[Vokal420]

Vegetative Life

Alright well I’m just going to cover the basics of the vegetative life of the plant, other wise well this guide would never end. I’ll cover the basics of lighting, watering, fertilizer and basic grow styles/methods. The Vegetative state can last indefinitely, but remember when flowering the plant can double it’s size so keep that in mind when deciding how long to veg the plant for.

Lighting
Alright well which type of light is up to you based on your grow room conditions but I will explain the light cycle for the vegetative state. There are two light cycles that can be used, the first being 24/0 which means the lights are on for 24 hours and off for 0 hours. This gives your plants the maximum time to processes the light and produce energy for it’s self. The other option is 18/6 which means the lights are on for 18 hours and off for 6 hours. This cycle resembles nature a little closer and also has some power saving advantages. There is also the dark time when the plant can “rest”, for those worried about electrical use or are dealing with higher temps the 18/6 cycle can be set up so that the lights are off during the hottest time of day. Which one you use is really up to you, there hasn’t been any true proof that any one is better than the other.


Watering/Fertilizer
For this I’m just going to stick with soil as every hydro grower/fertilizer maker has their own mixes and what not. When it comes to watering most new growers tend to over water their plants. For the beginning of the plants vegetative life the amount of water required will change as the plants size increases. The most basic way to tell when a plants soil needs water is to insert your finger down about and inch under the soil. If it is dry then the plant needs to be watered, if it is still moist then hold of watering. For the most part I tend to follow a routine for watering, I water lower amounts every 2 days. This allows for the soil to dry out (not completely) and oxygen exchange to easily occur. Also a stronger root structure is developed as the roots develop and spread in search of water since the soil dries. Remember root structure is directly related to plant matter, so healthy roots are important. For the first few weeks of a plants life No fertilizer is needed, once the plant reaches it’s 3-5 node (nodes being the sub branch development) then fertilizer can be added. When choosing a fertilizer for the vegetative state look for something with an Even N-P-K ratio (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) or higher levels of nitrogen. Most basic fertilizers come in some ratio like 20-20-20 or ffice:smarttags" />10-10-10, but there are many variations. When it comes to amounts of fertilizer, when giving the plant it’s first applications use up to a max of ¼ the recommended strength it’s says on the bottles. The reason for this is that most young plants are highly sensitive to over fertilization, for this reason it’s best to start very low and over a period of time (say increase the dose slowly ever 2-3 waters until you reach no more than the recommended dose). If you see any browning of the lower leaves (not the cotyledons) from the outer tips inward that is a sign of over fertilization. If this is seen feed with plain water for the next watering and then gradually build up fertilizer levels again. Soil Moisture Meters are also a very cheap and effective way to keep the right amount of water in your plant. I highly discourage growers from using Self Watering pots (ones that use wick systems) As they tend to keep the soil fully saturated which causes lower oxygen levels in the soil and build ups of toxic salts.

Grow Styles/Methods
There are many styles of growing, I won’t go into a great deal of detail about each but I will give you an idea of what each is and the basics, if you are interested in any specific you can research more information about it.

Sea Of Greenlace> (SOG)- This method refers to growing many small plants in short cycles; each plant is given about 1 square foot and growing in at most 3 gallon containers. With this method growers go for single grow tips (call kola’s) and flower the plant when it reaches around 1 foot in height. This is a no stress method of growing but a good lighting setup is a must.


Screen of Green (SCROG)- This method refers to attaching a screen around 6-10 inches above the soil and as the branches grow up threw the screen the grower gently bends them back under. This allows the grower to keep an even canopy which allows for even light distribution. The result of this rather than 1 main grow tip from the plant anywhere from 10-100 are now possible, this also helps with uniform bud development when it comes harvest time. This has advantages for growers in smaller spaces since they can shape the plant however they want (flat screen, horizontal cylinder with lights inside, stadium style, etc). This also helps for growers who are using CFL or fluorescent lighting (due to low penetration power) they can keep things shorter and more spread out. >>


Low Stress Training (LST)- This refers to using string, paper clips, etc to apply gentle force on the sub branches of the plant. Therefore the grower can shape and allow light to get to all new growth, this is also helpful for growers with limited height as they can keep the plants short and fat rather. As some say this turn the plant more into a bush rather than a single kola plant. Plants usually recover within 12 hours of treatment and can be done an unlimited number of times.

FIM/Topping: This refers to when the plant reaches it’s 4-5 node the grower pinches off or trims the main grow tip. As a result of this the sub branches are given time to develop producing 4-8 grow tips rather than just one. Although this is one of the higher stress options it does work but does require a recovery time.