Just about to get started growing!

Hey all, newbie grower here! This'll be a real challenge for me, I have the "black thumb" when it comes to growing plants (all my houseplants die!) but I'm hoping with your help and support, maybe I'll be able to actually grow something worthwhile.

Not quite ready to start (moving in about a month, I'll do the setup once I'm there and settled) but after reading all the threads here, I can't wait! So many ideas and wonderful setups, and some of the growing areas I've seen are so creative and beautiful.

So I'm looking for a few ideas to get started (at least something I can do pre-move, like ordering supplies and stuff) and have some questions.

1) I don't have a "safe" address I can have seeds sent to. Would it be "safer" to order now before I move (I live in the USA, and am only moving 40 or so miles away) or wait until after and just have it sent to my new address?

2) I'm planning on growing for personal use only, so I don't want to grow more than I can reasonably use at a time, but I don't really want to have to wait 3-4 months to harvest fresh. I would also like a variety of strains to work with, as I'd like to eventually try to breed my own personal blend to my taste, plus I like variety. Yet I dont want to be overflowing with more weed than I can use, as I refuse to sell it and dont have a large circle of friends to share it with.

Would it be possible to plant, say, 2 plants of a variety, then 2 weeks later plant 2 more of a different, and a third variety 2 weeks after that? and so on? Yet keep the plants stunted enough that they'd only produce 1/8-1/4 oz each harvest (which would occur every 2 weeks with a different strain)?

I'm a casual smoker, and 1/8 a week is fairly heavy for me. With this setup, I'd be harvesting basically what I would use between harvests, and each harvest would be a different variety to try and find what I like.

Hmm, you could veg your plants for short periods of time to do this, but it all more really depends on your setup... if you grow with an hps light you will get more of a yield. with cfl's maybe less if thats what your looking for. this also effects the quality however. i understand what you want to do, but it's going to be very difficult to keep it that low, if i was you, i would grow a good amount, and then smoke off it for a while, grow enough to last you however long your next grow will take.

Some places have very stealthy deliver, in wallets and such.. nirvana does, check out the banners on this site to find nirvana.

Awesome, thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I was planning on using Nirvana (I think, have to double check if they have all the strains I want to try) for my order.

I was planning on having CFLs, and a 2-3 chamber setup. One for veg with either 2-3 2' bar flourescents or 3 CFLs and a flowering chamber with 5 CFLs mounted on a shelf that can be raised/lowered as needed up to 3 1/2 ft growing area. Possibly another chamber for seedlings/clones.

i would go cfl's with both, and you will probobly get the light yield your looking for. as long as you flower them early, say 6 inches maybe.

you could always grow a mother for each strain you want, keep it in veg, and clone whatever you will want, decent sized 4 node clones, root them and flower them immediatly, that could be a long term goal, just an idea.

Sounds interesting, and I may do that for some variety. Once I can get up and running and comfortable with the system, I want to experiment with crossing different strains to find that "perfect blend" for me. For now, I'm just getting ready to order my seeds and brainstorming ideas for the grow closet I want to build.

Myste said:

Hey all, newbie grower here! This'll be a real challenge for me, I have the "black thumb" when it comes to growing plants (all my houseplants die!) but I'm hoping with your help and support, maybe I'll be able to actually grow something worthwhile.

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Regarding point 1, common sense should prevail there shouldn't it?

Regarding point 2, you're trying to run before you can walk. There's nothing wrong with being ambitious and having future plans and ideas you want to try but for the moment focus your attention on getting the basics right - that will be hard enough for you to start with without thinking about breeding different strains etc.

Research the subject thoroughly, there's mountains of information online and there's no substitute for gaining an indepth understanding of the subject and then putting it into practice. This board can be helpful, there are a fair number of very experienced and knowledgeable people who post here, there's also a lot of inexperienced bullshitters who don't know what they're talking about, unfortunately everyone's entitled to an opinion whether it's good or bad. What I'm saying is, don't rely soley on this site for your information - do your own research - if you try to cut corners and do it the easy/lazy way you'll get poor results.

Look upon the subject and process as you would a hobby and not as a means to an end. Care about what you do, care about your plants and in return they'll excite, thrill and reward you.

Hi man,
I am also a new grower. I have just started my first grow 2 weeks ago, and it is going well. I have 5 plants started now, but half could be males so they will have to go when they start to show. I am just growing for my wife and I so we are also going small. As far as what you wrote a few suggestions.
1. Go with Nirvana seeds. All of mine germinated in 1 day. Very stealthy. Trust them and send them CASH. Check out there Misty seeds. Good for first timers.
2. You said that you are not the best with plants so expect that you will have to learn how to care for your girls. There is a learning curve with this. Expect it. Buy a book on indoor gardening , and READ IT!!! It will explain a lot of things and tell you how to get started and help with the problems that you are going to run into.
I hope this helps man, and good luck and God Bless.

babygro said:

Look upon the subject and process as you would a hobby and not as a means to an end. Care about what you do, care about your plants and in return they'll excite, thrill and reward you.

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That was VERY well said, babygro! I've been preaching and following this as gospel for a long time...

Nelson

Hey Myste

I'm also doing my first independent grow (but have cooperated with friends before and have a little experience). I also have the same scale plans as you have.

I am finding Jorge Cervantes' books to be an excellent resource. you can get them off Amazon, and order before you move! I think it's good info for anyone who wants to grow, and I think it's pretty easy stuff to understand.

I don't know what the situation is with Sensi in the USA (I'm in Scandinavia), but their Skunk #1 or Sensi Skunk are highly recommended for first timers and several of my friends have used them with success. I'm starting a Sensi Skunk batch now...updates to come.

Yers,

Poro

Dont order till you are at your new address! Too risky otherwise!