﻿Hi this is your prof from indica institute and welcome to my guide on how to grow your green gold
hydroponically during the vegetative stage. The objective of this lesson is to learn the best
environmental conditions for hydroponic plant growth at home during the vegetative stage,
including lighting, temperature, nutrient, testing and cleaning procedures.
All links mentioned in this video can be found in the video description,
along with a link to Indica Institute where you can find a growing list of cannabis related
courses and recommendations on the best products for purchase.
After your plant has about 3 to 5 sets of serrated leaves it is in the early part of the vegetative
stage. In theory you can keep your plants in this stage as long as you like, though the general rule
is to flip your light cycle to 12-12 to trigger the flowering stage after your plant has reached
about half the height of your grow space. This is only a guideline though, as some strains really
stretch during flowering and sativas are known for taking longer to come to harvest during the
flowering stage - so plan accordingly and play it safe. You can always adjust timelines based
on strains for your next grow, after you know the growth spurts you can expect at each stage.
All in all, this stage of plant growth should take between 3 and 5 weeks,
depending on the size of your grow space and your goals as a grower.
If you run into issues with space, it’s best to try and control this problem before the
plant enters the flowering stage through training techniques like supercropping,
though you have training options during flowering as well to combat this.
A link to you supercropping video can be found in the video description below.
As your plants enter the final stage of seedlings and begin their vegetative run it is a good
time to begin implementing some classic training techniques. Consider topping or fimming your plant
after it has grown about 4-5 sets of serrated leaves, also consider using trellis netting for
a ScrOG training technique. Plants growing in a hydroponic setup are prone to tipping, so the
trellis netting will be a welcome support for your plants throughout their growth cycle.
Links to videos on how to implement these training techniques can be found in the
video description below, or visit my channel for more videos of training options.
Your plants will need to be on an 18-6 light cycle during this stage of plant growth.
For those using CFL lighting, a 4500 Kelvin bulb will work. For those rotating MH and HPS lighting,
it’s time to start using the MH bulb. Those opting for LED, LEC or HPS throughout their grow, just
ensure a distance of 18 inches is kept from the plant canopy and your light at all times.
During the vegetative stage your plants benefit from a greater concentration of blue range light,
so if you have options to lean your spectrum this way now is the time to do so.
For more on this topic, and how to optimize your light spectrum for each stage of plant growth
check my video in the video description. The temperature of your grow space should remain
between 22 and 27 degrees Celsius, or 73 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
As I have stated in the seedling stage video from this series, while there are valid arguments for
both sides on whether temperature should be warmer or colder with a hydroponic grow,
my argument remains that as long as you are using a beneficial additive like hydroguard to prevent
those bacteria that cause root rot, there is no real reason to keep temperatures lower.
In terms of humidity, you will want to start actively trying to lower the
relative humidity in your grow space as your plant gets thicker in an attempt to prevent
mold. Pruning leaves from your plant that are close or touching will go a long way with this,
so that water does not pool between the leaves. Otherwise manage your RH accordingly.
It is okay to start out the vegetative stage of growth with an RH of around 65, though
you will want this to drop to between 40 and 50 by the first week of the flowering stage.
Controlling your humidity is important for several reasons. Having too high an RH and this will stunt
the growth of your plants, potentially causing mold or bud rot during the flowering stage.
On the other hand having a humidity that is too low and this will also
slow plant growth, causing leaf stress and making your plant look like it has nutrient
issues - which can cause confusion for you and lead to nutrient tweaking that will be
detrimental to your plants growth. Generally keep your RH between 40 and 60 to be safe,
while this range should tighten to around 50% by flowering.
Your plants require the macronutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in order to grow,
but they also need a variety of micronutrients such as Boron, Calcium, Copper,
Iron, Magnesium, Sulfur and Zinc as well. Companies will generally sell a liquid
hydroponic solution catered to each stage of growth, inclusive of all of these variants.
Your vegetaive stage nutrient solution will have a higher amount of nitrogen,
while the flowering stage will ease up on nitrogen for more Phosphorus.
Many websites will suggest you buy the powdered versions of these micro and macronutrients so that
you can create your own solutions in an effort to save a load of money. Their arguments are sound,
pre-mixed solutions can be expensive, though if you are new to growing, or growing hydroponically
my suggestion would be to limit as many variables as possible. There is no harm in purchasing
the premade solutions until you are comfortable enough to start creating your own solutions.
