Hi: I plan to start my first grow in a couple of weeks and am hoping that a few experienced growers here will will give me their constructive critisisms on my plans. For starters, I don't have a lot of money, and only a few bag seeds from some mediocre grass. (I'm usually too broke to buy, that's why I'd like to try to grow my own.) I'm really leary about buying seeds on line that have to come through customs. Besides, $30 for 10 seeds can be better utilized elsewhere.
I plan to germinate by soaking them in some warm spring water for 8-12 hours, then putting them in wet paper towels. That seems to be the prefered method by most on this site. Then I'll transfer them to 1 gallon milk jugs cut down to about 3/4 gallon. For soil, I'm going to use 3 parts top soil, 2 parts composted cow manure (both from Lowes), 1 part sand, and one part pearlite. Q. Should I poke holes in the bottom of my pots? Should I use any kind of root stimulator?
I plan to start them inside around March 6th in the same box I also use to start my tomatoes, peppers and broccoli. It's only 15 inches wide, but 2feet high, and 4 feet long. It has 2 sets of 4 foot fluros in it (40 watts/bulb). I plan to keep the plants in that untill near the first of May when I will transplant them into 3 and 5 gallon buckets, and move them to a larger grow area I'm building in an outdoor shed which will have 3 sets of flouros (each w/1 cool and 1 warm bulb), but I plan to trash the fixtures, and use plywood to space the bulbs out more. This is the best lighting I can afford at the moment. Q. How much difference would it make if I picked up a couple of those 4' "Sun Spectrum" type fluro bulbs? I can get 3 or 4 of the regular bulbs for what one of those costs.
I don't plan to fert too much since I'm using composted manure, but once I move them into the shed (or once they get about 18" tall, which ever comes first), I plan to put them into 12/12 and give them the flowering plant nutes, high in phos. Q. Does anyone here ever water w/peroxide to provide the roots w/oxygen? How often, and do you dilute it?
I plan to have an ocilating fan on them 24/7, and I plan to provide CO2 by fermenting sugar w/brewers yeast. (I know, it's time consuming, and not all that reliable, but it's a cheap source of additional CO2!) I don't feel the need to provide added ventilation other than keeping the doors cracked open as often as possible. I don't plan on folliar feed, and as of right now, I don't know too much about "flushing". What are the benifits/draw backs?
Sorry I've gotten so long winded. What do you think? Have I forgoten anything? Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.
Vin
I plan to germinate by soaking them in some warm spring water for 8-12 hours, then putting them in wet paper towels. That seems to be the prefered method by most on this site. Then I'll transfer them to 1 gallon milk jugs cut down to about 3/4 gallon. For soil, I'm going to use 3 parts top soil, 2 parts composted cow manure (both from Lowes), 1 part sand, and one part pearlite. Q. Should I poke holes in the bottom of my pots? Should I use any kind of root stimulator?
I plan to start them inside around March 6th in the same box I also use to start my tomatoes, peppers and broccoli. It's only 15 inches wide, but 2feet high, and 4 feet long. It has 2 sets of 4 foot fluros in it (40 watts/bulb). I plan to keep the plants in that untill near the first of May when I will transplant them into 3 and 5 gallon buckets, and move them to a larger grow area I'm building in an outdoor shed which will have 3 sets of flouros (each w/1 cool and 1 warm bulb), but I plan to trash the fixtures, and use plywood to space the bulbs out more. This is the best lighting I can afford at the moment. Q. How much difference would it make if I picked up a couple of those 4' "Sun Spectrum" type fluro bulbs? I can get 3 or 4 of the regular bulbs for what one of those costs.
I don't plan to fert too much since I'm using composted manure, but once I move them into the shed (or once they get about 18" tall, which ever comes first), I plan to put them into 12/12 and give them the flowering plant nutes, high in phos. Q. Does anyone here ever water w/peroxide to provide the roots w/oxygen? How often, and do you dilute it?
I plan to have an ocilating fan on them 24/7, and I plan to provide CO2 by fermenting sugar w/brewers yeast. (I know, it's time consuming, and not all that reliable, but it's a cheap source of additional CO2!) I don't feel the need to provide added ventilation other than keeping the doors cracked open as often as possible. I don't plan on folliar feed, and as of right now, I don't know too much about "flushing". What are the benifits/draw backs?
Sorry I've gotten so long winded. What do you think? Have I forgoten anything? Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.
Vin