2 weeks and not budding?

[Rastalion420]

It been 2 weeks with 12/12 light cycle and 4 23watts cfls on 2 of my females but they seem to show no sign of buds. They both are on daily tiger bloom nute in 5 gallon bucket. Does it take longer than 2 weeks to start budding or am I doing something wrong? It's my first grow.

[jinn420]

Depending on the strain and whether or not it's indica or sativa dominant yes it can take upwards of a month or more. Just make sure your feeding it more p than n or k and stick with 12/12 the plant will flower.

[Smawrpg]

I don't think thats enough light...should be 100w for one plant and 50 more watts per additional plants. You have 2 you said so you should be around 150w but you got less than 100.

[DoWorkSon]

Try putting them into complete darkness for 72 hrs. and then put them back onto the 12/12. Thats how i start mine into flowering, it has never failed me.

[jinn420]

Originally Posted by Smawrpg

I don't think thats enough light...should be 100w for one plant and 50 more watts per additional plants. You have 2 you said so you should be around 150w but you got less than 100.

I agree sounds like there only getting 6000 lumens and they'll need at least double that or more.

[jinn420]

Originally Posted by DoWorkSon

Try putting them into complete darkness for 72 hrs. and then put them back onto the 12/12. Thats how i start mine into flowering, it has never failed me.

That may work but it can have the side effect of causing too much stretching and can turn the plant into a hermes. If you run a photoperiod of 12/12 the plant will have no choice but to flower.

[jinn420]

And make sure there's no light leaks during the dark period since that'll screw things up.

[Rastalion420]

Originally Posted by jinn420

And make sure there's no light leaks during the dark period since that'll screw things up.

AHH. I been having light leaks on them from my other grow box for my babies. Definitly gonna find something to cover them females completely dark during the dark period.

[Rastalion420]

By the way, its 23W equivalent to 100W. I have 4 of those so it should be 400W. I though that was more than enough?

[jinn420]

Originally Posted by Rastalion420

By the way, its 23W equivalent to 100W. I have 4 of those so it should be 400W. I though that was more than enough?

Nah man I used to grow with only cfls and the watt equivalent rating is unreliable, you need to be more concerned with their lumens output which is probably 1600 per bulb. For a space the size of my closet( roughly 6'by 2') I would use 12-16 cfls. They can work great but you want at least 8000 lumens per plant for flowering. Vegging should be at a minimum 3-4000lumens. Good luck man

[xephyd]

the "equivalent wattage" ratings are the CFL outputs compared to incandescent bulbs. basically it's saying a 23 watt CFL puts out as much light as a 100 watt incandescent, but only uses 23 watts of power instead of 100 watts

i'll have to agree that you need more lights. aim for at least 150 watts (NOT the equivalent watts). also make sure you're using "soft white" / 2700K (color "temp", basically what color light it puts out) CFLs for flowering. i've also read [but not completely sure] that giving flowering plants both "softwhite"/2700K and "daylight"/5000K or higher helps them grow nicely.

"soft white" bulbs look slightly yellow/orange when on
"daylight" bulbs look bright white

so lets say you got 8x22 watt bulbs total, i would have 6 "softwhite" CFLs, with 2 "daylight" CFLs evenly mixed in

[DoWorkSon]

Originally Posted by jinn420

That may work but it can have the side effect of causing too much stretching and can turn the plant into a hermes. If you run a photoperiod of 12/12 the plant will have no choice but to flower.

NO, NO, it WILL work... there are no side effects from doing this, your plant will naturally stretch during flowering, also i really really really have to disagree with jinn420 this cant turn ur plants hermie. I have been using this same method to flower for years with no problem.

[jinn420]

Originally Posted by DoWorkSon

NO, NO, it WILL work... there are no side effects from doing this, your plant will naturally stretch during flowering, also i really really really have to disagree with jinn420 this cant turn ur plants hermie. I have been using this same method to flower for years with no problem.

Ok man you don't have to freak out and all its just not necessary is all I'm sayin. Been growin for close to 4 decades and can assure you your method isn't necessary but if that's what floats your boat then go for it. And despite your results it is stressful to deprive the plant of light for 3days. And yes I AM aware a plant stretches during flowering but if your growin indoors you wanna keep height down.

[DoWorkSon]

Originally Posted by jinn420

Ok man you don't have to freak out and all its just not necessary is all I'm sayin. Been growin for close to 4 decades and can assure you your method isn't necessary but if that's what floats your boat then go for it. And despite your results it is stressful to deprive the plant of light for 3days. And yes I AM aware a plant stretches during flowering but if your growin indoors you wanna keep height down.

HAHA freak out? whatever bro... this guy has been having problems getting his to flower by just throwing the plants into 12/12, im letting him know that this works to induce flowering.

[chunkdaddyo]

If you have ANY light leaks, it will slow flowering..........and the girls could use more light /lumens. My 2 cents.........