Northern Lights perpetual grow possible?

Hey guys, trying to plan out if it will be possible to do a perpetual grow with Northern Lights strain from Nirvana. This is my first grow/setup so bare with me. Im just curious if the timelines are going to work out well. I picked Northern Lights mainly because of its low odour which is very important to me, but luckily enough it is aparently a short flowerring period plant aswell, Nirvana states 7-9 weeks.

I will be vegging under 6500k cfls, as many as needed. And my flower tent is 400-500w of T5 fluorescents.

Do you think it would be possible to keep a constant grow cycle going with this strain? Grow the first 2 plants from seeds I bought, veg for 8 weeks (can anyone ballpark what size the plant would be @ 8 weeks with LST?) and then flip them to flower in the bigger 2x4x5 tent and take clones that same day.

That would give the new clones time to take root, and start there own 8 week vegetative, while the plants are flowerring in the other tent. Is it feasible, or do you believe I will have to constantly be buying seeds? Would be nice to being able to keep cycling, free plants, constant harvests every 8 weeks

Appreciate any insight, especially on the size of an 8 week LST'd Northern lights grown with CFL's in coco-coir in smart pots, I may have to use a larger veg cabinet than I currently have (18x1

if you have two tent maybe if not to much light on clones otherwise there going to be huge or just keep chopping the tops off while training them a good strain in good soil from seed will be huge in that time

I do have 2 grow spaces, my flowering tent is 2x4x5' high, currently my veg box is only 18 x18 x 24" high

I figure I may have to order a slightly larger veg tent but am unsure how big the plants will get under CFLS in 8 weeks in coco coir. After recieving my chinese 2x4x5 tent, and being extremely happy with the quality, I dont mind at all buying say a 2x2x3 veg tent that can fit in my crawl space, but that size is just slightly bigger than my current grow box.

Im just worried that in 8 weeks the plants will be to big possibly, while I would like to be patient on the flower cycle and not have to rush it or chop early because the veg tent is being outgrown. I will definetely be incorporating some LST and possibly topping, and being that CFLS generaly grow plants a little slower. I was thinking the 8 week cycle could possibly be perfect

I've personally never vegged with CFLs so not sure on the rate plants would grow with them. Using 600w MH, topping, and LST my plants would be around 2ft wide and 1-2ft tall in 8 weeks of veg. I would honestly say just give it a shot and see what happens. After the first time it will give you a better idea on how to time things. Also, why flower with T5's? Just curious.

After seeing what RM3 has done with T5's I dont doubt them one bit. But really Iam using them because they were free, literally free from work upgrading there fixtures. They are 36" dual bulb fixtures (have 7 of them in there aswell)Only a year old as the building was just recently built, and about 80 free brand new bulbs, both 3000 and 4100 which after doing alot of research seem very suited for veg. I custom built a wing style vent to mount them to and reflect light down, fits perfectly in the tent, no light escaping upwards. If the T5's dont perform after 2-3 grows I have no problem switching to another source

If he plants get anywhere close to the size youre refering to I will have to upgrade my veg tent size for sure, I guess the first grow will tell all

I figured eual growing was fairly popular among home growers, less frequently have to buy seeds and all the hassle that goes with that

Morriston55 said:

After seeing what RM3 has done with T5's I dont doubt them one bit. But really Iam using them because they were free, literally free from work upgrading there fixtures. They are 36" dual bulb fixtures (have 7 of them in there aswell)Only a year old as the building was just recently built, and about 80 free brand new bulbs, both 3000 and 4100 which after doing alot of research seem very suited for veg. I custom built a wing style vent to mount them to and reflect light down, fits perfectly in the tent, no light escaping upwards. If the T5's dont perform after 2-3 grows I have no problem switching to another source

If he plants get anywhere close to the size youre refering to I will have to upgrade my veg tent size for sure, I guess the first grow will tell all

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Wow that is a score! Awesome man. Looking forward to see how your results are

I thought I just read that someone growing Nirvana's N.L. had to take them to 11 weeks to finish properly.....and they had way better lighting than you are using. Did you study up on some others grows?????

Havent seen any other nothern lights nirvana strains when I was looking it up, I was simply going by Nirvanas 7-9 week flowerring they post on there seed page.

