About to be a first time grower. Advice, please.

[Vegasbear87]

So, my better half and I are about to start growing for the first time, and want to start with (and probably stick with) autoflowering strains.

So far, we have got the following:

Gorilla 4x4 Grow Tent
AC Infinity Cloudline S6 Fan
TerraBloom 6"x16" carbon filter
Spider Farmer SF-2000 LED lights
Timer
10x 5gal cloth pots
Mother Earth Coco with Perlite mix
Fox Farm 3-pack (Big Bloom, Grow Big, and Tiger Bloom) - a friend had a spare pack and gave it to us.

Are we missing anything critical?

I am coming at this from a total newbie perspective - I have done a little bit of reading, but I get pretty confused reading about soil and nutrient schedules, ph ajusted water, etc. as everyone seems to have completely different ways of doing it with autoflower strains.

Also, we live in the hot ass Mojave Desert, and I have read that drying after harvesting is pretty tough in dry desert climates.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks!

-Bear

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

@Vegasbear87 Welcome to AFN. .

I live in the San Joaquin Valley where it is hot and dry also but you win! I use an evoporative cooler most of the summer and it adds valuable moisture to the air which helps in veg and early flower. In late flower I just let some of the air enter from outside hot & dry. It is a balancing act. As far as drying goes each season is different. I have a dehumidifier, a humidifier, a heater, a swamp cooler and in a pinch Air Conditioning ($$$$$). I hang the whole plant when hot and dry. Then a light wet trim and hang branches when close to 70°F/50% RH if rain or fog is coming I do a full wet trim and run the dehumidifier.

Stuff you will find useful:
Cal-Mag Nutrient (Coco will need extra)
EC Meter
PH Meter
Soil PH probe (Accurate 8 or clone, Blue Lab)
PH - Up
PH - Down
16" Hercules Oscillating Fan
Thermometer/hygrometer
support system for big colas.

How will you deal with run-off?

 

[Jimmythenugg]

@Vegasbear87 Welcome to AFN. .

I live in the San Joaquin Valley where it is hot and dry also but you win! I use an evoporative cooler most of the summer and it adds valuable moisture to the air which helps in veg and early flower. In late flower I just let some of the air enter from outside hot & dry. It is a balancing act. As far as drying goes each season is different. I have a dehumidifier, a humidifier, a heater, a swamp cooler and in a pinch Air Conditioning ($$$$$). I hang the whole plant when hot and dry. Then a light wet trim and hang branches when close to 70°F/50% RH if rain or fog is coming I do a full wet trim and run the dehumidifier.

Stuff you will find useful:
Cal-Mag Nutrient (Coco will need extra)
EC Meter
PH Meter
Soil PH probe (Accurate 8 or clone, Blue Lab)
PH - Up
PH - Down
16" Hercules Oscillating Fan
Thermometer/hygrometer
support system for big colas.

How will you deal with run-off?

This..!
Oh n garden wire.
Good luck and welcome.

 

[AFNG]

Everything really covered with the above posts!

Only other suggestions are to read up on the stage your plant is in and the next stage. That way to can prepare and learn from the mistakes of others and hopefully have a great harvest.

 

[420Forever]

So, my better half and I are about to start growing for the first time, and want to start with (and probably stick with) autoflowering strains.

So far, we have got the following:

Gorilla 4x4 Grow Tent
AC Infinity Cloudline S6 Fan
TerraBloom 6"x16" carbon filter
Spider Farmer SF-2000 LED lights
Timer
10x 5gal cloth pots
Mother Earth Coco with Perlite mix
Fox Farm 3-pack (Big Bloom, Grow Big, and Tiger Bloom) - a friend had a spare pack and gave it to us.

Are we missing anything critical?

I am coming at this from a total newbie perspective - I have done a little bit of reading, but I get pretty confused reading about soil and nutrient schedules, ph ajusted water, etc. as everyone seems to have completely different ways of doing it with autoflower strains.

Also, we live in the hot ass Mojave Desert, and I have read that drying after harvesting is pretty tough in dry desert climates.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks!

-Bear

heya @Vegasbear87 and to afn! soundz like u pretty much got the basicz covered, but if u live in the dezert, u'll def be wantin to add a humidifier to the list, a thermometer/hygorometer, a decent ph pen, some ph up/down & a couple reg fanz for gen air circ in the tent also, 10x 5gal potz, even in a 4x4, is gonna be a real tight squeeze, 'specially when they start bushin out, lol great commune here to help ya get dialed in & anything u need, jus give a holler

ppp &

 

[Vegasbear87]

@Vegasbear87 Welcome to AFN. .

I live in the San Joaquin Valley where it is hot and dry also but you win! I use an evoporative cooler most of the summer and it adds valuable moisture to the air which helps in veg and early flower. In late flower I just let some of the air enter from outside hot & dry. It is a balancing act. As far as drying goes each season is different. I have a dehumidifier, a humidifier, a heater, a swamp cooler and in a pinch Air Conditioning ($$$$$). I hang the whole plant when hot and dry. Then a light wet trim and hang branches when close to 70°F/50% RH if rain or fog is coming I do a full wet trim and run the dehumidifier.

Stuff you will find useful:
Cal-Mag Nutrient (Coco will need extra)
EC Meter
PH Meter
Soil PH probe (Accurate 8 or clone, Blue Lab)
PH - Up
PH - Down
16" Hercules Oscillating Fan
Thermometer/hygrometer
support system for big colas.

How will you deal with run-off?

I have both an EC and PH meter on hand actually, so that's good!

I believe we ordered some netting that is the same size as the tent, that should work for support, correct?

PH - Up & Down, Cal-Mag, and fan on order now.

I will put planting saucers under the pots to capture runoff and have a small wetvac as well to drain them.

Thanks!

Now just waiting for a couple small things and seeds to show up.

 

[Vegasbear87]

heya @Vegasbear87 and to afn! soundz like u pretty much got the basicz covered, but if u live in the dezert, u'll def be wantin to add a humidifier to the list, a thermometer/hygorometer, a decent ph pen, some ph up/down & a couple reg fanz for gen air circ in the tent also, 10x 5gal potz, even in a 4x4, is gonna be a real tight squeeze, 'specially when they start bushin out, lol great commune here to help ya get dialed in & anything u need, jus give a holler

ppp &


View attachment 1179820

I got the pots in a 10-pack. We definitely won't be trying to stuff all of that in there, especially not starting out! I have some of that other stuff on order, and I think the better half has a cool-air humidifier still in the box somewhere brand new!

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I have both an EC and PH meter on hand actually, so that's good!

I believe we ordered some netting that is the same size as the tent, that should work for support, correct?

PH - Up & Down, Cal-Mag, and fan on order now.

I will put planting saucers under the pots to capture runoff and have a small wetvac as well to drain them.

Thanks!

Now just waiting for a couple small things and seeds to show up.

That all sounds like a good starting point. Remember once your plants are in the net there is no moving them around so make sure you can reach form the different sides of the tent to get to each plant.

 

[Jimmythenugg]

Btw what seeds you got in mind ?
Any particular requirements like high CBD, or just for smoke?

 

[Vegasbear87]

Btw what seeds you got in mind ?
Any particular requirements like high CBD, or just for smoke?

I really don't know. Just for smoke, really. We aren't too particular of folks so I kind of figured we would kinda try as many as we can as we go along learning to grow. There's so many!