I recently just jarred my second grow and I’ll be honest I still feel it’s not worth it for me, I can buy MUCH better smoke with selection from my guy, so my mission is to understand where I’m messing up.
Ill just say that my idea is not to grow commercial looking buds, I just want good looking dense and tasty buds, something I’d happily share with friends without thinking two times, unfortunately the way my buds look now leafs (pun intendet) a lot to be desired.
Set up: (both times), soil, 5 gallon pot, full spec LED 100W, autoflower seeds (from famous european companies)
In both of my grows I had the same issue during flowering, as soon as the plant switches bronze colored spots would appear on leafs and theid start curling upwards and completely dry from the tip inwards, it was 1:1 in both grows so the error mus be consistent.
And I think because of this I cant get the buds to fatten up, I know the ruderalis gene, but still my yields are ridiculous, 1 oz dried of fluff.
I put both pictures with flash and not so you can see that the plant actually develops, this Skywalker haze gets me really high so that not a problem.
But this buds have NO MEAT, it’s pure leafs, not a single calix in sight, I never saw my buds actually fatten up towards the end like in the time lapses (I know ideal conditions, but in my case after developing crystals buds just stop growing). I even do my own timelapses to see what happens with the plant and in the last weeks it just does nothing and drinks.
This Skywalker was cut a week after the advised time also. (The buds from my previous grow look EXACTLY the same)
Plants will struggle with this and fluffy buds is indeed a symptom of poor lighting. The general recommendation is 200 watts per plant. 100 watts is just not enough.
Please edit out your F bomb. We don’t do that here.
this is most likely your culprit and may not be a true 100 watt fixture. Generally 35 watts per square ft of quality lighting. I use 50 watts but adjust the intensity. Not all lights are created equal and so many knock offs out there with false advertisements. Look into an HLG fixture or ones that have Samsung H or B series diodes. The H series has a little more efficiency. You’ll spend more money on a quality fixture but you’ll notice a big difference in bud development and quality
Yeah thats the answer I was expecting, because online the information regarding lights is “incremental”, first they tell you the amazon blurple is enough and then you learn 100watts are not enough for even one plant.
I’d gladly edit it if the forum let me…
The SF light is built with Samsung LM301b diodes. It’s a good light, but it’s just not enough. Look for Samsung LM301b or LM301h diodes when you get new lighting. They are the most capable LEDs on the market and are far more capable than previous generation diodes.
SF used to build burples, but they started putting out good lights in the last year or 2. Your light is not a burple.
HLG uses LM301h diodes, which are ~10% more efficient than the b model. Mars Hydro and SF both use LM301b diodes. The b model is fine. It’s what I run, but I run 320 watts above my plants. It’s a bit overkill, but it works well for me. You can do fine with 200 watts.
Yes I’m aware it’s not blurple, that why originally I wrote full spec. Honestly this light did seem decent to me at the time and I bought it with a wild discount so that why I ended up with it.
My other problem is the size of the tent, its 60x60cm or 23,5x23,5inch. Can I find 200 watt lights for that size or is it gonna get cramped and I need a bigger tent?
Thanks for the suggestions I’ll take a look. For now I’m looking around, I’m ready to spend the right amount for a good result but i woudn’t want to go over 450 euros
I might also suggest growing photo period plants. Autos can , even under good lighting, still be lighter and have a looser bud structure. As you said the autos are getting you stoned, but if bag appeal is wanted then photo period plants will perform better.
Heres the 320xl i have with measurments. Also the 2 photos i have under it. The one on the right is Granddaddy Purp and the one on the left is Durban Poison. At 24 inches im getting a PPFD of 800. They are starting week 5 of flower
Between the light being too small and what @Spiney_norman said about autos they have you covered.
I have grown autos under 720 actual wattage leds, (Meanwell driver ratings) and still had fluffy buds off autos. 4 Super lemon haze autos and 2 were solid, one was descent and one looked just like your flowers, super airy and light. but the plant was 54 inches tall and put out over 5oz.of fluffy buds.
Light is the biggest issue with autos but sometimes you can’t overcome the genetics that the ruderalis genes bring.
This is 100% my next step, for now I need to finish these auto seeds I bought but I realized (especially thanks to external opinions) that photos are the best plant to grow
Thanks for sharing this info, this is a thing I’m worried about that maybe even with a new light the seed I plant will be again a fluffy ruderalis pheno. I for sure will try a couple more seeds I have of autos but for sure Ill change to photos as soon as possible
Dont feel bad bro. I feel the same way. I think alot of us are mislead the way autos are advertised. The reason i stick to photos. A hell of alot easier to grow, i can lst and manifold all i want to control height and bud sites, and they are a hell of alot more forgiving. Its on my time, not theirs
Whether you grow autos or photos your buds will be more dense if you let them fully ripen. From the pics of your buds it looks to me like the pistils were still long and outstretched. Maybe could have used another week or two to finish up.
Of course what everyone else told you about light is important as well.
Autos are a racket. They are inferior genetically, and ruderalis is ditch weed and as long as its in the wood pile your not going to get the buds you are looking for.
this is most likely your culprit and may not be a true 100 watt fixture. Generally 35 watts per square ft of quality lighting. I use 50 watts but adjust the intensity. Not all lights are created equal and so many knock offs out there with false advertisements. Look into an HLG fixture or ones that have Samsung H or B series diodes. The H series has a little more efficiency. You’ll spend more money on a quality fixture but you’ll notice a big difference in bud development and quality 
