno has a better I think 10-10-2 across the board. has been harder to find latlely though.

Well i just watered some guano tea and the run off was 6.8. Waiting to see if they bounce back now. Is 7.8ph unreasonable for tap water? I feel like if its reading alittle high i might actually be in the right range with my run off. I think ima just have the hydrostore calibrate it real fast. When u said u wouldnt water every three days did u mean wait longer? I normally water every 4 and only when the pot is very light.

Ok. glad you explained your methods because you have it wrong. you are on the right track though.

- buy http://www.ebay.com/itm/PH-4-01-and-PH-7-01-Calibration-Solutions-20ml-Packets-Milwaukee-/140911470536?_trksid=p3984.m2206&_trkparms=aid=222002&algo=SIC.FIT&ao=1&asc=31&meid=5441916267041436910&pid=100052&prg=1023&rk=2&sd=370664981834& or something larger in a bottle for 10 bucks. calibrate it about every 4 waterings as it moves on cheaper pens under hundreds of buck in cost. now you know what you have. get the cleaning and storage solutions as well cause if the end drys it is gone.

- your tap at 7.8 is normal for most citys. buy ph down solution cause you will need it every watering. Now adust the tap water with ph down to 6.2-6.5 before you water the plants. then water them. if by chance you add too much ph to below 6.2 just add some more tap water to raise it. Dont buy ph up...you dont need it and adding up and down to the same bucket isnt good. last about tap water let it stand 24 hrs. before using to remove clorene. buy some 4 gallon trash buckets from walmart for about 3 bucks each.

- IF you ever want to add something to the water like nuts etc that you will then water plants with put it into the water bucket mix and then adjust the final bucket of stuff to 6.2-6.5. then pour on plants. you see now...everything going into the plant is now 6.2-6.5...look at the soil chart below to see how and when nutrients are absorbed into the plant at different ph levels....othewise nuts get lockout at other ph levels outside the range causing yellowing leaves and nut burn etc, etc. when plants get stressed from lockout bugs attack etc..

-all these solutions can be used for years so for cal., storage and ph down you are good for a while with about 30 bucks.

- you know...Ive never checked my runoff cause the plants look like a garden center so....

oh, about the watering every 4/5 days is about normal. try to learn from one time watering your plants when they have done well for a few waterings to find out when the start to drop leaves. Is it day 6,7 or 8? that way you know to water a day or 2 before they start to drop as these plants like a bit of drying out but not dropping leaves. You will notice after you have let them dry out a bit then after a water the next couple days after that water the plants will explode with growth... Now... you are dealing with a growing plant so....this water cycle can change a day or 2 through flower as the root system grows and takes in more water. you see...now you are turning into a farmer that adapts....lol...

I was mostly curious if 7.8 was high enough fpr tap that it would suggest the ph pen was off. The guy at the store said he'd be happy to calibrate it if i want so im going to have him do it. 6.8 is to far off so i should probably be where i want to be next watering, and it also explains why i was plagued by Mn def my first grow. Next update should be good, pistils are popping out like mad

Turns out the drooping was just because they were ready to be watered soon. Weird because this grow is from clones of my last grow, and they didnt behave that way. Neways. I'll update again soon, but can anyone do me a favor and help me identify this plant my gf got me for vday. Its a palm of some sort and I want to nail down the details on the care it needs. Looking at google images I think its areca palm, anyone agree? For some reason my gf doesnt remember lol. Since theyre sold as house plants they are probably pretty neglect friendly but I just want to be sure, its a gift of love after all

Week 3

Finally had some extra money, so i invested in some supplies. Good thing to because apparently the water here comes out of the tap at 8.0. That explains why I had Mn def so bad on my first grow, since MN starts getting locked out above 6.5. Other than new supplies, the grow is going pretty good I think. One of the tops got to hot when it stretched to close to the light, but its not that bad, and a forum search suggests that while it wont grow vertically anymore, itlll grow out and the yield loss will be marginal if any. I'm more worried about the stress, but we'll see how it goes. So heres a macro of the biggest girl, and a close up of her goods.

I'm still wondering when/if I should start removing the lowest bud sites to redirect the energy to the main colas. Thoughts?

looking good. You can do several things here to try an max. bud production. Either as you mentioned removing lower bud sites if you think they wont get light. what I'd do is take some string and loosly tie it around the biggest branches maybe half way up and then tie the other end to something like a hole you poke in the top of the pot of anywhere for that mater and slightly.....move the branches noting when direct light shines on the lower buds. remember buds that dont get direct light will either turn to weak bud, not develop or die off. I mean moving slightly so they bend vs straight up will greatly improve lower buds.

Mini update:
While watering today I noticed that one of the plants has leaves fading to yellow. Looks like an N def to me, so I alittle 12-4-8, i know N isnt needed as much in flower so I only did a tad. Is that the right diagnosis? If so, will the yellowing leaves eventually return to their former glory, or are they done for?
Cant believe how fast they yellowed, seemingly overnight.

yea, from the looks of the leaves and stems you have nute deficits. What are you feeding it? What are your ppm? Whats the ph going in? Going out?