LoveYourLife's First Grow. Closet w/bagseed.

[LoveYourLife]

Okay so to start this off I'll have you all know that I have been reading these forums religiously for the past week now, and finally decided to give it a shot myself. This is my first grow ever, I've done lots of reading on here and I'm pretty sure I have the basic concept down.

About two weeks ago I went off on a whim and threw together some stuff I had laying around the house in an attempt to grow something tasty. I have some organic soil stuff that you mix with dirt or you can, it says it has guano, worm castings and other stuff, and there are a lot of wood chips or something similar. Good stuff.

I went over to my buddy's house the other day to discover that he has tons of lights, I guess he used to work for a clinic. He sold me (three) 4 foot flouro rigs with a board across the tops to keep them together, with 5 blue spectrum tubes and a red one. That's basically all I have light-wise. I am also broke so purchasing anything whatsoever is not an option, thus making this a very experimental grow, with low expectations but still a little bit of hope.

My friend who sold me the lights also gave me quite a few supposed good quality seeds, although I have no idea what strain they are. I put them to germinate in a peat moss plastic germinator apparatus in attempts to maybe grow something about a week ago, still nothing. Meanwhile, two sprouts came up from a couple of seeds out of a previous sack that I had just thrown in the little pots.

At first they took very long to make any noticeable growth, but now they're speeding it up. I'd say they are about 4 days from sprouting. I also acquired 2 days ago what I was told to be a Master Kush clone. The idiot that owned it before me took 6 nodes of leaves off leaving it looking like a humiliated palm tree I transplanted it into a black pot (not sure what size, half gallon maybe) and have been spending lots of time with it ever since I got it. It is now developing little growth spots where all of the leaves got ripped off, as well as making significant progress growth wise on the top. I tied it down today, trying my hand at LST, hopefully all goes well. It is about 11 or 12 inches tall, I will post pictures once they're approved.

I am very curious as to why my seeds are taking forever to germinate. I know I'm a noob but I've tried to grow plenty of times, and every time I would get the germinating part down no problem, hell, they'd even sprout super fast if I threw them in dirt. I just never had the right conditions to carry out the whole plant growing process. I know the seeds aren't bad because they finally cracked yesterday, but they still won't grow. A week? I have a peat moss thing that I can open to check and it gave me a crack but no more grow.

I'm sorry if I'm talking your eyes out, I have a lot of beginner's curiosity lol...

By the way, I'm growing in my closet, there's a fan and I hung the three light rig from the bar that goes across the top for coat hangers. With shoelaces. Oh yeah. lol

 

[LoveYourLife]

 

[Siscokid]

Okay so to start this off I'll have you all know that I have been reading these forums religiously for the past week now, and finally decided to give it a shot myself. This is my first grow ever, I've done lots of reading on here and I'm pretty sure I have the basic concept down.

About two weeks ago I went off on a whim and threw together some stuff I had laying around the house in an attempt to grow something tasty. I have some organic soil stuff that you mix with dirt or you can, it says it has guano, worm castings and other stuff, and there are a lot of wood chips or something similar. Good stuff.

I went over to my buddy's house the other day to discover that he has tons of lights, I guess he used to work for a clinic. He sold me (three) 4 foot flouro rigs with a board across the tops to keep them together, with 5 blue spectrum tubes and a red one. That's basically all I have light-wise. I am also broke so purchasing anything whatsoever is not an option, thus making this a very experimental grow, with low expectations but still a little bit of hope.

My friend who sold me the lights also gave me quite a few supposed good quality seeds, although I have no idea what strain they are. I put them to germinate in a peat moss plastic germinator apparatus in attempts to maybe grow something about a week ago, still nothing. Meanwhile, two sprouts came up from a couple of seeds out of a previous sack that I had just thrown in the little pots.

At first they took very long to make any noticeable growth, but now they're speeding it up. I'd say they are about 4 days from sprouting. I also acquired 2 days ago what I was told to be a Master Kush clone. The idiot that owned it before me took 6 nodes of leaves off leaving it looking like a humiliated palm tree I transplanted it into a black pot (not sure what size, half gallon maybe) and have been spending lots of time with it ever since I got it. It is now developing little growth spots where all of the leaves got ripped off, as well as making significant progress growth wise on the top. I tied it down today, trying my hand at LST, hopefully all goes well. It is about 11 or 12 inches tall, I will post pictures once they're approved.

I am very curious as to why my seeds are taking forever to germinate. I know I'm a noob but I've tried to grow plenty of times, and every time I would get the germinating part down no problem, hell, they'd even sprout super fast if I threw them in dirt. I just never had the right conditions to carry out the whole plant growing process. I know the seeds aren't bad because they finally cracked yesterday, but they still won't grow. A week? I have a peat moss thing that I can open to check and it gave me a crack but no more grow.

