Noobs First Grow - First In Ten Years

[Noob4x4grow]

Hello fellow growers. I have been lurking around the site for the past couple of months and its finally time to start growing again. I have grown in the past (gorilla style). Now that I live in a marijuana friendly state, I figured it was time to start doing something that I used to love, again. I hope that the brain power of this site, collectively, can help me accomplish my goals of a perpetual garden to provide quality medicine for me and another MMJ patient. I have ordered my seeds and they are on their way now. I went with Peak Seeds BC because I liked the small business feel to their operation. Plus, they came highly recommended on this site and others. I decided for my first grow in over a decade, that I would go with Northern Lights and C99 for my first two strains. I plan to start 8 seeds, 4 of each strain, in seed starters under a dome. I ordered a T5 2ft 4 bulb light to start the seeds under. I plan to use Fox Farm Happy Frog for the vegetative stage and that leads me to my first of many questions.

1. When I transplant the seedlings to the Happy Frog soil mixed with 25% perlite, since there is already nutrients in the soil, should I not have to feed any additional nutrients until I transfer to the largest 3 gallon pots?
2. I plan on transferring from solo cups to 1 gallon pots, then to 3 gallon pots. I had planned on using iguana juice for veg and iguana juice bloom for flower. Will this be the easiest method for feeding starting out?

What I'm trying to accomplish in this first round is finding out the plant's sex and then the best phenotypes left of the females. So, I will be taking clones once i put the plants under the MH light . I'm hoping this will allow me to continue with a perpetual type of garden once I cull out the plants I don't want. Then, once the clones are going under the MH light, I should be able to cull those clones that are male before going into flower. I plan to veg in a 36" x 42" x 96" closet under a 600 watt MH light. I plan to flower in a 4x4 tent under 600 watt HPS. i plan to use a 4" inline fan for intake and an inline fan and carbon scrubber for exhaust into the attic and out a vent.

I know this is early in the process but I would like to get a dialogue going from the beginning to help prevent costly errors. Any encouragement and/or criticism is welcome. Thank You

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Pictures coming soon!

 

[Stinky Snid]

Very nice to have another member doing a journal. You won't regret it, there's tons of folks here eagerly wanting to help a fellow grower out. Wether with knowledge of simply some positive vibes these folks here dish out will make you a better grower.

KiG cheers

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Thanks for stopping by, Snid.

I can't wait to begin this grow. My seeds should be here any day!

 

[Hijinks]

Hey man - nice choice on the C99. Always one of my favorites. Hated the cheesey quality at first, but it grew on me

It sounds like you already have a pretty good idea of what you are doing - I am subbed for some quality ganja

1. When I transplant the seedlings to the Happy Frog soil mixed with 25% perlite, since there is already nutrients in the soil, should I not have to feed any additional nutrients until I transfer to the largest 3 gallon pots?
2. I plan on transferring from solo cups to 1 gallon pots, then to 3 gallon pots. I had planned on using iguana juice for veg and iguana juice bloom for flower. Will this be the easiest method for feeding starting out?

Most advice that I have seen is that after the 5th node or 3-4 weeks is an appropriate time to start feeding your plants. This is pretty subjective, however. It can depend on what strain you are growing, how long they are grown for in each container, etc. Another piece of advice I see commonly is to cut the nutrient's recommended feeding schedule in 1/2 or 1/4 - less is more. Almost all strains like an extra kick of nitrogen in the first two weeks of bloom as well (presumably due to their stretch phase), even though I haven't seen that on a feeding schedule.

I like to go solo cup -> 1 gallon -> 5 gallon -> 15 gallon, but I have a lot of space to work with. Plants seem to grow to about 3-4x your pot size, so this can help you plan accordingly when filling up your space. I also use a veg & bloom combo for nutrients which seems to work really well. Occasionally I will add a kelp mix, but I'm not sure how much this is actually helping.

Depending on where you live and the temp of your intake, you might experience temps that are above ideal if your lights are not air cooled tubes. Also keep an eye on your humidity if you are drawing air straight from the outside. Low humidity is fine in both veg and flower, but high humidity will ruin a crop.

Can't wait to see some pics!

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Photos as promised. I am hoping this gives a visual look into my thinking about how this grow will go. I know there will be many additions, and possibly, subtractions to my grow. Again, any pointers are much appreciated.

