Ganja_babe's First Grow (Budget, Closet, Soil, White Widow)

[ganja_babe]

I finally started my grow today! We're totally broke right now so things are coming in stages as we can afford them. Right now we've got four white widow seeds from nirvana in four 5 gallon pots planted in Miracle Grow Moisture soil. It's this soil that's supposed to lock in moisture, and it's really fluffy and rich, but it was cheap so I'm a little suspicious. I really want to do it right, but I'd rather get one crappy grow under my belt and then upgrade the second time around than wait until I can afford everything. So far we have 8 CFLs going, and plan to have a 250 watt HPS by the time we flower them. Tomorrow we will board everything up so that they light is better reflected. The CFLs say that they're 23 watts each but with a 100 watt output. I don't know if I buy that. All in all, the closet is 5' tall, 3' wide and 1.5' deep. I'll put up pics later.

 

[DankCloset]

bad choice in soil. all i have to say is know before you grow, my classic line. next time you go to buy soil, foxfarm or scotts with added phosphorus, good for roots ;D $85 bucks for 250watter with batwing reflector.
https://www.insidesun.com/index.php?action=category&id=2&subid=1&start=0

 

[iadburner]

MG will work fine for your budget, just not the best or cheapest. I like to mix some peat moss with 20% perlite and 20% clay based potting soil. This would be a much cheaper option for you and will be great for the plants.

 

[GanjaMan417]

Keep everyone posted on this grow, Im looking forward to see how everything goes. That white widow should be some good bud in the end if everything goes as planned. Sounds like you guys have things under control and thought out pretty well, much better then when I did my first grow.. Remember the more you read and more grows you experiment with the better future grows will turn out...

 

[ganja_babe]

Thanks for all the replies, guys! I know my soil is crap; the Home Depot near me had poor selection and we didn't have enough time to buy online. Hopefully we can gradually upgrade the grow as it goes along, although I know that we're starting at a disadvantage. We're just trying to end up with an ounce or two for us, so I think we'll be able to pull it off.

 

[kaotiksplashman]

lol that's funny. You know when i started out I used 2 CFL's that produced about 5000 lumens for veg growing then bought a 400w metal halide for flower (Not as good as HPS for flowering but it does the job!) I'm about one week into flowering right now, but I've been using that maricle grow potting soil you have. Seems to be working just fine! The plant is very healthy and growing every day. Keep us updated with some pics!

 

[cement head]

the planst will grow awesum in mg but they say it taste like shit never used it myself till now iam trying it in half my grow but when iwater make sure iget it all wet so it absobes it all quicker i run 2litres of water through then let it bottom feed on the the overflow for 3 to 4 days it varys in hopes to flush it all out in pales 2 and a half months and iam not using any nutes in the mg plants

 

[BlackTurboTeg]

Using MG, make sure at the end you flush your soil with tons of water.

 

[ganja_babe]

Pics finally! Here are our plants at day 10. Is this a fair rate of growth? I have no idea what they should look like at 10 days. I'm contemplating how long to veg the plants due to space constraints; any ideas?

 

[RooRman]

bad choice in soil. all i have to say is know before you grow, my classic line. next time you go to buy soil, foxfarm or scotts with added phosphorus, good for roots ;D $85 bucks for 250watter with batwing reflector.
https://www.insidesun.com/index.php?action=category&id=2&subid=1&start=0

Same one I have. If you like waiting forever for your light and you don't mind the hideous humming noise that it will make when in operation, then go for it. Insidesun.com is one of the WORST companies I have ever dealt with in all my years of mail-ordering things.

On another note, I would have tried growing some bagseeds before growing the White Widow. That way you could learn and see what works and what doesn't with seeds that aren't really worth anything.

 

[ganja_babe]

that sounds like a perfect plan. We'll wait till they're a foot tall and then flower.

So the insidesun lights don't work very well RooRman? I was going to buy from them; is there any other semi-cheap place I can buy from?

Thanks for all the comments!

