Mix It Up Or Stick With One Strain?

So I'm going to start my first indoor grow very soon and only have room for 4 three gallon pots in my tent (sticking w/ autos for now due to limited space) - I wouldn't mind a variety of strains, n I have the beans, but I'm not sure it'd be a good idea to potentially have 4 plants that vary in size. Do you think it'd be a PITA to try and keep sufficient lighting to them if one grew outrageously bigger than the others? Should I just stick with 1 strain per grow n this limited space so they're all relatively the same size plants? Appreciate all suggestions - ayron

IMO it is best for new growers to deal with one strain at a time till they learn it as feeding needs can vary and it can be a PITA if things go wrong

hogbud said:

IMO it is best for new growers to deal with one strain at a time till they learn it as feeding needs can vary and it can be a PITA if things go wrong

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Ah I didn't even think about feeding lmao. My noobness is showing Wouldn't make sense to use the exact same soil / nutes for different strains huh... Thanks man - very good point.

I find two strains to be easy to manage plus I like the variety. Once you dial them in, it's mostly just routine. Wouldn't go more than two at first though.

So while we're here, I'd like to discuss fem seeds a bit as well...We've all heard they're prone to herm, which makes perfect sense, but I'm under the impression that minimizing stress will reduce the chance - sooo

Is there any stress factors I should watch out for besides these?
So far I've got in my list of things to avoid: Light leaks, overwatering, underwatering, nute deficiencies, burning / too close to lights, too hot, too cold, topping (won't be doing any topping, only light LST for training), transplanting (won't transplant either - starting in ending pots), lack of circulation / air flow...did I miss anything? Maybe humidity levels are a factor too?

Thanks again everyone

I would go with photoperiods over autos man. just grew an auto while doing photos. since my photos aren't done yet, I can't say much for quality (although I've read photo quality is better than auto, not that auto can't be good). but in terms of size, photos are looking bigger and they aren't even done yet. Basically, photos can yield more and can be more potent FROM WHAT IVE READ. Also, I would stick with 2 strains with similar growth traits. best of luck mate

edit: you could def use same soil and base nutes for different strains brotha. and biggest stress factors to watch out for would probly be light leaks, nute BURN, and of course airflow. temp and humidity can fluctuate a bit and still get good crop. I worried a lit too man, but my auto isnt even dried, I sampled a week dried popcorn nug, that shit was fire. and so much shit happened to that auto lol I am just so happy it shitz on what im used to lol

earthling420 said:

I would go with photoperiods over autos man. just grew an auto while doing photos. since my photos aren't done yet, I can't say much for quality (although I've read photo quality is better than auto, not that auto can't be good). but in terms of size, photos are looking bigger and they aren't even done yet. Basically, photos can yield more and can be more potent FROM WHAT IVE READ. Also, I would stick with 2 strains with similar growth traits. best of luck mate

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Hey thanks for the reply Earthling420. I would definitely agree, but I'm actually doing auto's for that exact reason Not a lot of room to work with right now so I can't grow any monsters yet Maybe next year...as my girl (human, not plant lol) get's more comfortable with me growing then I'll be able to expand and step up my game a bit. This is more of an exposure therapy run...gotta let her see that nothing bad will happen besides a higher electric bill (which i'll pay so...). She's having a hard time accepting that I'm 100% legal disregarding the Feds, but we're making progress lool.

ayr0n said:

Hey thanks for the reply Earthling420. I would definitely agree, but I'm actually doing auto's for that exact reason Not a lot of room to work with right now so I can't grow any monsters yet Maybe next year...as my girl (human, not plant lol) get's more comfortable with me growing then I'll be able to expand and step up my game a bit. This is more of an exposure therapy run...gotta let her see that nothing bad will happen besides a higher electric bill (which i'll pay so...). She's having a hard time accepting that I'm 100% legal disregarding the Feds, but we're making progress lool.

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Np. what size space you working with? cause autos can get big too haha mine was 3ft give or take. I hear ya man, first run will help a lot. and electric? if you are interested at all, could go led? save on that. not tryna push anything just options try and explain that the feds dont care about your noob grows lol but seriously

earthling420 said:

Np. what size space you working with? cause autos can get big too haha mine was 3ft give or take. I hear ya man, first run will help a lot. and electric? if you are interested at all, could go led? save on that. not tryna push anything just options try and explain that the feds dont care about your noob grows lol but seriously

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Tent is 32" X 32" X 63" so roughly 2.66 ft. x 2.66 ft. by 5.25 ft. tall. Going with a 600 watt ballast HPS/MH compatible (got one of each bulb for now), a 440 CFM fan and a giant ass carbon filter that I gotta figure out how to hang without collapsing my tent lmao.
Yeah feds def got more to worry about than me haha...for now I was planning on starting the 2nd american revolution - but that's a couple years off so...

Yeah, not a good idea to have a smorgasbord of different styles in there first grow. And avoid Sativas for now.

I would do 4 autos in that space. I would do 3 of one strain and 1 of another. I say 3 and 1 cause you can have variety and if they are different in a big way it is easier to accommodate one plant that is different than a group with multiple differences.

As far as an auto hermie-ing, good luck. It rarely happens.

Autos are fun. They have their time and place. True, they might not produce the top shelf stuff but in my experience they can be as good or better than the "dro" you get on the street. I hate that term "dro". I recommend growing autos for your first grow, you WILL learn a lot from them.

I grow perpetual photos but every summer I do an auto grow. Last summer I pulled 13.83 oz dried and cured from 3, yes 3, sweet seeds cream mandarins. That was in 3 gal smart pots, soilless, in a 22x24 inch space with a 400w. Nice smoke too. I did more than just those 3 that grow, but those were my best autos so far.

