Going Vert to pay the bills

[JayRyan]

Since I first ran across icmag I've intrigued by the vertical forum. Lots and lots of great ideas here.

I've been growing horizontally for the last 6 years, changing methods, lights... but haven't been able to yield like I see on this forum.

So, this last year I've been putting an addition on my house, and ran out of cash in the addition fund, so I put a stop to the construction with a finished outside, and unfinished inside.

Below the addition is a buildup, and in the middle of the build up there is about $10k of concrete foundation. In the middle of that is an 8x6 pad. It's only partially concrete floored, only 5' 6" high.

So, being short on funds I bought about $100 of rigid foam insulation, adhesive, and crack fill. Added in about $600 of equipment, and am days away from rolling out the first grow. I ran out of 6" flexible duct, so I have one short line left to run.

I have a veg room that feed my other bloom room (10'x10'), and am not positive which strains to start, and was hoping some of you could help with suggestions.

My choices are Chemdawg. This is a clone (originally a greenhouse seed, first seed of the dawg I popped almost 18 months ago) which finishes in less than 8 weeks, and can create some great phat colas.

Second choice is a Dinafem Super Silver Haze. She has been grown from a free seed from the attitude, and clones amazingly well. She grows into short bushes, with orange colored colas, and smells like orange juice. I call her OJ, the killer weed.

I have several OGs too, but was thinking they wouldn't be able to fill in well.

Thoughts?

 

[Ichabod Crane]

I have not run any of the plants you listed but that aside here is what I would do.

I stay away from plants that don't stretch much. They tend to have to much plant material that has to be cut off and tossed away. If you don't you will get smaller buds infront and a ton of larf in the back.

I also stay away from plants that have alot of stretch as well. This type of plant generally has weak stems and needs a lot of support. Plus you are then growing more stem which can not be smoked or sold.

What I look for is a plant somewhere in between. With this kind of plant I can let the branches lean toward the light with out doing a lot of training. I want about 8-10 inches of stretch. This stretch is important to me as I run a double or stacked bulb setup. If you run two bulbs you will get less shading when the plant leans toward the light. This leads to a significant increase in yield.

I veg my plants till they are about a foot shorter than what I want them to finish at. I like a fuller plant than most here want. To me I would rather veg a little longer and get my branches longer. It is the branch tips that make the best buds, but only if the branch has had time to gain some thickness. The bigger branches are then just bent down to fill in where I have clipped out smaller branches by the stem. This thins the top out so that it is not so full that I will have to trim it like I have to to a plant that does not stretch much.

Five foot six is kind of short but doable. You will lose about a foot of hieght because of pots so you have 4.5 feet. This would be good for two 600's.

Only you will be able to tell which plants will be good for your style. Just read what others have posted and use what works best for you from what they say.

Best of luck.

 

[JayRyan]

Ichabod, thanks, that was very helpful. I've been spending a lot of time reading all I can on here in the vert form, and there are just so many different ways people are doing it, with so many plants.

You have given me some great food for thought. I finally got the rest of my ducting in, and should have plants in the room this weekend. I think I'm going to try the Dinafem SSH. She can be teased taller, and her branches are really tuff.

Thanks!!!

 

[Ichabod Crane]

I use the placement of the bulb in veg to get the plants to be the shape I want when they go into flower.

If I have a short plant and I want it to stretch I place the bulb up high. If I have a plant that tends to stretch on the other hand I place the bulb down lower than the top of the plant. This will cause it to fill in more. I veg bare bulb so hoods dont get in the way when I lower it below the top.

To veg two different styles of plant I just raise the plants that stretch to much on a shelf. A bucket will work as the idea is just to raise the plant. If I have stretched a shorter plant to much I just place it on the shelf to have it fill in some.

Tuff branches Are harder to train so be careful. I have snapped many branches trying to fill in my screens. You also need to figure out how you will train your plants while they are in flower. You can use stakes or screen. I have used both and prefer the screens. The screens cost more than stakes will so that may be a issue on your first run.

If you run screens You will also have to decide if you want the plant in front or behind the screen. I prefer the plant infront of the screen. For me it is easier to harvest this way. This way can be harder to train though because you need to get to the front of the screen to tye them back. I have movable screens that make this easier to do. Some people have their screens mounted on a wall.

I like the moveable screen best. It allows me to pull a plant out of the room if I want to harvest or treat it for some kind of problem. It really comes in handy for a rotating harvest. I generally run 2 each 8,9,10 week strains per room. This allows me some time between plants to harvest. Nothing worse than trimming 4-6 pounds in a rapid pace.

