Growing with clones-newbie needs help

my freind gave me a clone it was on a nutrient sponge now has been planted into a small/medium pot with the nutrient sponge still attached, i have the plant sittin under 3 incandescent lights, it is still small and i intend on growing it in my back yard,what steps should i take next. cheers

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GROWFAQ

The incandescents are doing more harm than good. If it's planting time where you are, harden off your plant by exposing it to various outdoor conditions, a little at a time, like an hour or two of direct sun-light day one, then add an hour, and so on. Be sure you keep your little planter watered . . . only takes a little while to dry out, outside. As soon as you're convinced it can survive outside, pick your spot, dig a hole, amend your soil, if you like, and plant that sucker. The sunnier spot, the better.
You can leave it outside overnight if it's not too cool, like under 45* or so.
Or you can transplant it into a large container and just let it grow in there, outdoors.
Comes in handy if you've limited sun area, as you can move it around . . . also if folks stop by that you don't want in on your little project, you can set in a shed or the likes.

thank you very much very informative, but if the incadescent lights are bad what would you reccomend to use inbetween the times i am hardening it to outside, it is barely touching 50f up here right now down to 35-40f at night

You could get a CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) reasonably inexpensively. You can screw a CFL into the same fixture you're using now. Look in the "lighting" GROWFAQ for more details, suggestions. Even moving the plant around to the nearest bright window(s) would be better than incandescent light(s).
You might check with your power company, as many are offering incentives, like rebates, to encourage folks to switch over to these energy saving, more efficient bulbs.