Guerrilla Comes In From The Cold! - First Indoor Grow

[Onamatopeia]

Hi there. Thanks for stopping by for this true undergrow story!

I have grown outdoors, in ridiculously hard to access places, in the Eastern time zone since 2000. My style was find the hardest to access places- through thickets of thorns, nettles, and tics, and grow there. While animals sometimes ate my whole crop I never got caught. I always dreamed of going indoor, but never did. In many ways I was addicted to the adventure of a guerrilla life- sneaking around, trying not to make a trail, carrying 60 pounds of water and trying to pretend it was just a regular book bag, etc.

A couple things changed my mind recently. Mostly new (for me) knowledge about LED lights and grow tents. I realized that with today's LEDs, in today's tents, a small grow could happen without an electric bill spike, detectable heat signature, and without altering my living space at all. I am now medical, even though my state has almost no infrastructure. AND I figure I can do the whole grow including all equipment, for under $500.

So that is my mission. I am a total noob in indoors. Outdoors, once you get the plant established it would be a week to a month between visits. Now I can look at them every day. In many ways I am very familiar with growing, which I expect to be a huge plus. In other ways, I am not only a noob but my eyes glaze over with technical details. Boring!

I am kicking myself, because if I started two months ago I could either a) be halfway done by now or b) have some really nice plants ready to plant outdoors to grow into monsters! Ah, dreams of next season already.

This season, I just want to have a successful grow. My first rule is, basically, don't make any major mistakes and I should pull a couple z's. Anything above two I would consider a success, but it is very possible I will do better than that! I realize that this will not be close to maximum yields- that's for future grows! But I will do everything I can to finish with top quality medicine.

Okay, some grower info.

What strain? These are outdoor strains I have been breeding for 15 years. Unfortunately, with time my nice indicas disappeared as around here they mold up so fast in later flowering. I have picked 5 of my earliest flowering plants from years past and germed a couple of each. So, I will grow out from heterosex seeds.

What medium? Soil. I figure it is probably the easiest, plus I know it already.

I have used Miracle Grow potting mix for forever. This year, since the bag says it will feed the plants for six months, I grabbed the new Miracle Grow Organic potting mix, which appears to have no time-release food.

I am trying to keep it simple and inexpensive.

So far out of my $500 I have spent $290.

2X4 tent= $90
"300 W" LED = $120
6- 5 gallon plastic pots = $30
6- deep liners under pots = $10
Miracle grow soil, 2 organic potting mix, 1 regular potting mix = $25
Transplanter trowel = $5
Water crystals= $10

My biggest worry is that my light is underpowered. If it is, I figure a) I can still grow in a smaller area and b) when I switch to flower I might get one of those "bloom" LEDs and c) if this light really doesn't power anything I'll just buy another one to add to it. So my eyes are open to how they respond in the first couple weeks.

Why water crystals? Well, I have always used them. Plus, there are two different times I may have to leave the place for a week. Between the deep liner trays and some strategic water crystals, I am hoping I can leave for a week without disaster.

Today I cleaned the space for the tent and set it up, and got the last of my immediate supplies. I have not yet bought everything. For example, at the moment I have no dedicated fan, carbon filter, thermometer, pH meter, speed controller, or even plant food.

That's okay. I sprouted 15-20 seeds. Tonight I will mix up my soil, put 'em in pots, set the beans in the pots, and turn on my brand new light in my brand new tent. Then I'll post some pics.

Thanks to everyone who has read this far. It should be a really fun journey!

 

[Onamatopeia]

Okay, so I mixed and planted last night. Up late! But I finally got started, so it is a great day.

My first worry is that I used a new soil. I always used Miracle Grow Potting Mix. It is very light and fluffy, with little white pellets of either perlite or vermiculite in there. This new stuff is Miracle Grow Organic Potting Mix. There's no white pebbles, and it has a smell, kind of pungent. Two problems I see: 1) I don't know if this stuff will grow my medicine as well as the old stuff, and 2) I am trying to be super careful about cleanliness and keeping bugs away, etc. This stuff smells like things might already be living in it that can attack my plants.

Growing outside, I was always filthy. My plants didn't care. But as such an outdoors person, I am always tracking in mud or have burrs on my sleeve. Not for my indoor grow! I am not only washing my hands before I touch anything, I am not bringing any of my outdoor tools, plant food, containers or soil inside. And, if I can remember, there are times I was just outside I should change clothes before looking into the grow tent!

