First proper grow - cupboard

[emeraldchild]

What I have done so far -

I am going to put as much detail as poss in this jounal for any newbies like me.

Can never have too much detail.

I set my cupboard With linner (anti heat). Dull silver one side and white the other. I fixed it up with silver facing the wall and white showing. This is taped up with duck tape. I hope it won't melt and fall down. This was done on day 5

I started out with - 20 seeds. These were given to me mixed with the good stuff. I have no idea what these seeds are at all. They have different shades of colour. So a real mix.

Day 1 - Put seeds in a ice cream tub with tissue and water and put inside a freezer bag. wrapped it in a towel and put onto of my heater.

Day 2 - Took the top layer of tissue off seeds and discarded tub lid. Still kept in freezer bag loose, but still wrapped in towel to keep dark and warm.

Day 3 - One seed split and has two leaves and long root.
Another seed split with root and head in the shell.

I planted these two seeds in drinking plastic white cups. Depth 1.5 - 2 cm into the soil.
Put them resealable bags to keep moisture in.

With no lighting at all, I kept them in my utility room, which is constantly warm with house heating system and tumble drier/washer. With a standard 100w room light.

Three other seeds split but with obvious root. I planted these into the same cups as the first. Put into bags, covered an put on heater.

Day 4 - Re- potted the first two seeds into brown pots with tomatoe grow soil an put back into bags, uncovered on heater. Grown to an I.25 inches. Roughly 12.5mm.

Checked the other three pots - nothing happening. I think I should of waited longer. Serves me right for being impatient.

Checked tissue tub. A few split, an one root startin to grow. Added a little water, rewrapped an put back on heater.

Day 5 - Put tissue tub in airing cupboard. A bit worried heater is too hot and room not dark enough.

The first babies have grown. Put them more into the 100w light but still in bags.

The other three, still nothing.

The sprouting seed in tub is getting bigger but very slow. But still left it in tub.

No watering today. Put my finger down side of pot, still moise, so going to leave it today. Don't want to over water.

Fitting my cupboard out today with linning and duck tape today. The cupboard is built in wardrobe. Height 7ft x 9. Depth 3ft x 1. Width 2ft x 8.

There is a shelf already built in, dpth 2ft x 2. I didn't want to remove it. Instead I used it to attach hooks for lights.

Making my grow space 6ft x 1.

I'm going to see how I get on with this amount of space and in future consider taking the shelf out, to make most of cupboard space. I'm looking for height with growth instead of width.

I've got a 400w HPS lamp with balaster built in but no cable. Just ordered some 3 core 20 ft wire an should arrive any day.

Day 6 - First two still growing. Took them out of the bags, check moisture. All fine. Others nothing still. Don't want to chuck them just yet.

I read somewhere if you gently bend/lean stem in different directions it strenghthens the stem. So I have been doing that. Stems are getting thick but that could be normal growth anyway.

Day 7 - First two still growing and now better, as they have better light without the bags. Others nothing, STILL. Lighting will have to do until my other light arrives.

Day 8 - Harray my light has come. 125w Envirotlite 2700k Grow lamp and single reflector. The bulb it's self has a built in balaster. Connect straight to mains.

All the same, I plugged it in a surge extension bar and into the mains. With the light on all the time I don't need a contactor with timer consideration, plus low watt of 125.

Also arrived - Bionaire BTo4T portable oscillating tower fan and timer.
It's bigger than I thought, but kicks out different speed of air. Timed up to 2hrs or leave on all the time.

Also arrived my contactor for my 400w HPS light. But still waiting for cable.
I guess when the cable has come and I have wired it up, it will be about the right time to put under that light (400w)

Also waiting for PH meter. Not sure I will need one right now, but I'm sure it will come handy at some point.

Put all plants under lights. Covered the white plastic cups with seeds in, that still haven't sprouted with a tea towel.

[billybob3@gmail]

That is weird that your seeds are taking that long to sprout. I simply put mine in a moist paper towel, in the cupboard above my kitchen oven(in a bowl of course). They had grown about 1.5 inches by day one.

[emeraldchild]

I don't know how old the seeds are.

The first two seeds sprouted really quick.

Don't think all the seeds are from the same type of plant. Type shades of brown and a couple very pale. (40 to start with. Put 20 on the tissue)

The seeds in the tub, at least have split, but very slow from then on.

I didn't soak the seeds to start with, maybe that would of made a difference.