I'm sorry if I'm talking your eyes out, I have a lot of beginner's curiosity lol...

By the way, I'm growing in my closet, there's a fan and I hung the three light rig from the bar that goes across the top for coat hangers. With shoelaces. Oh yeah. lol

Hey LYL, though you say its just an experiment, once you see those puppies start taking off I think you will be doing a little spending. Thats the nature of the beast. I started an experiment a couple of months ago and a couple hundred bucks and a few holes for air exchange later I have what is no longer a simple experiment, its on for real.
I know in the back of your mind you probably think if it doesn't work than nothing is lost but what if it does start working? Then you have to make some adjustments like light proofing that closet and air exchange. MJ starts to smell up a small closet so you would probably want to do something about that before its too late.
Just throwing it out there for ya, I don't want to discourage you but I guess I just want to see those baby's do well and you too. Like I said I'm a noob but there are plenty of experienced hands here to help and check out some journals and closet set ups. Good luck and hope you stop by my grow to get and idea of what I mean.Papay/Jungle Wreck and "living dead"

 

[stully]

Hey good luck man I just started a grow for the first time as well. I have pretty much the same set-up as you(minus the shoestrings). i was having problem with the seedling stage as well. It just seemed like they weren'y growin. But I guess a watched pot won't boil. Once again good luck and keep us all posted.

 

[Sparker]

Man I can sympathize with being broke. I'll be honest with you though and tell you growing with flourescents doesn't work. Just not enough light and if they do manage to make it full term the buds will be scrawny, sad, and taste like shit.

For all your efforts it is so much easier buying a cheap 250-400 watt HPS light. You can even go to places like stealitback where they auction off loads of growing gear. Bought a 1,000 watt from them for 80 bucks WITH the light. Only drawback was the cords are cut at the plug for some odd reason but they're easily replaced.

Anyway not trying to be negative but trying to grow buds with strictly flourescent will lead to frustration and disappointment. Don't be surprised you walk in one day and they've all keeled over. Flourescents are great for seedlings/clones/mother plants and that's about it.

 

[dfw-guy]

Good luck keep us posted and nice carpet

 

[Siscokid]

Man I can sympathize with being broke. I'll be honest with you though and tell you growing with flourescents doesn't work. Just not enough light and if they do manage to make it full term the buds will be scrawny, sad, and taste like shit.

For all your efforts it is so much easier buying a cheap 250-400 watt HPS light. You can even go to places like stealitback where they auction off loads of growing gear. Bought a 1,000 watt from them for 80 bucks WITH the light. Only drawback was the cords are cut at the plug for some odd reason but they're easily replaced.

Anyway not trying to be negative but trying to grow buds with strictly flourescent will lead to frustration and disappointment. Don't be surprised you walk in one day and they've all keeled over. Flourescents are great for seedlings/clones/mother plants and that's about it.

I have to post this other journal so you can see what can be done with flouros Mr.GrowitAll- GREENHOUSE SEED CO. SATIVA/INDICA COLORED MIX A/LOWRIDER 2 x AK-47-2009 good luck

 

[Sparker]

I have to post this other journal so you can see what can be done with flouros Mr.GrowitAll- GREENHOUSE SEED CO. SATIVA/INDICA COLORED MIX A/LOWRIDER 2 x AK-47-2009 good luck

Yeah bro I wish you the best of luck! Some people have done some amazing shit with flouro's but i'm not one of them

When I very first started growing I experimented with them and it just isn't the same as a MH or HPS light of the same voltage. The buds were scrawny and the weed was unsmokeable. Plants would just keel over and die for no reason. Bottom line it made growing very hard/unsmokeable bud when it is very easy with a good light. The lumens just don't have the umph.

I look forward to seeing your progress. Prove me wrong dude!

 

[Retired One]

I'll be honest with you though and tell you growing with flourescents doesn't work. Just not enough light and if they do manage to make it full term the buds will be scrawny, sad, and taste like shit.

Wrong...very wrong. Flouros will grow fine. Get the right kelvin rating (6500k for veg, 2700k for flower) and keep the lights 2-3" from the top of the plant. Flouros do not penetrate as well as HID lighting, so a number of people utilize the SoG/SCRoG methods when growing with them to help with the lack of light penetration. There are benefits to using flouros as well. They use much less energy. Heat rarely becomes an issue. The replacement cost of bulbs is much lower. Will you get the same yield from flouros as you would from HID? No, probably not, but to say that they don't grow is not right. There are many grows in the Journals in Progress section of the grow room, that are using tube flouros as well as cfls with great success.

