TK, I am new at all of this myself. But it looks like your plants may be re-vegging or you have a pest problem. I’m thinking you should vary your PH from 6.0 to 7.0. to ensure your plants can absorb everything they need at either end of the spectrum, as you said, this may not be necessary with your mix. I am using Pro Mix General use and I have had problems with it retaining water for to long, it just seems to never dry out, hence I ended up with Fungus Gnats. I’m thinking you should keep your temps under 80 degrees and your humidity between 65 and 70 at the stage you are in. I know there are different schools of thought on the RO water, but you might try just using tap water that has set out for a day or two.
Thanks Dino1. I will try the ph thing, I like that idea. You nailed it on the head when you said retaining moisture. That is exactly what it seems to me is happening. With my last grow as well, like the plants drank no water. In my last grow if I would saturate my pot with water(with mature flowering plants) until runoff it would take well over a week before that pot was even close to being dry enough to need more water(in my rookie opinion). I am trying very hard to do this right and I just can’t put my finger on it. Something is off. Ready to throw the towel in! Getting frustrated. I don’t think I have pests. At least I don’t see any. I have been spraying plants with purecrop1 every so often and I maintain a clean environment. I feel like I am missing something very simple. My room is sealed with no ventilation. I wondered if my plants were needing more Co2 because of this and causing my problems. But everyone I have asked about that say to keep and sealed and the space is large enough to not need vented. Especially for only 4 plants. I used a mushroom bag last time which didn’t seem to do anything. Are the T5’s still a good light for the plants right now? Or is it time to turn on my big one on low? I have access to a 315 mh light as well. I am willing to purchase a different light at this point also if there is a better light for vegging. Thanks for the input!!!
TK, I really can’t answer your light questions, but I do know you can find comparisons between manufactures on YOUTUBE. Just to make sure you don’t have pest, I would put up some yellow sticky cards. I didn’t see many Fungus Gants before I put some up, but there were hundreds of them. I won’t be using Pro Mix for my 2nd grow, I need to find something that drains better. I think the co2 thing would be a waste for beginners like us, you need fresh air for really healthy plants. I think a good 8" exhaust fan with a passive intake should do the trick. Whatever you do, don’t give up, I’ve made all kinds of mistakes with my first three that are about mid way through flower right now. We will both get better with time.
Yes I will get some sticky traps just to make sure. I am debating trying coca for my final pots?? The person that is helping me uses promix and has great success. I am trying to do what he says but……What medium are you considering using Dino1? I agree with you on venting. I would have prob done that already(and will if I absolutely have to) but in my situation being in a room in an outside garage I don’t have a “lung room” that has a stable environment to pull fresh air from. It’s 100 deg f in the summer and 30 deg f in the winter.
Personally I think you’ve been under watering your plants. Promix HP has a large percentage of perlite in it that make it very airy and drain very well, making it very hard to over water and it should be watered more often than other kinds of potting soils like Happy Frog or Ocean Forest.
Water to runoff every time and don’t let Promix HP get so dry between waterings. I’d also go closer to a ph of 6 with promix hp.
Why so big? 3 or 5 gal pots are more than big enough for most indoor growers.
Yeah they look like they’ve been sprayed, are you not turning the lights off when you spray?
Not good, plants need fresh air and the CO2 that comes with it.
The T5s are fine til the plants get healthier and start fast growth
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Why so big? 3 or 5 gal pots are more than big enough for most indoor growers.
I was told to use 10 gallons since I have a large space and with only 4 plants didn’t want it to get root bound. My friends use 20 gal pots and have great success but are on a much larger scale obviously. I’m not opposed to use 3 or 5 gal pots. I just want to be successful and appreciating all of the feedback
Yeah they look like they’ve been sprayed, are you not turning the lights off when you spray?
I spray with the lights off and wait until leaves are dry before turning lights back on.
Not good, plants need fresh air and the CO2 that comes with it.
