Greetings from a 'Nam era Noob

DimWit

New Member
I genuinely appreciate what you are doing here. Those commenting are providing useful info to me as I research before my first attempt at grow.

A little personal background:

I found out, about eight weeks ago, that something in cannabis allowed me to sleep more than 4 hours at a stretch for the first time in over 20 years (since traumatic brain and spinal injuries suffered in a rear-end car accident). The roach-induced sleep experience actually brought me to tears when I awoke after 8 hours of genuine, rejuvenating SLEEP! I felt "normal" for the first time in decades. I can't begin to explain how incredible that felt. It was like an avalanche of memories ... of the way things used-to-be. Nothing short of astounding!

That one roach (offered to me by a total stranger) set me on a Google Quest to find out more about this stuff. I researched medical benefits of cannabis chemical components, Michigan Medical Marijuana Card requirements, etc.

I got my Michigan Medical MJ Card two weeks ago, and was ready to hit the Amazon Purchase Button to speed my "researched" first grow room necessities ... a fast and loose, Dollar$tore/HomeDepot CFL & shiney foil, VERY low budget tiny closet affair with no idea where to get decent quality seeds or clones. WHEW! Try sayin' all that in one breath!

Don't even talk to me about water or stink ... or farggin' NUTES!!

Luckily, I stumbled across a handful of intriquing inter-linked YouTubes, blogs, forum discussions, etc., which caused me to postpone hitting that dreaded Amazon Purchase Button.

It was quickly dawning on me that my low budget approach would cost me far more in the long term than if I just jumped straight to the rational Sweet Spot for my needs. Even though getting me to that "rational" Sweet Spot would require some serious belt-tightening due to increased initial expenses, as well as delaying my first grow gratification (OR disappointment) indefinitely, I am becoming more and more convinced that my decision to postpone my first grow is the correct decision.

What convinced me that postponement was a good idea? Two things:

1. I was becoming intrigued by many things in the Cannabis Realm and KNEW that I would be in this for the long haul ... and I wanted to do it right.

2. My recent experience in transitioning from smoking tobacco to vaping e-cigs taught me a few lessons ... not the least of which was that IF I had skipped ahead to the then E-cig Sweet Spot (identified through rational Google/research) in the E-Cig Realm, I could have saved hundreds of dollars (and a lot of disappointment and distraction) over what I spent while taking the Low Budget (Scenic Tour) over the last year and a half.

Well ... THREE thingies. As with the recent explosion in E-Cig Technology, Cannabis Grow Technology seems to be SCREAMING along on many levels ... and will likely accelerate for years to come. Lower prices and/or better quailty, etc.

OK ... FOUR thingies! Postponing may well have spared me some serious legal heartache and pain. It appears that having and using a Medical Marijuana Card here in Michigan may NOT be as "legal" as I had thought. It appears that there is a lot of SLACK in the way that police, judges, prosecutors, employers and landlords can interpret, and even ABUSE the Michigan Medical Marijuana Laws.

In short, the LAW is NOT SETTLED on this issue in Michigan. Innocent Med Card holders have been physically, financially, and emotionally damaged due to the vagaries of the existing Michigan Marijuana Laws.

I would encourage new Michigan Med MJ Card holders to look closely at what our "Real World" Legal Rights are, rather than blindly acting on what WE HOPE The Law is (as practiced in the Real World ... TODAY). It's still an Underground/Shadowy Community here in Michigan. We are still under threat ... under threat of Legal, Workplace, and Housing abuse. It's UNSETTLED LAW here in Michigan.

Be on your toes ... Sativa? Get Smart ... and SHARE your Smarts with others.

Honestly ... Last One! ... I've lived with my pain and other related issues for over twenty years ... I can man-up for a few more weeks


My biggest concern involves the increasing INTRUSION by Big Business and their multi-level Government lackeys.... like Monsanto, Michigan State Legislators, and local law enforcement entities. I'd honestly HATE to see this gorgeous "Grass Roots Community" succumb to Stockholder and Electoral Greed.


LOL ... tl;dr

Hey! It's my first post! I'll try to be more brief in the future. I'm here and elsewhere for the duration, so re-familiarize yourselves with your Scroll Key


Again ... Thanks to ALL here who do so much for so many of us.

...DimWit
 
+1 and welcome .... if you want to grow meds for medical reasons, may I suggest growing organically.
Several reasons:

1) easy
2) healthy
3) Cost = much less costly that purchasing bottles that no matter what they print on the label, ARE NOT ORGANIC.
4) taste - this will be readily apparent when you VAPE organic vs chem grown.
5) did I mention HEALTHY?
6) quality
7) shelf life
8) sustainable - I grow no-til organic - I have pots that have been grown 10 rounds and are still going strong.
9) environmentally safe

I of course could go on...

Good luck with your growing endeavors.

Keep is green!

Here's a pic of a few ladies I've got going - spend about 5-10 minutes every other day watering and that's it!

