New Grower 3xDP Auto Blueberry in a 125/250W CFL SCROG grow

[dirty budster]

Day 34

Things have really picked up since I moved ABB#3. I think I was doing the plants a disservice by keeping them so tightly packed. In just two days they have filled up most of the empty space. I also lowered the screen to be able to spread them out even more, it's now around 15cm from the soil. They still look a little bit pale though. How long should you normally wait before adjusting the nute dosage? If I water and three days later they still look pale should I increase the dosage or stay at 1/2 dosage a bit longer?

I might also switch them over to bloom nutes, which with Hesi nutes is not a huge difference. The grow nutes are 3-2-3 and the bloom nutes are 3-3-4. Then you're supposed to add PK a bit later from a separate bottle, which is PK 7-5 used at half the amount of the other nutes.

ABB#3 has started budding up and showing some trichomes.

Canopy shot, I'm trying to keep the longer shoots around the edge, that way they get a bit more light and since they're at the edge they're not shadowing other bud sites. Last grow the biggest bud was actually in the corner of the tent, quite far away from the light but I had let it grow a bit taller than the others, mostly because I couldn't find any other place for it, all the squares around it were already full.
I'm thinking a bowl shape should be good. I could call it Thunderbowl: 3 plants enter, no plants leave :

 

[Grim Reefer]

Hey man nice growing they are really taking off. any time ive grown blueberry they havent seemed to like much past half strength so i wouldn't go much further than that.

 

[dirty budster]

Thanks for the hint Briain, I will keep that in mind. If there's one thing I learned from my first grow it's that a nute deficiency can be corrected, a nute burn, not so much.

I had a look today before watering and #2 and #3 were a darker green, #1 was still a bit pale. It also seems the stretch is more or less over so I switched them over to bloom nutes. I gave #2 and #3 1/5 dose and #1 2/5 dose, then I will see what they look like in a couple of days again. The pH of the run-off is still too high, today I watered with pH6.2 and it came out at 6.7-6.8. However, I haven't seen any signs of deficiencies.

 

[Grim Reefer]

Keeping your soil ph at 6.8 might be a good idea it will help with cal/mg. Does it always come out at 6.8? Whats it like when you water at 6.5?

 

[dirty budster]

Initially all three were at 6.5 in and 6.4-6.5 out. I did one watering with pH6.0 and run-off was at 6.6, 6.5 and 6.7 for plants 1,2 and 3. Next watering I increased the pH in to 6.2 and the run-off was at 6.6, 6.9 and 6.8. I also noticed that it takes a long time for the pH of the run-off to settle, 15-20min.
I had similar issues in my last grow but it was different for the different plants. One plant had high pH through the whole grow although I was feeding at pH5.8-6.0 almost the whole time. The other plants I managed to get the pH in the 6.5 range after a couple of feedings at lower pH. I'm really not sure what is going on this time.

I'm also wondering what the actual soil pH is because according to the formula 6.2 in and 6.9 out would mean a soil pH of 7.6 and I'm thinking at that point there would be some deficiencies. I will keep an eye on it though.

 

[dirty budster]

Day 38

The stretch is definitely over, there was virtually no vertical growth the past couple of days. I would have preferred to have the screen completely filled up out to the corners but at least the area where the light is most intense is filled up pretty well. On the flip-side this has been a very low maintenance grow so far. I did a few half hour scrogging sessions in there and I water them once every 3 days. Now all the bud-sites are in position so I just have to wait and watch it put on a bit of weight, hopefully. I'm shooting for 20-30g per plant which I still think should be doable.

I gave them another watering, this time with 2/5 of bloom nutes and 1/5 phosphorus+. I thought it was time to add in the PK, not exactly sure when the best time to add it in is. I think I will keep feeding with extra PK for about 2 weeks. Hesi recommends using the phos+ from week 3 of flower until flush but last time I had some nute burn due to the PK so I'm not sure if I will continue with it for that long. So far they seem to be pretty happy with a light feeding schedule.
As far as the pH is concerned it's still coming out high. It is very consistent though, the same plant is giving me virtually the same run-off pH every time. What I did this time was a slurry test. I took a small cup and filled it about 2/3 with soil taken from slightly below the surface. I mixed it with distilled water and let it sit for 1 hour. I then measured the pH at 6.1. What I can't figure out is if the soil is really 6.1 and the water is going in at 6.0, how can the run-off be 6.5?

I'm also not sure which measurement to trust? I think I will do a watering at pH6.5 next time and see what I get then. I have to mention that I made the distilled water myself. I placed a glass bowl inside a large pot with a bit of water at the bottom. I then placed the lid on upside down and put cold water in it. You bring the water to a simmer and the steam then condenses on the lid and drips in to the bowl. It seemed like a reasonable way to do it and I would expect it to work.

The light is now about 5 cm, or 2 inches, away from the closest bud. I let the main colas grow a bit more above the screen to give them a bit more light.

 

[dirty budster]

They got another watering, this time with 1/5 bloom and 2/5 phos+ as they looked like they had enough nitrogen. This time I watered with pH6.4 and the run-off is still in the 6.6-6.7 range. Still haven't figured out what's going on there but the plants look pretty happy so it can't be too bad.

Day 42

Things are going pretty well, no major issues. It looks like there is a bit of bleaching in the center from the light. I didn't know that was possible with CFL. I backed it off a bit and its now around 7cm or so from the tops. I might lower it a bit later in flower, not sure if the bleaching hurts anything though?

Close-up shot of the main cola on ABB#1. This plant has looked a bit runty from the start and the growth was always a bit spindly and weak. However, it seems to have picked up and the bud growth looks pretty good. I might get some decent buds from this one still.

Main cola of ABB#3, this one seems to be the furthest along and it's starting to put on some weight.

ABB#3 is starting to get frosty as well. There's already quite a lot of cloudy trichomes. It seem to be in a hurry to finish.

I just got my new Extreme Q vaporizer today so I'm off to play with that for a bit:booya:

 

[Grim Reefer]

Hey man if your not having problems keep your feed ph at 6.5 and leave your soil ph alone. If its working now why bother fix it? anyway that ph for your soil is good helps keep the cal/mg at bay. Keep up the good work.

 

[Micro]

Very nice grow mate!:karma Cloud:

 

[dirty budster]

Hey man if your not having problems keep your feed ph at 6.5 and leave your soil ph alone. If its working now why bother fix it? anyway that ph for your soil is good helps keep the cal/mg at bay. Keep up the good work.

Yeah, I'm kinda leaning that way myself. I will keep watering at 6.5 as long as there are no issues. Thanks for the hint on the nutes, I've stayed with a light schedule and they seem happy with that.

Very nice grow mate!:karma Cloud:

Thanks man! I'm glad to hear it :smokebuds: