Getting ready for 1st Vertical grow

I am preparing for my late summer/fall grow and looking to go Vert.
I have been growing for a number of yrs in Coco Hempys, horizontal light grow, but this looks like something I would like to try.

48" X 30" X 72" cabinet


400W HPS
Coco in 3 gallon smart pots
Not sure on irrigation, Blumats or drip system.
Nutes GH FloraMicro, FloraBloom, Cal/Mag and Epsom,
Modified H3ad's formula, just reduced rated based on his 6/9 + Epsom, I will reduce that to 4/6 or less plus Cal/Mag and Epsom.
Will need some help from you fine folks on that last thing, since I will be watering 3 to 5 times during veg and 5 or more times during flower shouldn't I reduce the amount of nutes per feeding?

First photo, inside cabinet space, the plant stands/screens will be movable to adjust distance to and from lamp.




This are drawings of the stands, one error side pic should be 42", first drawing is the side, second is the top and third is the front.



I know I will have a ton of questions so I hope someone with experience will be willing to assist. Hell anyone chime in if you have suggestions or questions (especially suggestions, LOL)?

GR

Hi!

Sorry i'm not able to help you because i'm begining too ^^
But i just turned light in 12/12 yesterday, so you will see my errors first

like you i grow coco dtw with 1gal pots
good luck!

Here is the frame for my screens, basic idea from Marlow, thank's Bud!
I only had to buy one 5' piece of pipe, as I have tons of scrap PVC pipe. So once I decide on the final design I will only have to buy pipe for the uprights and back brace.

The screen itself is 39 x 17 inches
The overall height is 50"
The plant stand area is 8 x 10 inches with the overall dimensions 16 d X 14 w. I am going to make the back two end pieces longer for total 18" instead of 14", be more stable, but once I get the pots on it I don't think stability will be a problem.







I am going to leave the "T's" on the middle of the screens unglued, I will be able to tilt the screen further forward, back or fully upright if needed.

Since I will not be using the screen as a scrog and will just be tying the stems back to the screen does it make any difference what size wire I use for the screen. I have 1.5 x1.5" x 24" welded PVC coated, ,1.5" x 24" hex wire PVC coated (the lightest weight wise) or 1 x 1 x 24 inch welded PVC coated..

Looks like I will only be able to get three plants in the cabinet with the screens, I will try some form of triangle around the light.

As usual any comments are welcome!

GR

Ok, seeds ordered, Big Buddha Blue Cheese and Barneys Farm Critical Kusk, so now I am preparing the cabinet and getting ready for my first vertical grow.
Have changed the trellis design due to a conflict of space,

and am in the process of cleaning the cabinet, getting it ready for accept the plants. Cleaning the Mylar sides, washing and repainting the bottom, thinking going with white rubberized paint.
Am thinking of going back to a 4" fan and filter, would like to mount the filter on the outside of the cabinet, just not sure how to do it yet.
Ordered a new high end 400W HPS lamp.
Three plants in a triangle around the lamp.

I would like some input from you smart folks who have run this method and can provide some input.
Thanks and wish me luck on the epic journey!
GR

Hope this makes sense to you guys.
Can someone post some pics of tying the branches to the screen, I have a general idea but just want to be efficient.
Also, does anyone super crop before the first node of each or most branches or do you just LST, do you use super cropping at all?

Thanks
GR

Looks really good, I like your trellis design, the plants won't be able to fall into the light when they are weighed down by massive buds.

Also you could plant your seeds off center in their pots so they wouldn't have to bend so far to be tied to the screen. I don't know if this would have any negative outcome(i can't think of any), just an idea.

Not sure if you are asking for a tutorial on how to physically tie branches to the screen or if you are asking how to train the branches on the screen.

If you want to know how to train branches, i am not an expert at all, as I'm only on my second vert grow. Basically i top the plant when it is small 3-5 nodes, this makes the plant grow into a V shape. Once it grows up i tie it to the screen and try to spread the main branches out so they are all evenly spaced. This is how I've been doing it, not sure if its right or wrong.




To tie the branch to the screen i get a long piece of plant tie and cut it into smaller 3-4" pieces, i store these in a coffee cup around my grown rooms because i always see something new to tie down when I'm in there.

Then i bend the plant tie into a U shape.

Slip it over the branch.

Twist it up leaving a gap so the plant can grow larger.

Hope this is what you were looking for. Good luck!

Thanks Speed, just what I was looking for, just needed some advice and pictures sure help. I have seen pics where pipe cleaners were used, I have used those plant ties like you during past Manifold grows.
I am very excited to give this method a try.
Ordered seeds and getting everything cleaned and ready to grow. This grow I will be using preventive Fungal Gnat control, will mix crumbled/crushed BTi in with the coco and do regular treatments with BTi during waterings. Them bastards just killed my yield last grow.

