Grow First Grow

[sballo]

This is my improvisation
just two Ikea chairs on which I fixed a rod with some wire and I fixed on it the lamp.
Then I used some reflecting film for plants :

Amazon product ASIN B07CXSQD5M
(which is transparent, strangely. In fact, I could even take a photo from the outside of the improvised tend)

and a windshield sunshade.

by the way, would you recommend other reflecting materials?

This is the first time I have bough a "good"lamp (Of course there are better lamps) and it appears to me very bright. Good feeling!

A good thing is that you can remove the driver. In fact not only would the lamp be heavier with it on it but it gets quite hot and it is surely not good for the lamp (better ventilation?)

Anyway, I am now wondering about the following:

1. why did the cheap lamp that I bought previously had a mode switch with which you could change the color spectrum

• blue (veg mode​
• red (bloom mode)​
• all in one mode​

but this lamp doesn't. I thought that this is an essential function that all lamps have

besides, the cheap lamp had a timer setting. But this lamp doesn't have it either.

There is a Dimmer with two RJ11 Ports where you can connect other lamps but I do not even need it.

Speaking of the Dimmer, I ask myself what is the advantage of a dimmer and why should one set it say to 25 %, 50% or 75%? Isn't it that everyone would set it always at 100%?

 

[LesPlenty]

by the way, would you recommend other reflecting materials?

https://www.amazon.com.au/VIVOSUN-Black-White-Panda-Film/dp/B018VI72S0?th=1

A full spectrum light (like the CMH I recommended) covers fruit and veg...no switch over needed, your Mars is probably the same.
Plants need less light when young so dimming can save power or just have the light higher above early on but seeing how LED lights penetrate about as well as John Wayne Bobbitt it will not matter too much...

 

[sballo]

https://www.amazon.com.au/VIVOSUN-Black-White-Panda-Film/dp/B018VI72S0?th=1

A full spectrum light (like the CMH I recommended) covers fruit and veg...no switch over needed, your Mars is probably the same.
Plants need less light when young so dimming can save power or just have the light higher above early on but seeing how LED lights penetrate about as well as John Wayne Bobbitt it will not matter too much...

Thank you for your answer/opinion


Does it mean that only cheap lamps like the previous that I bought have a mode color spectrum function (blue, red, all in one) and that better lamps do not have this function?
I personally find it weird especially if we consider that with the third mode "all in one" of the cheap lamp is actually meant full spectrum. That would mean that the cheaper lamp is more versatile for you can switch between the modes. Good LED lamps really don't have/need this function?

this one for example seems to have this feature...it must be someone beneficial :



Besides, is it normal that my lamp is not provided with a timer?

 

[LesPlenty]

Good LED lamps really don't have/need this function?

It really depends on what you want to use them for, no use having red spectrum lights on a mother plant as that is just wasted power as you never flower out a mumma plant (well I don't), and some growers just like playing god with the colour spectrum to get better...whatever the marketing says.
Not many lights come with timers built-in.

 

[sballo]

How far should be the light source from the plants?
My plants looks a bit skinny.. I am afraid that the stem could break
I take it that it is still too early for LST
I am a beginner

 

[sballo]

Is it actually advisable to remove the cotyledons or is it better to leave them until they got yellow and fall off on their own?

 

[LesPlenty]

better to leave them

Leave them, most problems new growers face is overdoing it like a helicopter mom...get the basics right and check them half as often as you want to.
As far as light distance follow the video you linked (I assume it details this)

 

[sballo]

As I said, my "tent" is the result of an improvisation (see above).

I would like to ask you for your opinion on the following three question:

1. the film I am using as a reflecting material is transparent, meaning that you can see the plants and the light from outside. Does it mean that the light escapes? Actually are such film is designed for Greenhouse cultivation (Amazon product ASIN B07CXSQD5M)
2. Besides, this improvised tend is surely not as tight as a growtent. Do I need to put a fan inside nevertheless? Be it mentioned that I alternate my balcony with the "tent"
3. What is the ideal humidity level?

 

[LesPlenty]

As I said, my "tent" is the result of an improvisation (see above).

I would like to ask you for your opinion on the following three question:

1. the film I am using as a reflecting material is transparent, meaning that you can see the plants and the light from outside. Does it mean that the light escapes? Actually are such film is designed for Greenhouse cultivation (Amazon product ASIN B07CXSQD5M)
2. Besides, this improvised tend is surely not as tight as a growtent. Do I need to put a fan inside nevertheless? Be it mentioned that I alternate my balcony with the "tent"
3. What is the ideal humidity level?

1. Panda film comes in different quality, the more expensive is thicker and traps all the light in the grow are, this is made for indoor growers.
2. Ventilation/air movement is more important the higher the humidity goes and having the plants sway in the wind will make the branches nice and strong so they can support the weight of the buds).
3. For normal growth (not seedlings/clones) I like 50% if possible to control (40 to 60 is OK)

 

[sballo]

1. Panda film comes in different quality, the more expensive is thicker and traps all the light in the grow are, this is made for indoor growers.
2. Ventilation/air movement is more important the higher the humidity goes and having the plants sway in the wind will make the branches nice and strong so they can support the weight of the buds).
3. For normal growth (not seedlings/clones) I like 50% if possible to control (40 to 60 is OK)

Your contributions are always so helpful.
Please allow me to respond to your answers.

