I need some advice..

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by Mr. Fuji, Feb 9, 2010.

  1. I'm a new grower and hoping for some GC's expert advice.. :)

    I have 5x G-13 Labs Royal Kush, 1x UFO #1 DNA Genetics LA Woman, Green House Seeds: 1x Bubba Kush, 1x Kings Kush and 1x Super Lemon Haze seeds arriving in the next few days. :D

    But.. I will be growing 4-5 plants not all 10. (The other 5 for another grow or replacement seeds) So I will be ordering an FG Digital 400w Grow Light using MH and HPS bulbs.

    So will 400w be enough for 4-5 plants?

    Also, when in vegetative state, how close do I keep the light? As I know with CFLs you keep them as close as possible.

    And finally, when I have germinated the seeds and they are ready to pot should I put them in 3 gallon pots immediately or 1 gallon and then transplant? I've read conflicting ideas from users so I'm not so sure now. Some say go straight to 3 gallon pots as transplanting causes shock and different pots can cause problems? Where as some people have transplanted.. :confused:

    Also, I might need to move in 3-4 months and I wouldn't be able to grow in the new place, but I could still cure and dry them. So would I be able to cut the vegetation period and just flower for longer?

    Any suggestions and advice are welcome. Thanks GC. :smoke:
     
  2. Yes, 400w HID is plenty for 4-5 plants.

    You keep HID lighting as close as possible, just like you do with CFL. The difference is that HIDs produce more heat so "as close as possible" isn't as close as with CFL. To test the distance with HID, hold the back of your hand to the light at plant-top height for 30 seconds, if it's comfortable for you it's comfortable for the plants. Most people would keep a 400w HID 8"-18" away.

    You can put the babies straight into 3 gallon pots or into something smaller and transplant later, either is fine. The difference here is that it's harder to maintain proper watering of a tiny root system in a big pot, especially for a newbie. Transplanting done right should cause very little stress for the plant.

    And yes you can cut down on your veg time to ensure when your harvest will be ready, just remember a few things:

    - Cutting back on vegging means cutting back on your harvest because you will have developed fewer budsites.

    - Different strains can take different flower times to maturity.

    - Count flowering from when the plants start actually flowering, not necessarily from when you flip the lights to 12/12. Especially if you shorten the veg time, this can add 1-3 weeks to your grow calendar. In other words, if you count flowering from the start of 12/12 and think you have it all timed out, you could find yourself having to move and your plants still aren't at peak maturity for a couple of weeks yet.
     

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