Hi this is my first grow I've ever done. I'm only growing two plants at a time in a very small 3ftx2ft closet in my room. I already have ordered my seeds from marijuana-seeds.nl, I chose the auto flowering feminized AK47 strain because of the smaller amount of time it's going to take to harvest, the good reviews I've read and seen and the fact that it's buy 5 AK47 seeds get 5 free. Plus they throw in another 5 seeds of another non auto flower in every order. So I'm getting 15 seeds for $60. I expect them here sometime next week. Since It's such a small grow room and I want to conserve energy I've gone with a small hps grow lamp. I went with the Sun System HPS 150 watt Grow Light. I'm going to hang it with rope ratchet hangers. I've also got my 1.5 gallon pots, my ph meter, and my digital humidity and temp. monitor. I'm going to line my closet with reflective mylar, my closet has no door so I'm going to hang a blanket with more mylar taped to the inside and hang it there so as little light escapes as possible. I'm going to hang a small box fan from the ceiling and then have another slightly outside of the closet (poking out from the blanket) exhausting the hot air from inside of the closet pulling it out and then there's an exhausting window fan right above that, so I think I am good on air circulation. I also have a window air conditioner in the other window. I'm planning on using a soiless mix of 60% coco coir, 25% perlite and 15% worm castings. I'm looking for a very simple 1 part nutrient, for 1 because this is literally my first time, 2 because it's auto flowering and i've read they don't need much nutes and 3 because I don't want to spend tons of cash. The one I'm pretty much decided on is CNS17, because of the great reviews I've read, the fact there is no need for calmag (unlike other nutes in coc coir) and it is a one part nute. There are 3 stages with it grow bloom and ripe. I'm going to buy all three and go with that system. I've also been thinking of adding in some liquid Karma because of the good things I've heard about its ability to max your nutes potential. I'm going to be using brita filtered water, and I dont know if I have to let it sit out for 2 days, I've read with straight tap water you do but i dont know about brita filtered. If anyone can give me some advice on CNS17 cycles and when to start giving them, when to go from one cycle to the next, how often ect. that would be great. Also if anyone has ANY advice whatsoever on my plan here that would also be greatly appreciated, I just really want to learn from some knowledgeable people. I'll include some pics of my closet that I'm going to be growing in, I'm starting probably next week.
Im growing my first auto also. I would look into getting bigger pots. If ur only growing in a 1.5 gal pot ur roots might out grow the pot. Autos don't like to be transplanted. I put my seed start in a 3.5 gal pot.
can I germinate my seeds using the paper towel method then put them straight into the coco coir pot? or is it a must to put them in a real small square thing or a rockwool cube? i'm assuming since you said they dont like being transplanted I can put them straight into the permanent medium.
Ya I do the paper towel method then when I see a nice size root I start in the soil and pot shes finishing in. when I put my seed in soil I put the tip/root facing up. Never done organic.
[quote name='"mriley911"']with the root facing up? I thought the root faces down so it can grow down into the "soil"?[/quote] Lol ya well u can do either way but i like planting mine root up. I found a thread about it. If I can find it I shoot it ur way.
Marijuana seeds should be placed with the POINTED END UP into a prepared cannabis seeds germination bed or just good soil at a depth of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. The embryo tap root emerges from the pointed (stylar) end and the natural method of growth is for this root to make a turn and grow downward (see the illustration) This bend formed by the downward curve of the taproot is what emerges from the soil and the friction of dragging the cannabis seeds upward helps the new plant to loosen and cast off the seed case when it breaks through the surface. If the cannabis seeds are placed with the pointed end down, the embryo will be required to expend a great deal of its stored energy for twisting and turning to position the tap root when it realizes that it is heading the wrong way (see illustration of germinating marijuana seeds) The seedling will need this energy to exert the forces required to later lift its head (now enclosed by the two halves of the seed case) above the soil, cast off the seed case and then spread its two embryo leaves and begin the life-giving photosynthetic process. This is a critical stage in growth and carelessness in placing the marijuana seeds will exhaust even the most hearty seedling and result in a slow start and a feeble plant in later life. Cannabis seeds should be placed in a small hole at a depth of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. An excellent medium for germination is a mixture of rich humus and fine sand, such as the type used for aquariums. The soil needs a ph of 7.5 to 8.0 and should not be so moist that it sticks to your fingers. If the medium is too moist, the seeds will rot and ferment before they can sprout. A simple test for moisture is to stick a pencil into the soil and if soil adheres to it when removed, then it is too moist. Sort of like when you test a cake by sticking a straw into it to see if it is baked through to the middle. The ideal is not too moist, and not too dry - and be sure that the soil is well-drained. Research has shown that a soil temperature that is at, or slightly above, the air temperature promotes the best survival rates and growth.