# Hi. New Grower from NZ



## BrickNewton (Jun 4, 2017)

Hey.

Just joined as I was looking for somewhere with good info.
I'm a first time Grower from New Zealand.
I've got a really budget set up going for the first grow, I think it was under $150 for the ply and timber for the room. Plants (clones) ando lights were free.
I've turned an alcove in the shed into a grow room, lined with ply an foil. 
The room is about 1.2d x .9w x 2.5h. 
We were given lights (1500w hps is being used). Tin foil lining the walls and 3 plants in 8.5 litre pots.
We are now into day 24 of flower and I think they are looking good. 
Will get some pics up soon.
Have been doing a lot of reading and research to help.
Have no idea of what strains I'm growing. Looks to be 2 sativa and 1 indica. 
No idea of yield. For this grow will be happy with what I get and use it as a bench Mark for the next couple of grows.


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## OldMedUser (Jun 5, 2017)

High BrickNewton and welcome to RIU!

1500W HPS! That's a lot of fire power for that size space. (About 4x3x7' for the metrically challenged)

Are you sure it's a 1500? Could light up a 2x2m space and be growing trees in 40L pots with that if it is. I'm using a 1000W in twice that space and the exhaust fan is running almost full time at half speed to get rid of the heat.

Pics would be nice if they are taken under normal light or colour corrected using the white balance feature of your camera if you have it. Take some pics with the flash after the light goes out. Really makes the buds "pop".


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## vostok (Jun 5, 2017)

1500w HPS ....lol ...really to late to do anything next grow use a 15 liter pot

paint the grow room walls in flat white, ensuire you have a fan and temp gauge

to my blog: https://www.rollitup.org/Journal/Entry/12-week-grow-sceneario-by-jorge-cervantas.30164/ 

good luck


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## BrickNewton (Jun 5, 2017)

Will try and get some pics later today before the lights come on.
Yeah the lights are definitely over kill for the space, but they were free and seem to be working well. I have a extraction fan in there to help with the heat, but at the moment its winter so with the lights and fan going ts about 78 F in there.
I think I got my measurements slightly off, was going from memory rather than actual measurements, so when I get the photos will take some measurements.
Once Ive posted some pics I will start asking advice, see what you guys think of the plants. Tallest one is about 1m (3.3ft high the others about 70cm - 90cm (2.3 - 2.9ft)high.
I did a little LST to try and get the buds at the same level but had some massive stretch on one of the plants. As this is our first grow I did not want to go over board trimming and training plants

I know plants grow differently with different set ups, but from what Ive seen on the ol interweb my plants seem to be more like week 4 than 3, but I will see what you guys say as I have little growing knowledge at this point


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## BrickNewton (Jun 6, 2017)

vostok said:


> 1500w HPS ....lol ...really to late to do anything next grow use a 15 liter pot
> 
> paint the grow room walls in flat white, ensuire you have a fan and temp gauge
> 
> ...


Thanks for the help. Have to have a good read tonight.
Had a talk to the guy who gave me the lights. He's had them for a few years. He used it for a short time then put it in storage. They do say 1500w on them but weather its still putting out what it should, I don't know.
Here's some pics. Some of the shots are a little blurry or slightly out of focus.


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## OldMedUser (Jun 6, 2017)

For a first grow those are looking pretty good!

You might want to cull some of the small branches down lower so the plant can use the energy it would basically waste growing small buds down there and put it to better use up top. It does pay off. It's called lollypopping.

I found a great spot to download FREE POT BOOKS. I downloaded a grow bible first and got lots more. Books look great and complete like the real ones I have here. No web site but just a page of links. Just right click on what you want and then "Save Link As" to download so they don't open first as some are 50+ megs. They got lots. Enjoy.


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## vostok (Jun 6, 2017)

_ 3 plants in 8.5 litre pots_. ...imo I'd still pot up to 15 liter / 3usg .use tomato bags at .50c each ? 

they are in full stretch just now and will use all the soil they can get

KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON YA POWER BILL ...lol

good luck


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## BrickNewton (Jun 6, 2017)

Thanks. I'm really happy with them but still nervous. 
I ended up trimming few of the lower shoots. But not much this time. The next grow I will give it more of a trim.
Will have to have a good read of those books.


