My first grow - any tips?

[RickShawRyder]

Just pull those leaves off & keep up the Seasol as MrC said, that plant can handle a full dose for sure. Last year I fed mine every watering with JUST A SPLASH (maybe a capful each) of Powerfeed & Seasol for a couple weeks to see effects, I came to the conclusion it wasn't worth the hassle & pretty much did the same as a full strength dose once a week. But I felt like I was being more loving! I always water with rainwater to just because my tank is closer to the plot than my mains taps, have watered with tap water in the past & had no problems I can remember but since joining here I realise I have a lot to learn. Any chance of it going in the ground yet? If not a bigger pot may help with your yield when she comes into flower,

Edited January 7, 2015 by RickShawRyder

[roysymmonds83]

some new updated photos attached. 

 

Seems to be doing really well. There are some leaves with brown tips, Im guessing that was from some heat stress when I had the plant out in broad daylight and it approached 40 deg C. I now have it under a tree such that it gets a sprinkling of sunlight over the day but is under semi-shade for most of it.

 

 

[roysymmonds83]

apologies for not contributing much at the moment guys, just been very busy. 

 

The update is that the plant seems to be doing really well. Starting to flower, so maybe someone can help me identify what strain this thing might be?

 

I gave her its first dose of potash to help with flowering tonight. Its quite hot in Adelaide at the moment so lots of water and nursing of the plants required at the moment (about 10L water a day, 5L in morning and 5L in evening).

 

Its about as tall as I am at the moment - 5'7'' ish - and has grown in height with the main couple of stems a fair bit in the last couple of days. 

 

Im happy with it at the moment, but wont rest until this thing has been dried and is in my lips getting smoked!

 

Have a good weekend guys!

[MediKat]

Real healthy, its loving its spot as i'm sure you will the spoils. Nice work.

[max_headroom]

apologies for not contributing much at the moment guys, just been very busy. 

 

The update is that the plant seems to be doing really well. Starting to flower, so maybe someone can help me identify what strain this thing might be?

 

I gave her its first dose of potash to help with flowering tonight. Its quite hot in Adelaide at the moment so lots of water and nursing of the plants required at the moment (about 10L water a day, 5L in morning and 5L in evening).

 

Its about as tall as I am at the moment - 5'7'' ish - and has grown in height with the main couple of stems a fair bit in the last couple of days. 

 

Im happy with it at the moment, but wont rest until this thing has been dried and is in my lips getting smoked!

 

Have a good weekend guys!

This Adelaide weather is only going to get hotter over the next few daysI have been giving mine heaps of water as well. I also put a cover of shade cloth around the pot that I soak down every 2-3hrs in the really hot weather to keep the root temps down. Your girls look really healthy so just keep doing what you are. I see you also wrap your pot. It does seem to have made a real difference with mine how about yours?

[roysymmonds83]

This Adelaide weather is only going to get hotter over the next few daysI have been giving mine heaps of water as well. I also put a cover of shade cloth around the pot that I soak down every 2-3hrs in the really hot weather to keep the root temps down. Your girls look really healthy so just keep doing what you are. I see you also wrap your pot. It does seem to have made a real difference with mine how about yours?

 

Firstly, I punched a heap of holes, with a drill, in the pot as well to make it an "air pot" without having to buy an over priced "air pot" (you can see the pictures in one of my earlier posts in this thread). There are some roots which actually stick out these holes towards the bottom of the pot, so I guess it is working as an air pot should and roots are growing outwards instead of around the pot. 

The towel definitely helps to keep sunlight off the pot and the tips of the roots which stick out, and when I have felt the pot directly after the really hot days, it has been cool to touch. This is despite a lot of sunlight directly on the pot and the towel being warm.

 

So given the roots look healthy, so must be getting the air flow, and the pot is never warm, I would say that the towel definitely is a success for me. The trick, I suppose is that the towel is not wrapped tightly around the pot, but very loose and so there is an air gap between the towel and the pot wall. The air gap is better for insulation purposes i.e. the pot would be warmer if the towel was wrapped tightly around the pot.

