Hi all! forum looks great! Recommended from The Vault seed bank…. long term smoker, first time grower! sick of payiing ridiculous money so giving a small personal use cultivation a go (cheap as I can…..) just wondered if you could give me some pointers of if it will actually work. lol I by no means are using expensive complex medium. john nines no1 for seedlings then plan to switch John inns no3 for big pot. (Will this work?) I understand there may be better ways, but will this work as a base soil? I have CANNA terra feed And a 300w full spectrum led panel. I also have a fan and a decent 3m high space. I have a growing guide with light cycles etc I have got some ph grow down And a ph pen for measuring… any advice on how I could make this cheap setup give best possible results? I have two feminised seeds a sour diesel and a runtz strain. I do not have a tent. Will this make an issue? any advice/criticism more than welcome!
You'll need a tent to control light leaks during the flowering period. You can also use a spare room, or use panda film and lumber to make your own enclosure. The only exception would be if you were running autos, they don't seem to mind light leaks and can even flower without a dark period. Assuming your light is truly 300 watts, you should shoot for a 2x4 or 3x3 canopy. Use a trellis net or two to spread out the branches and keep them supported during stretch. You'll want to keep the plants as low as possible if you're in a tent, since most smaller tents aren't very tall. This is where it would be better to build a dedicated space.
I’ve got a spare room, it’s pretty air dark, I have installed some blackout blinds and just going to build a reflective frame with some timber and materials needed. (Not sure what those are yet) haha…. so with the net do u tie down my plant is that what u mean by stretch? When is the best period for this? appreciate your advice bro.
Spare room is perfect, my first grow tent was made from 2x2s, 2x4s, panda film (black and white plastic) and gorilla tape. You can get zippers from the paint section of the hardware store, and a big furnace filter to act as the tent's intake. You'd be surprised how much dust and hair can get sucked in. The net is used to train the plants horizontally, just tuck them under the net as they grow until the canopy is full, then flip to flower. With enough vertical space, you can use multiple nets and spread the plants up through them easier. The first three weeks or so after you flip, the plant will hit a growth spurt known as the stretch, where they can grow as much as 2" a day. This is the main reason why having a tall space is preferred. This is also where another trellis layer comes in handy, as the taller, heavier buds will often flop over if not supported by something.
Can I also ask, lighting, I have a single 300w full spectrum led panel. (Cheap) but seems good enough for a couple of personal plants. how high do I want it from the top of the plant? In veg stage and flowering? Thanks in advance people