New grower, ready for first grow. Looking for advice/opinions

[batrgrower]

So I've been lurking around here and other forums for a long time reading and studying up on different techniques and such.

I'm just about ready to start my first grow, but I wanted to get some advice/opinions from everyone to see what they would do in my situation.

So, first, I have a viparspectra 600w LED grow light. The specs say it's most useful in a 3'x3' area but will work up to a 4'x4' area. As of now, this is the only light that I have available to use.

I have ordered 10 seeds from Bergman. 5 are ak-47 and 5 are his gold leaf that I got at a discount.

I currently have 5 - 3 gallon fabric pots, I guess they're also called smart pots.

I have a 1.5 cubic feet bag of fox farm ocean forest soil that I plan to mix with perlite at 60-40 or 70-30.

The area I have available to grow in is basically an empty 2 bed, 2 bath house that nobody lives in at the back of my property. I can utilize both bedrooms, which both have walk in closets, and I can utilize both bathrooms.

The master bedroom is 10'x8' with one window. The master bathroom is 8'x6.5'. The master closet is 3.5'x7'.

The 2nd bedroom is 8'x6' with one window. The 2nd closet is 5'x2'. And the 2nd bathroom is 6'x6.5'.

All ceilings are 8' and both bathrooms have vent fans.

All measurements are very close but approximate as I'm not there to get actual measurements right now.

So my main question is: Of all the options I have available, which is going to be the best to get the most yield, out of the shortest amount of time.

I live off of a dirt road about 100 yards away from the road with no neighbors in sight.

Do I have free reign to set up my grow anywhere within these spaces? Or is it better to keep the grow confined in close quarters with walls close to the grow?

So far my ideas are:

1. Do two plants of the same strain under a 3'x3' or 4'x4' rectangular screen.

2. Do four plants, 2 of each strain, and just do topping early and LST throughout.

3. Do all 10, or however many I get to successfully germinate, in smaller pots to fill a 3' to 4' square. Top them early and run a SoG.

As I said, I'm new to growing so any and all feedback is appreciated.

 

[somebody1701]

I'm not familiar with your specific light, but you should determine what the real flower footprint of the light is, not the mfgr's claims. Many light mfgrs greatly exaggerate what their lights will do. I like to do 5 seeds to insure 1 or 2 females.

I would lean towards fewer plants on your first grow so you have some seeds left for the second, if you run into problems and can't get some clones.

If your grow isn't legal, I would use the closet.

You should pick one strain to work with. Don't do two since it could complicate watering/fertilzing.

 

[moondance]

Yeah I totally agree, I would go with the 3x3 closeted, keep it quiet and cool, learn and fuck up a little now. Then you got time to setup and accuire equipment slowly and learn more and more every day, learn to read the plants, learn how to feel the weight of wet vs the dry. So much to dial in too, go slow and steady, then expand little by little.
Moondance

 

[batrgrower]

The grow is not legal , but I should clarify that the house is completely empty as in nobody lives there. It's at the back of my property and is completely secured at all times.

 

[batrgrower]

Yeah I totally agree, I would go with the 3x3 closeted, keep it quiet and cool, learn and fuck up a little now. Then you got time to setup and accuire equipment slowly and learn more and more every day, learn to read the plants, learn how to feel the weight of wet vs the dry. So much to dial in too, go slow and steady, then expand little by little.
Moondance

Thanks for the input!

 

[moondance]

The grow is not legal , but I should clarify that the house is completely empty as in nobody lives there. It's at the back of my property and is completely secured at all times.

Still there is infrared choppers too to watch out for, maybe you want to put in a dedicated heat vent out the roof to mimic a furnace exhaust, there is smell to consider, bigger grow mean more smell, just a lot to grow into. and if you want some in a few months to get you through while your kicking ass on the next grow. Just some ideas is all, I used to run with out being legal for years.
Moondance

 

[batrgrower]

Would it be a smart idea to try say 2 plants of the same strain in 3 gallon smart pots in a scrog?

Or will that become too complicated for a grower at my level?

I've done lots and lots of research , but I also know the best way to learn is to do it. I would just really like to maximize my yield this first grow.

 

[moondance]

No i think that would work well for you, scroging them would work very well. Not complicated at all they do most of the work really. Make sure you have your nutrients narrowed down and methods you want to use and go for it. Sounds like you are ready.
Moondance

 

[Lordhooha]

The grow is not legal , but I should clarify that the house is completely empty as in nobody lives there. It's at the back of my property and is completely secured at all times.

So your gonna add breaking and entering to the list other than just growing. Just saying someone owns it whether it's the owners trying to sell, bank or whoever. Just don't know why you would risk growing in some empty house UNLESS it's condemned or something.

 

[batrgrower]

So your gonna add breaking and entering to the list other than just growing. Just saying someone owns it whether it's the owners trying to sell, bank or whoever. Just don't know why you would risk growing in some empty house UNLESS it's condemned or something.

Nah. It's my house. I built it for some family members in need but they ended up not moving in.

 

[Chef420]

I don't know what your ultimate goal is but from a guy on his third run, just get the seeds in the soil. Background reading etc is important but the only real way to learn is to experience. Practice.

 

[batrgrower]

Background reading etc is important but the only real way to learn is to experience. Practice.

This is pretty much what I was thinking.

I think I've decided to do a ScrOG in the master bathroom. I built a screen that's 5' by 3' so it's easy to slide in and out of a slot system I'm going to install over top of the tub. I plan on putting some type of topper on the tub to turn it into a type of shelf, like plywood or something.

I'm going to be finishing in the 3 gallon smart pots. My original idea was to do 2 plants but after a little further reading on ScrOG setups from seed I'm seeing recommendations of 1 plant per each square foot of screen. So I'm wondering if it could be more beneficial to do 3, maybe even 4, under the screen.

There's no way to do 15 plants under my 15 square foot screen, that seems outrageously excessive. The more I'm thinking about that 1 per square foot recommendation, the more it sounds like wayyyy too much.