Start to finish faster?

[Organic_Auto_Canuck (OAC)]

Hi folks,

I noticed some ppl seem to get there crops finish faster than me when im growing the same strain. I know there are ripening variations. What are some common things to help this outcome? Assume indoor auto grow. mars tsl 2000, typical enviro checks. Could watering once a day be the cause? Usually run my autos in 2-3 ,gallon pots coco and castings. Ph 5.8 to 6.5. Using tnb naturals during flower. 1 a week molasses and ph water. Gaia green 444 and or bloom once a month. Carbon filter scrubbing in tent, selective defoliation and lst during veg. Grateful for thoughts

 

[MIAutomatic]

One light?
How large of a space?
CO2?
Light height from canopy?
What type of water?
What is the PPM of your feeding solution and also runoff?

If I understand correctly you are not using a nutrient that is mixed for coco? This is not inherently a problem if proper steps are taken, but you also didn’t mention any calmag. If your water is hard enough, you might be getting away with not adding calmag. It’s also possible you are running with a slight calmag deficiency, which at non critical levels is hard to diagnose because all it usually does is slow down growth. Coco needs a lot more calmag than soil or other hydroponic systems, and brands like Floramax and Canna make their coco nutrients in an A/B solution that contains extra calmag to account for the higher demands of a coco grow.

 

[Organic_Auto_Canuck (OAC)]

One light?
How large of a space?
CO2?
Light height from canopy?
What type of water?
What is the PPM of your feeding solution and also runoff?

If I understand correctly you are not using a nutrient that is mixed for coco? This is not inherently a problem if proper steps are taken, but you also didn’t mention any calmag. If your water is hard enough, you might be getting away with not adding calmag. It’s also possible you are running with a slight calmag deficiency, which at non critical levels is hard to diagnose because all it usually does is slow down growth. Coco needs a lot more calmag than soil or other hydroponic systems, and brands like Floramax and Canna make their coco nutrients in an A/B solution that contains extra calmag to account for the higher demands of a coco grow.

Thanks for the reply and amazing questions / explanations. I dont measure ppm. Perhaps I found the problem! Water is tap dechlorinated overnight ph 5.8-6.5. Last grow i used a kingsled light only about 180 w from wall on 2 cream mandarine. and an aponuo on another but I know that light is mainly for veg so I get that. 12 in distance from canopy in flower. 18-24 in veg. 36 seedling stage. 2x4x5 with 2 -3 )other plants usually. Tnb naturals can. Not measuring co2 levels. Likely another issue. Can these 2 issues I have be what's delaying things? If so, what are the ideal standards for ppm. Also, I need to investigate organic cal mag more.

 

[Suki]

Thanks for the reply and amazing questions / explanations. I dont measure ppm. Perhaps I found the problem! Water is tap dechlorinated overnight ph 5.8-6.5. Last grow i used a kingsled light only about 180 w from wall on 2 cream mandarine. and an aponuo on another but I know that light is mainly for veg so I get that. 12 in distance from canopy in flower. 18-24 in veg. 36 seedling stage. 2x4x5 with 2 -3 )other plants usually. Tnb naturals can. Not measuring co2 levels. Likely another issue. Can these 2 issues I have be what's delaying things? If so, what are the ideal standards for ppm. Also, I need to investigate organic cal mag more.

There's so many variables that are different from one grower to another, or even from one grow to the next. Even just the genetics of each bean will play a part. I have yet to run more than one of any strain, but I know @KDawg has multiple going of the same strain and all of them are different. There absolutely could be something you're doing (or not doing) that's causing them to grow slower, but even if you did everything identical to someone else and you were both running the same strain from the same breeder, there would still be differences between the plants. Everything and everyone grows and develops at different paces. Heck, if you want to see a good illustration of that, check out any of the grow and shows where people are all running the same strain! Plants are kinda like kids, you really can't compare them to anyone else, just do your best to help them reach their individual potential.

