Just started new grow after first unsuccessful Aero-garden, even though every book and thread warned me aero was for experienced growers. Oh well, live and learn. So I decided to go back to the basics. Started a soil grow, soil from wal-mart. Its a sativa strain, no name just some very good schwag. Still in seedling phase about to transplant into veg room, best I got is a 250W HPS/Metal Halide built in ballast courtesy of Hydro Farm. Just a few questions to start with: Right now I have a Metal halide bulb, no HPS although I plan on getting one. My question is which would be best to start with, and is 250W enough for one plant. Should I just wait till I have a better set up or, like what I'm thinking, should I through with this as a test run. Also anyone know of any grow logs/ threads similar to my set up that could give me an idea of what I'm in for?
1. 250 watt is enough for one plant, it's damn near perfect actually. I would scrog though for sure to get maximum yield from one plant, especially since you are growing a sativa. Your yield will be way higher if you scrog as opposed to just letting it grow normally. At the very least you should top it, but preferably top it AND scrog it, or lst. 2. I prefer HPS for both flower and vegetative growth. MH is good too, but HPS watt for watt outperforms MH imo even for veg. I use fluorescent lighting for newly cut clones and seedlings, but HPS for everything else. Definitely get the HPS though before you initiate flowering. I don't know what you mean by waiting for a better setup. We actually don't know anything about your setup at all other than you have a 250 watt MH. Nothing wrong with that! I'm sure a lot of people on the micro forums use 250 watt systems, I would assume so anyways. Check out that forum for some examples of small wattage gardens.
250w should be plenty for a single plant if it doesn't end up being enough you can easily supplement with CFL. I would always recommend using a cooler light color for vegetative aka MH , CFL and L.E.D and warmer spectrum for flowering which is the HPS or high pressure sodium. Now I use Dual Arc bulbs which put out both MH/HPS spectrum's; but they are not some thing easy to pick up when on a budget. also what brand of soil and are you using nutrients.?
I'm using Miracle gro potting mix. I do plan on using nutrients but not currently because its just getting ready to exit the seeding phase, plant currently under florescent lighting. And those asking what i mean by better set up, I guess i meant higher wattage possibly better soil, nuts etc... because I am on somewhat of a budget but I'm willing to do what it takes to treat my plant better, and open for suggestions. Thanks for the feedback. How does a 18/6 Light cycle for veg sound? Ive read many threads and books which suggest 18-24hr lighting. Not sure which is best, many different opinions on the mater. I'm pretty sure that I'm going with the scrog method.
I would say run it on 20 hours light 4 hours dark only give them a little while in between light cycles when they are young. Here is a small list of items easy to order online or purchase at a hydroshop or plant nursery Nutrients (if you cant afford fox farm this company works well) technaflora BC Nutrient starter kit Soil: Fox Farm Ocean Forest Along with a few small fans, a hygrometer/thermometer some 2ml reflective mylar
Also it has been said many of times that miracle grow is not good at all for growing cannabis because it comes packed full of uneven fertilizer. So if you can find a plant nursery or hydro shop around you they would have generic organic soil for cheap $$.
Ditch that stuff. I always recommend everyone to grow in either pure coco coir or a coco/perlite mix over any kind of soil. Many advantages over soil. Definitely need to get some kind of nutes. Fox Farms isn't too pricey. Botanicare Pure Blend line is cheap too. Either one of those would do you well. I always use 24 hr for veg. Growth is faster than 18, all there is to it.
Currently the seedlings are in the miracle gro soil. In terms of transplanting, would it cause a lot of stress to change the environment to a different, higher grade, soil?