50 small plants or 5 big ones?

TychoMonolyth · Dec 7, 2017

When looking at yields, is it better to:

Start seedlings in May for June transplant outdoors
or
Start seedlings in December, get them big, then move them outdoors

Mikell · Dec 9, 2017

Poke around for someone at your latitude/local. Breeder Brad and a few others are in your area and likely have journals.

Six monthes of veg will produce a ridiculous beast.

Mate Dave · Dec 9, 2017

What varieties do you want to use? Have you a plant limit? How long is the season? Do you have protection?

50 that produce the same as 5 if that is the case it's a no brainer I'll take the 50. There is way less work/time involved in making the grow produce = more free time. Easier soil science & if one goes tits up you loose less.

MedResearcher · Dec 9, 2017

Basically a large factor in your yield is your total canopy space, as in square feet or square meters.

Imo, it is far easier to use more younger plants to fill a canopy than fewer old plants. Besides easier, it is also a more efficient use of inputs: water, fertilizer, labor, etc...

Also, when a plant has everything it needs including vigor and health the rate of growth is insane. You want that insane growth during flowering. If you start a plant very early, it grows huge, then its health declines right before flowering, you will end up with a lot of stems and crummy flowers.

Agree with Mikell, someone local will have the best start dates to acomplish what you are after hopefully.

Here in Nor Cal, December is way to early. April 1st, is plenty early enough for a giant tree. Last year we started a round on April 1st, then another round of seeds on April 15th. The later starts caught up to the older ones with ease, used less fertilizer and were overall easier to keep healthy. One of the April 1st starts hit like 8.3# not counting small flowers, while one of the April 15th starts was around 7.4#. Although truely I think the difference was in the genetics/phenotypes not the amount of veg time. They both were to big, and used excess inputs imo.

More plants has other benefits as well. If you loose one out of ten big plants to mother nature, it hurts.. loose three or four and its even worst. Loose 1 out of 50, or even 4 out of 50, thats less than 10% loss.

Could always do a little of both, side by side. Couple giant trees for fun, than a patch with a bunch of younger starts.

Growing large trees, was important to stay out of trouble if your limited by plant count. With the laws changing, it is becoming a lost art. It reminds me of big wave surfers. Really awesome to see, not for everyone though, and not always practical.

Mr^^

lamenamenumbers · Dec 9, 2017

The main thing to consider before yield is genetics that will finish before the cold, rain and snow come. There is nothing more heart breaking than busting your balls in the bush only to see that the mold fairy beat you to the finish line. And she works quick. I'd rather have a handful or tried and true mighty mites or guerilla gold out in the bush than one monster that may not be done by the middle or end of September. I think a lot of the genetics that finish properly here in Canada have some auto flowering traits. So if you start something with auto traits early it may well start flowering before you even bring it to the great outdoors? This is a semi-guess about semi autos, I'm sure someone will chime in with better advice. Don't spend money on some fandangled hype strain from Cali, pick up a few varieties proven to finish in your area from a Canadian breeder. And if you do want to start early, crack some beans veg them, take cuts, sex them and know you are planting ladies and not wasting time on the fellas.

TychoMonolyth · Dec 9, 2017

As a kid, I had connections to old timers who used to supply the local biker's inventory (SChoice). But they're all long gone. I have 0 connections to the scene today. I see the odd one now and then, but asking them about it is a sure way to get shot. lol. (Beware of strangers, and acquaintances who have disappeared for long periods and reappear asking questions. Just something I picked up un-patched.)

I live between Ottawa and Montreal (45Lat), so I'm not looking to grow redwoods. lol. By big, I should have said 50 Autos or 5 Photoperiod.

I like the Autos for obvious reasons, and I plan on growing some simply because I can stagger my harvest. I like Indica's because they're short and dense, but I like the Sativa high, so I'm probably going 60/40 Indica.

I have secure and spring fed room for 500 in 20-30 good flood planes with great cover. But am probably only doing 50-75.

I've analysed about 500 strains so far looking at this latitude for resistance to pests, mold and cold. I've whittled it down to about 20. I'll post my choices here for opinions when I get back home next week. I've done tons of reading and research, and one small test grow, but academics mean squat in the real world.