Feel free to visit my journal and ask any ?? or make comments.

pics_12_20_2015_005.JPG
 
Welcome to the 420 Community DW :byebye::byebye:

I do agree with you that even though the laws claim it is legal, you should not take it for granted that the government will follow the laws. I live in Oregon where it is not only legal for medical but recreational as well. Trust me, I do not let anyone know I am growing, 1st off it is none of their business, 2nd loose lips sink ships and I have no faith in my government. Depending on how much you figure you will be consuming will largely define how much you will need to invest to get started. If you only figure on consuming a joint per day obviously you will not need a big grow operation.

Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the site.
 
Welcome to the 420 Community DW :byebye::byebye:

I do agree with you that even though the laws claim it is legal, you should not take it for granted that the government will follow the laws. I live in Oregon where it is not only legal for medical but recreational as well. Trust me, I do not let anyone know I am growing, 1st off it is none of their business, 2nd loose lips sink ships and I have no faith in my government. Depending on how much you figure you will be consuming will largely define how much you will need to invest to get started. If you only figure on consuming a joint per day obviously you will not need a big grow operation.

Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the site.

Thanks to all welcoming my sorry arse. At some point, I HOPE that I can give something back to this Community. I'm at the low end of the Learnin' Curve, but I hope to someday have something worthwhile to contribute. For now, my Learnin' Curve looks mighty steep, but the trek is too important to simply abandon simply because I didn't get my afternoon nap.

We've GOTTA keep this initiative moving forward ... NOW

... IF we back-slide and lose ground, it may take DECADES to get back to THIS position. It's time to belly up to the bar and make a STAND! Do NOT let this opportunity drift by.

...Dim
 
Hey! It's my first post! I'll try to be more brief in the future. I'm here and elsewhere for the duration, so re-familiarize yourselves with your Scroll Key

...DimWit

Don't you dare! Keep those words flowin' Dim. You've got things to say, and many of us here will very much enjoy reading them.


Thanks to all welcoming my sorry arse. At some point, I HOPE that I can give something back to this Community. I'm at the low end of the Learnin' Curve, but I hope to someday have something worthwhile to contribute. For now, my Learnin' Curve looks mighty steep, but the trek is too important to simply abandon simply because I didn't get my afternoon nap

It feels that way sometimes at first, that the curve is just about too steep. But we jumped in on Halloween of last year and I'm so glad we did. Incredibly rewarding experience even well before harvest.

I'm months behind on my TV watching, and very happy about that!


Welcome Dimwit, you are most assuredly in the right place.

:)
 
Thanks to all welcoming my sorry arse. At some point, I HOPE that I can give something back to this Community. I'm at the low end of the Learnin' Curve, but I hope to someday have something worthwhile to contribute. For now, my Learnin' Curve looks mighty steep, but the trek is too important to simply abandon simply because I didn't get my afternoon nap.

We've GOTTA keep this initiative moving forward ... NOW

... IF we back-slide and lose ground, it may take DECADES to get back to THIS position. It's time to belly up to the bar and make a STAND! Do NOT let this opportunity drift by.

...Dim
1st off DW we all had to start somewhere so do not sell yourself short. Every voice counts and each and every voice has the potential to make a difference. For each person we educate , they will pass some if not all of that knowledge on to someone else, then that person can do the same. Granted some will be more educated then others but even if you merely educate one person about one fact that they have been believing to be a lie, then we are moving in the right direction. I see it like growing MJ, if I know something someone else does not know, I let them know my experience, but if it is something I don't know, I will suggest to them where they might get that answer, or even take the time to look it up for them.
I honestly believe the ball is rolling and it has become to big to stop. Granted I have no idea how long it will take before the feds wake up and smell the coffee, but that day is coming. And like the genie in the bottle when released, we are not going back into the bottle.

Welcome aboard my friend
 
Hey DimWit,

Welcme to the 420 family! I also started growing to ease my husband's insomnia and anxiety. We took a trip to Las Vegas this summer, but stayed in Colorado a few days. When my husband tried some indica dominant edibles, he slept for 7 hrs straight and did not have one panic attack. The trembles in hands even stopped. Since then, I made it my mission to grow his medicine so that we can wean him off so many unnecessary drugs. Not to mention, I love weed too!!!

So, I'm glad you were able to find relief. I watch my husband suffer and can't wait until my first grow is complete so that I can make him some edibles.

Good luck with your grow!
 
First of all, thank you for your service to this country. We all owe you just for that.
Secondly, keep talkin' we in this community love to see someone fired up about what needs to be done.
Thirdly, subscribe to some grow journals. you will see what fits you the best. There are as many ways of growing as there are strains to gorw.

My recommendation is to start with an organic soil like bobrown recommended. I know there are so many different soil recipes so I am going to recommend DocBuds soil kit. He is an active forum member and has worked out a complete growing kit where I have seen first time growers get results that seasoned veterans would be proud of. You buy his kit, a bag of eartworm castings and a blae of promix HP. Thats it. Thats all you need to grow six plants in 7 gallon pots. (light and pots too lol) No worries about pH, just follow the directions and get super healthy plants. The soil takes a month to "cook" and let the microbes digest the organics so that would give you time to read up and learn more.

As for lighting, if heat isnt too much of an issue I would recommend starting with a 600W or 1000W hps. The 600 will fit four plants and the 1000w all six plants. An hps is great because it has a good price point for entry and it is great for advanced grows as well. So no buying now and regretting later.
 
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