 

[Lilstinky420]

Ahhh, the first grow, gonna be a cool experience if everything pans out well. Ive seen decent buds with floros on the net, even some amazing floro grows. I dont like to leave my house with my HID's on, so i put my floros on when i do leave for more than like 4 hours, i guess it's like simulating a cloudy day lol.

 

[Sparker]

To each their own I guess. All I have is my personal experience to go by and it wasn't good. The only thing that changed was the light and I never looked back.

Yes you can grow even bud weed with them. The weed tasted like shit and you could tell something was wrong. Changed to a HPS light and got badass crystalized buds with 1/2 the effort.

I still use flourescents for clones and mother plants and they work great in that capacity.

If you can make it work more power to you! Buds grown under flourescent isn't HPS/MH weed that's my opinion and sticking to it.

 

[LoveYourLife]

a little bit of growth since yesterday...

To everyone who responded, thank you for the feedback; both positive and negative. I expected what was said about the flouros, but I'm half way through reading the journal Siscokid posted and I am not discouraged. I'm working on getting some money together for nutes at least, as I can see myself getting into this as more than an experiment. That's today's update, thanks again for everyone's feedback.

 

[LoveYourLife]

PS started LSTing to try my hand at it, how long do I leave them tied down for?

 

[stully]

Hey I was growing with fluros to and people were giving me some crap too, but the deal is you grow with what you got. I got a 400 HPS today from a guy on craigslist for 50 bucks bulb and all. Check around, maybe you can find something.

 

[Siscokid]

Damn! bend over bitch! lol..... the plant. Looks good I think its permanent, although some have started lst and a couple of months later they released it. I think it is a wise choice since the flouro lights can't penetrate the upper leaves so the lower ones don't bud as much and the plant starts to think the top bud is in trouble so it starts sprouting replacement buds to take its place... or something like that. I did one of mine too today, Jane is assuming the position and she is only a week in flower chamber. keep it up man.

 

[Sparker]

Sorry if I seemed negative because I would never think of discouraging someone from growing!

Just trying to be realistic and help you out is all! Like the guy above me said he got a light + bulb for 50$. You should save up and buy yourself one because you will not regret it. My first grows were flourescent and for all the extra effort, extra time to grow, etc...looking back I was kicking myself for not getting a HPS earlier.

Grow on my brotha grow on!

 

[LoveYourLife]

Absolutely not, don't be sorry. I find each opinion and preference educational, not discouraging. I will go for a HID light if I happen to become able to afford it, but for now I'm making do with what's around. I just rigged up some sheets as walls in the weed side of my closet to pose as makeshift walls. It's embarrassing and looks like a child made it as a fort, but it works kind of I may or may not post pics.

 

[LoveYourLife]

Okay, small update. I found a weird bug on the MK plant, which has some growth since yesterday as well. I accidentally left the smaller seedling out of the closet last night so it got some dark time, hopefully no damage was done. The bug smelled funny kind of tart when I squished it, and I had found two other ones last night in my room, a first for my room. as for the peat moss germinator thing, I opened up all the little cube things and spread them out in the tray, poking holes and placing the seeds in them. It's been about if not a little over a week since they've been in there and nothing. I'm thinking crappy seeds although they looked excellent. I did everything right and I've never had this probrem before. Here are pics.

 

[KannabisKid]

Good luck on your grow. Not sure of the distance the light is from the plants, but remember to keep them as close as possible with cfls. I used peat disks that expanded when wet for germing. I kept them warm by setting them on top of the aquarium light til they popped, then focused on the light.
As far as being embarrassed about the setup, don't be. Work with what you have. You will get some low-dollar ideas from everyone around here. One option I can throw at you is to get a cardboard wardrobe box from a moving company, paint the inside white with spraypaint and rig up your lights in that and alter for air circulation as well. It will reflect light and keep the noticeability down. Not sure if that's an option for you, but it's what I was thinking about doing when I got started.

 

[LoveYourLife]

Thanks KannabisKid, The lights are kept as close as I can get them, the MK and the seedlings are different heights so I have one on a dresser drawer and the others on books to even them out a bit. I saw a dresser that had been gutted and used as a little cabinet with decent looking results so I am working on that, I put the smallest seedling under 12/12 in the dresser with a two foot flouro and a 13w cfl just to see what'll happen, I want a variety of things going to see what works best, I'm probably buying a small HPS this weekend if things go well. Also I had a question, the master kush plant so far is only growing three point leaves, how long until they reach 5+?