First grow

[MrTooHigh]

As the title says its my first grow, ever. So any help from experienced growers would be gratefully appreciated. I'm using 2 2700k CFLs one is 13w 40w eq (I think) 900 lumens and a bigger one 23w 1600 lumens. Then I have 2 basic fluorescent tubes each 40 of cool white light(I'm assuming 6500k, but they don't say. They look yellow in the pictures but they're not. I also have an air purifier if it'll help, tomorrow I'm going to get some 6500k CFLs cuz I'm vegging as you can see. I plan to leave these in there original containers as to keep them smaller and more compact. I'm using bagseed BTW and have no idea what strain, this is for personal practice and use, before I spend any extra cash from a seed bank. My daytime humidity and temp is attached as an image, at night it drops about 10°f humidity stays about the same. Again any help would be great.

 

[Hackerman]

I don't know about growing in a jar. The soil needs to drain and breath. The flower pot probably has a hole in the bottom but I'm guessing the can doesn't.

Although, I don't know if I would move them in this stage.

You'll get more input shortly.

 

[Locked]

This set up will not work for long. Trying to do a Micro grow on your very first grow is nuts. The glass jars won't let water drain and it won't be long before your plants get angry and go south. Proper soil and pot drainage is necessary for healthy plants. As for vegging and then flowering in one tiny container, not going to work. Not to mention bag seed is usually pretty unstable and prone to hermi tendencies. I would read through the stickies in the growers resource thread and get your supplies set up. Then buy some cheap beans from Nirvana and give it a go. jmo

 

[MrTooHigh]

@Hamster Lewis I'm buying all new supplies tomorrow, including 2gal pots, any other recommendations I have organic soil and am going to use baking soda as pH up and distilled vinegar as pH down. What's the best plant food to use, I know to use half of whatever is recommended on the box/bag and I want the dry powder I can mix with water at home. And Nirvana or CannabisSeeds? Or possibly Ilovegrowing marijuana.com

 

[MrTooHigh]

Also remember I'm using bagseed as to not waste money on good seeds and mess them up because I'm inexperienced at growing

 

[Rosebud]

If you use all organic you don't need to ph anything. I don't recommend vinegar and soda. They don't really have a place in an organic grow that I know of.

Fox Farm Happy frog is a good fertilizer. Root tone starter food is a good food. Happy frog has nutrients (nutes) that will last three weeks.

If you can get some good seeds not from a bag do. Sometimes bag seed will hermaphrodite.

THere are a lot of great grower that will walk you thru your grow.... Read all the stickys in each forum and ask questions. We are here for you. Don't over water. Hamster Lewis has given you good advice, as always.

Someone else will talk about your lights.

 

[MrTooHigh]

Thanks rosebud. I'm going supplies shopping tomorrow. What if I can't find fox farm happy frog or root tone, alternatives? And I have a question about my temperature/humidity. My temp with lights on is 80f and humidity is only at 40% shouldn't it be higher? And temp lower? How would I go about adjusting these variables to a better level all at once, like a dehumidifier/humidifier that also adjust the temp of the room. It stays warmer in the closet than the rest of my room

 

[MrTooHigh]

And does that mean I have to replace the soil every three weeks, or start using the plant food after 3 weeks?

 

[MrTooHigh]

I hope someone does talk about lights soon, I have to use CFLs there's no question there, yes smaller yields, but smaller space. What wattage should I get and how many bulbs. And splitters?
Its funny, its called weed, but it needs so much more TLC haha

 

[Rosebud]

I put a little of the BIO=tone plant starter food in the bottom of my pot, then I add Happy frog soil. That will last till you flower her with nothing added but water. Amazon delivers soil.

Your temps are fine and so is your humidity. You have to have good drainage. Don't water that seedling till it is dry to the touch when you poke your finger in the soil to the first knuckle. The excess water needs to run out the bottom of the pot or you will seriously drown your plant.

