First Grow

[Herb Green]

How's it goin'. So here is my plan for my first grow. Germinate 5 W Widow, plant into 1 gallon pots. Grow to 8 in. or so under fluorescent. Transplant outdoor June 1(3 in ground, 2 in 7 gallon buckets). Can I grow them under fluo without them getting "leggy". Do they have to get some hours of total darkness? I realize this an over simplified plan, so I'd appreciate any and all tips. Can't wait to get dirt under my nails! Thanks, all. P.S. I'm in rural Ont.

 

[OlderGrower]

Hi Herb,
You certainly can do exactly what you are describing and pull it off. I would suggest you use a cloth pot though so you do not get root bound since June is a long ways off. I veg with fluorescent t-5 ho 4 foot 8 lamps and have great success with them. Just be sure you are using the right spectrum lamps. You want the blue spectrum. As for how to prevent them from getting leggy, keep the light 6 to 10 inches away from the tops of the plant, this will keep them from stretching to reach the light. you can also top the holy crap out of them and do LST to help keep the height to a minimum. I have don't both and they are very simple to do, even for the less experienced like myself. Another trick is a technique called super cropping, which you literally roll the stem of the plant with your fingers till you crush the inner cells of the stem then bend over the branch and allow it to mend itself. This technique I have not personally used as of yet, though some day I am sure I will.
As for light, 18/6... give those sweeties a chance to burn the sugars they develop during the course of the day.

Now if your going to wait till say the 1st of May to start that would be a totally different story, I was assuming you were planning on doing this right away. If I assumed wrong let me know when you want to start and I will adjust my comments accordingly.

I will be doing basically the same thing for my outdoor grow but hopefully will be able to move them outdoors mid May.