New Grower I probably should have waited until fall...

[Iriee Vibez]

I will give this a go to help on the lst. To try and make this simple, each place there is growth off of a stem there are going to eventually be two shoots. The upper shot and the lower. The lower grows first and then the upper next. The lower eventually becomes the fan leaf or feed leaf for that particular site and these can be removed within reason at certain times during a plants growth. For now, you just need to get some of these sites weeded out so to speak of the lower fan leaf sites. Does that help?

Get 'er done then bro!

That is very helpful, MedC. I always thought when folks mentioned the lower fan leaves, they were referring to the bottom of the plant. Now, I see it means the lower of the two leaves. I am changing the reservoir today, and will defoliate tomorrow. So, the lower leaves are never budsites?

 

[MedCzech]

Yes, but just to be sure, that is why you wait until the second site appears before you defoliate. I usually wait at least two or three nodes of growth above that level before I defoliate.

 

[MedCzech]

That is very helpful, MedC. I always thought when folks mentioned the lower fan leaves, they were referring to the bottom of the plant. Now, I see it means the lower of the two leaves. I am changing the reservoir today, and will defoliate tomorrow. So, the lower leaves are never budsites?

Also, just to be clear,...that means the upper shoot that comes out is your budsite. Off the stem where ever you have a fan leaf growing there will always come a budsite on top of that. It's basic yes, but for a beginner, these basic understandings of the plants structure are key in the grow and for your own knowledge to know what can go and what can not. Never stop learning, I sure don't.

 

[Iriee Vibez]

Also, just to be clear,...that means the upper shoot that comes out is your budsite. Off the stem where ever you have a fan leaf growing there will always come a budsite on top of that. It's basic yes, but for a beginner, these basic understandings of the plants structure are key in the grow and for your own knowledge to know what can go and what can not. Never stop learning, I sure don't.

Thanks for clarifying. So, in your view, if that lower fan leave is covering another budsites below, remove it? And then try to gently pull he stems from the center with LST.

 

[Iriee Vibez]

I felt empowered by your recommendations, instructions, and encouragement. I decided to defoliate today and then change the reservoir later tonight or tomorrow, depending in how the plants react. Once I understood the concept of taking off the lower leaves that were blocking the underneath growth from the light, I went to town! I think I clipped more than I was intending to, but the lower budsites should be a lot happier. Here are they after the haircuts.

 

[Iriee Vibez]

 

[MedCzech]

Much better! Good job man. That will open her up. Let her recover now for at least 3 or 4 days before doing it again. Looks good now. You will see!

 

[Iriee Vibez]

Thanks MedC. No chance of me touching them for a week, as I am going away. I am a bit worried, as I have had a routine of changing ice packs and refilling the humidifier twice per day. I doubt my wife will be that diligent. I will be happy if she does both once a day. She can also top off the reservoir if it gets low. Temps will be in the nineties, but no worse than they have been this past week. Trying to change the reservoir early this weekend, so I can monitor for at least the better part of the day. She won't be doing anything like checking the ph and ppm, so I have some risk there. Keeping my fingers crossed!

They should be totally different plants when I return. Let's hope I am pleasantly surprised.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I have some soft ties that I hope I can attach just a strategic few, so I can easily dislodge to lift the net pot from the cover if need be. I willl give it a go this weekend.

You really do not need to worry about lifting out a plant because the roots of the two plants in the same reservoir will be so intertwined as to lock them both in place; unless you take a long knife and slice them apart. Been there and done that .

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Thanks MedC. No chance of me touching them for a week, as I am going away. I am a bit worried, as I have had a routine of changing ice packs and refilling the humidifier twice per day. I doubt my wife will be that diligent. I will be happy if she does both once a day. She can also top off the reservoir if it gets low. Temps will be in the nineties, but no worse than they have been this past week. Trying to change the reservoir early this weekend, so I can monitor for at least the better part of the day. She won't be doing anything like checking the ph and ppm, so I have some risk there. Keeping my fingers crossed!

They should be totally different plants when I return. Let's hope I am pleasantly surprised.

You should have an aerated top off tank on a float valve in your reservoir. It is important to keep the water level in the res consistent. You can also make-up the top off tank about 1/4 strength of the nutes you are using and the res will remain constant until the weekly change.