Hi! I'm new here and about to start my first grow (Seeds in the mail, grow set up almost finished) and was wondering many things.
*Sorry about the length, I just want to be very prepared after spending as much time and money as I have on something that doesn't exist yet.
1) Can I keep my plant under 18/6 to grow as large as it possibly can? Or after a certain amount of time is it ideal to switch to 12/12, even if the plant hasn't become significantly large?
1a) If the plant starts growing too large but isn't done growing could I switch to 12/12 to force it to stop?
1b) When the plant is done growing will it start producing half-assed buds on it's own to let me know that it's time for 12/12, or do I just assume it's ready at some point?
2) After I harvest, is the plant useless?
2a) Can it flower again?
2b) Can it still be pollinated, and produce seeds?
2c) How do you dispose of a plant? (I live in an apartment and can't just throw it down the garbage chute, it's a pot plant!)
2d) Can I clone it and have the clones grow and produce buds, even though the mother has already produced buds on the stem? What about being pollinated?
3) I've read that you can start clones at 12/12, but is that ideal? Wouldn't the clone produce more if it was under 18/6 until it grew up a bit?
3a) If I kept the clones under 12/12 from the start while they're still small, would they start flowering right away, and require less light to flower (because they're smaller)?
-Is the 12/12 because they're in a delicate state from just being chopped and planted, and can't handle the stress from the light?
4) I've been reading about topping, but all I've gathered from it, is that it's a good thing. What exactly does "topping" entail?
5) What are the ideal nute ratios for vegging and flowering?
5a) Why do people use numbers like 14/8/14 instead of 7/4/7? Is it a concentration thing?
5b) Are there any everyday items that are good to use? I've seen molasses but would I use that for the entire process? Would I have to adjust my nute ratio so the plant doesn't get too much of something?
6) Is it possible to collect pollen and store it to pollinate at a later date? If yes, how long would it last? (Looking for a reason to not be totally bummed out about getting a male)
7) Do the leaves possess any THC at all? If yes, only on females, or males too?
8 ) After finding a male plant, what do I do with it? Will I have to clean out the soil to ensure there's no pollen that could accidentally pollinate the next female to grow in that pot?
9) How long (on average) will the plant grow before it's possible to determine gender?
9a) How long of a period exists between being able to determine gender and pollination? (Don't want to find a male one day, not get to getting rid of it for a day and coming back to a seeding female)
10) How will I know when it's ready to harvest? If I harvest late will it have any effect on the pot?
I'm sure I'll have more questions, but this seemed like a lot to ask all at once. If you have read this, thank you! Any help at all is appreciated. I'll be sure to take pictures and keep a journal of my grow with special thanks to all that help along the way!
*Sorry about the length, I just want to be very prepared after spending as much time and money as I have on something that doesn't exist yet.
1) Can I keep my plant under 18/6 to grow as large as it possibly can? Or after a certain amount of time is it ideal to switch to 12/12, even if the plant hasn't become significantly large?
1a) If the plant starts growing too large but isn't done growing could I switch to 12/12 to force it to stop?
1b) When the plant is done growing will it start producing half-assed buds on it's own to let me know that it's time for 12/12, or do I just assume it's ready at some point?
2) After I harvest, is the plant useless?
2a) Can it flower again?
2b) Can it still be pollinated, and produce seeds?
2c) How do you dispose of a plant? (I live in an apartment and can't just throw it down the garbage chute, it's a pot plant!)
2d) Can I clone it and have the clones grow and produce buds, even though the mother has already produced buds on the stem? What about being pollinated?
3) I've read that you can start clones at 12/12, but is that ideal? Wouldn't the clone produce more if it was under 18/6 until it grew up a bit?
3a) If I kept the clones under 12/12 from the start while they're still small, would they start flowering right away, and require less light to flower (because they're smaller)?
-Is the 12/12 because they're in a delicate state from just being chopped and planted, and can't handle the stress from the light?
4) I've been reading about topping, but all I've gathered from it, is that it's a good thing. What exactly does "topping" entail?
5) What are the ideal nute ratios for vegging and flowering?
5a) Why do people use numbers like 14/8/14 instead of 7/4/7? Is it a concentration thing?
5b) Are there any everyday items that are good to use? I've seen molasses but would I use that for the entire process? Would I have to adjust my nute ratio so the plant doesn't get too much of something?
6) Is it possible to collect pollen and store it to pollinate at a later date? If yes, how long would it last? (Looking for a reason to not be totally bummed out about getting a male)
7) Do the leaves possess any THC at all? If yes, only on females, or males too?
8 ) After finding a male plant, what do I do with it? Will I have to clean out the soil to ensure there's no pollen that could accidentally pollinate the next female to grow in that pot?
9) How long (on average) will the plant grow before it's possible to determine gender?
9a) How long of a period exists between being able to determine gender and pollination? (Don't want to find a male one day, not get to getting rid of it for a day and coming back to a seeding female)
10) How will I know when it's ready to harvest? If I harvest late will it have any effect on the pot?
I'm sure I'll have more questions, but this seemed like a lot to ask all at once. If you have read this, thank you! Any help at all is appreciated. I'll be sure to take pictures and keep a journal of my grow with special thanks to all that help along the way!
if you find a male and dont intend to breed kill it as soon as you can identify it as a male.. if you kill it and remove it early enough it wont have time to pollinate your females..