(If you don’t have time to read the whole story, there is a list at the end with some explanation of what you will need)
A first time grower’s story.
“I think I will grow my own herb… well, with all the information on the web it should be easy to find out the “way” to do it.* How hard could it be?”*
If you are reading this, after having that conversation with yourself, pay close attention.* There is one thing I have learned after 50+ years on this wonderful earth it is; when we go looking for something, we usually already know what we want to find, based on an idealized picture we have contrived from bits and pieces of life experience and hear-say.* The reality is, we will eventually find it and get the validation to back up our preconceived idea.* Another reality, we don’t necessarily want to know the truth because that may go against, or be more complicated than, the picture we have in our heads, we want support for our idea.* I was/am no different.
Now, I had a few outdoor grows back in the 80’s so I wasn’t going into this completely blind.* I am also well educated with a couple of degrees under my belt (sadly, neither of them in botany).* So I am well versed in research methodologies and have some experiential knowledge to lean on.* I also consider myself to be quite logical so, building a plan for this grow, would be simple.* In retrospect, it was simple; it was also full of informational holes and half assed.*
So building the plan went like this.*
1.****** I need to get some seeds.* I will search on-line and find a place to order.* I want to grow 4 plants and maybe two different strains.* I know from past experience the whole male vs. female thing and; “Holy shit”!!! You can get feminized seeds now!* Well, this is getting easier all the time.* This is cool, you can get 8 week strains!* At this rate, I will have a pound or two of weed by New Years!* Ordered…..
2.****** Where will I grow them?* Back to talk to my friend Google.* Tents are expensive.* I have a large house, I will get back to this later….
3.****** Lights… hmmmm.* I have some friends who use MH and HPS so I will have a little look into that.* Shit, lights are expensive.* Oh wait, CFLs!* Do a little more digging and there it is! Using CFLs is an accepted way to grow and I can get them at the hardware or grocery store.* I will pick up a few bulbs the next time I go grocery shopping. The plan is coming together.
4.****** What will I grow them in?* Off to the garden center for some small pots, to start out with, and some soil…. Done and done.
5.****** Back to #2… I have a half bath in the spare room with a standup shower that we don’t use.* Talk to the bride, and yup, she is OK with using that.
Now when the seeds arrive, I will be good to go.
I was a simple plan; I had the seeds, the medium, the light source and the place.* What more would I need?* This was the preconceived notion I had in my head and I was able to find validation for every part of the plan on the web.* It was like Google knew exactly what I was after…. Google is some smart!!!
Here is the reality.
It was very easy to get the seeds.** There are a number of providers/seed banks on-line but it would be advised to ask around to identify a distributer who can legally send them to your neck of the woods.* I was fortunate that I knew someone who has been ordering seeds through the mail without issue and went with that same company.* In digging around, some people have had issues with ordering seed by drawing unwanted attention to themselves or being ripped off.* The company I ordered from had discrete shipping; fast service and a warranty on their product (more on the warranty later).* The other option would be to use bag seed or get some clones from someone. Both are viable options, based on availability, but if you want to have a little more control over what you will eventually be smoking, I would recommend a seed bank.* More importantly than quality, you want to buy a strain that will be suitable for your grow area (space), ability to tend to the plants and experience.** From my past experience, I didn’t want to put a bunch of time and effort into growing some plants and having to throw half, or more, of them out because they were male, so I went with the feminized seed.
In about 5 days, the seeds arrived in the mail.* As I said, I had grown before and germination was never an issue.* Throw a few seeds in some paper towel, add some water, toss them under the bed and forget about them for a while and, when you go back, there will be a shit load of roots.* Well, after spending $120 on seeds, I wanted to make sure I did it right.* The seed bank had a recommended germination method to use in order for their warranty to be in effect.* So, I followed it to the tee.* I put 2 seeds of each strain through the process and only one seed sprouted.** WTF?* So I planted the one seed (Purple Kush) and put 3 more seeds through the process.* Again, only one seed sprouted and again, it was the Purple Kush.* I reached out to the company, explained what had happened and, after explaining the process I used to germinate, they replaced the seeds at not cost!* Anyway, I went with the two plants this time.
