Hi I am looking to do my first personal grow.

[Patrick Melvin]

I've wanted to try a personal grow for quite sometime. Thru a little research I've decided not to swing for the fences on my first grow. I was thinking about doing auto flowers in a grow tent using CFL's and soil medium.
Vague description, I know but what I'm really looking for is some good beginner auto strains. Plus advice on cfl lighting distribution, and nutrients.

 

[undercovergrow]

welcome to RIU.
if you haven't invested any money yet, i'd suggest you look at T5s to start out; however, i've seen some nice grows with just CFLs. i'm not a fan of autos. keep it simple on your nutrients. are you going to "cook up" a soil or plan on feeding with bottled nutes?

 

[jesus of Cannabis]

save yourself the time and money plus the aggravation, and re do the structure to your house and make new rooms with vents outside, thats where one plant leads, to two plants, that leads to three and byu then you got the green thumb. lol
simple soil from ocean farm and i dont do autos but i hear a lot of barneys farm strains

 

[Hotboxbudz]

I wouldn't go with an auto for your 1st time. Just my own opinion. CFL can get you a nice grow, and definitely go with soil. 2-3 plants at most.

 

[GrowinDad]

If trying to use bulbs from home depot, consider getting LEDs. The challenge with CFL is keeping them super close to the plant in flower. LED a bit better penetration. With both, the more the the merrier.

Nutes - I would recommend getting DynaGro Foliage Pro and ProTekt. It's all you need and uber simple.

Soil - I like to control nutes so I don't like using a nuted soil. Look into Sunshine ProMix or mix up peat moss with perlite, vermiculite, and dolomite lime (you can google mixes). Point being neutral base with lots of drainage.

 

[noysy]

My advice. Get autoflowering seeds to start off, to learn the basics. Use good cfls (phillips)

Buy a good tent that will last.

Use coco + perlite as a medium.

Best advice? Read.read.read

-Happy growing

 

[Dr. Who]

OK then - LOL !

How about you get these books and keep them handy. You'll go back to them a bunch!

http://www.amazon.com/Marijuana-Growers-Handbook-Complete-Cultivation/dp/0932551467

http://www.amazon.com/dp/187882323X/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=47024125608&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17906940758024575300&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_1u5isztt14_b

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604691131/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1931160961&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0ZNWMEWK7JFQJT32EPGE

In my book, these are the holy trinity of learning......Ed and Jorge are not always right but, together, these 3 books are the best way to START! Using soil? READ the Teaming with microbes book!!!! KNOW what soil does and how it works!!!

DO NOT go Auto on your first run!
Auto's can be fussy/particular feeders and do not represent cannabis growing fairly when compared to photoperiod plants!

READ those books....Make the choice and then start a run

Doc

 

[Final Phase]

Some will say to go autos, some will say nay to autos. Some say cfl's are the best way to start, others, led, hps, mh, T5's...

The same will happen when your plants start to turn yellow, dry up, get spots, get spider mites, what kind of soil, hydro, nutrients, organic... The list could go on and on...

Some advice here will save you money, time, and undue stress. Some advice will save your plants, other advice will kill them off for good.

My advice? Do a as much reading as you can on growing. Figure out how your going to grow before you start buying things you don't need or want.

Most of all - enjoy the experiences ahead as much as you can.

 

[DazedAndAmused]

I would also agree with consensus of no to autod for your first time.I made that mistake when i started indoors. It sounds great 60 days seed to bud and all that but it doesnt happen unless you grow hydro with lots of hps watts. Plus youd pull more vegging a photo 2 weeks then force flowering. A mix of CFLs and T5s works great for a small grow. As for a strain i would suggest Incredible Bulk if you have the space as it can take large nutrient quantities without burning which is good for someone new. If you dont have the space id suggest a Northern lights or heavy indica species. Good luck!

 

[Seedlin]

Not my first grow but first auto. I want to know how to figure my cfl's . I made my lights from a bathroom light from Home Depot and a big alumn pan you cook a roast or something in cut hole and put the fixture in it, put y's or double light sockets in it and have ( 27 watt cfl bulbs 1600 lumins each. Is that enough light. I have veged under that and more (made a double strip with out the home made hood for my photos) I have 3 autos a week or so old in 3 gal hempy buckets, 70/30 coco and perlite. Mixed the coco using the same feed I am giving my ladies, 3 tsps of FloraNova Bloom and 5 ml of CalMag Plus to 5 gal of RO water. When this runs out and I am nearly out I will bump the next 5 gal to 4 tsps FloraNova. They are watered a little daily. the beans were popped after a 24 hr soak then the paper towel I cut rockwoll cubes in half as not to damage the 3" roots and put them in the buckets. Very dissapointed with the growth thus far. They seem to be doing a little something now. Have some Dutch Passion AutoEuforia due in any day now and will do those in Fox Farm Ocean potting soil. Do I need to mix perlite in that soil? Is that enough light? I have a 10' x 10' grow room with 1000w hp with my white widows in that will be cleared in about a month and will move the autos in there. Any advise will be greatly appreciated..