I have wondered if this is my problem all along. My room is 126 sq ft where the plants are. What size of a vent system do you think I need? Or would supplemental co2 be better?
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I’m thinking of using super soil this next grow, but it does sound like a pain in the butt to work up. With your garage situation, you may have to think about another grow room.
Thats gonna be a problem of bringing in fresh air then. Does this room have it’s own AC unit? If so then CO2 is a good way to go but with a tank and regulator, not bags or buckets.
Depends on how big you plan on growing the plants and how high your ceiling is. If planning on 8 ft tall monsters then I could see using 10 gallon pots or larger. For more normal size plants 4-5 feet tall, a 5 gallon pot is more than enough and plants don’t really get root-bound issues in a decent size fabric pot with the air pruning going on.
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Thank you.Yes the room is air conditioned.I will look into tanks and regulator.
I only have 7’6” to work with. So sounds like the 5 gallon is it!
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I would also like to upgrade my lights. I have the hlg 600w kit that I bought for the first round earlier this year. From what I been reading it may be best to go with a couple smaller lights instead of another larger one. What would you suggest for the 4 plants and the 7x8 space I have to flower them?
If only growing 4 plants is the plan, I’d just use the 600, and if you want a little more light than throw some hlg 260s on the sides. Or just get another 600, 2 plants per 600 light could make for some very nice yielding plants (topped and spread out or trained to take advantage of all that light).
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Thanks @Hellraiser this forum is great and appreciate you all sharing your knowledge and expertise. I am completely new to this world and I have found a plant that can help ease some of the symptoms of a recently diagnosed disease. It is now legal in my state and I want to take advantage of this opportunity. My goal is to grow the best medicine that I am capable of and with all of your help I’m confident that can be accomplished. Thanks again and as this moves forward I will post progress and certainly have tons more questions.
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I start mine out in 5 gallon lowes buckets 1/2 paddle bit to make drain holes avoiding Transplanting Zero stress to the plant good luck.
@TripleK, first of all welcome to the community and to the forum. What I see maybe different from other people. I see what looks like the lighting looks to far away from the cups. 12-18 inches is good. The next thing I see is the cups look soaked to me. How much water are you giving the plants? Maybe, take a needle and poke some holes in the cups, for drainage. Another thing, possible no more root growth, time to transplant into a bigger pot. So I hope this helps you with your grow. Good luck with your grow, and happy growing
@TripleK, 10 gallon pots, that’s a jump but you should be fine. My thing is I’ve never ph my soil plants ever! And I’m on a well system out of the faucet is 7.34 ph perfect for my soil plants. I Veg them babies for 9/10 weeks at most, my happy medium. Also if find your soul is to moist take toothpicks and poke holes in the soil, or chopstick to move the soil around, or to make bigger holes in the soil. Hope this helps you with your grow, good luck with your grow.
It’s been over a week since I transplanted into 1 gal containers. Plants appear to be coming around. I expected more growth but assume the are recovering from whatever it was they were lacking. Here is what I changed.
Have been watering with distilled water
Been using adv nutes and cal mag at suggested rates on bottles(was using much less)
Changed my lighting to 315 with veg light
And moved them out of tent into middle of the room where they will stay(this shouldn’t have made a big diff since I never closed the tent they were in before)
Continue to water 8oz about every 2 days or when pots get light but not dry. Ph to 6.5. And about 1000 ppm. 75 deg f water temp.
I just used the last of the distilled water. I have 55 gallons of ro water I think I am going to switch back to next watering. (Keeping fresh with air pump-stone)
I think they look better just looking for more thoughts, opinions, suggestions…
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@TripleK, they look good, how far is that light? All the light that I use from 14” to 20” , my 6” pots 8/12” on the veg light. See pic. You lower that light, and give those babies a root inhibitor, and watch new growth everywhere. Hope this helps you with your grow, good luck with your grow, and happy growing
