First grow - Should I pollinate?

BorisHoris

BorisHoris

420 Member
Hi

I'm a newbie, currently gathering materials for my first grow - a small (3 plant) cupboard grow. So far I have the cupboard, reflective sheeting, I'll get my fan/duct and filter tomorrow and I'm currently choosing light - probably LED or CFL.

I've done a heap of reading over the last couple of months in preparation for this, and watched loads of videos too, so I'm reasonably sure I've got the idea of the basics.

I don't have a source for clones, but there are a few seedbanks close by, so I'm going to buy some good seeds to start me off. I don't use very much, so 3 plants will set me up with enough buds for a long time!

I'm looking for some opinions on the following:

Should I buy new seeds each time I start a new grow? Or should I allow my first batch to pollinate if I get a male, deal with the fact that my first buds won't be so great, but give me enough seed to keep me going a long time? Are there any major disadvantages to this approach (other than a less-good crop first time)? Most of my research seems to point to pollinated weed still being pretty decent!

Unfortunately I don't have space to grow anywhere else, so I can't really keep a male seperate and do the 'only pollinate one branch in a bag' trick - so it's either pollinate or not!

After the first grow and a load of seeds, which I can keep in decent storage conditions, I'd just grow females.

All ideas and comments very gratefully accepted! I intend to document the cupboard-build and grow, so will post here when I have something to post!

Cheers!
 
Welcome Boris,
I think it would depend a lot on the price and availibility of seeds for you. If they are un-godly expensive sounds like a well thought out solution to the problem. Though if not, and they are reasonably priced and available perhaps not. The beauty of it is, no matter which way you go, neither choice is wrong, it is just a different option. The only comment I could suggest is on your reflective sheeting. If you plan on using aluminum foil, be aware it creates hot spots and you would be much better off paint the inside surface white or going to a mylar type material. But if you have done a heap of research chance are you already knew that. Which ever way you choose, document it and post it. I will follow you which ever direction you choose.

Cheers!
 
Hi oldergrower,

Thanks for your message. Seeds do vary of course, I can get a pack of 3 reasonable ones for about £30 - really good seeds would be more like about £80. If I was laying out a bigger amount for the higher quality seeds it would seem like a good idea to try and harvest some more from the plant!

Yup I had read about not using aluminium. I've sourced some of the black & white plastic sheeting from a hydroponic supplier. I gather that this is good when you want to clean it too. I plan on attaching the sheets with velcro, so I can remove it and give it a good clean before starting a new grow to eliminate pests/spores etc...

I'll be most grateful for your company on this new, rather exciting journey :)
 
If three plants is enough to last you, just take some clones of your own plants while they are in veg, or take them right before you flower them, then you won't have to make seeds immediately. You can just keep cloning your own plants.
Grow them out, try to take some clones and then flower the mothers and then smoke the bud in the end. If the bud is good, then you already have clones ready to go, if not toss the clones and go buy new seeds of a new strain and start over.
 
Don't pollinate :thumb:

Keep buying seeds until you find a plant that loves your environment, then clone that one when the time comes.

White paint is a great reflective coating and a small LED would be perfect in a cupboard.

Make sure you have good ventillation :goodluck:
 
HI Kogs

This sounds like a great solution. The only thing I'm not sure about - as I only have the single small grow space, is there anything I can do to preserve the clones while I flower the main plants?I'd love to have space for separate veg/flower areas. I guess I could break the space up and grow just one plant at a time - depending on the yield, I don't suppose I'd get through a full plant of bud a long time before the next one is ready!

So yeah - any advice on keeping clones?

Thanks for the advice :)

(Sorry I missed your 2nd post whilst replying! - great idea, didn't realise I could keep a clone under such a small bulb, Ideas!)
 
Hi Richard,

Thanks for the advice. This is starting to sound like a better plan. What sort of LED would you suggest? I've been looking at the 'LED panel' types - they seem realtively inexpensive. COuld I just just a few LED GU10 style bulbs? I've also got a load of CFLs kicking about - around 10 -although they're not the daylight type, so less good for seedlings and veg. Could I use some daylight led bulbs and mix in my CFLs to get the lumens up?#

Thanks again!
 
The warm CFLs are perfect for any stage, check out their light spectrum and see for yourself.

All the cool/warm nonsense is taken over from HID lights, MH vs HPS, but is meaningless when it comes to CFLs.

The cooler the colour temperature, the greater the proportion of blue light in the spectrum.

But the amount of red is about the same in any CFL, regardless of Kelvin rating.

CFLs are fine to start with and you can check out our Sponsors for LEDs later.
Cloning can be done on a windowsill, in spring or summer, using a glass of water :thumb:
 
Excellent! Sounds like I don't need to worry about invsting in bulbs for the moment then :)

Following the advice I've had here, I'll try cloning instead of pollinating for seed, and see how I go with my existing CFL collection before considering any further lights.

