First Time Growing - The questions, oh god the questions!

[CapWasHere]

Hi guys, this is both my first post here and my first ever grow.

This whole thing started after I got a few seeds from a bag of fairly decent bud a couple of months ago. On a whim I decided to try to germinate them. Out of the three seeds I got, one is my current plan, one didn't germinate at all, and another started but stopped growing shortly after. The seed was planted on 13 June. Now I am by no definition rich so I'm making do with what I can. For probably the first two weeks the seedling was grown in a window sill until it got too big for people to not notice. We kept the light on 24 hours during the veg stage.

Being that i'm not rich I made a trip to wal-mart. I picked up a 2 foot flourescent shop light, and two GE F20 Plant & Aquarium F20 lights. These are rated at 20 watts and 750 lumens each according to the packaging. On monday we decided to start the flowering process after two months of vegetating. The plant is over two feet tall now, though seems a bit stemmy, though i'd assume its because we're using a flourescent light setup. The grow itself is taking place in a closet to keep away from prying eyes.

Now the questions, and boy do I have questions. Oh by the way its already been identified as a female so we're pretty happy about that.

1. Cloning. Should we take clones now before flowering sets in, or are flowering clones the way to go? I keep reading that you take clones from the nodes, but i'm a little confused as to what the nodes actually are. I assume they're branching spots on the stem but i'd like confirmation before I go butchering our girl.

2. Flushing. How much is enough? The plant has had a bit of nute burn, though nothing to serious I think, just a bit of burning on the leaf tips. Today we flushed with a half a gallon of distilled water and transplanted to a 32qt pot directly after.

3. Aluminum Foil. The closet we are growing in is all white except for the door which is brown. We have covered a portion of it with foil. I assume this is OK but figured i'd ask the experts anyway.

4. Watering and feeding. As part of the transplanting we bought a new bag of soil and worm castings as a friend made that reccomendation. Is this good for growing or a bad idea. Also, I know over watering leads to drooping, but how do I know when to water and feed? I've been watering every 3 days or so. Is this enough? Given that it is now in fresh soil with worm castings do I need to continue with plant food or are the castings enough?

5. Budding and Flowering. What kind of a time frame are we looking at from reducing the light cycle to having buds to smoke?

6. Curing. Putting the buds in a paper bag and hanging upside down is what I was considering. Is there a better way to go about this?

7. Enviroment Control. I was thinking about buying a dehumidifier, air ionizer and thermometer/humidity monitor. Good idea bad idea?

8. Can anyone give me an idea of what i'm growing based on my crummy pictures?

9. We decided to take the light from 24 and gradually scale it back to 12/12 over the course of this week. Does this have any advantages over just going straight to 12/12?

I think thats about all for now. My roommate also has an account here so he may post with some stuff as well.

CapPic2 - 420 Magazine Photo Gallery

Sorry about the bad picture quality, they were taken with my phone and I don't have a digital camera, but I figured something was better than nothing.

[Ganjarden]

About cloning I'm not sure I've never done it but heard good things about both flowering and vegging clones. I'd say vegging because I try never to prune a plants once it starts flowering so it can use all its energy to making buds instead of healing.( i dont think it takes to much to heal though). Get a rooting hormone that always helps and speeds up the process.

With flushing you should flush with 3 times as much water as the size of the container. so us 96 qts to flush your 32qt container and with you last couple of fills us a mild fert like 1/3 of 1/4 of recomended dose.

Aluminum foil is ok just use the dull side. the other side creates hot spots. I stick with your white walls though.

your soil should be good. dirt from outside can contain bugs and other baddies so store bought is good. Worm casting is a very good fert so that is good as well your plant should like it very much. you prob wont need ferts for a week or two maybe more depend on the soil. Remember always start with light doses of fert and work your way up.This is a great article about watering and should help http://www.420magazine.com/forums/ov...er-plants.html

How long till mature buds well that all depends on the genetics and the effect you are going for. from the pic i can only guess a hybrid or indica dom plant so about 8-10 weeks of flower.
Pictures on When to Harvest - Trichome colours this shows you when to harvest at the correct time according to trichromes.

I cut trim and bag dry and cure in jars
Hang dry or Bag dry?
this is an interesting thread about which way to dry and cure.

Defintely by a thermometer/humidity monitor very useful and depend on what that tells you u can add a dehumidifier or other climate controls. Def get something for the smell unless it is not an issue.

Umm your growing cannabis!!? Its very very hard to tell what strain you are growing by pics of plants. looks to be a hybrid or indica of some sort. not very sativaish.

taking the light from 24 and gradually scale it back to 12/12 over the course of this weekis interesting. more natural i guess but 24 hours of light isnt really. I have no idea about the pros and cons of this. should be interesting though.

Your plant looks good and I wish you the best in your journy growing. something else keep you lights as close as you can to your plant with flourescent lights it can be very close. A good way to judge is stick your hand under the light and when its to hot for the back of your hand its to hot for your plants. I hoped i helped. this site is chaulk full of great info you just need to do a little searching. And all your questions will be answered. Also check out the journals to see plants all the way through its life cycle with great info.


Thanks to Smokin ***** for the first 2 links. Hes a world record holder with the white widow!!

[DaMagoMan]

Cloning.
I assume they're branching spots on the stem but i'd like confirmation before I go butchering our girl.

Yes , where the stems intersect on the main stem or other larger branches.
Look up bonsai, it's a lot like that, without the wire

[CapWasHere]

Thanks for the replies. Yes I know i'm growing cannabis :P

Also, my roommate bought a LED on eBay, but i'm not totally sold on the idea. Anybody got any advice or think LEDs have any advantages over Flourescent?

[Ganjarden]

I have never used them but I keep hearing good things about them. Why dont you just use both can never go wrong with more light. More the merrier. Just surround your lady in light

Yes I know i'm growing cannabis :P

sorry lame joke i know but i like to try from time to time