If you have never grown inside, it is difficult to imagine what you will need for space.* Go on YouTube or grower sites and you will see people growing in buckets, cupboards, closets, tents etc. with great results but, what is difficult to see, is the actual size of the space and the size of the plants.* As I said, I was planning to grow 4 plants in my shower based on what I thought I was seeing on the web.* Due to the issues with germination, I only had two plants and they outgrew my space in less than 5 weeks.* The other thing you don’t know is the amount of experience the growers have who are showing you how “easy” it is to grow in various sized spaces.* I have to admit that I broke off some healthy plant growth trying to rein in my plants with LST once they started to out grow the space I had for them.* I was fortunate that I could move my plants to a suitable space and continue to let them thrive.* As a newbie, do your research on the strain and its size requirements to avoid frustration and heartbreak.* The information is out there and, being that you are reading this, you made a wise decision to join a forum such as this.* The guys and gals here have hauled my ass out of many a mess over the past few months.* I have discovered that most advanced growers are more than happy to give you the information but, as a newbie, you need to make sure you are asking the right questions. *Always supply all the details of your grow such as medium, lights, nutrients, age of plants, watering schedule, size of grow area etc. along with your question.* I would suggest that you make a list of these things so you can cut and paste the next time you have an issue… cuz, as a newbie, there will be a next time.
Lights are a huge consideration when planning a grow.* As previously stated, I went with CFLs for cost and availability purposes only.* It wasn’t until my girls started to grow that I looked into it as deeply as I should have.* I don’t regret my decision as it was ideal for my growing situation at the time (more by good luck than good management).* CFLs are inexpensive, if you don’t have the money to layout for HPS. However; they are not the best if you are expecting large yields.* That said, by adding more CFLs, you can do a good job and increase your yield.* I went with 100 watt bulbs and started with 4 of them.* In doing some surfing around, I found that the 100 watts marked on the bulb was not the actual useable watts that your plants will convert to grams of herb.* The actual watts are 23 per 100 watt of light.* The 100 is to let you know what amount of light it will give off in comparison to an incandescent bulb of 100 watts.* Your girls will only use the 23 actual watts.* In my grow, I have 16 CFLs for my two plants.* With wiring, pig tails, cords & reflectors etc. I could have easily purchased a complete 400 to 600 watt MH & HPS light setup.* As I said, I am glad I went with the CFLs because I wouldn’t have been able to deal with the heat.* The other issue with CFLs is they need to be tended to on a regular basis, if you want them to be as effective as possible.* I keep my lights about 4 inches from my buds all the time.* During the initial stretch during flower, I had to adjust the lights twice a day to keep from burning my flowers.* If you don’t keep them close, the plants will stretch to reach the light.* The conundrum with this is, you are using CFLs for a confined space but if you can’t tend them, they will stretch toward the light and outgrow your space.* If you put them close enough and then don’t tend them, you will risk burning them.* If you don’t have the skill to LST or Supper Crop, you may find yourself backed into a corner or very sad.
Soil!!! I never thought that dirt could be so difficult.* As I said previously, I went to the store and bought some potting soil off the shelf… hell, it had a picture of blooming flowers on the front of the bag, it had to be good.* &%*#% I almost killed the plants before they had a chance to start.* DO YOUR RESEARCH!* Even though, or because, your plants are a weed, the wrong nutrients hidden in the soil can be the end of your grow.* Once I saw what was happening to my plants, I did the research I should have done before I ever planted them.* I went to the local green house and asked specifically for organic soil without added nutrients, peat moss, perlite and washed sand.* I was able to save my girls from a toxic death.* When you go to purchase soil, read the contents and check for fertilizers.* Many potting soil mixes have slow release fertilizers in them… that can be bad for you bibies.* If you go to the local greenhouse and tell them you are looking to plant some “flowers” or “tomatoes”, chances are you won’t get what you need.* Even worse, if you go to a hardware or grocery store, with a garden center, and ask for advice, the people you are asking probably know even less than you.* Go to a hydro store or greenhouse where people know their shit!