TychoMonolyth · Dec 9, 2017

And finding something without a shit load of leaves in the colas would be nice. I've seen some plants that were pretty bad. 5 plants, not so bad. 50 would be a nightmare to trim.

Complete Noob · Dec 11, 2017

50 plants like seriously do you have space for 50 plants outdoors? A month inside and then transplant outdoors would be 50 full size plants growing outdoors. That's an awful lot and you sound pretty new at this but if you have space I would certainly try it

But do you even have enough space for 5 nice size cannabis plants?

Complete Noob · Dec 11, 2017

And then your asking should you start some in December, veg them until when June?? A six month veg bro? That sounds a little ridiculous. I've never grown outdoors but I have indoors and you will have lots of space problems growing any kind of strain for 6 months indoors without cutting the shit out of it every two weeks which would be counter productive in the time you would be begging you could flower out two full harvests indoors

TychoMonolyth · Dec 11, 2017

Typos:
"spring fed room" should have been "spring fed forest"

Ya. I'm rural. About 450 acres of mixed bush (a watershed).

I certainly don't intend to start in December. I thought I could. But mid April or May maybe.

I'd be starting them in a heated greenhouse. But they can't be too big either because I still have to carry them to several spots.

What I'm really trying to ask is, would 2 Autos be equal to a Photo yield wise
or is that like asking how long a piece of string is?

Speed of green · Jan 4, 2018

highest yielding autos ive heard of are about 112g, im sure there are higher but i would say this is a great yield for an autoflower. id take photoperiod plants over autos.

gorilla ganja · Jan 4, 2018

I have seen auto's yield way more than that indoors.
Outdoors it's a lot harder to get the yields, unless proper care can be given to them.

But they do have advantages.
3 weeks you can sex them usually
They are in the 2 -4 ft height range, which are way easier to hide than 8 ft monsters.
No more than 100 days or so from sprout most in the 65-85 day range.

think I read 45 degrees North for you, This gives you a lot more options than at 55 North as far as Photoperiod plants that will finish for you.

So either way will work , just depends on your set up and hrs. available to tend to them.

Best of luck and may all your Buds be Huge

Peace GG

TychoMonolyth · Jan 4, 2018

Thanks. I've been researching since November and learned a few things. Learning how to grow Autos and Photoperiod plants is like learning how to be a Dairy farmer and a Vegetable farmer at the same time.

I'm tempted to plant 400 Autos in two staggered crops and pass on the photos. The down side in yield is the only thing that's holding me back.

acdc · Jan 4, 2018

try berry bomb auto good yielder grows big

rolandomota · Jan 4, 2018

Try some auto malawi x northern lights from ace seeds they are sativa dominant and high yield. Also some freeze and freeze crosses from beanhoarder he says they perform well outdoors in the north thats where he grows guerrilla style in Canada

lagoutche. · Mar 5, 2018

neville's haze auto would be perfect for you .....4 month life 500 grams by plant ,sativa effect ......

TychoMonolyth · Mar 7, 2018

lagoutche. said:
neville's haze auto would be perfect for you .....4 month life 500 grams by plant ,sativa effect ......

Nice. Thanks.

soil margin · Mar 7, 2018

I'm always a fan of high plant count outdoors, especially if you're gonna mix it up with a few strains that have different resistances/preferences/etc. You just have so much less risk than doing a run with only a few plants where you lose a big part of your crop from losing one or two plants.

Spaventa · Mar 7, 2018

At 45n I wouldn't even consider autos. I do but Im at 51n but theres still photoperiods you can finish outdoors here.

400 autos is a lot of coin on seed but even if that doesn't bother you, you don't now what your getting and with 400 seeds you probably will get some seeded, some descent, a lot of shit.
A tested photoperiod clone would be a lot better. Must be someone in your area who could fill some trays with cuts?

as to the original question - it comes down to light penetration - theres no point growing a densely planted canopy taller than 5 feet because the light won't get down to the lower parts. 9ft tall is fine if they have space but if you are planting close, id aim for 5 feet finished height - any higher will be more junk stem and leaf

50 small plants or 5 big ones?

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