Over and under achievers

[BurnBud LaVie]

Hello,

I am running my first batch with a fairly unusual first timers setup. I am running a 50 plant system under 3 600w HPS. I am doing this aeroponically or aeromist style. There are 8 sites with 6 plants each, except one with 8. All are the same strain (Sour D) and were put under the exact same conditions from the time I received the babies. (14 days old, now 22 days).

Here is my question: Some of the plants are kicking ass, some are still ho hum and some are doing good but moving more horizontally than vertical. All the plants can be moved from one area to another with relative ease. How should I place them? Leave them where they are? match size and shape accordingly under the lights (put bigger ones together so they dont drown out the smaller ones)? I just want the best for them.

thanks

 

[gio77]

I'll answer for you though!

You have a few options. The underlying idea is to evenly distribute the spacing such that each receives as much light as possible, and as evenly as possible. If you have really tall babies, a common practice is to place them on the outskirts of the table, with the shorter ones in the middle. This would theoretically allow for you to place the bulb lower.

Another possibility, depending upon your sit, is to place all the tall ones at one end & the shorter ones at the other. If using 3 lights, you can stagger the height of each to accommodate. I like this latter option the best as it allows for you to group like species together as well as most will be somewhat comparable.

Within a single rez system, the problem with growing multiple strains is that each will have slightly unique requirements... spacing, nutes, total time, etc. If they don't finish at the same time, flushing becomes a problematic. Nute levels may cause some to flourish & others to stress out. Height is a problem obviously. Bushiness as you mentioned too. However, if you can get like-species, then this becomes much easier. I would never run a sativa dominant with indica dom's like this... huge problems.

Best brah!

 

[Ms.Fox]

Soil or hydro? If it's soil, you could just put something under the ones that are lagging so they continue to get enough light. Like maybe a bucket or another pot. ;-)

 

[BurnBud LaVie]

This is an aeromist or aeroponic system, basizally spraying the free hanging roots with water from sprinklers below. No soil. These are all the same strain. I am going to move the smaller ones to one area and drop the light a little on that side.

thanks!