RQS Northern Light | First Grow

Measurements and details (height, temp etc) are updated to the final recorded value every Sunday. The 300W "LED" is actually a CFL. Doesn't have an option to mix and match my grow lights like I've done for no reason, not like it was installed at this stage anyway. (They updated to accommodate specials like me!) Stats: Seed; Strain: Northern Light. • Photoperiod. • Feminised. Genetics: 100% Indica THC Level: 18%. CBD Level: Medium. Breeder: Royal Queen Seeds Lights: Roleadro 800W Full Spectrum LED. 800W HPS equivalent LED. Dual chipped, 60° Reflectors. 256 LED's total. Advertised wattage: 800W Actual wattage: 135W (Update: 3 sections failed one week apart from one another from week 11 to week 14. Probably not worth anyone else looking at, I'll repair it for another grow later on down the line) 300W Dual Spectrum CFL. Advertised wattage: 300W Actual wattage: 85W I started the germation process on the 5th of August but I don't think logging it is much use. The week went so fast as the little mother just didn't stop growing, days blended as I was more focused on keeping her happy to encourage the same growth throughout the week and on to the next. I added small amounts (<0.2 of a ml) of Bio•Grow to the water mix around the 16th while also slowly upping the dosages of the others by <0.2 of a ml every other day. Note on grow shape. So for some reason this girl had some issues figuring out how gravity works, around the day 4 of germation (day after I planted it) I grew concerned and I found the tap root in a U shape, later that day the seed was pushing through the soil. She then decided to go very top heavy I guess and decided to grow like a J? So because of that I decided to pinch the sprouts stem a bit in hopes it will heal a little thicker and sturdier.

Thu. I added the 300W CFL (Not LED) only to find out half of it wouldn't ignite and proceeded to blow! Replacement on the way! In the mean time I added a supplemental 60w CFL also helps get better photos coincidently! This week saw an explosion of growth keeping up with the doubling size and leaf matter on a two day basis! She's started to grow branches out of the nodes yet she's so short it makes her extremely bushy, I was expecting a tad more height maybe 2cm between the nodes not 1? Not sure if I'm under feeding or over feeding, probably neither but seeing this is the first time I've used fertilisers while also being my first cannabis grow I'm always questioning myself if anything is off. Fri. This is the last week of Root•Juice (until I attempt to sprout the topped section) so I'm being a little more generous with it (1ml - 2ml) since she's doubled in size I am hoping she will use it well! She seems to refuse to grow taller but instead out and bushy like, I assume that's my fault with having the lights so close? At 11" away it wasn't heating up the pot too much while also giving a nice reading on the cheap lux metre (reading taken with a grain of salt) and it was also close enough to the plant where it wasnt too cold nor too warm to my palm. Sun. So the week ended off well and a little more favourably for my plans with her gaining height, I know her genetics make her shorter but kinda expected a little more so I probably stunted it a little with having the lights at 11" away.

Mon. I noticed nutrient burn starting to form so I flushed the soil 25th and used 25% the normal amount of fertilisers today. There may be a little heat stress also involved, my set up is make shift and being built around it because I love to make life difficult for myself! Thu. Ducts and fans installed! Not sure if it's bad practice to prune fan leaves during veg but I also planned on removing underbrush to promote upwards growth turns out the suffocated under branches died before starting. Fri I need to fix the overcrowding in the underbrush by removing a few of the largest and oldest leaves that were damaged the most. I gave her an extra serving of Bio•Heaven and small doses of Bio•Bloom and Top•Max hoping it helps her push through the stress as quickly as possible. Now fixing the ties will be a daily focus, I am going to top one more time and also FIM one because why not! Still not got the replacement CFL yet fml, I am vegging a little longer till the clone catches up a tad, managed to get a CO2 green bag thing also £3 what's the worst that could happen!