Thanks again
GR

I know there are some on this forum that preach SM-90 as a general defense against root borne pathogens and critters.. When used from the beginning & throughout the grow as a preventative treatment you shouldn't have an issue..

You can use it as ph up too!
Might be worth looking into.

Speed of green said:

Looks really good, I like your trellis design, the plants won't be able to fall into the light when they are weighed down by massive buds.

Also you could plant your seeds off center in their pots so they wouldn't have to bend so far to be tied to the screen. I don't know if this would have any negative outcome(i can't think of any), just an idea.

Not sure if you are asking for a tutorial on how to physically tie branches to the screen or if you are asking how to train the branches on the screen.

If you want to know how to train branches, i am not an expert at all, as I'm only on my second vert grow. Basically i top the plant when it is small 3-5 nodes, this makes the plant grow into a V shape. Once it grows up i tie it to the screen and try to spread the main branches out so they are all evenly spaced. This is how I've been doing it, not sure if its right or wrong.

View Image


To tie the branch to the screen i get a long piece of plant tie and cut it into smaller 3-4" pieces, i store these in a coffee cup around my grown rooms because i always see something new to tie down when I'm in there.
View Image
Then i bend the plant tie into a U shape.
View Image
Slip it over the branch.
View Image
Twist it up leaving a gap so the plant can grow larger.
View Image
Hope this is what you were looking for. Good luck!

Click to expand...

nice one thanks for the tutorial looking nice there mate!

Speed of green said:

I know there are some on this forum that preach SM-90 as a general defense against root borne pathogens and critters.. When used from the beginning & throughout the grow as a preventative treatment you shouldn't have an issue..

You can use it as ph up too!
Might be worth looking into.

Click to expand...

Will research SM-90, plan on using Canna Coco product that eats dead roots and try to keep the roots as clean as possible, the Fungal gnats made my roots so fucked looking.
With my water I have always had to use pH up. Thanks for the info.
It is nice getting this info together prior to my grow, already feeling good about it.

GR

I dont like topping my plants. Seems to make them to bushy for me. Instead I move the plant in relation to the light. If I want it to stretch I place the light up high. If I want it to fill in I place the plant to the side of the light.

You also may need something to keep those screens from leaning into the light. I use a tee fitting at the top of my screens and then connect the screen tops together. This keeps them at a fixed distance from the light. The way I do it allows me to spin the screens out to get at the center. Here is what it looks like.



At the next screen over is the same thing.

Also I dont know what you are planting in. I use bucket lids fastened to the screen bottom to hold my pots in place when i move my racks around. It helps keep the plant in the same spot so it does not flop around and damage the roots.

Hey IC thanks for the response. I noticed your did some super cropping, do you do a lot of that. If so where on the stem do you make your knuckle, close to the main stem or out away from it. When I manage for a even canopy, horizonel grow, I usually SC just off the main stem.

Ichabod Crane said:

I dont like topping my plants. Seems to make them to bushy for me. Instead I move the plant in relation to the light. If I want it to stretch I place the light up high. If I want it to fill in I place the plant to the side of the light. I think that sounds good.

You also may need something to keep those screens from leaning into the light. I use a tee fitting at the top of my screens and then connect the screen tops together. This keeps them at a fixed distance from the light. The way I do it allows me to spin the screens out to get at the center. Here is what it looks like. I plan of tilting the screens back a bit to try and keep the plants from the light. My problem I believe will be the plants on the short side of the cabinet will only have 12" from the screen to the light, may have to bind them bitches hard to the screen. The two that are on the long side of the cabinet should not be a problem as I can adjust the inward toward the light or move them out away from the light.

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=33180&pictureid=773488]View Image[/url]

At the next screen over is the same thing.

Also I dont know what you are planting in. I use bucket lids fastened to the screen bottom to hold my pots in place when i move my racks around. It helps keep the plant in the same spot so it does not flop around and damage the roots.

Click to expand...

I will be in two or three gallon smart pots straight coco, and they will be setting on at platform attached to the bottom of the frame, can lift them out of the cabinet to work on them. Not worried about root damage.

Show me the place I super cropped. I dont usually do that. I almost always let them grow out unless I want to take a cutting or clone.

Ichabod Crane said:

Show me the place I super cropped. I dont usually do that. I almost always let them grow out unless I want to take a cutting or clone.

Click to expand...

By the light reflection at the lower left.

Maybe I was wrong, but my question remains, does anyone SC during the grow?
Maybe some one will chime in on this.

Thanks for the info bud

GR

I think that branch broke when I was tying it to the rack.

I have not seen to many super crop in vert. It just seems to lead to to much pruning later. Most of the people that I have seen do it in vert regretted it later when they had to trash to much of the plant when placing them into flower.

