FIRST-TIME GROWER – GROW CABINET DESIGN AND GROW PLAN: CRITICISM REQUESTED

Hi,

I’m a new member and first-time grower getting ready for his first grow. I have designed a cabinet set-up and planned my grow. I hope to detail the design and plan in this looooong post and request criticism, advice, feedback, or comments from any and all readers with cannabis cultivation knowledge and experience who could help guide my first effort. To all who take the time to read this tome and respond, first let me say that I am not surprised by your altruism. Since joining the medical cannabis community recently and having dealt with many people in the legit and grey market cannabis industries after decades of knowing only the black market, I have learned that there is no better, more honest and honourable, more willing to lend a hand or impart knowledge, more exemplary in their business practices, or more downright friendly than the cannabis community whether they be recreational or medical users. Here’s to us. We freakin’ ROCK! And, second, that your help is GREATLY appreciated. Rest assured, I will one day pay it forward.

THE PLAN
My set-up will consist of 1 (one) 42”(wide) x 42”(deep) x 60”(high) veg/flower cabinet, 1 (one) 48”(w) x 30”(d) x 48”(h) mother plant cabinet, and 1 (one) 48”(w) x 30”(d) x 24”(h) clone propagation unit. The plants in the veg/flower cabinet will take up 12 sq. ft. of floor space - perfect for 1 (one) 600W HID HPS grow light.

The plan is to eventually grow a 4 plant per sq. ft. (single cola) SOG organically and in soil. I will start with feminized, photoperiod seeds. Perhaps you think going organic is ambitious for a first grow. If so, please make your case.

I will start by purchasing feminized Skunk and/or Northern Lights and/or Kush strains as they are widely considered the easiest, hardiest, least fussy plants for a first-timer. I will start with a handful of seeds (as many as I can afford). I will take all viable and healthy seedlings and place them in the veg/flower cabinet under either a 24/0 or an 18/6 light regimen (depending largely on your feedback). Obviously, this first grow will not be a full one.

Is it necessary to sex feminized seeds? Any advice, suggestions on sexing little plants? Blue light during veg? Cuttings? Other?

After a week (or when plants have reached 10” – 12” in height – again this decision will be based on your feedback), two plants will be removed from the veg/flower cabinet and placed in the mother plant cabinet while the rest will remain in the veg/flower cabinet and will, at this time, be switched to a 12/12 light regimen.

I would be grateful for advice or suggestions regarding lighting for 2 mother plants in a 48”(w) x 30”(d) x 48”(h) space. I will likely bonsai the mother plants.

Flowering plants will be carefully lollipopped and any suitable cuttings prepared and placed in the propagation chamber. I am hopeful this will give me enough clones for the second harvest so that the mother plants can continue to develop unmolested.

I will flower for [x] weeks and harvest. Here again I would be grateful for input. I have read people flowering SOGs for anywhere from a few weeks to two months to the time necessary for the plants to “reach their floral zenith”. I am hopeful that a bountiful harvest will be achievable with only 4 weeks of flowering. Reasonbable?

I am using HPS lights for both veg and flower because Ed Rosenthal obliquely recommends it in his Marijuana Grower’s Handbook.


Anyone disagree with this?

During flowering, I plan to use the HPS plus one or two CFL UVB reptile lights for 2 hours per cycle. This appears to be a relatively new, but demonstrably effective, way to increase the potency of cannabis. It appears that the plant uses THC as a sunscreen so when the plant is exposed to UVB during flowering, the trichomes create more THC to protect it from those rays! Anyone have any experience with UVB in their grow? I’d LOVE to use the new EYE Hortilux PowerVEG FS+UV T5 HO Fluorescents but I can’t get ‘em in Canada unless I buy the box of 20 (like $1000) so CFLs it must be.

I will use 1 (one) small Green Pad CO2 generator per week to increase CO2 ppm in the grow cabinet. Ed Rosenthal’s book has convinced me that the earth’s atmosphere contains the bare minimum for bud development and that one of these little CO2 sacs will increase density, frostiness, and yield of the nugs! Thoughts?

I will use a six inch cool hood reflector with a six inch blower to vent the light. I will vent the cabinet with a six inch sucker attached to a carbon filter. One or two small oscillating fans will circulate air from the bottom of the cabinet. The light’s fan will be electronically regulated with a thermostat controller in an effort to keep the temperature as constant as possible. I don’t believe there will be a need to electronically control the humidity but I will have a hygrometer in the cabinet and will monitor and, if necessary, remediate the humidity as necessary. Does this seem about right? Overkill? Not enough? for this size of cabinet as regards ventilation, temperature and humidity control?

I am requesting generous readers to assess my plan critically and respond with any and all criticism with special attention, if I may be so bold, to my questions. But please do not hesitate to provide any feedback you’d like.

THE DESIGN
Attached is an image of my veg/flower cabinet design. If I could further impose, you might give it a glance and provide further criticism.



I am extremely grateful to any and all who grace me with valuable criticism. Cheers to you all!

