First Attempt.. Any tips? Two CFLs?

I have attempted before like many have, and this time I want to get the job done.

I have one plant that has been under 1 60 watt bulb (530 lumens). I was using two, alternating though, not wanting it to have a full cycle with both 60 watt bulbs for the past 3-4 days. I did some research and found that CFLs are better for the light.. he has grown pretty tall. I have replaced both with CFLs just now. Do I just use one of two? what are the lighting hours? I have been doing 18-6 from a suggestion. Which light is better if I only have to use 1?





Here is how he looks after these past days. Strong stem, and it looks like little crystal hairs growing on it.. the top is a nice bunch up green leave. is he healthy? he has had miracle as a steady diet for the last few days, how many days do I wait to feed again? I've waited until it has completely dissolved in the soil.



Now the watering was tricky the first time around, only watering it when the soil was dry (Obviously missed how dry it can be..) So now every time I have been giving it a nice drink, putting a nice gulp of water all around him.

My closet is pretty big at least for one right now.. could be 9-10 feet long and 6-7 feet high? what about the water globe that have been advertised on infomercials? do they work for watering? should I use mine or wait to use it.. or chuck it outside? I do have 3-4 more seeds, one being Blueberry Kush. Should they go in now? wait? other tables? lengths apart? more lighting?

What would be the next step? what do I need to feed it to get the best bud? cheap products that would do the job? my income isn't high. Does tin foil really do the trick? I've heard goods and bads.

Thanks to everybody viewing this, to the people who reply.. thank you plenty! Any help is golden.. sorry for all the questions! STAY SMOKING!

When using cfl lights you want them to be about 1 - 2 inches away from the plant, thats the reason your plant has stretched alot. The hours you are doing is fine (18-6)

I personally use a 250watt cfl and i would suggest that you get your self a few more bulbs.. id say 3 23 watt cfl's will be fine for vegging..( or if you have to use 1.. get a 40watt cfl)

But then go upto maybe 4-6 23 watt bulbs for flowering or if possible a higher wattage cfl.

You dont want to be using any nutrients until the plant has gained some of its own strength i personally introduce nutes at 3 weeks of veg.

also remember to leave the soil for upto 2-3 days after watering, you want it to get pretty dry before feeding again.

Hope this helps! Good luck my friend.

P.s i used tin foil for 3 weeks.. just make sure the dimmer side faces the plants.. and try to keep the tin foil as straight and flat as possible you dont want creases.

Martybutch said:

When using cfl lights you want them to be about 1 - 2 inches away from the plant, thats the reason your plant has stretched alot. The hours you are doing is fine (18-6)

I personally use a 250watt cfl and i would suggest that you get your self a few more bulbs.. id say 3 23 watt cfl's will be fine for vegging..( or if you have to use 1.. get a 40watt cfl)

But then go upto maybe 4-6 23 watt bulbs for flowering or if possible a higher wattage cfl.

You dont want to be using any nutrients until the plant has gained some of its own strength i personally introduce nutes at 3 weeks of veg.

also remember to leave the soil for upto 2-3 days after watering, you want it to get pretty dry before feeding again.

Hope this helps! Good luck my friend.

P.s i used tin foil for 3 weeks.. just make sure the dimmer side faces the plants.. and try to keep the tin foil as straight and flat as possible you dont want creases.

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How is the second light I listed? did I create a problem or is the length a good thing now? the lights are now closer and going to get a third. If the second even a 23 watt bulb? what happens now with miracle grow.. i have been damping the tops.. whats dry? brown or not bed black dirt?

Still have a bunch of unanswered if somebody could help out!

P.S. Thanks a bunch man! three lights is better than 2.. going to buy all the same too.. so I don't have confusion and he grows strong. I have two lamp setups (facing the plant 1-2 inches) and I think I'm going to put a hanging light fixture in for the third light. Good idea?

Is that second light actually a cfl? Could be just me but i've never seen a cfl like that in shops, they always look like the first bulb in one manner or other.

two things though.

1. Why do you keep calling your cannabis plant "he", seems rather silly...
2. Your plant is stretching madly, you need to get your lights much closer.

Its nota 60w bulb you are using! Its 60watt equivelent.....so ur trying to grow weed with 13 actual watts? Good luck with that!
You need to research bro! Did you do any reading here before asking this question? Not trying to be a dick bro, but there is enough info on this site to succesfully get some weed off with minimal investment, but you need to start reading now, and cone back to this post whenyou have enough light to sustain a plant! Rough idea of actual wattage needed in cfl's......100 actual watts per plant...start researching now! Good luck, talk to ya in a cpl days.....

tip top toker said:

Is that second light actually a cfl? Could be just me but i've never seen a cfl like that in shops, they always look like the first bulb in one manner or other.

two things though.

1. Why do you keep calling your cannabis plant "he", seems rather silly...
2. Your plant is stretching madly, you need to get your lights much closer.

Click to expand...