 

So if you havent seen or felt any benefits for the towel or cover around the pot, then I would first suggest to loosen the wrap. If you still need to get it cooler, maybe wet it a bit. I dont deliberately wet the towel, but it does get some incidental water on it from when I water the plant. I also have a saucer under the pot. My guess is that when I water the plant during the morning, the saucer fills and because of the towel, the water doesnt evaporate quickly. Also, the water vapor in the air gap would cool the air gap down.

 

So, I would definitely recommend the towel and will do it for future grows. However, the holes in the pot seem to also positively affect growth and a saucer under the pot probably helps as well. 

[teahaircut]

Shes a big girl, good job man.  No idea about strain, though your flowers look almost identical to mine,.  Some sativa of sorts 

[max_headroom]

Firstly, I punched a heap of holes, with a drill, in the pot as well to make it an "air pot" without having to buy an over priced "air pot" (you can see the pictures in one of my earlier posts in this thread). There are some roots which actually stick out these holes towards the bottom of the pot, so I guess it is working as an air pot should and roots are growing outwards instead of around the pot. 

The towel definitely helps to keep sunlight off the pot and the tips of the roots which stick out, and when I have felt the pot directly after the really hot days, it has been cool to touch. This is despite a lot of sunlight directly on the pot and the towel being warm.

 

So given the roots look healthy, so must be getting the air flow, and the pot is never warm, I would say that the towel definitely is a success for me. The trick, I suppose is that the towel is not wrapped tightly around the pot, but very loose and so there is an air gap between the towel and the pot wall. The air gap is better for insulation purposes i.e. the pot would be warmer if the towel was wrapped tightly around the pot.

 

So if you havent seen or felt any benefits for the towel or cover around the pot, then I would first suggest to loosen the wrap. If you still need to get it cooler, maybe wet it a bit. I dont deliberately wet the towel, but it does get some incidental water on it from when I water the plant. I also have a saucer under the pot. My guess is that when I water the plant during the morning, the saucer fills and because of the towel, the water doesnt evaporate quickly. Also, the water vapor in the air gap would cool the air gap down.

 

So, I would definitely recommend the towel and will do it for future grows. However, the holes in the pot seem to also positively affect growth and a saucer under the pot probably helps as well. 

Well tonight is supposed to be the end of the really hot weather and I think mine has come through fine...My shade cloth is only tied around the top and flares off. My reason for asking is I have not used this method before to try and keep the temps down in the pot. I think just that simple act of covering has made a huge difference. Not once during the last few days did my girls droop (prior to the shade cloth they always did on hot days)  and dare I say it but they appear to have loved  the hot weather and thrived.

 

The air pot has got me intrigued I was going to have a look at some new pots for next season was looking to get terracotta as have heard good things. Will look into the air pots a bit more and if Its what I am after , will follow your lead and make my own.

[zeeibi21]

damnnn shes a beast! looking awesome keep it up
 

[roysymmonds83]

Shes a big girl, good job man.  No idea about strain, though your flowers look almost identical to mine,.  Some sativa of sorts 

 

Thanks mate. I will keep trying to post weekly updates from here on out. Hopefully it becomes identifiable over the next couple of weeks.

 

Well tonight is supposed to be the end of the really hot weather and I think mine has come through fine...My shade cloth is only tied around the top and flares off. My reason for asking is I have not used this method before to try and keep the temps down in the pot. I think just that simple act of covering has made a huge difference. Not once during the last few days did my girls droop (prior to the shade cloth they always did on hot days)  and dare I say it but they appear to have loved  the hot weather and thrived.

 

The air pot has got me intrigued I was going to have a look at some new pots for next season was looking to get terracotta as have heard good things. Will look into the air pots a bit more and if Its what I am after , will follow your lead and make my own.

 

Yeah, I like to think that the plant loved the hot weather. I moved it sort of under a tree so it was getting partial shade and full sun. I also gave it powerfeed and seasol about twice a week and I think that it has gotten stronger during the hot weather. 

 

I may look at getting a terracotta pot for next year, but only if I can find a big one that is cheap. Im kinda of the opinion that if it aint broke, dont fix it though, and this little black pot seems to be doing the trick at the moment.

 

damnnn shes a beast! looking awesome keep it up

 

 

Cheers mate, thanks for the encouragement.