DIY Closet DWC Grow - First grow ever

How big of a space is that dehumidifier supposed to work for?

Looking for one myself...

robotninja said:

How big of a space is that dehumidifier supposed to work for?

Looking for one myself...

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It says for small area. People in their reviews said it didn't work in their bedroom, but worked well in bathrooms and closets. And by my guess closets are 50% small like mine 3x3, the other 50% probably something like 6x3 to 8x3. SO... the folks that said it worked in their closets, some of them had to have big closets.

So that's my guess. If you wait two weeks for me to get it, I'll give you a full review for the thing in my set up.

Hey guys. This screen is a lot of work.

I've been tucking stuff and weaving like crazy. The plants grow about an 1 - 1.5 inches during the 12 hours of light, then another 1-1.5 inches during the dark. So when I wake up I have to tuck like crazy, and I usually do two or three more times through out the day.

I probably spend 1 - 1.5 hours a day weaving. And because the underneath is still crowded it is really hard to get back to the back plants. I'm managing though.

Only one time have I broken off a really nice 'top'. It was the White Widow too. I wanted to cry. I was looking at it, like I just threw a quarter in the trash. Harsh.

I really wish I would have made the whole thing 1- 2 feet higher off the ground. It is at the level I have to bend over, but it is a little to high to kneel. Kind of a pain, but not a big deal.

I ordered the 250w MH. Ballast and socket have shipped. Bulb should shortly.

I've only been spraying twice a day with RO water. I figure summer will really kick in after next week, start drying things out really good.

I am a bit disappointed with the level of excitement at the moment. Up until now it was great seeing them grow and develop their own traits, and now they are in this weird light and they just grow to frustrate me with the screen. It's also not as pretty in there with that orange light. I'm not complaining just hoping that once the flowering get going it will be exciting again.

It's all exciting enough though thinking about the outcome.

The pics are from the past few days. The last is of a really nice looking nug I picked up from a local 'delivery service'. How great is california.

Just wanted to say:

What is wrong with people who use scrogs and start journals.

I started looking at about 20 scrog grow journals last night, I think 2 or 3 of them didn't totally disappear halfway through the grow.

How disappointing to be following a grow a long and then BOOM 5 weeks into flowering never another word from the op. Even more disappointing because some of them looked like really good grows.

I will follow through and finish this journal, promise.

taffo143 told me earlier in the thread, I just didn't grasp the situation completely.

Hey guys, so I think I've figured something out. Or rather figured out I don't understand something I thought I did.

So 12/12 lighting induces flowering. But flowering is counted from when the plant starts flowering, yes? I know that sounds really obvious, but up til now in my head 12/12 and flowering were the same thing.

So when I read that Hindu Skunk has an 8 to 9 week flowering time, that refers to the time from whence it flowers to harvest. NOT the switch to 12/12 to harvest.

I actually think this point messes up alot of first time growers. I've been reading a lot of threads where the guys started flushing too early, or didn't expect things to take as long. I bet they made the same mistake in thinking about 12/12 vs. Flower.

So the first couple weeks of 12/12 is still veg. Then the last 8-9 (by strain) are flowering.

Now I'm worried I'll run out of Flowering Nutes, because I thought I'd be clever and start using them right at 12/12.

Damn.

Taffo143, why did I not listen?

jigfresh said:

taffo143 told me earlier in the thread, I just didn't grasp the situation completely.

Hey guys, so I think I've figured something out. Or rather figured out I don't understand something I thought I did.

So 12/12 lighting induces flowering. But flowering is counted from when the plant starts flowering, yes? I know that sounds really obvious, but up til now in my head 12/12 and flowering were the same thing.

So when I read that Hindu Skunk has an 8 to 9 week flowering time, that refers to the time from whence it flowers to harvest. NOT the switch to 12/12 to harvest.

I actually think this point messes up alot of first time growers. I've been reading a lot of threads where the guys started flushing too early, or didn't expect things to take as long. I bet they made the same mistake in thinking about 12/12 vs. Flower.

So the first couple weeks of 12/12 is still veg. Then the last 8-9 (by strain) are flowering.

Now I'm worried I'll run out of Flowering Nutes, because I thought I'd be clever and start using them right at 12/12.

Damn.

Taffo143, why did I not listen?

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Aparently I'm wrong about being wrong. Day 1 Flower is Day 1 12/12, according to two responders I trust. So my plants should be ready in around 8 or 9 weeks.

I still wish I listened to you taffo

Hey guys another post. I am watching my good buddy JonnyBtreeds grow and depending on his experience with Gravity (flower hardener) I might try it. Or will try it if it works for him.

