Ok well today I am getting all of the basic stuff started. Prepare soil and first pots, start germination of seeds, and set up grow room.
I made a trip to Wal-Mart then Lowe's to pick up some supplies.
So far I've bought these things:
3 x 26w CFL's (100w "equivalents," 1750 lumens each, 2700K color) - $10 Total
2x 27w CFL's (100w "equivalents," 1300 lumens each, 5500k color) - $14 Total
1 x 42w CFL (150w "equivalent," 2700 lumens, 2700K color) - $10
Bathroom Light Fixture - $10
Cord to Wire Fixture - $5
Miracle Grow Organic Potting Mix - $5
*w/ Weak Pre-Mix Fert. 10-5-5 Ratio
Jobe's Fertilizer Spikes 13-4-5 Ratio - $3
Spray Water Bottle - $2
Sand - Free
*Building sand I'm guessing... not from beach but found in a huge pile.
Two trays to hold my plants so water doesn't get on the floor - $2
Total = $61
I already had the following things sitting around:
Various pots and trays that will be used.
Cardboard, plastic, etc.
Perlite.
2 random house lamps.
1 13w CFL (lumens/color unknown, probably 2700K color).
Extension cords and surge protector.
Small 7" stationary fan.
Paper towels and plastic baggies for germination.
Support sticks.
Rain water.
*Note that I will be using un-tested (pH level) rain water throughout.
Basically, what is listed above is everything used in the grow except for the closet itself!
Ok... time to get to work!
The first thing that I did was mix my soil. I used a ratio of 8-1-1 soil-sand-perlite. Once this was done I left it sitting aside for about a day to get all mixed up, etc. =P
After that I put some of the soil from my main mixing bucket into some very small starter pots. I didn't pack the soil but just dropped it in if that makes sense.
Next I started germinating my seeds. The seeds I'm using are out of some crappy mids, but it's all I have. =( Regardless I'm determined. Twisted Evil The seeds I have seem very small to me, but I have nothing else to compare them to as I've never had any seeds come with my dank bud. I used the paper towel method. I laid out a paper towel on my desk and sprayed it with rain water. I then placed my seeds all over it, spacing them out. After that I folded over the paper towel and sprayed the top of it. I wet it evenly and just enough to where it wouldn't drip. Then I put it all in a gallon size plastic bag and in a dry, semi-dark warm place. Note that I only used the darker colored seeds that I got from old bud... the light green seeds were discarded.
Then I started setting up my grow area. I will be using a small section of my closet for this grow. It will be very stealth and, well, practical? My mj will be growing in the same closet that I use for my clothes and other things... it's all I have. =/ I vacuumed the carpet then laid down some cardboard. Eventually I will place a plastic tray (that can hold water w/out leaking) on top of the cardboard. I have a surge protector coming into the closet from a nearby socket that will power everything.
As mentioned earlier the main light will come from a bathroom fixture. These fixtures come with only wires sticking out of them as they're meant to be hardwired into a wall. Obviously I don't want to deal with hardwiring it so I bought a cord that has exposed wires at one end, and a plug at the other. It is 16 guage which I was worried about initially, but I think it will work just fine. Also it is rated for 13 amps. Wiring it up was very easy but if you don't have any experience at all doing these sort of things you can just ask someone at a hardware shop to help you out.
With that done I suspended the light from the clothes hanger bar in my closet using string and set up a the other two household lamps close by on the floor.
As of now, I have 2 x 26w CFL's and 1 x 42w CFL in the bathroom fixture, 1 x 13w CFL in a small lamp, and 1 x 26w CFL in a larger, more heavy duty lamp. Originally I didn't have the most powerful bulb in my home made fixture but I really want it centered and I don't think it will be a problem seeing as how the fixtures wiring gauge was the same thickness as the wire for the plug extension, plus the sockets say they can handle 60w max bulbs. *This makes for a total of 133 watts and ~8750 lumens.* Right now this is kinda lower than I'd like it to be but will work for now. Since all of my current bulbs burn at 2700K I may buy one more 42w CFL that is closer to 5200K IF I can find one locally... didn't see any last time I was at the hardware store. Not only would that help me with vegetation but it would also put my overall lumens to ~1150 which should manage to grow one healthy plant.
Speaking of one plant... my plan is to start many seeds then put only the healthy looking popped ones into my smallest soil containers. I will then again cut down to only six plants after another weeks time or so. As another week or two passes I will cut it down to three plants... then eventually one female hopefully. Any plants I discard will just be planted randomly outside perhaps. Twisted Evil I am only starting with so many seeds because of their poor quality and the fact that I have tons of them.
Well, I guess that is about all for today! Tomorrow I plan to make some more cardboard coverings, etc to keep the light in and from peeping through my closet doors lol. I also will check the seeds to see how they're coming along, and transplant any that have popped/begun to root into soil... but we will get into that when the time comes.
