First time grow questions

[msisaves]

Hey guys, first time growing anything and just had a couple of quick questions. Approximately, how much longer until harvest? I just stopped using the only fert I've used the entire grow, Miracle Grow Bloom Booster. I flushed the soil earlier this week. Do you think it was the right time to stop using the 'bloom booster'? I've got quite a few leaves at the bottom of the plant dying and have cut off several of the bottom branches. What could be causing this or is it to be expected. Any tips/pointers would be great! Thanks for any help.

i'm not sure about harvesting, but it's looking pretty good

[llamabox]

I'm going to put out a guess and say you still have like 5-6 weeks left in the flowering stage. From the pics I would think that they have only been flowering for a couple weeks.

[golly]

Pretty normal for the lower leaves to yellow and die off , as energy is being channelled to the flowering tops which have the most light...

[siam_jim]

you got no less than another 4 weeks to go. usually stop feeding 2 weeks before harvest.

your 4th pics looks like serious fert burn and the drooping like from too much water...possible check for root rot as you are concern on the large numbers of leaves turning yellow, but its usually to see them yellowing later into the flowering.

siam

[msisaves]

I changed the light cycle from 16/8 to 12/12 the first week of December. This is my very first attempt at growing and actually found this plant in my front yard. So, it's probably a good idea to continue with the 'Bloom Booster' for another week you think? Thanks for all the great help guys.

[siam_jim]

show a pic of the most recent colas


siam

[msisaves]

What are colas? The pictures I posted were taken the same day. Let me know what you need a pic of and I'll definitely get an updated pic.

Every calyx has 2 hairs, thats a flower, a cluster of flowers is a bud,(in the case of cannabis), a cluster of buds is a cola.

It looks as tho those photos are of a blant about 2 weeks into flowering/3 to 4 weeks into 12/12photo period.

From the date of those pics, you've got at least 6 weeks if its an 8 week til bud variety,but cannabis can take alot more than 8 weeks, some times only 5 weeks, but sometimes more than 12.

Most indo varieties are 8 weeks, if thats your plants source it'll probablly take that long, but if you find a plant or find a seed, it's not unlikley that it'll be more like 10 weeks.

When 12/12 is initiated, the plants begin to "bolt" do to an increase in auxin levels, by the same chemical reaction they begin to flower as they are bolting. When this vetical growth stops the flowers will become more plentiful filling out the space they are in, when this flower formation begins to slow and vertical growth is over, stop fertalizing, and after you flush with water, keep water to a minimim.

When vertical growth and flower emergance stops, the plant doesnt need water to grow, only to retain its constitution. Excess H2O will slow time to harvest, and increase chances of molds/rot.

After vetical growth and flower emergence come to pass, the calyx really begin to swell, tho some have already began, they really start to swell in the last couple of weeks(if you have an 8 to 10 week strain).

When I was growing up there was a safe way to eye-ball harvest time.

When 70% of the hairs have turned color, pick 'em.

But if you have a realativly good magnifying glass, or a trained eye, watch the trichomes(crystals) develope, this is the best indicator for harvest time.

If you pay attention to the trichome development you'll watch them turn from tiny hairs to things swollen with oil that looks like a mini-mushroom, when th trichomes are at there plumpest, its time to pluck

[msisaves]

Wow, thanks for the great response. Very detailed. Thank you very much. I'll keep everyone posted.

[malefacter]

for about $10 radio shack has a pocket microscope that goes from 60x-100x magnification when aprox 50%-75% of the mushroom things start to turn from clear to opaque its harvest time

as far as the watering goes wait till the pot seems a bit light before watering and use peralite in the soil mix to help drainage and brings air to the roots its kinda hard to tell from the pics but leafs curling like that can be over or under watering if the leafs are kinda limp its under if not then its over

l