Madhatterak
New Member
Hi all, the title says it all. I'm an Alaskan newbie grower looking for some help and advice on what I have in mind. I've been experimenting for about a year now and if my SSI comes through I should be able to invest in lights, so I'm doing some research and drawing up ideas based on my available space.
A little about myself,
I've been smoking medicinally for about three years now. I have multiple conditions now, but it was my Crohns that lead to my choice to start. For those of you that might have noticed the new commercials out for Crohns sufferer's on tv for Humara, it's more then just having to run to the bathroom all the time. It's a pretty sever autoimmune disease that manifests in the GI tract, these are typically known as IBD's or irritable bowel diseases. Not to be confused with IBS which while being an IBD is it's own illness, and tends to be more annoying then anything else. Crohns on the other hand can be down right debilitating. Notice earlier that I mentioned waiting on an SSI decision. I don't want to get into all the gory details, as I'm more interested in discussing growing right now but feel free to ask I'll share, for me the decision to start smoking came a year and a half after my Crohn's diagnosis, that is to say, after a year and a half of ER visits, hospital stays, different meditations, and severe abdominal pain, I start doing research and noticed a growing number of Crohn's suffers sighting the benefits of medicinal marijuana. So being in pretty bad pain I felt I had nothing to lose and tried it. In a few weeks the gut swelling had diminished and the majority of my pain was gone. Needless to say, I was sold. I had been around pot my whole life, I'm sure there's plenty of you at there that know exactly what I'm talking about, but until then simply had no interest. I was all for it being legalized, but never had a need or want. Now I all but need it to be functional. Anyway, I think that's enough about me, lets get on to the main event shall we?
So, I ordered my first LED bulbs, seeds (blueberry cough, courtesy of Nirvanashop.com), and nutrients during the middle of last winter and started to grow. My first plant was, to say the least, not impressive. It stood perhaps 8" tall and produced probably less then an 1/8th. The smoke wasn't bad, but I knew I had a lot to learn. My first blubs where two TriBand spectrum one spotlights running blue 460-470nm and red 645-655 nm, though I was only using one. Now I'm using a 7 band 135 watt UFO running 660nm Deep Red 630nm Bright Red 460nm Bright Blue 430nm Deep Blue 10,000 Kelvin White/Blue spectrum 390 nm UV Light and 850nm InfraRed, and so far I love it, though my second plant is growing slow, mostly do to my inexperience.
My available space as noted above is roughly 5'x5'x8', and I'm trying to decide how to best use the space, what kind of lighting to invest in, strains to grow, nutriants. Well pretty much everything.
My goals are three fold.
1, personal supply. I want to always have what I need available for my use.
2, be able so supply my friends that also use medicinally.
3, If everything works out and I can best utilize my grow area, make some side income.
I'm planning to grow within Alaska medicinal use which allows a total of six plants, with three mature, and a total of one once prepared for use. My current idea for the use of my space is to use one wall, 5'x2'x8', to create six 20"x24"x36" self contained cells. Each cell will have it's own hydro/areo reservoir, it's own light source and timer, so I never have to move my plants around. The interior of the cells will be highly reflective to make best use of the light.
Alright, my first question.
If I were to go with my idea, at what point would light over kill be truly overkill? If price were no object, I would just spring for 6 864 watt 7 band LED panels, but with shipping that's likely to be almost $6500 bucks! Theoretically I could put two of those in each cell, but even I think 1728 watts per plant is akin to the nuclear option for Mr. Moneybags LOL. But a stoner can dream! More realistically I'm looking at the 432 watt 7 bands. Which gives me 108 watts of light per square foot. Given the area the plant will have to grow into think that's plenty?
Strains.
I currently still have a few blue berry cough seeds, a freebie bag of seeds from Nirvana and a tin of seeds a friend gave me from a seedy bag of bud they got. If I really wanted to I could grow 6 different strains at once, but I think to start I'm looking at two or three. And then can just swap in and out different strains and the spirit moves me. In the long run I want four solid strains, each for a different purpose. I want a good pain killer, as my back and neck always hurt, never mind the occasional stabbing abdominal pain. I want a good sleep aid, I don't sleep worth crap and pretty much have to take something to help me sleep. I want something that is a really good social high, I have anxiety issues as well, but this one I want more for when I have friends hang out and we're gaming and stuff. Then like any real stoner, I want something that is just straight up no hiding it potent.
Food.
Currently I'm using B'cuzz growth stimulator's and so far have been having good results, but I'm open to suggestions for better systems. My only requirement is they be organic. I don't want chemicals in my smoke.
So far the only book in the grow section of my library is 'Secrets of the Westcoast Masters' which is a great style of growing, but my space really won't allow me to take full advantage of it as prescribed, as you need something like 8 square feet per plant for optimum results. Something I don't have. If you have any suggestions for growers must have books I'm all ears.
I think that about covers it. I'm open to any and all critiques, suggestions, and insight you may all have.
Many thanks
Mad Hatter of Alaska
It's my first post guys, be nice!
I order my seeds from Nirvanashop.com
and everything else from htcsupply.com
