What differentiates a new grower to an experienced grower?

I mean as in, people say new growers can expect to have a yield of roughly 2-3 oz indoors per plant, whereas more experienced growers can expect atleast a QP from a single plant.

Surely If a new grower followed an experienced growers entire grow step for step they can average the same yield?

What extra steps do more experienced growers do to yield more? I always thought a simple guide of water, nutrients, light, genetics, fim/top/lst etc - are the only methods to get the most out of your plant. The first 3 obviously being essential.

I understand, humidity, temperature, light cycles, co2 levels etc play a big part. But surely that alone wouldn't yield an extra 5-6 oz off a plant.

you answered your own question.
its experience that makes it the difference.

even if you follow a growers info to a T , something is bound to be a little different in some aspect.


its just what it is, its experience

a good example of this is
you get 1 recipe for a baking item,

i guarantee a new baker , or less experienced baker will have different results than someone who is a professional culinary baker regardless of both having the same recipe
its just literally experience with experience comes wisdom and you the experienced person just knows little tidbits and tricks

I understand experience makes the grower a good grower, or a baker a good baker.

I'd like to know a little info on the tidbits and tricks, any idea what some guys on here do a little different?

Any veterans care to chime in?

I've been growing for 7+ years and i'll tell you there is a big gap between an experienced grower and a newbie.. The one thing that jumps out in my thoughts is being in a rush as a new grower. I wanted to rush the grow, curing, everything... I'd smoke some of my stash before it was cured. I'd harvest 2-3 weeks early.. And if a plant had a deficiency i'd want it fixed that day rather than wait til it was time to water.. You'll see if your new and keep with it.. LOTS of trouble headed your way... Over watering, bugs, cal-mag at flower, getting the nutes right, etc...

Feisty1UR said:

I'd like to know a little info on the tidbits and tricks, any idea what some guys on here do a little different?

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It's just a style you acquire, a second-nature about what works, what doesn't. You become more tuned into the plant's condition ("reading your plant"). You'll know it when you're there. It takes 1-2 years. If you want to develop that faster, a perpetual grow would work well. Start a new plant every 2-3 weeks, applying what you learned from the preceding plants (instead of waiting for a bunch of plants to finish, and start over). You'll get a year's experience in 6 months.

What helped me the most was to stop thinking of nutrients as abstract bottles (veg and bloom, for example). When I started thinking about the *actual* NPK ratio I was feeding, it opened a new dimension to me. Instead of guessing how other products might work "better or worse" than what I'm using, I can quickly assess how they differ, whether it would be better or worse.

This spreadsheet makes it easy to keep track of your NPK ratio, or to see how boutique, multi-bottle "lineup" compare to each other.

az2000 said:

What helped me the most was to stop thinking of nutrients as abstract bottles (veg and bloom, for example). When I started thinking about the *actual* NPK ratio I was feeding, it opened a new dimension to me. Instead of guessing how other products might work "better or worse" than what I'm using, I can quickly assess how they differ, whether it would be better or worse.

This spreadsheet makes it easy to keep track of your NPK ratio, or to see how boutique, multi-bottle "lineup" compare to each other.

Click to expand...

So if I had the right balance of the NPK ratios and knew exactly all the vital elements for a plants growing cycle I'd be able to grow as much as someone who has years of experience?

Something like Canna A+B for example, your saying that they wouldn't have all the right nutrients to get the job done to it's fullest potential, it's more of a breakdown of everything combined into a simple formula 3-1-2 for veg or 1-1-1 & flower 1-3-2.

Honestly. Just study and read, with growing no one can tell you what to do.

You learn from your own trial and error...

Goodluck

Feisty1UR said:

I understand experience makes the grower a good grower, or a baker a good baker.

I'd like to know a little info on the tidbits and tricks, any idea what some guys on here do a little different?

Any veterans care to chime in?

Click to expand...

Mainly learn to read the plant. Not every strain likes the same things. Some are sensitive to feeding or water.

To get top yields you would find a good mother and learn that strain to a T and push it as hard as you can.