 

[Like a Glove]

Looking like you're on top of things Jay. One thing: Check root temps when you're set. Cold flooring reduces root temps and stalls your growth. Now I bet you're living in Texas - so go ahead. Laugh. I Live in a cold, cold place.

 

[Like a Glove]

...wish i could edit. I mean this: I Live in a place where mother earth is sometimes quite cold so even if your room temperatures are in order root temperatures might be off. There. This might cover it.

 

[JayRyan]

Looking like you're on top of things Jay. One thing: Check root temps when you're set. Cold flooring reduces root temps and stalls your growth. Now I bet you're living in Texas - so go ahead. Laugh. I Live in a cold, cold place.

lol, I live on the left coast, but in the mountains, so we get lots of snow. Good point on the floor temp, I'll have to keep an eye on it, thanks!

 

[Ichabod Crane]

Put a piece of foam under the pots. Or raise them up on something a inch or so.

 

[ydijadoit]

A man in his basement, gotta love it. My tip of the day is to research something to spray the dirt with, to prevent mold. I run a similar setup, under my house, and just lost the whole shootin' match to mold....
Happy growin!

 

[JayRyan]

I use the placement of the bulb in veg to get the plants to be the shape I want when they go into flower.


...


I like the moveable screen best. It allows me to pull a plant out of the room if I want to harvest or treat it for some kind of problem. It really comes in handy for a rotating harvest. I generally run 2 each 8,9,10 week strains per room. This allows me some time between plants to harvest. Nothing worse than trimming 4-6 pounds in a rapid pace.

Agreed re screens. I've been thinking about a screen per bucket/plant, or some form of trellising that will let me move the plants out one at a time.

I have several small clones right now in my veg room, and will be moving them in at around 8"-12", then veg them in the vert until they are, as you pointed out, leaving enough room for the stretch.


Thanks again!

 

[JayRyan]

A man in his basement, gotta love it. My tip of the day is to research something to spray the dirt with, to prevent mold. I run a similar setup, under my house, and just lost the whole shootin' match to mold....
Happy growin!

I hear ya, and damn does that suck!

btw, the floor is 2" of foam, the whole things is a foam box really. I'm going to find something to spray on the dirt outside the box though, just not sure what.

I shall research, thanks!

 

[ydijadoit]

Right on, Jay.
If you find a magic bullet for basement mold, please post it here. I will do the same, as I am off to Home Depot and Lowe's this weekend to see what I can find.
As for your original strain question, the only one I have any experience with is the Dinafem Super Silver. Mine hermied in the first 2 weeks of bloom, so it got the chop. I took clones, and they were some of the best rooting clones I have had (DIY Rubbermaid bubble cloner). Too bad, as they hit the trash bucket!
I've had great success with Dinafem's gear in general. I've grown Blue Widow, Critical Jack, California Hashplant, Blue Hash, and Shark Attack.
Might be forgetting one, but I am baked.
For my .02c worth, I'd say, if you have a stable Dinafem strain, that doesn't whip it's junk out 2 weeks into bloom, that might be the way to go.
I have not had one strain from them that wasn't killer smoke, just some hermie problems, some of which may have been my fault.
I've only been at this game since 2009, and, as such, I hate to blame a breeder for something I may well have F'd up myself.
I'll be watching this one!
Regards

 

[420ish]

low level ozone generator that only runs for a half hour at a time really helps the mold issues.basement grows can be tricky with the moisture.if you build individual screens,it is cheap to build using 2x2 wood to your exact height and a osb base cut into pie shape to fit up to 6 plants around a 36 to 42 inch circle with either a single or stacked pair of 600 watters in the middle.good luck!

 

[Sleeper7784]

What's up JayRyan! Welcome and thanks for joining the club. Right now I run a 600w bare bulb but I've ran a cool tube set up similar to yours, in a 4'x6'x6'h and also have experience growing ssh and sour flower (sshxssh)x ssh. They are perfect vert strains. Veg them out until they're about 2' tall then top em and trim all the nodes and branches that are on the lower half and anything that's not going to grow towards the light. Allow them a few days to resume growth, and flip them.

And under that house your going to want a fan constantly exchanging air under there and in the room you'll need to supply heat. Extremely High humidity and ambient temp are going to be you biggest battles. PM is a crop killer. I don't know if you've ever seen a whole crop with a serious infection but there's no stopping it once it explodes. Needless to say bro, I'm a proud owner of a 300 dollar dehumidifier. When it comes to grow spaces all situations need to be considered. Unless your running a 1000w you might be better off ditching the cool tube. If you are, then get you some. Lol

Sleep

 

[Sleeper7784]

Agreed re screens. I've been thinking about a screen per bucket/plant, or some form of trellising that will let me move the plants out one at a time.

