Overwhelmed noob in need of master grower

[Vertigo-]

I have been on countless threads trying to get my first grow operation started and simply put there is way too much info to try to attack head on. So here are some questions:

1. What is the best method for starting a grow in a 13x13x8 foot room. I like the V-SCROG idea here. http://www.growroom.net/board/uploads/1244832502/gallery_35921_2463_171079.jpg
(Trying to get the best yield for space used), the only thing I'm worried about is being too unexperienced to handle this type of grow.

2. Nutrients... How do I decide what nutrients a plant needs. Everyone uses their own combination of ingredients so how do I figure out the best mix for me?



Trying to get growing A.S.A.P. thanks guys.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

The very firstest, first, first thing I'd do is read......














































...for about a year.

Seriously, you'll be more prepared.

 

[Vertigo-]

Yeahhh.. I've been reading up for a couple weeks. Everytime I read something to get an answer I have 20 more questions.

 

[Phedrosbenny]

Yeah.When I first started trying to learn to grow it was like that.Its because things arent put together in any kind of order to make it easier to understand and learn.Although books can be like this I still suggest you buy a grow book.It will be a little easier to get a handle on it.

 

[Vertigo-]

That's what I need. I've been recommended The Cannabis Grow Bible unless you know of a more complete grow guide.

 

[Phedrosbenny]

The one I have "Marijuana Horticulture" by Jorge Cervantes..They call this the growers bible to.........

Its a decent book.It will help you get started and be able to understand your plants a little more.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening to you.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Had a whole response typed out and lost it. I guess that what I get for being an ass.

Hands on growing experience is a good way to get your feet wet. Instead of setting up the whole room, I'd consider how you want to trick the room out. Set up a pod or two, instead. This means you'd have to buy one or two lamps, the necessary exhaust and or circulation fan(s) and accessories. Once you have the basic understanding of setting up and operating the hardware, all you have to do is learn to grow.

I would suggest a basic setup at first. Either that or hang out in the thread(s) of preference. Read whatever strikes your interest, inquire with the op, thread subscriber(s) or post private messages. You'll be able to pm after 50 posts.

Several things you'll need to determine:

Hardware list - everything you'll need to grow plants indoors. You'll also need a basic understanding of setup and operation, as well as maintenance in case something has to be fixed.

Grow medium - you'll have to decide whether you're growing hydro, coco, dirt, etc.

Fertilizer - you'll have to decide whether you're growing organic or non-organic.

Seeds and or cuttings - You'll most likely start with seeds but rooting clones is also a useful skill.

Grow style - how you're setup is laid out.

Even with the necessary plan laid out, you'll learn much of your skills the hard way, lol. Seriously, that's what IC is all about. One can easily learn to grow excellent bud from the info that's posted 40 times over. But there's a lot to learn. IMO, decisions can be made to narrow down the forest before you start chopping trees.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Yes folks want to go from zero to sixty before they start the car.

If you try for a large operation with no experience then you ask for problems of that magnitude.

I started under 4 foot florescent lights. I grew two seasons under them. Then I upgraded to a 1k HPS. All along the way I learned how things worked and I read and I wrote.

I don't know anyone that didn't learn how to do things but I have read too many posts of I have x number plants and I don't know what to do please tell me how I fix this.

Some folks do help for a price but for free then everyone has to keep on reading and learning by doing.

The best thing is to grow a few plants and do that well. Read all you can on the areas of learning you are into and once a season or two is done that helps learn more.

So to ask what can I do with a 13x13x8 room is too vague.

What can you do with a 7 Gallon pot might be the best place to start.

 

[Vertigo-]

Thanks alot this is pretty much exactly what I needed. The way you broke it down helped most of all. It's hard to understand some of the how-to guides when they don't categorize like that. Now I can start getting it all together. And thanks for taking the time to re-type it all out for me haha, u da best.

 

[CT Guy]

Start small, read a lot, and keep in mind, they're just plants! I think people get into the mindset that cannabis is some special plant that is super hard to grow. It grew just fine in the wild before mankind ever started cultivating it.

Good luck!

~CT

PS: I really like "Teaming With Microbes" as a way to get a good overview on how organic soil functions.

 

[CT Guy]

Oh, and check out Clackamas Coot's posts for info. on soil mixes and nutrients, as well as some of the mixes listed in the sticky section.

Spend the money on your soil, rather than bottled nutrients and you'll be making a good investment and spend less in the long run trying to correct things.

