FONSAG bulk grade flower production must be cost effective. Cost effectiveness requires homework. To be cost effective you must use native soil, water, and direct sunlight. Natural elements are your foundation. Choosing the ground to put your farm is your most important decision. Quality soil, clean water, little wind, and lots of sun is desirable...but sometimes you have to use what you got. Conditioning and cover cropping poor quality soil can help remediate the grounds. Dirty water can be filtered. Wind can be blocked or diffused. Shade can be cleared for sun. Once you have tended to the basic elements of your farm infrastructure, you are ready to begin. See INFRASTRUCTURE for more information.
PRE-TRANSPLANT AND DIRECT SEEDING STAGE (FRESH START):
For ease of planting use seed planter for seeds or water wheel for transplants. Make sure all weeds are clear if direct seeding. Have a good weed plan before canopy fills. Use plastic mulching or burn land to reduce weed seed. Feminized seed is recommended for seeding. Clones are ideal because they are identical. Clones contribute to uniform production. Choose genetics that enhance production while easing or opposing seasonal struggle. FONSAG encourages the use of good genetics. Do your homework. Use a strain thats tried and true, feminized or clone, limited hermaphrodites, nice flower structure, heavy yield, excellent demand in the marketplace, and last but not least, easy to grow. If you have farm neighbors, visit them. As the hemp industry moves full steam ahead your neighbors may be partaking. Educate them so they do not make poor genetic choices. Unwanted pollen drift is becoming the most damaging problem a farmer may face. Pollen issues cross property lines. Resolve them in your neighborhood. A pollen free environment is required to begin.
GROWTH STAGE (CANOPY FILL):
Pushing new growth is necessary for ideal branch internode spacing. In the growth stage, your main objective is to fill canopy without overfilling it. Canopy fill is the backbone for flower production and certain varieties will naturally provide proper growth habits. Other strains, however, will need to be pushed in the right direction. Standard grow techniques use labor to trellis/train and prune plants. Each strain has an optimal ratio of flower sites per square foot. Production potentials differ from strain to strain. Each will require its own unique footprint or optimal distance between flower sites. FONSAG provides nutrient to help achieve a desired flower footprint. See FEED PROGRAM ALTERATIONS to customize your schedule with canopy control using nutrient. Plant height also effects your production. A 3 1/2 foot plant height will yield quality buds without pruning or cleaning plants. A short plant will also produce less small bud. There are two common training methods to fill canopy. You can let your plants grow up naturally or fold them over to form a flat horizontal canopy. Both methods work. A natural canopy will need to be pushed wide using nutrient. A fold over will want fast vertical growth using nutrient. Once plants are folded, the vertical growth will transfer to ideal horizontal branch and flower site spacing.
TRANSITION STAGE (FLOWER SET):
The transitional stage is often overlooked. The importance of transition should not be taken lightly. In a short period of 2 1/2 weeks your plants undergo a stacking phase at the tips of all flower sites. As your plant transitions into flower, the branch production seen in the growth stage converts to flower stacking. The number of internode stacks produced in this time period will determine flower length. In this short timeframe, the foundation for flower structure and flower length forms. A tight flower structure is preferred in trimmed smokable flower production. An open flower structure can benefit oil production and fresh frozen extractions. FONSAG provides tools to manipulate and even extend transitional time. Stack control is being able to control flower length and tightness. See PROGRAM ALTERATIONS to control internode spacing, stack speed, and stage length.
EARLY FLOWER (PISTOL SET):
In the transitional stage, the first set of pistols sprout over flower regions. FONSAG early flower stage begins after the first set of pistols have matured and a secondary pistol set crops across the first. You will observe the first set of pistols retracting into their root forming calyx. Bud swelling is manufactured both by pistol count and calyx swell. Each are simultaneously produced in early flower stage and are delicate in nature. The slightest bit of plant stress will slow or cease pistol set or calyx swell. Your mission is to aid both processes by providing ideal circumstances for your plants. It is common to get excited when flowers start forming. It is common to pump phosphorus fertilizers as a response. The early flower stage only requires small amounts of phosphorus. Feeding to much results in salt lock. Salt lock is a common occurrence is early flower stages... and a deadly position to be in before buds swell.
MATURE FLOWER (CALYX SWELL):
Calyx swell occurs in optimum conditions. Proper nutritive values are important. The size of calyx will grossly determine the flowers final weight. A master has learned to grow calyx. All seasonal preparations are in essence geared for calyx production. It is common mistake to reduce fertilizer inputs in this last month before harvest. As the calyx grow, the plants hunger for food increases. Early flushing results in early harvest. As plants are starved, the calyx stops growth and prepares for early maturation. When calyx growth stops, it stops for good. Crystal formation and terpene conversion are also important in mature bloom. FONSAG offers additional crystal builders and terpene converters to add to any program. See PROGRAM ALTERATIONS for increased crystal and terpene production.