Very narrow grow space

Discussion in 'Grow Lights, Tents & Equipment' started by djnecro, Apr 19, 2007.

  1. Hi all, I'd like to welcome you to my first of (likely) many regarding my theoretical ;)... grow op.

    I don't have access to any sort of digital camera at the moment so I can't show the construction, but I plan on keeping track of the grow in detail (though expect the whole report at the end...).

    My current question is...

    Is there a quasi golden ratio when it comes to plant size (genetics notwithstanding) and pot size. I ask because I'm limited to 76" long by 36" tall by a measly 16" deep (long thin rectangle)

    I know I can easily grow 4 nice sized plants in this space, but I was hoping to eventually get up to 6-10 or so. I already have space set aside for a mother/clone room with similar dimensions (but since the mommies can be kept fairly tiny it wont matter as much).

    I'd like to get about 1-2 ounces per plan, but I'm willing to sacrifice quantity per plant for more plants to get a more varied selection (2 or 3 strains at a time). I do plan to top/fim my plants, I will also be using a very dense Low Stress Training regimen. to maximize the available light (of which I'm planning on either 4 T5HO's with secondary 42w CFL's for spot-lighting or cfl's with a couple 100 or 150 HPS).


    So, to sum up... what is the best size of pot to use that will maximize both my number of available plants and my eventual total yield.

    Or put another way, how many plants can comfortably fit in the space I have available (16" deep / 76" long / 36" tall)?

    Sorry if I'm blabbering, I've been working hard all day on the room and I haven't had a chance to smoke a "pick-me-up" bowl yet, and I'm typing during Lost, which is always hit-and miss for my brain ;)

    Thanks for reading me!!!
     
  2. You could probably jam 6 plants in there if you use kitty litter pails for pots (square shape = more room for root growth) and then just LST the bejeezus out of them (you'd have to if its only 3 feet tall). But what do I know, I am a growing noob myself :smoking:
     
  3. That space seems awfully awkward to work with/
     
  4. Yeah, I definitely agree with it's awkwardness. However, the way I'll be enclosing the open side of the shelf will give me perfect access to the whole width.. Since I'm only growing for personal consumption (just over an OZ per month) I won't need much, but I also want to start stocking up so I am able to take a break from growing to clean/reorganize/rework etc...

    With two rooms (veg/flower) LST'ing up to wazoo, I should be able to keep at least 4 plants flowering at all times, with a harvest every 30-40 days (after I get into "The Groove" and assuming I have good and stable mothers)...

    Or am I over estimating the potential of this room, and should I therefore think of alternate layouts (I have a couple different options, but this is the quickest way to get started, and due to my needs, I feel it should work out very well)
     
  5. you dont think it would be possible to grow in a space with dimensions:

    height: 45 in
    width: 21 in
    depth: 8 in

    i dont really care if i can only grow one plant, but is it possible that i can grow with such a narrow space?
     
  6. DJ, your height is going to be your problem, not the width. With only 3 feet of height you have to subtract the height of the pot, the distance the light hangs down from the top, and air space between the light and the plant top. If you use HID you will have maybe 18" of actual plant height, probably a little less. If you go with all fluoro/CFL you will gain a few more inches (because they run cooler and therefore you need less air space between the plant and light) but the quality of the grow will suffer.

    Austrian, 8" is extremely narrow, it could be done but you will have to LST or else put it into flower very young.
     
  7. Also, and let me state it INFATICALLY, its not the number of plants you grow indoors that determins yield its how well you grow. That said I'd plan on doing a SCROG. 3 Plants should give you a perfect scrog in that area. But as stated by toasty your biggest prob is the height. Good luck.
     
  8. It is very possible your just gonna have to flower early. One word of advice when your limited in by anything is CHOOSE YOUR STRAIN WISELY. I can not stress that enough
     
  9. Any suggestions on good yielding/small stature indica or i/s crosses?


    I'm going to investigate removing the lower shelf, I won't remove the top shelf, as the room is only 6.5 feet tall (and I'm 6'3") it's at the perfect height to store nutes/fans/ducting/switch banks/ballasts/everything :)

    I have no qualms about ditching the lower shelf and just building a small subfloor to keep things warm and dry... My total height would be 56" total with about 2" for a floor leaving me with 54" or 4'6".

    Keep in mind that the main stalks of the plants wont be more than an inch or two off the top of the pot after I finish LST'ing them.. I'll be using roughly 200 to 250 watts of Floro's and CFL's, with (hopefully 20-30 watts) blue and red Luxeon LED's to push the appropriate spectrums higher.

    Pictures soon.... I hope :(
     

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