FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Seed Germination (Pages 5-8)
We recommend starting seeds by placing them in a lightly damp, folded up paper towel and placing them in a plastic Ziploc bag until there is about a quarter inch “tail”.
Cloning (Pages 9-16)
Consistent sized clones are key. We use our scissors to measure each clone. We line up the tops of the leaves on the clone with the points of the scissors then will make our cut right below the locking mechanism on the scissors. This ensures equal sized clones.
Initial Transplant (Pages 17-22)
The 4x4 inch cube will help the clones establish a much stronger foundation of roots. Transplanting in any medium in between the size of the clone root cube and the finishing container will be beneficial to producing a better foundation of roots.
Yes, we recommend vegging under a 1000 W fixture versus a T5. Vegging under a T5 will result in excessive stretching.
Final Transplant (Pages 23-28)
We do amend our soil with an additional 15% Perlite. We use the coarse #3 perlite.
Packing all of your pots identically is very key to keeping your room on the same watering schedule. If all of your pots are packed the exact same, then each pot can hold the exact same amount of water. Find an even 1 gallon bucket to use for scooping soil. We recommend cutting an 8” long 2x4 piece of wood. Use a marker or piece of tape to mark the bottom of the wood block. 2” from the bottom of the block, draw a line and label it top fill line. Make another line 6.75” from the bottom of the block and label that line initial fill line. This tool is called a Schuelke Stick. When transplanting into a 7-gallon pot, use 4 level scoops and pack firmly and evenly. Using the Schuelke Stick, ensure that the 6.75” line is very even with the top of the pot. Once this is achieved, your Mykos and Azos can be applied. Then, place your 4x4 inch rockwool into the 7-gallon pot and fill with 4 more even scoops of soil. Pack evenly and use the Schuelke Stick to ensure the top of the soil is 2” from the top of the pot. Being able to achieve this consistency is what allows your plants to stay on the same feeding schedule.
We apply 2 Tbsp of Mykos and 1 Tbsp of Azos after our initial 4 scoop pack of soil. Be sure to apply the Mykos and Azos in the middle of the pots where the roots will be in direct contact.
Topping and Pruning (Pages 29-38)
Topping is a very important process that directly relates to the total amount of flower at harvest. We start topping plants at 8 inches tall and top as often as every three days, depending on the strain. Ideally, plants will be topped 7-10 times prior to the flowering cycle.
Ideally, Topping should cease five days prior to flowering but at least three days. Pruning can be done up until flower with no detriment to the plant.
That’s Right! The increase in light penetration allows the lower part of the plant to receive light when it normally would not. The goal is to have no larfy or loose nugs, rather, tight and compact flowers that are consistent from the top of the plant to the bottom. Topping and pruning are the precursor for large, compact nugs.
Transition to Flower (Pages 39-44)
We refer to the space between the bulb and the canopy as a Halo. Always maintain a 36-48-inch Halo to prevent any burning or bleaching.
When following the Three A Light methodology, plants will be between 3 and 4 feet from the top of the soil to the top of the plant. Once in flower, the plants will begin to slow down growing tall and begin bulking up. By the Day 20 Schwazze, the plant should reach its maximum height. Some strains may vary.
We allocate 14 days for clone, 14 days in 4x4 inch cubes, and 35 days in 7-gallon pots (7 of those 35 days are in Transition.) Then, flower for 63-70 days.
Plants are given the Transition Mix when initially put into the Transition phase under 18/6 photoperiod. After a week, plants are fed the Flush Mix prior to being flipped to the 12/12 photoperiod, then Schwazzed.
We top our plants very often to achieve a wide rather than tall plant. Good plant structure is key to achieving a full canopy. To clarify, we have pulled a 3 lb. plant indoors, but it was very large and our methods lean towards achieving 3+ lbs per light typically composed of 4 plants. We do not tie our plants down at all, instead we top them to encourage even and full development rather than tall and slender. When we transplant the clones into a 4x4 inch rockwool cube, they receive the first nutrient feed on the chart. We don’t top them for about a week to allow the plants to adjust because topping too early can stunt growth. Once your transplants have been out of the clone dome for a week, roots should be pushing through the bottom of the 4x4 inch rockwool cube. Topping should only occur once before the plant is 8 inches tall. Once the plant is taller than 8 inches, it will have a strong enough root base to handle aggressive nutrient feeds and bounce back quickly from the topping process.
Day 1 Schwazze (Pages 45-56)
While vegging we recommend an 18/6 photoperiod. The light cycle should switch to 12/12 as soon as the plants are loaded into the flower room. The same day the plants are loaded into the flower room, the Day 1 Schwazze occurs and that night will be the first 12-hour night cycle.
It really depends on how stable the genetics are. More stable genetics will be more tolerant of the stresses that we are presenting to the plants. While you are choosing phenotypes that work well for your grow, note which strains/phenos respond well to plant work projects such as Schwazzing and aggressive feedings, then clone from those plants.
