first post. lowryder 2 behind schedule.

[cflauto]

Hey guys, my first post, my first grow. Lowryder 2

Its day 61 and my pistols are still white. I know why there behind, its because when I started my lighting was inadequate. Just 1 45w cfl for 3 plants aha( I've leared so much since). I've upgraded My lighting to 240w cfl and an 18w cheapo led. I've been using ionic nutes through out. Just switched to the pk boost and green fuse. Got crystles over night! My ph is 6.8 and my lighting is 18/6. In soil. 5L pots.

I'm just wondering how long do you guys think before I should stop using nutes and using just water?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cflauto]

 

[al70]

you should cut down your lighting to 12/12

 

[cflauto]

Put my lights to 12/12 even though its an autoflowering strain?

The joint doctot says 18/6 throughout.

 

[Jhhnn]

Put my lights to 12/12 even though its an autoflowering strain?

The joint doctot says 18/6 throughout.

You're doing it right. 18/6 is what you want. The two autoflowers we've grown went 70 days, and they had good strong light all along. The Joint Doctor says 40-45 days of flowering after 15-20 days as seedlings, so if low light prevented flowering you need to take that into account. I'd guess you have at least another week to go.

When you start to see some orange hairs, the best way to tell from there is to use a jeweler's loupe to examine the trichomes, the sugar on the flowers. They start clear, usually turn cloudy & finally amberish. I like the smoke more cerebral, so I try to harvest when they're almost all cloudy & a very few amber. Like this-

http://www.amazon.com/HTS-201X3-Ill...d=1385903216&sr=8-16&keywords=jewelers+loupes

A little bit tricky to use at first.

Hopefully, somebody with much greater expertise than my own will chime in.

 

[cflauto]

Thanks Jhhnn, I will be keeping a very close eye on them. Started getting a few orange pistols this morning.
I wanted some ready for Christmas, but its not looking likely with the drying and curing aswel. Hopefully new years eve.
This grow had taught me so much and they is no doubt that my next grow will be bigger and better.

 

[aridbud]

Like Jhhnn mentioned, when I do indoor, it's set at 18/6 throughout. One thing seed breeders mention is quick finish time. Don't go by the package seed to harvest days. A loupe is essential checking trichomes. I prefer a more cerebral effect, thus I watch for cloudy/milky trichomes. If you prefer more couch type effect, go amber, but not all the way. When trichomes are entirely amber, the plant is in degradation mode.

Good rule of thumb....add 7-15 days to package details. Since you had light deprivation, plant is now thriving in middle age!! ;o)

You can buy the jeweler's loupe at a hobby store. Like Jhhnn, I bought mine at amazon.com and had two magnification 20x and 30x. the tri's look awesome under magnification!

Decades ago growing, we determined hairs only...when 75% amber pistols, we hacked them. Now it's simpler botany scientific with use of loupe.

You can stop using nutrients now with your LR2, as the soil has enough to carry the plant to fruition. Just use water from now on....it's good to wash out the chemicals so you don't have that chemical taste. A lot of folks flood the plant before cutting, washing out nutrients. I find steady watering is ample.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor!! Be patient, grasshopper!!

GROW ON!

 

[cflauto]

Some good info there Aridbud. I've been comparing mine to similar aged loweyders 2s online and was disappointed. But if you saying there 7-15 slow, So I should treat them as 50ish days old?

I will stop with the nutes now and just use water.

 

[cflauto]

Couple more snaps for you guys.

 

[Jhhnn]

Thank you, Aridbud. My 2 autoflower experiments, Ultraviolet & Syrup, finished right on the money, 68-70 days, but that was under 1000w all the way. The UV is excellent, heady, btw, while the Syrup had a bit of a boring high.

I think that seedmakers, in general, claim the minimum time to maturity under optimum conditions as a selling point. They might even exaggerate a bit in the process, too.

 

[cflauto]

From the start I knew mine would take longer then usual. I was just struggling to determine how close I was untill done. I would love to achieve a couch lock high, there's nothing better after a long day at work. Would that be mostly amber trichs?

 

[aridbud]

From the start I knew mine would take longer then usual. I was just struggling to determine how close I was untill done. I would love to achieve a couch lock high, there's nothing better after a long day at work. Would that be mostly amber trichs?

Hey cfl....looks like you've got it going on!! IMHO, no need to do anything but watch the trichomes and water when soil is dry 2-3" at the top.

Pics look great!! You want about 1/2 amber trichomes. If all are amber, it kind of like an over ripe banana or mango....past the point of perfect fruit. As an experiment, maybe cut @ 50/50 milky/amber, then leave a branch to fully "amber-ize" and see which you prefer.

Like Jhhnn, I like the cerebral buzz, and other strains, I like for pain...indica autos.

Be proud of what you've accomplished...it gets better every time you grow!!

 

[aridbud]

Thank you, Aridbud. My 2 autoflower experiments, Ultraviolet & Syrup, finished right on the money, 68-70 days, but that was under 1000w all the way. The UV is excellent, heady, btw, while the Syrup had a bit of a boring high.

I think that seedmakers, in general, claim the minimum time to maturity under optimum conditions as a selling point. They might even exaggerate a bit in the process, too.

@Jhhnn....I found Syrup to be an under performer, too. Ok, but not great.

Anyway, cfl...Jhhnn and I and others can guide you, but appears you are definitely on the right path. Keep following....and don't be afraid to experiment.

 

[cflauto]

Thankyou guys, I will be eagerly watching them. Will take more pics as they ripen.
Do you think they will fluff up a bit in these last weeks?

 

[dickcorn]

When I grow cfl autos it seems to add time till harvest. My lr2 looked like that about 2 weeks out. I run my autos 24/0 with great results, and am positive the finish quicker with a heavier yield. All other light schedules make them stretchier and reduce yield. Look healthy though!

 

[cflauto]

Good to know dickcorn, I have put my lights to 20/4 earlier today. But I read something somewhere that the dark period is where the flowering hormones thrive. Or is this just with normal photo sensitive cannabis?

 

[Jhhnn]

When I grow cfl autos it seems to add time till harvest. My lr2 looked like that about 2 weeks out. I run my autos 24/0 with great results, and am positive the finish quicker with a heavier yield. All other light schedules make them stretchier and reduce yield. Look healthy though!

Yes, I should have mentioned that I used the 24/0 light schedule, too. My experience is limited, for sure, but I get the impression that not all autoflowers will do well under those conditions. Some, I think, definitely need some dark to do their thing. If the seedmaker says 18/6, it can't be a mistake to follow that.

Your plants are looking good, cfl. Get one of those loupes & follow aridbud's advice about 50/50 trichomes to get that stoney couchlock effect you want. Gotta be patient, but there's no crime in a little bit of scientific sampling, either. The taste won't be right w/o a suitable cure, but you can get a fair idea of the effect.

 

[dickcorn]

Just wanted to add i wouldn't change the light schedule now, just for future reference . Autos can be pretty easily stressed.
Ps most breeders say 18/6 to save electricity, power is super cheap here so why not lol.

 

[al70]

sorry cfl, I didn't realise they were autos, they do look good though, goodluck.

 

[cflauto]

If I wanted just 1 bud for xmas day, when would be the best time to snip one. So I could dry n cure it? About nowish?