my messy growing...

[Pistil]

Guys, goddesses, many thanks for your brutal honesty! So, first of all, i have to brain washing my wife

She is really not a bad girl and she let me get high everyday without any problem at all but she's still far from all these things. Her answer will be: << you know, you can do whatever you want but i don't want any troubles and remember that you have a daughter>> &#8230;et voilà, i'm screwed

But she agreed to grow these babies and i helped her to set up her vegetable garden in change of the permission to grow my african salad^^' so i think that she will let me place an order at least for the lamps.


So, the plan for the vegetative phase is:
- Put white panels around the plants. No fan and no filter for the moment, sorry, just a windy window that let the plants breath a lot of fresh breeze from the top of the box.
- Add lights for the right amount of lumens&#8230; so 30000 lumens for 1 square meter (~10sqft), jesus! Pratically is like to have the real sun in a box! Some of you is getting tanned while growing?

For the flowering phase i don't know but there's time&#8230; i'll find the flowering lights and i'll set up a timer, taking care of giving to the plants the 12h of full dark that they needs. I will build something to bring/change air to the plants, hopefully. I'll keep you posted about this!


I know from your very detailed advices that this will not be enough to have a good product but it's really all what i'm able to do atm so, pray for my plants! I can grant you that they'll never suffer of lacking of love from me, yep, this is granted

I would love to have a professional grow room right now but i have to walk by single steps&#8230; once my wife will see me smoking my bio hemp (even few), saving money, i'm almost sure that she will be happy to let me invest in it.


I have a question:
If i'll be able to fix the actual situation in few weeks it will be too late for these plants?
Will i get hermies or other problems because of this?

(Yesterday i found some better CFL, i bought them just to let the plants wait for a professional lamp. They are 32W->144W-2150lumens and i added 4 of them so that my lumens are almost 10000 right now)

Thanks again!!!

 

[WeedHopper]

No,, the Sun puts out 10,000 lumens per Sg ft.
3000 lumens per sg ft is minimum needed to Veg.
Find you some HO T5s to Vegg with.(a 4ft, 6 tube HO T5 setup, puts out 40,000 Lumens.Good for 8sg ft grow space.
You can even Flower with them them if ya have to,,but HPS is best for flower by far.
6500 K tubes for Vegg
3000 K for flower, if ya must.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

We think nothing less of your wife because she is cautious--she just cares about you and does not want you in trouble. I'm sure she is a great person.

If you get enough light and a small enclosure around your plants, it will do for a while. I don't think that your situation will cause the plants to hermie, but seeds that come from good marijuana are often hermies, so the source of your seeds is what will make them prone to hermie. Also interrupting the dark period when your plants are in flowering is a major cause of hermies.

It is very safe to buy things off the internet. You might want to look into grow tents. They come in all sizes.

 

[Pistil]

Thanks to WeedHopper to these other explanations and thanks again THG for all your help!

Regarding my bag seeds:
They come from 2 different bags. One was sinsemilla with just 2 little seeds, so, as i read on this forum, they are probably have been produced by a late hermie and i don't expect nothing from them... i'm growing them just for curiosity. (They are the smallest two plant of the photos)
But the other bag was full of seeds (it was a pretty strong hemp anyway), so i think (hope) it's just have been grown by a novice that did not killed the males and this makes me hope that the genetic could be good and the sex could be even a good female... am i wrong?

Regarding the grow tents THG suggested:
I finally managed to find a grow shop "near" here, in a big city 120Km far from here. They have interesting products "ready to go" as the one of the photo but they are very expensive... for 1 square meter i would have to pay 400euros.... seems way too much for growing 4 hermies^^'
But i'm planning to drive there at least to buy the lights and some nutes. That tent is very sexy but i'll think about it only if i'll be able to put my hands on some decent feminized seed... so, probably, once the brain washing phase will be complete^^' Hopefully at the end of this summer.

Thanks again for the moment and wish you have a great day!

 

[drfting07]

why feminized? you already said its too much to pay for just growing hermies. I would go with a very stable photo-period. Look into mandala. They have feminized results. Ive heard of Dman having 6/6 females with satori.

 

[Roddy]

While there have been a bunch of hermie reports, I've had far more successful grows than not with femmed seeds and will not be worried to buy more. Buy good genetics and no worries about hermies, anyway.

Choice is yours, just giving you mho!

