researching
Well-Known Member
Hey all. This is a thread for the things that in my opinion are essential to a non troublesome grow. Any input from seasoned growers is welcome. Let me start this by saying that I have learned the hard way so to speak. And one of the biggest things I have learned is LIGHT. Also PH and PPM's are paramount in my opinion.
The latter 2 can be had for cheap on ebay. Honestly for the time, trouble, and risk, unless you save and spend the money on these 3 key elements then I would not even grow. Knowing what I know now.
Save and buy decent/good lighting. You can veg very well with T5's or for the money T8's. A 6 bulb T-8 fixture you wire yourself plus extra bulbs in the 6500K range from Home Depot is about a C-note. Worth it!!! Make sure your lights are no too far from your plants.
Buy a PH meter and TDS/PPM meter. These are key!
Learn what your growing medium requires for PH and optimum uptake. I love coco and perlite. Very forgiving and easy as long as you use the right PH and use CaliMagic or CalMag. Plus nearly impossible to overwater. ( a common noob mistake)
Always err on the side of caution when it comes to nutrients. By that I mean go light until you know what your plants like or you have some experience.
Don't feed seedlings or clones until established unless you are you are using a root developing supplement. I use MB Ferts Clone Solution. Then I switch to a very light nute schedule.
Learn what the signs of overfertilization look like. I used to run plants that just had the leaf tips turn brown. This is ok as it means you are on the threshold of too many nutes. Tip curling or "eagle claw" is too many nutes. Now my leaves are flat and have no brown tips which is ideal.
Do not overwater. Learn to judge when watering is needed by lifting the pots.
Do not grow in an undersized pot. General rule is for every 12" of height you need a one gallon pot. So a 3' plant needs a 3gal pot. Not taking stretch into consideration.
READ, READ, READ. No one can do this for you. Educate yourself and you will be continually rewarded. Hence my name.
Temperature control. If you run CO2 then higher temps are acceptable. Otherwise keep your temps below 80 with lights on. IMO low 70's is ideal. I cannot attain this in the summer.
Air circulation. Move that air! Do not allow a stagnant environment.
Pest control. Observe your plants and learn the signs of pests. DO NOT let them get out of control.
Marijuana is a weed but do not treat it as such. It is a needy plant that until you get a good regimen down will be a needy bitch. You must care for her and be attentive.
Your plants will stretch when put into flower. Some can stretch quite substantially. Plan and veg accordingly.
Learn to judge harvest based upon trichome development/color. Harvest according to desired high.
Flushing is optional but suggested. Generally the last 2 weeks before harvest. This can be tough to gauge without experience or solid knowledge of harvest time. Start flushing when you see cloudy trichomes but no amber. This is subjective and up to personal preference.
Don't have an anxiety attack. Easy to say, harder to do. Take care of your babies but don't be over protective so to speak. Less is more until you know. By that I mean under water, under fertilize until you know and can see what they need. Too much is bad.
Marijuana is quite easy to grow but you must be aware of all that is going on and that a little screw up can be the difference between a great yield and smoke or not.
This covers growing only and will be edited as needed. Harvesting/drying/curing are just as important as growing and can make or break all your time and work. Essentially all steps of the process are important in regards to health, yield, and quality.
The latter 2 can be had for cheap on ebay. Honestly for the time, trouble, and risk, unless you save and spend the money on these 3 key elements then I would not even grow. Knowing what I know now.
Save and buy decent/good lighting. You can veg very well with T5's or for the money T8's. A 6 bulb T-8 fixture you wire yourself plus extra bulbs in the 6500K range from Home Depot is about a C-note. Worth it!!! Make sure your lights are no too far from your plants.
Buy a PH meter and TDS/PPM meter. These are key!
Learn what your growing medium requires for PH and optimum uptake. I love coco and perlite. Very forgiving and easy as long as you use the right PH and use CaliMagic or CalMag. Plus nearly impossible to overwater. ( a common noob mistake)
Always err on the side of caution when it comes to nutrients. By that I mean go light until you know what your plants like or you have some experience.
Don't feed seedlings or clones until established unless you are you are using a root developing supplement. I use MB Ferts Clone Solution. Then I switch to a very light nute schedule.
Learn what the signs of overfertilization look like. I used to run plants that just had the leaf tips turn brown. This is ok as it means you are on the threshold of too many nutes. Tip curling or "eagle claw" is too many nutes. Now my leaves are flat and have no brown tips which is ideal.
Do not overwater. Learn to judge when watering is needed by lifting the pots.
Do not grow in an undersized pot. General rule is for every 12" of height you need a one gallon pot. So a 3' plant needs a 3gal pot. Not taking stretch into consideration.
READ, READ, READ. No one can do this for you. Educate yourself and you will be continually rewarded. Hence my name.
Temperature control. If you run CO2 then higher temps are acceptable. Otherwise keep your temps below 80 with lights on. IMO low 70's is ideal. I cannot attain this in the summer.
Air circulation. Move that air! Do not allow a stagnant environment.
Pest control. Observe your plants and learn the signs of pests. DO NOT let them get out of control.
Marijuana is a weed but do not treat it as such. It is a needy plant that until you get a good regimen down will be a needy bitch. You must care for her and be attentive.
Your plants will stretch when put into flower. Some can stretch quite substantially. Plan and veg accordingly.
Learn to judge harvest based upon trichome development/color. Harvest according to desired high.
Flushing is optional but suggested. Generally the last 2 weeks before harvest. This can be tough to gauge without experience or solid knowledge of harvest time. Start flushing when you see cloudy trichomes but no amber. This is subjective and up to personal preference.
Don't have an anxiety attack. Easy to say, harder to do. Take care of your babies but don't be over protective so to speak. Less is more until you know. By that I mean under water, under fertilize until you know and can see what they need. Too much is bad.
Marijuana is quite easy to grow but you must be aware of all that is going on and that a little screw up can be the difference between a great yield and smoke or not.
This covers growing only and will be edited as needed. Harvesting/drying/curing are just as important as growing and can make or break all your time and work. Essentially all steps of the process are important in regards to health, yield, and quality.
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