newbie - just about to start first grow, what do you think of my setp, method to grow

[scott1974]

Hey folks, what a great place this is

I'm a total newbie and just about to try his first home grow so thought i'd pop what i'm doing and my plan here, hoping that you pro's could let me know if anything wrong / missing etc before i start out - i have 10 whitewidow seeds staring at me now lol



my grow room is basically a large cupboard with sliding doors (just over 5 feet tall, 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep), made out of wood. it's all been painted white inside. here's my plane for it's set up....

1 or maybe 2 (not 100% on this) fans at the top pushing air out to create a current of air, im planning of having them on the low setting if i add 2
not sure on just 2 fist sized holes on the bottom either side (so total of 4) with mess over to stop any visitors, or when to have 2 fans either side pushing new air in, i.e., bottom fans push clean are in, top fans pull it out
i'll have on light in there which is this one.... http://www.basementlighting.com/Merc...tegory_Code=GL - it will be adjustable up and down thanks to this: http://www.basementlighting.com/Merc...tegory_Code=GL
in addition i will have a moving fan on slow speed pointed at the plants, if required i can get lots more fans very cheap




::FEW QUESTIONS THOUGH::

I dont have access or room for any flo tubes which i think would be better for the plants once they spout for the first time. can i use the big light i have but keep it say 4 foot away from them for a week and then move it down ?
Any advise / tips on the above or mistakes i've made, id love to hear them




::MY STEPS to GROWING:: as it's my first grow, i did a little step by step for myself to help rememebr, let me know if anything wrong or missed - thanks


MYTIP: WAtER = for all water, to get rid of chlorine fill up big buckets and leave in garage for 24/48 hours before use

1>>> STEP 1: seed popping

*** required = plastic bags, air tight food carton, tweezers, kitchen towel + seeds
***** light = none

food carton = 2 pieces of kitchen towel, wet but not dripping, seeds onto that and another 2
wet towels on top, seal lid and leave, check 1 few times a day, waft air in when looking - when
tail starts time for step 2 - leave the carton in a dark / warm area and wrap in a plastic bag
amd Cover with black paper to keep out light,
when checking, make sure they are moist, if not, spoon in 1-2 spoonfuls of water
Use tweezers, and don't touch the root tip.


2>>> STEP 2: first baby stage

*** required: paper party cups, pastic bags, rubberbands
***** light = 24 hours on but light it 4 feet above them

put soil into cups, 1 seed per cup, put holes in the bottom with a pen, water it like mad, and
leave it for 20 mintues to drain. then, using a pencil make a small hole about 1 inch deep, put
seed in tail down and cover with loose dirt - do not rewater at all, put paper bag on and seal
with ruberband put under the big light (http://www.basementlighting.com/Merc...tegory_Code=GL) until they've come out about 1 or 2 inches, after 7 days, move then to bigger pots and put under the big light around 2 feet above plants
then always aim for a 2 foot gap from plant to light


3>>> STEP 3: growing stage

*** required: pots, good soil, babybio, fert
***** light = 24 hours on

1) water weekly with babybio in (do on mondays) also add more water if i push finger in to 3 inches deep and it's dry
2) weekly light spray of water and babybio over the plants
3) Pruning the lower limbs creates more air-flow


4>>> STEP 4: flowering stage

*** required: magnifier
***** light = 12/12

1) at this stage look out for white hairs on the females, pull out all males and trash
3) water weekly with babybio in (do on mondays) also add more water if i push finger in to 3 inches deep and it's dry
3) weeky, light spray of water + babybio over the plants
4) STOP using babybio about 10-14 days before i pull them out
5) Pruning the lower limbs creates more air-flow
6) when the white pistils start to turn brown, orange, etc i can pull them out in 2-3 weeks time
7) i can take a few buds from the middle of the plant when the white pistils start to turn brown/orange to test the type of smoke and use it compare again with later buds so i find the lenght of time from when the white pistils start to turn brown, orange for when i should pull for my preferred bud - dry then using a microwave on defrost
8) Use a magnifier and try to see the capitated stalked trichomes (little THC crystals on the buds). If they are mostly clear, not brown, the peak of floral bouquet is near. Once they are mostly all turning brownish in color, the THC levels are dropping and the flower is past optimum potency, declining with light and wind exposure rapidly.


5>>> STEP 5: the dry out stage

*** required: nothing extra
***** light = 0

1) pull the plant up roots and all and hang it upside down in the garage for 24 hours in a ventilated space. Then put each plant in a paper grocery bag with the top open for three or four days or until the leaves feel dry to the touch, sill in the garage
2) if your in a hurry, it's OK to dry a small amount in-between paper sheets or a paper bag in a microwave oven. Go slow and check it, don't burn it. Use the defrost power setting for a slower, better drying. It will be harsh smoking this way though.


6>>> STEP6 : get stonned (the part i'm waiting for the most
*** required: ciggy's, papers, pipe, music and pizza


many thanks in advance folks

scott

[Basenji]

Looks pretty good to me! I'm a new grower too...and I've learned everything I can about it. My cat ate my other baby plant (*Fume*), so I'm waiting till my seeds come in. I intend to use what you wrote as a general guide as I go.

Best of luck! Sounds like you'll be fine!

[scott1974]

thanks m8

sorry to hear about your cat trying some, found if it had any effect on him/her lol

my biggest worry is when they first start to sprout under that big light, wondering if it will be to much for them, this is part i'm not 100% about yet, i.e., once the seed has been moved into the soil with the bags on, where's the best place to store them, somewhere dark and warm or under my ligh 4 feet about them ? and then when they pop above the soil, for the 1st week or 2 weeks, leave the lights at 4 feet or right down to say 3 inches from the plant ? very confused on this bit lol

let me know how you get on as it sounds like we'll be starting around the same time, race ya lol

scott :P

[Basenji]

I think she liked it....kept coming back to that same spot looking for more, lol.

