Opinions on best perpetual grow

[Beesbuds]

Hi I was looking for anyone's opinion on how to best use my 3 tents.
I have a 2x2, 4x4 and an 8x4. My thoughts on it was to start seeds (photoperiods) in the 2x2, 8x1.5gal pots, fill out the canopy transplant to 5gal and move them to the 8x4 for another couple weeks of veg then flower.
Meanwhile after moving them start new seeds seeds in 2x2 (autoflowers) 4x3gal pots after 3 or 4 weeks depending on size move them to 4x4 to finish up for another 5 or 6 weeks.
Once the autos are moved start new (photoperiod) seeds and continue the process.
Feeding either the 4x4 or the 8x4 with new plants ready to flower every few week's.
Would love to hear other ideas or suggestions or what do you think of my idea

 

[Tolerance Break]

I would avoid autos or go all in on autos. Balancing the two sounds like an unnecessary pain in the ass.

If you're starting from seed every time, you're going to run into issues with water and harvest timing, plant structure, and consistency.

I would advise running a mother plant, multiple mothers if you have room, taking a shit ton of clones, an doing a sog or scrog staggered between both tents.. If you want to change out mothers after that, so be it, but this way will at least keep a level of consistency that's manageable.

Your skill and spare time are factors I'm unable to account for, so this is all relative.

 

[2WorldsFrog]

I would advise running a mother plant, multiple mothers if you have room, taking a shit ton of clones, an doing a sog or scrog staggered between both tents.

This is sound advice.
Personally, I would keep two moms, one to supply each tent. They could be different strains to keep your smoke varied. It's not hard to keep moms in a 2x2 if you manage their size. Get a humidity dome setup for the clones and read up on it. I've kept one on the shelf of a closet with a small LED with good results.
Also, I would use the 4x4 for veg of whatever is in cycle, and the 4x8 for flowering. With separate lights for each side of the 4x8 you can easily adjust for plant height. Scrog is great, but only if you can access all sides of the screen, reaching sucks. Sog's only enemy is plant count, but it doesn't sound like that's something you're worried about.
I've done SOG clones in 2 gallon grow bags for the full cycle, pruned to only have 4 colas growing. It gave me about an ounce per plant, had a small footprint, and was easy to water and prune. Downside to small pots is more watering, but there's always a work around.
Ultimately, the way I describe can yield around 1lb every 5 weeks, depending on strain, flowering times, and plant count.
Just my $0.02

 

[Herb & Suds]

The only way I was successful with a perpetual was with clones
Clone to clone specifically

 

[coreywebster]

This is like my set up and many more I've set up for others.

4x4 for veg, 8x4 for flower.
2x2 for clones.

Pot up four clones with a good root structure.
Place in the 4x4 (I used 400-600 mh)
Veg them 5 weeks. You can individually scrog them in separate frames or train how ever you like.

After 5 weeks put them in one half of the 8x4 to fill that half on 12/12 (I use about 600w of led per half)

Soon as they are in that tent replace them in the veg tent with another 4 , repeat the process.

5 week later fill the second half of the flower tent.

Now you have two crops, one just about to start flowering , the other half way through.

4 more in the veg tent... 5 weeks later the first crops finished and replaced with the new crop.

Harvest every 5 weeks.

Take clones from the lower branches of the vegging plants.. more than you need.
Once rooted keep them in small pots until you need them

 

[xox]

This is like my set up and many more I've set up for others.

4x4 for veg, 8x4 for flower.
2x2 for clones.

Pot up four clones with a good root structure.
Place in the 4x4 (I used 400-600 mh)
Veg them 5 weeks. You can individually scrog them in separate frames or train how ever you like.

After 5 weeks put them in one half of the 8x4 to fill that half on 12/12 (I use about 600w of led per half)

Soon as they are in that tent replace them in the veg tent with another 4 , repeat the process.

5 week later fill the second half of the flower tent.

Now you have two crops, one just about to start flowering , the other half way through.

4 more in the veg tent... 5 weeks later the first crops finished and replaced with the new crop.

Harvest every 5 weeks.

Take clones from the lower branches of the vegging plants.. more than you need.
Once rooted keep them in small pots until you need them

i like this idea, one question where are you hanging and drying the 4 plants as you do perpetual is there a fourth tent?

 

[Beesbuds]

[

This is like my set up and many more I've set up for others.

