Makeshift Greenhouse Problems

Cadfael · Nov 29, 2016

Brown_thumb, I am a little confused. You say your plants are too short, and by looking at your pictures, your internodal spacing is quite compact. But if you remove some lights your plants start to stretch.

Isn't that what you want? Plants that are taller? What is your target size for veg? Target size for flower?

Plants with too much light intensity usually won't grow tall since there is no need.

I usually grow 3 foot bushes. And for plants at that size I have them under a simple 4' T12 Florescent. This causes them to jump a bit, usually with a bamboo stake added for strength on the main stalk until they lay enough mass.

brown_thumb · Nov 29, 2016

I don't have a 'target size' for veg or flower. I just want the healthiest/best buds I can get. I'm improving at not killing my plants but they're not growing as they should. Aren't these quite small and immature for how old they are (see posted images)?

Cadfael · Nov 29, 2016

Yes I agree that they are undersized.

Try lowering your plants or raising your lights. See if that causes a bump to jump start them.

If that doesn't work in a few days. I would look at the trimming out some nodes.

When I have had dwarfing issues. I will go in and remove nodes (potential branches) and that will jump start them.

brown_thumb · Nov 29, 2016

Okay, I'll try that in a few days. Others have stated that maybe my lights are too weak, so I moved them closer. They're now 100-200mm (4-8 inches) away from the leaves. If things don't improve in a week or if leaves start to show light burn then I'll move the lights farther away.

EastCoast710 · Nov 29, 2016

brown_thumb said:
I've been trying to grow in a makeshift greenhouse and I can't get everything right. I'm getting a little better at not killing my plants but I'm still a LOUSY grower. My seeds always pop and break through soil but they always slow down after they reach 50mm height. I've improved every aspect of what I'm doing and it's getting a tiny bit better but my plants are still stunted. My 8 week old plants are 150mm tall, 6 week old are 100mm and 3 week old are only 50mm. I'm thinking it's my supplemental grow lights are not enough. I bought some 315w Philips Agro lights but I can't yet afford to pay an electrician to run the power to them.

I'm so friggin' frustrated I could pull my hair out!!

I might relegate the greenhouse to raising only vegetables and move the 'special' plants inside to an unused closet where I can better maintain lighting, humidity, temperature, etc. But that will cost even more money to set up. Since I seem to kill everything I try to grow, that will likely be a complete waste also.

Arrrrgh!!!

if you lived closer to me .. with my back. I cant work a lot of jobs.. id fucking work for pay to help you get that grow actually pulling good numbers of really high quality shit

brown_thumb · Nov 29, 2016

EastCoast710 said:
if you lived closer to me .. with my back. I cant work a lot of jobs.. id fucking work for pay to help you get that grow actually pulling good numbers of really high quality shit

Do you have any plans to visit San Antonio, the River Walk, the Alamo or the Missions?

aridbud · Nov 30, 2016

EastCoast710 said:
if you lived closer to me .. with my back. I cant work a lot of jobs.. id fucking work for pay to help you get that grow actually pulling good numbers of really high quality shit

Nice gesture.

Levitationofme · Nov 30, 2016

Catch-22

mr.brunch · Nov 30, 2016

How often are you watering? Over watering can and does stunt plants.. I find it best to let em almost dry out between waterings (not too dry though).
I only ask because in the pics I see a little yellowing on some lower leaves, and possibly a lil mold on the sides of the pots.
Good luck

HazyBulldog · Nov 30, 2016

Could it be issues with your water?

Try a top dress of gypsum on one plant and see what happens.

Tri_Cho_Me · Nov 30, 2016

For a new grower, I would start with less plants. The more plants you have, the more things can go wrong. Also, with the lights you have, less plants might be better. Have the same amount of lights pointing at fewer plants. That might up you wattage per square foot.

Like who_dat_is pointed out. Keep poking around on here and learning as much as possible. Don't try to make this harder than it is. It's a weed after all.

Tri_Cho_Me

BrainSellz · Nov 30, 2016

As Who Dat said, just get some decent soil and repot them. Less experience needed, will make your life easier. Cocoa can be like a science project for first time growers. From the what I've read considering your minimal lighting, I believe a good soil will get you from beginning to end just fine. Either that or go bald

rolandomota · Nov 30, 2016

Your bigger plants are flowering you need at least 15 hours or more of light to keep them growing or else they start to flower at one month or six weeks of growing and they use up the nutrients in the soil really quickly. Plant in bigger containers with potting mix from the store no mixing anything. Plants that small need water once or twice a week at most depending on temperature it's colder now so once a week should be enough. I say transplant in 3 gallon containers and use one of the bigger lights at 18 on 6 off for a month or two in some potting soil mix and have the flowering nutrients you want to use ready because they will need it. The two plants on the far left look like they need a month to harvest and a bit starved of flowering nutes

Pinnate · Nov 30, 2016

brown_thumb said:
Awe crap... then I'm DOOMED. I need the medicinal effects of the plants to calm my anxiety... but my anxiety is killing my plants.

