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Simple tips to grow excellent cannabis

cody2white

ghost in training
Veteran
Great idea for a thread my only comment is dont forget to bring a towel! Haha really though thank you for the tips :wave:
 

Yes4Prop215

Active member
Veteran
lots of friends ask me about growing all the time..im really amazed sometimes at how naive some of them are, so i try to keep things simple and give them a few pointers. most of the time they fail anyways because they simply lack dedication, investment funds, or patience...


but a few simple things ive learned in my short career (4 years) since i started growing...


1) ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL!! the most important, overlooked thing IMO... keep your humidity below 50%, temps below 80-85, and lots of air circulation and movement. this alone will solve many problems (airy buds, heat stress, mold, etc)

2) Increase nutrient uptake gradually, when in doubt flush...dont overfertilize.

3) 8 week minimum flower, i dont care if the seed company says 52 days, the true potential of most strains is unleashed in 9-11 weeks

4) Research topping, supercropping, and basic training to increase yield. most novice growers totally overlook proper training.

5) Check your garden everyday if possible. Yes, some growers like to brag about how they have everything automated and dont have to work.. But you never know when you will discover that small patch of PM, or that small web of spider mites, or that other random problem you are likely to find. I check my growroom 2-3x a day, i guess im OCD. I like to identify and fix problems ASAP!!

6) Basic preventive maintenance is a must, having the proper fungicides (eagle20) and insecticides (floramite) will make your life easier.

7) Dont Skimp. Dont feel bad about shelling out extra dollars for good equipment, it will repay itself in one grow usually.

8) Re-invest in your grow. So you just made a bunch of cash selling your harvest, set some aside for upgrades, etc. unless you already went out and blew 20-30k on your room and got everything you needed first, chances are there are ALWAYS room for improvement somewhere.

9) Watch out for hermies and males!! having your crop seeded because you slacked off and forgot to cull that male is a bad feeling.

10) Share advice with fellow growers! seriously, too many techniques, advice, strains, and connections have been made talking to fellow growers. if it wasnt for networking between growers, i would probably be in the stone age growing subpar commercial quality like most people. If i see a friends product and like it, i ask them about it. most of the time they are happy to share. dont be afraid to dedicate a tray or two to research to try our your friends methods, etc.....

Great idea for a thread my only comment is dont forget to bring a towel! Haha really though thank you for the tips :wave:


this advice is really true.. growing is a messy hobby and having the proper cleaning supplies ready is important...i keep a stack of cheap 3 dollar walmart towels under the growroom sink, and bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and super absorbant towels on hand. i keep multiple trash cans all over the various rooms because you are always throwing out dead leaves, etc....having a clean and organized growroom will help you be a better grower..
 

TickleMyBalls

just don't molest my colas..
Veteran
all excellent advice on how to make simple even easier YOP. Having things you may need on hand in advance is always something that makes a crop better. Make that correction right away, don't wait till the grow shop opens the next day or when you get a minute away from your real job.

I could really go on and on about every point you made, cause they are all important things for growers to remember. great contribution man!

Simple Tip of the day: Always take more clones than you need. being able to pick the healthiest and most vigorous clones to flower out not only increases quality and yield, but cuts down any time spent nursing the clones back to health. Once you have all of your space filled, take the extra plants and give them to friends, turn them into moms, or toss them. I promise, the pain of throwing out a perfectly good rooted clone due to space issues goes away with time. No need to keep a scraggly unhealthy runt around just to take up space.
 

TickleMyBalls

just don't molest my colas..
Veteran
Simple tips: Don't skimp on the gear. Don't overfeed. Don't harvest early. Do check ph. Do use timers. Be a good human
TMB your a hero of mine. Thanks for the forum, thanks for the gear, thanks for the memories. What better time to express love than Memorial weekend. 1 final simple tip: Enjoy

The feeling is mutual buddy. I was hoping you'd stop by and impart some of your wisdom upon all of us growers. I wouldn't be who I am without you man. Thank you for the kind words and everything you've brought into my life.

You mentioned one of the most important simple tips. Be a good human. I can't tell you how bummed I am when I meet people that are assholes and then I find out they grow herb. I'm even more bummed when they're good at it. And I'm the most bummed when they're good at it and they know it. Nothing is worse than a grower thats a shitty person.
 

Yes4Prop215

Active member
Veteran
agreed 100...i know a few douchebag growers. guys who hoard cuts, act like they are gods because they move pounds, etc...people who claim that they dont care about marijuana or growing they are just in it to make cash.....blah. if i had my own 40 lights i wouldnt have to buy any of these guys herb anymore..

and i second that advice about the clones....i always take extras and toss the ugly ones. it might feel bad at first killing a plant but after a while you get callous about it....or i give them to friends people are always happy to get a free plant.

speaking of which, im probably gonna run through the room tonight and get my murder on...
 

bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
Preventative maintenance- Replace your scrubber before it fails, and you won't have odor leaks. Replace your lamps before they've lost too much life, and you won't have airy buds. Keep it clean and you'll have fewer bug problems. Treat your plants in veg with things like Imid, Eagle20 and Forbid that have a residual effect, and you won't have problems in flower.