4x4 for veg, 8x4 for flower.
2x2 for clones.

Pot up four clones with a good root structure.
Place in the 4x4 (I used 400-600 mh)
Veg them 5 weeks. You can individually scrog them in separate frames or train how ever you like.

After 5 weeks put them in one half of the 8x4 to fill that half on 12/12 (I use about 600w of led per half)

Soon as they are in that tent replace them in the veg tent with another 4 , repeat the process.

5 week later fill the second half of the flower tent.

Now you have two crops, one just about to start flowering , the other half way through.

4 more in the veg tent... 5 weeks later the first crops finished and replaced with the new crop.

Harvest every 5 weeks.

Take clones from the lower branches of the vegging plants.. more than you need.
Once rooted keep them in small pots until you need them

Really like that idea. Up until now I was planting and vegging in the 4x4 until it was full then moving them to the 8x4 for flower. Usually it would fill the 8x4 by the 3 or 4th week. But I got my hands on a 2x2 and I had a spare light so thought I could move things quicker. This is a good idea because your way I don't have such a large amount to harvest.

 

[Beesbuds]

This is like my set up and many more I've set up for others.

4x4 for veg, 8x4 for flower.
2x2 for clones.

Pot up four clones with a good root structure.
Place in the 4x4 (I used 400-600 mh)
Veg them 5 weeks. You can individually scrog them in separate frames or train how ever you like.

After 5 weeks put them in one half of the 8x4 to fill that half on 12/12 (I use about 600w of led per half)

Soon as they are in that tent replace them in the veg tent with another 4 , repeat the process.

5 week later fill the second half of the flower tent.

Now you have two crops, one just about to start flowering , the other half way through.

4 more in the veg tent... 5 weeks later the first crops finished and replaced with the new crop.

Harvest every 5 weeks.

Take clones from the lower branches of the vegging plants.. more than you need.
Once rooted keep them in small pots until you need them

Although I'm not really into the idea of clones. I understand it's better for consistency but honestly I'd get bored very fast. I love to grow from seed and do different varieties all the time.

 

[coreywebster]

i like this idea, one question where are you hanging and drying the 4 plants as you do perpetual is there a fourth tent?

Previously I had a cabinet , I wet trim so just netting with pc fan .
Currently have a 2x2 with 60cm net racks and 4" fan and filter which exhausts into veg tent.
I can throw that on top of my other tent when not in use , cuz my current room is tightspace wise

 

[coreywebster]

Although I'm not really into the idea of clones. I understand it's better for consistency but honestly I'd get bored very fast. I love to grow from seed and do different varieties all the time.

Yeah I can appreciate that. Just adds too much time for me and very importantly adds risk.. a herm and two crops can be ruined if your not careful. Which is one of the downsides of perpetual...

I had that happen years ago when I used to run 3 stages of flower instead of 2 and it sets you back to square one.. which is a sickener

 

[Gemtree]

I have a veg area and two flower tents 5 weeks apart. Veg and clone whatever then whatever’s big enough go into the flower tents

 

[Rocket Soul]

This is like my set up and many more I've set up for others.

4x4 for veg, 8x4 for flower.
2x2 for clones.

Pot up four clones with a good root structure.
Place in the 4x4 (I used 400-600 mh)
Veg them 5 weeks. You can individually scrog them in separate frames or train how ever you like.

After 5 weeks put them in one half of the 8x4 to fill that half on 12/12 (I use about 600w of led per half)

Soon as they are in that tent replace them in the veg tent with another 4 , repeat the process.

5 week later fill the second half of the flower tent.

Now you have two crops, one just about to start flowering , the other half way through.

4 more in the veg tent... 5 weeks later the first crops finished and replaced with the new crop.

Harvest every 5 weeks.

Take clones from the lower branches of the vegging plants.. more than you need.
Once rooted keep them in small pots until you need them

Hey Corey. How would you manage cleaning and sterilisation in the 8x4? If you continually have plants in there? Were doing something similar; 2 flower spaces on flipflop, one running during the day the other at night. Harvest every 5 weeks. But at least we have them in separate spaces which makes cleaning after flower possible.

 

[coreywebster]

Hey Corey. How would you manage cleaning and sterilisation in the 8x4? If you continually have plants in there? Were doing something similar; 2 flower spaces on flipflop, one running during the day the other at night. Harvest every 5 weeks. But at least we have them in separate spaces which makes cleaning after flower possible.

