Biggest lessons learned growing weed so far

[growingisfun]

I harvested my first grow over a month ago and buds are cured. I ended up getting about 4 oz buds, plus a bunch of trim. I wanted to share my biggest lessons learned.

Setup: 2x4 setup with Spider Farmer 200W. Cultivation Nation Coco coir with Dyna-Gro nutrients. Next time plan to switch General Hydroponics FloraNova and make my own 70/30 coco/perlite mix at home so I don't need to buy the premade mix.

My plants started a bit rough but I got the hang of it after a few weeks.

My biggest lessons

• Don't over water seedlings or you're going to have a bad time (and possibly fungus gnats)
• Don't forget to test ph if you see deficiencies
• Actually let plants get big enough before starting 12/12. I feel like I lost a lot of yield because my plants didn't get big enough to make enough buds to fill the space. I feel like 1-2 extra weeks in the vegetative stage would have made a huge difference for me.
• Open jars every day while curing. They all had humidity packs but one jar fell behind and never got opened. I found it after a few weeks and it was like that hadn't cured at all. But I started opening it every day and it started curing again and getting better like the others. So not opening it seemed to pause, but not kill, curing.

What's your biggest lessons growing so far?

Any tips for better curing? I didn't realize how big a difference it made until I got to directly compare the cured vs uncured buds.




I noticed one bud had a seed, but other than that they were all seedless. You can see the seed sticking out here if you look close.




Overall I'm pretty happy with the bud quality, just wish I had more. I normally only smoke about an eighth on weekends so I thought 4 oz should last a while. But I noticed with so much weed at once I've been going through it faster. I need to start growing again.

I plan to use the same grow tent and light, but different nutrients, water less often, and let plants get bigger before 12/12. And maybe get turkey bags to cure them so I'm not having to open jars every day.

What are your biggest grow lessons? What did you improve after your first grow?

[golfnrl]

Hi growingisfun A 4 oz harvest your first run is pretty good. I'd consider that a success. I'm a believer in coco. I started off in soil but didn't do it right and switched to coco. That was several years ago. I'm like you. I mix my own coco/perlite at 5050. I've also begun to wash, re-buffer, and reuse my coco.

In no certain order, I've learned over the years that less is more. Don't chase bro science grow techniques. Patience is a virtue. Plant problems will arise. Gemini says Grow Weed Easy is the gold standard for home MJ growers. I rarely look anywhere else for answers. But since I grow in coco I visit cocoforcannabis. EC is critical for my grow system. Check PH every time the plant gets water. A poor grow environment cannot overcome the best nutrients and improper PH. PH at the roots is the most common problem for MJ plants. It causes lockouts and deficiencies. Invest in the best equipment your budget allows. Coco is more forgiving than soil. It is hard to overwater coco. Some strains stretch more than others but the thumbnail of switching to the 12/12 knowing the plant will stretch 2 to 3 times its size from when you make the switch actually works. MJ is not a delicate plant. It can take some abuse. Duct tape works. The manifold process is a great grow technique for sativas. Don't be afraid of it. Turkey bags are good for curing but not storing. Take notes of your grows. Don't use AI as a final authority on MJ growing questions and plant problems. Autos are easy but difficult at the same time because there is little room for error.

I improved my grow system and technique. After my first grow I looked for a watering system that allowed me to be away from my plants for days at a times. I found Autopots and have used the system since. I have only used two nutrient brands. I have been using CX Horticulture products for years. I think sticking with a product to understand and max out it's potential is important.