As for your concern about lights...400w is a lot to out baby plants under, even in a paper bag. Would it be possible to put then on or near a windowsil and let them get sun for about a week, and then put them under the lights? Unless someone thinks they WOULD be fine under the 400w's when they sprout.

And I would race you if I had my seeds right in front of me right now.

[scott1974]

im in the UK so not great sunlight, think that would work better, to put the cups outside for a week and then into the big light about 1 foot away ?

re the race, my seeds should be here tomoz (fingers crossed) but still gotta build the cupboard and set it up yet lol - so maybe the race is still on lol

also with a 400w, think it's best once they're in to have it say 3 inches from the plants or 1 or 2 feet away ?

thanks

scott

[Basenji]

If you can leave them outside for about a week to let them get a bit stronger, so the 400w's aren't too harsh for them that'd be great. And I'd think that when you bring them in, put them at least a few feet away from the plant, so the leaves don't burn.

As for the race...I dunno when my seeds will be here. Ordered on the 2nd, and sent money out on the 3rd of this month. Ordered from Canada and am in the US. So who knows when my seeds could get here, right?

[scott1974]

thanks m8

with having them outside for a week, we only get about 8-10 hours of half decent sunlight, think that will be ok ?

also, when my little babies go under the light, at first i agree with the light being a few feet away, but after a week, think i should drop the light so it's nearer, like 1 foot or closer ?

regarding the race lol, i have to build my cupboard and set it up yet, and my lights still no here yet, the way it's going you'll probably be on your second grow by the time i start, that's if your cat doesn't get to them lol

scott :P

[scott1974]

anyone else think i've missed something / got anything wrong in my plans ? thanks

[bob_barker]

Hey scott,.....I read thru your journal and i must say it looks good to me....Im fairly new to growing indoors but ill give you some advice....That light your getting is pretty nice...altho it does use a growlux fluro tube which mostly gives a reddish spectrum, but what you need is blue spectrum, especally for babies because they are vegging.....When in flowering your going for a red spectrum...I would pay the extra 5 and get the full spectrum bulb as it would improve your veg considerably....Another thing on lighting that would be good is if you could get an hps system.....(if your on a budget and you cant spare like $200 dont mind the hps system comment)....Also if its your first time growing good luck on the white widow....and dont take those sample buds .....you can wait tho seriously.....As far as moving the light up and down....i would just set it at 2 feet away, possibly 1 if that light stays cool all the time, and keep it that distance all throught the plants growth....Now the white widow stran is a long bloomer so your gonna wanna wait for about 9 weeks and before you harvest.....Some of the time you might need 10 weeks in flower before you cut her up.....As far as watering goes.....lol dont expect to water them 1 time a week....mabey in late late flower....but for vegging and early to middle flower they will probably drink every other day.....Now here are ferts.....Plants are fed using fertilizers about every 2 weeks...they are fed using 3 numbers located on the pacage called n-p-k ratios which tell you how much of nitrogen, phosphate, potash(k) that fert contains...When the plants are in veg...(stage 3).....they will need a high dose of the first number on the box (nitrogen is what the first number represents, hence npk.). and in flowering you want a high middle number. well now that ive suddenly realized ive been sitting here for like an hour and babbling on for like an hour cuz im so fucking stoned.....well hope i helped you and good luck....if you happen to get a male and pollinate a female be sure to send some seeds this way ...

[scott1974]

hi bob_barker

uhanks for the advice

when you say 9 weeks to cut her up, i guess that starts when I go to 12/12 on the lights ?

re the ferts, would you know any good ones to get in the UK ?

many thanks again.

scott :P

[gRiNgOkInG]

new to growing here also im gonna follow your method and i live in florida where we get more than enough sun so i was wondering if it can be too hot cuz in florida it gets real hot up to mid 90's most days? and also im gonna keep them outside during the day to get light but when i bring em inside for the night what should i do wit them put them in no light ?

[bob_barker]

Excelent! Florida sun will be more than great for those beauties....You might just wanna start an outdoor grow instead of inside....

Scotty yes i did mean 9 weeks from 12/12....and as far as ferts in the uk....im not to sure....Good luck

[scott1974]

thanks so much

regarding when they first sprout, outside is a no no, lots of overlooking neighbours and we have 2 mad cats so i think they'll only be safe in the garage. do you think that the 400W would be ok say about 4 or 5 feet above them when they sprout for say 1 week or i'd be better getting 1 x 20W flo tube for the week then move them to the 400W ?

thanks all

scott

[chitown44]

Not that I know what I'm doing (this is all new to me) but I tried an experiment. You mentioned maybe putting your plants in the windowsill. I did that with a couple of plants and be careful because they STRETCH like mad! I'm talking one plant was 8 inches long with only 1 set of leaves! I had to repot it and get it closer to the soil. Just to let you know what happened to mine. I live in Georgia.

Good luck!!

[paenk]

You didn't talk about your soil composition. This can make or break you, I would look into getting a compost composition from your local growery and then mix in some special stuff such as blood meal, bone meal, bat guano, coconut shelling, worm casting, and then let it brew .

You also should look into getting a pH pen, this can save so much trouble and time.

EDIT: if you want a grow e-book message me on aim @ swaenKmonsta. Assuming you have high speed internet >:|.