Tuesday’s tips for beginner growers are brought to you by High Times Cultivation Editor Nico Escondido.
1. Be careful choosing your ballast. The newer electronic and digital ballasts are not compatible with our standard HID bulbs. HID bulbs such as HPS and MH are made to run at 60 hertz, so a magnetic (core-and-coil) ballast is best. Electronic ballasts run at 20,000 hertz and will rupture the end caps of HID bulbs in three months, reducing the light output exponentially Use only true, double-ended digital bulbs in electronic ballasts.
2. Marijuana plants are most vulnerable right after germination. Be cautious placing very young seedlings or clones outdoors without proper protection. Dome covers can protect from hard rain, and simple windbreaks can help with wind gusts.
3. Another great use for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is in hydro reservoirs and nutrient solutions. The H2O2 will immediately begin releasing added oxygen to the root zone, while also killing root bugs and bacteria.