One more thing for now if I may; I'm going to get the build underway next week. I know I'm going to be away for 4/5 days around xmas. If I start the grow next week, they'll be about 7 weeks in when I go away. Will the plants be ok unattended for a few days at that stage, or should I delay starting for a few weeks - what would be a good point for them to be at (how many weeks into grow) when I go away? I'd rather get the grow started this side of Christmas if possible, but equally if it's going to cock things up, I'll hang off...

Once again, thanks to you all for the advice, things are much clearer in my mind now. I'll report back with pics of the build :)

:thanks:
 
Hi Boris,
Since I am less experienced then many of the others who have offered you advice I am going to sit back and see if what I was going to tell you is in track with the advice they give you on this one. I know how I would handle it, but I am sure they have more experience in this department. I know not everyone has the same budget to work with and while if I lost 3 plants, I would be like "Oh well, back the the drawing board" others could be set back considerably.

Cheers!
 
I'm a first time grower too. I feminized my plant. At least I hope I did when I sprayed her with colloidal silver.
I hope to get some seeds and bud.
Personally people have done seed exchanges for free instead of having to buy seeds every time.
It's funny because I exchanged at a farmers market where seed exchange for gardens is a common but no one ever thought to exchange weed seeds. Now I think I instantly converted 20 people.
Everyone buys a different strain and and swaps with everyone else. One grow later and everyone has a 20 strain supply.
No money changes hands, no selling of anything just sharing seeds.
 
High Boris

With just the one space to grow getting some femmed seeds makes a lot of sense for you. If you decide to clone cuttings a small cardboard box with a single CFL bulb is enough to do that. Foil is fine for a reflective surface for anything but HID lights. I use foil for most things other than HID but even use it as side shields to get more light to the plants with my crappy reflectors with no problems. The fan tends to move the reflectors around so any hot spots are constantly moving and don't stay focused on one spot.

Tiny grows are a great learning experience but once you've puffed your way through the first crop you won't stop thinking of ways to fill bigger jars. :)

Good luck and good growing!

L8r
 
Inquisitor: Femmed seeds are something I hadn't considered yet, as I originally thought about pollinating my first run. I guess now that I'm rethinking that idea, I should revisit the idea of femmed seeds. I haven't been in the area long and I don't know anyone around here (hence deciding to grow my own), so while the seed exchange sounds like a great idea I don't know anyone to swap with yet! It's a great idea though :)

OldMedUser: Thanks for backing up the idea :) Interesting stuff about the foil too, I'd just read 'stay away from foil' everywhere, but that was some new information regarding using it with CFLs. I got a really good deal on a big piece of black/white poly - enough to do my cupboard at least three times for under£10 :) I only smoke once per week, (twice on rare occasions), but I guess growing can become addictive :)



I got my fan/duct/filter yesterday, really pleased with them. Only things I need now for the actual cupboard are a few more bulb holders and a small fan for air movement - I'll look around at the weekend for these. I'll be starting the construction next week, so watch out for some pics :)

I'm also gonna investigate a couple of local seed banks. What's the protocol in these places by the way - I know you stay away from 420-related subjects in a hydroponics place, but what about a seed bank (in the UK)? Are they fairly chilled about discussing the seeds and growing, or is it research online then go in, buy and leave?


Thanks as always :smokin:
 
As a seed collector, you are of course only interested in their novelty value and would never consider germinating them :thumb:

BorisHoris said:
What's the protocol in these places by the way - I know you stay away from 420-related subjects in a hydroponics place, but what about a seed bank (in the UK)? Are they fairly chilled about discussing the seeds and growing, or is it research online then go in, buy and leave?
Click to expand...
 
BorisHoris said:
I'm also gonna investigate a couple of local seed banks. What's the protocol in these places by the way - I know you stay away from 420-related subjects in a hydroponics place, but what about a seed bank (in the UK)? Are they fairly chilled about discussing the seeds and growing, or is it research online then go in, buy and leave?


Thanks as always :smokin:
Click to expand...

My advice don't make it into a sub-culture activity. If you enjoy growing plants grow more than one thing. It does not take any more skill to grow tomatoes or peppermint inside than it does to grow weed. If you can do one I guarantee you can do the other.
To be honest you are far more likely to call attention to yourself being all secretive and paranoid than if you treated it like a regular gardening experience.
Which brings me to your question. Find a gardening club, and say you are growing tomatoes or chamomile and you can talk about growing all day long without the paranoia.
You'll find it a much more relaxing and enjoyable experience.
And no one will try to sell you some crazy super fertilizer for an insane about of money.
 
But of course - I'm actually only going to grow chillis in my cabinet - This is purely for information only....:geek:


Thanks again everyone for some really useful information and ideas. I'm pretty much ready to get going now. I started building the cabinet today, which is going well. I've been taking pics as I go, so when I get it finished later this week I'll post up the pics.


Thanks again everyone. Really appreciate your advice and experience.

:peacetwo:
 

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