How long before you started getting good at growing?

[BigBloomingBuds]

Hey everyone!
I’m only a few months in my growing experience. I am wondering how long before you started feeling confident and got good at growing? I have a grow “partner” who really is more of a manager and is always pretty disappointed in me going through the learning experience. So I’m wondering what is a reasonable expectation for my ability? My first round was pretty good - about a pound and a half per light but I didn’t have a humidifier and everything dried out way to fast and ruined my cure. My second round I got PM and so we decided to cut down the lot. So as you can see two bad runs. I really need to get better within the next few months before my partner pulls the plug and I lose everything I have invested.
I guess I’m looking for some inspiration or pro tips or ways to help my partner get through this trying time.
Thanks!

 

[Goodthingsgrow]

Sell your pound and a half and buy him out.

 

[tobh]

It's just practice. Like anything else, iterations and repetition makes for incremental improvements.

Step up your IPM game to prevent diseases and pests.

Dial in your dry and cure process.

Buy your partner out, they sound like an a-hole.

And keep doing it for the love of growing.

Don't be shooting to be profitable, that's undue pressure and the negativity of that mentality will lead consistent issues every single run. If you want to get really good at this, you gotta have a real passion for it beyond hopping on the Green Rush with the prospect of getting rich (very few growers ever acquire significant wealth).

 

[lvstealth]

buy your partner out! unless it is your spouse... then you need to produce to keep the coffee can money! i can imagine, it will take longer than a couple grows. but you wont do those things again, so you are improving!

 

[3 balls]

I thought I was good 10 years ago, I cant believe how dumb I was. 10 years from now I wont believe how dumb I am today. There's always more to learn. Dont get down on yourself, enjoy the results of your progress instead of dwelling on your failures.

 

[smokedareefer]

If 1.5 lb per light is a failure?

Sheit, what am i doing wrong? With 4 lights and 4 plants getting 7 lbs.

 

[Farmer88]

Sell your pound and a half and buy him out.

This, if your partner is only capital investment.

But if they are smart they would be looking for solutions to problems to protect their investment.

As far as time until you grow consistently. That will be usually based on grow cycles under your belt. You will benefit from spending your down time brushing up on basics of plant biology, physiology, and physics to understand the principals of what you're doing. You don't need a PhD, but these principals will give you ideas as to when problems might start to occur and how to manage them.

If you can pull one and a half pounds from your first grow you are at least probably not cursed with brown thumb.

 

[1diesel1]

Been growing for years, and am still learning, improving and striving for success.
First thing I learned that improved my growing experience and life in general was partners.
They do not work, financially or mechanicaly.
It is an obstacle you will never overcome.
You will try,try and try but ultimately it will fail.
Personally have tried several ventures ID and OD and it’s safe to say now I have learned my lesson. Even if it cost me time and equipment I’ll start smaller all over again and grow from there.
Good luck, we hope you find your way to peace and tranquillity.
1D1

 

[lvstealth]

we need more dirt ... on your partner! jk, but forget the partner for now, dont let this become unpleasant for you.

when your joy becomes your stress nothing will go right. you started this with a love of this funny weed, and a desire to have it, in all its glorious stages, in your life and home.

get that in your heart and head before you walk into the plant room. make notes, lots. keep a journal, a simple thing with when you do anything to your girls. take pictures, lots. these things can be used for future grows, but also to explain to the partner what is happening and your search for solutions. use the tools you have, the internet comes to mind! type the words scholarly article or university study or canada, lol! after your query sometimes. ...and this forum! you have a "collective" at your fingertips! ask away when the issues arise and then these guys will collectively analyze and present solutions you can use to save the next grow for a "good job" for the partner and a big "good warm fuzzy feeling" for you!

things change, so continuing education is the real way to make sure you always strive for improvement. when you think you know something, mother nature throws a curve ball and things like flu happen and we pick ourselves up and learn more and more

 

[Moshmen]

Been growing for years, and am still learning, improving and striving for success.
First thing I learned that improved my growing experience and life in general was partners.
They do not work, financially or mechanicaly.
It is an obstacle you will never overcome.
You will try,try and try but ultimately it will fail.
Personally have tried several ventures ID and OD and it’s safe to say now I have learned my lesson. Even if it cost me time and equipment I’ll start smaller all over again and grow from there.
Good luck, we hope you find your way to peace and tranquillity.
1D1

This right here is so true even the best of friends end up departed ! No more partners for me either !

