Hey there, so yet another 1st time grower here. Hoping to plot my progress for some help and feedback. As my username suggests I'm a complete noob grower when it comes to cannabis. I do have some low level gardening experience, mainly me watching my wife do stuff in the garden, but it's enough to keep a plant alive...for a while.
I've been a long time smoker and I clearly remember the 1st time I smoked good weed. A seemingly random night hanging out at the beach front when a mate showed up with White Rhino grown in hydroponics. The difference between smoking that and the random junky weed we smoked was almost life changing. Sadly for me actually getting more of it was near impossible and so the idea of growing my own became a dream of sorts. Fast Forward quite a few years and now I'm in a financial and hopefully legal place where I can actually attempt to do just that, recreate that special night of smoking not only good weed, but weed I grew myself.
As the title suggests I have invested in some equipment and I hope to keep adding to it as I progress, mostly in the light department and maybe a portable A.C. in summer. I got a bit carried away after deciding that it was time to start a grow. Started off with the idea of a cabinet grow and ended up in a small room.
But as far as growing cannabis plants go, I don't have any experience. There was that one time I grew a male plant in a smal pot, with crappy soil, bad light and over watering...total amount of experience in that department. So I've been watching videos, reading forums etc. and even studying plant biology in the hopes of becoming a decent grower. It's going to be a journey if anything. Also I'm based in South Africa so I am limited somewhat in the nutrient and additives department but hopefully I can find or make alternatives for the bits I can't buy.
This journal does however start towards the end of my 1st grow. I popped some seeds right after the decision was made to do a grow and then I started working on the grow room a bit later. The room I'm using is actually a small outside room used for storage which had to be cleaned out and painted. Only took about 3 weeks of work to fix up...imagine about 20 years of dust and grime build up.
So grow room size specs: 2.2m wide x 2.5m long x 2 .4 high (slanted roof)
Potential grow size - 2.2m x 1.5m - more plants but more lights needed plus less space to reach plants
Aiming for: 1.7 x 1.5m - good plant amount, about 6 of them and I can reach the plants
Here's a blurry shot of the grow space:
Going to extend the scrog to the back wall and then hopefully fill the space with plants. My lights may not be enough yet to cover the whole space enoughg for a dense grow.
Speaking of lights:
Lights: currently running 6 x 36v cree 3590 cobs and 4 x far red leds
I got about 95% of my information on led lights from Growmau5 and built myself some lights. Got the idea of a somewhat modular setup from GreenGenes Gardens where you use a frame and make the lights in bars which can move along the frame. And my oldman happens to be an electronics guru so he helped me verify that I got the right parts and although the wiring is pretty simple and done in series, he did it for me making it look rather spiffy.
Busy with another set of lights, 6 x 38v bridglux vero 29's. Growmau5 + GreenGenes Gardens did a stream where they showed them to be on par with the cree so bought some of them as they're cheaper. So the next grow will be under more lights. Hopefully on my 3rd grow I can add 2 more bars for another 6 X cobs....if the wallet allows.
Crees:
New Vero's:
then for the current grow:
Strain - Good old random bag seed, so fun with crappy genetics
Indica? Sativa? Hybrid? who knows but it's looking more on the sativa'ish side to me...a complete noob
Is it in Veg or Flower stage?
In flower day 39
Plants on the left and middle where grown outside for over a month before vegging for a month. DWC was started from seed at the same time so it's way behind.
Soil or Hydro?
Both, doing soil and a deep water culture setup
If soil... what is in your mix?
Leftside plant - Organic compost, bonemeal, coco, perlite, worm castings
Middle plant - organic soil mix from Freedom Farms
Not sure, thinking 20l and 10l ?
Temp: swings btw 24 and 28 degrees, still getting to grips with managing my grow area
RH of Room: btw 40 and 60
PH - 6.5 to 7 for soil and PH 5.5 for DWC
Pests, bugs:
Freakin gnats - not an invasion but I'm sure it could've gone better without them
How often are you watering?
Currently once a week. Not on a watering schedule, trying to water the plants after the soil has dried.
Type and strength of ferts used?
Using all the ferts! Yeah got swept up in that nutes craze, what with being a nooby. Luckily did follow the advice of not over feeding so only over fed slightly.
Using Bio grow and Bio bloom ,kelp extract, molasses, epsom salts (when using R.O) Guano Grow, Microbes and even some fermented plant juice - pawpaw
So 1st grows:
Started the DWC setup on the right from seedling so those plants where always behind, me PH shocking them close to death didn't help the growth speed either. Surprisingly even after really messing up the plants as I got to grips with the system they turned out female. Don't think they will even be at stage where I can get any heads from them as the other plants will finish way before it. Just keeping it going for practice sake.
Leftside plant:
The runt! Started at the same time as the middle plant, grew really badly but it actually just looked like a cute potplant so I kept it around. At one stage even considered just keeping it in the house. Didn't really look after it and boom the heads on this plant are pretty frosty compared to the bigger plant and have a dark roasted coffee smell to them. Not sure if genetics or stress...or combo? Either way will hopefully have some nice heads to smoke.
bud shot:
Middle Plant
Another unknown plant but one of the 1st seeds I sprouted. In day 39 of flower but it seems things are going a bit off with leaf yellowing. Was on it's last possible feed so will be using straight water to flush in the next few days. It's always been a problem child when it came to nitrogen as the leaves never went dark green. Could be genetics where it just has yellowy leaves too. Either way I'l have something to show for my 1st grow.
bud shot:
Well that's quite a bit there for the start. Have some more plans for DIY stuff and popped some seeds.
