Newb Loses Growing Virginity

[NormanTBates]

This is going to be my first time trying to grow, and I would like to thank everyone in advance for their help. I was unsure about it before and was reading all the books and articles I could get my hands on. After seeing all the assistance and guidance provided by members on this site, I knew I would not have a problem.

I have decided that with my limited experience a soil or potting mix would probably best suit me. My seeds arrived today so now it's time to get serious. I am going to use Fox Farm Ocean mix but I am still considering different nutes. I am using an old refrigerator for my grow. The bottom will be used for mothers and the old freezer for clones. I am going to use CFL lights to keep the energy consumption down. I have a few fans that will be installed along with a carbon filter down the road.

I have plenty of lighting for the small groing area of the frig. I am going to be starting with two mothers, Blue Hash and "elle ess dee". I figure the top can be used for flowering clones by using six or seven 40w 2700k bulbs. The bottom will be lit by a 125w 6700k bulb and six 40w 6700k.

As far as nutes, I am considering spending the money and getting the humboldt mixes. There is also a kit by B.C. I was going to consider purchasing. Here's a link

Recipe for Success Starter Pack - Worm's Way - Your one stop gardening site

Anyways, I am going to get soil tommorow and the fun will begin!

 

[poker shark]

Wahooo...another grower!!
Your in the right place to learn Norm!!
+reps

 

[NormanTBates]

Should I go with the humboldt nutes or will the BC be fine? I am heading to the gardening supply store tommorow, so just wondering which is better for the buck..

 

[McBudz]

welcome to the brotherhood

I have just started using the bc nutes in hydro (veg only) and my plants friggin love them..

In ffof soil I used ff nutes.. ( grow big, tigerbloom) with botanicare cal-mag+ and get consistantly bangin results in soil.

I have come to find that big bloom is a waste of time and money. AT 3 weeks till harvewts i do a shot of canna pk 13/14.

I used to use ago old grow in place of grow big during veg.. but have found growbig is good in conjunction with cal-mag.

 

[NormanTBates]

So went and picked up the ffof soil today, and placed the seeds about 1" down in the soil. I made sure the soil was loose and not packed around the seeds. I am officialy started!

 

[NormanTBates]

I used to use ago old grow in place of grow big during veg.. but have found growbig is good in conjunction with cal-mag.

Excuse my newbness but I have to ask, what is cal-mag? I purchased the grow big but wasnt sure about that supplement.

Thanks Again

 

[NormanTBates]

Okay so the seedlings are now all sprouted! I let them get natural sunlight for the first two days and now I am going to bring them indoors. I went and picked up four bulbs today just to start the vegging stage.

I purchased 100w equivalent cfl's (26 true watts), what should I be worried about the total wattage or amount of lumens produced? They are rated 1600 lumens and I was wondering if four of these in metal reflectors would sustain three small mothers. Keep in mind the grow is an old refrig. so there is only 2' 10" square of grow area.

Also I was considering a metal halide in conjuction with a few cfl's for fruiting, any input?

Pics should be up in next day or so...

 

[NormanTBates]

Ok so it has been a while since I have had the chance to update; I currently have one plant left

The fans I bought for the refrig were cheap and an exhaust fan failed burning up two of the girls in the middle of the night. RIP

Fortunately though, I have a plant that was in the backyard so I have brought it into the house. It is around 10-11 weeks now and is starting to show sex. I was wondering if this plant is too far along to cut clones from her. Has she already began the flowering stage? Here are some pics

Appears to be Indica (Bagseed) from some Northern Cal
Growing outdoors 10 weeks
Indoor now under 400w 6500K CFL
FFOF Soil
FF Grow Big Nutes / FF Tiger Bloom
Water by hand as needed (every three-four days)
Two small desk fans for ventilation

In this photo notice the purple on my srems, is this a problem?