I hope that when your lady sees the true and natural beauty of this plant she will understand that it is not something bad and will grow to love the plant for what it is. Get her involved in the grow so she can have the feeling of being part if something great. Grow some flowers for her next to the weed plants and when you talk, and or brag, about the plants always make sure to seem more proud of the ones you are doing for HER! I know how it is with a wife. My wife is a pediatrician and was worried about me doing something like this in our home here in the south where they still hang people for growing. Not that she is anti-cannabis, she smokes more than me, but she was worried. Now she has her own plants and it all started with roses for my first grow.

Good luck, grow hard, and above all, HAVE FUN.

If there is anything I can do to help let me know, my door is always open.
Polo

ayr0n said:

So while we're here, I'd like to discuss fem seeds a bit as well...We've all heard they're prone to herm, which makes perfect sense, but I'm under the impression that minimizing stress will reduce the chance - sooo

Is there any stress factors I should watch out for besides these?
So far I've got in my list of things to avoid: Light leaks, overwatering, underwatering, nute deficiencies, burning / too close to lights, too hot, too cold, topping (won't be doing any topping, only light LST for training), transplanting (won't transplant either - starting in ending pots), lack of circulation / air flow...did I miss anything? Maybe humidity levels are a factor too?

Thanks again everyone

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Id go with 1 strain as hog said cause u can really dial in the nuts for that strain if u gonna feed from some type of res ive grown autos and normal plants not much diff really auos these dayd will b3 just as big as ur normal plants depending how long u would veg for and room my auto atm r just as big as my normal plants due to I only veg for 1 month tops normals plants r less forgiving tho cause if u mess up u have time for the plant to recoop with autos u dont have this luxury u need grow auto 100% correct from the word go or u will yield very little

ayr0n said:

Hey thanks for the reply Earthling420. I would definitely agree, but I'm actually doing auto's for that exact reason Not a lot of room to work with right now so I can't grow any monsters yet Maybe next year...as my girl (human, not plant lol) get's more comfortable with me growing then I'll be able to expand and step up my game a bit. This is more of an exposure therapy run...gotta let her see that nothing bad will happen besides a higher electric bill (which i'll pay so...). She's having a hard time accepting that I'm 100% legal disregarding the Feds, but we're making progress lool.

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U dont need heaps of room to get a good yield from a photo man u can do a scrog grow they look small but fck they yield big

I forgot to mention about fem seeds good fem seed r not prone to hermie any more then normal plants r the % of hermie in fem seed is like 2% iam growing 5 fem seeds atm 100% female all of em

ayr0n said:

Tent is 32" X 32" X 63" so roughly 2.66 ft. x 2.66 ft. by 5.25 ft. tall. Going with a 600 watt ballast HPS/MH compatible (got one of each bulb for now), a 440 CFM fan and a giant ass carbon filter that I gotta figure out how to hang without collapsing my tent lmao.
Yeah feds def got more to worry about than me haha...for now I was planning on starting the 2nd american revolution - but that's a couple years off so...

Click to expand...

Ok so youll probably be growing 2ft plants depending on your filter size and how close you can keep the light which comes back to ventilation you could always veg your photos short or not at all, start from 12/12. They aren't much harder than an auto besides you changing the light timing lol and no light leaks..
@polo the don fuckin great post and suave with the lady too, keep killin it man! great idea. mine thinks they look cool. she not too interested but does like hearing about them and will look at em if I mention it which is pretty dope
true photos are more forgiving. stable auto genetics are pretty hard to make hermie as far as I know. fems aee stable now a days too Ive read.

Why does everyone think it's a bad idea too grow different strains in one shot ? Imo it's better for a noob too do a few strains.that way they can see what strains react best to their style of growing or lack of!! It's the old don't put all your eggs in one basket way of thinking!!!

Lots of good advice. No matter what you are winning by growing your own, never get tired of the process. One strain great, should be consistent. Me I always run three or four different ones ( depending on my moms) as I like the variety of my wares and it kind of toys with my tolerance too. And I flower in about 4 ft2 so it can be done. Enjoy.

earthling420 said:

Ok so youll probably be growing 2ft plants depending on your filter size and how close you can keep the light which comes back to ventilation you could always veg your photos short or not at all, start from 12/12. They aren't much harder than an auto besides you changing the light timing lol and no light leaks..
@polo the don fuckin great post and suave with the lady too, keep killin it man! great idea. mine thinks they look cool. she not too interested but does like hearing about them and will look at em if I mention it which is pretty dope
true photos are more forgiving. stable auto genetics are pretty hard to make hermie as far as I know. fems aee stable now a days too Ive read.

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Thanks for the props.

I feel so propped up.

mr sunshine said:

Why does everyone think it's a bad idea too grow different strains in one shot ? Imo it's better for a noob too do a few strains.that way they can see what strains react best to their style of growing or lack of!! It's the old don't put all your eggs in one basket way of thinking!!!

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I reakon 1 strain in smaller area u get the same height and same flowering times ect same feeds same everything for the 1 strain mutli strains some like acidy soils ect

Yes but if your a noob how are you gonna know what each plant likes and dislikes. ..just cuz you have one strain doesn't mean your going to feed it right or pick the kind of soil it likes....if you have more strains you have a better chance of success. . Then the next time you can run the strain you did best with!If you keep a log writing in plant a doesn't need as much food as plant b is as easy as it sounds. And as for flowering time they finish when they finish It doesn't matter if they finish the same day or not!! If some plants grow taller raise the short ones and even the canopy. ..