I've been a long time smoker and I clearly remember the 1st time I smoked good weed. A seemingly random night hanging out at the beach front when a mate showed up with White Rhino grown in hydroponics. The difference between smoking that and the random junky weed we smoked was almost life changing. Sadly for me actually getting more of it was near impossible and so the idea of growing my own became a dream of sorts. Fast Forward quite a few years and now I'm in a financial and hopefully legal place where I can actually attempt to do just that, recreate that special night of smoking not only good weed, but weed I grew myself.
As the title suggests I have invested in some equipment and I hope to keep adding to it as I progress, mostly in the light department and maybe a portable A.C. in summer. I got a bit carried away after deciding that it was time to start a grow. Started off with the idea of a cabinet grow and ended up in a small room.
But as far as growing cannabis plants go, I don't have any experience. There was that one time I grew a male plant in a smal pot, with crappy soil, bad light and over watering...total amount of experience in that department. So I've been watching videos, reading forums etc. and even studying plant biology in the hopes of becoming a decent grower. It's going to be a journey if anything. Also I'm based in South Africa so I am limited somewhat in the nutrient and additives department but hopefully I can find or make alternatives for the bits I can't buy.
This journal does however start towards the end of my 1st grow. I popped some seeds right after the decision was made to do a grow and then I started working on the grow room a bit later. The room I'm using is actually a small outside room used for storage which had to be cleaned out and painted. Only took about 3 weeks of work to fix up...imagine about 20 years of dust and grime build up.
So grow room size specs: 2.2m wide x 2.5m long x 2 .4 high (slanted roof)
Potential grow size - 2.2m x 1.5m - more plants but more lights needed plus less space to reach plants
Aiming for: 1.7 x 1.5m - good plant amount, about 6 of them and I can reach the plants
Here's a blurry shot of the grow space:
Going to extend the scrog to the back wall and then hopefully fill the space with plants. My lights may not be enough yet to cover the whole space enoughg for a dense grow.
Speaking of lights:
Lights: currently running 6 x 36v cree 3590 cobs and 4 x far red leds
I got about 95% of my information on led lights from Growmau5 and built myself some lights. Got the idea of a somewhat modular setup from GreenGenes Gardens where you use a frame and make the lights in bars which can move along the frame. And my oldman happens to be an electronics guru so he helped me verify that I got the right parts and although the wiring is pretty simple and done in series, he did it for me making it look rather spiffy.
Busy with another set of lights, 6 x 38v bridglux vero 29's. Growmau5 + GreenGenes Gardens did a stream where they showed them to be on par with the cree so bought some of them as they're cheaper. So the next grow will be under more lights. Hopefully on my 3rd grow I can add 2 more bars for another 6 X cobs....if the wallet allows.
Crees:
New Vero's:
then for the current grow:
Strain - Good old random bag seed, so fun with crappy genetics
Indica? Sativa? Hybrid? who knows but it's looking more on the sativa'ish side to me...a complete noob
Is it in Veg or Flower stage?
In flower day 39
Plants on the left and middle where grown outside for over a month before vegging for a month. DWC was started from seed at the same time so it's way behind.
Soil or Hydro?
Both, doing soil and a deep water culture setup
If soil... what is in your mix?
Leftside plant - Organic compost, bonemeal, coco, perlite, worm castings
Middle plant - organic soil mix from Freedom Farms
Not sure, thinking 20l and 10l ?
Temp: swings btw 24 and 28 degrees, still getting to grips with managing my grow area
RH of Room: btw 40 and 60
PH - 6.5 to 7 for soil and PH 5.5 for DWC
Pests, bugs:
Freakin gnats - not an invasion but I'm sure it could've gone better without them
How often are you watering?
Currently once a week. Not on a watering schedule, trying to water the plants after the soil has dried.
Type and strength of ferts used?
Using all the ferts! Yeah got swept up in that nutes craze, what with being a nooby. Luckily did follow the advice of not over feeding so only over fed slightly.
Using Bio grow and Bio bloom ,kelp extract, molasses, epsom salts (when using R.O) Guano Grow, Microbes and even some fermented plant juice - pawpaw
So 1st grows:
Started the DWC setup on the right from seedling so those plants where always behind, me PH shocking them close to death didn't help the growth speed either. Surprisingly even after really messing up the plants as I got to grips with the system they turned out female. Don't think they will even be at stage where I can get any heads from them as the other plants will finish way before it. Just keeping it going for practice sake.
Leftside plant:
The runt! Started at the same time as the middle plant, grew really badly but it actually just looked like a cute potplant so I kept it around. At one stage even considered just keeping it in the house. Didn't really look after it and boom the heads on this plant are pretty frosty compared to the bigger plant and have a dark roasted coffee smell to them. Not sure if genetics or stress...or combo? Either way will hopefully have some nice heads to smoke.
bud shot:
Middle Plant
Another unknown plant but one of the 1st seeds I sprouted. In day 39 of flower but it seems things are going a bit off with leaf yellowing. Was on it's last possible feed so will be using straight water to flush in the next few days. It's always been a problem child when it came to nitrogen as the leaves never went dark green. Could be genetics where it just has yellowy leaves too. Either way I'l have something to show for my 1st grow.
bud shot:
Well that's quite a bit there for the start. Have some more plans for DIY stuff and popped some seeds.