Yeah I've seen them, they are like for spotlight. they usually have a 23w (100w equiv) inside the casing, but they are MUCH heavier so they are useless.

tip top toker said:

Is that second light actually a cfl? Could be just me but i've never seen a cfl like that in shops, they always look like the first bulb in one manner or other.

two things though.

1. Why do you keep calling your cannabis plant "he", seems rather silly...
2. Your plant is stretching madly, you need to get your lights much closer.

Click to expand...

If the lights are closer now, would it do anything? Now that you say that.. not sure why I've been calling it a HE. Sorry about that! lets hope only for the females.

Warriorbuds said:

Its nota 60w bulb you are using! Its 60watt equivelent.....so ur trying to grow weed with 13 actual watts? Good luck with that!
You need to research bro! Did you do any reading here before asking this question? Not trying to be a dick bro, but there is enough info on this site to succesfully get some weed off with minimal investment, but you need to start reading now, and cone back to this post whenyou have enough light to sustain a plant! Rough idea of actual wattage needed in cfl's......100 actual watts per plant...start researching now! Good luck, talk to ya in a cpl days.....

Click to expand...

I understand and knew I would get an answer like this. This is why I signed up! I needed grow help. This is my VERY first attempt with whatever I thought I could grow it with, if this dies.. I wouldn't care as much because its just an attempt. I have more seeds.

So these bulbs are junk eh? so it seems I'll be buying more bulbs for my second attempt and a more better one because of the tips!

BBbubblegum said:

Yeah I've seen them, they are like for spotlight. they usually have a 23w (100w equiv) inside the casing, but they are MUCH heavier so they are useless.

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Spotlight lights eh, junk. I just read 40 watts on the side and thought that's what it would be powered with. The other light is suppose to be the right one though? or is it another bad light.

BUYING 5-6 CFLS TONIGHT.

Wont lie both of these lights I've listed aren't even the same ones!


120v 40watts? that's what I found on it. I guess its a luminus? lumernis? not sure. Canadian brand I think.
The twist is also the same brand, looks like 13w 120v.

So I have been giving them 53 watts of light then? because the one light was totally different and isn't that bad? or am I wrong again?

Use two 42 watt CFL bulbs. The spiral shaped ones. They cost 8 or 9 bucks each. Come in single boxes.

You can do an entire grow with just the two bulbs.

You can do an entire grow on one 23w too, but it doesn't mean that you should. Try to get more than that....

I agree with everyone you need more lights when i vegged my latest grow i was using around 250+ watts and i felt like i still needed more! and u need the lights closer remember when picking bulbs for veg they have should be 6400k spectrum...

Hey, just had a chance too pop onto the web after a very long stint without such pleasures.
I've been putting together a littler personal project, Micro PC grow, and decided I'd brush up on whats going on here. Your's was a recent post so you can have some of my opinions.

It's good that your stretching issue has been addressed this early, and its certainly something that you should focus to remedy. On that note however, you can only do as much as your area of operations permits you. I can't recall now while I'm writing this if you mentioned them, but if you don't have enough space stretching is the last thing you want, plus, depending on the theories you subscribe to, they say that a stretchy plant like yours is more apt to be male or hermie.

As most people have already said, you can use 1 light or 30, but this too depends on your space and your goals. Not everyone wants or can grow a 3ft beast, my personal project requires very acute attention to the size of my plant. I've got a limited space since I'll be using a PC tower. I'll need to use minimal light at the start to get the healthiest sapling I can in a short amount of Veg-period. Then use the perfect amount to try and fill the entire space I have without the plant out growing its designated area.
The point of keeping the lights close too the plant (1.5-2in) is to prevent them from reaching out to far for their energy and allowing them to focus on building up a nice healthy stalk that will carry all the nummy nummy nutrients to the place later in Her life.

As I probably won't be around to continue commenting on your grow (but that might change, I just can't promise) I'll just add a few little points from my experiences with CFL grows.
- less nutrients is always better then more, if your plant is starving and reaching for every meal with all its effort, it'll thank you for it in the end.
- rotate your plant, don't leave it stagnant the entire grow, with CFL's is good to try to get light to all parts of the plant
- DON'T TRIM LEAVES, they'll fall off if they're not supposed to be there

Lastly, and most importantly. Listen to Her, she'll tell you all you need to know. Her color, her stature. Pay attention, especially on a first grow like this. Watch all the different changes and states your plant goes through. It'll be the most valuable thing you'll take from this. Expect not to succeed, but take solace that your failure will prevent the same mistakes. Don't get discouraged. Its a wonderful thing and loads of fun to learn about and develop dat fine green thumb.

you can read all you want (absorb as much info as possible). have plenty of lighting (keep adding as you go). and just do what i did and take a stab at it. thats what i did, i gained more knowledge by experience than i did anything else. its not the best grow ever, but im going to have some nice smoke at the finish line and be more prepared for my second grow.



i have about 4 weeks left.

happy growing friend!

my first grow BTW

Canadian: if you're going to use curly-cue CFL's you might want to read SeeMoreBuds book, "MARIJUANA BUDS FOR LESS," since that's what he's doing. I hope that helps. HSA