Day 20 Schwazze (Pages 57-68)
No, the Day 20 Schwazze is the final Schwazze. By this time the plant has refocused all its energy from rooting and growing taller to flowering and stacking weight. If a Schwazze took place after day 20, it will cause more harm than good. After the Day 20 Schwazze, plants are ready to be netted because no further plant work takes place.
Netting (Pages 69-78)
The stakes shown in the book are 5’. Trellis net is a great way to net a greater quantity of plants if you can construct a rigid structure for the net to be stretched over. The goal here is to trick your plants into thinking that they are stronger than they are and thus put on a larger flower due to the added support.
Caging works great for low plant counts and trellising is more applicable for larger, commercial scale operations. The idea behind both is to support your plant is to trick your plants into believing they are stronger than they actually are. The only con to trellising is that your plants will be stuck in the same location until harvest. Caging individual plants will allow the plants to be moved if need be.
Gavitas are very powerful lights, it will be key to ease your veg plants into the 1000 W light. The key is to measure your PAR readings and watch how your plants respond. Raise PAR levels as your plants mature.
We place our environmental sensors right at canopy level. If you are having issues with direct light affecting the readings of your sensors, place a “hat” over the sensor to block direct light. This can be achieved by using a cap end of PVC pipe. Place the “hat” 1-2 inches above the sensor.
Harvest (Pages 79-88)
Most plants will finish between 48-60 inches in height. More sativa dominant plants can finish closer to 65-72 inches in a 30-40 day veg cycle.
It sounds like your plants are on pace! If you are following the Three A Light method, most of the weight will stack in the final 2-3 weeks, you’re almost there! Keep following the Success Nutrients feed schedule and be sure to include 7-10 days for flushing.
Add up the total number of dry pounds that you ended up with and divide by the number of lights you used to grow that product. (Ex: 100 pounds of dry product grown with 25 lights = 4lbs/light.)
In the book, we wanted to teach the basic hand trim way. However, occasionally, we utilize a Satellite trimmer for some of our popcorn buds. Our premium buds will be cleaned up by hand.
Dry & Cure (Pages 89-96)
In our Commercial facilities in Colorado, our plants dry for 7 days and cure for 7 days. If desired, cure time can be longer than 7 days.
We use Cure Tubes to moderate humidity and cure our product. Each holds 4-6 lbs and they work great!
Temperature (Pages 101-108)
When we are nearing harvest we reduce temperatures to simulate fall like conditions, signaling the plant to mature.
Humidity (Pages 109-116)
The clones do not have roots, therefore they gather their nutrients from the humid air until roots develop. Once roots begin to develop you can decrease the humidity.
Room Dynamic (Pages 121-126)
For veg rooms we recommend having at least a 11-foot ceiling and in flower at least a 14-foot ceiling because you want to maintain a 36-48-inch halo.
Vapor Pressure Deficit is always a factor to take into consideration with indoor growing. If VPD is too high, your plants leaves will curl to avoid direct sunlight and reduce water loss. If VPD is too low, the plants will lose their ability to transpire and will be unable to transport nutrients effectively. Temps around 80-82 degrees and humidities around 50% have been ideal.
Are you running Success Nutrients? What you feed your plants is key to getting them on a solid growth path. We have 6-8 plants per light in veg, depending on the size and strain.
We always recommend maintaining a 36-48-inch halo but using a PAR meter is a very effective way to measure the light your plants are receiving. During clone, PAR’s should be between 60-100. In 4x4’s 200-500. In veg 500-700. In transition 700-900. During flower 900-1100. When nearing harvest drop slightly to 800-1000. All lights should have the air moved between the canopy of the plants and the bottom of the bulbs.
PAR stands for Photosynthetically Active Radiation. PAR is the wavelengths of light visible to the plant that drives photosynthesis. Lumens are for humans and should not be used to measure light in a cultivation.
We refer to that space as a halo. We always want to maintain a 36-48-inch halo.
Yes, you can use a grow tent to run Three A Light. Ideally, have two tents. One for veg and one for flower so you could have a perpetual cycle of plants. The flower tent should be at least 4x4x8. An HPS fixture will give you the most production out of that space, but it will take the most cooling and monitoring of your environment to achieve the best results. The veg tent could be the same size or slightly smaller. The foundation for our Three A Light method is healthy plants fueled by Success Nutrients. Timing is also very key in successfully growing Three A Light.
That would be a perfect room to run (2) 1000 W lights in. We space our lights 4’ apart so 2 over a 4x8’ table. We flower 4 plants under each light and yield upwards of 4 lbs per light.
Equipment (Pages 127-138)
We currently use plastic GRO PRO 7-gallon pots.
Results will vary depending on your environment and your light fixture. You should still be able to produce the same high-quality flower using an LED. Just keep in mind that you may have to adjust your feeding schedule as plants usually won't drink at the same rate under an LED as they would an HPS bulb.
