super newbie

[Camiudom]

Okay, here goes. I've never done anything like this before but I've done my homework. The story goes like this: My girlfriend left me for my roommate about two months ago- and I'm living in a 2br apt. I've always tended to houseplants and have a garden, smoke copious amounts of ganga, and have always wanted to try growing. With all this extra space I decided to try instead of getting a roommate. That day I raided my stash and found some good seeds, germinated in paper towel, and painted out a space in the basement. Picked up a couple of lights and constructed fans and filters. I've been watering with miracle grow for tomatoes, and raising the lights almost daily. I keep my mouth shut but I'm finding the need to talk about this with someone/anyone. I'm curious about when I should start flowering. Any advice would be helpful, Thanks. Oh- I chopped off new growth at the fifth internode about two weeks ago.

 

[pcduck]

:ciao::welcome: To the Only Place :ciao:

What kind of light do you have? Looks like ya got a bit of stretch going on.

 

[Camiudom]

I've got two- one is a clear MH conversion bulb at 400watts, and a frosted MH at 250 watts, it does look like stretch- but I keep a fan on 'em and only lift the light when they start getting super close- I raised the light for the picture. Is there anything I'm missing?

 

[pcduck]

has your plant achieved alternating nodes? Once alternating nodes have sprouted your plant is sexually mature, which means you should be able to sex your plants, then just flower the females.But you can flip to 12/12 anytime, I have grown from seed at 12/12

 

[Camiudom]

So you're saying it is best to wait for the plants to have alternating nodes before flowering? I don't see that posted anywhere online or in the many books I've been poking at. Thank you for the info- I had kinda assumed you could flower any time you want, and it seems that some people have 'mother' plants that they keep for years before flowering. Could you tell me how much height I should give my plants to grow during flowering stage- I wanna say my only limitation on grow space is going to be height, so I wanna get this right. It seems like my plants are mostly an indica strain.

 

[degenerative_disc]

We,re going to need a bigger boat! (seen from jaws) If your limited to hieght your going to be pushing it with what you got my friend. Your plants will at least double sometimes triple in height when you put them into flower stage. I put mine into flower at a foot high 3 weeks ago and they are double in size already. Good luck and welcome.

Cheers!

 

[Camiudom]

Really? I thought I had read somewhere that the plant tends to stop growth and put it's energy to flowering. But this info just goes against the grain, yaknow. I figured there had to be some growth anyways. Do you think I should start flowering now? That would mean I should leech the soil and get some other kind of fertilizer, right? It's all new to me, but I really can't afford to have a complete failure. I've heard of 'super cropping' or just bending the plants. Should I try this or leave it for a later date? I practiced on a tomato plant in the garden and it survived....

 

[degenerative_disc]

I am new too my friend and trust me someone with more experience will jump in and help you better then I can. All I can say is if height is an issue for you and looking at the pic you posted you might have a space problem depending on just how much height you have to work with. As i said I am on my first grow too and have found many people here have great knowledge things are running relativly smooth for me because of them. If your going to flower them you want to change their food so that the NPK is like equal for the N & K but high in the P for example I went and baught plant food and my NPK reads
N=10 P= 15 K=10 so 10-15-10 my veging food was something like 10-8-4. as for super croping and stuff like that I have never done it so i wouldnt even try to give advice as I wouldnt want to screw anyone up with my lack of knowledge. But keep asking questions and the pros will step in and help.

Cheers!!

 

[Camiudom]

I just took a look and it seems like most plants have alternating nodes on the newest growth- I'm so excited! But I still get the feeling I'm in the dark.

 

[Amateur Grower]

From one newbie to another-Welcome!.

My 1st and only grow so far was White Widow, a Sativa-Indica mix, with more Indica I believe. Once I went to 12/12, most of my 5 plants grew about 1/3 more in height. It's true that vegatative growth slows at flowering, but plan on them getting about a third bigger once you go to 12/12.

AG

 

[Amateur Grower]

On when to flower, here's my 2 cents worth, all of which I've picked up here on the MP forums.

A plant WON'T flower until it's sexually mature. If you put a plant under 12/12 light before it's mature, it'll just wait until it IS mature to flower. The downside I guess is that, if you do that, you're losing some vegatative growth (and therefore cutting out some potential budding sites) by not giving it 18 or 24 hours of light to continue to grow.

I think the theory is, give it 18 to 24 hours of light until you see signs of sexual maturity (alternating nodes), thereby allowing the plant to continue grow vigorously while vegatating, then move it to 12/12.

AG

 

[degenerative_disc]

Hey Camiudom I know some around here take growing this stuff to the extream!!!! Are you in it to provide yourself with you own smoke and just have fun trying? Then dont swet it my friend. Anything I grow on my own will probably be better then most crap you get from the street and lets face it, ITS A WEED!!! Its tough it will grow just about anywhere and it will only be a little better if we do what we can to help it grow healthy and happy. But its JUST A WEED look after it best you can and I am sure she will look after you! With every attempt you will only grow in knowledge as well as quality end product. And one day you will look in the mirror or back at this site and you will be the one everyone wants to aswer their questions. All in time my friend just let it be what it is weed she will love you back the best she can each time.

Cheers!!!!

 

[Amateur Grower]

Oh yeah, and it's not my business, but if your lady friend left you for your best friend, you are BETTER OFF WITHOUT HER!!! Probably hurts for a while, but in the long run, you will be much better off my friend.

AG

 

[GrimReafer]

I just took a look and it seems like most plants have alternating nodes on the newest growth- I'm so excited! But I still get the feeling I'm in the dark.

Look into sexing MJ. If you don't understand, look and see if you can find two that have different growths at the alternating nodes and take pics. We can tell you which is which. BTW, check in General Indoor Growing. Theres a sticky with all the grow guides and information you could ever need.

Good luck.

 

[Camiudom]

Don't worry- I'm over the girl, I just need my new girls to provide what I can't afford anymore rather than move again. And I didn't realize you could sex a plant before switching to 12/12, If this is possible it would be a great help. I'll check out the indoor forum. Thank you for all your help guys, and be sure after a couple of years I will be the one answering the questions around here, but I'm sure I'll have my own more advanced questions when that time comes. I'm into this for my own enlightenment, and I will get it perfect in due time, and then I'll be off to the next challenge.

 

[GrimReafer]

I'm pretty sure they only have to be sexually mature. So if alternating nodes are present, they should be matured. But happy to help and look forward to talking to you in a few years.

 

[degenerative_disc]

Cheers!!!
Good luck Friend!

 

[crizzo357]

welcome and good luck!

criz

 

[Locked]

Welcome to MP..nice plants...you shld post up any questions in the indoor section..you will get more people to answer your questions...if you hve alternating nodes then once you flip them to 12/12 it shld only take a week or two for the magic to begin...just make sure your grow area is completely dark during the off time or you will risk getting hermies...