 

[RooRman]

For a first time grow though, why not learn with bagseeds? I understad what you are saying, that plants of a specified strain will grow more uniformly and predictably, making them easier to take care of in that respect. But they are also worth money and perhaps would make you much happier if you did them as another grow, after you got your bearings with growing plants, because you will then know almost exactly what to do and they will end up producing more.

Plus if you kill bagseed plants by accident while learning, big deal. If you kill a White Widow plant, then that kind of sucks.

 

[GanjaMan417]

Lookin good ganjababe.. lookin nice and healthy

 

[DankCloset]

ganja, move those plants up. they are going to get root bound in no time. move them up into 5 gal grow bags.

 

[RooRman]

Thanks InYourEndo, that sounds like a perfect plan. We'll wait till they're a foot tall and then flower.

So the insidesun lights don't work very well RooRman? I was going to buy from them; is there any other semi-cheap place I can buy from?

Thanks for all the comments!

I am speaking out of my experience with them alone. I bought the "refurbished" 250w HPS system from them for $85. The ballast is more like used than refurb. with many scratches and bangs on it. It also produces a loud hum when operating, but thankfully still works. Also, it is in the basement where the humming annoys no one. However, I imagine this would be horribly annoying if you had it, say for instance, in your bedroom closet.

Not only that but the customer service was TERRIBLE if existant at all. The guy ran out of bulbs, and didn't even bother to notify me that this had occured and would delay shipping. He is lazy, with horrible business practices and ethics, plain and simple. What kind of business does not even give you an invoice with your purchase? Shotty, very shotty indeed.

On another note, www.tastyharvest.com is the complete opposite. Based out of NJ, they are a kind and very caring business that never ceases to please me. They carry light, hydro supplies, as well as the full line of Fox Farm Organic Nutrients. I have bought from them multiple times I was so pleased. If you give them a call, they will hook you up for sure. Also, if you live in the New England area, you may wait as little as one day to recieve your package with standard shipping. Excellent people, excellent service, I cannot say enough good things about them.

The difference, after dealing with shitty insidesun.com, becomes clearly evident and is like night and day.

 

[ganja_babe]

DankCloset- I thought these were 5 gal tubs, are they too small? I guess I can transplant them and get them better soil at the same time, yes? What grow bags do you recommend?

RooRman- It's actually hard to come across bagseed here, and we got the cheap Nirvana White Widow for like $30. And I don't think I'd be as motivated to take care of bagseed. I'm glad that I sprung for the Widow, but I definitely see your point. And thanks so much for the insider info on the lights; that buzzing noise would have been balls annoying!

 

[RooRman]

RooRman- It's actually hard to come across bagseed here, and we got the cheap Nirvana White Widow for like $30. And I don't think I'd be as motivated to take care of bagseed. I'm glad that I sprung for the Widow, but I definitely see your point. And thanks so much for the insider info on the lights; that buzzing noise would have been balls annoying!

No problem. If you can get the good seeds easily, by all means, grow them up! Try tastyharvest.com, they may not have used lights for cheap, but you will get a new one that actually works properly. Which I wouldn't have minded paying more for something that does not hum.

I went with insidesun.com because I heard nothing but good things. But as of late, others have had an experience more like my own rather than the pleasent ones that initiated me to place an order with them.

 

[ganja_babe]

Week-two updates: I think they're doing pretty well, but some of the leaves are curling slightly (no discoloration) and there's some weird-looking stuff in the soil. I'm going to try and research it but if anyone has any info to pass on I'd be grateful.

 

[Urdedpal]

Are those ten inch pots? If so they are 1 gallon or so. Next time fill the pots up with soil but yea you should transplant into bigger before you flower.
Just a suggestion. They look healthy.

 

[SmokeSessions]

at Home De Pot you should have been able to get some peat moss for like $5 or $6 for an entire 97 litre bag (aw shit, i dont speak american, so dont know what that would be in gallons). Then buy from walmart some perlite and vermiculite.. its about $4 here in Canada... that would have been the way to go. Also, Miracle Grow is definately NOT the best way to go. But if you must, use MG for tomatoes.. they are similar to the pot plant