Hello, Folks!
I am not a new grower although I have until this grow been small potatoes. I have just made the jump to a large grow to try a new strain and a new system (for me). I also have stumbled upon a theory I want to run by the more experienced horticulturalists here. So....
The Grow
The grow is in a garage converted for the grow. It holds a home-made ebb and flood bucket system. The buckets are 5 gallon and filled with lava rock. The system is lit by 8 x 1000w hps lights. Temps stay pretty constant at about 72 degrees. The strain is Purple Erkle from Harborside Collective.
The Theory
So...some of you may know that most of the pretty colors we see come from the dominance or mixing of plant pigments. The greens are, of course, from Chlorophyll and usually remain dominant as long as the availability of light and nitrogen are plentiful. Reds are produced by anthocyanin, flavanols produce yellows, and pure anthocyanidins produce blues.
We all have seen what happens during a prolonged flush when nitrogen deficiency becomes evident by the lack of chlorophyll production and hence a loss of green coloration. When this happens in an immature plant, the dominant pigment is usually a flavonol the shows as yellow. This color has always been there, but it was masked by the overpowering green of chlorophyll. In a mature plant, we will see more of the "fall" colors come through in reds and golds which displays the presence of both flavanols and the sugar rich anthrocyanins.
In a few strains, the anhtrocyanids bind far less readily with sugars and remain pure resulting in a blue or violet pigment dominance. These are the purple strains we all love so much. Now, we know that the purple hues can be enhanced through several methods, including temperature control, nurient deficiencies, and certain types of stress. None of these methods are widely used by skilled growers because we know that each of these methods runs a risk of stunting growth or causing secondary problems like hermaphrodism.
I stumbled upon a method used by flower producers who manipulate color for decorative purposes and want to know if it seems feasible to attempt this with a grow such as mine with a purple strain. Hydrangea flowers often come in two colors: pink and blue. This is not indicitave of different strains, but rather a single strain that has been manipulated to change colors according to its grower's desires!
Depending on the alkalinity or acidity of the soil or medium grown in, the hydrangea with sport pink or blue petal respectively. Acid soils equates to blue flowers, while alkaline soils develop pink flowers. One further ingredient for this to work is the presence of available aluminum in the soil at a ph level making it available for uptake. Typical results were gained with a mere 14 ppm of aluminum amendment combined with increased levels of potassium (which increases aluminum uptake) and decreased levels of phosphorous (which decreases aluminum uptake). the ph was dropped to 5.2 and the process was allowed to happen.
Now I understand that many of you will balk at reducing phosphorous levels during flower when the common thought is to bulk up. You will also probably balk at the thought of dropping the ph to levels where many critical nutrients are not available for uptake. HOWEVER, if you should perform this "trick" during a flush period, say one week, what harm would it do? I propose extending the final flush prior to chop to one week, during which time nitrogen levels are minimized or dropped completely, phosphorous is completely cut, and potassium levels are bumped a bit. The ph would be lowered to 5.2 and a a aluminum amendment would be added.
I propose a simple additive that could be used such as PYRO-GRO. It is a aluminum rich silicate based clay amendment that is compatible with both soils and hydro systems. A description can be read here http://www.greenair.com/old/pyro-gro.htm
What do you think? I would like constructive answers by the botanists and horticulturalists among you, please. The implications are tremendous isf an easy and inexpensive way to augment the purple hues can be developed... Please note that I cannot accept or send PMs at this moment, so please leave comments, questions, and notes for me in this thread.
Thanks,
Erkleman
I am not a new grower although I have until this grow been small potatoes. I have just made the jump to a large grow to try a new strain and a new system (for me). I also have stumbled upon a theory I want to run by the more experienced horticulturalists here. So....
The Grow
The grow is in a garage converted for the grow. It holds a home-made ebb and flood bucket system. The buckets are 5 gallon and filled with lava rock. The system is lit by 8 x 1000w hps lights. Temps stay pretty constant at about 72 degrees. The strain is Purple Erkle from Harborside Collective.
The Theory
So...some of you may know that most of the pretty colors we see come from the dominance or mixing of plant pigments. The greens are, of course, from Chlorophyll and usually remain dominant as long as the availability of light and nitrogen are plentiful. Reds are produced by anthocyanin, flavanols produce yellows, and pure anthocyanidins produce blues.
We all have seen what happens during a prolonged flush when nitrogen deficiency becomes evident by the lack of chlorophyll production and hence a loss of green coloration. When this happens in an immature plant, the dominant pigment is usually a flavonol the shows as yellow. This color has always been there, but it was masked by the overpowering green of chlorophyll. In a mature plant, we will see more of the "fall" colors come through in reds and golds which displays the presence of both flavanols and the sugar rich anthrocyanins.
In a few strains, the anhtrocyanids bind far less readily with sugars and remain pure resulting in a blue or violet pigment dominance. These are the purple strains we all love so much. Now, we know that the purple hues can be enhanced through several methods, including temperature control, nurient deficiencies, and certain types of stress. None of these methods are widely used by skilled growers because we know that each of these methods runs a risk of stunting growth or causing secondary problems like hermaphrodism.
I stumbled upon a method used by flower producers who manipulate color for decorative purposes and want to know if it seems feasible to attempt this with a grow such as mine with a purple strain. Hydrangea flowers often come in two colors: pink and blue. This is not indicitave of different strains, but rather a single strain that has been manipulated to change colors according to its grower's desires!
Depending on the alkalinity or acidity of the soil or medium grown in, the hydrangea with sport pink or blue petal respectively. Acid soils equates to blue flowers, while alkaline soils develop pink flowers. One further ingredient for this to work is the presence of available aluminum in the soil at a ph level making it available for uptake. Typical results were gained with a mere 14 ppm of aluminum amendment combined with increased levels of potassium (which increases aluminum uptake) and decreased levels of phosphorous (which decreases aluminum uptake). the ph was dropped to 5.2 and the process was allowed to happen.
Now I understand that many of you will balk at reducing phosphorous levels during flower when the common thought is to bulk up. You will also probably balk at the thought of dropping the ph to levels where many critical nutrients are not available for uptake. HOWEVER, if you should perform this "trick" during a flush period, say one week, what harm would it do? I propose extending the final flush prior to chop to one week, during which time nitrogen levels are minimized or dropped completely, phosphorous is completely cut, and potassium levels are bumped a bit. The ph would be lowered to 5.2 and a a aluminum amendment would be added.
I propose a simple additive that could be used such as PYRO-GRO. It is a aluminum rich silicate based clay amendment that is compatible with both soils and hydro systems. A description can be read here http://www.greenair.com/old/pyro-gro.htm
What do you think? I would like constructive answers by the botanists and horticulturalists among you, please. The implications are tremendous isf an easy and inexpensive way to augment the purple hues can be developed... Please note that I cannot accept or send PMs at this moment, so please leave comments, questions, and notes for me in this thread.
Thanks,
Erkleman