 

[Madmax]

I dont think you are too far away from being successful mate..these mistakes actually make you a better grower.every grow there is a positive to take out of it..

 

[RookieBuds]

As a home hobbyist grower, I'm starting to settle into my comfort zone on my 3rd grow. Still not "perfect", I'm happy with what I'm doing, and my next specific hurdle is "better stacking buds".

I couldn't imagine the pressures of quotas or partnership obligations, but i hope you hit your stride and all parties' boxes get ticked.

 

[Cashmeh]

Depends how much you smoke lol. . and then if u grow good stuff. . and smoke it. . now ur IQ is even lower. . . lets just say its gonna take a while if you smoke, come on it cant just be me.

Had i not consumed so much thc I imagine I would be a far better grower ;) but whats the fun in that

Apologies to those who think weed makes them a super genius lol. .

 

[AnimalHouse]

Seems like growing weed with a partner always goes south and we have to learn that the hard way.
I could always *grow* even from the start, but every couple years or so I'd level up. I started growing to sell and smoke but now I just grow for personal use and don't sell anything I grow.
One of the biggest things that helped was the internet instead of grow books but there's still things I learned in books I use today. The internet also opened the door to genetics going from bagseed grows, to Dutch breeder stuff, and finally elite American bred genetics.

Tried lots of things, products, methods but it took me about 10 years to find what suited my life and needs the best.
I did things on the cheap and also did things at high end costs. I found my happy spot somewhere in the middle sparing no expense on lights, water, and environment while spending next to nothing on things like nutes and shopping used gear sources for things that don't wear out and are just as good used as it is new.
I've also gotten past the whole versus part of growing getting less and less concerned about this vs that and more focused what works well for me and disregarding many opinions, marketing, and loyalties to things from other people this hobby tends to fall trap to.
I work a lot and don't have time to dedicate full time mothering a garden every day. In the last 5 years or so I've found ways to eliminate a lot of work and effort by using automation and user friendly techniques. Today it's a routine and a near just add water growing style that allows me to pull about a 1lb of high grade in 100 days then another 100 days for drying and curing. Once I had plants 24/7 365 to care for but now I only do two to three grows per year but still keeps the coffers full while giving me lots of free time to step away from growing and enjoy the fruits of the labor

 

[Anthem]

That is an interesting topic to say the least. From my lifer experiences I would say it depends on a multitude of things. Let's start a list.
#1. How willing are you to put in the extra effort to become a good grower?

 

[Anthem]

That is an interesting topic to say the least. From my lifer experiences I would say it depends on a multitude of things. Let's start a list.
#1. How willing are you to put in the extra effort to become a good grower?

Hit a little too soon.
Are you willing to spend time reading boring text books on the matter?
Are you willing to spend time educating yourself on pest management?
Are you willing to start a small grow that is not part of the partnership to experiment? Purposely put plants into situations so you can learn how to fix the problems
Are you willing to get up in the middle of the night to see how your plants are do?
There is literally a multitude of things you can do to speed up the process but what it real comes down to IMO is two things
#1 Your Natural Ability to Grow and Observe Plants
#2. How bad do you really want to be a good grower.

 

[gorillaglueaaron]

I have yet to.

At just under a year and a half.

 

[One drop]

Been growing over 40 years now and always learning it's practice and strain related just enjoy the learning curve your on . Regards od .

 

[lipifarmer]

everyday is learning in this process , you have to absorb knowledge within the years doing it.. just like that

 

[Mostlymooses]

Echoing years and years. I spent my early growing experience in the emerald triangle, working on smaller(48) plant to larger (200+) farms, greenhouses, light deps guerilla, indoor w/ soil, indoor w/ coco, getting to see some pretty cool plants and setups. Now, 11 years later, am I really getting into my own as a grower. I don't really have problems anymore. Any issues that do arise are fixed quickly. I think the last time I needed outside help was because I had some seeds I was unfamiliar with.

I'm not saying you have to live in a certain area or a kind of lifestyle to be a good grower. Even being thrown into the deep end workin for other farmers I am still learning and getting better. So don't worry about progressing too fast you have a lot to learn.

Good luck!