Important things I learned from my first real grow

[Agen36]

I did a fair amount of helpful reading on the 420 site before attempting my first real grow but nothing teaches you like experience. Here are some things (in no particular order) I learned from the experience that are working very well on my 2nd effort:

1. No matter how tempted you are to water frequently, don't-only as required or you'll over water.
2. Choose your soil carefully-I opted for Dr. Earth organic and it works really well. Past abortive attempts using topsoil or garden soil were way less than satisfactory
3. Do invest in high pressure sodium for the flowering phase-dramatic difference from CFL or fluorescent lights.
4. Do flush several times during the life of the grow or you'll build up salts and lock out nutrients.
5. Brief infrequent interruptions of the dark period with light isn't going to affect your plants dramatically, if at all.
6. CO2 does work- the simple setup of a milk bottle, sugar, yeast, and aquarium tubing is making a big difference, especially early on.
7. Don't panic when fan leaves start to yellow and brown towards the end of the grow-it's normal.
8. Feed cautiously or you'll burn your ladies.
9. Don't harvest too early-the plants really bulk up towards the end (and mind those trichomes).
10. Keep an accurate journal-very helpful.
11. Proper curing and drying (no matter how much you want to smoke your harvest immediately) really improves taste and potency.
12. For me at least, feminized auto flower is the way to go for indoor growing. Waiting 2 months only to have to pull half the crop when it shows male is incredibly frustrating.

I'm sure there are additional things I could mention but these come to mind quickly.

 

[johnston420]

Cheers m8

 

[CoalCracker]

Wish I had done a little more reading before I jumped into it myself. But for me 420 forums have been my first stop whenever I had a question. But I always made sure to check other sources too!

And although I still haven't flowered my first grow yet, I'm approaching the 60 day mark of veg, the preflowers I'm seeing are leading me to beleive that I am gonna have to pull my Sativa dominant. It's looking like little pollen sacs to me. Frustrating but since its my first grow I've had a blast learning, experimenting and just watching them grow. Still happy though as my Indica dominant has obvious signs of female(2 white hairs from multiple locations).

My net grow I will also be switching to Dr. Earth for much of my supplies so glad to hear it worked out well for you! Happy Growing

 

[Agen36]

obvious signs of female(2 white hairs

I've got to tell you, when I got my first white hairs I had to image and post them (somewhere in the art section-it got moved): I felt just like a new father, rapturously gazing at a newborn, so I know just what you felt.

From the late middle to the end of the grow all my plants had yellowing and dying leaves which drove me to distraction. I wish someone had mentioned that this is normal (which frequent autumns and tomato growing should have told me). In retrospect, everything turned out fine and I became educated concerning the late stages of cannabis growth.

I still have to improve my understanding of the "perpetually growing pot plant", the intricacies of which escape me.

 

[Happy Kitty]

Here you go - Agen36 Photo Gallery

If you click the camera icon above the text box when entering a post, your photos will open in a separate window. All you need to do is select your photo, click, and you're all set. Hope this helps.

Peace and 420

 

[Agen36]

Peace and 420

Why my dear happykitty, you are a special moderator among moderators.

Many thanks!

 

[HotshotShorty]

VERY Wise words indeed!

But... FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION..

#2.. I have no dirt experience on which to make a decision. The nursery man uses what I got.
#12. I do not understand auto flower. Are those able to be cloned? What about feminized seeds? I do see your point, they say two out of ten seeds is what you should expect.

 

[Agen36]

#2.. I have no dirt experience on which to make a decision. The nursery man uses what I got.
#12. I do not understand auto flower. Are those able to be cloned? What about feminized seeds? I do see your point, they say two out of ten seeds is what you should expect.

As to dirt, there is plenty of reading available. Go to the Grow Room page here and all topics including dirt are completely covered under "How to grow marijuana". A search of threads should also yield good information. Since I grow indoor I wanted an organic mix with plenty of nutrients and Dr. Earth POTting soil has worked well for me. I'm not saying there aren't better mixes...

Auto flower plants have an ability to flower without any prescribed photo periods, although 18/6 (indoors) seems to be ideal. They can be harvested within 60-90 days, cutting normal grow times by more than half.

I buy feminized auto flower seeds-the best looking conventional plant I ever had after 3 months turned out to be male, so...g'bye: can't take the huge waste of time when I have room for 4-6 plants at best.

I'll reprint information on auto's culled from a variety of websites (including this one) to whom I'm in debt:

"Eighteen hours of light per day is recommended from start to finish. Switching light cycles down to twelve hours will diminish auto-flowering marijuana yields.
It's important you stagger the planting of your auto-flowering marijuana seeds.
Plant new seeds immediately when males are removed or marijuana buds are harvested. This ensures your grow room is always full and always producing fresh buds.
Male marijuana plants will show themselves within 17 - 20 days. About a week earlier than female plants. Remove these male plants and replace with marijuana seeds.
Auto-flowering marijuana seeds grow very well in soil or soil-less systems. If you are considering growing sea of green you can't grow wrong with auto-flowering marijuana strains.

For best results plant your auto-flowering marijuana seeds directly into 1-2 gal.pots. Using smaller pots will simply result in smaller yields. Auto-flowering marijuana strains present amazing new possibilities. These marijuana seeds usually grow no taller than 16-20 inches. 12-16 inches is typical. Light intensity, pot size, and marijuana fertilizer all play an important role in determining the size of your marijuana plants at maturity.
The better the conditions. The bigger the yield.


After the first two weeks of growth, auto-flowering marijuana seeds should begin a light feeding of a grow type nutrient solution, with micronutrients. When the marijuana plants pass into full flower, they should be started on a bloom regime. About weeks 4 through 6.

Root stimulator have shown to increase growth dramatically. Remember when using marijuana fertilizers that less is more. And don't forget to flush.

Given it's quick growth it's important to pay extra attention to marijuana fertilizers. You should consider two weeks of vegetative fertilizer and four weeks of bloom fertiliser.

Auto-flowering marijuana seeds grow one main cola. Though with plenty of great light they are known to develop some side branching.

Marijuana buds are compact with excellent bud/leaf ratio. Thick pistils with orange coloration, and medium-sized, individual calyxes. Yield and height are dependent on obvious growth factors. For example, marijuana plants kept in small peat cups on a windowsill may yield as little as 1 g. and grow no taller than 6 inches, with no branching whatsoever; while a plant in a 4-gallon container under high-intensity lighting and good cultivation methods, can turn into a profusely branched, two-foot wide 45-gram bud monster."

 

[Alkhemist]

Wish I had done a little more reading before I jumped into it myself. But for me 420 forums have been my first stop whenever I had a question. But I always made sure to check other sources too!

And although I still haven't flowered my first grow yet, I'm approaching the 60 day mark of veg, the preflowers I'm seeing are leading me to beleive that I am gonna have to pull my Sativa dominant. It's looking like little pollen sacs to me. Frustrating but since its my first grow I've had a blast learning, experimenting and just watching them grow. Still happy though as my Indica dominant has obvious signs of female(2 white hairs from multiple locations).

My net grow I will also be switching to Dr. Earth for much of my supplies so glad to hear it worked out well for you! Happy Growing

you get to a stage where keeping a nice male to pollinate a prized female flavour can be advantageous.. and also helps reduce costs of buying seeds etc, i tend to keep my males especially if they are of a nice flav.. and of course, if one has room to separate them