1: Never grown pure or landrace sativa's eh? Many sativa's run long, and I mean long......To some 5 weeks is like about 3....Sativa's have smaller trichomes and many times less, then Indica's......To say something is wrong,,,IS wrong! They will develop. It just takes longer sometimes with them...
2: Why are you spouting almost verbatim, A line from an Adv. Nute. add for rhino skin? BTW it's almost any Si (silica) on the market that is derived FROM Potassium Silicate. Potassium Silicate or Si is used primarily by the plant in cellular production, by use in the cell walls. Si strengthens the plant in that way. Si helps regulate the uptake of P - that can be a good thing for high P users (to a minor point)..
Potassium Silicate K2SiO3 is NOT the primary nutrient in the production of Tric's! In fact it plays the most minor of roles compared to all the other types of Potassium available to the plant in tric production.....
You can increase trichome and terp production with K in the form of Phosphates of Potassium (The most used form of K in synthetic nutrients), K2SO4 (Potassium Sulphate) works better for your "stated" purpose and guess why? It contains S and S plays a part alone and combined with Mg to do more for tric's then Potassium Silicate!!!..
At any rate. I could go on and on about the different forms of Potassium used in plant nutrition.....Like Potassium Sulphate works better then KCI, but burns the plant faster and that KCI is salt heavy (Potassium Chloride) etc, etc, etc. I hope you get the point. I don't feel like giving a full on lecture on horticultural chemistry.
So then grasshopper.....you should start reading Hort books and not Nutrient company's propaganda! (Or incomplete on-line info searching)
This is not meant to be an "insult"!!!!
Only information and a proper answer to your request...
Doc
Its all good, but you didnt read my whole post i wrote but thats ok. I said potassium silicate was one of the main types of potassium responsible for trich production but that K potassium was what you wanted which drives bud production, resins and trich production. And no im not repeating anything I read offline but thats a good one. And AN isn't only company who uses potassium silicate the beloved Dynagro Protekt is also primarily K silicate as well. Its what you want to feed your plants!
I do have indepth knowledge in horticulture and plant science. I have read alot of books and have a wealth of information from first hand experience as well and (I am always learning new things i never stop reading). But in continuing the discussion silicon derived from silicate sheets is one of the most abundant resources on Earth and is actually only 2nd to O *Oxygen. Plants use silicates to build stem cell walls, form flowers and aid in uptaking other nutrients such as nitrogen which is critical during veg and main flowering periods. Silicates also balance other nutrients and their uptake primarily phosphorus and can limit and reduce uptake of heavy metals into your plants. The reason they use potassium silicate during flowering is too increase flower size, prevent diseases/pests by strengthening the cells and structure internally which also causes a hormonal response that triggers during fungal and pest attacks. Studies recently have actually found that silicon is so abundant in plants they are pushing to make it a macronutrient and can compromise 10% of the dried weight of flowers. The benefits of silicates especially potassium silicates for flower production and quality is very important.
Potassium silicate is also important because it can help stabilize ph that becomes acidic over time, silicon in it natural states need to be suspended in a high ph water so it doesnt break down and become clumpy and bind up. Which is why its always in a separate bottle otherwise it would break down the nutrient formula and suspend the solutions. Think of it as the 3rd part of a 2 part nutrient in that sense.
Although sativas and land races may grow for up to 150 days many of which are not grown indoors in controlled environments. Its simply not economical or reasonable for most growers to dedicate 5 months on a flowering cycle that wont yield anymore than any other 7-8 week varieties. These strains primarily are grown outdoors where they do best and can stretch and grow 20 feet tall. I have never seen anyone running landraces especially indoors and have not heard of many people trying to do this either. Unless you have a very big warehouse type area and alot of patience and money to waste.
Even though there may be individuals growing land races in doors or straight sativas typically 10-11 week flowering times maybe 12 on average for some of these varieties, you should have a good amount of resins after 5 weeks of bloom. Resins begin forming during vegetative periods when the room environment is ideal and the plant is being fed properly. Even if it was a 12 week variety (I'm not saying it should be completely covered in trichs but it should have a good amount covering some of the inner fan leaves by this point on any strain). If I dont see resin glands forming and trichome production I would first look at environment and than at my nutrients and figure out what is missing or not being uptake correctly. I understand some strains are late bloomers but looking at his photos those are decent sized early flowers that should have some resins and oils beginning to form. I don't see anything on them anywhere, this to me is a cause of concern.
Just because a plant is "green" doesnt mean that it is perfectly healthy. Some issues and problems take weeks to be displayed and result in delayed flowering and under developed buds. I find that over fertilization during vegetative growth and early flowering not only will delay flowering and site development but will drastically reduce the resin and trichome production during flowering (less is more approach is very understated). If you want good resin production make sure the temps are warmer than cooler (close day and night temp). Lower humidity (during end of flowering can increase resin production), during early flowering I like mine at or around 55% for the first 4 weeks or so. Than run it around 50% until I am 2 weeks out usually. Its also important that the nutrients you are feeding are balanced and they are healthy. Environment and genetics are the big 2 but what you provide your ladies during early flowering will really make or break the quality and yields that you aim to achieve.
But it's all good. I agree with most of what you said. I think that many people over analyze and over due things. Growing this plant isn't rocket science and approaching in that manner will only lead to more confusion and more problems. Like everyone says keep it simple stupid. Nutrient companies do the research and studies on the formulas that they feel work best. For these reasons so long as you are feeding your plants with a good complete fertilizer and providing it the correct environment you dont need to get all crazy over the top. Start with good genetics you know are good (which is why i usually grow from clone only so I know what the hell im getting and what to expect), this run I'm doing now is one of the few gambles I have taken in a long time growing from seed. And to answer other question. Yes, I have grown landrace strains outdoors not indoors though but havent't done them in a longgg while. I also do not particularly care for or even like the lengthy flowering strains like sativas (although I do absolutely love the smoke and high, I just prefer to buy those not grow them). Because to me they are waste of money and time to grow. I'd rather just buy those from dispensary and have someone else do the work to be truthful. I can flip 2-3 runs in the time some of those strains take to complete 1 flowering phase which is crazy to me.