This may help a bit...

http://en.seedfinder.eu/strain-info/Northern_Light/Nirvana_Seeds/

From experience with Nirvanas Aurora Indica, it said its a 7-9 week strain and it took 8. That's a northern lights x afghan kush. But I was using HPS also. I would say that because you have 2 tents, you can expect to perpetually harvest. I would consider keeping a mother plant so that the genetics stay strong. Also, clone more then what you need so that you cover your ass if something happens to them. What I would personally do is have to tents, both the same size with the same lights and build you a welded wire Scrog net (ask if you need help) out of PVC. Put them on ratchet light ropes and just swap the lights cycle instead of moving the plants. That easy. I know how big my plants get from 2 months of veg under a 600w MH but not under CFLs. Under the HPS I had 2.5 foot plants in coco. Hope this helps

Having your plants in Scrog the entire veg cycle eliminated and helps control the height and prepares you for a damn good success rate in bloom

One thing to bare in mind with a perpetual is your plants are different heights. I find it a bit of a problem under my 600hps to get the light penetration down to the smaller plants, the bigger plants cast a shadow on the smaller ones. I see this being a bigger problem under fluorescent lights unless you can adjust the height of several T5s independently. Peace!

weatwardhole said:

One thing to bare in mind with a perpetual is your plants are different heights. I find it a bit of a problem under my 600hps to get the light penetration down to the smaller plants, the bigger plants cast a shadow on the smaller ones. I see this being a bigger problem under fluorescent lights unless you can adjust the height of several T5s independently. Peace!

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Definitely something to consider. This could easily be fixed with the Scrog setup. Very good point. Height is certainly a concern with this setup being that the ceiling height for the smaller tent is minimal. Ventilation is important also. A watt of energy is a watt of energy no matter what type of light produces it. You'll need a good way to get fresh air in and out to make this worth it. Maybe like a 4" inline fan in and another out. A 6" isn't much more though.

I've run a perpetual grow for years and average 2 plants a week.

Single most important factor in maintaining a perp' grow is the ability to produce rooted clones ON SCHEDULE. That is the most difficult link in a chain of choreographed events you must master. Follow me as I work backwards on a typical harvest day. I harvest late in the day 5-6 hours after their last (pure) watering. After the harvest I have 2 holes in my flowering room to replace the 2 I just took. Means I need 2 veggers in the desired 20-24 inch range to move to 12/12. That means I now have 2 holes in my veg room that requires 2 clones or seedlings. THIS is where the importance of consistent cloning success is most obvious. And this is where you are most likely to face long-term problems keeping the dance moving.

PM me if you have any specific problems.

Good luck, BigSteve.

weatwardhole said:

One thing to bare in mind with a perpetual is your plants are different heights. I find it a bit of a problem under my 600hps to get the light penetration down to the smaller plants, the bigger plants cast a shadow on the smaller ones. I see this being a bigger problem under fluorescent lights unless you can adjust the height of several T5s independently. Peace!

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I fix this by inverting a pot at letting the plant sit on it...lol

lately its been by dvd covers, 25-45 high ....lol

under flouros its traditional to remove lower growth

12 inches up from the base, as the light don't reach that far

improving ventilation

good luck

I happen to be 2 weeks away from harvesting my second round of nirvana northern lights feminized seeds. I started out intending to set up a perpetual grow but after some studying during the first cycle I manifolded my second round of plants. I made lots of mistakes with the first round including light leakage so they hermed and pulled them early. I got 8 oz off those mistakes. The second round, manifolded, no mistakes this time vegged for a total of 8 weeks they were 2 ft high and 1 1/2 around. Flowering on 7 weeks now the triches are getting cloudy no amber yet and I am harvesting in 2 weeks. After flipped i waited 2 weeks before starting my flowering timing. I am estimating 1 pound dried from these 2 plants with a 400w hps. They are monsters, colas as long as my arm and all solid bud. My point is I am no longer doing a perpetual grow as I see no need for it, a pound is more than I can consume in a year. So I think your time table is possible you may find it not necessary if your plants grow like mine. Keep in mind I am much newer to growing then most everyone on here.

When you step up to super clean cannabis, there's no room for treating bugs/pests/issues during flower. Perpetuals are great, till you have to tear everything down and start over.

Like Mecrab says, flower it out straight, you'll get plenty. You want perpetual? Get 2 tents with hepa filtered intakes/outtakes and flop your harvests.

SSHZ said:

I thought I just read that someone growing Nirvana's N.L. had to take them to 11 weeks to finish properly.....and they had way better lighting than you are using. Did you study up on some others grows?????

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I took NL to 11 weeks. It was finished in 8 but i was waiting for amber trichs to show up. I found out later that was a mistake. Some strains, if kept healthy, wont get amber trichs in ambundance, before it finishes. I was a noob.

NL will finish in less than 9 weeks from flip. I runnit regularly.

You chose NL because of low odour?

Ummmm...

Never mind. Carry on.