A Greenhorn's 1st Grow

[key2life]

Hey all, key2hwy here with his first ever grow.

I'm grateful to have found this forum, and to have the opportunity to get feedback and insight from folks who have done the work. So, please, have at it - you folks have forgotten more than I'll know anytime soon.
I just hope I can limp a grow home with no major screw ups. :icon_smile:

The Seeds (all fem):

3 - Delicious Seeds Fruity Chronic Juice
4 - Female Seeds White Widow x Big Bud
1 - Seedism Hex (freebie)
1 - Seedism Applejack (freebie)

The Setup:

600W MH/HPS light with cool tube
4.5 x 3.5 usable area in a closet, painted white
4" intake fan from duct under house
6" inline fan with exhaust duct to garage / DIY carbon filter
Oscillating fan for air movement
Seed starter soil for germinating / seedlings
FFOF soil for veg and beyond
3.4 gal air pots for veg and beyond

I chose the WWxBB and FCJ seeds because I was going to do a SCROG, but on the advice of some folks here on my intro thread, decided to table it for next time. I still like the idea of a SCROG, but want to keep it simple for my first grow.

My first potential screw up: I wanted to have 6 plants for sure, so I germinated 9 - thinking I might not get them all, or they might not survive the seedling stage. Well, they've all broken surface now, so we'll see if I kill them in the next 2 weeks or not. If they survive me, can I grow 9 plants in a 15.75 sq ft space? I want to try, anyway.

My second potential screw up: I bought Perlite to mix with my FFOF, but managed to buy a bag with Miracle Gro food in it. Will this make my soil too hot, or will it be OK? Do I even really need the Perlite? I could exchange or return it, if it's crucial. Please see picture for content.

So, I'm assuming these things having come up = veg period. I plan to run them 24/0, and am using the MH light at 600W with 24 inches between light and medium to start. My temperature is 75 * under the light at plant level, and the house is air conditioned. The RH is 50 - 56*. I can open the door to the closet and plan to do so whenever possible. If anyone has any insight/experience vegging with a MH light and this sounds screwy, please let me know.

I guess that's it for now. Thanks in advance for being here not just for me and my grow, but for all of us!

key2hwy

 

[OregonGrownBud]

My first potential screw up: I wanted to have 6 plants for sure, so I germinated 9 - thinking I might not get them all, or they might not survive the seedling stage. Well, they've all broken surface now, so we'll see if I kill them in the next 2 weeks or not. If they survive me, can I grow 9 plants in a 15.75 sq ft space? I want to try, anyway.

Yea i see no problem with it. just dont veg them too long or you will run into space problems.

So, I'm assuming these things having come up = veg period. I plan to run them 24/0, and am using the MH light at 600W with 24 inches between light and medium to start. My temperature is 75 * under the light at plant level, and the house is air conditioned. The RH is 50 - 56*. I can open the door to the closet and plan to do so whenever possible. If anyone has any insight/experience vegging with a MH light and this sounds screwy, please let me know.

Sounds right to me (I'd might even move them within 18" or shorter from the tops)
Keep on doing what your doing:aok:

 

[key2life]

Thanks, OGB - I appreciate it. Will try and keep it steady.

 

[pcduck]

Best of luck and green mojo your way.

What nutes are you planing on using?

 

[Locked]

I grow nine in a 4x4 tent so you should be okay...just don't go letting them become monsters on ya. Be ready to adjust the height of that light. Too far and they will stretch and get spindly, too close and they can burn up. Since it is in a cool tube you should be able to get it pretty close once your seedlings can handle the light. I prefer vegging under HO T5's and flowering under an HPS.

Green Mojo.

 

[key2life]

Thanks, pcd and Hamster - much appreciated.

pcduck - I'll be using Technaflora nutes - so far, I'm just giving them a watered down version of Thrive Alive B-1 Red, trying to promote root growth.

Hamster Lewis - I definitely want to get to vegging with T5's in the future, but I've kind of hit the money wall on this first shot at it. What T-5 fixture are you using in that 4x4 tent, if you don't mind my asking?