When new, people want to grow different strains. That's fine but to maximize yield stick to one and learn it.

Get some house plants. Different ones with different needs. It will help.

Feisty1UR said:

So if I had the right balance of the NPK ratios and knew exactly all the vital elements for a plants growing cycle I'd be able to grow as much as someone who has years of experience?

Something like Canna A+B for example, your saying that they wouldn't have all the right nutrients to get the job done to it's fullest potential, it's more of a breakdown of everything combined into a simple formula 3-1-2 for veg or 1-1-1 & flower 1-3-2 for example.

Click to expand...

you still need to learn how to read a plant and know if it's hungry or defficient, and if so, in what areas.. some plants will take more cal / mag for instance during certain phases, and even if you're feeding a balanced npk ratio, plants can still show defficiences..

Feisty1UR said:

So if I had the right balance of the NPK ratios and knew exactly all the vital elements for a plants growing cycle I'd be able to grow as much as someone who has years of experience?

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It's part of it. Also knowing what to expect, how plants respond to more N, or more P. Knowing how to LST without even thinking about it (just because you have a feel for how it folds over). Knowing when to LST instead of second-guessing it, or not anticipating its need.

You'll know when you're there. You'll think "wow, I used to stress about this stuff. Now I just do it."

I don't know if I agree that there is a yield difference between experienced and inexperienced. To be honest, I get about the same yields I got from my first grow. The first plant I harvested was an autoflower in a 2x2 4' tall space. I got 220g. I used Pro-Mix HP (with perlite added), GH Flora 3-part and followed the "Useless feeding schedule".

I think my yields are more predictable now. I've improved the taste/quality due to switching to more organic nutrients, not overfeeding, getting better at dry/cure.

Az pretty much summed it up. Dont worry about nutrients and numbers just yet, itll just ad more confusion.

Focus on training methods to become a better grower.

One thing at a time

az2000 said:

It's part of it. Also knowing what to expect, how plants respond to more N, or more P. Knowing how to LST without even thinking about it (just because you have a feel for how it folds over). Knowing when to LST instead of second-guessing it, or not anticipating its need.

You'll know when you're there. You'll think "wow, I used to stress about this stuff. Now I just do it."

I don't know if I agree that there is a yield difference between experienced and inexperienced. To be honest, I get about the same yields I got from my first grow. The first plant I harvested was an autoflower in a 2x2 4' tall space. I got 220g. I used Pro-Mix HP (with perlite added), GH Flora 3-part and followed the "Useless feeding schedule".

I think my yields are more predictable now. I've improved the taste/quality due to switching to more organic nutrients, not overfeeding, getting better at dry/cure.

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I definitely need to look up more on advanced methods like lst/fimming, I've had a look into it and I have a rough idea on how to do it.

In your honest opinion, is there anything that favours autoflowering seeds compared to normal fem seeds, are the yields comparable? Is the main reason people use fem seeds for mother plants, and autoflowers to dump after they finish harvesting? For some reason I thought you would probably get more out of fem seeds, than autos.

Feisty1UR said:

I definitely need to look up more on advanced methods like lst/fimming, I've had a look into it and I have a rough idea on how to do it.

In your honest opinion, is there anything that favours autoflowering seeds compared to normal fem seeds, are the yields comparable? Is the main reason people use fem seeds for mother plants, and autoflowers to dump after they finish harvesting? For some reason I thought you would probably get more out of fem seeds, than autos.

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typically, you'd get more from a photo period plant than an auto, for the main reason that autos don't have a true veg. period, and will flower once they reach a certain age.. photo's on the other hand, you can keep in veg as long as you like, allowing them to get as big as you like before inducing flowering..
sure, some autos will yield better than others, but on the most part what i'm saying holds true..

You do get more out of fem seeds.

You cant train autos, as there on limited time besides LST you cant do much. People like them for that reason,

Theres no training, theres no changing light timers as they go into flower when there ready whether that be under 24hr or 18hrs.

