Thanks! Ha, how did you know I'm a perfectionist? (It bordered on OCD at one time.)
Believe it or not, many plants only need a 4" root zone. The fundamental idea behind hydro is to have a small root zone, but larger plants/yields due to more frequent watering. Ordinarily, I use 6" Hugo cubes from start to finish, but I thought it'd be interesting to do a run in 4" cubes. I'm already having to water more frequently--partly due to the weather being warmer right now which leads to plants increasing their water intake/the cubes drying out quicker.
Usually, I use a top-fed drain to waste system, but I couldn't be bothered to set it up this time. Until the plants go under the screen, I've been hand-watering them in the bathtub. Once the screen's in, I'll sit them on plastic plates, so I can water them inside the tent, and tip the waste from the plates into a bucket or something.
What have you tried growing in? I love rockwool, but it can be a little finicky for new growers. You have to make sure your pH is always spot on.
I'm on my first grow and it's in soil. I'm considering going with Docs high brix once I have several harvests under my belt. I'm growing for oil for myself, family, and friends with a variety of ailments and diseases, so want to go as organic as possible.
My own perfectionism has me consumed with training for that table top canopy. I intended to have my first grow be a scrog, but removed my nets because I couldn't deal with the idea of not being able to pull the girls out and fondle them. I mean an orgy is great, but I do enjoy that one on one play time!!
Appears my focus is exactly opposite of yours. I currently am using 7 and 10 gallon pots and will likely go a bit larger in the future. My thinking on that is that providing more space for a larger root zone will support larger yields from larger and stronger plants. I drill holes around the rim of the pots and use coated wire thru those holes to tie down and adjust the branches to achieve a perfectly even canopy throughout the grow. I'll have to see what happens as they finish, but it appears that by using powerful oscillating fans they have developed branches strong enough to carry the weight, eliminating the need for a screen or net. I like the flexibility of being able to rotate plants for even light and pulling them for training, defoliation, checking for mildew and pests, foliar spraying individually plants based on individual need, and so on.
I've always been addicted to the satisfaction I get from what I do with my hands. I could never be a plug and grow hands off grower. And I'm absolutely in love with my new hobby. I've found that my plants reward me for everything I do for them. I'm amazed by them.
I do think I may have gone overboard on defoliation, but they were in veg for 13 weeks so I'd have had a jungle without it. Again, I'll have to see the finish but so far all 70 or so colas are very close in size, crazy frosty, and fattening nicely so I'm excited about my oil yield.
I like what you're doing too. Seems a very simple way to grow hydro. I'll be watching and may consider adding your rock wool method and do a separate SOG grow for bag weed.
Thanks! Randy