I`m the 1 that`s preached SM-90 since the dawn of time lol , and if you top or sc a plant it stunts it and changes it`s growth structure.....that adds recovery time plus total days till Harvey compared to unstunted and untopped plants....there`s a time and place for everything , just gotta learn your plant`s to know how much torture they can take without stunting em....and also when as well...but....

To learn and dial a strain , it`s imperative to let it grow naturally so you can learn how much it stretches when you pull the trigger , plus how much it bushes out toward the bare bulbs since the stimuli is sideways instead of conventional horizontal reflected light that causes plants to react in a completely different manner toward the light source.....anyways....

Many paths to Nirvana......some on the straight and narrow for those that get it , long and winding for the most part with the unfocused and easily swayed from fad to hype....

The best growers are the ones that document their rotations and learn from their mistakes , stick with 1 base nutrient and dial that shit with each strain yas use it on.....additives for the most part are junk....NPK is NPK no matter how yas slice it.....

Less is more ...bet on it....but....Silicablast for stemwall strength and overall plant health @ 5 ml per gal , SM-90 added to the medium before plants are transplanted if using coco and fed at same strength thru life of the grow will keep rootborn critters from proliferating , Cal/Mag @ 3-5-even 7.5 ml per gal if running Chem or diesel strains , and that`s it....

Some folks swear by PK supplements , but if you use your base nutes to their fullest extent and learn how to drop N sources after end of stretch while adding bloom nutes to compensate and keep ppms/ec constant across the board from 600-750/1.2-1.5 , additives aren`t needed .......aight....

Nuff outta my old ass today , got U-10 prawns and speckled trout filets ta grill.....Ya`ll take care....and hey Icky....before you or anyone else says anything , ain`t nuttin wrong with molasses and MPK as long as ppm`s are monitored as I know you do across the board till end of cycle.......

Peace....DHF........

Haha MKP is just the P and K of NPK. I add that instead of wasting my Jacks. Dont need to waste the micros. So I am right there with you on everything. Just I add molasses because some strains seem to improve a little in smell and flavor.

But I can still beat most growers because they dont know how to dry and cure correctly. I am far from the best grower and far from having the best set up. But I understand my nutrients and how to dry and cure. Can I use any nutes out there? Hell no I cant. I have just been using the same nutes for 5 years and understand them.

So right there with you DHF. Run the same nutes over and over and the same plant over and over.

And DHF I just chopped some pre98 bubba kush.

Yeah bro , I know what the mpk was/is , just like pk13 kinda shit , was just goin off what I saw you post the other day as your additives......regardless....

All about the ppm`s/ec and keepin shit constant across the board....and if I was gonna crank back up again after what I`ve seen in the last few yrs with juice , I`d either be maxibloom with my normal additives , and/or try Jack`s w/calcnit for a side by side....anyways....

Less is more , and if anyone takes the time to dial vert as Icky`s in the process of doing by creating the most dense canopy possible WITHOUT flarfy shit behind it , guaranteed yields will increase with time.....

Bout ta bust from shrimps , fish , and all kinds a fixins.....and Icky...did it take 3 months ta veg that Bubba ta yield anything ?....

I got S-1`s once and tried ta put em in rotation with Chem D and the 9 week euro cuts I was runnin....All rooms did 5 lbs with the same amount of veg.....the Bubba did lil over a lb and I kept it and flowered the mom......no Bueno fer croppin , but the best I`ve seen for insomnia and arthritis.....anyways....

Good luck Gr8....you can do it....

Peace....DHF.........

I have no idea how long I vegged it for. Just know it was behind some others I got at the same time. I just keep a full veg area and pull what looks to be ready and flower. It didnt fill in as much as I hoped but still had nice nugget structure and weight. And had pretty good frost.

Question:

In a vertical grow do you veg under the vertical light?
I am thinking of vegging under my LED, it is very good for veg.

The wire I used as a screen on my lattes frames would not dry, I painted it silver over PVC coating 4 weeks ago and it is still tacky. No problem, I was picking up a order of wire today at my suppliers and the workers there were cutting and stacking 4x8 sheets of 2x2
16 guage welded wire and they had a pile of 2"x 2" scrap, I got a piece of it. It is a full sheet with no problem they just had cut that piece two inches short. My problem is solved. Had a hell of a time getting them to let me have it, company policy I was told. I told them that I could take my $3,000 every two month business elsewhere and the guy says how many pieces of scrap do you want. LOL I only got the one piece.

Now to get busy, I cleaned the inside of the cabinet today, all the Mylar and floor, going to paint the floor with a rubberized paint, white. Going to build one more stand and put the new wire on all 4 of the stands. Remounting my fan and filter, want to get my fan just off center of the light and hung by bungee from the top of the cabinet.

GR