Double Grape - HLG QB V2 R-Spec

WEEK 4: A NEW BEGINNING ==> DISCUSSION <== For the first three weeks, I was doing everything I could to enhance the growing environment and maximize the about of light to the plants. I plotted PPFD. I started calculating "Vapor Pressure Deficit" (VPD) using a great spreadsheet I found online. I moved my light closer to the plant to increase the "Daily Light Integral" (DLI). Basically, I geeked out. However, I was still not totally pleased with the result. While the plant was healthy, it was very short and dense. I'd never seen a plant like it and many other plants of the same age were much taller and the branches were much more visible. Its compact size made it very difficult to even count the nodes, much less perform any kind of LST. Just placing a hold-down spike put me in danger of damaging the compact plant. Wondering why my plant was so short, I turned to the wonderful community on the MephHeads sub-Reddit. There I could get advice from a number of growers who were not only more experienced than me but had experience with the very same strain. From that discussion (found here: http://bit.ly/35Wx1TJ) I decided to move my light as high as I could get it, at least for the next week or two. So I moved the light from about 20 inches above the plant to 27 inches above the plant. A number of the Double Grape growers there suggested that I make this move to encourage the plant to stretch and expand its reach. Attempting to induce a plant to stretch was a problem that I had never experienced before. But apparently it is not uncommon for first-time users of Quantum Boards and top-shelf genetics! The second thing I changed was to remove the tie-downs and stop the LST started just yesterday. I want to let the plant get a few inches taller before I start any training. The third and final change was a move to a 24/0 light cycle. I don't have any problems at this time maintaining the temperature and the humidity, so there are no structural reasons not to do it. And, I think there is a very good reason to do it, Mephisto Genetics suggests this is a great way to grow and actually cut a few days off of the cycle time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HERE'S WHAT THE MEPHISTO 2017 GROW GUIDE SAYS ... "Some people want to save electricity costs, or ‘give their plants a break’ which is fine thinking, however, we typically run 24/0 more often than not, we find it gives no reduction in quality, plants always seem happy, and in our experience development is quicker and shaves some days off the overall cycle time. However. Please draw your own conclusions and see what works best for you." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DAY 24: WAITING FOR THE STRETCH * I can't say the I am impressed by the stretch yet, but my time will come. * Tried a new LST technique that I had not heard of previously, ponytailing. It simply involves bundling the top leaves into a "ponytail" to allow better light penetration to the lower leaves. Most suggest that you limit it to about six hours for a couple of days. We'll see what happens. You can see how I did it in the D24 pictures. * Watered with 1.5 liters of tap water pH's to 6.45. I noticed that the pH seems to drift up during storage, so I thought I'd start with a slightly lower pH. I adjust one gallon at a time, so I get two-to-three waterings out of each gallon. DAY 25: I'M AS FRUSTRATED AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE * Many may not recognize the above as a near quote from the classic 1976 movie "Network." Here's a link to help you out: https://youtu.be/rGIY5Vyj4YM * In my case, I am frustrated by a plant that had decided to become a bush, but not in a good way. If you've ever trimmed bushes you know that once you get past the outer green layer they are dead inside! That seemed to be the direction of my little Double Grape. * To avoid this I went to the extreme. First, I defoliated. Something that is often controversial, but if the lower branches can't get light, they will never grow. So, I removed a total of TEN(!) leaves. I should have left the smallest one, cut from the top of the plant on the plant. But what is done is done. * Then I applied some LST and moved lower branches into the light and gently bent the top over. * As I write this it's been about three hours since I put her back in the grow room. I can already see that she is responding to her new shape and structure. I expect good things. DAY 26: TOP DRESSING AND RETRAINING * I decided it was time to do a bit of top dressing. First, I pulled the stakes that were holding the plant in place and gathered into one big ponytail using a pipe cleaner to hold it together. I didn't want to have to get the plant wet and dirty while top dressing. * I added about 12 tsp (4 TBS) of Nature's Living Soil for Autoflowers to the top of the soil. I mixed this into the top half-inch or so of the soil so it was evenly distributed. * I then added 0.25 tsp of Great White to 500 ml of water containing about 1.5 TBS/gal of non-sulfured blackstrap molasses. I used this to water in the Nature's Living Soil and the Great White Mycorrhizae. * This was followed by 1 L of tap water pH'd to 6.4, in order to "flush" all of the applied nutrients into the rest of soil. * Finally, I carefully staked each branch out so that it was able to receive the maximum light possible. * I don't plan on making any additional adjustments for at least a few days. I hope to see the plant take off and start to reveal its final shape. DAY 29: HEALTHY BUT REFUSES TO ACTUALLY GROW! * Watered with 1.5L of tap water pH'd to 6.4. No significant runoff. * I've been monitoring temperature, humidity and leaf temperature twice a day. The VPD remains stable at 1.2. This is slightly high so I will up the humidity slightly to see if I can lower it just a few tenths of a point. * While I've always been a hobbyist and never a master, in my 40+ years of growing I've never seen a plant like this. It simply refuses to stretch. I've tried moving the light up, but that hasn't really had an effect. Even the LST and defoliation of a few days ago has not caused significant growth. The plant is recovering well and the leaves continue to grow, but the branches are not getting any longer. No stretch at all. * I'm hoping to see it take off this week. But who knows? * I'm considering starting a second plant, but that is going to require some significant changes to the grow space, so I may not be able to do it as soon as I might like. ==> I'll be back this weekend with a progress report of week 5. <==