Attic CFL Grow - Growing Virgin!!

[MadforBush]

What up GC!! this is my first attempt to grow green and after doing some research i found this site, seems like you guys are all for helping spread the love.

Ok so heres my set-up, its a attic/loft grow and its in a area where we get a lot of choppers around, immediatly ruling out HID lamps. So heres the deal:

Currently 125 watt CFL dual spectrum with 2 x 30 watt 6500k CFL's on their way in the post (will add more light as the pay cheques come in).

1 square meter, (80cm high) wooden box lined with a sorta mylar relective surface, its not mylar, but a insulating equivelent.

Temperature wont be a problem as the loft is quite airy but the insulation keeps the air temp up inside the enclosure, using one of those shitty stick on thermometer it read 65-70 degrees.

As for the seeds, i havent a clue, friend of mine gave me 10 of them, his plants from the same seed batch currently 2 foot tall and looking ready for budding baby. In my haste and with general lack of patience i planted 8 of them, bad idea for a amateur on his trial run but hell.

Anyway heres a pic inside the enclosure, the seeds are approx 10 days old, looking kinda lanky.

DSC_1340.jpg

Anyway, im always lookin for feedback and advice, so im looking at about 100 pure watts per plant? space isnt much of an issue, if anyone knows of any good stores for CFL lighting that can deliver cheap to the UK, let me know.

will up some new pics when (if) they are slightly more developed.

<3

[mjboy]

1 CFL isnt gonna be enough for that man plants. i dont think its enough for one to be honest.

[jcmartin86]

ya I'm with the otehr guy. I hope your checks come in quick cuz you're gonna need mad more lights prolyl sooner rather than later.

But hey, props for jumpin in. I'm still getting my feet wet in this whole growing thing. good luck as I'll be checkin in from time to time

[MadforBush]

Ive got 2 more 30 watt CFL's on the way, plus ill be ordering plenty more when i get paid.

i heard the general rule for CFL vegging is 100 pure watts for 1 plant, then something like 30 watt per additional, more if better of course, but if i get up to about 400 watts with 8 CFL's then i should be ok right? (bear in mind, the current CFL is a monster, we are talking much larger than a pringles tub)

anyway, lemme know what you think i should do

muchos <3

[cork144]

ebay is always good for getting lighting, just search energy saving bulbs.

i was thinking bout clearing room in my attic and use CFLS for a couple of WW clones.

[MadforBush]

Ok, im now up to the end of week three, added 168 watt of cfl lighting, bringing my total to 325 watts of cfl baby, if anyone read the first post this is me losing my growing virginity, ive made a few mistakes and learned from them. Although this is a trial run before i build my large grow cabinet in the attic, i would still like to see these babys come to fruition. heres some pics of last week, then below some from today. Sorry for the shit quality by the way, will borrow my bro's camera and get some decent pics soon.

[MadforBush]

Im thinking of killing off my two weaker ones, and having 6, simply due to the fact i barely have enough light as it is, 8 plants is just too much to cope with for a trial run. Anyway heres the latest pics, taken today, im currently watering them once every other day, with a very small trace of Miracle Grow chemical bollox (i live in the UK, kinda hard to find decent grow stores around here). Is that enough/too much? Also ive found small spider webs on them today, could this be the beginning of a spider mite infestation? if so what should i look out for? Any preventative suggestions?

[cork144]

well some will be males so you dont have to worry asmuch, try sex tham asap then reveg.

[Sponge]

2plants1cup is a bad idea : P

I would seperate them asap if you're serious about seing them through to the end : D

[freedom4ever]

Hi man, I'm new to growing too and in the UK. Check out my grow sometime, I reckon it's going alright for a first attempt, although I am getting bollocked for having pots that are too small! Lol!

I really like growell.co.uk for lights etc. I believe you can also get lights from Tesco's! Not too hard to find.

Also, I wouldn't give 'em any nutes just yet, put 'em in organic soil if u can, one per pot or the roots will get tangled.

PM me if you want/need more help from a fellow first timer!

[MadforBush]

Ok so im re-potting them because i was too dumb to start with large pots, they are pretty far along now, and i would really like to avoid killing them if poss, whats the best method for transplanting them? My medium is more compost than soil, so its crumbly, thus being a bitch to transplant, also will it fuck growth up at this stage?

[MadforBush]

Right so now i have 4 plants that are coming along nice and strong, also noticed the scent of weed is there now, cant wait to see how strong that gets. As i was dumb enough to read about grow mediums a couple of days after they germinated, i now have 4/6 plants in Miracle Grow all purpose compost WITH time release nutes. Is this really as deadly as i keep reading? anyone had any experience with it? well i got some organic soil based compost and ive transplanted the 2 weaker ones into large pots with the new medium. Does anyone know if changing their medium at this stage is potentially dangerous to them? lemme know, anyway heres an update on their growth.

[KamelRedLight]

I tried something with time release ferts, and swiftly repotted the plant into something more natural. I think it was Fox Farms soil. It started getting burned and flushing doesn't help, just releases more ferts into the soil. So basically what I'm saying is yes, change the soil first chance you get.

[freedom4ever]

I agree wholeheartedly with KamelRedLight. I made the same mistake, thought MG was the way to go before I did my reading and ended up with nute burn on baby plants. Transplant 'em into good organic soil. Transplanting them at this stage won't hurt them, just be careful with those beauties! Looking good.

[MadforBush]

ok will do, only trouble is the new pots are bigger, meaning ill have to spread my light out more, good thing i got some new set-up ideas to maximise area of effect, just wish i could have found some square pots :/