The grow spaces:

The Lights:

The Vessels:

The Medium:

The Nutrients:

The Strains:

Peak Seeds Northern Lights
Pure Strain
Product code: NL
Type/subspecies*: Mostly indica
Flowering period**: 8-9 weeks indoor
Potency: Strong
Growth Pattern: Medium/short height, stout, uniform, productive branching.
Breeders comment: Couchlock, medicinal-use, low-odor, simple and easy to grow. Classic, original, indoor strain.

C-99
No information on Peak's website but I have read many good things about this strain. I am relying on Mike at Peak seeds to help me out via email.

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Thank You Hijinks for the sub and for the helpful information. I was planning on "watering down" my nutrients like you said. I don't want any nutrient problems that may stunt growth. Less is more for me. I was thinking for my space that the 3 gallon is the largest I can go due to the limited room. I am hoping to cull the boys from the girls to get more room and I might possibly go to the 5 gallon pots then but if I germinate 8 seeds and end up with 7 girls, that will be hard to go that big. I could be wrong though. I'm going to be getting a window AC unit to cool the room that the tent and closet get their intake air from. I will vent the closet out the attic vent and I will vent the tent out the other window in the room. I would rather be growing in the basement but my daughter has taken that space for her own until she goes off to college. So, for now, I will be growing from my little man cave room that has been alloted to me.

Again, thank you for your reply and help!

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Waiting for seeds in the mail is like a kid counting down the days until Christmas. Neither can wait to open their presents.

It's not like Canada is far away. I could have walked to Victoria by now.

Patience is not a virtue I have mastered yet. I wish I could just hurry up and learn it already. Jeeze

Here's some bud porn while we're waiting:

mmmmmm Northern Lights

 

[Noob4x4grow]

My seeds still aren't here.

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Should I abandon this journal until they are here. I feel as though I'm wasting a lot of people's time until I have my seeds

 

[TheRocket]

Subscribed

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Thanks for stopping by Rocket. Nothing to see until I get my seeds. They were supposed to be here yesterday. We shall see...

 

[welshpony]

subbing in to this, cant wait to see your grow florish and bloom!

Im just starting my 2nd grow ive decided to go with bio-bizz grow and bloom got some 6.5gal pots waiting for the transplant. Gonna upgrade to HID soon to, im running 105w cfl @6400k atm

 

[Niblet 420]

Hi Noob4x4grow,

nice set up, I like the "Northern lights" good choice, indica short and sweet. I'd never heard of C99, i have know!.
just read a bunch of stuff on it and decided, that's the next one for me.

Be patience buddy, nothing damages expectations quicker, get a Jewellers Lens Glass (if you haven't already) the trichomes tell all to those who look.

happy day

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Thanks for the words of encouragement Niblet. I appreciate it.
On the bright side, my t5 lights, nutes, and plant trays came in today. It was fun unboxing my presents.
I will upload pictures of the light i hung in my closet. I will want some advice about where to situate the clone / seedling section and the veg station.

 

[Noob4x4grow]

I will be running my T5 at first. I think it is somewhere around 96 watts for the 4 bulbs combined. They are all 6400 lumen bulbs.

 

[SweetSue]

Here you are. Let me back up and read, then come back and edit.

 

[STIHL LOGGER]

Ahhhh Shittt Sonnn! Ya got Queen Sue up in here nowww. You probably dont know it but ya just won the fo two ohh lotto bud. I read ALOT of her threads before I joined here. Shes an amazing gardener and a stellar human. If she offers ya advice... Ya write that down, make copies of it, staple it to the wall and have it tattoed on ya chest. Shes not Member Of The Year for nothin my friend! Youre in good hands. We got ya.

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Ahhhh Shittt Sonnn! Ya got Queen Sue up in here nowww. You probably dont know it but ya just won the fo two ohh lotto bud. I read ALOT of her threads before I joined here. Shes an amazing gardener and a stellar human. If she offers ya advice... Ya write that down, make copies of it, staple it to the wall and have it tattoed on ya chest. Shes not Member Of The Year for nothin my friend! Youre in good hands. We got ya.

I can't even express how excited and anxious I am to have SweetSue on board to help me with this endeavor. She is freakin awesome and I will take her advice any time she gives it to me. I know it sounds fanboy, but I kind of look at her like royalty on this site. Just my opinion.
You aren't a bad gardener yourself, LOGGER! I checked out your grow. Very similar to one of the grows I did in Texas in my closet. Your set up is way better than what I was running at the time. I will have to sub up.

 

[Noob4x4grow]

Sue!!!!!!! I'm honored