Cardboard Box Grow

I was thinking about doing a single plant grow (my first) in a cardboard box, the type that are sold at staples for paper. The dimensions are approximately 12 inches width x 10 inches length x 15 inches height. I know this sounds really small but I've read about grows in gutted computer cases so i think this should be alright. I am thinking of using the method described here: http://forum.grasscity.com/absolute-beginners/122936-how-lst-low-stress-training.html. If my understanding is correct, my box should be just big enough to fit a ten inch pot and also tall enough to accommodate 1 plant until harvest with this method.

I have also been reading about compact florescents, and all the bulbs in my house seem to be around 13 or 25 watts, well below the 100 watt bulbs that i have read are suggested for 1 plant. However, while searching for cfls on the internet, i came across many websites offering to sell 100 watt equivalents, in other words cfls that produce the same amount of light as 100 watt incandescents but use a quarter the watts. This got me thinking that maybe the bulbs i have in my house are sufficeint, and that the person who suggested 100 watt cfls was actually referring to 100 watt equivalents.

I am also a bit confused on the lightness/darkness ratio. I have read that from seeds to when you want to begin flowering, you should use between 18 and 24 hours of light a day, but apparently any more than 18 has very little positive effects (but does it have negative?). For flowering, i have read that it should be 12 hours light. I have also read that inturrupting the night cycle with 1 hour of light will increase the likely hood of having female plants. But if I use an 18/6 hour schedule with 1 hour interuptint the night, will this give me more female plants than just using 24 hour light? And when should this take place, in the seedling, vegatative, or flowering phase?

Also, how fast does marijuana grow? I've read that the entire life cycle takes between 2-4 months, depending on the strain, but that the vegatative period can be shortened from 4 weeks to 2. How much will this effect the amount/potency of the bud? Also, how much can I expect for a first time grow? I have read anywhere from 1/2 ounce to 1/2 pound, and although i know it is highly variable, there must be an average.

Sorry for the long post but i wanted to ask all my questions in one place instead of making a thread for each. Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.

 

Well it's not that i'm hiding it from anyone per se, i just don't want it to be completely obvious that i'm growing, at least for this first one. I kind of want something that i can have in the corner of a closet, instead of in the center of my living room. Exactly how high will a normal plant get using lst anyway? If it is just a foot or so from the soil line i may be able to just get a bigger box, but if it is to get too tall i may need to rethink things a little bit.

That makes sense about the cfls, i just wanted to double check so I wouldn't end up spending money on a super powerful bulb when i already have them around my house. How much are 100 watt cfls anyway? How do their prices compare to hps, and how much will the yeild/growth rate under hps as aposed to cfls?

 

I can understand 2 feet high, but will the plant really be branching out that far horizontally? Or is that just for air flow reasons? I might be alright with having it taller, but making it that big is just a bit to conspicuous.

 

Yeah i guess your right. I was just clinging to the box idea because it would be virtually impossible to tell it apart from an ordinary box. I mean if i made some complex thing covered in duct tape with wires shooting out every direction, it would just be too obvious. But i guess it's better to take the small extra risk because it has such a greater reward. I'm still unclear on what kind of yield i am to expect though. I know it is hugely variable, but for bag seeds in relatively cheap soil with fertilizer and a 100 watt cfl, what am I to expect?

 

Well right now i'm still kind of deciding whether it's worth it. I think I might bump it up to 2 plants but I don't want to over do it as it is my first time. That's also why i'm using bag seeds instead of forking out for seed bank ones. If I was going to spend some money, say 25 - 50 bucks or so, what would be the most efficient use of it. Should i get another 100 watt cfl or get better fertilizer? How much would each of these increase the yeild/growing time?