Wedding Cake & Tropicanna Glookies Grow

--- Week 3 --- ----- Day 15 ----- Okay ladies are doing great!! Today's leaf sample shows the beginning stages (very early) of most likely manganese or zinc deficiency. Only on Wedding Cake, and only 5% max leaves. Watering today was 2 separate instances. 12 Liters with all the additives and 0.33ml of FloraNova Bloom 1450ppm 6.4ph Second watering FloraNova Bloom 8 Liters 1450ppm at 6.4ph. The second feeding was to top up any micro nutrients that have been causing the very beginning stages of deficiency symptoms. No more Bud Ignitor anymore. B-52 came back and sticks around till week 6 Main stems I was measuring are done growing, other stems have taken over but still only about 1 inch taller then measured stem. Preflowering clusters are almost complete. 4 or 5 days till pruning. *Update* Usually zinc deficiencies are quite rare, but it would make sense due to the lack of FloraNova Bloom in my fertilizing application regiment. I was potentially thinking early light burn, but I tested some stems canopies at 50k lumens (or lux can't remember appropriate term) and it's still showing the deficiency symptoms. If I could give it a % i'd also say i'm about 5% worried of over fertilizing. But due to the plants size and being able to take in previous nutrient levels without issues I am just worrying for no reason really. I'd wager (a hypothesis) the sheer mass of these plants and their huge fan leaves on the Wedding Cake, without any nitrogen or magnesium/calcium deficiencies has drained the zinc as I was barely using any FloraNova Bloom. If the plants we're half or 1/4 size I most likely wouldn't deplete the zinc levels enough to show deficiency. Zinc is crucial for plant development, and is a key player for many enzymes and proteins that lead to processes that help growth and internode elongation. Due to the stretch period transition I hypothesis the stretch itself has drained the zinc enough to show early symptoms. Will update throughout the week on deficiency symptoms, and hopefully they are gone by next feeding. *Update* I wanted to see the internode spacing randomly in the canopy. Here is some info on the last 2 pics (Day 15 - Node Pic 1 & 2) Pic 1 - Great spacing on this main ScrOG stem. 5 bud sites in roughly 5.5 inches length Pic 2 - RED CIRCLE - Will remove this down to the first node producing a preflower bud site. YELLOW CIRCLE - I will most likely leave these unless they get longer. BLUE CIRCLE - I'm fine with this length as it should be swallowed by the bud eventually. Pruning is set for Day 18, this Wednesday. A bit earlier as the inner canopy bud sites are going to need more light very soon. ----- Day 16 ----- GREAT day! Woke up and the canopy tips showing slight deficiency signs are now BACK TO NORMAL!!! Zinc issues can manifest and dissipate within 24-36 hours, and due to the major feeding of full micro/macro FloraNova Bloom it looks like the plant has topped up the reserves and is back to full production. PRUNING - Moved up to TOMORROW. Why? Undercanopy photo shows fan leaf drooping. This tells me the plant has finally realized undercanopy fan leaves are not worth the nutrient expense and are now letting them die off. This allows me to go under tomorrow and remove the first 6 or more inches without the plant wanting to re-grow fan leaves due to it already killing them off. If the plant doesn't want them anymore, I'll just quicken the drop off process. Super simple. Multiple checks throughout the day for deficiency signs today and tomorrow. 6~ hours into light cycle I will do a leaf sample and post pics. TOMORROW FEEDING - Due to the upcoming LOSS of water transpiration mechanisms (fan leaves) I will be feeding about 2/3rds regular water amount (probably only 8 to 10 liters instead of 15). This should help the roots not become wet for too long during the plants loss of removing large amounts of water from the soil through their leaves and photosynthesis processes. I will be aiming for 1300ppm maximum instead of 1500ppm to help with process to not overload the remaining plant leaves. I'll check the water levels ten times more often during that period to "learn" the drinking requirements of the 4 plants. I'll figure out how many hours (X) i'm away from normal feeding (dry time). Since it usually takes 48 hours to dry, I will do these calculations for new water requirements: Amount of liters of water used (average) divided by 48 hours = plant intake per hour. Then after pruning with 2/3rds of watering Amount of liters of water divided by amount of hours before it dried = Plants new intake per hour I will then adjust the original number to the new one, and then do: Plants new intake per hour times 48 hours = New watering amount in liters after Prune. This number will adjust over the days