 

[Patrick Melvin]

I would also agree with consensus of no to autod for your first time.I made that mistake when i started indoors. It sounds great 60 days seed to bud and all that but it doesnt happen unless you grow hydro with lots of hps watts. Plus youd pull more vegging a photo 2 weeks then force flowering. A mix of CFLs and T5s works great for a small grow. As for a strain i would suggest Incredible Bulk if you have the space as it can take large nutrient quantities without burning which is good for someone new. If you dont have the space id suggest a Northern lights or heavy indica species. Good luck!

Thank you for the advice on auto's. Plus the advice to mix cfl's I've wondered if that would benefit in saving enery.

 

[dannyboy602]

Most 8 week Indica dom strains will work for you. Choose soil for your first run as its somewhat forgiving and leave autoflowering strains for another time.
T5's are good and not expensive. You can make a nice fertile soil mix from materials you can get at any nursery or home center store. If you grow this way you won't need a fertilizer besides Jacks or MG or Peters. Don't spend a lot on hydro store nutes bc its not necessary. Remember to buy a fan for good air flow. Choose 5 or 7 gal pots that can be bought from a nursery for cheap. Good luck.

 

[Patrick Melvin]

welcome to RIU.
if you haven't invested any money yet, i'd suggest you look at T5s to start out; however, i've seen some nice grows with just CFLs. i'm not a fan of autos. keep it simple on your nutrients. are you going to "cook up" a soil or plan on feeding with bottled nutes?

To tell you the truth I'd like to try soil first. I've heard it's more forgiving. Although i have seen some good basic dwc room on you tube. But i think soils going to be the way to go. If you got any suggestion on the T5, It's pretty consistent with every body else's suggestions.

 

[Patrick Melvin]

welcome to RIU.
if you haven't invested any money yet, i'd suggest you look at T5s to start out; however, i've seen some nice grows with just CFLs. i'm not a fan of autos. keep it simple on your nutrients. are you going to "cook up" a soil or plan on feeding with bottled nutes?

 

[Patrick Melvin]

I would also agree with consensus of no to autod for your first time.I made that mistake when i started indoors. It sounds great 60 days seed to bud and all that but it doesnt happen unless you grow hydro with lots of hps watts. Plus youd pull more vegging a photo 2 weeks then force flowering. A mix of CFLs and T5s works great for a small grow. As for a strain i would suggest Incredible Bulk if you have the space as it can take large nutrient quantities without burning which is good for someone new. If you dont have the space id suggest a Northern lights or heavy indica species. Good luck!

 

[Patrick Melvin]

to dazed and amused thank"s for the advice on the t5 mixed with cfls. Danny boy thank you backing up some of the research I've done on strains. I feel i'm on the right track now. To Dr who the recommendations on the books is appreciated. To everybody gave advice.

Thank you for your time.

 

[xMaYHeM]

If you live in a warmer place, World of Seeds Wild Thailand has been my favourite so far.
I've only grown 2 cycles and 5 strains so I'm no expert but it's been a really forgiving plant for my circumstances.
It responded super duper well to low stress training and light topping too and I think I will harvest 3-4oz dry off of my 5 week veg + ~10 week flowering (it's a sativa).
I know experts could pull a pound off of the same plant and same circumstances but I'm still learning

 

[wiethe20]

To tell you the truth I'd like to try soil first. I've heard it's more forgiving. Although i have seen some good basic dwc room on you tube. But i think soils going to be the way to go. If you got any suggestion on the T5, It's pretty consistent with every body else's suggestions.

I bought my HO t5 off eBay for $50 and works very well, only thing I am having trouble with his bringing more vertical cfls, I have to come in from the sides and that can be somewhat challenging...but I do suggest the t5 very easy to hang and pretty light weight for a tent

 

[budlover13]

I bought my HO t5 off eBay for $50 and works very well, only thing I am having trouble with his bringing more vertical cfls, I have to come in from the sides and that can be somewhat challenging...but I do suggest the t5 very easy to hang and pretty light weight for a tent

For my first couple grows I used cfl. I found that hanging the lights vertically with no reflectors allowed me to get my light where I wanted it with little trouble.

 

[DazedAndAmused]

Your welcome man good luck!