1st post, 1st time growing, inevitable newbie questions

  • Thread starter Toscano
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Toscano

Toscano

111
28
Hi everyone!

At 47 years old, I finally got myself a grow tent with all the accessories and will start growing indoors for the first time once I feel I have a good grip on this.
For now, a few questions, maybe someone can help out.

-------
Stupid question #1
Should I place the pots on the floor of the grow tent? Or on top of a table or tray of some kind?
I'm going for those textile pots I see around, if that helps anything. I'm guessing they don't need plates?
The tent has 200cm (~6ft) height, 120cm (~3.5ft) on the sides. Will be using a Lumatek LED 465W system that doesn't occupy much height.

-------
Stupid question #2
I will be starting out with an automatic strain (Northern Lights) that were offered when I purchased the grow tent.
This one here in this link: Northern Lights Automatic

Read somewhere in this forum yesterday from someone advising that if using automatics, might as well let them germinate, grow and flower in the same one big pot, instead of transplanting them from pot A to B to C.
The reasoning is that automatic strains, apparently, are too jumpy and tend to initiate the flowering process if their roots happen touch the interior of the pot; hence the need to use a very large pot to begin with and stick with it.

May I ask what's the general consensus on this? Several pots and transplants for automatic strains? Or just one big pot and we're done with it?

-------
If you think I need to transplant, here is question 3:
Stupid question #3
If using ScrOG method, how to transplant?

I'm considering training and using the ScrOG net that came with my grow house to have the "screen of green" effect, with most tops getting the same uniform light once they flower.

Question is: if I start training/bending the branches which - as far as I know - should roughly begin at week 2 or 3, how is the transplant possible if the leaves are already attached to the net?
Won't I break the leaves or stems if I try to do that?


-------
If you think I don't need to transplant and just use one big pot, here is question 4:
Stupid question #4
If using just one big pot for the entire plant cycle, what kind of soil and add ons should I use?
I hear about perlite, but that seems like an inflating agent to allow for more air to pass through.
What about the kind of soil itself?
Already a mildly fertilized mix, and then a few add ons for the flowering process?


---------
And that's if for now.
But I will be back with more questions.... oh, I definitely will!

Thanks!

André Toscano
 
Heywood

Heywood

600
143
They're not stupid if you are asking the right questions. You are asking the right questions.

1. You want the pots raised up off of the floor for a couple of reasons. Use a saucer under them to catch any runoff that may occur. You don't want water just pooling out onto the floor.

The reasons for raising them up are to help keep the roots warm and also so that your pot is not sitting in a constant state of wetness. Especially with those fabric pots. I put a couple of pictures at the bottom to give you some ideas on how to do it.

2. I am not an auto grower, but from what I have read here on this forum, plant them right into their final pots. Someone will be along shortly to tell you why.

3. One of the auto growers can chime in on the need for scrog with autos, but I think because they generally don't get very tall, there may not be a need for that. However, if they get very heavy buds, the net could be used to support them from falling over.

4. Asking what kind of soil to use is like asking someone what their favorite ice cream flavor is. If you want something mild, you can use Fox Farms Happy Frog soil. I will attest to the fact that you can grow cannabis in it. It already has a fair amount of perlite in it, but it will not hurt to add another 15 - 20%. Perlite helps provide drainage and to keep the plant from being over-watered, which is the tendency of most new growers.

My understanding is that Happy Frog is more mild than their Ocean Forest blend. But plenty of people here use Ocean Forest also.

5. Keep your tent clean. Don't let spills and piles of soil collect around on your tent floor. Also, order some yellow sticky aphid traps and place a few around your plants, even when growing inside. You can see below how I do mine. I cut them in half and just lay them on top of the soil.

My pots raised with wooden stakes
Wood stakes


Another grower uses plastic golf balls

Golf balls


Yellow Sticky Aphid traps. Also effective for catching fungus gnats.
Sticky traps
 
Toscano

Toscano

111
28
1. You want the pots raised up off of the floor for a couple of reasons. Use a saucer under them to catch any runoff that may occur. You don't want water just pooling out onto the floor.

The reasons for raising them up are to help keep the roots warm and also so that your pot is not sitting in a constant state of wetness. Especially with those fabric pots. I put a couple of pictures at the bottom to give you some ideas on how to do it.
This is a very good point.
Thanks!

4. Asking what kind of soil to use is like asking someone what their favorite ice cream flavor is. If you want something mild, you can use Fox Farms Happy Frog soil. I will attest to the fact that you can grow cannabis in it. It already has a fair amount of perlite in it, but it will not hurt to add another 15 - 20%. Perlite helps provide drainage and to keep the plant from being over-watered, which is the tendency of most new growers.

My understanding is that Happy Frog is more mild than their Ocean Forest blend. But plenty of people here use Ocean Forest also.
I'm not sure if those brands are available here in Europe.
But I'll do my best to study their contents and try and find something similar.