Mon. Trying to save a branch I broke about 2 days ago, if this branch survives to clone I could use this as a FIM only plant. Wed. I tied her down one last time before i let her stretch up a few nodes and top. The branch is still doing fine, just trying to get the room dialed in, struggling to comfortably keep the temps low without plummeting... Fri. So over the past two days I've had the fans on fairly low but always on and it kept the temp fairly stable at 23°C - 28°C.... better then 32°C... I'm also allowing the underbrush to get more direct light by moving the larger older leaves under themselves. Wednesday I will top the five largest branches and let the under branches grow but be lowered, then I will flower once it's stable! Also starting to lower how much actually feeding, i got a little too over loving 😅 Sun. So I flushed today's feeding just to combat the nute burn, I also pinched the new branches that are stretching so it will strengthen them for the potential buds! Monday I will pull her down a little bit and clip the nute burn off, will also give a light pruning.

Mon. Noticed an over watering situation building (check week 4 Sunday) the leaves were heavy but curled due to included heat stress. I decided to prune the oldest, damaged and most intrusive leaves but only took a total of 7 and I also cut some of the smaller sides of the lower branches to focus more energy to the already stronger and more established branches. Quality not quantity. Before I top again I want to make sure the clone is established so it can join it as I top. I want to FIM the clone and flower once the branches start establishing themselves. Tue. Instant boost to the under brush I observed growth to the now tied down branch (top left) within 4 hours. There is also a very slight sweet tropical smell and crystals forming all over the leaves, guessing she's hit puberty! Wed. I am going to flush the soil for two days and slowly increase nutrients in 25% strength intervals. I need to lessen the amount of nute burn building up so I will also adjust the amount I am using. Thus. The clone started drooping and upon looking at the stalk I noticed it was brown and with no sign of roots I decided to re-cut the stalk then used my rooting gel to seal off the wound. Hopefully it will regain it's strength and start rooting. This girl just may not have the genetics for cloning? Heat is a struggle for such a Jerry rigged system, but I've managed to get both ducts to differing windows so hopefully it's gonna help keep the temps lower, In doing so it's also increased possible negative pressure. Fri. The top most branch (formerly the right most branch) is still growing in on itself and two other branches have grown but something's up with them. Organic pesticide recommendations? Took some time to trim the old, yellow, damaged and nute burnt leaves mostly just took small parts off odd leaves here and there, removed 3 yellow leaves and a single fecked one. I am going to top the main/largest of the branches on Sunday and allow the under branches to gain momentum, flowering soon as she tells me she's good to go! The replacement 300W CFL will be here Monday hopefully! Sun. Topped her at 8:30am. Kind of struggled to find where to top the top most branch with it curling in on itself, I will tie the branches flat as they grow and get ready to flower. The clone is looking strong but just not rooting in the water, may have to chop the lowest leaves dunk in rooting gel and throw in soil. But looks like it won't be joining for flower but if it survives 2 plants for one seed isn't bad at all.

Mon. Topped for the last time, Now to tie down all branches that should rapidly grow. May not be able to flower with the clone but as long as it roots I can flower it as soon as it's established! Thu. Slower week this week, still growing relatively fast but obviously topping and overwatering has lead to a small slowdown. Fri. Been tying the under branches to the pot as the main branches will be braced on the rack. 300W CFL is finally installed again. Least this one works so far.... Sun. The red tint in the pictures is due to the duel spectrum 300w CFL. I have removed the supplemental 60w CFL though I may put it back in to get the best lighting. Should I save flowering for one more week or should I flip to flower now?

Mon. Switching to flowering schedule today I think she's taken up enough of the tent now, will keep the clone elsewhere until it's established and stick it in. Tue. Slowly going to be upping the nutrients (mostly Bio•Bloom & Top•Max) day by day and I'm really struggling to keep the branches down and the canopy flat... Thu. She is back to rapidly growing, hopefully I can keep it in check/take advantage of it. (tips welcomed!) Got a few more little fans in there the other day and since have noticed the ambient temperature stays more consistent! Upping the amount of fertilisers used still, 1ml for everything in about 600ml of water (I feel is a little much). But there isn't any big issues, small nute burn on the older leaves which I trim and the odd leaf that is trying to establish from the very bottom. Sun. Very happy with the growth over the past few days. I've upped the overall dosages of the feed while flushing the next day to try and stop more nute burn.

