New Grower First Grow First Diary: White Widow (Shaneequah)

[morris4019]

Hey everyone! This is my very first grow-and boy has it been a ride. A little info before i get in to it

(Shaneequah, White Widow Auto, 5/15/2018)

Deets

Name: Shaneequah
Strain: White Widow Auto from ILGM.com
Grow Medium: FoxFarms Ocean Forrest + ~20% added perlite
Nute Schedule: ~1/2 FoxFarms Soil, using basics (Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom, Kangaroots, Sledgehammer)
Added Bennies: AZOS, Great White
Pot Size: 1gal
Veg/Flower Lights: LED 600w
Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor - tent
Ventilation: 6" extractor tent side, 4" extractor window side ~5ft away, and 4" carbon filter (in tent)
Circulation: 3 x 6" 2 speed clip on fans
Humidity Control: controller attached to a cool mist humidifier (my daughters lovely green froggy humidifier from when she was a baby )
Heat: Has not really come to this yet-but I have 2 small bathroom heaters that can be used along with my seed starter temperature controller-but this has not been an issue.​

A little intro

So before i go in to detail i will say that the original intention/inspiration for growing was 1st and foremost because rec weed is expensive and quality around me has taken a turn. Also, i had intended to build/use (and DID build/use for a very short while) a small stealth grow box out of an Original Bradley Smoker (pics upon request). I quickly realized that conditions change too much within a ~2.5sq/ft area to be usable. Also... no idea how to get humidity/heat AND lights/fans in that small of an area. Then i had this face-palm moment as i looked at amazon at grow tents... super cheap ugh-so that is when i purchased my tent. Note that this basically means Shaneequah, for about 2 weeks (seedling) was sitting in horribly maintained conditions, under an 80 watt(advertised) LED grow light, that was leaning toward being too cold-not too hot.​

The Grow

Week 1 (VEG) (3/19 - 3/25)

As you can see i was finishing up my build as i germinated and started her-but really it was just the carbon filter needed to be created.

Germinated using the paper towel method, then planted ~1/4" from the surface and lightly covered with soil. I chose to wrap with cling wrap to boost the humidity-as i was still having issues controlling it.

Click here for all photos from week 1!​

Week 2 (VEG) (3/26 - 4/1)

She is growing-but slowly, although i don't know it at this time haha. Not much happening here with the exception of getting my grow tent... finally.
Click here for all photos from week 2!​

Week 3 (VEG) (4/2 - 4/8)

Still slowly growing. This week the weather finally started looking like spring/summer and I could definitely tell there was gonna be heat issues in this master closet. No flow, and I switched out the 4" extractor for a 6". This thing is still running 4" ducting, sucking out of tent, through carbon filter-but unfortunately the nearest window is a LONG LONG way away... this was just horrible. Daytime temps during this week were seeing low 80's
Click here for all photos from week 3!​

Week 4 (VEG) (4/9 - 4/15)

Another normal week.
Click here for all photos from week 4!​

Week 5 (VEG) (4/16 - 4/22)

Another normal week.
Click here for all photos from week 5!​

Week 6 (VEG) (4/23 - 4/29)

Coming along nicely. At this point I received a recommendation about LST and FIMing. While looking at the plant i really only saw one thing, at that time,-one fan leaf that could be pulled in a specific direction that would twist the main stem down and out of the way. This opened up a LOT of light to the rest of the plant.

I FIM'ed-or attempted anyway, and appears to have worked. I am curious when this should be done, and how many times could this be done on an autoflower compared to a standard photoperiod plant?

Click here for all photos from week 6!​

Week 7 (VEG) (4/30 - 5/6)

Since the FIM seemed to go as planned I thought the only thing that really could benefit would be evening out the light distribution. I think i actually waited TOO long, now that i've read/asked a bit more, I realized it after she took a really nasty bend when i did more LST. However, she didn't really slow at all-so hopefully it wasn't too stressful on her.

I'm concerned about lighting and flowering-i'm sitting at 24" distance between plant/light and that seems to be the sweet spot-but that doesn't leave any more room for growth... kind of wondering if i overshot the lights, or if this tent just isn't, still, going to work.
Click here for all photos from week 7!​

Week 8 (VEG) (5/7 - 5/13)

Still putting on some height and started flowering-I'm not considering this a flowering week, however, i'll stick with the same nutes this week.

Also, moved the tent to my new office-which has a window ~5' away from the closet the tent is within. This will help out a LOT on temps i think.
Click here for all photos from week 8!​

Week 9 (FLOWER) (5/14 - 5/20) (current week)

This week is exciting-i bought a standing AC unit, piped to my new office window along with the extraction fans ducting. This AC unit has no issues keeping the room at a nice 72 which keeps the tent at ~77-79F. I've decided to place my 6" extraction fan on my light timer, that way it pops on when the heavy lights come on, and stays off until then. My 4", next to the window, is an always on and keeps up with the lights off-hours no problem. My AC unit is left on the COOL setting with a setting of 72 and just keeps the room nice regardless of if the lights/fans/etc. going.

I'm hoping i get some height and buds start to fatten-they look like little popcorn buds (even at the top) right now

5/18/2018 - Going to be keeping an eye on watering today as she is looking a bit yellow on her first node of leaves Also, i'm attempting to see if i can up my c02 a bit by adding a jug with a baking-soda/yeast/sugar/water mixture. I have a couple arduino sensor kits laying around that i'm doing to be fiddling with today to see if i can get some c02 readings and automated environment readings.

