How Long before i induce flowering?

[Nucy]

Hey everyone, I started my first grow about 6 weeks ago, it's one plant of Acapulco Gold (Barney's Farm) i have a 150 watt HPS lamp plus a cool flourescent tube light, everything is going good so far but my question is approximately how long should i wait before i induce flowering? I have searched google and these forums for a while and can't really find an answer... is it just down to space constraints or personal preferance. any help would be appreciated.


-Nucy

 

[v35b]

Most will tell u to wait till u see alternating branches coming off the main stem. At that point they are sexually mature..Look for preflowers.

 

[dman1234]

got a pic?

do you know if its a female or male yet?

its probably ready to flip now.

 

[Locked]

6 weeks? I wld check it over thoroughly for pre flowers, top it if it is a she and flip it a Cpl days after topping it. Jmo.

Alternating nodes indicate the plantnis sexually mature.

 

[Nucy]

Wow thanks for all the help so quick, i have a picture here... had to trim it down to fit with the sites standards. I also have more pictures should there bea need.

ps From soil to top of plant is about 9 inches

 

[pcduck]

everything is going good so far but my question is approximately how long should i wait before i induce flowering? I have searched google and these forums for a while and can't really find an answer... is it just down to space constraints or personal preferance

I think you answered your own question.

Just remember most plants will double or triple in size once the light is flipped to 12/12

 

[dman1234]

its prob not ready now that we see it, i would let it go a bit more and top it like HL said, you need some side branching, imo

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Your plant does not have alternating nodes yet, so IMO is not ready to put into 12/12. What light schedule is it under now? What light(s) are you using in how much space? I would keep under vegging light until it has alternating nodes.

 

[Nucy]

Yea it seemed a bit thin in the leaf department, plus i want to clip some clones... And I'm using 16/8 light schedule its about a 3 by 1 1/2 foot room the light is a 150 watt high pressure sodium and about 9 inches or more from the top of my plant.

 

[pcduck]

I like running my lights 24/7 when in veg, they seem to like it a lot

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Yea it seemed a bit thin in the leaf department, plus i want to clip some clones... And I'm using 16/8 light schedule its about a 3 by 1 1/2 foot room the light is a 150 watt high pressure sodium and about 9 inches or more from the top of my plant.

Not enough hours of light--I would recommend running your lights 24/7. I would also recommend trying to make your space smaller as you do not need that much space for one small plant. The more light a plant has the better. With a 4.5 sq ft room, you have the light disbursing out everywhere. If you could get a reflective enclosure around your plant, it would benefit it. IMO, your light schedule is probably the reason that your plant is small with few internodes. I would top it now and plan on at least another 4 weeks of veg.

Do you have any ventilation in the room?

 

[Locked]

Another vote for 24-7....The only time I wld veg differently is if it was summer and I was trying to beat the heat...but I don't grow innthe summer anymore.
MJ will grow 24-7 so keep your lights on and make your space smaller if you can like THG said...the more lumens per sqr foot the better so long as you have proper ventilation. Jmo

 

[zem]

thats a nice plant, hope it's a female how far is the light away from it? i'd top it when it shows sex and grow side branches make good use of that light with an even canopy

 

[Nucy]

My light is about 10 to 12 inches from the top of my plant... i can feel the warmth of the light on my hand but its not hot, as for needing more light when you say 24/7 do you mean on for 24 than off for 7 or on 24hrs 7 days?

By the way i believe it is a female, they were feminised seeds plus they have "pistels"? sticking out where the new nodes are starting to grow, and to Goddess for ventilation i have an oscillating fan doing its thing infront of them as well as i have a window cracked for fresh air... i also have a thermometer in the room which reads around 20 to 28 degrees C (not sure bout farenheit maybe 70 to 80?) but ya i will try to pick up some mylar or something to reflect more back into the plant. and i just actually put in another Acapulco Gold plant, about a week younger.

This picture only shows my one plant plus the fan is actually in front of the closet facing in. not on the shelf above

 

[v35b]

My light is about 10 to 12 inches from the top of my plant... i can feel the warmth of the light on my hand but its not hot, as for needing more light when you say 24/7 do you mean on for 24 than off for 7 or on 24hrs 7 days?

Lets make it simple...Just leave the light on all day and night...24/0

 

[Nucy]

Lets make it simple...Just leave the light on all day and night...24/0

Perfect thanks

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Yes, 24/7 is 24 hours of light 7 days a week--in other words as v35b said, all the time.

You do not have alternating nodes--I doubt that you are seeing pistils. Many new growers mistake new growth for pistils. I think you need some more time to sex.

Just keeping a window open generally does not supply enough fresh air. You really need an exhaust fan of some kind that removes CO2 depleted air and replaces it with fresh air.

I think I would lower the light some. Your temps are good.

 

[Hushpuppy]

That hps fixture looks like yu can use either hps bulb or MH bulb (I'm not sure) but if yu can I would get a MH bulb to put in for veg and use the hps when yu switch to flowering. Or get another fixture for the Metal Halide, maybe 250w or 400w, especially if yu end up poping clones and filling up that space with plant babies. As THG said tho, the next most important thing is to get those girls a fresh source of air.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I personally am not a big fan of MH lighting and do not use it at all for vegging any more. I have found that T5 fluoro tubes can do just as good a job, usually with less wattage and less heat.

 

[Locked]

I became a T5 vegger myself and have not looked back....love it. No heat issues and nice tight growth.