Attention New Growers!!! Learn from my mistakes!!! Cold Hard Truth!!!

[bigjay420]

Hello fellow noobs! I wanted to post a list of things I wish someone would have told me when I first started. There's a TON of great info on this site. Unfortunately, it's not all accessible without digging (DEEP) in the forums. Hopefully, this will help cut out some confusion, and shed some light on a few things to pay EXTRA close attention to. I do not take credit for any of these methods. This is wisdom imparted to me by some very experienced growers/ breeders. I had MANY problems with my first run. Problems that could have been avoided if I'd had the right info. Enjoy!

1. PH MATTERS!!! It will cause you so many problems if you try to run without maintaining a proper PH. A good PH is mandatory for a healthy root zone. For soil, I recommend 6.5. For hydro, 5.8. I promise it will save you a LOT of problems. You can buy a test kit super cheap at your local Walmart.

2. Over watering is the most common problem with noobs. While the "knuckle deep"" technique works just fine with the ladies... It isn't always the best method for proper watering. Try filling up a spare pot with soil. When the weight of the plants feels the same as the pot, it's time to water. You may feel like you're not watering often enough, but I assure you this is the best method. I only water once every 4-6 days.

3. Don't pick off any leaves that you don't have to. There'll be plenty of time for "lollipopping" a few grows from now, when you're a bit more experienced. No need to go rocking the boat on your first run through. Sure, there are circumstances where it's better to shed a leaf or 2. I prefer to wait until the leaf is at least 70% dead before GENTLY pinching it off. You'll know if it's ready by giving the leaf a small tug. If it comes off easily, it's time.

4. Proper ventilation is key. Imagine you're stuck in a coffin with very little airflow. Sure, you can physically breath. But, you exhaust yourself fighting for oxygen. You start to sweat... Then panic sets in. You become stressed beyond belief. Eventually, you worry yourself to death. It's the same for plants. Where as they can grow with little to no airflow, they will be SUPER stressed. They won't produce near as much as they could if they were totally happy.

5. Research, research, research. Explore EVERY possible angle. If you're looking for the answer to a problem, don't accept the first thing you come across. Just because someone means well, or cares enough about a subject to post on it, doesn't mean they have a clue what they're talking about. Make sure you find out from NUMEROUS reputable sources what's real, and what's not.



Hopefully, this little bit of info will help you. These seem like small things that don't matter. But, you'll save yourself a ton of problems with this small list. I wish someone would have stressed these things to me before I pissed away $150 worth of seeds. Live and learn. Cheers from the South.


Good Luck,
Big Jay

 

[Bo0m]

This is a good post.

I'm going to alberate a little more. Hope you don't mind.

#1 spacing is so important, don't let your plants crowd. In veg it will make them stretch, and the stems become weak. In flower they shade each other and diminish harvest exponentially. I'm talking like you might end up with a bunch of shit you can't move.

#2 learn how to spot male plants, and hermie plants. You don't want a seeded crop. This may require you to actuality inspect the plant, not just look at it. But a detailed inspection of all the parts. Saying seedless grapes have seeds isn't going to help you move your crop, it's just going to make you sound retarted.

#3 start pest control before you get pests. Prevention is the key. Go organic on pectides, no one wants a bag of weed soked in doctor doom roach killer. A real pot snob will be able to tell if your useing nasty chemicals.

#4 it takes a good 2 weeks or more to dry the erb ounce it's cut down, a lot if people say wait till the stems snap. A good rule of thumb, maybe wait a weak after the stems snap. There's nothing worse than a bag of weed that smells like a wet sock.

Just my two cents.

 

[splakdawg]

Good info but u guys left out the golden rule
Tell no one !!!!!!

 

[bigjay420]

This is a good post.

I'm going to alberate a little more. Hope you don't mind.

I don't mind at all, bro. Hopefully we can save some noobs from making mistakes that plague most new growers. Thanks for the input, my friend!