Overkill is underrated- Most of my equipment is over-sized for my grow. My dehuey is a DRIZAIR 200, comparable to a Santa Fe. It can pull 25gal a day out of the air. It only runs for short periods of time throughout the day, as opposed to a small dehuey that will run all day, struggling to keep up, and die a premature death.
 

prince kali

Member
...
You mentioned one of the most important simple tips. Be a good human. I can't tell you how bummed I am when I meet people that are assholes and then I find out they grow herb. I'm even more bummed when they're good at it. And I'm the most bummed when they're good at it and they know it. Nothing is worse than a grower thats a shitty person.

well well well..
that being said i was thinking about your first post in this (your) thread, that gave me a "sour" feeling..

"As growers our main problem to solve is what the hell does this fuckin' plant need to perform to it's highest potential? That is our adventure, that is our job. We learn our plants in and out, so we know just what to do, and when so they come out exactly perfect for our taste. "

in my opinion a pretty disrespectful statement. more like a businessman running a chicken farm..
when i read this i thought to myself "luckily i am not your girlfriend.."

being good starts with good thinking/feeling.. no?

i am just reacting to that because you started to throw around with big words, like being a good or a shitty person and such..


MY TIP for growing very good weed..
be with your plants, use your senses, listen, look, smell.
and a lot of love and care :tiphat:
 
never water when u dont need to, always water when u do, alwyays treat individual plants individually, what one varitey needs the other may not. the main thing ive found is maintain the plants metabolism via exact water techniques, if u can say water all 5 plants that need it and wait a half day to water the others that dont quite need it yet u really have something, the entire metabolism is water based, cant stress perfect watering enough and the patience to wait untill exactly when the plant ask for it, when u keep your plant in a high state of metabolism via allowing your medium to breath u get the best results, there is no depression in growth.

l.s.t, spread them apical dominant plant hormones to your advantage
tap water, it has cal mag n plants grow faster in it then pure water
im also thinking that keeping N not low but not at its max untill well into flower say week 5 , what i mean is that ive noticed buds are bigger on plants that arent pumped full of N at the switch(12/12) but gradually get it as the strectch calls for more, with sativas the n requirement will be greater and longer, just read your plants
 

one Q

Quality
Veteran
MY TIP for growing very good weed..
be with your plants, use your senses, listen, look, smell.
and a lot of love and care :tiphat:

being with your plants is IT! There's so much you can notice if you just sit. Observe. Notice. Keeping mental notes on who's who and how and why.
 

blank85

Member
never water when u dont need to, always water when u do, alwyays treat individual plants individually, what one varitey needs the other may not. the main thing ive found is maintain the plants metabolism via exact water techniques, if u can say water all 5 plants that need it and wait a half day to water the others that dont quite need it yet u really have something, the entire metabolism is water based, cant stress perfect watering enough and the patience to wait untill exactly when the plant ask for it, when u keep your plant in a high state of metabolism via allowing your medium to breath u get the best results, there is no depression in growth.

l.s.t, spread them apical dominant plant hormones to your advantage
tap water, it has cal mag n plants grow faster in it then pure water
im also thinking that keeping N not low but not at its max untill well into flower say week 5 , what i mean is that ive noticed buds are bigger on plants that arent pumped full of N at the switch(12/12) but gradually get it as the strectch calls for more, with sativas the n requirement will be greater and longer, just read your plants

I hate how you pretend anything you know about growing has anything to do with experience. All you do is read other peoples threads and regurgitate their knowledge as your own. Problem is because you dont actually grow some of the stuff you say is wrong. Like that time you told a dude to swap his extractor fan with passive intake for a intake fan and passive extract or like the time you told someone to use fine builders sand in their coco instead of perlite.
 

bobblehead

Active member
Veteran
never water when u dont need to, always water when u do, alwyays treat individual plants individually, what one varitey needs the other may not. the main thing ive found is maintain the plants metabolism via exact water techniques, if u can say water all 5 plants that need it and wait a half day to water the others that dont quite need it yet u really have something, the entire metabolism is water based, cant stress perfect watering enough and the patience to wait untill exactly when the plant ask for it, when u keep your plant in a high state of metabolism via allowing your medium to breath u get the best results, there is no depression in growth.

l.s.t, spread them apical dominant plant hormones to your advantage
tap water, it has cal mag n plants grow faster in it then pure water
im also thinking that keeping N not low but not at its max untill well into flower say week 5 , what i mean is that ive noticed buds are bigger on plants that arent pumped full of N at the switch(12/12) but gradually get it as the strectch calls for more, with sativas the n requirement will be greater and longer, just read your plants


lol... plants grow faster in water that has cal/mag than straight RO water w/o any nutrients? no shit...