Just a few grow crystals in the end- enough to hold about 1/2 gallon of water into each 5 gallon bucket. I put them in pre-soaked and mixed them in the bottom half of the soil, to give the baby roots motivation to grow down.

A noob mistake is to overwater your seed sprouts. A mistake I just made was I never wet the soil, I only mixed the water crystals in. Each bucket got three sprouts, some of which were less than 1/4" long. Then a little water. It actually could work great, but the soil mix is bone dry and I've always wetted the soil before.

Three in a bucket because I want at least one female in each. With 18 plants in 8 square feet, half will become males and get pulled. If I overgrow the space I have two easy fallbacks, 1) pull a couple plants and stick 'em outside 2) I can also pull a whole bucket and grow it outside- though that bucket will never be allowed indoors again!

I realize I need a longer light cable, the one that plugs the light into the socket- do you need a heavy duty one of those?

So my light which is Apollo 100 X 3 LED only draws 170 actual watts. Doing the math I know that is not enough. I don't know my bestest option on such a limited budget, or how soon the lack of light will make a difference. Right now all the plants fit within about a 2 X 2 area.

In the meantime, about half of my 18 little seeds have shown sprout movement since planting 10 hours ago. No actual open leaves yet. Pictures next time!

 

[Onamatopeia]

Okay, here's all the bullet point information so far:

What strain is it? Outdoor hybrids
Is it Indica, Sativa or Hybrid? What percentages? Plants from 5 mothers, unknown lineages, most I think are sativa-dominant
Is it in Veg or Flower stage? Veg
If in Veg... For how long? 10 hours
If in Flower stage... For how long?
Indoor or outdoor? Indoor
Soil or Hydro? Soil
If soil... what is in your mix? Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil 95%/ Water crystals 5%
If soil... What size pot? 5 gallon
Size of light? 100 X 3W LED
Is it aircooled? It has 3 little fans, but no HPS style cooling
Temp of Room/cab? Unknown
RH of Room/cab? Unknown
PH of media or res? Unknown
Any Pests ? Not yet
How often are you watering? Haven't decided
Type and strength of ferts used? None yet, will introduce 1/4 or 1/8 strength in the next week

 

[Pigeons420]

Count me in big guy!

I learned how to go marijuana in miracle grow first and I grew some great buds. Check out "The Hog" in my signature. It was grown in nothing other then miracle gro. And she turned out great!!! Miracle gro is a great way to start out growing but it's not the be all to end all.

I have to admit though. When I first came to this website everyone told me I was crazy for growing in miracle grow but when I harvested 6 ounces off of one plant. The negative feedback quit real fast.

Now of course there are the obvious drawbacks to miracle gro. It's a time released soil, meaning the more often you water the more nutrients are released into the soil. This takes away all control over nutrients and feeding. Because anything added additionally to the soil will probably be too much food.

Also, I found that even after a 4 week flush I still had a small taste of nutrients. I'm going to assume that this is because the soil is filled with so much additives that it's tough to flush all that out after.

However, with that said, miracle gro allowed me to master other areas of my grow before I tackled the nutrients game. That for me was a huge advantage. Because now I have most other areas in my grow mastered while I introduce a new line of nutrients. Which can take some time to figure out.

I hope I didn't bore you to death with this comment. Best of luck to you!! I look forward to watching you strut your stuff!

Cheers, friend!

 

[Dutty Panty]

Alright love the background. I'd recommend a better led but you can always upgrade. If you need any help let me know.

 

[Onamatopeia]

Wow, thanks so much for the support! Already I can tell this grow will have plenty of drama!

Starting with the light. Realizing that I am underpowered, and I went cheap, I read some more reviews of my light, which is the Apollo Horticulture 100 X 3W LED. Several reviews talked about bulbs being burnt out. The light was so bright at first I couldn't tell, but there is one bulb out of my 100 that is out, not infrared, just out.

Looking around online, I see the Galaxy Hydro seems to have better reviews, and a 2 year guarantee. So I ordered one of those. When it arrives I will send this one back. If this light seems good, I may order another one. 200 X 3W LED I think could really rock a 2 X 4 tent!

Outside, I have a bunch of baby plants growing happily. Outdoors is so easy for me! I found a system and worked it and got a little better every grow.

Here is my vision for My Indoor System:

1) This grow I have a bunch of different genetics, I want one or two females that really seem to grow well, put out good buds, and finish in a reasonable time.

2) Somewhere maybe halfway through flowering, I cut out some clones from the mother(s) that have been most successful

3) In future grows I utilize these clones and get good at SCROGging!

4) And of course hydroponics, nutrition, get better lights, and generally improve!

