1st time pharmer

Beginner
#12

Howdy, Jeff. Your grow looks fine. Of course I’m next to blind, but it looks good. My thinking on extra leaves is as follows. If I’m gonna use a net, anything below the net when flowers begin developing in earnest is strictly a RESOURCE. You invested in the leaves, let them hang out so the plant can use them if they’re no longer getting light.

I’ve got a bunch of yellowing leaves right now on mine. I remind myself of how a maple tree looks when it’s sugar time. Chlorophyll is gone, other pigments dominate, and the plant uses the minerals as they shut down. Unless a leaf is limp, totally dead, I’m leaving it. If it’s not in the way I let it dry up.
Any defoliation ought to occur early enough so the plant recovers before veg. Once in veg, I’m pretty much convinced you got that you got, snd may as well let the plant have the minerals in those leaves not producing sugars. Ventilate, don’t defoliate. Get you a Caribbean island breeze going for the girls, and don’t tell em what to wear, har!

3 Likes
#13

As a guy raised in the great north country of MN, I appreciate the help and response. Much appreciated.

1 Like
#14

you do not have to defoliate…Has it been HOT? Heat will stress the flowers into the shape they appear…a little sparse. Are you / have you moved in to a MORE FLOWERING nutrient? If still on High N (vegging), it will stunt the flower production

2 Likes
#15

You nailed it - the weather has been really hot. Also good to know about the NPK for flowering. Thankfully my fert is 0-1-3, and recommended for this stage. I started with Osmocoat. The growing media was 3/4 Happy Frog soil, 1/4 Miracle Gro potting mix to help drainage.

#16

“Ventilate, don’t defoliate”. Not only is it saged advice, it rhymes! Being an outdoor grow under the cover of our courtyard, it really funnels any breezes through the area, and I’d never dream of telling her what to wear! (Like my daughters, they wouldn’t listen anyway)

3 Likes
#17

@Bugdoc the plant looks great! You could remove more of the large fan leaves that are covering bud locations. Are you feeding it nutrients for flowering stage? If not you could do that a few times. I usually stop the feeding 2 weeks prior so the plant has time to be flushed with your daily waterings.

#18

Thank you Mary Ellen - that is most kind. Great tip on flushing the plant and will do so. What about the non-fan leaves (which I assume are the 7 point ones)? Should I trim those to increase sunlight?
I’m using Big Bud nutrient, and she’s gong through at least a gallon of water every day. I’ll have to go online to see when to harvest. It’s been so hot here I’m hoping the buds aren’t stunted, but should cool off next week though. One exciting development is Juliette is developing trichomes….and I named her that because its the GirlScout Cookies strain, and Juliette Lowe was the founder of the Scouts.

#19

OOPS! I mean the 5 point, non-fan leaves, if I have that correct with the 7 point being the true fans.

#20

@Bugdoc just the big fan leaves especially the ones blocking the buds or leaves with purple or red stems. The smaller leaves help build the buds :wink: don’t take those. They will start bulking up when the daylight shortens.

#21

Help! In the last few days the leaves are turning yellow at an alarming rate! I don’t think I’ve underwatered, in fact perhaps the opposite but always waited until it’s dry. Nitrogen loss may be it, or stress from 2 weeks of hot weather. Suggestions are most appreciated. I’ve coddled her since she was a wee young sprout, and want her to thrive.

image
image3473×2434 1.18 MB

1 Like
#22

Hey there bug. No help needed you looking good you’re correct on the nitrogen deficiency or yellowing of the leaves during flowering stage this is common in recommended .As your plant is now using most of its energy towards the flowers the p in the k and less of the N energy towards the large fan leaves. You want to see the larger leaves yellowing and dying out in the smaller water leaves attached to the buds bursting with Crystal trichomes all over them this is a clear indication your plant is on track. You may also be experienced what’s known as nutrient lock which means you’ve been watering not enough some plants are greedy and now your soil is preventing the nutrients from being absorbed into the plant properly. This can be corrected with what is known as the flush where you will pour 3 times as much water through the soil until water is clear. But at this point in the flower which I believe you or in your fourth week it’d be best to keep an eye on them and see what occurs. It has been in very hot climate this year so this could very be the source of the issue .If you’re seeing most of your large fan leaves yellowing and dying off this is a good thing it’s nitrogen deficiency perfectly normal in this stage. if you’re seeing more brown tips along the fan leaves it’s most likely nutrient lock which could be corrected with a proper flush. When flushing a plant be sure to use no feed just pure water purified or distilled water is recommended throughout entire growth stage for it has less chlorine then tap water. Chlorine in your water or pH that is not suitable for the stage of growth you are in can also cause these problems a pH reader is recommended a proper pH level would be between 6.5 /7.0

1 Like
#23

Holy cow, Kush Cloud - what a thorough and thoughtful answer! I am truly appreciative. She has been taking a gallon or more of water a day (I use a self watering pot). I do see a few brown tips as well as brown spots, so will do the flush as recommended with distilled water. I also have had to hit it with azadirachtin or neem every 3 days for the danged spider mite, but they seem pretty much under control….hopefully. I’ll keep an eye on her and post either progress, or the unthinkable. Stay tuned.

#24

Sorry to trouble you, but once the flush is done should the next water have cola nutrients included? They are so small right now

#25

I don’t think the “stalling” is a nutrient issue - more likely impatience and a touch of pruning. You’ve still got a couple weeks to go. I’d get rid of some of the fan leaves, they’ve done their duty at this point, it will allow the lower flower sites on the colas a bit more light.

The color is fine at this stage. Keep doing what you’re doing for a couple more weeks.

2 Likes
#26

Many thanks, Curr Dog - now that I’ve done the flush, should I use the cola fert again?

#27

So with the flush you removed the potential lockout issue, but you also flushed out some of the nutes. Most folks wouldn’t do the flush until the very end. You’ve still got several weeks to go so I think you will want to feed again now.

#28

My opinion the yellowing is from the mites not your watering

#29

Thanks - I’m on it! Also pruned some of the fans.

#30

For my cannabis senseis out there - when is it time to harvest? It’s difficult to tell if the trichomes are clear or milky, though it is more advanced at the top of the plant then down below. Another tip I saw was 80-90% of pistils dark. Here are some top buds, small though they are (GSC strain). Again the lower ones aren’t as advanced which begs the question - can you do a partial harvest? Thank you all!

image
image2228×2927 741 KB
image
image2261×3017 709 KB

2 Likes
#31

there are a COUPLE thoughts on harvesting
trichomes- Milky to just turning amber…
Stigmas - when the pistils are orange / brown, it is a good indication that the trikes are probably mature too
Not all parts / flowers mature at the same rate so you CAN have some that are ready and some that are not. No law stating you MUST harvest the ENTIRE plant all at one time. Nothing wrong with clipping mature buds first.
I still see white pistils so you have at least a couple weeks thee before anything.

Here you see the STIGMAS as an indicator trich.pstl.hrvst

here you see the trichomes as an indicator

trike.harvest
trike.harvest900×450 108 KB

1 Like