5/20/2018 - I was definitely feeling the pressure when i saw the leaves start yellowing Yesterdays watering seemed to be what she needed-it doesn't appear that there was any change-that is GOOD i assume! In a matter of a day it went from a light green to a yellow-so not seeing any extra yellow today was pretty refreshing. I'm going to be a lot more careful now that i have a better understanding of my measurements and what is actually expected. Pics have been updated-tomorrow starts week 10 yay!

Click here for all photos from week 9!​

Thanks, and I hope everyone enjoys reading!
Mike​

 

[jingo]

Welcome to The Forum and congratulations on starting your first grow.

I can see you've already been a victim of mission creep. It seems we start out with the plan of the next thing you know we acquire more and more gear and just when we think we got what we need we get even more. I'm glad you got that ducting worked out that was hilarious drinking it all the way through the house like that. If smell is an issue that single wall for oil duct will eventually get little pin holes through it and then you'll get smell leaking out into your in your house.

I don't think I would fit him and Autoflower more than once. I found that a femme will deliver about a 30% increase in yield over doing nothing. And about a 10% increase in yield over a simple top.

Height is always an issue growing indoors and people learn different training techniques to deal with that. One thing that will help you control your height is where you place your light. You can move your light a little lower and closer to the plant and watch for symptoms of Calcium deficiency or any kind of odd spots appearing on the top leaves and then just raise up a touch from there. What will happen is you'll get a little bit of photo inhibition and the plant will stay shorter and bushier , usually that's something you want to do during the veg period.

Yeah your temp maybe a little bit short, but it's a big improvement over that little smoker.

Anyway if the notifications are working right and you want me back in here you can tag me with the @ in front of my name and I'll get back pretty quick. Otherwise, I'm subscribed and will be checking in every now and then good luck.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

This all looks good you are on the right path. Keep some grafting tape around for those bending accidents. You may need to learn how to super crop if the tent is two short. You did not mention what kind of light (make and model) you have. some LEDs can be used as close as 12 inches? I only have one thing I would change about what you have done so far and that is the pot you are using; there are two things about it that need improvement: Airflow those kind of pots have very little airflow to the roots. Secondly it is tapering toward the bottom restricting root growth; square shoulders are better. The final size of the plant is somewhat dependent on the rootball size. Bigger is better to a point. But hey for a first time you are doing very well and you will be rewarded with some first class smoke.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Ok so I just looked up your genetics (Green House Seeds) White Widow Automatic and it has 9 weeks from seed to harvest but you are still 3 or 4 weeks from being done based on the picture above. Don't be in a hurry it is a new growers most common mistake. Get a jeweler's loupe this is the one I use and gauge the ripeness of your plants by the condition of the bud trichomes color; All glassy clear - not ready, all milky the harvest window is open very spacy, 20% amber best balance of head to body buzz, 50% amber couch lock sleepy weed, over that past harvest time.

 

[AnonymousGrower1]

Is that 600 wall watts or 250 ish real watts?

 

[AnonymousGrower1]

Welcome to the forums![emoji111]

 

[Need4Weed]

Welcome to AFN and congratulations on starting your first autofliwer grow!

 

[morris4019]

Ok so I just looked up your genetics (Green House Seeds) White Widow Automatic and it has 9 weeks from seed to harvest but you are still 3 or 4 weeks from being done based on the picture above. Don't be in a hurry it is a new growers most common mistake. Get a jeweler's loupe this is the one I use and gauge the ripeness of your plants by the condition of the bud trichomes color; All glassy clear - not ready, all milky the harvest window is open very spacy, 20% amber best balance of head to body buzz, 50% amber couch lock sleepy weed, over that past harvest time.

@Mañ'O'Green Ya i had figured i'd still have an additional 2-3 weeks putting me at 11 or 12 weeks from seed to harvest. Light is linked in the original post, a BESTVA 600W which is advertised to compare to 250w HPS at 125w at the wall. I have yet to actually test this to confirm-but i may.

As for the pot-i HATE this pot. I've hated it since my first watering haha. I will not be using this again and currently have not planted another soil grow-i've got a DWC 5 gallon bucket running next to her. I have already purchased 1 gallon fabric pots-but this leads me to another question. For an auto-what size should i go for, pot size? I started, mind you with something completely different in mind-thus the choice of a 1 gallon pot. But this grow tent opens up the possibilities. My DWC i used a 5 gallon bucket because I had seen similar grows-and it is not an auto (actually a found seed) so in my head I have total control of when i flip it. But for the auto's i'm still trying to figure out what size pot I should run with. I have 2 other white widow germinating right now that will need homes in ~a week.

And thanks to all the warm welcomes! I'm trying to gather pics and such for grow logs of my other girls-stay tuned!

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I would not be afraid to run that light as close as 12" no matter what they claim it is 125 watts. I am a hydro grower so as far as pot size lets ask a couple of soil/coco guys @Nosias @RamboGarden @Ripper can you guys respond to that question?

Here is a picture of what you can do with a 5 gallon DWC in a small tent with two lights like the one you have:

 

[morris4019]

that looks mighty fine