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## rkymtnman (Jun 6, 2017)

BrickNewton said:


> Thanks. I'm really happy with them but still nervous.
> I ended up trimming few of the lower shoots. But not much this time. The next grow I will give it more of a trim.
> Will have to have a good read of those books.


what are weed policies like in NZ? if i had to move somewhere, NZ would be it. we did a bunch of traveing on the north island for our honeymoon. loved it tremendously


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## BrickNewton (Jun 6, 2017)

vostok said:


> _ 3 plants in 8.5 litre pots_. ...imo I'd still pot up to 15 liter / 3usg .use tomato bags at .50c each ..? _(pb2_
> 
> they are in full stretch just now and will use all the soil they can get
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice. We went with the 8.5l potsunami as that's what we calculated we would need. The ended up a lot taller than expected. But will go with bigger pots next time. Power bill isn't too bad too


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## BrickNewton (Jun 6, 2017)

rkymtnman said:


> what are weed policies like in NZ? if i had to move somewhere, NZ would be it. we did a bunch of traveing on the north island for our honeymoon. loved it tremendously


Weed policies here suck big time. There are calls for medicinal use and recreational but the government won't change its policies. They have just announced that sativix is now able to prescribed straight from the doctor and you won't have to write to the ministry of health for it,but still not funded so have to pay full price for it.


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## rkymtnman (Jun 6, 2017)

BrickNewton said:


> Weed policies here suck big time. There are calls for medicinal use and recreational but the government won't change its policies. They have just announced that sativix is now able to prescribed straight from the doctor and you won't have to write to the ministry of health for it,but still not funded so have to pay full price for it.


surprising. i would of thought they would be a bit more liberal. anyway, your country is beautiful. good luck growing!


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## BrickNewton (Jun 6, 2017)

rkymtnman said:


> surprising. i would of thought they would be a bit more liberal. anyway, your country is beautiful. good luck growing!


You'do think so, but no. There's huge support for it to be decriminalized but both major parties have said they are not going to change it yet. Can't be too far away.
Thanks for the compliment about the country. Next time you are here you have to go to the South Island


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## OldMedUser (Jun 7, 2017)

Almost 30 years ago I was looking to emigrate to Aus or NZ but NZ was my top pick just for the rivers full of German brown trout and it's resemblance to my home province of British Columbia. I'd just graduated tech school at the age of 35 with a diploma in chemistry and wanted to go elsewhere. When I was 16 I had a girlfriend who was born in NZ but had lived in Aus since she was around 10. Her dad was some gov't official that was sent to Canada for a year or so for I'm not sure what. Every time I hear a hot chick with that accent now I get all hot and bothered. Love TV shows from there like OZ, The Straits, and now A Place to Call Home, Wentworth and Brokenwood Mysteries.

Some nasty quakes and tidal waves in those parts just like in BC where I lived near the coast in my early years. I was born in Vancouver, BC and raised on Lulu Island in the middle of the Fraser river beside Van and they have a big quake coming some day as well so no desire to live there again tho I do have plans to move more inland to the Okanagan valley where it's just forest fires you have to worry about. I'm living in northern Alberta now where the only thing you have to fear is dying of boredom! 

My mom was in NZ about 20 years ago and I should have a bunch of her travel photos from there. She was tossing them all out last August when I was out in the Okanagan helping her move as she's almost blind now and she said no one else would want them. She really loved it there and had a great time.

Lots worse places to live in this world. Like BumF**k Alberta! LOL


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## vostok (Jun 7, 2017)

OldMedUser said:


> Almost 30 years ago I was looking to emigrate to Aus or NZ but NZ was my top pick just for the rivers full of German brown trout and it's resemblance to my home province of British Columbia. I'd just graduated tech school at the age of 35 with a diploma in chemistry and wanted to go elsewhere. When I was 16 I had a girlfriend who was born in NZ but had lived in Aus since she was around 10. Her dad was some gov't official that was sent to Canada for a year or so for I'm not sure what. Every time I hear a hot chick with that accent now I get all hot and bothered. Love TV shows from there like OZ, The Straits, and now A Place to Call Home, Wentworth and Brokenwood Mysteries.
> 
> Some nasty quakes and tidal waves in those parts just like in BC where I lived near the coast in my early years. I was born in Vancouver, BC and raised on Lulu Island in the middle of the Fraser river beside Van and they have a big quake coming some day as well so no desire to live there again tho I do have plans to move more inland to the Okanagan valley where it's just forest fires you have to worry about. I'm living in northern Alberta now where the only thing you have to fear is dying of boredom!
> 
> ...


