Older Couple First Time Growers

[Hidesert]

Posted some of these photos on the intro posting and was suggested I post a journal here. So here we go...
First Time grower....3 1/2 plants one is about 2 weeks and had some problems vegging....the other 2 1/2 plants are only 4 days old and the 4th plant is just now beginning to sprout & throw its seed pod off. Planted in Super soil with Perlite added. Ph on all containers is 6.8. 1- 1 1/2 inches from 2 FL 40 watt lights with a small fan on them....no heat from the lights, these are BlackDominia seeds & of course grown for medical reasons.
Im just happy they have gotten this far....
I repotted 3 plants yesterday and added some nuts to them. 2 of them I added 1/2 tbsp of Blood Meal 12-0-0 lots of nitrogen for what I would think is a good start to veg.
My wife and I started smoking about 5 months ago. Well we both used to smoke a lot when we were younger, but then we went to work for the government and had to stop smoking for 20+ years, so we both retired and now are back to inhaling a good weed.
She went as far as getting a prescription. Well we couldn't afford the good smoke on a government retirement so I had to start growing for ourselves.
So here you go...will keep this journal going ....thanks to everyone for your
great advice here

 

[Pot Belly]

Hi hidesert. Glad to have you here. There is a lot of info here, and enough folks with the know-how to keep your garden green and producing meds. Your babies look great. Sounds like you are off to a great start. Hope you have some females in your garden.

You will find that growing for yourself is very rewarding. It will seem like an eternity until your first "smoke", but the wait will be well worth it. Good luck.

A small veg box for a few special mothers will keep you supplied with enough cuttings for a perpetual harvest for you and the wife if you can have a separate flower box.

 

[twitch]

Welcome from an older newbie who hasn't started his grow yet. ( about three more weeks I hope )
Good luck!

 

[GMCORP]

Those are beautiful babies. All the best to you and yours. Hubby and I love to grow our medicine together :joint4:

 

[Alistair]

Hello there Hidesert, and welcome.

Those seedlings look good, but you shouldn't fertilize them when they're so little. I no knowing about the soil you're using, but as a rule, seedlings don't need fertilizing for about the first three weeks of their lives.

The 40 watt fluorescent lights should work while the seedlings are small, but it seems as though you'll need more light when they're bigger. Try to use lights that are rated at 6500 K. 6500 K is the color of light that is best for vegetative growth. For flowering it's good to get a high pressure sodium lamp.

Lights often have a kelvin rating (K) to indicate the spectrum of color. Plus, light output in lumens is given. The goal for lighting, especially during flowering is 3000-5000 lumens per square foot of growing space.

Click on the Resources link at the top of the page and read all about how to start growing. Some of the equipment can be expensive, but in the long run, the money saved by growing your own will more than pay for the initial cost.

Those seedlings look good. I'd be careful not to fertilize again until they're bigger. Good luck!

 

[Motor City Madman]

wtg :yeahthat: :goodposting:

 

[That crazy vancouver guy]

:aok:

 

[kubefuism]

Excellant posting!! Glad to have you join us. This will be a most useful tool for your journey. Keep us updated

MOJO:watchplant:

 

[andy52]

welcome to Mp and happy growing

 

[UKgirl420]

babies look great ,,,goodluck and heres some greenmojo eace:

 

[IRISH]

welcome hidesert....bb...

 

[TommyBres]

Welcome to the forum! Never too late to start, great to see you've decided to give it a go. As for the tips on lighting, don't be intimidated when looking at the price of HPS lights, you can still grow good bud with fluorescents. Not the best yield, but whatever's within budget can get quality bud.

 

[Hick]

While flo's can be used to produce decent quality bud, it has been proven time and again, that hps/hids are more efficient and cost less in "gram per watt" comparisons to operate.

 

[Runbyhemp]

Beautiful pics :aok:

 

[northernlightssmokn]

Great start!! I would suggest a 600w ballast and a SUPER HPS bulb.(95000 lumens/5.5 amps and a 9 to12sqf foot print). great for a closet grow. Should be able to get a ballast,hood and bulb for about $350 If you can afford it I would add a ufo for sub canopy lighting. they are about $500 but coming down in price. Do NOT consider LED's as primary lighting!

If money is an issue, for starters I would keep the floros for starts and get a 400w mh hid for flower. It will work just fine for you and you can get a used one from ebay or Craigslist for about $150 or less. than step up to a 600w hps later for flower and use the 400 with it or use it for veg. Remember..Keep your hid lights horizontal over your plant and iethor use a hood or put reflective materials on the ceiling. I suggest painting the ceiling white (paint cant fall down in the middle of the nite) AND use a hood.

 

[TommyBres]

Well, LED's for lighting is a whole separate debate to be had over a bowl and maybe some tea, but when I can finally move out to Cali LED's will be my only source of light. If you plan on buying a UFO (or 2 or 3) and calling it a day, using that for your entire grow room like many people have tried... Think again. But if you're planning on putting over $3,000 into lighting, having the equivalent of 1,600 watts of HID's for 690 watts, LED's are a good option. Or at least, I think they are... That will remain to be seen, but you'll be hearing from me in a few months with plenty of pictures to back up what they can/can't do. ;-)

 

[Hidesert]

Looks like I have 3 healthy plants to play with. I couldn't be happier since this is my first growing. These are still off my 4 ft Fl lamps, although I have purchased a HPS 400 and the Son Agro bulb. Need to rebuild the grow room once that light arrives.
One leaf at a time...

 

[Hidesert]

Well I made some changes to my growing closet. I am now using a 400w MH light on my plants. I was using a 4 ft FL lights, not bad but wow did my plants take off to the MH light, with in hours I could see a big difference how my plants are vegging.
I have the light about 18 inches above the plants, don't want to burn the plants with the light too close...will move it closer around 12 inches in a day or two. I plan on purchasing some mylar and installing inside the closet.
I also have a Agro Son 430w light. Should I continue to use the MH light for the vegging and then change to the Agro Son during the flowering or should I change to the Agro Son light bulb now? And how many hours do I need to have this light on. With the Fl lights they were on 24/7, do I need to continue with the 24/7 or change to a 18/6?
The strain is a Black Domina.:woohoo:

 

[tess]

Lookin good ill be watching this grow ....keep up the good work....Nice and tidy by the way

 

[Hick]

Well I made some changes to my growing closet. I am now using a 400w MH light on my plants. I was using a 4 ft FL lights, not bad but wow did my plants take off to the MH light, with in hours I could see a big difference how my plants are vegging.
I have the light about 18 inches above the plants, don't want to burn the plants with the light too close...will move it closer around 12 inches in a day or two. I plan on purchasing some mylar and installing inside the closet.
I also have a Agro Son 430w light. Should I continue to use the MH light for the vegging and then change to the Agro Son during the flowering or should I change to the Agro Son light bulb now? And how many hours do I need to have this light on. With the Fl lights they were on 24/7, do I need to continue with the 24/7 or change to a 18/6?
The strain is a Black Domina.:woohoo:

"STELLAR" start hid'..
and yes, stay w/ the mh for veg'..and switch to the 430 "conversion" bulb for flower..
the plants will do fine under 24/0, ..BUT.. you may consider a short 'off' time (18/6 or 20/4) to allow your hid bulb and ballast a cooling off period daily. "IME".. the shorter the dark period, the less 'stretch' you will notice/encounter.