Different cannabis strains in one growbox

Secrets to the cultivation of various auto-flowering and photoperiodic cannabis strains
 

Many indoor growers like to grow many different strains together so they have a greater variety of strains to choose from after harvest.

Growing several strains in the same growbox can also increase the overall yield by making better use of the growbox area. 

PLUSES:

➕More choice of strains after harvest 

➕Growing different varieties can increase yields. 

MINUSES:

➖ May require more time and effort to manage plants with different needs. 

If growth is not controlled, different plant heights and sizes can be a problem. 

Plants may be ready for harvest at different times.

The end result depends very much on the initial planning of the cycle!

NOTES for Grower

• 1️⃣ Variety characteristics (height and overall growth rate)

Each variety and individual plant can grow very differently in the same conditions. Some can grow tall and slender while their neighbours are short and bushy. It is particularly important to consider how different plants will grow in the pre-flourish stage, i.e. how far they will stretch their stems before they stop growing and start flowering.

Many strains with sativa-dominant genes can grow two to three times taller when switched to a 12 x 12 lighting regime, continuing to vegetate longer and more vigorously than normal during this period, blocking out the light of their already flowering neighbours. 

• 2️⃣ Harvest time (length of flowering period)

Different strains can ripen at different times, ranging from 1-2 weeks to 1-2 months depending on how different strains are grown together. 

• 3️⃣ Give all plants enough light

It is of course impossible to give all plants exactly the same amount of light, but it is important to get the distribution of light right between your plants and to light the main parts of the plants that form the inflorescences. 

• 4️⃣ Access to each plant.

When you have a lot of plants, it is often difficult to reach the back row. This makes it difficult to train, diagnose diseases and carry out simple tasks such as watering and collecting drainage. 

• 5️⃣ Plant size/overgrowth.

If you are not careful in the growing phase, it is very easy to overcrowd your growing area, especially if you are growing many different varieties together. Creating impenetrable thickets in your garden increases the risk of foliage and bud mould, insect infestation and general growth problems for plants that are over-shaded. These problems can be easily avoided with proper planning! 

These three plants have been grown together in the same conditions without any training. However, they are all of different heights:

It is therefore particularly important to use growth control techniques and to plan the growing area correctly when growing different varieties.

VARIETY SPECIFICITY

Each variety performs differently in terms of growth rate and intended height. Many grow tall and slender, while others are short and bushy. And even plants of the same variety can grow differently, especially if they are grown from seed rather than clones (which are complete copies of the mother plant and themselves).

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VARIETIES:

1. Bud quality.
2. Colour, density, aroma, flavour, effect, etc. All this is largely determined by genetics. Read about how to improve cone quality.
3. Height and growth rate.
4. Some strains generally grow taller or faster than others.
5. The degree of elongation at the pre-flowering stage.
6. This growth characteristic is similar to height, but it is important to consider exactly how certain strains will behave as they move into pre-bloom and early flowering. Some varieties will double in size within 10 days and stop growing, while others will triple in size and continue to grow for more than 3 weeks after switching to 12/12 light.