5. Keep your tent clean. Don't let spills and piles of soil collect around on your tent floor. Also, order some yellow sticky aphid traps and place a few around your plants, even when growing inside. You can see below how I do mine. I cut them in half and just lay them on top of the soil.
Didn't know about the need for these traps. Good to know!
Thanks!
 
R

Rondor41

1
1
Hi everyone!

At 47 years old, I finally got myself a grow tent with all the accessories and will start growing indoors for the first time once I feel I have a good grip on this.
For now, a few questions, maybe someone can help out.

-------
Stupid question #1
Should I place the pots on the floor of the grow tent? Or on top of a table or tray of some kind?
I'm going for those textile pots I see around, if that helps anything. I'm guessing they don't need plates?
The tent has 200cm (~6ft) height, 120cm (~3.5ft) on the sides. Will be using a Lumatek LED 465W system that doesn't occupy much height.

-------
Stupid question #2
I will be starting out with an automatic strain (Northern Lights) that were offered when I purchased the grow tent.
This one here in this link: Northern Lights Automatic

Read somewhere in this forum yesterday from someone advising that if using automatics, might as well let them germinate, grow and flower in the same one big pot, instead of transplanting them from pot A to B to C.
The reasoning is that automatic strains, apparently, are too jumpy and tend to initiate the flowering process if their roots happen touch the interior of the pot; hence the need to use a very large pot to begin with and stick with it.

May I ask what's the general consensus on this? Several pots and transplants for automatic strains? Or just one big pot and we're done with it?

-------
If you think I need to transplant, here is question 3:
Stupid question #3
If using ScrOG method, how to transplant?

I'm considering training and using the ScrOG net that came with my grow house to have the "screen of green" effect, with most tops getting the same uniform light once they flower.

Question is: if I start training/bending the branches which - as far as I know - should roughly begin at week 2 or 3, how is the transplant possible if the leaves are already attached to the net?
Won't I break the leaves or stems if I try to do that?


-------
If you think I don't need to transplant and just use one big pot, here is question 4:
Stupid question #4
If using just one big pot for the entire plant cycle, what kind of soil and add ons should I use?
I hear about perlite, but that seems like an inflating agent to allow for more air to pass through.
What about the kind of soil itself?
Already a mildly fertilized mix, and then a few add ons for the flowering process?


---------
And that's if for now.
But I will be back with more questions.... oh, I definitely will!

Thanks!

André Toscano
Your gonna like this I have a 4x4 tent so I bought a 4 ft piece of plywood made it round got a seat swivel made a lasy susan then put a plastic kiddie pool on it loaded it with 5 tall 10 gallon grow bags and I have a wheeled seat that I roll up to the door and when I water or trim I just spin the next one right in front of me. I also built a pressurized CO2 generator that runs off seashells and acid. Acetic acid or citric acid. Live in Florida so seashells are free. Use a Spider Farms 4000 does 5x5 veg 4x4 flower crank out awesome autos quick with 18 hour run time whole cycle. AUTOS don't like to be messed with plant in pot their gonna finish in. No topping,fimming or Scrogging
 
RootsRuler

RootsRuler

2,389
263
If you decide in the future that you want to use photoperiod(regular) seeds, I would first establish a mother plant, female of course, then take clone cuts and propagate them. This way you are guaranteed females and you can train them to produce huge colas. Autos are fine but tend to be on the smaller size due to the nature of their purpose. They're definitely easier to grow since you don't need to be worried about light schedules but for yield purposes I would go for photoperiod seeds.
 
Edinburgh

Edinburgh

2,692
263
OK, growing autoflowers is different than growing photoperiod plants, and NL while I personally don't like is a very easy strain to grow and will let small mistakes slide, first off they hate stress do not transplant! sow your germanated bean 1 1/2inc deep in a 3gal nursery pot, use clay pebbles for good drainage important! Autoflowers luv Fox farm ocean forest as there medium so I recommend that, for nutrients I recommend Botanacare Pro Grow 1ml per USgal after you water and drain fill a 16oz cup of water add a small splash of food stir and feed, go light autoflowers do not need less than half the dose of a photoperiod, I recommend 3gal nursery pots with clay for drainage bc they hold water better and longer than fabric pots, there sides do not dry out, you want your pH runoff around 6.2, I have been running autos for over 10 years so if need help ask, once your autoflower does its stretch and is in heavy pre flower you flush out check pH and for flowering recommend Atami Bloombastic same drill 1ml per USgal but if you do not go light you will fry them, just leave your pots on floor of tent, here is a Pic of a Super Oarnge Haze she just finished her stretch and is in med pre flower, allso autoflowers do so so much better under a 2 cycle light or rather when there in veg they need blue green light, full spec light has red and ir in it, this can cause your autos to dwarf out or flower prematurely affecting yield, I run my autos 16/8 as I said they hate stress so I give mine a bit of extra rest but if you choose to run them 18/6 that's fine, as you procede with your grow and have questions or troubles I will help, Pic 1 SOH in med pre flower after stretch, other pics assorted autoflowers from previous grows just to let you see I know what I'm talking about.
 
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