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-Feed
-Fungicide
-Rearrange MH veg
VEG
300ml base
~15gal, little runoff
Top branches on HPS Veg are showing healthy growth, but lower branches don't seem to be going anywhere. I won't trim them for now because they could benefit me when they're put into the Master. Not much vertical growth except on the trees that weren't trimmed, although it's starting to pick up a little more. Recovery time seems to be average (about a week) from trimming.
MH Veg had to be rearranged. I'm down to 14 trees, which should be still be enough even without plants from T5 to compensate for the shortage. I believe there's enough foliage to cover an entire 4-light canopy, but this largely depends on their development over the next four weeks.
The Bubba clone tray, with the exception of maybe one or two clones, seems to be a lost cause due to mildew. Interestingly, The clones from last week are looking healthier than most of the others. I suspect that the use of plugs over cubes, generous use of Clonex, and more developed cuttings all played a factor, although it's too soon to say if they'll make it. They should be rooted later this week or early next week.
MASTER
300ml base
150ml Terpinator
150ml Overdrive
~15 gal, moderate runoff
Aggressive fungicide with focus on Bubba
Yield doesn't seem to be as hopeless as I previously thought, but it's still relatively low. Some of the colas from the middle of the canopy are looking the way they were intended, with natural calyxes and a cone shape. The production in the Master will still depend on the Bubba, but at least other strains aren't as hopeless.
MIDDLE
300ml base
150ml Terpinator
2 tbsp (6 tsp) Big Bud
~20 gal, moderate to heavy runoff
Soil was drier than usual with little condensation from AC, and without continuous operation of dehumidifier. Vertical growth is still slowing down but hasn't stopped completely, with more colas breaching the second level trellis. Other prominent colas are growing too close to the light, and I'm considering bending these branches down. Top colas have started to increase in size in the trees that have stopped vertical growth altogether, despite heavy foliage and slight obstruction from the light.
I procured a decent amount of Big Bud powder and introduced it for the first time here. I took a calculated risk, considering the powder had been slightly exposed to summer heat and winter moisture over the last year and a half. I mixed it according to instructions on the label, which recommended 1.5 tsp per 5 gallons. At 20 gallons this would equate to 6 tsp, or 2 tbsp, although I measured slightly less-than-level tablespoons. in addition to breaking up any clumps in the bag, in case the powder has indeed become toxic.
Powdery mildew for the most part hasn't returned in most of the trees except for the Bubba in the back of the room. It would seem that the lower humidity has kept the spread at bay as expected. I will have to continue applying fungicide for preventative purposes, but less aggressively.
Watering Intervals
Rule of thumb dictates that the soil should only be watered after the soil becomes relatively dry, but there are conflicting opinions about what "relatively dry" means. Many say that a soil medium needs to be dry up to one inch from the surface of the top layer of dirt, meaning that I would have to poke each individual pot of dirt to measure moisture.
With regards to coco coir, many say that it should be watered every two days and treated as a hydroponic medium, as coco doesn't break down in the same manner that other soil mediums do. It also has good aeration, especially when perlite is included in the mixture. In my experience with coco and Promix, plants need to be watered every two days, with the exception of newly-transplanted trees that may allow 3-day intervals.
Keeping Consistent Plant Sizes Pre-Bloom
The primary goal in Veg is to keep all the trees level in height, which can be difficult when it comes to strains that have a tendency to grow tall. This is especially true with Indica strains like Abusive, GG, and Sour. Several variables should be considered when dealing with height:
-Proximity of each individual plant to light source
-Growth rates of specific strains
-Pot size
-Foliage density
-Interval between trimming/cloning and transplant
This is given all other variables of the setup stay constant, including pot-to-light distance, grow space, feeding schedule, and plant size. (Between 4-5 feet at Day One in flower)
Rotating the plants around is an absolute must in Veg. Plants that are closer to the light tend to grow out of control, and even the bigger trees placed on the edges will tend to obstruct the light from adjacent trees. Similar strains should be grown together and trimmed accordingly to focus growth on the top third of the plant. Topping has to be timed precisely to allow adequate lateral growth, and should take place at least one week after cloning, and two weeks before flowering. Ideally, there will be a "menorah" branch formation prior to bloom.
Trimming
Trimming should also be limited to veg only, where growth can be easily manipulated. Avoid leafing and pruning in flower at all costs. It is more beneficial for the plant to absorb as much chlorophyll as it can in bloom through the existing leaves rather than produce new chlorophyll in new leaves. Leafing also disrupts the metabolic balance in the plant, which can induce premature maturation and under consumption of supplemental nutrients. This will result in undersized colas and can even lead to changes in sex. Despite bottom leaves turning yellow, there is a higher advantage in allowing the plant to flower without having to refocus its energy towards healing itself.
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