Hi, I've recently written my own Guide to Growing Marijuana. It's targeted at beginners who are interested in growing only a couple plants in a single room. Take a look at it and let me know what your think. Contributions are welcome.
I gave it a quick read and it looks okay. I'll be honest, I skimmed over it a bit but didn't read it all. I would like to disagree with you on a couple points made in your lighting section 1) you state that Metal Halide lamps get around 125lumens/watt which is simply not true (see link in my signature). Most HPS lights don'teven come close to that, and it's well known that HPS is more efficient thab MH 2) you mention that they make HPS bulbs which can be used in ordinary light sockets. Also not true. Yes, they make HPS bulbs with the same thread patern as household bulbs (edison base VS. The larger mogul base) but ALL HID bulbs require a ballast. Metal halide, high pressure sodium, etc. ALL of them... 3) You recommend using two 100w hps bulbs supplemented by CFL lighting, but HPS lights of that range are much less efficient than larger models (see the link in my sig) and since you're already recommending the potential grower to use over 300w of light, the obvious choice for maximum efficiency (most lumens/watt) is to start with a 250w HPS and work up from there. Again, see my link. Not trying to rip on you, but it's one of my pet peeves seeing ppl making poorly informed lighting decisions...
Hey man, thanks for the advice. I will definitely update my lighting section. Really appreciate you takin your time to read it.
You are propagating the myth that seeds somehow have to be germinated as a separate routine. If you are intending to grow in soil, I have never found any advantage whatever in germinating seeds in paper towels, it just adds a totally unnecessary extra step. I can in fact list several disadvantages. I start my seeds off about 4 mm deep in my compost mix, keep them warm and moist, they pop the surface in 1 to 5 days. If you were growing tomatoes or cacti you would read the instructions on the packet and put them straight in soil - why treat MJ differently?? Maybe you would like to point out that there is a more natural way to germinate your seeds.
Quoted for truth. People go to way too much trouble germinating when all you need is a healthy seed and a moist medium to stick it in.
That's the reason I came here; to get advice from others! I'll look into this. If I remember correctly from middle school science the reason you germinate before planting was to ensure you were only spending resources on viable seeds. But I'll check for some scientific material on the subject.
If you're just germinating one seed in a small plastic (solo/beruit) cup with a little soil, how much resources could you possibly be wasting? A little soil? Maybe 2 square inches in your veg chamber? Don't get me wrong, I used to germ in paper towels all the time. It should be noted however, that the tap-root (that comes outta the seed) has tiny microscopic barbs on it that can get stuck to the paper towel fibers and cause it to break off sometimes. After reading a bunch of posts on it, I decided to eliminate paper towels. I don't recommend you remove information about paper towels from your site, because lots of other people will complain that it should be there, but I do believe it's optional...
What crops do farmers or market gardeners germinate in little towels first? None!! At school, you may have germinated a bean in a jar with some blotting paper - but just to study its development. There is absolutely NO benefit to be gained germinating MJ in paper towels - I can list a number of DISadvantages. Noobs enjoy watching the things sprout out of curiosity, I agree - then kill them by planting them with the root pointing up.
Your wrong. The benefit to germinating seeds in a paper towel, is knowing which seeds are going to sprout, saving you time and money in soil. Granted this isnt that big of a deal, but a benefit none the less. But youll go on telling people that same shit as you always do.
I think I have come to the conclusion that I will just include a statement that step is optional. I already mention this in the guide, but I will add a more prevalent statement of the idea since it's really just more of an aside right now.
Patriofarmer, I soak mine for 24 hours as well - gives them a bit of a start as they absorb water - then into soil. theHomeGrown - I think that would be a very good idea - covers all options then.
Good call homegrown. every thread I've seen this debated in has resulted in a similar pissing contest. LMAO. BTW- the seeds don't die if you plant them upside down... Our friend gravity handles that... Can I get a rep from someone please...
So what about a hydro setup? You can't really just drop it in there like soil. I would think paper towel germination would be necessary.
Ok, so I updated the lighting and germination sections. Now what does everyone think. Anymore constructive criticism?
The only thing I would add to this is a 24hr soak in water before planting can speed things up dramatically.