Best Advice For Beginners

[CTLeotattoo420]

Avoid hydro!

I did lots and lots of researching and thought I would jump right into hydroponics on my first grow. I planned it, compared methods; DWC, E&F, Wick, drip, priced it out and began shopping.
As I shopped more than a few guys told me, "IDK dude, hydro is really unforgiving, if you dont know what you are looking at, it will be hard to fix it before it's too late."
At the end of the day I went with soil, but moreso because of the cost.
Had I not gone with soil, I'd be terribly frustrated right about now. My grow began with a mistake which would have been nearly impossible to overcome in hydro, but right now in soil I got this.
Listen to the experienced growers!

 

[Rosti]

Everyone has their own methods and what works best for them, I’m glad you found your style. My first time growing anything ever was in hydro and I never looked back. Just throwing that out there because it’s very possible for someone with zero gardening experience to dive head first into a bubble bucket and come out successful. It just takes ALOT of research to be prepared.

 

[CTLeotattoo420]

Everyone has their own methods and what works best for them, I’m glad you found your style. My first time growing anything ever was in hydro and I never looked back. Just throwing that out there because it’s very possible for someone with zero gardening experience to dive head first into a bubble bucket and come out successful. It just takes ALOT of research to be prepared.

Congrats! Well Done.

 

[SmokingWings]

Everyone has their own methods and what works best for them, I’m glad you found your style. My first time growing anything ever was in hydro and I never looked back. Just throwing that out there because it’s very possible for someone with zero gardening experience to dive head first into a bubble bucket and come out successful. It just takes ALOT of research to be prepared.

You wrote:
"... It just takes ALOT of research to be prepared."
You hit the nail with those most important words. Way to many people believe that they have done enough research after looking at a couple of pictures and then watching a youtube video. They do not read or even try to understand what they are seeing in the photos or in the video.

 

[Rosti]

Ya it’s really not that hard, it just takes more research then most are willing to do. I’m several grows in and still learning, again it just goes back to preference. I like being very hands on with my plants so hydro was the way to go for me.

 

[TurboBucket]

I started in soilless and never looked back. I also actually did my research rather than just claiming to as so many new folks here do.

I promise you can learn everything you need on here without having to ask, what's the Best temperature and humidity to keep my room, what's the best nutrient, what's the best light?

The best for one person is not the best for everyone.

 

[SmokingWings]

I have been growing vegatables, flowers, shrubs and trees in soil for years. But, all the hydro methods fascinate me. Growing entirely under lights is fascinating. Creating an entirely artificial environment is fascinating. I then read everything I could find on hydro grows, taking cuttings, artificial lighting, controlling the heat, cold, humidity and so on. Took several weeks, often spending 4 hours at a time after getting home from part time retirement & part time work.

Then I went at it with soil in small 1 and 2 gallon pots under LED lighting. Made some mistakes. Had some successes. Eventually more successes than mistakes. Killed a few plants during periods of learning but I figure I am OK as long as the Plant Abuse Police do not find out those.

 

[SmokingWings]

I started in soilless and never looked back. I also actually did my research rather than just claiming to as so many new folks here do.

I promise you can learn everything you need on here without having to ask, what's the Best temperature and humidity to keep my room, what's the best nutrient, what's the best light?

The best for one person is not the best for everyone.

Exactly. Read and if it does not make sense reread it and then read some more. Pay attention, remember, and the words from The Boxer. Someone reading/hearing what he or she wants to hear and disregarding everything else is not a way to learn.

 

[Jackalope]

The type of person you are tells a little about what grow medium you should use. I do agree new growers are better off with soil because of simplicity. It does help to learn the plant first before learning the technical stuff that comes with creating all their food.

The Tech stuff is the key. People that like to examine everything to the fine details. Will love hydro and probably do well with them. If those people use soil they end up micro managing it to much. You don't have to be a nerdy type but it helps.

People who just want to grow a plant well and get some smoke. Don't always manage their water as much as needed if growing in hydro. Those are the Fox Farm guys LOL. Plant a seed and watch it grow.

It all matters how your mind works. My mind is on so many other things. I don't want to mess with hydro. Could I do it now? Probably. Why change I am doing fine now. I don't do Tech. LOL

 

[NewLedFarmer]

Mega Crop- best advice I can give I'm about half way through flowering right now amd this is my first grow and it's going smoothly and doing awesome can say it enough mega crop is amazing stuff, check out my grow in the link below

 

[CTLeotattoo420]

Mega Crop- best advice I can give I'm about half way through flowering right now amd this is my first grow and it's going smoothly and doing awesome can say it enough mega crop is amazing stuff, check out my grow in the link below

I am using it.