and weeks as bud sites and new photosynthesis transpiration mechanisms increase to offset the original loss from pruning during flowering. I test up to the 2nd knuckle on my pointing finger (the middle knuckle) and will often grab a small fist-full of dirt in areas the roots allow it to "feel" the moisture level. If I can squeeze it and it remains together when I open my palm, they're at the perfect level of moisture content. If water droplets remain on my hand or my fingers feel wet, it's still too wet too worry about it, and if if it crumbles and doesn't form a tight mass from squeezing, it's ready for water. I grab the tiny fist full of dirt from the deepest part of the hole my finger made, usually less than a tablespoon of dirt, i'll then put it back and close up the hole. First Update Day 16 done. More pics and updates later. *UPDATE* Half way through lights on Fixing the deficiency signs meant feeding additional nitrogen in the restricted nitrogen stretch phase. This increase of Nitrogen has given the main stem I measure on the Wedding Cake 1 additional inch in height. I expect this to stop before another inch is grown. Stems on back left Wedding Cake have increased their height as well, still same 1~inch higher than measured stem before this last 24 hours of stretch. Canopy tops are breaking 100k (Lux or lumen I routinely forget which it is) that are directly under the light, 2 stems total effected. 104~106k was seen. I'll probably cut up an old t-shirt into 2 tiny patches and string them up as a shade cloth (yea.. ridiculous right?) over each stem if I get anal enough about demanding perfection from these grows. Light height is at maximum. Will watch tips of those 2 stems and if I see too much white developing i'll McGuyver some weird shade cloth to bring it down under 90k. I expect stretch to end by tomorrow... due mainly to pruning and as well return to normal restricted nitrogen feeding %'s at tomorrow's watering. Zinc deficiency signs are probably on only 1-2% of leaves visually, and have dissipated 50+% of the yellowing developing. Very fast improvement. Most likely due to a 7 gallon root system with 4+ inch diameter trunks. I also pre-feed my pro-mix soil before use with Piranha, Tarantula, Voodoo Juice and molasses, and maintain moisture in the big Rubbermaid it's in (top on no lights) by spraying water and a tiny bit of molasses to re-moisturize the soil until use to inoculate ahead of grow, and that way I don't have to feed fertilizers and then feed these bacteria/microbes during veg as I don't know if the chemical nutrients I use would kill them before making it into the soil. Final pics at end of day today. *END OF DAY* Well.. close enough. Added more photos. No burn at tips, couple are beginning yellow at the very tips, not a concern at all. Leaves are looking a lot better now then even 3 hours ago. Plants are phenomenal. Tomorrow morning at lights-on prune is on. Lots o' pics for this tomorrow. Gonna prob toss up 5-10 for each of the 4 plants. ----- DAY 17 ----- Holy crap 4 and a half hours later I'm done pruning. A hell of a lot more bud sites then expected. This yield could be MONSTROUS. Pulled down the stems that were in the 120k lux/lumen rating and locked em in at 100k. Later today I'll set up a new trellis net above the stems and put in that shade cloth for the stems above 100k lux/lumen. I don't want white tips since i'm being so meticulous, no sloppiness allowed. Fed 1350ppm 6.4ph at 9 Liters My fat ass and stomach push the leaves on the front 2 plants down while mid tent pruning, ignore that it's not hurting in any way it's just me being fat. lol. Water moisture content will now be closely monitored due to such a HUGE amount of defoliation. There were 4x more fan leaves then I anticipated. Couple final pictures later tonight before lights off. Going to give the ladies time to recover today and just let them be. Dehumidifier was broken, but residual humidity is down to 50% currently so will go get a new one today and then hook it up tomorrow to drop it down to 40%. *UPDATE* I'm way too excited to leave them be. Here's a Panorama and a video i'm just about to check works if not i'll make it into a gif!! LOVE this grow. Gonna get MONSTERS I can friggin feel it. *LAST UPDATE* Didn't I tell you I'd MacGuyver the shit out of this grow? oh wait no? it was McGuyver? Well whhhaaatttevaaah is the correct term i'm goin with MacGuyver. I did it. 100K stem canopy Lux/Lumen ratio cause i'm tarded and don't remember which it really is turned to 72 and 63 k lux/lumens/rainbows. Used an old 4X4 trellis. stretched the friggin shit out of it with some twist ties so if that fails over night i'll jimmy up a perma-solution. Cut up a metal porch screen. Tossed it on the stems over 100k. We're good! Till tomorrow! *edit* checkin