 

[Suki]

If you're using a veg light in flower that could definitely be causing them to slow down, since the plant needs the differing wavelengths in order to complete different functions.

 

[MIAutomatic]

It sounds like you have your light in about the right sized space, but those are not that powerful, probably only equal to about a 400watt HID, but for that space it should be adequate.

I forgot in my original lineup of questions, what light cycle are you using? 18/6 will grow a little slower than a cycle with more light. I never use more than 4 hours of darkness, and run my lights 24 for most of the cycle.

Watering 2-3 times a day could help but I think getting a EC/PPM meter to help you understand your imputs better. It’s easier to talk in EC than PPM. Standard tap water is usually between .3-.6 EC, an EC of .4 is pretty standard. Since the EC of tap water is mostly calmag and other minerals that takes care of a lot of what coco needs, but since coco uses so much calmag nutrients intended for coco contain extra calmag to help balance the nutrient solution. They are sold in an A/B format because all of the necessary components cannot stay suspended in a single solution, the calmag will separate and turn into a sludge if you mix them. This can be offset in other ways, but if you really want to grow coco it’s probably easier to switch to a two part nutrient than adjusting or adding to your current inputs. And if growing organic is more important that you should switch from coco to soil or some other blended medium like Promix or Biobizz.

I don’t think you need to worry about your CO2 levels, but it is a factor in faster plant growth.

happy growing!

 

[Suki]

It sounds like you have your light in about the right sized space, but those are not that powerful, probably only equal to about a 400watt HID, but for that space it should be adequate.

I forgot in my original lineup of questions, what light cycle are you using? 18/6 will grow a little slower than a cycle with more light. I never use more than 4 hours of darkness, and run my lights 24 for most of the cycle.

Watering 2-3 times a day could help but I think getting a EC/PPM meter to help you understand your imputs better. It’s easier to talk in EC than PPM. Standard tap water is usually between .3-.6 EC, an EC of .4 is pretty standard. Since the EC of tap water is mostly calmag and other minerals that takes care of a lot of what coco needs, but since coco uses so much calmag nutrients intended for coco contain extra calmag to help balance the nutrient solution. They are sold in an A/B format because all of the necessary components cannot stay suspended in a single solution, the calmag will separate and turn into a sludge if you mix them. This can be offset in other ways, but if you really want to grow coco it’s probably easier to switch to a two part nutrient than adjusting or adding to your current inputs. And if growing organic is more important that you should switch from coco to soil or some other blended medium like Promix or Biobizz.

I don’t think you need to worry about your CO2 levels, but it is a factor in faster plant growth.

happy growing!

Pulling your water report that your city/county/whatever publishes yearly can be helpful too, as everyone's water is different. I've only just started treating my water with absorbic acid since I did and found out that my water is treated with both chloramine and chlorine. Chlorine evaporates off, chloramine has to be neutralized. A reliable, accurate, easy to use PH/EC meter is super helpful, Blue Labs has their combo meter on sale for like $130 on Amazon currently. I just got mine and I absolutely love it, worth every penny. I had a cheap PH meter and I couldn't even get the damn thing to work from the start so I said screw it and didn't bother through my entire first grow. Come to find out, I was feeding *way* too high, and my ph was *completely* out of whack. My bloom nutes came out to a ph of 3.1 when I mixed them up the night my meter came and checked the ph. My ph at the tap is 7.8, which is +1.2ish over what the cheap meter said when I tried it initially.

 

[Suki]

CO2 really isn't going to make any real difference unless you're in a very well sealed room, according to what I've read.

 

[nizmoKush]

My plants usually finish around 60ish days and 70ish days, all organic top dressed and water with water from a watermill and rain water i gather when It rains. I don't ph or add anything else . My light cycle is 18/6 all the time and light is a @Marshydro FC3000 (never used it above 80%)
Check my signature for some of my current grows and past.. having a greenthumb naturally helps alot I believe. Good luck

 

[Modernviking]

I would stress about time too much. just let them do their thing and finish strong.