I'm using these seeds instead of buying decent, so I can make my mistakes now and learn for the next grow, which I will invest in some real nice quality seeds.


My very first grow - I found two seeds in some smoke. Chucked them in a plastic wine cup with tissue. The seeds next to the container itself an the tissue pushing up against it from the centre.
Put it in the window (this was summer time) an forgot about them. A while later I was moving.
Packed them up with the rest of the stuff. Got to my destination. Put them in garden soil in pots.(bearing in mind at that time I didn't have a clue with what I was doing).
one plant got broken before it had even sprouted past 4 leaves, which left one.

Long story short. I grew it very very slowly for about a foot an half and then chucked it. Because I had no lighting and no experience or money to buy lighting. Winter was setting in and so the windowsill was getting dull and cold.

Very different now, got the equipment and no experience. And to top it off. I can't normally grow anything but genuine herbs. Flowers an stuff end up dying on me. Herbs thrive.

So this is very new to me. I'm a major newbie in the extreme. What keeps me going is I want to smoke my own shit and know what has gone into it.

[emeraldchild]

Day 8 +

Put pots under new light (125w Envirolite grow lamp + reflector.

Found another seed in tissue tub with root and took seed shell off and planted.

After about 6 hrs under new light, wow, what a improvement. - Grown loads.

Set up the fan tower in room with a mini temp gauge.
Heat seems to be staying with 82'.

Topped up the soil and a little water.

Day 9

Grown again, can't believe how much they love this light.

Topped up with soil again and a lot of water. But won't water for a day or two.

New member that I potted eve before has taken well . 3 pots in all now.

Got some really good advice with soil.
Mirracle grow isn't the way to go after all.

Going to change over to John innes, Perelite, and Vacumilite, in a three part mix and see how they go.

Got to get some bigger pots NOW, be prepared for repotting.

Thinking about making up a grid. All the same, with no experience, I'm worried I might not identify a male in time and my whole crop will go bust.

[pinkfloyd]

any pics?

[emeraldchild]

When the video camrecorder comes HOPEFULY tomorrow. Watch this space, i'll prob go picy mad.
Just love my babies. lol

[Rabiez]

Hi emeraldchild

This is bagseed right?
If so, you could probably raise your germination rate with some seed selection.
Some seeds will pop or crack when pinched firmly between thumb and forefinger. They're not viable, so chuck'em.
Pale seeds are generally immature.
Pick the darker, larger seeds, which may, or may not be speckled or striped.

Your red passage is right, but be gentle with seedlings (Minicup people shuttup!). When the fan's in place you can stop all the digital manipulation, and let the wind take over.

Speaking of which, and as a bit of an aside, I've had 2 of those Bionaire tower fans, and the second went the way of the first in short order. After a while they start making funny noises. Funny LOUD noises from the umm...twisty bearing? The one in the base anyway. While they're quiet, they're ok, but I doubt it'll get you through the whole grow in peace.

More bad news. You can't set the fan to ON, and then plug it into a timer, to come on with the lights, oh no! Our lovely posh fans with their pushbutton controls need a poke every morning to wake them up, or to be left on 24/7. That in itself, makes them a poor choice for my growroom.

I think you'd be wise to grow these first few plants out in a traditional fashion, with maybe a little topping when you're brave enough, and some gentle LST later on. See how you go, but using a screen does complicate things somewhat.

Anyway, good luck. Keep that mighty flouro within a couple of inches of the tops of the seedlings, and they'll be mighty bushes in no time.

[emeraldchild]

Rabiez -

A lot of great advise there. Really enjoyed reading that. At least I've got one thing right ie the red passage.

I've got the fan on all the time because my heating runs under the floor boards. I haven't got wall heaters to turn off. Its at 82' constant and happy.

Won't go for grid, your quite right, that's for the more experienced. I'll happy if at least one is female and grow out it's life and bears me fruit.

Nutes and fertz sound very scaring. I haven't got a clue. I have been watching some on here that are at the same stage as me, an see what they use.

Unless you know where I could get UK fertz/nutes by chance. I would be gratful for any recomendations.

Took me blimin ages to write this. Now I can get back to my hobbie sampling. LOL

[emeraldchild]

Sunday day 12

Baby 3 - has taken very well. Half the size of the other two. Nice and green with 4 leaves, yet small. Changed soil but still in original small pot for next 3/4 days.