Also, exciting news, I think my plants are finally starting to slow down on the stretching thing. They are still going, but this morning they didn't look as tall as usual after overnight. I did spray the liquid light again, so that will probably mess me us and make them grow another 3 inches. Life's hard when things are going so well.

Also, I was reading some thread, don't remember what, and some guy was talking about poking holes in your leaves. Sounded like the craziest thing ever. Anyways, I doubt that poking holes in your leaves makes your buds heavier and more potent (like he said), but he also said the leaves heal themselves. Everyone said he was full of shit, and to show pics. He said he didn't have a camera (of course). Anyhow, I had to see. So I poked holes in just one half of one 'arm' of one leaf. We'll see if it heals. And I'll trip out if that branch ends up being the dankest bud of the lot.

looking really good man when you going to let those girls pop threw that screen ?? .... looking really nice under it like a field of greendreams ..... good job on that batwing light...... just now for the pistols

Looking Great!!!

Here is what I would do: gradually cut everything off that is not able to touch the screen. I mean, get rid of all of the foliage under the wire screen because it will not get any light once the screen is filled, and will wither and die. I would be cautious/careful not to over-do it. Gradually is the key word.

There is much speculation but the energy used to keep the under foliage alive and growing (it is growing as you can see) could be redirected to the tips and utilized to fill your screen quicker. Again, ANYTHING under the screen will not get sufficient light once the screen is filled, and as you said, it's way crowded to work. View my photos for reference if willing or necessary.

Next, I would not weave the branches and shoots. I have woven (I never thought I'd ever use that) and found it caused me to need to cut branches in odd places when I harvested, causing me to spend more time hanging and dropping the short pieces. I liked when I was able to cut the branch at the stalk and have little difficulty removing it with all buds intact. It is not a big deal, personal preference. I did weave many small shoots across the branches to fill bare areas of the screen, and I also crossed them back over themselves.

My solution to "NOT WEAVING" is to hit the produce section of your local market because they are kind enough to provide us with an abundance of free twist ties. If you shop there, they owe you the twist ties at the least... Remember, tucking the fan leafs back under is a full time gig, they want as much light as they can get, and it's your job to keep em under the screen. Trust me, they will surprise you often.

I couldn't tell, but when the screen is about 3/4 (three quartes) full, switch the lights. Remember, they will still grow/veg during that first 2 weeks of the flowering cycle. I like the cool tubes man. I was going to order glass bread tubes from Ebay.

Lastly, I would "pet the kitty" before bed tonight. I think that compares to meditation and can really cleanse the mind. You know, giving pleasure to some is as good as receiving it to others. Oh ya, and don't forget to feed that black kat I saw in the photos...
lol

Thanks a lot. I feel like a more professional grower already.

I really appreciate you looking through the thread, I know it's long.

What about the jah?

no worries, I had to learn somewhere also...

Let me ask you, when you topped, how much did you remove and why?

I was taught a technique that is very similar to topping, but you don't have to wait thru the 2 days of shock from snipping the top. For a screen grow like ours, I believe it to be more beneficial to gently "Crush" the top-most stalk between your thumb and index finger. I imagine you have read about this technique someplace.

You take the stalk between the fingers and gradually apply more pressure while rolling it between the finger. SOrta like the "pinch and roll" us guys do to our ball bags (I took a poll once and learned that most guys "pinch and roll" instead of scratch... lol) until you feel the rigidity go. The stalk will now droop because of the crushing, but everything below that crush will grow new shoots as if you had topped. I believe what this does is cause the plant to skip part of the veg cycle and revert back to the new growth cycle, hence the new shoots. Sort of a survival tactic I guess.

drynroasty said:

no worries, I had to learn somewhere also...

Let me ask you, when you topped, how much did you remove and why?

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I cut of 2-3 full nodes each time. I cut each one 1 time. Then varying numbers from 5 plants another time. Link to that thread below.

I first topped them once each figuring it would help them 'bush' out to fill the screen. Next I topped them to let the white widow catch up (you know about messing with two strains).

That was what I was thinking at the time. What I would do next time is not the same at all.

First off. I didn't really grasp the point of a scrog until yesterday I think. I thought that is was each square would have a branch growing up through it, like a 'spreader' or something. So I was thinking you would need as many branches or about to fill every hole in the screen. I must say I nearly attained that goal, I have so many damn branches it's insane. And I am seeing NOW why that was not the best thing to do. It is so crowded and there are so many branches to position, especially with all the new growth. I wish I had 1-2 inches a day of 6 tops (1 per plants), instead I have like 60-80 branches growing like that. It's killing me. I tell myself I'm going to be paid off in the end, but I think the key is this, especially with how I have my plants crammed together:

Keep the plants with few main branches making it easy to direct them each day. Veg them a little longer than normal to fill the screen with those few branches and you will have less work, while still utilizing the screen.