 

[Pigeons420]

It sounds like you got it rocking in here let's get the party started my man!

 

[Onamatopeia]

Feeling the love from my 420 brethren! (and sistren!). Don't know if I'll be "strutting my stuff" anytime soon. It will be a major miracle to get through this grow without incident!

So I think my $500 budget just got blown. Spent $250 on another light, two fans, timer, speed controller, light hangers.

I read that sometimes the infrared bulbs are basically invisible on these kind of LEDs. I took a picture with my camera, and the Apollo light appears to have all the bulbs still burning now according to the sensor in my camera.

If the first light still seems to be working okay, I figure I will keep both lights. That will give a nominal 600W in a 2 X 4 area. Actual draw will be in the low 300s. That should do something, right?

 

[Pigeons420]

Feeling the love from my 420 brethren! (and sistren!). Don't know if I'll be "strutting my stuff" anytime soon. It will be a major miracle to get through this grow without incident!

I hate to break it to you my man. But here will be incident and things will go wrong. But that's the joys of this journey. You're going to learn invaluable experience and apply it to the future. Despite our best efforts here at 420 there's going to be some mistakes. And this is all part of the learning curve. But Holmes, let me tell you it's worth it!!

I wish you nothing but success and good fortune. But in all reality, what fun is that? Haha.

 

[Onamatopeia]

Thank you my friend!

What I should have said is it will be a miracle to finish this grow without a total DISASTER! You shore get em in the guerrilla world!

 

[Onamatopeia]

Surprise! It is not a hot day today, but my temp/humidity readings right now are 84 temp / 34 humidity. Hotter than I would have thought!

As it is, so far I am leaving the grow tent open but with no ventilation and with the closet door 90% closed. Worried that when things get going I will have to vent out of the closet 100% of the time.

Plants have mostly poked out of the soil, but as it is day 3 that seems slow. Two at least didn't come out at all, so I have transplanted a couple of my outdoor babies into the room. Breaking my "nothing outside goes inside" rule, but they are only two inches tall with the first two sets of leaves still coming out.

I am paranoid that my cheap light will not work. Later today another 300W should show up. When they are both trained on these things, I expect something should start happening!

I got plant food from the Lowe's. I honestly stood there for 10 minutes debating my options. Miracle Grow has several things. African Violet food is 7-7-7, tomato food was like 24-18-12, rhododendron food is 30-10-10, there were others. No organic or gourmet plant foods at all. At least six kinds of bloom boosters. For four bucks, for now my plant food is the Miracle Grow African Violet 7-7-7, with all the little things like Manganese appear to also be in there.

I have no objections to getting Fox Farm food or whatever the gourmets on this site recommend, as long as it is easy to apply and hard to screw up! Any suggestions for my long term plant food would be welcome!

It really seems to me that 600 W LED in 8 sqaure feet should be enough!

 

[Onamatopeia]

got the second light, and the temps went up to 90 in there. It's not even a hot day!

I should mention this is not quite an attic space, but close. Summer temps to come still! Being in a closet, the tent really already starts with ventilation challenges. Even when I get an inline fan to pull air out of the tent, it's place in the closet and the near-attic situation mean I have to either leave the closet door open all the time or come up with something quite extensive. Like cutting holes in the closet door and running ducting through, and finding a way to pile some things to conceal the ducting. Then later buying a new door to replace this one. That seems my best long term option and that is stupid!

Of my 18 spots for plants about 5 either have no sprout or something totally about to die. I have two other strains I would really like to try indoors. Last year I did a very half-assed guerrilla outdoor, and only got one female that I really liked. It had six seeds in the whole plant. The effect from that plant was super trippy and fun, so I wanna try it indoors.

Yet another lesson in patience as you have to do what you can, then step back and give Mother Nature time to work her magic. But I want something to happen right now! Oh, well, find a way to mellow out and don't look at the plants until tomorrow!

 

[ChefDGreen]

Welcome undergrow! Im fairly new here also,
Im growing in a closet as well and unfortunately i think you might be right about ventilation options; adding an oscillating fan will help move the air around and bring the temps down a bit though.. It is tough to not sit at the closet and watch the grass grow all day... You just to look forward to how much bigger your babies will be if you give them proper undisturbed time... Which im sure youve seen in your successful guerrilla grows
Good weed and happy growing

 

[Onamatopeia]

Thanks, Chief! One thing that has always intimidated me is that now I have to replicate all these things like temperature that I rarely thought about in the past.

