First ever grow (autos + CFL)

Hey all !

First post here i think, tried to create an account and realised i already had my email address used ... anyway:

So, 2nd year university, living in an appartement with 2 mates, in the 1st half of the second semestre (do we say that in english?), and my bedroom has quite a few cupboards, which we joked about using for a little grow area, until 1 week ago when one of our mates said he had bought 3 auto-flowering seeds which he had decided not to use for himself, so we have recently got serious, and today went out and bought a few things to get started, using what i've read on the internet.
So we know that the autos aren't the best, so not worth really investing much. Today we went to a supermarket, picked up 3 CFL 20W 1200LM 6500K Phillips (10€ each, supermarket only had 2700k or 5000k in there own), 5 meters of cable, few domino switches and a plug (1.30&#8364, so we put it together just to see what it looks like for the moment.

Grow Space: Our space is 1m w x 0.5m d x 1m h (height can be changed)

The setup is modifiable, we can add more light sockets if needed (probably), and we need to add some kind of reflective material around the edge. I've also got a few questions:
- How many lights would be recommended in all (we're talking about 3 autos ...) ?
- If we were to add more lights, could we add 2700K ones and when veg is over just cut to 2700K all over? (for example have 3 or each for veg, then 6 2700K for flowering)
- What kind of reflective material should we use on the walls if needed?
- Any reflection to put over the lights (using cut up soda cans) ?
- I think it's some strain of Skunk, so i'm expecting it to smell a bit, can i have an idea?

And if anybody has any tips for growing like we are they are very welcome (watering, soil, nutriments ...)

This is mostly for fun, we are not expecting massive results, but if we can up our chances we will

I'll try and update this post every so often. If any body wants more info/photos ask and i'll see what i can do.

and just for extra info, what autos would you recommend at the moment? i seem to find a lot of "old" posts, and get the feeling that things seem to change quite rapidly.

Thanks

College parties could be a problem at the house, especially when it starts to smell. Having three people knowing about it and the chances of each of you not telling anybody are slim to none. With that said, you are going to need splitters for the sockets to put in more lights. That is not enough wattage for three auto's. You should purchase 42 watt cfl bulbs, a mix of 2700k and 5600k works for me. Try to get a minimum of 150 watts per plant and keep them 2 to 3 inches from the plants at all times. Also, you are going to need a carbon filter/fan combo to eradicate smell once the plants start to flower, as well as to keep the temperature's down. Best temperatures to keep in the closet are around 70-80 degrees farenheit. It is hard to keep temps down when you have alot of cfl lights, that is why a fan/filter combo is needed. Research LST on this site, it is a way to train your plants to grow horizontally and leave room up top, your space is height limited. This site has a ton of information, research all areas on cfl growing and good luck, DON'T TELL ANYONE, especially jealous cunt's. Peace, good luck mates!

BLgled said:

Hey all !

First post here i think, tried to create an account and realised i already had my email address used ... anyway:

So, 2nd year university, living in an appartement with 2 mates, in the 1st half of the second semestre (do we say that in english?), and my bedroom has quite a few cupboards, which we joked about using for a little grow area, until 1 week ago when one of our mates said he had bought 3 auto-flowering seeds which he had decided not to use for himself, so we have recently got serious, and today went out and bought a few things to get started, using what i've read on the internet.
So we know that the autos aren't the best, so not worth really investing much. Today we went to a supermarket, picked up 3 CFL 20W 1200LM 6500K Phillips (10€ each, supermarket only had 2700k or 5000k in there own), 5 meters of cable, few domino switches and a plug (1.30€), so we put it together just to see what it looks like for the moment.

The setup is modifiable, we can add more light sockets if needed (probably), and we need to add some kind of reflective material around the edge. I've also got a few questions:
- How many lights would be recommended in all (we're talking about 3 autos ...) ?
- If we were to add more lights, could we add 2700K ones and when veg is over just cut to 2700K all over? (for example have 3 or each for veg, then 6 2700K for flowering)
- What kind of reflective material should we use on the walls if needed?
- Any reflection to put over the lights (using cut up soda cans) ?
- I think it's some strain of Skunk, so i'm expecting it to smell a bit, can i have an idea?

And if anybody has any tips for growing like we are they are very welcome (watering, soil, nutriments ...)