It's a pain in the ass Rocket.

Especially since I have wilma xxl systems these days which are 115cmx115cm

I drain the res on one side, take the lid off and out the room . Then I can walk in the base, hoover all crevices, like under the tent floor tray, wipe the tent walls with h2o2 solution and then swill out the res, dry everything with a t towel. Put the top of res in bath and spay it down.

I can get a hoover and mop round the other res while I'm at it .

 

[PopAndSonGrows]

You cam do perpetual grows from seed, no problem. You just have to time things out correctly; when you move plants from the 2x2 to the 4x8, keep those plants vegging for about 1-2 weeks while you start new seeds. Lets say the flowering run is done in 10 weeks, your 2x2 will have solidly vegged that whole time, and then rinse & repeat.

Easy peasy. The clone/mother thing is also a great idea, but me personally i can get seedlings to emerge quicker than i can get cuts to root.

 

[Beesbuds]

You cam do perpetual grows from seed, no problem. You just have to time things out correctly; when you move plants from the 2x2 to the 4x8, keep those plants vegging for about 1-2 weeks while you start new seeds. Lets say the flowering run is done in 10 weeks, your 2x2 will have solidly vegged that whole time, and then rinse & repeat.

Easy peasy. The clone/mother thing is also a great idea, but me personally i can get seedlings to emerge quicker than i can get cuts to root.

We'll see that's it, I can get great genetics and always have something different. Every seed I plant in soil germinates within 3 days, only maybe 2 seeds per year of planting doesn't wake up. Germinating is one of my favourite parts. I'll forget the autos I think

 

[Beesbuds]

You cam do perpetual grows from seed, no problem. You just have to time things out correctly; when you move plants from the 2x2 to the 4x8, keep those plants vegging for about 1-2 weeks while you start new seeds. Lets say the flowering run is done in 10 weeks, your 2x2 will have solidly vegged that whole time, and then rinse & repeat.

Easy peasy. The clone/mother thing is also a great idea, but me personally i can get seedlings to emerge quicker than i can get cuts to root.

So say germinate 4 in 2x2 no transplanting when it's full move them to 4x4 for immediate flower, plant 8 new seeds in 1 or 2 gal pots veg until full transplant to 5gal move to 8x4 veg 2 more weeks or so then flip. Meanwhile in the 2x2 there's 4 plants vegging for the 4x4. I think that could work

 

[Dameon187]

Yeah I can appreciate that. Just adds too much time for me and very importantly adds risk.. a herm and two crops can be ruined if your not careful. Which is one of the downsides of perpetual...

I had that happen years ago when I used to run 3 stages of flower instead of 2 and it sets you back to square one.. which is a sickener

When splitting the room are you not putting a divider so you're not ruining both crops. When being careful obviously. I admit I'm just reading comments and taking notes

 

[PopAndSonGrows]

So say germinate 4 in 2x2 no transplanting when it's full move them to 4x4 for immediate flower, plant 8 new seeds in 1 or 2 gal pots veg until full transplant to 5gal move to 8x4 veg 2 more weeks or so then flip. Meanwhile in the 2x2 there's 4 plants vegging for the 4x4. I think that could work

All yes, except I wouldn't immediately flower the moved plants, as stated give the new 2x2 seedlings a chance to sprout THEN flip the big plants.

 

[coreywebster]

When splitting the room are you not putting a divider so you're not ruining both crops. When being careful obviously. I admit I'm just reading comments and taking notes

I'm not physically dividing the space no, there's been occasions I wish I had though, kike pollination, thrip infestation.. so in someway it would be better to have two 4x4s over a 4x8 bit then I'd need more fans and filters and duct splitters and two environments.

But you are right, it can be a twat if things go wrong.. and they do sometimes, usually when you most need it not to.

 

[Dameon187]

I'm not physically dividing the space no, there's been occasions I wish I had though, kike pollination, thrip infestation.. so in someway it would be better to have two 4x4s over a 4x8 bit then I'd need more fans and filters and duct splitters and two environments.

But you are right, it can be a twat if things go wrong.. and they do sometimes, usually when you most need it not to.

from sounds of it you have much experience, I'm sure you got most of those under control then. All the best to the girls