 

[Iron_Lion]

the only thing I'm worried about is being too unexperienced to handle this type of grow.

.

You should learn to walk before you try to run. everyone always goes into it thinking its easy, then you get bitch slapped by reality.

 

[ThePizzaMan]

Reading first before doing is a waste of your time. Start small and simple. Soil, small light...basics. You have to crawl before you can walk. As you grow, questions will come up...which will naturally guide your learning experience.

At the very least, start with decent genetics. Mandala genetics, Nirvana(aurora indica), or try a SOL mix pack. Guaranteed genetics will get you going in the right direction.

Seed in ground, and go!!!!!!

And the basics....

18/6 or 24/7 while vegging(growing bigger in vegetative stage), when flowering 12/12 light cycle. Nutrients, if you start with Miracle grow or Fox Farms soil...you will not need a ton of nutrients. If you are not going soil(which is recommended in the beginning, you can try the Lucas Formula to start). No light leaks. Will you be growing in a tent, is the room sealed. You will then need another room for vegging. You should attempt to clone a few plants, so you should search around. You will need to learn how to identify sex. All of these things come with time, and if you have any questions...you can just ask. The only stupid question is the one that is not asked.

 

[Stoned Crow]

(Trying to get the best yield for space used)

If it's your first grow, don't even worry the least about yield, spend your time making sure your plants are alive & healthy.

Disco's advice is the best advice you've gotten so far, except the last thing on his list is "grow style", where it should probably be first. Your first limitation is "what can be done with this space?"....SC

 

[Vertigo-]

Will you be growing in a tent, is the room sealed. You will then need another room for vegging. You should attempt to clone a few plants, so you should search around. You will need to learn how to identify sex. All of these things come with time, and if you have any questions...you can just ask. The only stupid question is the one that is not asked.

Well I have 1 sealed room so far that i can split into 4 rooms with some easy woodwork and plastic tarp. How many rooms total do I need? And by sealed i mean it has a door but it has a vent at the top like an outside pool house to regulate room temp. NO AC though, still doing alot of research before i make any purchases. Got any ideas?

 

[Vertigo-]

Start small, read a lot, and keep in mind, they're just plants! I think people get into the mindset that cannabis is some special plant that is super hard to grow. It grew just fine in the wild before mankind ever started cultivating it.

Good luck!

~CT

PS: I really like "Teaming With Microbes" as a way to get a good overview on how organic soil functions.

Thanks man

 

[Rustylions]

Hey Vertigo, good to have you onboard!

Maybe I've spent too long out of the forums but i think that V-Scrog you posted up is a horizontal scrog that had a baby with a vertical scrog. To me vertical scrog is bulb hanging down parallell with the rooms walls with multiple plants in circle around trained through circular screen.

Think kind of like this.

It's how i do it and it works beautifully, this graph also helps to show how light is efficiently distributed in a vertical setup

.



Split your room into four rooms if you want some working space in there. This is just how i would do it, not necessarily everyones way.

Flower room of 6.5 x 13 with 2x1000w hps bulbs in cooltubes pulled by a centrifugal fan venting out the top, whether you choose to seal the lights off from the rest of the grow or have air from the flower room pulled through the lights is up to you. Around these you could have maybe 8 plants per light in 7 gallon air-pots/smart pots. Check out LC's mix or Subcool's super soil for some easy to use 100% organic soil recipes.

Veg Room of 6.5 x 6.5 with a horizontal 600w metal halide bulb. Keep your clones in here for 3-4 weeks going from beer cups with straight coco (easiest way to clone and i get 90% rooted in 14 days). After beer cups show roots transplant to 2 or 3 gallon pots with a coco mix with a little earth worm castings, perlite, some guano, kelp and limestone. There is argument as to if it is best to veg horizontal and flower vert or go vertical the whole time but i'll leave that to you to decide.

Mother and Drying room of 6.5 x 6.5 with some T5 fluorescents hanging over your mothers and a larger cupboard that is semi-enclosed (protected from the light) with wire racks for drying.

Hope it helps. This setup can yield 2+ kg of primo organic.

Remember though its your first time! Don't expect to be pulling over 1 gpw until you have a few harvests under your belt.

Also i'm quite stoned so those measurements might be silly.

RL

 

[JackTheGrower]

First Grows are the Best!

Is there ever a garden more watched than a first grow?

 

[Stoned Crow]

First Grows are the Best!

Is there ever a garden more watched than a first grow?

Yeah, it's like having a baby in the house!!! Nothin' better....SC