couple questions, and not to many answers

I'm using 8 bulb t5 for a whole cycle. Alot of people starting threads end up changing to another light before they flip to flower. So here are my questions.
With the t5 , should i veg for longer then a month since plants seen to grow slower inns cfl?
What was the outcome of your harvest, and what stains?

I'm only looking for answers from people who fully flowered and vegged with t5 or cfl. I'm thinking about switching to a 600 hps, but want to see what these lights can really do.

If there's pics please post, along with any insight.

If your aim is to grow a large plant?Then flower with a HPS.....hands down.

I take advantage of floro technology with 12/12 rooted clones (cuttings with roots long enough for my style of grow put directly into 12/12)

I flower with 19" (48cm) height from overflow tray bottom to floro tube bottom.

Once I do a run or two from a selected mother,I know how to apply the best LST technique or techniques(ie topping early,mid,or late stretch depending on strain).

I will do a partial harvest.I start reducing nute strength when major stretch,and weight gain slows.Then I wait till about 2-3 wks before now known harvest(strain dependant).I harvest about 30-50% of upper plant being real gentle with proper tools.I raise plant over the next couple days to let light penetrate lowers so they bulk up.The prior reduced nute strength helps the plant balance out from the harvest.I let the plant continue till harvest.When the younger partial harvest is dried.I can enjoy a smoke with a different flavor/high profile than that of the mature bud (wich of course being more potent).For one Blueberry hybrid I have.A snap to the taste buds Bazooka Joe bubble gum taste that is not found in the fully mature bud.

Floros have limited range (12"/30cm).Take advantage of this range by getting to know your strain.Floros are great for mothers,but if you want to flower with them?The proper LST techniques are needed for your style,and setup.A partial harvest is not needed if you LST'ed or scrogged correctly to compensate for floro range.

Happy Growing.

BTW in the first 2 pics front and center.The plant was harvested but some popcorn bud was left on for further bulking,and further ripening testing.
The tubes are PLL 55W diy with Fulham ballasts with 50/50 grow/bloom spectrums.PLL is in essence,a bent in half T5.
The other plants/strains are in mostly in early to mid flower with a preggers in the back,near the right corner.

Final note on floros:The frost is there,but HID like swollen calyx's will be lacking for anyone looking for that specific bag appeal.I wondered if a bloom spectrum only flower will help that,but the crystal like gleam from the 50/50 is good enough for me.Remember most of all.Most manufacturer lumen rating is measured at 12".Keep your bud in that range,and new plants/clones eased into it.

It's a kinda magic.

i'd use HPS but my living situation and income do not allow it so I grow strictly with CFL"S.. vegg and flower.


here are pics... i wuold use T5's but again.. my set up does not allow it.

more ppics.....

and... Harvest pics....

My first grow I used CFLs. It came out okay, rock hard buds on the tops and anywhere that the light was within inches... However, most the lower branches lacked the solid bud formation due to lack of penetrating-power that CFLs have. My lower buds were kinda fluffy and not as dense...so they will be turned into cannabutter!

My second grow should turn out better =) My seedlings are 1 week old, and I just planted 2 seeds yesterday...

Good luck on your grow!

A few pics of my first grow, using CFLs...

Great responses guys, not to bad of pics either .. Well my plants are all lst... If you want pics i have a grow journal. No one i know that grows LST, so i have to really figure it out by trial and error.

I just came across a 150 hps light.. I no its not much but I'm building up haha. What would you guys recommend for flower, t5 or hps? I can't use both my intentions are to use one for mothers while flower, then I'm buying a 600 after the crop

HPS for flower if you got it. i'd also stick a few 2700 cfls on the sides

this grow i'm doing now i have it tied down and am going to train it to go in a circle around the pot, sort of how a slinky is if you pull it open so we'll see how that goes. lol

An 8 pack t5 will work better on an 2'x4' footprint than a single 150 hps. (if your t5's are 4 ft long) ((8 54w bulbs = 432w))

Don't veg longer if flowering under t5's. They will out grow the footprint of the light again.

Work on canopy control.

Happy growin'

Ok so t5 it is haha... Canopy control in always getting worked on making sure not to let they plants stretch, unfortunately headband likes the get tall so that one is a little hard for me, it's got little side branches and more main stalks.

Not asking this in a Dick head way, but how do the more Watts of electricity equal better buds. Isn't it about lumens and kelvins and canopy penetration?

It is about light intensity in the right spectrums for the plants to absorb.More power in the right spectrums increases the plants ability to shed photons for energy.More watts=more photonic energy in the right spectrums=increased fuel conversion thru photosynthesis.

So what's the ideal light? 600 -1000? I hear people say they can pull the same weight off of a 6 that they can a 1k

az kid said:

So what's the ideal light? 600 -1000? I hear people say they can pull the same weight off of a 6 that they can a 1k

Click to expand...

I would just equate the size of plant to be grown to the penetration of canopy I need,and number of plants in the lights coverage.

True....but you have to be a seasoned grower and have great generics in strain.... Anything is possible? I have seen a guy pull and ounce off a plant in a party cup, under 250w of cfl!

This may be a dumb question, but do you guys cut all the side branches off just leaving the main stem?? My headband has shit of side shoots that are just add tall as the main stalks now and i don't know if i should cut them or let them grow out?

Let them go...They may surprise you.