I hope that answers your question.

I started a thread on it. There are pics.

https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/169775-scrog-5-plants-all-bigger.html

oh yeah, the Jah. Well, i realized that I had burned the crap outta it and didn't really get it... It seems so obvious now why ALL the leaves turned brown (and the sky was gray... ).

The true problem wasn't that I fed them too much nutes, it is that I didn't keep my log up to date and didn't catch the increase of nutes as the problem. Had I stayed on top of my log I coulda easily saw why the leafs turned.


She is still in the box, I wanted to see if I could bring her back to salvagable. She cleaned up nicely, but she is no lady you'd bring home to momma. I started harvesting her 2 days ago actually but haven't tasted her yet. I cut the tops and am allowing the newest growth near/under the scren to get some direct light ad see if I can doctor em up.

I also think I may have turned portions iof it hermaphrodite because I keep seeing fake seed pods. I also realize that the Jah would've been a phenomenal grow. Now that she is on just RO again, the new growth is COVERED in hairs and resin is DRIPPING from stalks, really. I'm going to germ some Jah seeds. for next run.

I will germ the seeds now and let them veg the whole while the purple is in the box. Once the purple comes out I should be able to drop Jah in and flower immediately because I will have grown and done all topping/pinch-n-rolling and they will be whatever height I choose.

I love it when a plan comes together. Now it's getting fun again.

I have to remember that this first run is just practice, and that it can only get better. I have learned the characteristics of 2 strains and have a huge list of "What Not to Do's"...

drynroasty said:

I love it when a plan comes together.

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A-Team. That's boss.

The value of a 'what not to do' list is great. I feel like the greatest thing in my life came from one of those. I spent many years with girlfriends, learning exactly what I did not want in a woman. That list paid off.

About the mistake in your grow. It's like Native Americans would do when beading. They would leave a mistake, in respect of God, because only He was perfect.

So could it be more fitting that the jah was the sacrifice to Jah. I would think many blessings of happy harvests are to follow.

I am one post behind you as you can see. I am replying to the idea of the screen.

Yes, you got it exactly correct. But holly crap, you almost got as many branches as screen squares... Good freaking job on that, really!

When I try to explain this method to other experienced growers they too tilt their heads to one side. I have been counting and only one lefty tilted right, and many lefties are growers... lol.

Keep the plants with few main branches making it easy to direct them each day. Veg them a little longer than normal to fill the screen with those few branches and you will have less work, while still utilizing the screen.

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Well said, but I think there may be more. Just imagine your hedges/shrubs. THey come up from the ground as a thick trunk and fan out in all directions like a "T" or a tabletop. That is what you want to achieve, but fill the screen evenly in one layer.

On the opposite of many branches is what I did what I did with the Jah. There is only one main stalk, but I allowed the secondary branches and shoots to spread out. If you look at the photos on my thread you will see that the plants are bent 90 degrees and then the branches spread/shoot.

About the mistake in your grow. It's like Native Americans would do when beading. They would leave a mistake, in respect of God, because only He was perfect.

So could it be more fitting that the jah was the sacrifice to Jah. I would think many blessings of happy harvests are to follow.

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Yeah buddy!

Praise Jah!

I gotta add this:

Keep the plants with few main branches making it easy to direct them each day. Veg them a little longer than normal to fill the screen with those few branches and you will have less work, while still utilizing the screen.

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Thinks of a typical pot plant with one cola growing big and fat, and maybe a handfull of other decent sized ones growing like Christmas tree ornaments. The reason that top cola gets big is because it gets the most light, nothing shadows it. All the others (well most) have to compete somehow and they are further from the light, hence their smaller size.

With a scrog, all those smaller buds are getting the same amount of light as the main cola would be on a vertical grow. They will not be as large as the single cola vertical grow, but they will be larger and there will be more because they are all getting the same amount of light.

It's funny how you said about the fan leaves surprising me. They really have, I tuck them down, and they just find new and interesting ways to fight their way back up. I swear there is a knome living in the room somewhere. He (or she) comes out in the dark and repositions things in my screen.

I must say though I owe a lot to the little knome as he (or she) keeps things looking real nice, and even killed the couple bugs I let in on accident.