Thanks again for the mojo! :icon_smile:

 

[pcduck]

My second potential screw up: I bought Perlite to mix with my FFOF, but managed to buy a bag with Miracle Gro food in it. Will this make my soil too hot, or will it be OK? Do I even really need the Perlite?

It will be ok:aok: As the Thrive Alive B-1 Red is fortified with mineral salt nutrients, it is not OMRI organic as is much of their nute line.

I always add perlite to my ffof, some growers do and some don't though, growers choice, but I like it.

 

[Rosebud]

Looking good, how fun to start a new grow.

The only thing is after the seedlings are up and maybe 4-5 days old, I would move the light closer and if they have stretched add more dirt to the cups.

I like Hamster use T5's for veging now instead of the MH. Have fun and enjoy your new passion. Your gonna do fine.

 

[Locked]

Hamster Lewis - I definitely want to get to vegging with T5's in the future, but I've kind of hit the money wall on this first shot at it. What T-5 fixture are you using in that 4x4 tent, if you don't mind my asking?

I veg in 2x4x5 tents...I have a 4 foot 4 bulb HO T5 that is a perfect fit for the 2x4 tents. It took me quite a few grows before I went to vegging with T5's so I know all about hitting the money wall.

 

[key2life]

Hey! Thanks, to everybody!

pcduck - Trying to go organic was another thing I decided to let go for this first shot at things. I was able to get this Technaflora beginner's kit at a nice price, so I went with that. There's that money wall again...

Hamster Lewis - Thanks for the info... someday, brother, those T5's will be mine. Oh yes, they will be mine. :hubba:

Rosebud - Thanks for the heads up about stretch. The oldest one is on it's 3rd day now and is about 1.5" tall. I've been concerned about this initial stage right along. Is it more beneficial to keep at 600W and 24", or should I dim it down to 450W or 300W and get the light closer? How hot is too hot?

Thanks again, everybody! :icon_smile:

 

[Rosebud]

I would dim it down as far as you can and bring it down. Put your hand above the seedling and feel how warm it is on your hand. So if the light is too hot on your hand it will be too hot on the baby. Add some dirt to the baby above pictured. Green mojo.

 

[key2life]

Thanks! I'll get on that now.

 

[key2life]

OK, I dimmed the light to 300W and dropped the height from 24" to around 14" from the top of the cups to the bulb. I also added dirt to the ones that looked similar to the picture I posted. The temperature and RH seem to be holding steady.

Time to chill out now! :tokie: Thanks!

 

[Locked]

Growing is definitely a marathon and not a sprint. It's hard to sit back and let them do their thing. I know I constantly want to mess with them.

 

[key2life]

True, Hamster Lewis, true. :chillpill:

 

[key2life]

Thought I'd check in with a progress report. The seedlings are a week old and I'm hoping I'm somewhere close to having this stage dialed in.

I have my MH light set at 450W and it's about 8 inches above the plants. The heat is negligible, and new growth is happening. I have them at 24/0.

I've also started feeding them a 50% solution of the Technaflora Root 66 and Sugar Daddy at a couple of tablespoons per plant per day, unless the cup still feels heavy when I pick it up. I'm trying to eliminate runoff if I can. I'm guessing in another week or so I can move them to their 3.4 gallon air pots?

Thanks to all who have taken their time to help me out so far! If anything seems screwy, please let me know! :icon_smile::icon_smile:

 

[pcduck]

Looking nice.

I would be wary of feeding them and with those amounts this early in their lives.

 

[Rosebud]

I agree with the duck. they maybe too young for food.

They do look really nice. congratulations on getting them this far.. Your gonna do fine, i just know it.

 

[key2life]

I'm sorry - I'm not accurately telling you what I'm doing with this Root 66 and Sugar Daddy. Technaflora tells me to use the solution every third feeding when growing in soil, with the other two being water alone.

Sorry - - does this still seem too early to give them any food? These 2 nutes are aimed at root production more than anything else, I think.

Thanks! :icon_smile::icon_smile::icon_smile:

 

[pcduck]

They store their own food for a couple of weeks. Then my soil has enough food for them for a couple more weeks.

I also let mine dry out between waterings. The roots will grow in search of water. I do not water everyday. More like every 3rd day or so.