Grow Mediums DWC = Huge Plants??

[nben]

Hey all!

Just getting ready to head out for work but something has been bothering me all day so I just had to ask. I will check as soon as I get home from work.

I use a bubble bucket DWC under large CFL until my plants start flowering, then I switch to UFO led (I only grow one at a time). I know this is not a bad thing (Thankfully this is more of a hobby and I just grow for myself), but from the pics I see of soil grown strains it seems that all of my plants easily grow double the size of them.

Even the older auto strains that seem to be more closely related to Ruderalis will dwarf their sisters in soil. The kicker is I only use 1/4 to 1/3 strength GH nutes, 3 part series. Am I just imagining things or have I just had really good luck??

One more thing, I have a Royal Queen Jack Herer plant going right now. The thing is just getting bigger and bigger, but is the perfect picture of health. I'm in the 7th week of growing right now and I have seen nothing other than some large pre-flowers... Shouldn't it be flowering right now?? It's measuring about 3.5 feet and the side branches are really starting to grow at an amazing rate...

Thanks all, and like I said I will check back as soon as I get home from work!

 

[Jr kron]

I've been growing indoors in soil for years, on my first DWC grow now and it's the fastest I've seen my plants grow. The growth spurts are ridiculous having to change my light height everyday, but I'm not complaining :dance2:

 

[nben]

One thing I have noticed as well is the leaves tend to not yellow later in life. I have read threads that suggest waiting until leaves yellow and die off until harvest. I have yet to see leaves turn yellow in DWC like I have seen in pics of soil grown strains. In fact, I usually do 3 separate harvests, one when the top is ready, then the largest is the middle of the plant after it develops more due to the better light from the top being removed. Then, the very bottom buds are allowed to ripen... Seem to get great yields that way!

 

[Jr kron]

I haven't got that far in my grow yet, have you been flushing at all with the 3-part? I've been thinking about switching to the Lucas formula once I'm finished with my Flora Grow, he says that if used properly you shouldn't even need to flush. I wonder if it would have a negative effect for autos though and force them to flower early.
'

 

[Dominas999]

Dont think you can force an auto to flower its in the genetics (may be wrong), dont wanna intrude but I am using GH Flora Pro series (soil grow) and never seemed to get the nute strength quite right, I get too much Nitrogen intake during veg... Is this something your experiencing at all, you are using nutes in slightly lower doses than me.

 

[Jr kron]

If that's the case then I'm pretty sure my plants gonna outgrow my closet, lol. When I was running it in soil I didn't run into that problem, I was running the simple drain to waste feeding schedule though.

 

[Dominas999]

Drain to waste feeding schedule? Sorry to be noobish can you enlighten me what this is, as I just started another grow in soil using GH Flora series and if u didnt have these issues then hopefully I wont if I pattern your drain to waste feeding schedule....

 

[Dominas999]

It's measuring about 3.5 feet and the side branches are really starting to grow at an amazing rate...

She is gonna be a monster, will be checking for updates and pics

 

[Jr kron]

http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/resources/feeding_schedule/
I found a link to the different feeding schedules, I started 1/4 -1/2 strength at first and worked my way up.

Drain to waste and recirculating refers to 2 types of hydroponic systems, Drain to waste you don't reuse your nutrients and start with a fresh bath each res change, while recirculating is just adding more nutrients to res as needed thus saving on nutrients and water.

 

[Dominas999]

Brilliant link thanks for that.. Is there an increased risk of nute burn with recirculating tho? Thanks again