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First Time Grow/Grower

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Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by SisterMaryElephant » Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:36 pm

Trainwreck while popular for a while back in the day and it was used to breed other strains; we found out that trainwreck genetics were more prone to hermaphroditism (maybe that's been bred out since, I don't know) but it typically gets pretty tall.

Perhaps growth was stunted for some other reason? If you can reproduce that non-stretching phenotype and keep it, I would. Assuming it's of the quality expected from trainwreck of course. I'd also suggest being extra careful about limiting stress due to it's genetic makeup.

Vertical growth has likely slowed or nearly stopped but as long as it's alive it will still grow a little. The last 2-4 weeks is when they pack on the flower weight.

Disclaimer:
I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.

: SisterMaryElephant; Posts: 2633; Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:05 pm

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by ColoradoLED » Tue Jun 10, 2014 2:12 pm

SisterMaryElephant wrote:Trainwreck while popular for a while back in the day and it was used to breed other strains; we found out that trainwreck genetics were more prone to hermaphroditism (maybe that's been bred out since, I don't know) but it typically gets pretty tall.

Perhaps growth was stunted for some other reason? If you can reproduce that non-stretching phenotype and keep it, I would. Assuming it's of the quality expected from trainwreck of course. I'd also suggest being extra careful about limiting stress due to it's genetic makeup.

Vertical growth has likely slowed or nearly stopped but as long as it's alive it will still grow a little. The last 2-4 weeks is when they pack on the flower weight.

SME,

Thanks for the info. I was second guessing myself but have just confirmed with the grower from whom I got these that it is certainly Train wreck.

It is very odd that the plant did not stretch out more. I got a couple of shetland pony cannabis plants growing out here.

We flipped to flower at about 18" figuring it would double and 36" to 48" is about max for the tent. I am not sure what I would have done to stunt it but being a newbie, I am sure that there were many things.

That being said, the plants are still doing well and continue to thrive as little bushes. I have probably 10-12 larger buds forming on each canopy and about twice that many small bud locations throughout the rest of the body of the plant. They are green and lush and keep getting more and more stinky. So I think that I am doing alright for now.

I regards to recreating the non-stretching phenotype, is it possible (and wise) to take a clone at this point of growth in the plant?

Also, you recommended that I be "careful to limit stress". Can yo explain a little more to me? Do you refer to the basics of no light leakage during dark, controlled heat, nutrient overload and these types of stresses or are there some other issues I should be watching?

Here is what the little ladies look like now.

: Comp 6-09.jpg (433.42 KiB) Viewed 3538 times

: ColoradoLED; Posts: 16; Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 10:16 pm; Location: Denver, Colorado

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by SisterMaryElephant » Tue Jun 10, 2014 2:39 pm

I don't know why it didn't stretch either but keep clones of what you have to see if you can duplicate the result.

It may be a blessing in disguise too; weaker 1w and 3w diodes wouldn't have been able to penetrate plants that tall. I'm not even sure I'd go 18" before flip with 5w diodes but I'd also count on more stretch too. Finishing under 30" is going to help with LED.

If cloning is the only way to preserve the genetics I'd certainly try. If you friend still has the same mother plant maybe you don't have to.

Yes, the basics. Environmental/light stresses are the most common and reducing them might help keep the females all female.

: SisterMaryElephant; Posts: 2633; Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:05 pm

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by ColoradoLED » Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:57 am

My Shetland pony Trainwreck plants continue to plug along but they are definitely not getting any taller. I am not that upset since they are healthy and producing nice buds. I am sure that i will miss a little bit of the yield since they barely broke the 20" height mark. However, they stink and look good.

I recently pulled in some more opinions form some local friends and friends of friends. The leading theory on the stunted growth is that I root locked them but even this is disputed by some. I am using about a #3 pot. It is not a true planter's pot so it might be a little different in size but pretty darn close.

How big of a pot should a 3' tall, indoor plant need to comfortably build a solid root base?

-ColoradoLED

: ColoradoLED; Posts: 16; Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 10:16 pm; Location: Denver, Colorado

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by rkymtnman » Fri Jun 20, 2014 12:24 pm

Hey CO LED,

I'm getting ready to build a drain to waste setup in coco and from what I've read (and what I'll be doing) is using 2 gallon smart pots (ecopots, fabric pots). They supposedly will easily support a 3 to 4 footer and the smaller pot size will allow me to water more frequently giving fresher nutes and more oxygen to the roots.

I'm not sure the same would apply for a soil grow. Probably a bigger pot would be better to give the roots space to grow and expand.

In my DWC setup, the root balls were bigger than basketballs. more like a beach ball size for 3 to 4 foot plants.

RKY

: rkymtnman; Posts: 475; Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 10:13 am

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by SisterMaryElephant » Fri Jun 20, 2014 12:33 pm

The old school rule of thumb for soil was/is 1 gallon per foot in height.

There are many things that can stunt growth, like there are things that can cause stretch. Not enough CO2, root bound from too small pots and pH issues, etc...

: SisterMaryElephant; Posts: 2633; Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:05 pm

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by ColoradoLED » Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:02 pm

rkymtnman wrote:Hey CO LED,

I'm getting ready to build a drain to waste setup in coco and from what I've read (and what I'll be doing) is using 2 gallon smart pots (ecopots, fabric pots). They supposedly will easily support a 3 to 4 footer and the smaller pot size will allow me to water more frequently giving fresher nutes and more oxygen to the roots.

I'm not sure the same would apply for a soil grow. Probably a bigger pot would be better to give the roots space to grow and expand.

In my DWC setup, the root balls were bigger than basketballs. more like a beach ball size for 3 to 4 foot plants.

RKY

RKY,

Thanks for the input. I have been reading a lot on the ecopots and am curious about them. I am about to start round two of my tests and will be switching up to the 5W diodes for this next pass. I might have to give them a try.

ColoradoLED

: ColoradoLED; Posts: 16; Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 10:16 pm; Location: Denver, Colorado

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by rkymtnman » Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:31 pm

they definitely work.

i have 3 10 gal smart pots that i used last year for tomatoes in my outdoor g'house.

i have 2 indicas going in them now inside in a soil/perlite mix. impossible to overwater which is nice. if i had to do it again, i'd get the same size but with the handles for soil grows. easier to move around.

: rkymtnman; Posts: 475; Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 10:13 am

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by SisterMaryElephant » Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:47 pm

Starting seeds/clones in too big of a pot can stunt growth while they're small too. Transplanting to the final pot size a week or so before flowering is recommended by most.

: SisterMaryElephant; Posts: 2633; Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:05 pm

Re: First Time Grow/Grower

by rkymtnman » Fri Jun 20, 2014 4:00 pm

Hey SME<

is it true it stunts growth because they spend too much energy on root development? i read that somewhere awhile ago and didn't know if that was the reason.

: rkymtnman; Posts: 475; Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 10:13 am

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