You wont learn much off a auto seed.

racerboy71 said:

typically, you'd get more from a photo period plant than an auto, for the main reason that autos don't have a true veg. period, and will flower once they reach a certain age.. photo's on the other hand, you can keep in veg as long as you like, allowing them to get as big as you like before inducing flowering..
sure, some autos will yield better than others, but on the most part what i'm saying holds true..

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Ah I see, so you can choose when you want to throw your plants into flowering mode with regular seeds with autos you don't have a choice

Feisty1UR said:

Ah I see, so you can choose when you want to throw your plants into flowering mode with regular seeds

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yes, with regular and or fem regular, ie, photoperiod plants, flowering is determined by the length of darkness the plant receives.. as darkness builds, hormones in the plant also build, which signal the plant that it's time to flower.. typically indoors, people use 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness, although 12 hours of darkness might not always be required to signal flowering, mostly because it's easy, and works for pretty much all photo cannabis plants..
autos, on the other hand, don't flower by dark hours, but rather, auto flower once they reach a certain age, typically around 30 days or so from seed..
in theory, you could keep a photo period plant in veg for a very long time by simply not allowing the dark period to reach the level that signals flowering, typically 12 hours..

Feisty1UR said:

In your honest opinion, is there anything that favours autoflowering seeds compared to normal fem seeds, are the yields comparable?

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Autos are feminized too. I think you're using "fem" to refer to photosensitive.

Autos are best for outdoor growing. You get a much earlier harvest than you would if you planted early and had to wait for Fall (a photosensitive).

Indoor, I like them because they are smaller and more naturally formed than a photosensitive that is thrown into 12/12 early (to keep it small). It's like a bonzai (miniature) version of a mature plant. I can't get that from photosensitives put in 12/12 at seed, or after 2-3 weeks of veg.

If you have a full-sized space to grow in, I think photosensitives make more sense because you use 33% less electricity for light and cooling.

Some people say autos aren't potent. But, the one strain I grew (Northern Storm) is plenty potent. As much as any photosensitive I've grown.

A new grower will buy a cloned male and wonder what went wrong. An expierienced grower will know where to buy females. A new grower will over water a plant and wonder what went wrong. An expierienced grower will know exactly how much water the plant needs. A new grower will over nute a plant and wonder what went wrong. A new grower will put 2 inches of soil in a 5 gallon pot and when his plant dies, he wonders what went wrong. A new grower will transplant his seedling into a state of shock and wonder what went wrong etc. etc. etc.

Feisty1UR said:

You know, you could have just stated what most "New growers" do wrong with their first grow instead of being a dick about it. None of this "He wonders what went wrong" malarkey like your freakin eitstein or summit

All of that is common sense.

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Now see I think you got a problem of think people are mean or out to get you. That dudes post wasn't dickish. Its the truth.

We talked about this in another thread. Same questions a mlion times over.

I think you are sensitive. Man grow some thicker skin. Maybe anzohaze wasn't so mean.

I see something in your attitude.

What makes a good grower. I don't know. I grew up helping in vegetable gardens and I grow my own food now. Flower beds. I've grown plants all my life. I got a shit loaf of house plants.

I still make mistakes. Look at my journal. It human nature.

Learn from the mistakes and go on.

whitebb2727 said:

Now see I think you got a problem of think people are mean or out to get you. That dudes post wasn't dickish. Its the truth.

We talked about this in another thread. Same questions a mlion times over.

I think you are sensitive. Man grow some thicker skin. Maybe anzohaze wasn't so mean.

I see something in your attitude.

What makes a good grower. I don't know. I grew up helping in vegetable gardens and I grow my own food now. Flower beds. I've grown plants all my life. I got a shit loaf of house plants.

I still make mistakes. Look at my journal. It human nature. I meant no harm in what I've written.

Learn from the mistakes and go on.

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I'm not sensitive bud, but you have to agree could've just said, rookie mistakes are overwatering, transplant shock etc. You don't have to take me so literal

Wait, we talked about this in another thread? When?

Anzohaze had problems, with me and many others. But like people have said it wasn't the first time he's broken rules, he's banned doesn't that sum it up?