Indoor Jack Herer Auto rDWC

[The Iconoclast]

For defoliation make sure you don't leave any stumps, sticks or petioles on the stem. Cut them right back, rot gets in that way fast if anything is left poking out.

I would in fact recommend the opposite. Best to leave a stump which will simply fall off there is not danger of infection from this. I like to use pointy scissors but some people have a specially grown thumbnail for getting in there quickly. I prefer the slower method although if I was growing a half dozen plant I'd be more cavalier.

tl;dr Leave 1/2" of leaf stem still attached to plant, for best results.

 

[jER]

Hmm... Conflicting advice.
I was suprised I was unable to find much info on this, theres lots of discussion on wether or not to defoliate but not much on where to cut. Anyone else want to weigh in? I tried doing it both ways, that way I am guaranteed to fail. Haha. I guess it probably doesn't really matter so much if people are having success both ways, but I am interested in hearing opinions and reasoning on the best way to chop.

 

[RivetGrrl]

I was always taught to prune trees, shrubs flowers etc. by taking off flush, so I've always done it that way. Doesn't mean it's correct, it's just how I do it. I think no matter how you do it, if there are pathogens, bacteria, etc. present they will get into a wound no matter where it is. Clean tools, hands and environment is the best way to keep your plants healthy no matter which method you chose

 

[Exotic Flower]

I'd second cutting flush at the stem.
Otherwise the petiole (leaf stem) will wilt once cut.
That wilting petiole will often get caught inside, if the plant or forming cola is dense.
And that in turn can lead to rot.
Though usually a cut petiole will just fall off in its own good time.

Your space is tight -- hydro DWC does that, haha!
I'd prob strip a lot of leaves on the main stem, and some lower leaves on big secondary branches.
And maybe take off a few lower branches as well, if they're not getting the light.
Esp the very first set of branches, which are often weak.
(Though I had a Jack 47 with very strong first set, maybe it's a Jack thing...)

You're really rockin' this, @jER

Tag me when they're bigger!

 

[jER]

Thanks Maria!
That makes sense, I think I am getting a better feel for it. I've been taking about a half a grocery bag of leaves a day for the past few and you can barely tell the next day. Growing 1-2" vertically a day right now and drinking around 5L.
Day 44 from sprout:

 

[The Iconoclast]

Hmm... Conflicting advice.
I was suprised I was unable to find much info on this, theres lots of discussion on wether or not to defoliate but not much on where to cut. Anyone else want to weigh in? I tried doing it both ways, that way I am guaranteed to fail. Haha. I guess it probably doesn't really matter so much if people are having success both ways, but I am interested in hearing opinions and reasoning on the best way to chop.

Have you gone through these? In situations like this I always believe my eyes. You see cutting the leaves is not 'pruning'. "pruning refers to shaping a bush by cutting stems or branches, here we're talking about a leaf. Which is designed to fall off and indeed does fall off cleanly as it's meant to. In fact it's obvious that it's best to let the leaf stem die and fall off naturally.
https://www.growweedeasy.com/nebulas-flowering-stage-defoliation-tutorial
https://www.growweedeasy.com/marijuana-defoliation-tutorial
https://www.growweedeasy.com/defoliation

I was always taught to prune trees, shrubs flowers etc. by taking off flush, so I've always done it that way.

We're not talking about pruning a shrub, we're talking about taking off a leaf. Entirely different physiology. I mean I just give my reasons, but the reasons that I've seen here rely on treating the leaf stem as if it were a branch.

In the end though this is nowhere near a critical issue it's more of a personal preference, as long as you don't cut so close that you damage any potential bud site, then you're good to go. My own preferred tool is to use a Morton & Swann scalpel with a no. 11 blade when I can be bothered

 

[jER]

Thanks for all the input everyone!

So I was seeing the start of what looks to me like nutrient burn, some of the tips of new growth were starting to yellow, so I started topping up the rez with plain water (ph 5.5) instead of the 1/4 strength nute solution I have been using for top up. I ran with that for a week without it getting any worse and then on sunday when I did my weekly water changeout I mixed the nutrients at 20% less (just the AN M/G/B, i still kept the 1ml/L Cal-Mag I have been using). I noticed last night that since my rez change the symptoms are getting worse, now I am unsure if it is burn or possibly something else. I have noticed a bit of clawing and leave curling down a touch at the ends which I think would indicate over feed, but it doesnt make sense that symptoms are getting worse after decreasing the feed. I really need to get myself a TDS meter.

( Pics taken through a pair of blurple compensating sunglasses, haha)

Any thoughts?
Maybe too much Cal-mag? My water has around 60ppm Ca and 20ppm Mg according to the city water report and I have been adding additional Cal-Mag as it seems to help keep my water stable. I've read that the Ca in hard water is not able to be absorbed by plants very well and can actually decrease the available Ca that can be utilized? The other reason I've been adding it is one of my plants has been iron hungry it's whole life and the Calimagic I use has some chelated iron in it as well which that plant seems to really like.
I gotta get this under control before I have to leave for Texas, luckily the 6 pallets of equipment I shipped to Tx got held up in customs so my trip have been pushed back untill the shipment gets through.

 

[RivetGrrl]

I'm sorry but I think it still could be pH lockout, it's always ideal to make sure your . Nute burn is on all the leaves and more of a burnt tip than the yellow.
Spending money isn't always ideal, but in hydro I'd consider a TDS and EC meter essential kit even if it's an Amazon special for now.

 

[jER]

The Ph has been holding really well at around 5.5 (using drops so +/- 0.5 or so) if anything its on the low side, i'd say maybe 5.3.
The yellowing is only happenning on the newest growth on a couple branches on two of the 4 plants. Origionally it was just the very tip, but now it is spreading down to the tips of the serations of the leaves.

I will get a meter asap, I wanted to get something I could tie into a PLC in the future but maybe I will just get a cheap pen until I can afford to get something better.

 

[jER]

I went out at lunch and picked up a bluelab tds meter. I have been reading and searching and I am now leaning towards it being a deficiency not burn. Probably P and K. The nute schedule I have been using keeps a consistant 1:1:1 ratio of micro:grow:bloom which is consistant with the AN calculator other than the AN includes some additives like big bud that I assume are P/K boosters to compansate for the additional needs in flower. I am going to shift the ratio of grow and bloom to use more bloom.