Keep pretending to grow...
 
cant stress perfect watering enough and the patience to wait untill exactly when the plant ask for it, when u keep your plant in a high state of metabolism via allowing your medium to breath u get the best results, there is no depression in growth.

If growing in soil, then you are correct about wanting to let soil dry out between waterings..... mainly to encourage root growth and keep from getting water logged roots.

In hydro or coco this whole letting the medium dry out between waterings advice doesnt apply though
 

noreason

Natural born Grower
ICMag Donor
Veteran
One more tip to improve indoor growing is to use automated controllers.
If controllers do the work for you to keep temp,RH,co2 etc... you can spend more time with your plants ;)
 

ChaosCatalunya

5.2 club is now 8.1 club...
Veteran
Tip, raise and halve the lights for the last 2 weeks, the plants no longer need high light intensity to grow flowers, they have already done that, but you can and will "cook" almost ready buds and their aromatic terpenes with high temps and intense light at the end phase. Think about how the light in Autumn naturally decreases far more than this...

Dry your bud out properly before bagging, try to pull a bud away from the stalk, it is the dryness of this stalk that tells you the Bud's real state, it is easy to dry the outside of a flower out, yet have far too much in the middle. If you bag weed to wet, it seems to "compost" a bit, loosing smell and %THC.

pot snob chiming in .. lol ...

dunno how many times guys have dropped around with a sample they are proud of ,
and ive rudely said .. "ohh cool , thanks ill try that later " , and prolly give it to the next guy that drops around . hehehe ...

its often not how its grown , or what variety ,, but moreso was it properly ripe at harvest , and how was it handled after harvest ,,
ie the drying and curing ..
dunno how many lovely looking buds or samples of , ive seen that were spoilt by that ...

i always figure ,, if your going to spend months growing great cannabis ,, spend the extra time at the end to make it properly smokeable and pleasent in the pipe , its worth it ...
and your other pot snob mates will thank you ,, lol ...

QFT. :tiphat:

95% of the weed I see is immature and that goes for cup entries, certain breeders included .....

Immature weed is a poor representation of what it might have been, why waste months growing a plant then throw it all away because you are impatient ?

Who has actually grown a plant over normal time and checked out how it smokes at various stages of harvest ? It is the only way to truly dial in the harvest date IMO.


Finally, and knowing some will not like to hear this, grow in coco, simply because you cannot flush soil properly, or at least anything like to the extent you can in coco.


There is nothing at all stopping a total Newbie from growing top quality weed on their first crop, elite genetics are way overrated, crap phenos from $20 packs of seed can be great compared to poorly grown elites from growers with 30 years experience.
 

prince kali

Member
Finally, and knowing some will not like to hear this, grow in coco, simply because you cannot flush soil properly, or at least anything like to the extent you can in coco.

well... better go organic, then you dont need to flush at all! (somebody had to say that, no?) :tiphat:
 

ChaosCatalunya

5.2 club is now 8.1 club...
Veteran
well... better go organic, then you dont need to flush at all! (somebody had to say that, no?) :tiphat:

You can do organic in coco if you so wish, either way you will need to flush out your medium, organic nutes or not.

Also, in coco, IMO, it is far easier to get right 100% of the time IMO, you cannot overwater and it is very easy to dial in the right feed levels.

Every virgin grower I have helped start with coco has had 100% success, 1g/w of dank from the word go, now even the local growshop owner has converted. You can get really great results in soil, organically, but it is far harder and there is a lot more scope to get it wrong.
 

prince kali

Member
You can do organic in coco if you so wish, either way you will need to flush out your medium, organic nutes or not.

Also, in coco, IMO, it is far easier to get right 100% of the time IMO, you cannot overwater and it is very easy to dial in the right feed levels.

Every virgin grower I have helped start with coco has had 100% success, 1g/w of dank from the word go, now even the local growshop owner has converted. You can get really great results in soil, organically, but it is far harder and there is a lot more scope to get it wrong.

i disagree. if you use good soil (high microbial activity and enough "food") u can go with water only, no ph, no ec, just plain tap water and your grow will come out great.
maybe not 1g/w from the go, but the final product is uncomparably better in many ways (taste/smell & high)..
just my experience..
:tiphat:
 

BudZad7

Active member
Flush 14 days minimum

Flush 14 days minimum

:tiphat:Hello All ! Very Good thread......:) 6" Grodan cubes or Hugo's take 14 days to complete flush
and the newer 8" cubes Big Moma's take 21 days to complete flush, this is from years of doing the final flush with, 1st~ 10 days with Final Phase and last 4 days with RO water,with the 6" cubes and with the 8" cubes 1st~ 14 days Final Phase, then RO water for 7 days, people asked if it is Organic grown in soil, we say yes! LOL!!!:dance013:
Also, these cubes are flushed from the top only and let them drain out, and take a reading of the drain water.....they start out at EC 3.6
and by the end of the flush phase they read EC 0.0.....then chop them.....:)Each cube receives 1/4 to 1/2 gal flush once per day...
 
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