The pots you are going to plant in are also very important.* The plants root system will use whatever depth of soil you give them but they won’t necessarily use the width right away.* It is important to build a root system that will support your plants when they are full of heavy buds.* The other issue with having a pot that is too large has to do with watering.* You want/need your plants to drink the water you give them but if your roots are growing straight down, the wet soil on the sides will just stay wet.* I planted directly into 6 inch pots.* Inside of 10 days, I had green algae covering my soil.* Also, wet soil is very attractive to little critters who love nothing more than to eat your plants from the roots up.* I have to add, I didn’t have a bug problem but realizing that could be an issue, I purchased some diatomaceous earth and mixed it in my soil mix and put some on the top of the soil during transplant.
Fertilizer was something I never paid any attention to when I was “planning”.* While doing research on soil, to save my plants from the other stupid mistake I made, I started reading about nutrients.* By this point in my grow, I finally realized that I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing.* Because I started down the organic path, I decided that I would go all organic. I went to the local hydro store and asked “what would you recommend if I wanted to grow some vegetables organically indoors”.** She said, “I would use this” and handed me a bottle of General Organics Grow, and I bought it, thinking I was finally ahead of the curve!* I few days later, I went on line to check out what I bought with a cross reference to growing cannabis and quickly found out I was still a dumb ass and as ill prepared as the day I had the original thought about growing my own herb.* At that point I did some in-depth research.* I did stay with the GO line but returned the bottle of Grow and purchase the GO Box.* Another thing you will eventually find out, the “recommended” mixture will not be what you will end up using.* I could only get to 1/3 the recommendation on the box.* Also, I had to stop using one of the products when I discovered the indica plants can be sensitive to nitrogen.* Yes, I had a nitrogen toxicity issue I had to fix.
I started vegetating my seedlings by placing my pots in a beer cooler (top open) and dangling the lights over them.* It was probably the only thing I did right to this point.* The cooler was bright white, on the inside, and the plants seem to love it there.* The cooler idea bought me enough time to set-up the shower growing space.* At this point I am very knowledgeable about all things cannabis (in my mind).* In my grow room research, I saw that many of the growers kept a close eye on the temperature and humidity so I had already purchased a Temp/RH meter, not knowing why I needed it. I also came across a product called Panda Wrap and saw what others have done with it, from lining a room to building a grow tent, and thought* “I too shall use this wondrous material”.* I went to the local hydro store and purchase a roll of a similar product (Panda Wrap is not available everywhere and, as it turns out, is not the best product anyway).* I lined the shower with it, hung my lights on the friction shower rod, installed the Temp/RH meter and built a flap to cover the front of the shower.* I moved my plants into the new high tech grow tent, turned the light on, set the timer to 18/6, turned down the flap and stood back to basque in the glory of it all.* I couple hours later; I went to check on the plants.* Lifting up the flap I was hit in the face by a blast of 97 degree heat with an HR of over 80.* Once again, I was reminded of my total ignorance.* While researching the lights, it was stated over and over again that CFLs don’t get too hot.* In fact, many of the proponents on YouTube would demonstrate this by holding the lit bulb in their hand.* The reality is, although CFLs don’t get very hot, they still produce heat and heat will accumulate if not given the opportunity to dissipate.** So, lesson learned, yet again.** I removed the flap from the front of the grow space and used a section of the plastic to seal off the bathroom window so light wouldn’t get in during the dark cycle and light wouldn’t get out and alert my neighbours of my activities.** In the middle of the first night, my wife woke me up as she heard a large sound coming from my grow space.* Yup, you guessed it, the light pulled down the curtain rod and landed on my plants.* The heat and humidity from earlier in the day created a slippery surface on the plastic wrap and the friction rod…. Well, there was no longer any friction.* The babies were ok and I secured the rod so it wouldn’t happen again.
I am now starting to clue in to the fact that I hadn’t been seeking out the right information.* I started investigating why growers were doing the things they were.* For instance, I noticed that most growers had fans in their grow room.* I checkout what benefit this served for plants in general, not just cannabis.* I found out that it actually strengthened the plants main stock as well as the removal of stagnant air under the canopy.* I found that critters of all kinds enjoyed stagnant humid air.* So, my girls were about 2 inches tall when I purchased a small desk fan to blow over them.* That was probably not necessary at that time but I figured it wouldn’t hurt.* By time my plants were 12 inches tall they had huge sturdy stocks about the size of a sausage!
