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Best way to keep track of a grow?

A

AlexPanth

New member
Hi Guys,

I recently finished my first grow (thanks in large part due to guidance provided by this community) and it went better than expected! Granted, I wasn't expecting much, but regardless :biggrin:

One thing that helped me in the later stages of the grow was keeping track of various information (feeding schedule, days since light cycle change, etc) so that I could easily remember when I needed to get certain things done. I am thinking that for my next grow I'll keep closer track to see if I can see how differences in conditions impact the yield from each one of the plants.

Does anyone else here keep track of their grows? If so, do you guys use a notebook or Excel or do you have a different method? I was using a notebook but I'm curious what others found works best for them.

Alex
 
X

XXX_710

Member
I second beefalo bill... get a big calendar. I write in all the tasks I need to do; including when its time to harvest. It also helps to note when you change a piece of equipment (like a bulb), so that you can look back later to see how long it's been.
 
Cadfael

Cadfael

Active member
Big Calendar to write down dates.

Composition book to write down thoughts, processes etc etc.

Post Lists of Standard operating procedures & Checklists.
 
WelderDan

WelderDan

Well-known member
Veteran
I think I tracked everything in my first couple of grows with a spiral notebook. But I haven't bothered doing that in years.

Once you learn to read the plant, it tells you what it needs. I know how far I can push the nutes, and I don't use PH up or down. I know that my nutes drop my PH to the lower end of the scale, and by the time it's time to refill the rez the PH is hitting the upper end of the scale, so I'm getting a good PH swing. I don't even use a meter anymore.

I veg until it begins to alternate nodes (from seed), and when it gets as tall as I want from clone. I don't care how many days it takes.

I don't count days from the flip, other than just a rough idea when to start checking the tricomes.

The plant will tell you everything you need to know, once you learn how to understand it.
 
Lester Beans

Lester Beans

Frequent Flyer
Veteran
Start a grow journal/ diary here on Icmag.

Others like to watch the grow and if you make any mistakes, someone will point that out.

Best of luck on your next grow!
 
W

w3rds

Member
I use excel to keep columns to track date, amount watered, pH/ppm of nutes, stressing done.

I have a dry erase calendar on the wall in the room that keeps up with days watered so I can see it in the moment. I also take a pic once daily to track growth visually. its fun for montage videos after harvest.
 
G

Ganjastar

New member
Whatever is easier, I just write some dates on a notepad file so food strengths and flower times etc. Some notes I write directly on to the plant pot
 
S

St. Phatty

Active member
Microsoft Project & Yahoo Calendar ?


I find one of the best tools is Big Cheap plant Labels.

So you can write strain and maybe other info, e.g. date started 12/12.


I remember they used to sell 100 for $3, now it's 100 for $8.

Sometimes the dollar store has the big wide tongue depressor popsicle sticks, actually wider than the plastic hydro store labels.
 
thejact55

thejact55

Active member
WelderDan said:
I think I tracked everything in my first couple of grows with a spiral notebook. But I haven't bothered doing that in years.

Once you learn to read the plant, it tells you what it needs. I know how far I can push the nutes, and I don't use PH up or down. I know that my nutes drop my PH to the lower end of the scale, and by the time it's time to refill the rez the PH is hitting the upper end of the scale, so I'm getting a good PH swing. I don't even use a meter anymore.

I veg until it begins to alternate nodes (from seed), and when it gets as tall as I want from clone. I don't care how many days it takes.

I don't count days from the flip, other than just a rough idea when to start checking the tricomes.

The plant will tell you everything you need to know, once you learn how to understand it.
Click to expand...

This right here. I am a statistic person at work, but when it comes to growing, let the plants talk. I will refer to my posts, as mentioned on another post on this thread, but really, as long as they are healthy, and you can understand what the plants say they need, that is good enough.
 
PaulieWaulie

PaulieWaulie

Member
Veteran
I agree with the more experienced growers that tracking info is not as important as you get better. In the beginning it does give you a sense of control, and you tend to stick to your planned nutrient levels, and by tracking run off ppm/ph you learn about your medium, and the plants nutrients interact with both. Now that Ive done that for a few grows, I do it less and less and have more confidence that things are in range, and just check occasionally.

I print out excel sheets with columns for things I want to track, and throw them in a clipboard which makes it easy to track and review info as I'm looking at the plants.
 
DoubleTripleOG

DoubleTripleOG

Chemdog & Kush Lover Extraordinaire
ICMag Donor
I write down the date a plant(s) goes into flower. Other than that, the only other thing I do to keep track is write the date the plant was flipped on the tag. I use a one part fertilizer from the beginning of veg until the last 2-3 weeks before harvest, when they get plain water. So no need for me to keep track of the "nutrient regime" .
 
M

medicated4

Member
I try to keep track as much as possible in a notebook/calendar. Personally, for the most part as others have said experience/knowledge keeps me from needing the notes very often..but I smoke so much bud its good to keep track of days for maintenance reasons :). Let me provide you with an example how notes helped me out..So I was running sour diesel had numerous runs work out perfect for years..then all of the sudden out of the blue nanners everywhere..strange... no changes at all..notes kept for every single thing you could imagine(temp, watering schedule,soil mix, day to day temps/humidity anything I could think of..) so I decide to finish the run with my tail between my legs since it happened during week 5 flowering..picked all the nanners off every other day. My eyes would legit be half ass crossed by the time i was done..some of the saddest times me and the sweet mary jane have shared..But anywho sorry for rambling.. so the point was I went to the notes wondering wtf happened..everything checked out fine besides noticing my temps were getting to low during the night(winter) during a particularly cold stretch about a week earlier. I decided to insulate the floor even though the pots were off the ground and never had the strain hermie again using the same mother the clones were taken off of. Sorry for the long reply i ramble on alot...but thats why I still keep notes...never know when theyll help. :tiphat:
 
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