In terms of how much nutrients to add, solutions companies tend to go overboard
on what is actually required of your plants. If you are unsure, start slow. Begin with half the
recommended dose and up the dose weekly until you start to see a slight yellowing on the tips
of your plants leaves. Once you see this, you know the nutrient ratio is too strong.
Be sure to keep a keen and close eye on your plants while testing how much nutrients they
require - because once you see that slight yellowing you will need to empty the reservoir,
and replace the water with the ratio that you used the week before your plants
leaves started to yellow. Although if your plants look like they are already thriving
with the initial solution you give them, then there may be no need to experiment!
Make sure you are testing your water daily, or bi-daily at least.
You want to keep an eye out for pH levels, temperature and ppm measurements. Each time
you check, make sure to take a look at the roots of your plants as well. They should be white
or a cream colour, not brown, slimy or smelly. Brown roots suggest root rot or that your water
is dirty - either way, a deep cleaning of the reservoir and all equipment is required.
Make sure your water temperature is at 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit,
and your pH is between 5.5 and 6. Optimal pH for the vegetative stage of plant growth is 5.8.
As far as ppm, the early vegetative stage should have a ppm measurement of 300-400, while the later
stages should have a ppm of 450-700. Your ppm readings will dip as the plant pulls nutrients
from the water, so make sure to stay on top of this measurement as a failure to do so could
result in slower plant growth, nutrient deficiency and even an altering of pH levels in the water…
causing even more problems for your plants. As I have stated in past lessons, cleanliness
is key to keeping your plants healthy and growing strong. Make sure to refresh your
reservoir weekly, and give your equipment a solid washing with rubbing alcohol,
hot water and hydrogen peroxide bi weekly. While you are cleaning, also check any tubes and the
pump equipment for browning or anything that looks unclean, and give that a scrubbing too.
Remember to continue using hydroguard throughout your grow to prevent root rot- especially if
you are keeping higher temperatures in your grow space, or using organic nutrients.
Lastly, as I have said multiple times throughout this video, the key to a good yield when growing
hydroponically is to train your plants to optimize space and concentrate their growth
efforts to specific zones. Watch my videos on plant training for more on this.
So in review, the vegetative stage can last as long as you feel necessary
depending on your needs as a grower, but usually this stage ranges between 3 and 5 weeks.
Now is the time to train your plants, so brush up on scrog training,
bend and secure, topping, fimming, pruning and if necessary supercropping. Lessons and
links for all of these techniques can be found in the video description below.
Your plants should be placed on an 18-6 now, if it has not been put on one already from the seedling
stage. Controlling your spectrum range of light is beneficial, and providing more blue range light
during this stage is best. See my video on light spectrum in the links below for more on this.
Keep the temperature between 22 and 27 degrees Celsius, or
73 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for this stage. Humidity will start higher, around 60 to 65,
but work this down by about 5% RH a week until you hit 50% for the start of the flowering stage.
Provide your plants with vegetative stage nutrients,
beginning with half the dose and working up from there.
If experimenting, keep a close eye on your plant leaves and pull back on the nutrient
dosage as soon as you start to see yellowing. Premixed solutions are recommended until you
are comfortable with growing hydroponically and have a few successful grows under your belt.
Water temperature should remain at 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit for this stage.
Optimal pH is 5.8, while ppm readings should be between 300 and 400 for the first part
of the vegetative stage, and 450 to 700 for the second part of this stage.
Check plant roots regularly while testing water for discolouration
of the roots, slime, or smell. Keeping a clean grow environment is
key to a happy and healthy grow. Remember to replace reservoir water regularly, and clean
all grow equipment with rubbing alcohol, hot water and peroxide bi-weekly.
Finally, remember to continue to use hydroguard throughout this stage of
growth in order to prevent root rot. I hope you found this installment of my course on
“How To Grow Cannabis Hydroponically” useful. For more cannabis related courses or recommendations
on the best grow products out there, visit me at Indica Institute or subscribe to my YouTube
channel. If you have any comments or suggestions for a new video, be sure to join the discussion in
the comment feed below. Please like and share this video, and as always, thank you for listening!