I think the organic soil is good, since its organic soil u won't have to mess w the ph too much. Also for SOG I think u should top (if u have the space & patience) so the screen will be thicker and stay low (plus more main Colas = more weed) Also I think ur stains are good, but you should have them on a 18\6 schedule instead of 24\0 so the plants have time to rest.

CookieCrumbs said:

I think the organic soil is good, since its organic soil u won't have to mess w the ph too much. Also for SOG I think u should top (if u have the space & patience) so the screen will be thicker and stay low (plus more main Colas = more weed) Also I think ur stains are good, but you should have them on a 18\6 schedule instead of 24\0 so the plants have time to rest.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the response, Cookie. Appreciate the feedback. Can you explain what you mean by plants needing time to "rest" and how it benefits the plant. I've not come across that concept. Cheers.

Doing a little research on the rest period thing and came up with this from Ed Rosenthal:

This seems to definitively rule out any need for a rest period and, in fact, rather shows a 24/0 regimen to speed vegetative growth considerably. Thoughts?

N.B. seems that a 24/0 regimen would benefit greatly from additional CO2 to 1000ppm!

Oh, it made sense for the plant to "rest" since naturally the sun sets at some point. So it seemed correct to turn off the lights, but thanks for the correction. I wouldn't have known it's ok to leave the light 24\0

Does seem counter-intuitive, doesn't it? One of the coolest things about this plant is how much it's taught me about biology. It just keeps giving and giving

Have you already bought your seeds? Most seeds will say how long to veg and flower for. Every strain is different but I normally veg for 4-6 weeks then flower for 6-8 maybe longer it all depends on the trichome color you are looking for. Some people want an Amber color others want the cloudy. But if they are clear they aren't ready.

Get a good veg light that fits your space, put them under 18/6 and forget about co2 unless you have an air tight room with all the high metabolism plants and all the metabolism boosting gadgets.

No need to waste money on 24/0 with hid because 18/6 already keeps them short with quick growth, even with the lights on 24/

Also, plants don't create enough co2 at night to use during the day during flower and especially in veg .

Co2 can only be used in small amounts unless you find a way to kick the plants into photosynthesis overdrive and its not cheap to do this.
For example, If you have a foliage temp of 80f and a healthy plant under a 600w hps by itself then it wouldn't really need more then 300-400ppm co2 and the only way that number is going to drop is if you have a sealed room with no outside ventilation.

Hey bud, sounds like you got your stuff in order, that's great. I don't know if I'm somehow misunderstanding your 4 weeks to flower idea or what. But there's nothing I know of that finishes that early. 8 weeks minimum for flowers to fully develop, although I do believe their some that may finish earlier but not much and definitely not 4 weeks. Indicas usually fall in between 8-10 weeks and Sativas 10-16 weeks maybe more. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong please.
For a first timer it looks like you've really done your home work. The UV light isn't a terrible idea, but you have to be extremely careful, you could easily go blind or cause skin damage, possible death I've heard, messing with UV lighting. The trick there is dependent on the source you use. You may want to put those on a timer to see how the plants react, and start slow. Someone else here can tell you more about this. I've heard of some growers simply using metal halide in flower for UV and/or using both mh and hps. Last me I said though someone else more with more knowledge can tell you better than myself. Also a lot of people here produce great product without messing with UV.
I'm mostly outdoors, done some indoor, so my experience is limited, but I do know a bit. As far as your vegetative light schedule, I personally go with 18/6 I do believe in plants and lights going "night night" lol I've read what Rosenthal has said and also Cervantes. I have also heard that plants take in energy during the day and put on fiber during the night. I heard this from DJ Short, not making it up. In my opinion its a sound argument. For arguments sake I go against 24 hours. I've seen myself plants grow during the day and overnight. I've heard of growers doing it for rooting clones, 24 hours that is. It's your party at the end of the day.
Like I said sounds like you have things pretty well figured out, time to get your hands dirty for some real life lessons you'll love it. Best of luck to you, may the grow gods bless you.

Thanks much for the feedback, fellow Ents. The best advice I think is to now jump in. Haven't bought the seeds yet but will soon. I'll keep everyone posted on progress. Thanks again to all!

Just to reiterate what johnp pointed out, You cant flower a plant in 4 weeks. A short flowering strain is about 7 weeks and that doesn't take into account the 7-14 day stretch time when you first flip them to 12-12.
4 plants per square foot is most often done from clone with almost no veg time. Don't top plants in that situation, one it holds up the plants growth due to repairing itself and two you don't want too many colas when growing 4 plants per square foot. You want all single cola plants that are turned over in the least amount of time possible. You can veg plants for a few week from clone and do the same thing with one plant per square foot.
I agree with others on the 18/6, it used to be people said 24/0 gave less root mass. I'm not sure that is correct but all plants have been on this earth for a long long time and developed due to the exact conditions our planet provides. It would seem the logical choice would be to replicate that indoors as much as possible.

All that said I'm sure you will find your path through trial and error and adapt your style over time like most of us have. You will most certainly enjoy growing and even more so smoking your own produce.
Good luck with your adventure.