BrownGuy420
Active Member
Hey there everyone! I'm not really a posting type of person more of a lurker but I have found myself at a crossroads and would like some advice from the more experienced on the subject. So at the moment I do a perpetual harvest or Sea of Green (SOG)if you will, running 6 gutters broken up into groups of 2, making three groups, that harvest a group every 3 weeks and I run on 9wk schedule's if that makes any sense. But anyway's each gutter is 5' long and holds 6 plants, so 12 plants a group that harvest every 3wk's. I have a 1000k HPS that is on a light mover that travels 2 or 3 feet across the longer area of my room giving an even array of light to all my plants. I run a fully monitored and controlled room with Co2 and all the proper ventilation, heating and cooling. I originally started growing in soil some 14-15 years ago and didn't mind it but felt that hydro would just be cleaner and more controlled with a lot less bug issues, due to inexperience at the time bugs were my demise. I typically cut clones at about 9" long and root in an aeroponic cloner and once roots appear break apart a 1.5" rockwool cube and put the clone in that and then into a 4x4x2 rockwool block that goes into a small flood and drain table that vegetates the clones to an average of about 14"-18" in height. From there the clones will progress into the bloom room that is a controlled environment, plants are placed in gutters and set a sail for the next 9wk's. I have come to an average of about 140-170 grams per 12 plant harvest which runs to about 3/8-1/2oz a plant give or take depending on strain.
I hope that's enough detail for you guy's. Now everything runs like clockwork and really is on auto pilot and what I'm looking for at the moment is a way out of my problem. My problem is that my entire grow is in a shed that is about 12'x7'x7' and this is cut into 34'x7'x7' sections (Veg, Bloom, Work rm.), which are more of a rectangular shaped rm's hence the light mover that is needed. So I'm growing in pretty tight quarters, but this isn't my first BBQ and hydro SOG works best in the tight situations due to being able to grow my many small plants in this small area to get a descent yield. I've always chosen the hydro way over the soil way mainly due to less bug issues but my experience is definitely not what it was 14-15 years ago by any means and its rare that any bugs come in the garden, prevention is key. But the older I get the harder it's getting to move the 40 needed gallons of water in and out of this shed and since growing in a three cycle 9wk grow cycle I have to run three separate reservoirs that all have to be watered differently since at different stages and all my 9 mothers are DWC that require water and flood and drain for veg...more water....and water for the aeropoinic cloner....MORE WATER!!! If you haven't seen the pattern by now my problem is there's just to much water involved. And to top it off I work my ass off in my garden and grow some excellent grade smoke but it always seems like my good friend that grows always pulls off danker looking, tasting, and smelling nugs which always gets to me...lol
So here's why I have posted...
With all of the information that I have provided is there someone that is experienced in running a SOG with soil that can enlighten me with some soil knowledge? I know bugs are no prob. and that nutes are on lock, but where I go grey is if I'm getting 6-7 ounces every 3wk's how can I achieve this in the parameter's of my space in soil. I need to keep the production because I grow for 3 and we consume this in the three wk's. I am looking to keep to my 3wk harvest schedule but also thought a QP every other wk on 4 two week cycles could work too. So in what I know of hydro vs soil is that my hydro will get heavier buds on a shorter plant...so should I veg my soil plants a little longer like 3-4wk's and flower at 24"? Or is this achievable at the same height and the hydro pulls more weight theory is a fluke? I was thinking of trying a possible 16 plants in groups of 4 pulling an ounce a plant (putting plant into flower at 24" high), can this be done at that height or should they be bigger (I know that it's really strain dependent but in a general rule of thumb is it achievable)? I was aiming for 1, 1.5 or 2 gallon pots...suggestions? And in your professional opinions from the people that have grown in hydro avidly and in soil what do you think, does soil really pull a better taste and smell? Do I need to have slightly bigger plants to achieve my goals and is it doable? Comment's, questions and advice is much appreciated! THX!
I hope that's enough detail for you guy's. Now everything runs like clockwork and really is on auto pilot and what I'm looking for at the moment is a way out of my problem. My problem is that my entire grow is in a shed that is about 12'x7'x7' and this is cut into 34'x7'x7' sections (Veg, Bloom, Work rm.), which are more of a rectangular shaped rm's hence the light mover that is needed. So I'm growing in pretty tight quarters, but this isn't my first BBQ and hydro SOG works best in the tight situations due to being able to grow my many small plants in this small area to get a descent yield. I've always chosen the hydro way over the soil way mainly due to less bug issues but my experience is definitely not what it was 14-15 years ago by any means and its rare that any bugs come in the garden, prevention is key. But the older I get the harder it's getting to move the 40 needed gallons of water in and out of this shed and since growing in a three cycle 9wk grow cycle I have to run three separate reservoirs that all have to be watered differently since at different stages and all my 9 mothers are DWC that require water and flood and drain for veg...more water....and water for the aeropoinic cloner....MORE WATER!!! If you haven't seen the pattern by now my problem is there's just to much water involved. And to top it off I work my ass off in my garden and grow some excellent grade smoke but it always seems like my good friend that grows always pulls off danker looking, tasting, and smelling nugs which always gets to me...lol
So here's why I have posted...
With all of the information that I have provided is there someone that is experienced in running a SOG with soil that can enlighten me with some soil knowledge? I know bugs are no prob. and that nutes are on lock, but where I go grey is if I'm getting 6-7 ounces every 3wk's how can I achieve this in the parameter's of my space in soil. I need to keep the production because I grow for 3 and we consume this in the three wk's. I am looking to keep to my 3wk harvest schedule but also thought a QP every other wk on 4 two week cycles could work too. So in what I know of hydro vs soil is that my hydro will get heavier buds on a shorter plant...so should I veg my soil plants a little longer like 3-4wk's and flower at 24"? Or is this achievable at the same height and the hydro pulls more weight theory is a fluke? I was thinking of trying a possible 16 plants in groups of 4 pulling an ounce a plant (putting plant into flower at 24" high), can this be done at that height or should they be bigger (I know that it's really strain dependent but in a general rule of thumb is it achievable)? I was aiming for 1, 1.5 or 2 gallon pots...suggestions? And in your professional opinions from the people that have grown in hydro avidly and in soil what do you think, does soil really pull a better taste and smell? Do I need to have slightly bigger plants to achieve my goals and is it doable? Comment's, questions and advice is much appreciated! THX!
