When is it time to go into Flowering stage

My first time growing bud, my plants are about 12-18" tall with 5 branches (sets) when do I know its time to put them into 12/12 lighting mode? I am growing Hydro

tia for your help

ps I have been reading lots of post and everyone seems great!!

 

This depends on which method of hydro you are using. Those using large DWC bubbler buckets like huge plants but most hydro growers have a lot of small plants. Do you have a bunch?

Don't answer that if it makes you feel funny. Lol...

It sounds big enough to me. But, I like em big like my ladies ya know. In reality though I now put more plants into flower at a smaller stage than I once did. It saves some veg time and young plants tend to stay healthier.

You need not wait for alternating nodes to flower. If they aren't alternating yet it might take it a bit longer to get buds growing is all. Consider a transplant now however unless the plant has lots of room left to root. Push the rootmass and get a great yield. Try some rooting hormones if you haven't already. They actually speed root mass growth and increase yields organically. This effect is similar to topping a plant many times as the roots split and create a finer mat of roots making for more. BOG

Dont give rooting enhancers in flower however or just in the very early stage only if you do.

 

I only have 4 plants growing now in 8" pots 50/50 verm,perlite. Do you have a easy way of checkin root mass?

 

Size of the pot is a pretty good way of checking root mass. 8" is tiny, no room for decent root growth. I'd repot into considerably larger pots if you wish to flower them.

 

12-18"in tall and only 5 nodes?? Definately, time to transplant. Sounds like they're kind of stretched. Though i don't know a whole lot about hydro, if they were in soil, i'd transplant them and veg for a bit longer to get a few more nodes. Also what kind of light are you using......this could be causing them to stretch. Anywho good luck.

- 42o -

 

My light is 400W MH I was incorrect about the height it is only 10" I will try to include a picture. I will post the photo in a few

 

Hereis the picture.

 

sorry thats the wrong one this is the plant that has a problem that I will post in a minute

 

Here is the correct one sorry

 

Wow, that's a rootbound plant if I ever saw a good example of one! Under MH you should have fantastic almost explosive growth. How old are the plants? Neither of those plants look healthy, especially the 1st one. Those yellow spots don't look good, they are classic signs of magnesium deficiency (treat with epsom salts). Those plants are way too small to go into flower, and they are so spindly that they probably wouldn't hold up under any bud should they produce any. Tinfoil is a really crap reflector as you lose loads of light and get hot-spots, you'd be far better with something painted with matt white paint as it is MUCH more reflective. Do you have a good grow book to hand?

 

I have ordered bogs book yesterday. the plants are about 4 weeks old. would you pinch the top to try to force more lateral growth? the new growth seems to have shorter inter nodes. ps I have lowered the light in the last few days. I am going to the basement to paint some boards.

 

You could try topping, but it may just result in two colas which doesn't neccessarily increase yeild. LST is a good way to bush out your plants if you have the patience and large enough pots (6 gals+)

 

Topping a plant once in veg usually has a few advantages if you veg long enough. Since the BOG Method runs 2 rooms the veg time matters little. The more branched and the fuller the canopy of the plant the more the likely yield. Topping more and vegging longer also produces even more but it takes time and the root mass is equally important to the outcome. I recommend topping once also because one large fat cola is more likely to mold.

Veg about 5 weeks and then transplant females and flower. This allows more rooting and more growing in flower giving more yield per plant in the end and a more profitable run. BOG