When to start seeds indoors for spring transplanting with a current grow in my tent?

PopeCrisco

Well-Known Member
Hello all,

Last season I got a late start on my first attempt to grow cannabis, and attempted to sow directly outdoors. Things did not go well.
This season, with the benefit of the experience from my first indoor grow and access to a grow tent I am gearing to max out my state's legal limit (with a little bit of gray area compliance...)

Currently I am of day 57ish of my current indoor grow, with the intent that I will keep at 18 hours of light through the end of March and beginning of April.

I was thinking I would start my seeds about 2 weeks before going into flower, and let them establish for about 4-5 weeks before a week of hardening (around the 3rd week of April) where the natural light cycle would be at 13+ hours of sunlight. With the plants being that young would I need to worry about them going into flower prematurely?

TIA
 
Hello all,

Last season I got a late start on my first attempt to grow cannabis, and attempted to sow directly outdoors. Things did not go well.
This season, with the benefit of the experience from my first indoor grow and access to a grow tent I am gearing to max out my state's legal limit (with a little bit of gray area compliance...)

Currently I am of day 57ish of my current indoor grow, with the intent that I will keep at 18 hours of light through the end of March and beginning of April.

I was thinking I would start my seeds about 2 weeks before going into flower, and let them establish for about 4-5 weeks before a week of hardening (around the 3rd week of April) where the natural light cycle would be at 13+ hours of sunlight. With the plants being that young would I need to worry about them going into flower prematurely?

TIA
Depending on your location, April may be too early, remember that in natural light the first and last 1/2 hour to 45 minutes of light is not really usable. My plants start to flower at 13.5 hours of daylight in the fall. I'm located slightly north of San Francisco. I lost a bunch of clones once by putting them out in late April, they all flowered at 6 inches, 1 revegged, the rest just died. Last weeks of May or 1st week of June works for me in my location
 
Depending on your location, April may be too early, remember that in natural light the first and last 1/2 hour to 45 minutes of light is not really usable. My plants start to flower at 13.5 hours of daylight in the fall. I'm located slightly north of San Francisco. I lost a bunch of clones once by putting them out in late April, they all flowered at 6 inches, 1 revegged, the rest just died. Last weeks of May or 1st week of June works for me in my location



My question is, if the light cycle that I start my seeds is comparable to the amount of sunlight they will be getting when transplanted, and similar to what would happen in nature if direct sowed, would there be a risk of flowering?

If I were to start these seeds indoors during the flower stage of my current grow, it would be consistent with the light cycle in early spring, any difference would be potentially negligible (12 vs a truncated 13 hours outdoors). In theory this looks like it would be an easy transition, unless I am missing something.
Thanks!
 
My question is, if the light cycle that I start my seeds is comparable to the amount of sunlight they will be getting when transplanted, and similar to what would happen in nature if direct sowed, would there be a risk of flowering?

If I were to start these seeds indoors during the flower stage of my current grow, it would be consistent with the light cycle in early spring, any difference would be potentially negligible (12 vs a truncated 13 hours outdoors). In theory this looks like it would be an easy transition, unless I am missing something.
Thanks!
Have your heard of 12/12 from seed? The plants will go into flower very quickly. Look back at some of the "Party Cup" threads for an accurate timeline. ✌
 
On the flip side of that. If you can manage to keep them warm and they are big enough you can probably put them out now and have time to finish the bloom before reveg in mid may and start a second crop in summer
 
So I made the decision to do an extended veg in my tent through June. While I should have probably waited another month to start my seeds for the outdoor grow, my adhd decided to ignore that suggestion and I started my germination yesterday.

Would I risk the girls being root bound if I up potted to 1gal grow bags for their 9 to 10 week time in the tent?

Tia
 
I have seedlings in the greenhouse that sprouted early February. They are growing slowly and have not flowered. Im the PNW.

If the goal is to produce larger plants for the outdoor grow season, I would have started the seedlings in December. A six month veg time indoors, transplanted directly into the ground outdoors in late May, would produce a 10lb plant. Its seriously a lot of work to keep a monster plant of that size healthy and happy. On the flip side, you only have to care for 2 plants, versus whatever amount of plants you are planning to grow this year.

10lb plant
1741991932834.jpeg

1-3 lb plant
1741992077633.jpeg
 
I have seedlings in the greenhouse that sprouted early February. They are growing slowly and have not flowered. Im the PNW.

If the goal is to produce larger plants for the outdoor grow season, I would have started the seedlings in December. A six month veg time indoors, transplanted directly into the ground outdoors in late May, would produce a 10lb plant. Its seriously a lot of work to keep a monster plant of that size healthy and happy. On the flip side, you only have to care for 2 plants, versus whatever amount of plants you are planning to grow this year.

10lb plant
View attachment 5456660

1-3 lb plant
View attachment 5456661


What a way to obliterate my modest goals! really impressive!

Last year, with my first grow attempt, it went south fast. Low germination, and a pup's desire to help defoliate the few girls that popped.
I would be happy if of the 6 I plant, half survive, and to pull a lb plus off the whole harvest. I will be more than ecstatic if I can pull 3 lbs from the 6 plants.
 
So I made the decision to do an extended veg in my tent through June. While I should have probably waited another month to start my seeds for the outdoor grow, my adhd decided to ignore that suggestion and I started my germination yesterday.

Would I risk the girls being root bound if I up potted to 1gal grow bags for their 9 to 10 week time in the tent?

Tia
Kindered spirit, I know and feel your struggles.

Your jump start times biggest benefit is root growth. I would use as large of pots as you have space for/want to procure medium for
 
Kindered spirit, I know and feel your struggles.

Your jump start times biggest benefit is root growth. I would use as large of pots as you have space for/want to procure medium for

Yeah, I had the same problem with my tomatoes! Right now I have 3 girls in 5 gallon pots, 1 tray of new starts (tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and my spring cannabis), 14 peppers in Solo Cups, and 12 tomatoes in 1 gallon poly grow bags. in a 4 by 4.

oh, and yesterday I defoliated and started some simple clones as an experiment lol

needless to say, my tent is full.
I have been talking to my GF about getting a second tent. I already have an extra SF1000 gathering dust, so I am thinking about getting an auxiliary 2x2 to handle spring overflow (and eventually be home to a mother plant).

I am hoping the peppers and tomatoes will be out the door in 6 weeks, In about 2 weeks I am assuming I will move the outdoor girls to a solo cup, and by week 4 move to 1 gallon pots, early june to raised beds/in ground planting.

but of course, the plans of mice and men...
 
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