Looking to hear some opinions on my thoughts for my fall and winter indoor grows. I am currently at my legal limit of 12 plants, I have 6 outdoor in 7-gallon pots and 6 indoor under my T5 lights and I plan to flower the indoor under these lights. But enough of that, my plans for my winter grow, indoor under the same T5 lights. I have been watching my friend grow Auto flower plants in his greenhouse, but I am really sold on just buying Feminized seeds and waiting them out. His Autos have been good and bad, out of 10 plants there are 4 that look great, really nice, but the other 7 are small and puny. But 4 were very nice. Now my question is can I get a decent yield using autos in 6 pots in my basement grow this winter and with auto I can get harvests in 3 months ....right? I have ben harvesting feminized plants for years and know a bud laden fall harvested plant, auto plants look cute, but can they perform like a Feminized plant in yield on a regular basis. I can grow Feminized in the basement and they give up about 3 oz of dried flower per, what kind of yield can I count on from the average Auto
Fall/Winter Indoor grow
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Sativa1970
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Strain, grow conditions and size are the key factors in yield. T5 lights would put you on the low side. Auto would be even lower. Auto grow time varies by strain.
With a photo type you could veg a bit longer to get a bigger, fuller plant. If a plant gets stressed, that is time you can never get back with auto. Fewer lateral branches and fewer nodes can grow if the auto clock is ticking. The low intensity and spectrum of the T5 will already produce fluffier buds. Comparing outdoor vs T5 you will need 35wats per square foot. Switching bulb spectrums from blue veg to red flower, and veg a photo for an extra few weeks. The yield will be vary close but the bud density will still be noticeably lower.
With a photo type you could veg a bit longer to get a bigger, fuller plant. If a plant gets stressed, that is time you can never get back with auto. Fewer lateral branches and fewer nodes can grow if the auto clock is ticking. The low intensity and spectrum of the T5 will already produce fluffier buds. Comparing outdoor vs T5 you will need 35wats per square foot. Switching bulb spectrums from blue veg to red flower, and veg a photo for an extra few weeks. The yield will be vary close but the bud density will still be noticeably lower.
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What Sativa1970 said in his reply should help guide your decisions.
I have not played around with 'autos' but based on what has appeared here in hundreds of threads says it probably will be a bad choice compared to what will happen with standard photo-period female plants, feminized or not.
I grow under T5 fixtures and a couple of LED pods mixed in. All the T5 lamps are LED and none are fluorescent tubes. In the vegetating area they are the regular white or grow LED lamps. In the flowering tent the fixtures are filled with T5 bloom lamps with an occasional 'grow' thrown in for a bit more blue. I run my T5 fixtures almost side by side and I have used a Kill-A-Watt or whatever it is called to find out that I am running just over 35 watts per square foot.
Play around with training and trimming the plant and you should be able to push that from 3 oz to 5 oz or more. Larger pots of soil, about 8 to 10 gallons and that is measured, not what is marked on the bottom of the pot helped to push my harvests over 3 oz.
Sativa1970
Well-Known Member
I assumed when you said fem you were referring to photo type and T5 was LED converted. As wings pointed out you need 35wats per square foot with LED replacement bulbs to get a good grow. Fluorescents are only 70% as efficient. So 45 wats per square foot with florescent T5 bulbs. Anything below 25w LED or 32w florescent will make the plant not worth growing. You also need a nice flat canopy so you can keep the light close to the plant.
I have only grown a couple autos because the seeds were given to me by a friend. To me it is like comparing spaghetti and meat balls to chef boy RD. One is just open can and set microwave as instructed. It's food. The other is a bit more work and recipe is simple but the effort is so worth it.
I have only grown a couple autos because the seeds were given to me by a friend. To me it is like comparing spaghetti and meat balls to chef boy RD. One is just open can and set microwave as instructed. It's food. The other is a bit more work and recipe is simple but the effort is so worth it.
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- #6
I am currently using tubes and have been looking at the LED lights as they have come down in pricing. I have not had an indoor grow for years, only once where I grew to finish indoor, so getting this set up to well.... I would like to see the 5 oz per plant schedule, that will keep me out of the dispensary. I thank each of you on your information that you have shared.