I've used water-permeable pots in the distant past and they were always problematic ─ I'd re-pot into plastic with trays for runoff!

Using water (rainwater or distilled) that's been freed of its salts will also help!

brown_thumb · Nov 30, 2016

mr.brunch said:
How often are you watering? Over watering can and does stunt plants.. I find it best to let em almost dry out between waterings (not too dry though).
I only ask because in the pics I see a little yellowing on some lower leaves, and possibly a lil mold on the sides of the pots.
Good luck

I've been waiting for the pots to nearly dry out and become fairly light when I pick them up. I've been using the condensate from a window air conditioner, adjusting PH and adding Emerald Harvest nutrients as directed. It appeared I was having cal/mag issues so I've been adding epsom salt because I had no Ca/Mag to use (I ordered some). Since then, I've learned that there might be a chloride deficiency so I switch to tap water. There is mold on the sides of the pots.

brown_thumb · Nov 30, 2016

HazyBulldog said:
Could it be issues with your water?

Try a top dress of gypsum on one plant and see what happens.

I'll order some gypsum. No one in the small town nearby has many (if any) gardening supplies this time of year.

brown_thumb · Nov 30, 2016

Tri_Cho_Me said:
For a new grower, I would start with less plants. The more plants you have, the more things can go wrong. Also, with the lights you have, less plants might be better. Have the same amount of lights pointing at fewer plants. That might up you wattage per square foot.

Like who_dat_is pointed out. Keep poking around on here and learning as much as possible. Don't try to make this harder than it is. It's a weed after all.

Tri_Cho_Me

Thank you. I'll address the two suggestions separately.

NUMBER OF PLANTS: Up until now, I've killed 9 out of 10 plants. Now, most seedlings survive but are severely stunted. I owe the person who provided the labor to build the greenhouse, I need medicine and two others need medicine. So even if 15 plants thrived and produced well, I'm guessing I'd still be short what's needed.

CONCENTRATION OF LIGHTS: I don't think I can get the lights much closer together... but maybe a little bit. I have 4 315w CMH light fixtures, 2 with Philips Agro 3100K and 2 with Master Color 4200K bulbs but I'm currently short on funds and can't pay an electrician to run the 220v power to them. BTW, I'm only running the LEDs 12/12 because that bright purple light shines through the sides of the greenhouse and surely attracts curious eyes. This time of year the greenhouse gets very little sunlight plus the translucent white panels (necessary for privacy) block much of the light too. So the LEDs run all day and about 2 hours after dark. Once I have the Philips white lights running, I'll change to 16/8 for vegetative growth because white light draws less attention than purple light... plus I'll have a tall privacy fence up by then too.

brown_thumb · Nov 30, 2016

rolandomota said:
Your bigger plants are flowering you need at least 15 hours or more of light to keep them growing or else they start to flower at one month or six weeks of growing and they use up the nutrients in the soil really quickly. Plant in bigger containers with potting mix from the store no mixing anything. Plants that small need water once or twice a week at most depending on temperature it's colder now so once a week should be enough. I say transplant in 3 gallon containers and use one of the bigger lights at 18 on 6 off for a month or two in some potting soil mix and have the flowering nutrients you want to use ready because they will need it. The two plants on the far left look like they need a month to harvest and a bit starved of flowering nutes

I've been wondering if the 12/12 light cycle was too short, causing stunted growth and premature flowering. Once I get my privacy fence up that will change. I probably am still overwatering. I guess I should wait until the leaves begin to droop a bit. I have 5 gallon buckets to move them to once they get bigger. But the tallest plants I have are only 150mm (6 inches).

brown_thumb · Nov 30, 2016

BrainSellz said:
As Who Dat said, just get some decent soil and repot them. Less experience needed, will make your life easier. Cocoa can be like a science project for first time growers. From the what I've read considering your minimal lighting, I believe a good soil will get you from beginning to end just fine. Either that or go bald

I bought Victory Sea Blend but without amendments it holds water too readily. That, together with me overwatering, I rotted the roots. The second attempt I cut the Sea Blend with a mix of rice hulls, perlite and vermiculite (mostly perlite) and this seemed to help but the soil was still staying too damp. The third attempt (this grow) I further cut the Sea Blend with amendments. Now, there's only 1:3 mix of the potting soil to amendments (only 25 percent of the Sea Blend vs. amendments). This drains well and holds moisture appropriately (I think). But I'm probably still overwatering. I'll try waiting for the leaves to droop a bit.

aridbud · Nov 30, 2016

Perlite....add perlite to whatever you are growing. I think combo rice hulls (which bloat up and perlite...too much! Keep it simple!

Too, those coconut fiber pots....they seem to held IN water instead of draining.

Well, you're learning.

NEXT grow will be better.....better soil (with PERLITE!), new light, maybe different containers.

We go to a nursery and buy their discarded black nursery buckets. Even though the fabric or air pots might improve our grow techniques....black plastic buckets for the WIN!

Good luck!

Makeshift Greenhouse Problems

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