New Grower First Grow - White Dwarf Autofem - Indoors

[bgrt]

Thank you for the advice, bgrt - really appreciate it. I'm not familiar with what "alternating nodes" are - but, yeah, the runt looks pretty odd compared to the other two. Will definitely be interesting to see how she develops in the weeks to come.

no worries, basically in photos(maybe autos too) when a plant is mature and ready to flower instead of growing leafs 2 per node they alternate so one side would have a leaf then the other side,

ive never seen it from the start of growth though im new enough myself, maybe it happens. well obviously it does, right there. could turn out to be a strange one.

i agree on the bloom nutes unless its a 2/3 part nute where you have to mix both in different amounts in different stages. im using GH nutes and i have to use grow bloom and micro in different ratios all the way through.
not sure what yours is like.

 

[FooManBlue]

Thanks for the explanation, bgrt, and posting those images. Looked at those, and then immediately checked out the "runt" closely. She definitely has alternating nodes - quite the opposite from the other two plants, which have completely symmetrical nodes. She already is a strange one, lol.

As for the nutes, i'm using the Fox Farm trio, and following (mostly) the feeding plan set forth by Full Duplex in his epic thread: (see post #5 in this thread) https://www.autoflower.org/f44/fds-guide-hefty-autos-2884.html

 

[The Squid]

Thanks for the explanation, bgrt, and posting those images. Looked at those, and then immediately checked out the "runt" closely. She definitely has alternating nodes - quite the opposite from the other two plants, which have completely symmetrical nodes. She already is a strange one, lol.

As for the nutes, i'm using the Fox Farm trio, and following (mostly) the feeding plan set forth by Full Duplex in his epic thread: (see post #5 in this thread) https://www.autoflower.org/f44/fds-guide-hefty-autos-2884.html

Gotcha. I love his guide, but always thought the feeding schedule was a little weird. I am not one to question the big guys, but that is the only guide I have seen using bloom nuts that early on. But I do not have experience with those nutrients and I'm sure FD knows what's up. His guide only goes 8 weeks though when most Autos and can go 10-12 weeks. I like Muddy's guide much more, just IMO.

https://www.autoflower.org/f44/life-cycle-auto-flowering-cannabis-5113.html

 

[FooManBlue]

A friend recommended the nutes, so i'm using FD's schedule as a guide for my first few grows because he used the same nutes. I plan on making some adjustments to what FD laid out, though. I started feeding later than FD did, and I won't feed them flowering nutes as early as he did. I definitely would like to go 10-12 weeks. Thanks for pointing me to Muddy's guide - I made note of his recommendation to not feed with flowering nutes until after vertical growth stops.

 

[FooManBlue]

Have a few questions about raising soil ph. Just fed my three seedlings for the 2nd time since transplanting into 3 gallon pots (tier-method). Didn't generate runoff the first time, but this time I did. Both these last two feedings the ph was in the 6.35 to 6.45 range, but the runoff I just measured came back ph=5.36 from one pot and ph=5.18 from the other. Yikes! I plan on picking up some powdered dolomite lime tomorrow. and have a few questions about how to apply it.

1. How much dolomite lime should I apply to each 3-gallon pot?
2. How should I apply it? Mix with water or mix dry into soil?
3. Since I just fed these plants an hour ago, should I wait until my next watering (in 4-5 more days) to apply the lime?

Other than the alarming soil ph, all three seedlings are doing fine. No discoloration/yellowing on any leaves. They are almost 19 days old (above soil) and have been growing very well. Vertical growth has been 1" each day for the last few days. The 4th set of true leaves are popping out from the top, and new growth appears where every fan leaf stem connects to the main stem. Will try to get some natural light photos up this weekend.

 

[FooManBlue]

Sex revealed on day 19 (above soil). All three are females! Sorry for the lack of pics - will have some up in a couple of days.

Picked up a bag of powdered dolomite lime and applied to soil. I removed about 11/2" of moist (just fed them last night) soil from the top of each pot, one pot at a time, and mixed that soil with 6 tablespoons of dolomite lime (per pot), and then spread that around top of pot, patted it down gently, and fed 1/2 cup (each pot) with non-ph'd (about 7.25) bottled spring water. Hope that meets the objective - I understand it will need time to produce any measurable effect.

All three ladies looking very healthy. Currently in the four-hour "lights out" period. I swear, when I measure them in a few hours, they'll have grown another 1" vertically today - that's like 4 days in a row. Had to lower the light to 14" above plants last night because the node spacing was getting too long. Cheers!

 

[FooManBlue]

Day 21 Update with pics

All three ladies doing well, despite the soil ph issue. They are long and leggy, not at all bushy - which is consistent with what little bit i've been able to learn about this strain. Tallest one is almost 10" tall. The two tallest have grown at least an inch vertically each of the last five days.

Have only fed them light doses of vegetative nutes twice. Not sure if I will give them nutes in the next feeding (at the earliest, tomorrow night), but I picked up some calmag today, and will definitely include that in the next feeding or two.

They've had a sweet stinky smell the last four days, which has gotten a little stronger each day. May not install the phresh filter, fans, and tent exhaust until next weekend, though, when they're four weeks old. I may set ballast to 400w at that time, as well. Have been doing fine so far at 250w. Still using MH 6.4k bulb.

 

[bgrt]

theyre looking good :thumbs:
bit stretchy maybe but genetics or not if youre switching to 400 soon enough that should tell you.

 

[FooManBlue]

theyre looking good :thumbs:
bit stretchy maybe but genetics or not if youre switching to 400 soon enough that should tell you.

Thanks, bgrt. I've got the lights 11" from the top of the tallest plant right now, but the main stem on all three are fat and swollen - looking primed to continue getting taller.

Think I should bump up the ballast to 400w? I've really enjoyed the simplicity of using just passive air to this point. I'll have to hook up filter, fans, etc. by next weekend, anyway (to deal with the skunky smell), so i'm thinking of setting ballast to 400w at that time. Will stick with the MH, regardless of ballast setting, until start of flower (when I start using HPS).

 

[bgrt]

im not sure about bumping it up but i probably would when youre setting things up. ive had mine under a 400watt MH since they were about 5 inches tall(though they were very tightly spaced node every half inch or so) and theyre all doing well and theyre into flower now. might switch to a 600hps soon myself to finish them.