Sativa1970
Well-Known Member
We are referring to an LED bulb that replaces the florescent bulb in your fixture. 5 oz per plant is a vary doable goal with photo under T5s. 3/4 to 1 lb is closer to your limit. The big factor on that one plant is how big is it and with how many tops? A 4 x 4 plant with 25 colas will put you close to a pound harvest. A 2 x 2 plant with 4 colas is going to be a lot less.
Right and I forgot about that so I have to add this. It depends on the type of T5 fixture. To be able to switch out the florescent bulb and be able to use a LED lamp the fixture has to be a HO style (high output) or something like that.
It should be marked somewhere on the fixture or it might mean contacting the seller or store where it was bought. Or, contacting the company that made the fixture.
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I have seen the LED replacement for my T5 bulbs and read that the ballast has to be proper. My playroom in the basement is about 12 foot wide and 14 foot long with an 8-foot ceiling. I have been dreaming about putting a wall in that to make a veg room and flower room, for the ultimate grow. It would be so small but bigger than tents for the most part. Maybe this winter. I have not read a review on the replacement to LED on a T5 fixture, you guys are the first to say anything, but I have read about this change. So have you personally used this, or you have heard it is available.
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- #10
i would also like some clarity on the 5 oz per plant to the 3/4 lb per plant. I have read weights of plants for years and need to question you, is this what you speak, in just green weight once chopped whole plant or dried flower weight, some try to bedazzle me, then when pressed is weight is of a hanging plant, not trying to be a smart ass but I need to be clear when setting my goals. I measure in just dried flower.
Sativa1970
Well-Known Member
You just need your LED bulb to be the compatible type, HE or HO. A 4 ft High Efficiency should be 28-32wat bulb and High Output Should be mid 50s wat bulb. HE or HO will be labeled on the fixture or ballast. Replacement LED will show compatibility.
!2 x 14 is roughly the size I use and have no need to go bigger. I split the space into 50%flower and 25%veg. You only need half the space for veg that you need for flower. The remaining 25% is utility/storage. I have a utility sink, shelves and cabinets to store food, equipment and supplies. Having everything right there in the room is SOOO much easier.
!2 x 14 is roughly the size I use and have no need to go bigger. I split the space into 50%flower and 25%veg. You only need half the space for veg that you need for flower. The remaining 25% is utility/storage. I have a utility sink, shelves and cabinets to store food, equipment and supplies. Having everything right there in the room is SOOO much easier.
Sativa1970
Well-Known Member
This is one dry panama red plant. 1/8 shy of a lb but was also taking samples before weighing.There were 3 more quart jars just out of frame.
Sativa1970
Well-Known Member
Key is that this is the same one plant.
Right. Like mentioned earlier "It should be marked somewhere on the fixture or it might mean contacting the seller or store where it was bought. Or, contacting the company that made the fixture."
Yes, I have been using these T5 fixtures for 6 and 1/2 years. I realize that even with LED lamps the fixture is still weaker than many of the full blown LED set-ups. When I started off years ago the first T5 I bought had florescent bulbs but I had deliberately gotten the HO just in case. In about 10 days I went back for a set of LED lamps.
Another reason I bought the T5s was that the size and shape of the cabinet I was using for flowering meant that I could not use any of the more expensive fixtures since most of them would not fit. The T5s fit better plus I wanted to be able to turn off any that were not above vegetating or flowering plants.
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- #15
Now that is comforting to hear on the T5 lighting fixtures, I will move forward on that project this year. Do the LED bulbs last longer than the florescent bulbs.
Keep in mind that a better quality LED fixture will out-perform a T5, especially once the plant is flowering. I keep using my T5 because I like the experimentation and some say I am a glutton for punishment
. If you can afford it get the better lighting as soon as possible.As to how whether a T5 LED lamp will last longer than a fluorescent in the same fixture I really do not know. As mention within 10 days I switched out my first fixture. After that whenever I bought another fixture I would exchange the fluorescent bulb for a credit on a LED lamp right there at the cash register. I would leave the store with the LEDs so I never really gave any thought which would last longer.
Sativa1970
Well-Known Member
Florescent will last around 5 years where LED is just over a decade. Technology changes faster than you need to change bulbs. If you have an 8 bulb fixture the LED bulbs will cost the same as an LED grow light with the same coverage. You can absolutely grow some decent flower with florescent until LED is an option. Comparing 50wats florescent to 25 wats LED is a similar amount of light but not the same spectrum. The light spectrum difference effects volume more than oz. AKA bud density. The first $100 you spend has a big return. The more you invest the smaller the returns get.