This is mostly for fun, we are not expecting massive results, but if we can up our chances we will

I'll try and update this post every so often. If any body wants more info/photos ask and i'll see what i can do.

and just for extra info, what autos would you recommend at the moment? i seem to find a lot of "old" posts, and get the feeling that things seem to change quite rapidly.

Thanks



View attachment 2577266View attachment 2577267

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This side of the pond, it's "semester", but a cab. grow?
I haven't tried that yet, but I just finished what I thought was going to be a comfortable closet grow, even contemplated 2 plants to start with, but was glad I only did one.
My space was 2wx2dx4h.

Dunkin: Yeah we got splitters wired up there already just need some extra wire and more bulb sockets, easy to get, and we are planning on putting more in. We just didnt want to buy loads of these 6700K cos they're fucking expensive compared to the 2700K, so if we just add 2700K with these it would be fine then?

For the parties we werent planning on having any more till the end of the year, already had a few problems haha.

LFT is what Bakatare showed in his pictures? i'll go searching around on how to do that with autos.


Our space is 1m w x 0.5m d x 1m h (height can be changed easily) ill update in original post.

After germing, i heard best way for autos is to plant straight into the big pot, to reduce stress, is this a good idea?
and will aluminum (tin foil) do the job for reflecting?

Thanks guys

Little Update, few photos to show the setup, were waiting to see if they come out before getting the extra lights !

I'm vegging with 2700k and flowering with hps+2700k, Works fine. Autos have strong tap roots that shoot down and it mostly does more harm than good to transplant them. Looking good. gl with the grow

Just a little post back, with a few photos to come !
So we had 2/3 germ, and then a casualty, one of the lights fell (flat mates string device didnt hold ...) on to the new born, and i only saw the next morning, so it's looking bad for that one, it hasnt grown in a week really, but leaves are still green and a few more seem to be coming ...
Also we put 3 extra seeds to germ that we found, don't know why but we did it and theyve shot up haha, light was a bit far away so they stretched a bit i think.

So i read also (and also previously mentioned above) that LST is good for autos, but not by bending the main stem but the stems on the outside (if you see what i mean?), when i put the photos up can some well tell me if i should do it now or wait a bit?

Thanks guys

Here are the photos

Ok, the one plant looks good. The three stretched seedlings need to be replanted because those stems will never support a plant, you can wait a few days and bury the stem of stretched seedlings with more soil. I would get Y splitters and add a least six to seven more lights, preferably 40 watt or larger cfl's. Those pots are big, so your plants are going to get big. I would LST them after their second or third set of leaves. If I remember correctly, you don't have a ton of vertical space to work with. And only water when the pot gets light, too many people overwater when the plants are very young. Get a cheap moisture meter to let you know when the soil dries out. Don't worry about nutrients until the plant matures, too many newbs over nute their young plants and burn the shit out of them. Keep the cfl's two inches away from top of plants and get a fan to blow over the tops of them, it will strengthen the stems and cool the leaves. Good luck, check out my grow journal for lighting ideas, you are going to need alot more bulbs or those babies are going to stretch even more. Your first plant pic is perfect, do with the others what you have done for her!!

Thanks for the reply.
Bearing in mind that the one thats looking good is an auto, so it shouldnt get that big, and i heard that if you LST the main stem it causes extra stress which is not wanted.

The others we'll have to see what we do with them, because we can only change lighting when the auto has finished which might not leave us with enough time, 6 - 8 weeks of flowering, but we'll have to see because we don't know when the others are gonna flower (end of May) and we leave the apartment en of June ...

For the lights we'll have to see what we can do.

And i we got some nutes for Bloom so we'll wait till they flower and i'll come back for some help on that.

Thanks

Quick Update: Day 20

Added a 30W CFL 2700K Bulb, makes 159W in total.

Started LST on the bigger one, the smaller one that i thought wasn't going to do anything seems to have awoken (last 3 photos), but its might b a bit late ... Got rid of the 3 bag seed plants, waste of light for something we wont have time to finish.

I might too sure on my LST but it seems to have worked for the moment, got 3 extra sides branches growing bigger.
Also i got some General Organics BioThrive Bloom nutes, but have no idea when to start using it, and how, so if anybody can give any pointers they will be well appreciated.

Thanks