 

[4u2sm0ke]

you can top...lst them to slow them down and help with the stretch...and dont go "Brain Wash" wife...just sit her down and explain all the pros to you growing...

$$$$ saved from buying street
Knowing whats in your buds:aok:
dont get ripped by dealer

 

[Growdude]

I didnt mean sound harsh Pistil and I wish nothing but :icon_smile: Green Mojo.

 

[Pistil]

@drfting07,Roddy:
This is interesting and appreciated! I always heard that is way better to have a feminized weed but this was disturbing me because it seems very unnatural… i'm very glad you gave me this tip, i'll do in that way once ready, thanks!

@4u2smoke:
I've just read the LST sticky thread, very interesting! I think i could try it on the smaller plants because the other 2 have already developed a too rigid main stem. I'm also tempted to try to top these other… sounds scary, let me sleep a couple of nights on this^^' About my wife, last year a couple of friends (married) have been arrested because of their growing and, even if they have been arrested just for a couple of days, they had to do the judicial process and all the rest of the annoying consequences. I have to say a thing: my friend has been caught because he used to smoke in public places while i never expose myself. We use to meet in private places, far from troubles and curious eyes and i'm always clean when i leave my home. In short, i think we would be pretty safe but i understand that she is not feeling relaxed, she actually think that is less risking to buy it from thrusted persons instead of growing our own… we'll see. For the moment we have these 4 creatures and we will do our best to do not make them suffer

@Growdude:
I never thought it but many many thanks for caring about!

 

[Menimeth]

I live in Texas which is one of the toughest states on anything that is considered a crime, and buying over the internet is the safest way to get what you need without others knowing what you are doing. As far as buying weed goes, When you buy from a local dealer, are even from friends, the odds that you will get busted greatly increase because the unknown facters, (IE the chain of people from the grower to the person you are buying from), add to the risk. the more people involved, the better chance of getting caught. If you grow your own than you take away alot of the risk, that is, if you dont tell anyone you are growing. JMO

 

[getnasty]

When I purchased my soil, lights, nutrients, etc, I bought them all locally, leaving no paper trail, and I didn't bring them into the house until 1am, when most of my neighbors would be sleeping and the ones who weren't wouldn't be able to see what I was carrying. I've bought stuff from the internet as well, namely htgsupply, and haven't had any security issues from that, either. Internet was definitely safe; i'm just a fiend for top notch security.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

@drfting07,Roddy:
This is interesting and appreciated! I always heard that is way better to have a feminized weed but this was disturbing me because it seems very unnatural… i'm very glad you gave me this tip, i'll do in that way once ready, thanks!

@4u2smoke:
I've just read the LST sticky thread, very interesting! I think i could try it on the smaller plants because the other 2 have already developed a too rigid main stem. I'm also tempted to try to top these other… sounds scary, let me sleep a couple of nights on this^^' About my wife, last year a couple of friends (married) have been arrested because of their growing and, even if they have been arrested just for a couple of days, they had to do the judicial process and all the rest of the annoying consequences. I have to say a thing: my friend has been caught because he used to smoke in public places while i never expose myself. We use to meet in private places, far from troubles and curious eyes and i'm always clean when i leave my home. In short, i think we would be pretty safe but i understand that she is not feeling relaxed, she actually think that is less risking to buy it from thrusted persons instead of growing our own… we'll see. For the moment we have these 4 creatures and we will do our best to do not make them suffer

@Growdude:
I never thought it but many many thanks for caring about!

The reason most people get busted is because they tell other people. The best thing you can do to stay safe is to tell NO ONE. I have purchased supplies off the internet since the 90s with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

I do not feel comfortable buying from "local" hydro stores. There is a hydro store in a town about 60 miles away. However, we have no mmj laws in my state and I just believe that it is too easy for the police to surveille the place and write down license plate numbers. They don't even need to follow you home and see you unload the stuff--they have your license plate number. I personally feel far, far safer ordering anonymously on line.

 

[Pistil]

@Menimeth:
I know you are completely right about the chain of people but it's not so simple to explain my reasons to a girl that never smoked, she just know about our arrested friends so, in her head, plants=big risk. But let me work on this, i have already begun and i'm optimistic. Your example of the chain of people will be used in the brain washing asap

@getnasty, THG:

I just believe that it is too easy for the police to surveille the place and write down license plate numbers. They don't even need to follow you home

Well, this sentence scared me so much that i canceled my trip to the grow shop and finally decided to place an internet order.
I have to learn to pay attenction without falling in paranoia

Thanks again mates!