We currently use Gavitas, Phantoms, and LUXX fixtures with DE bulbs.
We go from 4x4in Rockwool cubes directly into their finishing 7-gallon plastic pots.
We use 500 scale ppm.
Genetics (Pages 139-144)
Our methods work well with most strains, especially most OG, Kush, or Skunk cuts. Having very stable genetics is key to running Three A Light successfully. We push our plants through our aggressive plant working techniques and feeding regimen therefore more stable genetics will work better.
We have a lot of big yielders. Some of our favorites are Berkel, OG Kush, Lemon Skunk, Juicy Fruit, and Member Berries just to name a few.
Schwazzing will be very effective for 9 out of 10 strains but there will always be one or two that don’t respond well and may result in hermaphrodites. Most of the strains that herm on us have been crossed multiple times, one that is very far from it’s parent genetic. On the other hand, true strains that are close to their parents, or are the genetic parents will respond very well to a Schwazze (Ex: True OG, Lemon Skunk, Skunk #1, AK-47, Juicy Fruit, Jack Herer, etc.). We suggest keeping a very close eye on your plants as you flower and Schwazze them for the first couple of generations. It is a good idea to do a ½ - ¾ strength Schwazze on unproven genetics until you have a better understanding of how they’ll react. We also suggest using the unacclimated feed schedule from Success Nutrients. Overall, we have had great success Schwazzing with a variety of genetics.
Success Nutrients and Watering (Pages 145-182)
When following the Three A Light methods these will be your typical veg feed frequencies. When plants are in a 4x4 rock wool cube they will be watered every 4-6 days. When plants are initially transplanted into 7-gallon pots they be fed 5 gallons of water that will last 7-9 days before the next feed. All following feeds will be between 3-5 days.
When looking at the Success feed schedule, always refer to the feed based on the day of flower your room is in. The rates on the chart are in mL/gal, so multiply your number of gallons need to feed the entire room by the mL rate per gallon to get the total quantity of mL of a nutrient for each specific feed. If plants require watering on day 1 and day 5, the same mix will be used for both feeds. Always follow a feed-feed-flush regimen once plants are in 7gal pots. After every 2 feeds, refer to the next flush mix. (Ex: 100 plants in 7 gal. pots. 2.5 gal per plant per feed, 5 gal per plant per feed. 250 gal per feed and 500 gal per flush.)
The trick is to be sure you have plenty of water leaching out, 15-30% run off is ideal. In addition, make sure you are using double the amount of water for a flush.
We recommend HP Promix with mother earth perlite added at about a 15-20% ratio. As far as using coco we have had customers achieve great yields with coco and hydro regiments. However, it will be more difficult to dial in your feed regiment. Our feed schedule is based on the plant needing certain nutrients at different stages of veg and flower. So, you will have to tailor the amount of feeds you would water with in comparison to ours.
Success Nutrients is a naturally sourced salt and mineral based line that is complete for your plants.
Yes, the key is to use a sufficient volume of water and achieve runoff.
While Success may not be available in your area, we do ship direct to many growers across the country. Or reach out to info@successnutrients.com with your local hydro stores info and we would be happy to contact them.
If you are running an 8-9-week strain, we would recommend eliminating the Day 41-45 feed and the Day 36-40 feed. Always maintain a feed-feed-flush regimen. Essentially you will do the Day 31-35 feed, then the Day 46-50 feed and mix a Flush in after every 2 feeds. On the other hand, if you are running a 12-week strain, add an additional Day 36-40 feed and a Day 41-45 feed. Same as before, always maintain a feed-feed-flush regimen.
We do not follow a strict foliar feed regimen. We use Ryzofuel made by CYCO on plants in veg that may be deficient or locked out. Ryzofuel can be applied to healthy plants as well, it works great for the whole room. When we foliar, we shut off a full half a room prior to applying. We will apply on the dark half, wait an hour to let the foliage dry then turn the lights back on. Then, do the same thing to the other half of the room. Shut off the lights, treat, let dry, then turn the lights back on.
We use the 500 (.5) scale.
We feed plants first thing in the morning. They are just like us; breakfast is the most important meal of the day so they should be fed ideally within an hour of lights coming on. The frequency is determined by how often the medium is drying out and should be monitored multiple times daily. One effective method we recommend is lifting your pots multiple times per day to get an idea of how quickly your plants are drinking.
Your nutrients should always be mixed in the order they are on the chart, Silica first and Bud Strength last. Always use a pump or air stones to circulate the mix. Always pH the feed after mixing all of the nutrients and letting the nutrients mix for a few minutes prior to pH’ing.
If you are following the Three A Light method and using 7 gal pots, you can plan on using 2.5 gal per plant per feed and 5 gal per plant per flush. (Ex: 100 plant room- 250 gal/feed and 500 gal/flush.)