For a minute you Had me! ...I thought it was the same girl ....lol

for I too had my heart stolen by one of them kowi gurls ...lol


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## BrickNewton (Jun 7, 2017)

OldMedUser said:


> Almost 30 years ago I was looking to emigrate to Aus or NZ but NZ was my top pick just for the rivers full of German brown trout and it's resemblance to my home province of British Columbia. I'd just graduated tech school at the age of 35 with a diploma in chemistry and wanted to go elsewhere. When I was 16 I had a girlfriend who was born in NZ but had lived in Aus since she was around 10. Her dad was some gov't official that was sent to Canada for a year or so for I'm not sure what. Every time I hear a hot chick with that accent now I get all hot and bothered. Love TV shows from there like OZ, The Straits, and now A Place to Call Home, Wentworth and Brokenwood Mysteries.
> 
> Some nasty quakes and tidal waves in those parts just like in BC where I lived near the coast in my early years. I was born in Vancouver, BC and raised on Lulu Island in the middle of the Fraser river beside Van and they have a big quake coming some day as well so no desire to live there again tho I do have plans to move more inland to the Okanagan valley where it's just forest fires you have to worry about. I'm living in northern Alberta now where the only thing you have to fear is dying of boredom!
> 
> ...


I lived in Alberta for a short time, in Edmonton. 
And we'really not called the shakey isles for nothing. Been dealing with earthquakes and the after affectschool for about 7 years now. 2 major ones with a couple of thousand of after shocks and the rebuild of a large portion of the central city and tens of thousands of hoses too.
Good thing I had weed to keep me calm!


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## BrickNewton (Jun 7, 2017)

vostok said:


> for I too had my heart stolen by one of them kowi gurls ...lol


I like that you got the accent right for kiwi girls


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## BrickNewton (Jun 29, 2017)

So a little update on my first grow (I will do a proper grow journal for the next grow).
At about 46 days. I had a bit of an issue with heat and foxtail ingredients which hopefully should be fixed now I have raised the lights and added an extra fan.
Here are some pics.


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## [email protected] (Jul 22, 2017)

grow looks strong mate. good stuff


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## Indacouch (Jul 22, 2017)

@cjcooper read the thread title.


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## ILG (Sep 5, 2017)

Hey fellow New Zealander!! I'm new on the forum but not new to smoking and growing. 
Ilove seeing this! Spread the weed 
I'd recommend tipping them next grow. they've stretched a lot so spent a lot of energy on growing tall rather than focusing on the budding. wicked first go! You have to be proud of that The best thing I can advise is to purchase neem oil for pesky bugs you don't want near your stuff, always watch your babies closely and most importantly, enjoy the grow. Nothing more satisfying then growing those beauties =)


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## BrickNewton (Sep 5, 2017)

ILG said:


> Hey fellow New Zealander!! I'm new on the forum but not new to smoking and growing.
> Ilove seeing this! Spread the weed
> I'd recommend tipping them next grow. they've stretched a lot so spent a lot of energy on growing tall rather than focusing on the budding. wicked first go! You have to be proud of that The best thing I can advise is to purchase neem oil for pesky bugs you don't want near your stuff, always watch your babies closely and most importantly, enjoy the grow. Nothing more satisfying then growing those beauties =)


Thanks for the advice.
I definitely learned a lot from the first grow. I don't have the space or lights at the moment to have separate veg and flower, but what I did was take some clones early in flowering and just kept them in very small pots to keep the root size down and just left them under the canopy of the other plants. They ended up with small buds on them by harvest time but they weren't very tall which was good and it had a good root system already. 
After harvest I switched to veget cycle and it took about a week for new shoots to come out. Once they got big enough I trimmed the bud away and just left stalks. I've been training them to become a sea of green. I was amazed how many tips these things have its crazy.
Last grow I got about 10 Oz dry. Thinking I should get more this time 
Will go get some pics soon before the lights come on.


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## ILG (Sep 19, 2017)

Look forward to seeing your updates


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## BrickNewton (Sep 25, 2017)

Got a couple of photos tonight


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## OldMedUser (Sep 25, 2017)

Looking really good!


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## BrickNewton (Sep 25, 2017)

Thanks. They've really taken off in the last week. Can't wait till harvest and see how much I end up with this time. Keeping them shorter but with more branches than last time


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