What Mistakes Do New Growers Usually Make?

Discussion in 'Growing Marijuana Indoors' started by DanLife, Sep 8, 2008.

  1. I'm currently writing an article for a blog and I'm wonder what mistakes people usually make on there first grow and how you can avoid them?

    Thanks, Dan.
     
  2. 1) Insufficient lighting
    2) Underwater/overwatering
    3) Nutrient burn
    4) pH issues
    5) Lack of common sense

    Solutions to all these problems are all over the forum, just use the search function.
     
  3. Thanks for the post matey.
     
  4. i try to explain blackjack's post and tell you what to do about it.

    \t\t1) Insufficient lighting
    - This is a biggie. Most people think that 2 flourescent spirals/tubes 1 1/2 foot away from the plant will grow anything but a scrawny-spindly plant.

    - make sure you use at least 50 actuall watt per plant. If you have a HID setup you usually know what your're doing, but if you're working with flourescent lights make sure you put them as close as possible to the tips of the plants. It doesn't hurt to mount a few lights at the side of the plant also.

    2) Underwater/overwatering
    - Roots need oxygen just as much as they need water, so make sure they get both.

    - Don't water more than every third day. I usually check the soil of my plant every day, and if the pot appears to be really light when i pick it up and the soil is dry on the top i watter some. Soggy, constantly wet sooil is not good.

    - Choose a soil that is verry light and fluffy, crumbles easily and can't be compressed into a ball. Also make sure you have some Perlite/Vermiculite in there, that greatly improves water retention and makes it easier for the roots to "breathe". Basically, the more spongy the soil the better.

    3) Nutrient burn
    - Many people think that plants need nutrients frequently, and start feeding their plants like a pet every day or something like that. That is not good and can kill your plant.

    - Go with what's written on the lable and divide that number on there by 2. You want to use half strength fertilizer only. Generally speaking, don't fertilize for the first three weeks of it's life, and start fertilizing as soon as you see a deficiency, and stop fertilizing as soon as it gets better. Remember, it's safer to add half of what you intended to add, wait till next wattering and then add the rest. You might find out that the little bit of fertilizer was enough to fix the problem already... YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE LATER ON. it usually takes a looong time for a plant to "starve" and die due to a deficcency.

    4) pH issues
    - Another biggie. Many people don't even know about this or simply don't got the means to check the ph of their soil.

    - pH issues can cause all sorts of nasty things, one of them is called "nutrient lockout". That basically means at a certain pH level some nutrients become unavailable to the plant, and that will result in what looks like a nutrient deficcency. Only that it won't be fixed by more fertilizer. That is why pH issues and nute burn occur at the same time mostly.

    5) Lack of common sense
    - Don't talk to anybody about it, don't grow if you're 14, live at home and have to hide it from your parents.

    - make sure the plant gets a "quiet zone". Basically, you want as little changes in the plants environment as possible. Plants can feel "stress" to a certain ammount, don't do that.
     
  5. Yeah, these guys pretty much have it covered.

    My biggest issue was bad soil. Plants struggled and struggled untill i found some miricle grow organic for them, then they took right off. Theres probably better soil than that, but you can get it at home depot.
     

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