Transplanting was a non issue.* With the soil research I had done to solve my previous problems, I was ready with the medium.* As someone once said, “newbie growers rarely under do anything”… I did a great deal of research on optimal setups for growing in soil.* I looked at the hydrosoil, air injection and several other methods.* I decided to keep it somewhat simple but didn’t want to “under do” it.* I bought 7 gallon green house pots, placed 2 inches of clay pellets on the bottom, covered it with burlap and put my mixed soil on top.* I inserted an air line through one of the drain holes to the middle of the pots and attached an aquarium air pump to supply oxygen to the bottom of the soil and help with moisture issues.* I have no idea if it helped with anything or not but it certainly didn’t hurt and I have been using it 24/7 ever since.*
The aquarium pump served another purpose as well.* I start preparing my water 24 hours before watering so the temperature is consistent.* I detach the air hoses from the bottom of my pots and attach them to air stones and place them in the bucket of water for about 12 hours before watering to inject as much oxygen into the water as possible.* I have also found that, when mixing nutrients, the air bubbles coming from the air stones do a great job of making sure the nutrients are well integrated with the water. Watering was something I didn’t think I had to worry much about as I was growing in soil, I just needed to make sure I didn’t over or under water.* I started using the 20% runoff method right away and it seemed to be working as it should, that is until I got nutrient lock.* I was told by many that if you grow in soil, you don’t have to worry about the PH of the water.* This may be true and my issue may have had to do with something else but, the moment I started to ph my water, the problem went away.* Now, my water out of the tap is 5 and that could be more acidic than normal but I have been adjusting my ph ever since.
Smell was a shocker.* I knew the plants would smell but I thought this wasn’t going to take place until they started to flower.* Was I wrong!* By time they were 6 inches tall, you could smell them the moment you walked into the house.* I dealt with that by keeping the doors to the bedroom and bathroom closed at all times.* This worked until I had to move them to a larger space and they started to explode with growth.* Again, my friend Google told me that activated charcoal filters was the only thing that would solve the problem.* So, by this stage in growth, the small fan had been replaced with a larger window fan.* Still trying to keep my costs down, I purchase some activated charcoal filters and attached them to the inlet of the fan.* I may as well burnt the money I spent on the filters and let the smoke from the fire cover up the smell of my plants.* So, my next purchase was Ona Pro Gel.* That did work for a couple of weeks but as the girls started to flower, it would no longer do the trick at all.* I was now too invested in the process to give up.* I found a new 6 inch Typhoon in-line fan on a local buy & sell site for about $100 less than from the local hydro store so, I got it.* I then purchased a MA 620 filter from the hydro store ($165), set it in the middle of the room and inside of 30 minutes, the smell was completely gone.* Yes, it was a lot of money!* Make sure you do your research.* There are cheaper filters and fans on eBay or Amazon but all you have to do is ask some of the experienced growers here and you will find out that most of them are not worth shit.* If you haven’t started your grow yet…. You need to think about what you are going to do about the smell.
Temperature and humidity was another thing to deal with.* After everything I had been through, I am pleased to say I was ready for this.* High humidity is not a problem in the winter months so, I needed to devise a plan to replace the humid air from my grow room with dry air from elsewhere in the house.* I bought a 70 cfm bathroom fan, vented it out the window with a dryer vent. I attached the power line to a humidistat.* Using dryer vent tubing, I ran one end into the basement and the other end on the other side of in my grow room across from the bathroom fan.* It worked great!** When the humidity got to high, the fan would suck the air out of the room and vent it outside.* The negative pressure caused by this would such air from my basement, replacing the air in the room. Using this, I can control my humidity to +- 10 at all times.* As it turned out, in conjunction with electric heating, this kept the temperature steady with about a 7 degree difference between light on and off.