 

[MrTooHigh]

Thanks again Rosebud. Good to know I can always buy the organic soil from amazon. When I buy my pots tomorrow I'll be lining the bottom with food like you said. When I get my new CFLs should I keep some warm whites on along with the cool white? What about the fluorescent tubes, will I even need them anymore. Since this is really just for practice I'm fine with hermies/males, I can keep the males for cloning if I want am I right, as long as I keep it in veg cycle and not flower

 

[Rosebud]

Males are not good for anything but pollen. They have no THC in them..why would you clone a male?

The best lights in my opinion to use for veg is T5's You can put the lights very close to the plants and they plants love um. they come in 4 foot lengths and I have a couple of smaller ones...2 feet maybe...

What soil are your plants in now?

 

[MrTooHigh]

Idk why I said cloning the males, I meant keep them to pollinate a mother plant. For 2 of them I'm using Harvest super powered organic soil w/fert

the smallest one is in wonder soil as an experiment, I thought the seed was a lost cause anyways it took so long to germ. Anyways the soil attached is what used for the other 2

 

[MrTooHigh]

I think I'm already using T5s not sure. They're the long, mines 4ft, fluorescents? Mine are 40w and there's 2. So a total of 80w for the one light fixture

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I am going to talk about lighting (the most important part of your grow). Why do you HAVE TO use CFLs? CFLs are the most expensive of all the lights we use to grow and the least efficient--lumen for lumen, they cost more initially, they cost more to operate, they put out more heat, and they produce substantially less.

Do not buy any more CFLs, unless you want to use them for household lighting. The light you have now is only going to be good for a few weeks. After that you are going to have a real space set up. You will want a space that is sized to the size grow you want. Your lighting needs are figured by sq ft. For vegging you want a minimum of 3000 lumens per sq ft and for flowering a minimum of 5000 lumens per sq ft. So, if you have 4' tube lighting, you would need a space at least 4' x 2'. That is 24,000 lumens for veg and 40,000 for flowering. Start counting how many CFLs that is going to take and what it is going to cost to operate them....and then you get to figure out to get rid of the heat.

Your tube lights are not T5s--they are probably T8s. T5s are small diameter tubes, 5/8" in diameter, that are high output. They put out about 50% more usable light per watt than other tube lighting or CFLs. A 54W T5 emits 5000 lumens.

If you keep a mother plant it is to take clones from. Bersides you really want to get rid of the bagseed as quickly as you can. The cost of quality seeds is a minor investment when you consider what it takes to take a plant from seed to cured bud. You will have about 4-5 months involved. You are going to have to spend hundreds on equipment (at a minimum). You will spend hundreds of hours taking care of your plants. You will spend money on good soil, nutrients, etc. It is an incredible disappointment if you end up with a bunch of low quality low producing seeded bud after all that work. As a new grower, your chances of your plants hermying is far greater. And only 1 needs to hermy to ruin the entire crop.

I would like to urge you to do some more reading and studying. The more you know about good growing conditions and the more you are able to utilize it, the better your grow weill be. There really is as whole lot to this growing indoors.

 

[MrTooHigh]

Thanks Hemp goddess, I checked last night an my lights are the old, inefficient t12s. Is there any way to practice growing without wasting time, or should I just wait, it just sucks cuz I've already gotten the plants this far, just to pull them out. Plus if I learn to grow CFLs won't HIDs be easier to use since I'll probably only need 1 about 400w. What about the extreme amount of heat they produce my attic is colder right now but if I get an mh for vegging and an HPS for budding/flowering will it warm up my grow area enough( its about 60-65f) What about ventilation can I just use a dual exhaust fan that can exchange old and new air at the same time?

 

[MrTooHigh]

I was just trying to avoid my attic cuz there's no stairs only a pull down latter, whereas my closet is just a few feet away and easier to maintain

 

[MrTooHigh]

I found an MH online for about $30 minus shipping if they charge for it. They have an HPS for a few dollars more, but won't need that until budding. Both are 1000w. What do I need to use these, certainly not the regular household socket I have a bulb I got from an outside light we don't use

is this an MH? The light was bright white/blueish

 

[MrTooHigh]

BTW the one I have is only 175w

 

[MrTooHigh]

I researched, it definitely is an MH. Now my question is will it work and what do I have to do to get it to work