A General Timeframe?

I am a newbie to both this forum and growing itself.
In order to better understand the whole process and to develop a framework to which i can attach the various tidbits of info that i gather. Here is a very basic framework that i got from this forum, and i am wondering if it is correct
(in general)

thanks for reading!

My understanding is that there is no real advantage by extending from 18/6 to 24/hr. (except obviously you no longer require a timer), but I HAVE read a few places that the 18/6 is preferred to give the plants AND light a little quality "down time".....This is a GREAT time to water yer plants and also turn yer fans off so the plant can sit still a few hours and just relax....Basically (my newbie understanding), is to provide a nice size pot with good soil in it and occasional water (with a little MG Nitrogen mix) with a Halide light (set for 18/6) for a period of 8 weeks. Then kick the light back to 12/12, sex the plants within a week, and crank up the HPS light for another 8 weeks (or so) of flowering (Using a water/fert mix with a high Phoserous ratio and very little N.) Flush the plant heavily with distilled water about 1 week before harvest and use no more ferts. Cure properly and enjoy ..Repeat often ...I think thats about it

 

I prefer 24 hour light during veg if you switch lights off for 6 hours a day your losing almost 2 growing days a week thats over one weeks growing time over your veg period. Plants dont seem to mind whatsoever , you can water them with lights on just turn of your fan first. This is just my preference you can grow healthy plants both ways. Eight weeks is a little long for veg period, four to six weeks is more the norm for indoor grows.Of course it depends on how many plants your growing and the size of your grow space.But in general everything you say is correct best thing to do is start growing and within four or five months you will develop your own preferences for your grow room.

 

-Don't use miracle grow products; they're harsh chemicals. I recommend organics.
-You want HPS, NOT halide.
-Rule of thumb is 50 watts HPS per sq/ft growspace.
-Veg until the plants are sexually mature, indicated by alternating nodes (branches).
One way to decrease the time needed AND ensure that you're growing only females is to clone.
When you take cuttings from a sexually mature plant and then root them (takes 2 weeks to root), you can induce flowering at any time.
-Generally speaking, a lot of little plants is better than a few big plants.
-My lights and fans run full time.

Growing buds is only 1 part of having quality marijuana. You also need to do a slow dry and cure.
You may have had the experience of smoking harsh, lousy tasting pot and also delicious fragarant super stoney pot. The later comes from a slow dry and long cure. How long? I'd say 2--4 weeks min.

 

Rangerdanger you say you cure finished product in 2-4 weeks .Do you slow down the drying period somehow. Just curious as to the method you use. Any method that improves taste has to be a good thing.

 

Curing 101

There are many ways of doing this, and I've tried just about all of them. Based on my decades of experience, the experience of others and the advice of Ed Rosenthal, here's my preferred way.

First, a good cure begins with good harvesting, manicuring and drying.

-Harvesting: I prefer to cut the branches off the standing plant. It's a lot easier that way.
-Manicuring: Back at the ranch, I sit at the dining room table surrounded by 4 supermarket-type paper bags. I first cut the buds off the branches, then remove any remaining shade leaves. These leaves and bare branches go into the first bag for disposal (burning or composting).
Then I remove the medium-sized leaves. These go into another bag for cooking. The smallest leaves go into the third bag for making hash/oil.
-Drying: The buds go into the final bag. I crimp the top and place the bag in a cool dark place. Every day I gently 'comb' the buds with my fingers.
The slower the dry, the smoother and tastier the buds will be. Of course, you need to make sure (especially in humid climates) that the buds don't begin to rot. This is indicated by an ammonia odor.
-Curing: When the buds are almost but not quite dry enough to smoke (way before the brittle/crispy stage), I place the buds in a large container. Some people use glass jars; I find these too expensive and too breakable. I use large 1-gallon containers I get free from the local fast-food place, the kind mustard/mayonnaise come in. I get them free (they are usually throw them away). Once cleaned well, the buds are placed in the containers, then tightly sealed.
The goal in curing is to let the buds go from barely too-moist-to-smoke to just right, which is as moist as a good cigar, very very slowly.
Every day I open the containers for a few minutes, gently comb the buds with my fingers, then re-seal.
What curing is:
It's a form of composting. As ther sugars and chlorophyll begin to break down, a gas is released. This gas and moisture lost needs to be vented daily. Don't seal up moist buds and go like on vacation or off galivanting around. Open the container for 5 minutes every day, the tightly re-seal.
When the buds have reached perefect smoking condition (as moist as a good cigar) the cure is done. Ideally this should take about 2 weeks, at least. Then the jars are tightly sealed and left that way, or sealed in plastic bag with one of those seal-a-meal things (NOT the kind that **** out all the air, those will crush the buds).
Leaving a bit of moisture in the buds will continue the curing process.
Marijuana stays fresh if you keep it a bit moister than some people (who keep their pot in a baggie in their pocket) are used to. You NEVER want it crispy dry.

Flash-dried, uncured buds have a hay/grass-like taste and burn too hot.
Slow dried buds smoke cool, smooth and improves the taste tremendously. Curing increases potency by up to 30%.
Storing while still a bit moist will keep the pot at peak smoking condition.

Notes: When I get my buds manicured, I place a few nugs aside on a table-top or in a drawer. Harsh yes but I'm usually anxious to 'test' them, and have something to smoke while I'm waiting for the slow drying/curing process to finish.
Also, if at any time you smell even a hint of an ammonia (dirty-diaper) odor, remove the buds IMMEDIENTLY and let air out on a table-top for half a day or so, then re-start.
It takes a bit of practice to get this just right, but once you've got it down pat, you'll never go back to flash-dried, uncured pot.
__________________

Add: Several years ago I went to the barn to get a comforter out of a box I had packed stuff away in a few years previous.
There were a lot of odds & ends and as I was digging through it I came across a humidor that I thought was empty and just happened to open it up. and look inside.
There I discovered approx. 1.5 oz of 2 or 3 years-cured bud!
Man that pot was smooooooth.
I took a hit and for a few seconds figured it must have lost potency since it was so mild tasting.
Then POW it hit me.
As potent as I remembered it. But tricky cause it was so mild for the years of perfect storage.

 

Cheers rangerdanger will do as you say next harvest.

 

Ranger, the only thing I'd do different is cut up the stems, toss them off in a big jar or 3 then drawn them in vodka,flavored or not, let it soak for weeks or months (it only gets better) then stain, press moisture out of sticks, strain through coffee filter then ........ mmmm either make a drink, or let alcohol evap. till thick and use as a tincture. Waste not want not!