- Hey, first timer looking for some advice on a indoor grow, I'll be growing jah herer (fem seeds from castle seeds) , similar to jack herer but easier to grow.... I started germination about 4 hours ago, and can already see the seed opening a little, so hopefully i can plant it by later tonight or tomorrow morning... I plan to plant it when the root barely comes out because i dont want to break it by accident... will be planting it root up
I'll be using fox farms happy frog, which initially i plan to soak in a red cup with room temp water (after i get rid of the cl and what not also the roots should have about 4 inches to grow), let sit for a hr then soak again and will then plant my seed at about 1/2-1 inches from the surface, after about 2-3 weeks (may do this sooner depending on how fast this baby grows) i'll transplant the plant into a larger container and replace the soil, while keeping some around the roots to try and reduce shock... ill be transplanting mainly because i dont have money to buy nutrients...
I'll be giving it 18/6 hrs of light for the first 2-3 week (with occasional giving it 24 hrs if i am out of town or something), also i may play around with this since ill have two light source (one higher then the other) by turning off the closer light source for 4-6 hrs in a 24 hr period.... will prob start a 12/12 flowering phase around 1-2 feet...
for lighting initially ill be giving it a 22 watt fluorescent about 8-10 inches away, with another 15 watter on the ceiling (will try and raise the plant as close to this light as possible prob around 1-2 feet away)
When I start flowering i will be using a 42 watt fluorescent about 8-10 inches away, and a 22 watter on the ceiling (again will try and adjust plant height to keep it 1-2 feet away)
now i have a few questions:
Will this be enough light? looking at around 250 watts for flowering, at around 8-12 inches away... read that 100-150 watts per plant at about 2 feet is the min....
how often should i water the plant, i read that i should stick my finger in 2 inches and if i dont feel moisture to water them... is this right
do i need nutrients, i haven't bought any... but heard that the soil will work for about 3 weeks... and that i can add soil to a water bottle, filter it and spray that water on the plant after about a month, to provide addition nutrients, while maintaining ph.... is this okay to do about 1.5 months in after i have transplanted the plant to a larger container, would prob do this every 3 weeks
any tips
first timer- on budget/ need help
- Thread starter shawn26
- Start date
Cloudz2600
Well-Known Member
This would probably do better in newbie central. I'm assuming you're using T5s or similar when you say floro right? If you're talking about CFLs that is way too far away. I've no experience with T5s so I can't say one way or the other. CFLs you want 2-4 inches max away from the canopy. You want about 100 actual watts per plant. If you're only growing 1-2 plants you're good, but on the low-side. At around 300w+ you may want to look into buying a HPS. The CFLs are going to put out some decent heat comparable to a 250w HPS, but the HPS is much better.
You should put the soil in your pot, that's too light. Water it thoroughly, that's too heavy. You want inbetween that. Plants like moist conditions, but not soaking wet. Once you get used to the perfect weight you'll know exactly when the plants need watering. I've never heard of the water bottle soil method. Seems like it's a dirtier and more complicated method. Also I'm not a fan of fertlizer foliar feeding because it leaves salt on the leaves. That and you don't want to be foliar feeding when you have buds. Moisture on buds = bud rot = shit you don't want to smoke.
I'm not a fan of the more expensive kinds of fertlizer, but they usually make so easy to follow that a monkey could do it. Stuff like Fox Farms is organic so it will be less harmful to your plants/soil and you will have a harder time burning it. You've got to water the plants anyway so why not cut out an extra step and just add nutes to the water?
You should put the soil in your pot, that's too light. Water it thoroughly, that's too heavy. You want inbetween that. Plants like moist conditions, but not soaking wet. Once you get used to the perfect weight you'll know exactly when the plants need watering. I've never heard of the water bottle soil method. Seems like it's a dirtier and more complicated method. Also I'm not a fan of fertlizer foliar feeding because it leaves salt on the leaves. That and you don't want to be foliar feeding when you have buds. Moisture on buds = bud rot = shit you don't want to smoke.
I'm not a fan of the more expensive kinds of fertlizer, but they usually make so easy to follow that a monkey could do it. Stuff like Fox Farms is organic so it will be less harmful to your plants/soil and you will have a harder time burning it. You've got to water the plants anyway so why not cut out an extra step and just add nutes to the water?
10acjed
Active Member
Like Cloudz said, 8 - 10" is way too far for CFL or T5 (tubes) they need to be within 3", dont worry it wont burn it. Much like everything else he said is right on... Use your finger to spread away 2 - 3" of the top of the soil and see if it is still damp before watering. Do not be afraid to let them weap a little, they will respond to the feeding and recover within an hour or so. I also check the runoff hole in the bottom of the pots, put my finger in and move around some soil to see if its damp.
Seems like you read up. I am new myself. One thing you should not overlook is Ph, get a digi meter and be sure to test your Ph before you feed, and check the runoff as well. I had alot of issues with mine.
I started with a T5 grow, however after researching I decided on a 250W. The 250W HPS puts off more heat, however it is easier to manage as there is much more space between it and the tops (4 - 8").
If your using CFL bulbs then as many as you can as close as you can to the tops is the best way, usually 3" or less.
Post pics too....
Seems like you read up. I am new myself. One thing you should not overlook is Ph, get a digi meter and be sure to test your Ph before you feed, and check the runoff as well. I had alot of issues with mine.
I started with a T5 grow, however after researching I decided on a 250W. The 250W HPS puts off more heat, however it is easier to manage as there is much more space between it and the tops (4 - 8").
If your using CFL bulbs then as many as you can as close as you can to the tops is the best way, usually 3" or less.
Post pics too....
Aight, so i picked up a 42W daylight fluorescent (its about 6 inchs away) and am now using that for vegetation, once it comes out of the soil, ill also add a 20 W for the background... for flowering i plan on giving it the 42 W for 12 hrs plus i am try and give her around 6-8 hrs of sunlight through the window (hopefully this will be enough, since i just dont have the money to buy a $100 + dollar lamp) though ill expect donation if anyone has a old lamp they no longer need
thanks, also i am growing stavia, which I read can grow pretty tall, and figure if i give it to large of a container i wont have enough light for flowering. So i'll prob stick with the one gallon pot and start flowering around 4 nodes or like 6 inches
Cloudz2600
Well-Known Member
You can, but don't. You have no idea how much nutrients you're "extracting" from the soil and how much is actually useable to the plant. Save yourself time and soil and don't do it. How many plants are you growing? if you're just using the one 150w you'll just want to stick with 1 plant. Also you may want to look at getting some smaller 23-42w bulbs for side lighting. Helps create the coals throughout the plant and not just on the top.
Only doing one plant and boy is she growing, broke ground about 6 hrs ago with her two little leaves, I decided to use three lights (maybe 4), ill be using a 42 W Fluorescent ( 150-200 W eqv.), a 20 W (eq to 100) and a 15 W (eq to around 80). in a sort of tripod fashion... the 42 will be the tallest, then others like a foot lower... the light will always be with 6-12 inchs of the plant during flowering... and ill give the plant a 1/4 turn every 2-3 days
Cloudz2600
Well-Known Member
Tbh don't bother using a 15w and don't bother with equivalents. You don't grow with incandescent. If three lights are all you have room for make them all 42w. You want 100w minimum for any decent yield. Also any light further than 3-4 inches from the canopy is pointless if you're using CFLs.
LST is really simple. All you're doing is tying the stems down to open up space in the plant to allow the lower nodes to get light. I used electrical wire from a big stack of wall chargers I had in a box. Some people use pipe cleaners, others use hanger hooks.