the photos the lux meter says lux. so it's LUX NOT LUMEN. LUX DAMMIT! FOREVER LUX. LUUUUX! ----- DAY 18 ----- Easy day. Plants are in phenomenal shape. Added pics. Will add more before lights off. Slow day of waiting to potentially feed tomorrow and check soil moisture level before lights off. Dehumidifier is now running. Has to drop the whole basement a good 20% humidity. Expecting 2-3 days before residual humidity hits 40%. Will be aiming for 35% out of the tent, to make up for transpiration humidity released by the plants in the tent. Temps a bit too hot today, opened the roof vent of the tent, temps have dropped 2 degrees so far, I'd like 1-2 more so will keep checking today and maybe add 1 more fan. You'll notice 1 fan is at the bottom of tent aiming up. I positioned this directly under the HID light to push cold air at the bottom of tent up directly at the light producing heat. I might add another to this. Two fans rotating at roughly 2 inches above canopy height (to move but not wind damage stems) 1 for each side of tent. No pics to add for this update *update* Dehumidifier has a loooot of work to do. 1 full container of water is 3% basement humidity.. so this could take 4 to 5 days to bring down to 35%~ but that's fine. It's only a concern being above 50% around week 5+ Evening pictures have been uploaded. Some bud development shots too. ----- DAY 19 ----- 10 liters was the perfect feed for prune. No turgor pressure issues but the root zone is dry. 10 liter feeding at 1350ppm 6.4ph Some fan leaves I left have full matured. On Day 21 I will check all stems to clear any fan leaves one last time blocking light. Humidity is still an issue. Ran dehumidifier all night in basement only lost 1% humidity. Might have to upgrade the dehumidifier. Will watch closely today as I've now chosen a continuous mode instead of a % shut off. If humidity tomorrow isn't below 48% I'm buying a bigger dehumidifier. Bud sites look great. Plants look great, haven't watched stretch since yesterday and it looks like its done now. Next feeding will be 12 Liters as plant and bud sites increase allowing for water loss increases. **** EDIT **** LOST POWER - Total time - 27 minutes. No light whatsoever in tent - 3 minutes. Replaced with - 10 high powered LED white light flashlights and incandescent orange glow camp lanterns. WILL BE WATCHING EXTREMELY CAREFULLY OVER NEXT 4 DAYS FOR HERMAPHRODITES. Lights off for less than 4~ hours should not hurt plant. But I'm paranoid. Will remove any male flower stems, no matter if I lose major bud stems. I'm not getting a seed yield F that. ----- Day 20 ----- Water in roots have been used up. Have to feed a day early. Back to normal feeding 15 liter amount now that the ladies are back to full grow mode. Everything going well dehumidifier is slowly working, basement now down to 47% residual humidity *UPDATE * I didn't want to fertilize two days in a row, there's no deficiency signs and i'm not gonna screw around with over feeding. Fed the ladies each roughly 1 Liter of tap water (10ppm 6.2ph) for 4 Liters total. Water was only given to "breach the gap" between 2 day feedings. Tomorrow they will have finished that 1 Liter watering and be ready for a full proper feed. Tomorrow will be probably doing 18 Liters based on how fast they chewed through the 10 I fed yesterday. Bud sites are very very quickly accelerating in size, plants done stretch 100% certain today. It popped out some fan leaves at the canopy top, and it seems to work cause so far all stems i've checked aren't having lighting issues. Humidity still too high. Got storms rolling through that pump the house humidity 5-10% so it's been a pain to dump 5 gallons of water from my dehumidifier only to come back an hour later and it's back to the original % I turned it on at. I'll be running both dehumidifiers starting day 30 if humidity does not drop enough, then see if 1 can just maintain the 35% basement humidity., Plants in tent produce 5% more residual humidity in tent than outside of tent hence the basement 35% for tent 40%. No new pics, nothin new to show since last update *Update* Took some pics. Some shots have a bright white LED flashlight aimed at them for true color exposure. ----- Day 21 ---- LAST DAY OF WEEK 3 Dehumidifier broke rofl. New one coming in today 45 Pint for basement, much stronger lets pray to the water removing gods that we get down to 35% finally. Been a pain in the ass. Will take photos at end of day. 80~ images in a week is a bit much. FED TODAY - 20 Liters 6.4ph 1500 ppm (Back to full strength) Week 4 fertilizing is same as Week 3, one of the only double weeks to have same fert regiment. (For those wondering how I count my weeks) Week 1 Day 1-7 (Day 1 is the first 24 hours of COMPLETE 12/12) Week 2 Day 8 -14 Week 3 Day 15- 21 etc. etc.