1. Being the film that I bought transparent from the outside, means that it doesn't properly trap the light? If so, then even a windshield sunshade - that can be bought at a local store for little money- would be better?

2. Your explanation of having the plants sway in the wind will make the branches nice and strong makes sense to me. (Half of the time the plants are on the balcony)

3. Being in Japan, the level of humidity is quite high but not at the moment. (In summer it is almost very humid)
Does it mean that not only a humidity lever higher than 60 but also lower than 40 wouldn't be ok, right? If so, I'd better buy a humidifier to be sure.

 

[LesPlenty]

40 to 60 is the 'ideal' zone for plants but I have had my plants in 80+% humidity with no real problems as long as there is sufficient air movement to keep mold away.
If you have under 40% just make sure to mist the plants with room temp water before the lights come on each day. I also leave bowls of water around my clones when first transplanted from their humidity cloning kit to help keep the RH up a little.

1. Being the film that I bought transparent from the outside, means that it doesn't properly trap the light?

You will not lose much, the light bleeding is more of a privacy issue if you do not want people to know what you are up to.

 

[sballo]

As for the nutrients. I bought the flora grow series (micro, grow & bloom) plus the Calimagic.
You all surely know these products.I reckon that there are many other brands on the market apart from Flora grow, of course. (it is surely also a good business selling nutrients )

There are plenty of information on the internet about the way to feed your autoflowers ladies. If I am not mistaken, the autoflowers need less amount of nutrients than what photoperiod plants would need. [Am I right?]
As for the watering schedule, everyone speaks about week 1, 2 etc. but I still haven't properly understood what is meant by all those schedules.
Let's take this schedule as an example:




When saying that in week X we need an Y amount of nutrients, what do we actually mean?
Does the schedule mean that we add that specific amount of nutrients to the water every time that we water the plants or do we use nutrients only once in a week?

My question might be a bit silly but I am really confused

 

[sballo]

I started with the LSTago with two of the three ladies two days
I have just noticed that one of the three plants (see the second pic) has a kind of purple coloration on the lower side of the leaves. Is it a sign of a problem or it could just be genetically conditioned?
By the way, this plant had no LST, therefore it is not to be related to it. I have just stressed it because it is still smaller than the other two.

 

[sballo]

a pity though that nobody here in this forum seem to know the answer to my question. I take it as a "don't worry...it is just normal".

I was wondering if I started my LST in the right way.
There are people who maintain that one shouldn't adopt the topping technique when it comes to autoflowers.
But this guy here recommend topping before LST
What do you think?

 

[LesPlenty]

I believe you are stressing the above plants and that is why they look about as healthy as the weeds in the video
Aren't Auto flower for fast results (I don't know much about them) so why waste time training?
I found my sweet spot is more plants to fill the area rather than stressing and training (that chore is for my mumma plant)...plus you get proper crownie colas from each plant instead of secondary buds just grown longer.
Edit, @sballo, your plants look a lot better than that video...just let them grow!

 

[Hippie]

They're showing signs of a deficiency, sorry I can't tell you what or why.
Too much, too little, too wet, too dry ... It's hard to say
This guide to deficiencies is quite good

A visual guide to cannabis deficiencies

Worried about your plant health? See a cannabis deficiency that you cannot identify? Our guide to cannabis deficiencies may help you solve your problems

dutch-passion.com

I'm not experienced with the autos (or compost or LEDs) either and thought you just let them grow as much as possible for the 1st month and only bend them to your will, if you need to, going into flower.

 

[sballo]

Do you actually use a moisture meter? Could it be that along with the advantages of checking the moisture of the soil, the stems of the meter could harm the root of the plants?

 

[Hippie]

No - You can get a feel for the moisture content in the pots by lifting each pot and feeling the weight change, and tapping the sides and hearing the sound change

I meant to say before the most common mistake is to give them too much feed at this point.
If that's compost, I doubt you need to add any feed for a week or 2

 

[sballo]

No - You can get a feel for the moisture content in the pots by lifting each pot and feeling the weight change, and tapping the sides and hearing the sound change

I meant to say before the most common mistake is to give them too much feed at this point.
If that's compost, I doubt you need to add any feed for a week or 2

Thank you but as for the moisture meter? I bought one . It was not expensive. Do you think I can use it without risking to damage the roots? Noneo of you uses a moisture meter?

 

[LesPlenty]

Do you actually use a moisture meter?

Do you think I can use it without risking to damage the roots?

I got a Xiaomi Flower Care meter mainly to measure light output but it also has moisture, fert level etc,

Xiaomi Bluetooth Flora Monitor Digital Flower Care Monitor Plant Tester Sensor A | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Xiaomi Bluetooth Flora Monitor Digital Flower Care Monitor Plant Tester Sensor A at the best online prices at eBay!

www.ebay.com.au

Shop around for a better price, this was just an Aussie seller
I push it into one pot at the sart of it growing and it stays in the medium until I harvest (no root damage), it sends the info to an app...mine has graphs for over 1000 days on it so it seems reliable but does gobble batteries.