I have several small clones right now in my veg room, and will be moving them in at around 8"-12", then veg them in the vert until they are, as you pointed out, leaving enough room for the stretch.


Thanks again!

Right now I use bamboo stakes and yarn to support the branches as they stretch and reach for light.

How many plants do you plan on running? Its easy to over crowd a single light donut, some people like to keep them small and put bunch, and others like to put a plant on each side and grow monsters. It really depends on strain, growing style, size of space, and lighting.

 

[00420]

I say the OJ I'm going to rename my ssh OJ for now on, run her she loves vert

 

[JayRyan]

ydijadoit, my dinafem SSH is a real keeper. She's a quick cloner, and quick finisher, with orange buds. I'll definitely be throwing some of her girls in.

420ish, I have some of that plastic horti trellis I'm going to use along with squares made from 1/2 PVC pipe. SImilar to what you suggest, but in plastic.

Sleeper7784, I have two 400 CFM blowers. One for the room, with intake coming from outside, and one just for the light also with an intake from outside. There are also 2 separate exhaust lines, all of which exit the house completely. I'm looking to start with 4 plants, and if they don't fill I can add more.

00420, thanks for the confirmation. I 'm looking at two OJs, and I have a few OG 18xSkunk I want to run to see what they look like flower wise. I've run OG18 before, and though incredible, they are not IMHO suited for Vert as they don't really fill out.

Thanks all for your great ideas. I forgot a few things (1/2" float valve being one) and have to make one more run to the hydro store before I fire it up. I've added a full panda front inner door to deal with any light leaks around the door…

I'll post pics at weeks end with plants in place.

 

[ydijadoit]

Good deal on the SSH, I'm glad to hear it, as I have one more bean to pop, of that strain. Hope I get a good pheno this time! (Gonna pop it tonight, wish me luck)
Just a little info on the mold situation... I'm actually tearing out my room, after 4 years, because of it. I have enough mold on the dirt in my crawlspace, that it would be foolish to continue down there. Even spraying everything, which I will do, I'd still be tracking spores in on my shoes, and would likely face the same problem I did last run. (Besides, my friggin' back hurts, after 4 years of crawling down there 2x a day!)
Here's a good site, that seems to have some legit info on preventing/killing mold. I know I'm harping on it, but my space looked just like yours, 4 years ago! I'd hate to see what just happened to me, happen to you.
I think I will go with the bleach, and tea tree oil route, first. Bleach kills, and my wife has a bottle of the tea tree oil from her soap making hobby, so it's a no-dollar deal to try it.
Anyway, here's the link. Check it out, if you want.
Regards.

http://blackmold.awardspace.com/kill-remove-mold.html

 

[JayRyan]

Good deal on the SSH, I'm glad to hear it, as I have one more bean to pop, of that strain. Hope I get a good pheno this time! (Gonna pop it tonight, wish me luck)
Just a little info on the mold situation... I'm actually tearing out my room, after 4 years, because of it. I have enough mold on the dirt in my crawlspace, that it would be foolish to continue down there. Even spraying everything, which I will do, I'd still be tracking spores in on my shoes, and would likely face the same problem I did last run. (Besides, my friggin' back hurts, after 4 years of crawling down there 2x a day!)
Here's a good site, that seems to have some legit info on preventing/killing mold. I know I'm harping on it, but my space looked just like yours, 4 years ago! I'd hate to see what just happened to me, happen to you.
I think I will go with the bleach, and tea tree oil route, first. Bleach kills, and my wife has a bottle of the tea tree oil from her soap making hobby, so it's a no-dollar deal to try it.
Anyway, here's the link. Check it out, if you want.
Regards.

http://blackmold.awardspace.com/kill-remove-mold.html

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out for sure.

I am going with the SSH. It clones so well, it is literally taking over my veg room. And the resulting buds are very cool. Orange tinted buds with orange hairs, and it smells like tang the powdered orange juice drink.

 

[JayRyan]

Almost everything is done. I ordered the wrong tank float, so I filled the buckets to a set height and shut off the fill tank. And, of course, my air pump went, and I had to throw on an old smaller pump for the moment.

But, I have 4 plants in the room, 2 SSH, and 1 Cheese. Looking at the spots, it just looked like a cheese might do well
Air in x 2


Air out x 2


Peak inside:


All 4, cheese left center:



I am running 18 hours of light with 600w MH bulb, and will get the girls settled. I have some PVC I am going to fashion into individual screen, and will let them fill in, as I flip to 12x12.