Lessons it took me a few cycles to learn

Figured this is kind of a good idea for a thread so we can learn from each other's mistakes. I am about to start my third cycle, and I run 2600 watts.

Lessons learned:

1.) Pick the people you buy clones from carefully, or better yet mother it yourself so you know exactly what you are dealing with.

2.) Don't take other people's words for how long a strain takes unless you have seen the person growing it and know them well, this goes along with rule #1. I took my recent cycle down 2 weeks early because I was given 20 clones of a six week strain, and 20 of an 8 week strain. Crazily enough, they really didn't look that different while growing.

3.) Upon first noticing a mite any pest problem, address the problem quickly and often. Spray quickly upon realizing you have a problem, and then bomb several days later if you bomb.

4.) Try to anticipate heat problems before they come up, it will save you alot of stress and money.

Everyone's input is welcome.

Razza, I like this thread so much, I'm stickyfying it. There was one AEONS ago but the crowd has a lot of new faces! Let's see what we come up with!

I'll add a couple!

-Sativa bagseeds get TALL!!
-You cannot grow said Sativa bagseeds under a 70w security light very easily!
-Peat moss is scary!
-Ex boyfriends are scarier than peat moss.

Sounds like #1 and #3 go together best. I'm in the process of learning that painful lesson right now.

My clones came with mites this last time as well, but it's pretty common that Mothers have mites. Also a good golden rule from my experience, that kind of encompasses various types of problems is just never get comfortable with what's going on. Always be trying to figure out ways to make the plants more comfortable, but when trying to work through problems a cost benefit analysis is always smart move to make.

^ To elaborate, if you notice a problem... but fixing that problem puts you at risk in other areas of growing, you have to decide which possibly negative environmental cue is going to cause more harm\benefit.

Why is Peat moss scary?

Heres a couple of tips:

-get all topping/pruning done early in season or cycle

-make sure drainage is sufficient

-keep lighting at the proper distance

-fans encourage vigrous growth

More plants does not always equal more pot. Start with a few and learn to grow first then you can become a cannabis kingpin.

- pH can be more important than better nutrients
- clones drown easily in a humidome
- use a checklist when planting/transplanting/etc
- mixing strains can be done, but match strains with similar nutrient needs

- Have backup bulbs and pumps
- Never ever ever stick your hands into a res until you have UNPLUGGED all pumps, heaters, etc.
- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the practical- but don't get lazy.
- Your pH starts swinging the day you stop checking it.
- Nutes are cheap- if you think they've gone bad, stop using them.
- Ain't no such thing as " too much DO"
- Notes mean more than scales
- MORE AIR MOVEMENT!
- Yellow sticky cards are your friend.
- Flip em when you think they're a little too small- undergrowth is easier than overgrowth.
- Start more than you need and cull
- Don't get emotionally attached to a plant. Strains are differant.
- Failsafe everything.

And most importantly-
If you can't afford to tear down and walk away, you can't afford to play this game. Brake early and often.

That's what comes to mind.

Damn Rhizome......think you could be a little more specific? Extra equiptment DEF!!!!:thumbsup:

-lay tarps on the floor before doing anything
-don't grow your mothers so big they can't fit in the car
-Yankees suck
-back up your genetics with a friend if you can do it safely

Things I have learned or learned through other's mistakes

when watering/feeding use about 1 gallon of water per gallon of soil. Using more water reduces the chances of yukky build-ups in your soil causing ph problems and lock outs.
The use of a dehumidifier and A/C especially in a smaller growing environment is key.
slowly increase your nutes and DO NOT use ANY until you have grown about 4-6 sets of leaves on your seedling.
Slacking on your PHing will cause more time in damage control than it would have to make sure it was right in the first place.
Humidity levels during flowering need to be as close to 50% as possible. Otherwise you will have un-smokable moldy weed
Temps in your grow room over 85-up (should be about 70-75 degrees with lights on) are killing your plants.
If in a small grow space (small closet) if you spend a lot of time in there, they are probably getting enough CO2 from you breathing on them. ( I spend a lot of time with them)
Dry ice is another good source of CO2 in a small closet grow

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

LISTEN TO YOUR PLANTS! Really pay attention to them. They will tell you what they need. If you wait until the problems are way out of hand, you caused more damage to them in the long run and it will cause you a lot of headache in the end.
Good luck and happy growing.

Don't tell anyone about your hobby

Don't show anyone your garden

Don't charge $1000 to your credit card @ the local hydro shop.

Don't date mean / vindictive members of the opposite sex, then break-up.

Don't eat yellow snow

PH should always be checked and maintained in range :cool:

It's better to give them little less nutrients than little more ;)

Use C02 it's worth it :D

Take care of the smell !! :wtf:

Flush , FLush , Flush !
Harvest when it's time , buy a microscope. :D

Take really good care of your drying , all the hard work can go the drain if you don't dry it good.

:rasta:

Im still a total newb but I have learned...

Buy a good book on growing AND READ THE SHIT OUT OF IT.

learn what stresses out a plant and avoid it

don't wait for a male to splooge all over your girls before removing it (pre-mature epollination)

consider the time it will take to finish the grow before you start (do you have a trip comming up?)

Check your timers to make sure they are on auto and did not accidentally get put onto "on" anytime you move things around the room. Those little timers get put onto a different mode quite easily if your tiny little fingers come anywhere near the program button!!!!