 

[SeniorMoments]

The type of person you are tells a little about what grow medium you should use. I do agree new growers are better off with soil because of simplicity. It does help to learn the plant first before learning the technical stuff that comes with creating all their food.

The Tech stuff is the key. People that like to examine everything to the fine details. Will love hydro and probably do well with them. If those people use soil they end up micro managing it to much. You don't have to be a nerdy type but it helps.

People who just want to grow a plant well and get some smoke. Don't always manage their water as much as needed if growing in hydro. Those are the Fox Farm guys LOL. Plant a seed and watch it grow.

It all matters how your mind works. My mind is on so many other things. I don't want to mess with hydro. Could I do it now? Probably. Why change I am doing fine now. I don't do Tech. LOL

Been growing veggies and flowers very successfully in dirt for a long time. I am very comfortable with this growing medium and really have no reason to change for cannabis. Hard for an old dog to learn new tricks Although , after fishing with spin gear for 55 years , I took up fly fishing after retirement
and this old dog is learning

 

[BooMtoLate]

Start big and scale down from there....said no one ever.

 

[Jackalope]

Fly fisherman? You may want to try hydro. Nothing about fly fishing is simple and easy. You are constantly trying to match the hatch. That kind of mind set would equate well with hydro.

Start with what you know. After you learn the plant. You are probably going to want to tweek things after a while. Hydro is better for tweeking.

 

[Justin Goody]

I did an aeroponic grow for about 3 years. 60 plants, starting back in 2002. I had some soil growing experience and had seen hydro being done.... how hard could it be, right? Well it was basically a full time job, most of it spent watching for tiny problems to arise. It helps immensely to know about this plant first, and know how to not kill them. Many problems can be detected from knowing what to look for with happy/unhappy plants. That being said, one bad day can and will kill all your plants. I did successfully trial and error my way through it. It was expensive to get going but once it was running, I popped out an avg of 60 oz. every 50-60 days (was worth $3-400 announce back then). It was fun and I’ve dabbled with smaller systems since then, but I love the semi forgiving nature of organic gardening. I don’t recommend trial by fire hydroponic/aeroponic gardening, but it can be done...just be ready for at least 1 failure. Planning financial success before your first grow is a bit silly, but I’ve seen it a hundred times. Don’t be that guy, it makes us all look bad Practice and patience can make perfect. It’s kind of like drums- Start with 1 and get good, then add more as it becomes automatic.

 

[CagedApe]

Everyone has their own methods and what works best for them, I’m glad you found your style. My first time growing anything ever was in hydro and I never looked back. Just throwing that out there because it’s very possible for someone with zero gardening experience to dive head first into a bubble bucket and come out successful. It just takes ALOT of research to be prepared.

I totally agree with you. I started growing 20 years ago and started with a table and drip lines and then moved to a bucket system. This was 20 years ago and no information. I remember thinking about the bucket system. Sure enough, they actually sell the damn system lol. Some people can only grasp so much and soil is easy. I'm definitely a pro hydro guy but I'm running soil due to space and cost. I say: do wtf you want!

 

[Jackalope]

Aeroponic's? isn't that like 2 steps ahead LOL. It is basically hydro with more shit to go wrong LOL. I can't even imagine going with 60 plants to start.

 

[leblanca]

I think as many mentionned its about doing lots of research and knowing what your getting yourself into, having technical or gardening skills is an asset of course.
I did my first grow in dirt outside last years and did my first grow inside in a HPA aeroponic system for 15 plants.
It hasent failed me yet but i think with enaugh planning and money aeroponic and hydro is very efficent, just not forgiving if you are not prepared.
I have a lead/lag pump system and a UPS of 900VA in case power fail, 2 timer on 2 solenoid alternating, and multiple nozzle to make sure even if 1 or 2 clog the plants still get water.

 

[Jackalope]

Nozzles are the one thing I didn't like about aeroponics. Deep water culture is where I would go with hydro these days. I don't see me doing it any more. If I had tried and got used to it at a younger age I may be doing it now. As things sit it is easier to just keep doing the same old thing.

Growing different strains all the time. It is better to stick with what I know. Easier to see things going wrong before it gets bad.

 

[leblanca]

Nozzles are the one thing I didn't like about aeroponics. Deep water culture is where I would go with hydro these days. I don't see me doing it any more. If I had tried and got used to it at a younger age I may be doing it now. As things sit it is easier to just keep doing the same old thing.

Growing different strains all the time. It is better to stick with what I know. Easier to see things going wrong before it gets bad.

its tru that if you found something that worked for you, than there is no necessity to change, i was just starting and i like complicated so i choose aeroponic as it was the most complicated.
But i hear you, when something works why change.