Two more maybe's have shoots in the germ tray. I can only have 5 at the most in the cupboard, so that's just right.

Changed soil - John Innes no 2, Perelite, Vacumilite. Repotted to 13 litre round pots with overflow trays.
Put in 4gms Epson Salts to a 1 litre of tap water and spread between three pots.

While I was changing soil etc, I changed my Envirolite125 to 400 HPS. Very bright and hot.

Got to sort out venting. Got to leave door open to keep temps down.

Might be a good idea to change back to Envirolite 125 until venting is sorted.

I'm not happy with the tower fan. Getting a desk fan tonight from my better half which is helping me out with the £'s, on a promise of testing first batch.

Got my new digi HP. 1 pot is 7.5 and the other is 6.8.

STill using tap water which is about 7.5.

What should be the correct HP levels???


Venting - above cupboard door is kind of like a blocked window with boarding. Thought I would use this to make a hole and run tubin into grow area.
Might make two, one clean air going in and stale air going out with carbon filter.

If I make a mistake with cutting, I can always replace boarding easierly. Better than replacing a door or hiking into my shallow loft.

Getting a new camara this week. So at last I will have pictures.

[Rabiez]

Originally Posted by emeraldchild

While I was changing soil etc, I changed my Envirolite125 to 400 HPS. Very bright and hot.
Got to sort out venting. Got to leave door open to keep temps down.
Might be a good idea to change back to Envirolite 125 until venting is sorted.

I was going to say that the envirolite would be a better bet for a few weeks yet. However, your comment caused me to check back to your details on the bulb. You have a 2700K bulb, which is recommended for flowering, but for vegging you should be looking for around 6500K. Likewise, HPS is much better suited to flowering, rather than vegging.

Given this, I'd probably stick with the envirolite for now.
If venting is currently a problem, the envirolite will produce less heat. Also, the HPS will have to be kept well above small seedlings, negating some of the extra lumens it produces over the envirolite.
It's waay harder to screw things up with a flouro.

If it was me, I'd nip out and buy a 6500K envirolite, or a MH conversion bulb for the HPS, but I realise you'll have invested a fair bit in lighting already.

I'm not happy with the tower fan. Getting a desk fan tonight from my better half which is helping me out with the £'s, on a promise of testing first batch.

Stupid techno-fans!

Got my new digi HP. 1 pot is 7.5 and the other is 6.8.
STill using tap water which is about 7.5.
What should be the correct HP levels???

Heh, it's pH, and you should be aiming for around 6.5 as a first timer. Anywhere between 6.2 and 6.8 will keep the plant happy. Be sure to test and adjust your water before watering, and also test the runoff from the pots. Any significant variations will need addressing.

Venting - above cupboard door is kind of like a blocked window with boarding. Thought I would use this to make a hole and run tubin into grow area.
Might make two, one clean air going in and stale air going out with carbon filter.

There's a few things worth considering when it comes to venting.
Firstly, I'm in complete agreement with Rumpleforeskin; ovekill your ventilation.

That said, I'll move on. The setup you propose will work to cool the grow to an extent. You'll probably need to crack a window open to provide CO² to the intake, and cool the room once the HPS goes in.

Noting that you might make 2 holes, I'm gonna have to tote a sticky at ya. Have you read the Grow box design guide, and searched the Grow Room Design/Setup forum?

There that's only 3 paragraphs, so I didn't go off on one at all. Ha! I'm proud of myself.

[kbfl0912]

Hi....all this talk and still no pics.....We need some proof....what happened to that camcorder/camera you were supposed to get? Look forward to watching your grow. Good luck.....you are going to be so addicted to this "hobby" since you are already this detailed. Check in on ya later.....

[emeraldchild]

Now I have to get my head round getting them up on screen on a smoke

I know I have to replace fan and sort out venting for flowering.

Funds have come to a stand still for the moment. I'm sure I'll have something sorted by the time it comes to flowering.

First two close up of plants are from the green pot in the cupboard on the left. The last photo from the pot on the right.

[pinkfloyd]

looking good.

[emeraldchild]

Thanks for the encouragment PF, and advise from Rabiez and heres the photos kbfl0912.

[emeraldchild]

Plants looking much healther.

Heat a real problem with 400 HPS. Have to keep leaving the door open to cool down.

After a sleepless night of too much light and heat in my bedroom, I turned the whole thing off.

Going to replace light in the morning.