Good info but u guys left out the golden rule
Tell no one !!!!!!

Aahhh, the golden rule! When we say "no one", we mean... TELL NO ONE!!! Not your mom, girlfriend, cousin, best friend... You'd be surprised how fast word get around.

 

[Bo0m]

Good info but u guys left out the golden rule
Tell no one !!!!!!

I'm in a med state, so around here we tell every one. :)

But yea, if your not in a med state TELL NO ONE.

 

[splakdawg]

I'm in a med state, so around here we tell every one. :)

But yea, if your not in a med state TELL NO ONE.

Boom u be surprise how many of my med state friends wish they never broke that rule. A lot of lazy ass rippers out there. People rather take what u worked for than to earn it themselves

 

[TheTommyK]

Good info but u guys left out the golden rule
Tell no one !!!!!!

Prolly my hardest one to keep ..... My father is a veg gardener..... and I'd love to be able to talk shop with him...... Alas I cannot.

All the other points are super valid as well. I came in here and learned as so much from the experiences posted.

my biggest break thru was pH and Soil (went pro soil from 99 cent stuff from supermarket garden centres ....)

 

[paulycali]

I'm in a med state, so around here we tell every one. :)

But yea, if your not in a med state TELL NO ONE.

Lol! I'm in a med state and i still tell no one. Even my best friend doesn't know what's behind door number one or where door number one is. Keep everything on the down low. If you gotta tell people or feel the need to show off then use the farm not your friends as they could potentially bring you down by running there mouth. Keep your mouth clean and your grow clean and you'll continue to be on the road of success

 

[splakdawg]

Dude im in the process of getting upstart cash up so I can move to a med state for this very reason. Too many people know I grow, I had to learn the hardway. I wanted to throw up a throw up a few tips.
1. If u spend thousands on lights don't be afraid to shell out another thousand for adequate odor control
2. Don't sell anywhere near where u live or grow. freshly manicured weed looks way different than what people are use to. First thing out of a lot of my past friends mouths when they first saw samples was "did I grow it"

Be safe farmers. Threats are real don't take people lightly. I'm living in a virtual residential fortress with 2 man size mastiffs and i still don't sleep well.

 

[paulycali]

Dude im in the process of getting upstart cash up so I can move to a med state for this very reason. Too many people know I grow, I had to learn the hardway. I wanted to throw up a throw up a few tips.
1. If u spend thousands on lights don't be afraid to shell out another thousand for adequate odor control
2. Don't sell anywhere near where u live or grow. freshly manicured weed looks way different than what people are use to. First thing out of a lot of my past friends mouths when they first saw samples was "did I grow it"

Be safe farmers. Threats are real don't take people lightly. I'm living in a virtual residential fortress with 2 man size mastiffs and i still don't sleep well.

"Did i grow it" I say no all the time. For one to be safe and for two so there is no hassle on the price as well as i get to hear what they really think about the meds. Some i tell of course but for the most part i tell no one

 

[vaporedout]

the one person who did know about our grows asked me a few years ago.... you still growin?? i said, man with all the pot shops and laws and blah blah blah, I dont have the time anymore. havent heard from him, and since then weve moved. i guess we got him off our scent :)
check this out though....
the other day i come home and there is 5 cop cars blocking our street and cops walking around with their doggies. they said there was someone running from them and they needed to check my backyard. I told them let me check on my wife, i went inside for a minute or two, checked outback for any signs of fence jumping or anything like that. found nothing so i went out front and told them, i have 1 shed and 4 corners of fence, theres nobody back there. they were cool with that and went on to the next house. we are in a med state and both patients. we have under the limit of what were allowed, but i was still worried that corrupt cops would somehow take my shit. or come back later.

harbor freight has driveway alarms for 12.99. motion sensor, i just put them outback and sleep good at night. i had one scare, and it ended up being a neighbors cat. better safe than sorry