Tue. Growth has been great, lots of under branches shooting up and the larger branches are stretching to beat them, the big branches have been pinched and bent away from the smaller underbrush hopefully that will maximise her potential! Thu. Potential maximised apparently, the ones I wanted pointing certain ways are and she's looking so strong. I'm not sure how much further I should prune, but I will go and prune the obviously dead and struggling. May try a defoliaging light with the lowest branches. Fri. Did some light pruning on the worse off leaves and the overly intrusive leaves. Took about 8 total, but it just opens up the middle for a few branches to share the limited space. I think if I were to have repotted the plant into the clones old pot I think I could have a slightly more impressive looking plant, though being so small she's gorgeous. First pistils so flowering officially starts now. Sun. Updates on the clone are slow until I know it's rooted or dead, it's just kinda existing at the moment though...It's Not showing signs of it dying though. I will keep it aside and if it does become established throw it in and grow it out a little. I decided to do a little "Lollipoping" and pruned the new branches that are growing under the main canopy, I also cleaned up a few straggling dead leaves. I will cease pruning completely soon. Around next week Wed I think at latest.

Mon. I used 25% the amount of fertilisers to start this week off, combat some of that nute burn. As I learn and practice there will be less of that ugliness. I will continue to take dead leaves and prune one last time Wednesday just so she can focus on the already growing buds. I shaved the underbrush just before feeding, checked again Tuesday and the fucker was sprouting new growth literally everywhere... Wed. Heat is bitch right now, need to somehow lower the ambient temps in there they are apparently sitting around 28-32°C. Fri. Heat is still hard to keep down, but the buds are swelling ever so nicely! Still only a light smell if any. Sat. Cloning was a partial success so far. Got a cutting to root, just need to promote more root growth so I've moved her to the grow tent and she will go back to the wardrobe for the night until the morning, since in said grow tent I can guarantee more stable and higher temperatures in there then the wardrobe. It's on a 18/6 light schedule to promote the roots to grow and it's also under the 60W CFL during the night/morning when not in the grow tent . I will create it's own diary. Sun. Her bud development is going well can't wait to see how much bigger they will get! You know considering that she has got another 5 weeks or so left......sigh....... Her clone is doing well now, I will stop updating about it here and move to the separate diary Wardrobe_Grows rebrand? 😂 I will try and let the clone gain a little extra height then the mother. Installed a new LED light unit today! Specs below: XECCON/VANDER 2000W Full Spectrum LED. 2000W HPS equivalent LED. 3030 lamp beads, no reflectors. 192 LEDs (Veg Only) 384 LED's (+Bloom) total. Advertised wattage: 2000W Actual wattage: 220W

Mon. Gave her about 700ml water today and only 5% run off so she's thirsty. I also used different nutrient values to start the week. ▪️ Bio•Heaven: 1ml ▪️ Alg•A•Mic: 1ml ▪️ Bio•Grow: 1ml But kept Bio•Bloom and Top•Max the same. Tue. Got some calMAG by Vitalink to try and sort out the strange leaf shape and colours that's only on a single branch, it's not getting worse persay just not going either. Just a few dosages for a few days. Wed. Fed her with the calmag hopefully that will sort out the odd leaves and also found a beasty of a ladybird just J chilling in the house so I placed it into the grow room, either it eats the aphids and other small pests there may be or it gets caught in the numerous fans ;-; It was removed a few hours later. I am struggling with heat but at the same time I can't bring myself to turn one of the grow lighfs off seeing as they both together totally cover the whole grow room with light. I have a 6" Black Orchid fan extracting from the CF, a 4" Black Orchid fan on the end of the out duct and 3 small oscillating fans with a single non oscillating fan but it's always either 31°C or 29.5°C past 12am. Would help if all the oscillating fans actually oscillated I do have the green carbon bag in there so the higher temps won't be so damaging? I also have been rotating a few frozen bottles of water and placing them around but it only lasts so long. Thu. Used less nutrients today and I am going to readjust the amount I use generally. Only used Bio•Grow, Bio•Bloom and Top•Max today at 1ml each. Fri. Decided to use standard old normal water today just to make sure there is no nutrient lockout. I will use the regular and newly adjusted nutrient levels tomorrow. Sat. Fed her the normal course of nutrients today Cal Mag included. The cloning attempt failed, but I have learnt a lot and I now know the best ways that rooting worked for me and I will have propogators. Sun. Every single bud is now beautifully frosty and swelling by the day I am so excited to see how big they all get.