Temps have got me rethinking my entire setup as I don't see how this room will get below 80 degrees in the current setup. It got up to 85 today but the tent was 95. I don't care what people say, 600W LED puts out quite a bit of heat. Glad I have never tried to cool an HPS! I think an unventilated tent would get 10 degrees hotter than the room/closet just with my dinky lights.

I put an AC in today and fired it up. Three hours later the tent is still 90. That's with the door wide open. Summer is not the ideal time to start this!

Can the plants thrive if it never gets below 80 in this tent? So far my low temp in there was 84.

 

[ChefDGreen]

Some strains do very well in 90-100 degree heat.. But thats generally outdoors where the temperature fluxuates during the day. Are you able to ventilate the room your tent is in from the outside? If you can get a decent 10 degree drop during the night you could probably run some high heat strains and get good harvests.

 

[Pigeons420]

My room runs at a constant 80. Gotta think. That's just a nice warm day, right? Anything over 95-100 you should be worried. But of course every strain is different. I had a critical hog survive at an avg. of 110-120F. I'm not even kidding. I couldn't believe it. But I tried to grow other strains in the same environment and they never seen sunlight because they fried.

I would recommend adding a humidifier to the room. Moisture and blowing air can reduce the temp by a good 5 degrees. I bought a 20$ humidifier and I'm so glad I did. Never had much of a problem again

 

[Onamatopeia]

Well, running the AC for 16 hours straight, closet open, tent open, got the temps down to 79. It is low 80s outside this afternoon and the plants are back up to 86. In this configuration the AC is gonna have to be on most of the time from now til harvest. That's a lot of electricity.

Plants seem to be growing extremely slow. I have the two lights about 22" above the plants. I have seen mention I'm not sure maybe they can't take the full light at first. Something to read about other than the ways our planet is getting ruined!

 

[ChefDGreen]

Any pictures? I gave my plant full strength LED from the get go... About 5-6 inches from the top. It took a while for her to get 3 sets of a fan leaves, but she shot up to six pairs a week and a half later

 

[Onamatopeia]

Thanks so much for all the advice!

For the moment I am not going to worry too much as temps are for the moment fine. My worry I guess is days that are in the high 90s and sunny might make water boil in the grow tent!

Thanks for the thoughts on lights. I promise to post pictures tomorrow!

Just got a bunch of things for the grow- fans, light hangers, a timer. Will have to get it all set up manyana.

Now that I have most of the gear (getting an air filter tomorrow) I feel much more invested in the grow.

The one big purchase I still might make? One of those G8 LED 90W All Red flowering bulbs after it gets thrown into 12/12.

Lights have been on 24/0 schedule so far. Tomorrow when I set up the timer I will go 18/6. Very tempted to just grow 12/12 from the start and get this first grow done ASAP. OTOH, also very tempted to build a SCROG screen. Must remind myself to keep it simple and stick to the basics.

I know so many people, probably more outdoor than indoor, whose first grow died along the way for one reason or another. And a grow is the classic "marathon, not a sprint" situation. It's more dependent on your ability to think clearly and know your limits than events of a shorter duration. But, like a lot of things, a lot more people think they can do it than those that actually do it.

I am just dying to grow SCROG style. I see that as the most potential yield in my space. Plus it looks like plant growing as a form of art! If Mr. Miyagi did weed instead of bonsai, I think he would do SCROG.

Outdoors, the plants are really fragile until they are maybe a foot tall, at which point they quickly become tenacious little fighters! I hope the same thing happens with my indoor babies.

My tent has an issue I am still working on. One of the two short crossbars is a little too short for my tent. The tent fits so snugly around the frame I am having trouble duct taping it on. Next time I disassemble it, I can drill an eyelet for a screw. But it is in this closet, behind this pole. I actually had to build the tent inside the closet as it would not go in from outside. So redoing the frame now would be a major deal.

The main crossbar in this setup is definitely the long one, which seems plenty secure. Right now it's got two lights hanging off it. I plan to get the side bars better before I add my fan and filter.

One good thing about the little tent is everything else can be small and light. One light weighs 8 pounds, the other 5. Fan is maybe five pounds and I think the filter is 8. So total I think is less than 30 pounds hanging off the crossbars.

Fan is a 4" moving 100 cfm, filter also 4 inch. My tent is only 2 X 4 X 5 feet = 40 cf. So even with a filter I figure the little fan should be fine. One reason I got this fan aside from good reviews is people say it is very quiet.

 

[FeralA9X]

Subbed

Good luck with the grow. im also doing my first indoor grow after many years of outdoor growing hehe Sounds like its all coming together nicely.