So, my girls are about 2 to 3 weeks from harvest.* I have huge dark purple colas over both plants.* I am guesstimating that I should get 6 to 8 oz in total, which isn’t bad for CFLs… I am told.* My next hurdle will be the drying and curing process which I have been doing extensive research on.* I purchased a 40x jeweler’s loupe and have 60% milky trichomes right now and am checking them regularly.* Which brings me to the topic; flush or not.* There are two camps on this topic.* I am growing in organic soil with organic nutrients so, some say I don’t need to flush and others say you always flush.* I am not going to flush and here is why.* Just yesterday, my regular supplier ran out of product.* That was not an issue for me as I have* a big chunk of hash that keeps me happy,* but my significant other is not a fan of hash.* I told her that I would trim some of the sucker buds off the bottom of the plant for her.* I warned her that it would probably be harsh as hell but if she was game, we could give it a try.* I left her some, which she fast dried in the oven.* She couldn’t believe the result!* It was not harsh at all and it burned with a white ash.* She said that it was better than what she had be getting on a regular basis from our supplier and the high was incredible.* So, I am not doing a full flush, but will just water one time before harvest.* FYI:* this is not my recommendation, it is just what I am going to do with my girls.
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The list:* Prices in Canadian funds.
Space: Identify your space and plan EVERYTHING around it.
Reflective Surface:* $20 for a roll of 3meter by 50meter heavy duty opaque green house ploy liner.* There are several different ways you can go.* Pain, mylar or even white paper.* Your space will dictate what you will need or can use.* You should have something.
Seeds: $50 to $60 for 5 seeds - Find a reliable source and know what you are growing.* Different strains have different requirement.* You won’t grow a sativa in a bucket.***
Pots: $35 for several sizes as you are going to want to pot-up (transplant) as your plants grow.* I went from 6 inch to 7 gallon but I would not recommend making that big of jump.* My next grow, I am going to pot up at least 3 and maybe 4 times.
Medium: $30 to $50 for about 30 gallons of finished soil product that you mix yourself. What can you handle for work, time and money?* They all take work and knowledge so don’t be greedy, be realistic.* Like lights, different growing mediums will give you different results but they all come with requirements.* I would suggest, as a first time, keep it simple.
Diatomaceous Earth: $10.* This is a natural way to control bug problems.* I would suggest to get some when you buy your soil… if you go with soil.* It is called a mechanical pesticide which means it destroys the pests without the use of poison.* It has no nutrient value and is naturally occurring… it is even in some ice-creams.
Nutrients: $65 for General Organics GO box.* Unless you can go super soil, you will need nutrients of some sort.* Do your research and once you decide on a product, do more research on how others have used it in the same medium you are using.* Did I mention, do your research???
PH tester: $12 for the test strips.* Because I am starting to plan for my next grow, I picked up a PH, TDS* and Soil PH meters.* The test strips are accurate enough to start with but a little bit of a pain in the ass to use.
Lights:* CFLs - $3 - $4 a piece.* With CFLs, you need to pay close attention to the kelvin rating.* I use a combination of both 6500k and 2700k to cover the light spectrum. Do your research on what ever light you are going to use. CFLs run cool but they do produce heat and you will need to be able to control it in your space.
Wiring: $140 for pig tails, 16 gauge electrical cord, end caps, tape, marrets, adjusters for raising and lowering your lights and reflectors.* You could save some money by using heavy string or small rope for rising or lowering your lights but, trust me, it is a royal pain in the ass and the adjusters are not that expensive.* You will need reflectors to redirect as much light as possible toward the plants. I used aluminum roasters and pizza pans from the local grocery store for reflectors for little money.* DO NOT use household electrical cords unless you only have couple of lights.* Build your own cords with heavy duty wire and you shouldn’t burn your house down.
Ventilation and Humidity control:** $130 for a bathroom fan, 50 feet of dryer vent tubing, humidistat and Temp/RH meter.* This was for my setup (read above).* Depending on the time of year and your climate, you may need a dehumidifier.* You will need some way to draw fresh air into your grow area or you will have to find a way to generate carbon dioxide.* Fresh air is much simpler to manage.
Fan: $30 for a good articulating fan.* I started with a small desktop model for about $10 but when the plants really start to grow you are going to need something larger.* I don’t think you can go without one.
Oder Control:* $320 for a 6 inch inline fan and a good quality carbon filter. I am sure you could go less expensive but I am planning for next time. *Oder will be an issue if you are trying to go stealth… do not try to go cheap, you are just wasting your money.
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Happy growing!
Hobby420
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Postscript:* I am going to do another grow but am building a specific room for it.* I am going to switch to a MH & HPS lighting system but I am going to stick with soil…. For now.
