Tinyal
New Member
I've been browsing these forum's , reading dozens of different grow journals & other posts to learn as much as I can before I start a smallish grow. My only previous experience was over 35 years ago (back in my teen years), when everyone was trying to grow something smoke-able in their dorm rooms. It's a bit hard to remember exactly, but I seem to recall the best I could accomplish back then was teeny buds infrequently spaced on long leggy stems - a result I now realize was probably due to (very) low levels of light. We certainly didn't have access to the types of CFL's and HID's we have nowadays.
Now older (wiser? it's anyone's guess
) and in need of MJ's medical magic (I'm card carrying in CA.), I find the price at retail dispensaries to be putting a severe dent in my supply - that, and the fact that I cannot find the same stuff from month to month. I need a consistent, reliable supply - which brings me to a few questions.
For growing, I have a primary & a secondary problem to solve. The primary issue is going to be heat - both the heat from lamps (if inside), as well as the heat outside (I live in a desert area - summers frequently run 95F daytime, with much cooler evenings 65-70 due to my elevation). Keeping that in mind, my secondary problem is cats - we have cats both indoors, and out. They are insistant , absolutely bonkers at getting ahold of any stash they can smell - drives them nuts - and, just in terms of any indoor greenery, we've had no luck keeping the cats away (via training, smelly anti-cat stuff, etc).
So this leaves me with growing either outside, in direct sunlight with a cage around them (to protect against animals, I'm remote enough not to worry about protecting from people), or in an enclosed shed on the property (vented, but still can get quite hot in the summer).
My dilemma - I can probably keep the shed below 90 (until sept, when it won't be a problem tell the following june) if I use CFL's - I can concieve of no way to do so using HID's. (Well, not unless I put in a cooler or AC in the shed - a cost I cannot fund atm).
So, I was thinking of a 3x3x6' or 4x4x6' grow tent, installed inside the shed, with forced venting in from a shady spot (74F-78F) and back out. No worries about odor control. My thoughts about lighting is I'd really REALLY prefer a 400-600 MH/HPS due to increased yield - but due to heat, what if I use (2) x 125CLF from top, and a few 48w cfl scattered below/to the sides?The lumens would be less than the HID's, but would such a CFL only setup be sufficient to grow 4-6 white widow/white russian/white shark (in soil at first, perhaps hydro on 2nd attempt) to a dry harvest between 3-6 oz?
My other 2 choices would be to grow outside in 3gal pots normal sunlight, or to figure out how to keep the shed cool in very hot days (such cooling would probably add $100-$150 per month to my elec bill, an amount I am not able to spend atm).
I am leaning towards either CFL choice, or outside for summer batch and indoors/HID during winter months when heat won't be an issue. I'm not even sure if they will even grow out here in the kind of summers we have, and I should wait entirely (regardless of choice) till the fall to start my first batch.
Thanks for welcoming me to the 420 family, and any advice on any aspect of my concerns greatly appreciated!
Now older (wiser? it's anyone's guess
) and in need of MJ's medical magic (I'm card carrying in CA.), I find the price at retail dispensaries to be putting a severe dent in my supply - that, and the fact that I cannot find the same stuff from month to month. I need a consistent, reliable supply - which brings me to a few questions. For growing, I have a primary & a secondary problem to solve. The primary issue is going to be heat - both the heat from lamps (if inside), as well as the heat outside (I live in a desert area - summers frequently run 95F daytime, with much cooler evenings 65-70 due to my elevation). Keeping that in mind, my secondary problem is cats - we have cats both indoors, and out. They are insistant , absolutely bonkers at getting ahold of any stash they can smell - drives them nuts - and, just in terms of any indoor greenery, we've had no luck keeping the cats away (via training, smelly anti-cat stuff, etc).
So this leaves me with growing either outside, in direct sunlight with a cage around them (to protect against animals, I'm remote enough not to worry about protecting from people), or in an enclosed shed on the property (vented, but still can get quite hot in the summer).
My dilemma - I can probably keep the shed below 90 (until sept, when it won't be a problem tell the following june) if I use CFL's - I can concieve of no way to do so using HID's. (Well, not unless I put in a cooler or AC in the shed - a cost I cannot fund atm).
So, I was thinking of a 3x3x6' or 4x4x6' grow tent, installed inside the shed, with forced venting in from a shady spot (74F-78F) and back out. No worries about odor control. My thoughts about lighting is I'd really REALLY prefer a 400-600 MH/HPS due to increased yield - but due to heat, what if I use (2) x 125CLF from top, and a few 48w cfl scattered below/to the sides?The lumens would be less than the HID's, but would such a CFL only setup be sufficient to grow 4-6 white widow/white russian/white shark (in soil at first, perhaps hydro on 2nd attempt) to a dry harvest between 3-6 oz?
My other 2 choices would be to grow outside in 3gal pots normal sunlight, or to figure out how to keep the shed cool in very hot days (such cooling would probably add $100-$150 per month to my elec bill, an amount I am not able to spend atm).
I am leaning towards either CFL choice, or outside for summer batch and indoors/HID during winter months when heat won't be an issue. I'm not even sure if they will even grow out here in the kind of summers we have, and I should wait entirely (regardless of choice) till the fall to start my first batch.
Thanks for welcoming me to the 420 family, and any advice on any aspect of my concerns greatly appreciated!