 

[NormanTBates]

She really seems to be liking the cfl's! I am pretty shocked at how well the growth has been continuing. (I think she is starting to stretch) Here are a few pics of her. I am ordering a 150w HPS light to use for flowering I am hoping this will really help my yield. Here's a link to the light

High Pressure Sodium - HPS Grow Lights

I am going to make a trip to Worms Way this weekend for rooting gel, any suggestions? I am also picking up FF Tiger Bloom. I will cut clones now, and begin 12/12 when the light comes. (a week or so)

Is the .3 grams yield per watt in soil pretty accurate?

Anyways, enough of my bs'ing here are some pics..

 

[sugarpistol]

She looks gorgeous! Keep it up!

 

[Tunes420]

Looking good sorry to hear about fan and two plants....looks very healthy and it is not too late to clone...it is harder to clone one in flower as opposed to veg stage ....but doable

 

[GhettyGreen184]

Plant looks great. Similar look to one of mine i just harvested. Be sure to transplant if you can one more time its all about the roots man Good luck brother.

 

[NormanTBates]

it is not too late to clone...it is harder to clone one in flower as opposed to veg stage ....but doable

Anything special I need to do to protect them from going hermie or dying? I will put the clones into flower asap because I have a new experiment to try now.

I think I might try one of those topsy-turvy systems by placing my lights near the floor. I am going to use another clone for a control plant and grow it under the same lights, ventilation, etc. I want to see if gravity has an effect on vegging growth, resin production, yield, or quality. Considering the nutrients and resin won't have any resistence from gravity, this should get interesting.

And btw thanks for the support ghetty, tunes, and sugar

 

[NormanTBates]

I finally bout a ph tester so I can test runoff, if I use ph up or down to adjust my nute solutions before watering should that control ph pretty well? I tested the runoff at 5.0 but transplanted her and will test again shortly.

I also bought some Olivia's Cloning Solution and Rootech gel. So I cut my first clone today! I only did one just because the mother may still have too much nitrogen in her and I just want to experiment with cloning first. So took a cutting from the bottom that wasn't really in a good location just trying to get my feet wet.I placed it in the dome inside a chunk of rockwool, we'll see what happens from here.

The mother is doing very and looks healthy (other than what the ph tester says) I treated her with neem oil because of a few spider mites. I killed most of them already with tobacco water but hopefully this will finish them off. I purchased a light timer so now she is on an official 12/12, the clone will also recieve this light from the begining. Soon I will begin treating with Tiger Bloom. Just waiting on my HPS to come....

 

[NormanTBates]

So I have good news and bad news for this update... Good news is the clone is still hanging in there so I will kepp my fingers crossed. Bad news is I think the mother is experiencing either nute burn or lock-out. The new growth leaves are starting to twist and two of the older leaves at the bottom are turning yellow with crispy edges. Can anyone identify from these pics? I will get another runoff ph tommorow but I dont really think that is my problem.

Heres the clone, still holding in there.

 

[NormanTBates]

So she has been on a 12/12 for about five days now, I really cant believe how many new pistils are showing up. I finally got my ph settled and now I amtrying trying to correct a P deficiency but all seems to be going well.

Here are some new pics, let the nug porn begin.

 

[McBudz]

that is a lot of pistols for 5 days wow. looks good. nice work.

 

[NormanTBates]

She was showing a few pistils here and there before 12/12 but now the thing is just exploding!

 

[NormanTBates]

The clone I cut has not rooted yet, and it has around a week. While it still shows no wilting and looks healthy, is this normal? How long should it normally take for one to root? Anyways, I am going to cut another today and see how this one works out.

I took the plastic wrapping off of the rockwool cube, don't really know if I should have done this from the begining but I am going to start to dry it out a little more.

 

[McBudz]

The clone I cut has not rooted yet, and it has around a week. While it still shows no wilting and looks healthy, is this normal? How long should it normally take for one to root? Anyways, I am going to cut another today and see how this one works out.

I took the plastic wrapping off of the rockwool cube, don't really know if I should have done this from the begining but I am going to start to dry it out a little more.

It can take over a week to root. If she looks good then leave be and maintain moist medium. With RW its very important to keep the cutting pushed in against the medium so its constantly in contact. Just be patient and dont handle it too much. You'll no your good once the cutting starts growing.