Is my indoor grow really an outdoor grow?

[skip]

Thought this might interest some people. I live in Spain and wanted to utilise the long sunny days we have right now. So my plants spend the days in front of open balcony doors. They get good light all day including 5 or 6 hours of direct sun. Then when the sun goes down i move them under 5 x 25w cfl's for another 4 or 5 hours, then lights out until next mornings sun. (several people commented in one of my earlier threads that the extra period of artificial lighting was a good idea).

Meanwhile i'm building a grow room where I plan to flower the plants under more / bigger lights.

Well, all was going well until a few days ago when the lowest 2 leaves of all my plants started to turn yellow. I use good soil, distilled water only and don't overwater. I posted a thread asking for advice on the yellow leaves and the general consensus was a nitrogen deficiency so I went to the grow shop to buy ferts. Well, the guy in the shop said something interesting which I welcome your comments on. He said that my grow was actually an outdoor grow and that the extra artificial light was not needed, and was even a bad idea that he thought was causing the yellow leaf prob. He suggested to stick to the sun, let off the cfl's and give the plants a rest when the sun goes down.

What do you think? Agree or disagree?

[sabre61fan]

I don't know if that is what is causing the yellowing but I too have heard that mixing the sun with lights is not a good idea.

Good luck with your grow

[skip]

Originally Posted by sabre61fan

I don't know if that is what is causing the yellowing but I too have heard that mixing the sun with lights is not a good idea.

Good luck with your grow

Thanks for that sabre61fan. I guess that maybe it kinda makes sense, although I thought that the more light the better.

Anyone else have any thoughts or comments? I'm relying on the advice of the experienced growers here to help with this. Thanks.

[jimjumper]

yellowing lower leaves usually occurs as the plant matures. This is quite a natural phenomenon as the plant no longer has need of these older energy gatherers which have, in effect, become redundant, but if they were not discarded, would divert energy away from the task at hand: flower production!

im not sure about what that guy told you, but to me it does just sound like the leaves need to be cut off. how old are your plants?

i mean if the whole plant suddenly yellows and wilts, be wary...but don't jump to early conclusins and maybe start treating the plant for some non-existent disease, and thereby perhaps creating a REAL problem...

[skip]

Originally Posted by jimjumper

yellowing lower leaves usually occurs as the plant matures. This is quite a natural phenomenon as the plant no longer has need of these older energy gatherers which have, in effect, become redundant, but if they were not discarded, would divert energy away from the task at hand: flower production!

im not sure about what that guy told you, but to me it does just sound like the leaves need to be cut off. how old are your plants?

i mean if the whole plant suddenly yellows and wilts, be wary...but don't jump to early conclusins and maybe start treating the plant for some non-existent disease, and thereby perhaps creating a REAL problem...

Thanks jimjumper. My plants are 3 weeks and 2 days old. First the cotys went yellow and died (though I realise that is normal), then the 2 lowest leaves on all the plants started to lighten. On 4 of the plants it doesn't seem to have got anyworse, but on 1 plant it has def got worse - it's 2 lowest leaves r now very yellow and 2 of the upper sets are starting to turn pale yellow too. So, naturally I got worried. The plant seems happy, it is upright and none of the leaves are drooping (even the yellow ones!). Maybe it's just a water issue.

[Rabiez]

Originally Posted by skip

Thanks jimjumper. My plants are 3 weeks and 2 days old. First the cotys went yellow and died (though I realise that is normal), then the 2 lowest leaves on all the plants started to lighten. On 4 of the plants it doesn't seem to have got anyworse, but on 1 plant it has def got worse - it's 2 lowest leaves r now very yellow and 2 of the upper sets are starting to turn pale yellow too. So, naturally I got worried. The plant seems happy, it is upright and none of the leaves are drooping (even the yellow ones!). Maybe it's just a water issue.

3 weeks? Your plant is crying out for Nitrogen, as you have already been told.

Feed it.

As for the lighting situation, I'd leave it to the Spanish sun.

[ganjagrowgrady]

^^^^ completely agree, i would give em some nitrogen and stick em outside n leave em there, did u see spanish fly's widow grow last year in spain?? 4 pounds off 1 plant!

[skip]

Originally Posted by Rabiez

3 weeks? Your plant is crying out for Nitrogen, as you have already been told.

Feed it.

As for the lighting situation, I'd leave it to the Spanish sun.

I thought the same. As I said I had gone to the grow shop to buy fert, but the guy there claimed that the soil im using is good enough for 4 weeks and i should wait on fert. Yeah, now im confused.

[skip]

Originally Posted by ganjagrowgrady

^^^^ completely agree, i would give em some nitrogen and stick em outside n leave em there, did u see spanish fly's widow grow last year in spain?? 4 pounds off 1 plant!

thanks - will check out spanish flys grow. I would put them right outside if i had a garden but i live on first floor. They sit in front of open balcony doors, so they get good light all day including around 5 hours direct sun per day.