Mon. Final feeding of the Cal Mag today. Only wished to supplement it a short time anyway as she doesn't show many signs of any issues, other then the previous mentions. Tue. Looking healthy and fine, temperatures are now more stable at the wanted range of 25°C-26.5°C. I will use little amounts of nutrients tomorrow or just straight water again I don't want to over feed her 😅 Wed. Updated the diaries lights to reflect actual draw not advitised wattage equivalent. Fed with <0.4mls on everything minus Bloom and Max which I dosed at 0.8mls. Thu. Subtle smells of tropical fruits now has a fairly solid presence, but it still is pretty weak. Temperatures have been stable at the wanted temperature of 25°C. Fri. Updated the conditions to reflect the average of the week. Not targeted values. Sun. Used regular water today as I'm feeling like I'm over feeding her still. I regret not thinning the overall branch amount, I think it will leave me with less yield with it only being organic/in a small pot.

Mon. I took a few small buds in the underbrush just after feeding. Hopefully it won't stress her to the point of ruining my harvest but she may make the top buds better with more energy being focused up, I should have done it by week three but hindsight is 20/20. After adjusting the grow log to reflect her age (at first notice of pistils) and not when I flipped the lights to a flowering schedule she is about four weeks and two days into flowering. While being 13 weeks old overall due to germation not being logged incase of failure. Tue. Nute burn is starting to build again so I will flush with plain water tomorrow and half the nutes again. Thu. Halved nutes for today, her green is starting to fade in the main leaves, not sure why but let's see what happens. Added another support but for the oddity branch as her buds are thiccc and my need the support. Fri. Still half nutes except Bio•Heaven as I also decided to clear the canopy a little it's just too full. Accidently took a top trying to get to a leaf ;-; I also placed her a little bit more side ways on. Sat. Pruned one last time just thinned out the canopy leaves again, hopefully it won't over stress her but she had way too many leaves. Sun. I started getting worried about some of the discolouration so I will be checking the PH with every watering and using PH Up and PH Down by Growth Technology.

Mon. Given another dose of CalMag today just incase. Wed. There is still discolouration around the upper leaves, I cannot discern whether it's lack of nitrogen or not as she gets nute burn regardless 😅 water PH was 6.57 for Monday, 6.78 for Tuesday and 7.2 today Fri. I accidently took another top trying to get at a fan leaf....2 days in a row....it doesn't seem to affected her but I am giving up trying to allow more light to the other bud sites, I seem to just mess up too much 😅 Sun. Another week over and she seems to be going strong.

Mon. Leaving the lower canopy until the last few days before harvest, but gave her normal doses of her feed today. I wish to harvest her next week or on this Sunday depending on the colour of her resin. She has been so fun to grow, but letting her just go is possibly my yields biggest downfall. I will keep that in mind for my next grow. Thur. So the buds are extremely leafy, I may have kept her nutrients too nitrogen rich for to long causing her to make new leaf matter. Sat. I know having a plant herm isn't a generally a good thing but I low key wish she would as I wish I could have a do over with her. I will definitely be changing up how I feed future plants as I caused nute burn fairly early in but it never hindered her growth too much (if at all) so I will feed them every other watering but increase the values by 15%. While also adjusting the values 3 weeks into flowering. Nitrogen rich nutrients (Grow) will be lowered to only 35% the normal dose. This may not be necessary as this girls buds may just leafier genetically or because she has too many bud sites for the root system? Mixture of all issues? Sun. She looks like she should be ready to take down tomorrow but I will wait before I fully decide though it looks like I may.* *Am doing so but I am leaving her over Monday until the evening without watering her, see if that last minute stress and lack of water will just add 0.1 of a gram to the smaller buds!

Loved every moment of the grow even though I messed up a lot. (Taking bud tops accidently, over watering often and over feeding to the point of her just growing new leaves preburnt) But it never seemed to effect her, I contribute that to the Bio•Heaven stopping stress from building as she just steamrolled her way through it all. She grew so fast but out and bushy like from the start, I have no other real cannabis grow to compare to other then growing a street weed seed in my wardrobe in veg for 27 weeks! Though that one grew much taller, being a sativa strain I imagine that's why but this didn't take half as long to grow to similar proportions (forgetting the stoutness) which I contribute to the nutrients!