Why Perpetual Grow?

[raindog]

Hello, Just getting into growing indoors. I'm working out my method... I see that many people lean towards a "perpetual grow" where they harvest every two weeks.
Assuming a sog grow with an 8 week flowering period. Why do we rotate clones in every 2 weeks and rotate 4 trays of plants every 2 weeks to harvest? I see we harvest 1/4 the plant space every two weeks. My, perhaps dumb, question is why not plant the whole area in 12/12 at one time and get the same weight, per time in 12/12.
Then put in a new batch of rooted clones to start over again.
I'm sorry that my math hasn't found the answer yet. Would I loose two weeks somewhere along the line? rrrr. I too want to maximize the time and space.

This site is awesome! I'm a newbie to doing it indoors but a gardener for sure.
Thanks a bunch! Raindog

 

[Shanus]

Easier to maximize lighting equipment, assuming you dont run just one the entire grow. Once a month is more than enough going on imo. That, and less chance for such a huge loss if you dont put all your eggs in one basket. Let us not forget that plants are multitudes of sizes, if you max out your space and light from the go, you wont have enough in the end. Or just plain old needin' more shit to keep track of at once. Perpetual growing is not for a first timer however. First learn YOUR techniques thru all the stages, then do the number crunching to make it all fit. Remember that variables will change, and flexability is key. Good luck to ya and welcome

 

[Goldowitz]

I only need to take 12 cuttings a week and not 96 every other month.
Better quality clones, less stress to mother plants.
I spend one and a half hours cutting every week instead of 12 hours at one time.
Far less smell since plants finish at different times.
Larger overall yield. Since my plants are all different sizes, I can pack a larger number on my tray w/o the worry of them overgrowing the space.

 

[Dankster4Life]

By the end of the year it will add to more bud with a perpetual grow.Down time sucks.

 

[Beansly]

Hello, Just getting into growing indoors. I'm working out my method... I see that many people lean towards a "perpetual grow" where they harvest every two weeks.
Assuming a sog grow with an 8 week flowering period. Why do we rotate clones in every 2 weeks and rotate 4 trays of plants every 2 weeks to harvest? I see we harvest 1/4 the plant space every two weeks. My, perhaps dumb, question is why not plant the whole area in 12/12 at one time and get the same weight, per time in 12/12.
Then put in a new batch of rooted clones to start over again.
I'm sorry that my math hasn't found the answer yet. Would I loose two weeks somewhere along the line? rrrr. I too want to maximize the time and space.

This site is awesome! I'm a newbie to doing it indoors but a gardener for sure.
Thanks a bunch! Raindog

The math is simple. Harvest an ounce every day indefinitely or harvest it all at once every few months.
You cant grow giant plants with a 'perpetual' crop so you have to have more total plants if you want a bigger harvest. Plants in a perpetual yeild a few grams to usually no more than an ounce but usually have like 90 plants. in a 4x8 table under two 1000 watt lights. You can even have it to where you your harvesting an ounce every day if you want. That's why people do it that way. 30 ounces a month is almost two pounds a month. Some people can't even do that with a three month cycle.
It all depends on your growing style, your attention to detail and whether you have enough discipline to work hard everyday in your garden taking hundreds of clones, managing mother/father plants & nutes and plants in every stage of life and growth. If your lazy don't even attempt it.

 

[raindog]

Easier to maximize lighting equipment, assuming you dont run just one the entire grow. Once a month is more than enough going on imo. That, and less chance for such a huge loss if you dont put all your eggs in one basket. Let us not forget that plants are multitudes of sizes, if you max out your space and light from the go, you wont have enough in the end. Or just plain old needin' more shit to keep track of at once. Perpetual growing is not for a first timer however. First learn YOUR techniques thru all the stages, then do the number crunching to make it all fit. Remember that variables will change, and flexability is key. Good luck to ya and welcome

Thanks everyone! It makes much more sense to me now. I plan on, after seeing a crop grow first and working out the details, growing in two 4x2 cabinets. Ebb and flow with four separate 2x2 reservoirs. A separate light over each tray. 4 Isis 170W
LED'S on 12/12. Not sure how many plants (SOG) for each 2x2 tray.. hopefully 6 to 8?? Rotating in two week old clones and harvesting a tray every two weeks (aprox).
I think I will try White Widow and a fast flowering (nine weeks) sativaX - Chocolope.
Ha, one for night smokes and one for the day.
Cutting Edge Solutions nutes. CO2 after I iron out any bugs.

Any comments or advice on this plan? I plan on cloning in rockwool and putting these in Hydroton, in pots, for the flowering. What size pots?
Any idea how high my plants will be at their peak? I'm going to prune off all side branches.

Thanks again, Raindog

 

[MasterS]

6-8 is easy for a SoG in a 2X2. I actually do 4/sq ft which is pushing it haha but it works for my set up. If you want rotational SoG ebb/flow advice. Just read everything Al B Fuct has posted ^_^

Thanks everyone! It makes much more sense to me now. I plan on, after seeing a crop grow first and working out the details, growing in two 4x2 cabinets. Ebb and flow with four separate 2x2 reservoirs. A separate light over each tray. 4 Isis 170W
LED'S on 12/12. Not sure how many plants (SOG) for each 2x2 tray.. hopefully 6 to 8?? Rotating in two week old clones and harvesting a tray every two weeks (aprox).
I think I will try White Widow and a fast flowering (nine weeks) sativaX - Chocolope.
Ha, one for night smokes and one for the day.
Cutting Edge Solutions nutes. CO2 after I iron out any bugs.

Any comments or advice on this plan? I plan on cloning in rockwool and putting these in Hydroton, in pots, for the flowering. What size pots?
Any idea how high my plants will be at their peak? I'm going to prune off all side branches.

Thanks again, Raindog

 

[raindog]

Yes! Al B Fuct is one of my favorite posters.
One of his grows uses 4 4x4 table. I am following his method with smaller tables. I'm getting one of the Isis to see if it will fit my needs.. more if it works for flowering.
I'm a bit worried that I won't have enough penetration with LED esp with the Chocolope (in SOG) which I hear like to grow tall. Maybe a SCROG instead.. it's all theoretical at this point.
If SCROG then I need to veg 18/6 for a month or so (I hear).. Use one cabinet for this and one for flower. Or veg in both and flower in both..with scrog.
I would go with HID but am worried about my electric meter spinning like a top (I'd like to keep the total wattage near or below 700W). I could use one Magnum 357 on a light mover in each 4x2 area?? I've seen some awesome grow vids from this light. but.. I wouldn't have the benefit of varying 4 different lights.

This site is so beneficial to learning. As will "doing it". Hopefully I won't have a bunch of trial and error materials that don't work. Lights aren't cheap.
Aloha, Raindog