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I didn't mean to make you paranoid, just cautious. Like I said, most people get busted because they tell people who tell other people, etc. If you tell no one, control the odor, and don't leave growing stuff around, (and have no reason for police to visit you), your chances of being arrested are very slim.

I believe that you can generally get better buys on the internet and there are many very reputable retailers. I really just feel safer buying on the internet than walking into a store.

 

[4u2sm0ke]

I do not feel comfortable buying from "local" hydro stores. There is a hydro store in a town about 60 miles away. However, we have no mmj laws in my state and I just believe that it is too easy for the police to surveille the place and write down license plate numbers. They don't even need to follow you home and see you unload the stuff--they have your license plate number. I personally feel far, far safer ordering anonymously on line.

__________________

I thaught this same thing when I started growing and drove next town to buy..lol...I am leagle grower but still fear people...and still fallowr rule #1

#1....DONT TELL ANYONE

Be safe Pistils and please share the grow here with us..we would love to fallow/help

take care and be safe

 

[Pistil]

Wife convinced, internet order placed!
A 36000lm MH light and a nutrients kit with PH tests are coming, hopefully in few days. If the vegetative part will go well i'll be more than happy to invest some other bucks for the flowering. And, once i'll have all these items it will be almost impossible to do not start another growing cycle after this first attempt

Don't wary for me mates, i'll be as discrete as i used to be for all my life and i hope to gain and share experience here for a long time.

I'll keep you posted! And THANKS!

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Sounds like you are on your way! Must be a 400W--that will do just fine for you.

 

[Pistil]

Yep, it's a 400W!
Sorry for the late answer, i've been very busy... the stuffs are probably coming tomorrow, can't wait!:hubba:

 

[Pistil]

Ok, this is my new setup&#8230; still a work in progress^^'
I enclosed the light in that temporary cabinet which is just few centimeters larger than the reflector of the lamp, it's base is 40x60cm. The cabinet can be closed in the front and the fresh air is coming from the top of it, trough the room's window, and it goes out from the bottom of the cabinet which remains slightly opened, i can see the leafs slightly moving in the breeze. The inside of the cabinet is covered by aluminum foils but this is just temporary, i planned to build a better one which will be completely white asap. Anyway, this will work for the vegetative part only.

Now i have some problems/doubts.

First problem:
A friend of mine has started my same experiment with 6 seeds, he used no lights at all so just one plant has survived and he brought it to me in the attempt of saving it&#8230; this plant is very very tall and slim, it has suffered a lot It also was in a very small pot, so i decided to transplant it in the only big pot that i had available. The new pot is so big that fill up half of the cabinet and so i decided to transplant the two smaller plants that i have at it's sides&#8230; so it now contains 3 plants. His plant was so tall that this night (first night under the new light) its top foliage has been burnt from my lamp, that was at the right distance just for the other 4 plants. So, this morning, i topped the burnt part and i bended its trunk in a very extreme way, please check it and tell me what you think of it.

Second problem:
My plants does not look so nice, please check them. They are pretty green (even under normal lights) and seems that they are already enjoying the new setup but they have suffered and they are all trunk with few foliage. Well, considered that i'm actually full of bag seeds, what would you suggest to me? To try to save these plants or to start from the beginning with new seeds? Now i have the right lamp and some decent nutes and i'm tempted to try to grow some better plants but i would be also very afraid to have to kill these ones.

Third problem:
I've been finally able to check the ph of my tap water, it's 8.5! I tried to boil it but it's the same. But, if i make a 10 liter quantity with the right amount of nutes in it the PH become 6.5&#8230; it's ok or i still have to add some "PH down" thing to it? I have just a 10 grams sample of PHdown, valid for 10 liters, but i can manage to order it if it's needed.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion!

EDIT:
BTW, the lamp is just a 250W, 23000lm
I was high wen i placed the order and i didn't noticed that the default option selected for that kit was for a 250w lamp... just checked the order again and, yep, it's my fault... will it work anyway or i need to substitute it asap?

 

[Growdude]

A 250 will work for that small of a space. It is good up to about 4 sq/ft for flowering.
6.5 PH is good for soil.

I wouldnt worry about that 3rd plant in fact I would only try and flower 2 in that size space.

Plants dont look bad, what kind of soil are they in?
Check your temps at plant level, its best to bring in cool air low and exhaust from the top as hot air rises.

giving them any nutes yet? what kind do you have to use?

Anyway it looks like your off to a good start, dont worry about bagseed now lets just see these thru and get your grow honed in.

Good luck Pistil