A first time grower’s story.
“I think I will grow my own herb… well, with all the information on the web it should be easy to find out the “way” to do it.* How hard could it be?”*
If you are reading this, after having that conversation with yourself, pay close attention.* There is one thing I have learned after 50+ years on this wonderful earth it is; when we go looking for something, we usually already know what we want to find, based on an idealized picture we have contrived from bits and pieces of life experience and hear-say.* The reality is, we will eventually find it and get the validation to back up our preconceived idea.* Another reality, we don’t necessarily want to know the truth because that may go against, or be more complicated than, the picture we have in our heads, we want support for our idea.* I was/am no different.
Now, I had a few outdoor grows back in the 80’s so I wasn’t going into this completely blind.* I am also well educated with a couple of degrees under my belt (sadly, neither of them in botany).* So I am well versed in research methodologies and have some experiential knowledge to lean on.* I also consider myself to be quite logical so, building a plan for this grow, would be simple.* In retrospect, it was simple; it was also full of informational holes and half assed.*
So building the plan went like this.*
1.****** I need to get some seeds.* I will search on-line and find a place to order.* I want to grow 4 plants and maybe two different strains.* I know from past experience the whole male vs. female thing and; “Holy shit”!!! You can get feminized seeds now!* Well, this is getting easier all the time.* This is cool, you can get 8 week strains!* At this rate, I will have a pound or two of weed by New Years!* Ordered…..
2.****** Where will I grow them?* Back to talk to my friend Google.* Tents are expensive.* I have a large house, I will get back to this later….
3.****** Lights… hmmmm.* I have some friends who use MH and HPS so I will have a little look into that.* Shit, lights are expensive.* Oh wait, CFLs!* Do a little more digging and there it is! Using CFLs is an accepted way to grow and I can get them at the hardware or grocery store.* I will pick up a few bulbs the next time I go grocery shopping. The plan is coming together.
4.****** What will I grow them in?* Off to the garden center for some small pots, to start out with, and some soil…. Done and done.
5.****** Back to #2… I have a half bath in the spare room with a standup shower that we don’t use.* Talk to the bride, and yup, she is OK with using that.
Now when the seeds arrive, I will be good to go.
I was a simple plan; I had the seeds, the medium, the light source and the place.* What more would I need?* This was the preconceived notion I had in my head and I was able to find validation for every part of the plan on the web.* It was like Google knew exactly what I was after…. Google is some smart!!!
Here is the reality.
It was very easy to get the seeds.** There are a number of providers/seed banks on-line but it would be advised to ask around to identify a distributer who can legally send them to your neck of the woods.* I was fortunate that I knew someone who has been ordering seeds through the mail without issue and went with that same company.* In digging around, some people have had issues with ordering seed by drawing unwanted attention to themselves or being ripped off.* The company I ordered from had discrete shipping; fast service and a warranty on their product (more on the warranty later).* The other option would be to use bag seed or get some clones from someone. Both are viable options, based on availability, but if you want to have a little more control over what you will eventually be smoking, I would recommend a seed bank.* More importantly than quality, you want to buy a strain that will be suitable for your grow area (space), ability to tend to the plants and experience.** From my past experience, I didn’t want to put a bunch of time and effort into growing some plants and having to throw half, or more, of them out because they were male, so I went with the feminized seed.
In about 5 days, the seeds arrived in the mail.* As I said, I had grown before and germination was never an issue.* Throw a few seeds in some paper towel, add some water, toss them under the bed and forget about them for a while and, when you go back, there will be a shit load of roots.* Well, after spending $120 on seeds, I wanted to make sure I did it right.* The seed bank had a recommended germination method to use in order for their warranty to be in effect.* So, I followed it to the tee.* I put 2 seeds of each strain through the process and only one seed sprouted.** WTF?* So I planted the one seed (Purple Kush) and put 3 more seeds through the process.* Again, only one seed sprouted and again, it was the Purple Kush.* I reached out to the company, explained what had happened and, after explaining the process I used to germinate, they replaced the seeds at not cost!* Anyway, I went with the two plants this time.
If you have never grown inside, it is difficult to imagine what you will need for space.* Go on YouTube or grower sites and you will see people growing in buckets, cupboards, closets, tents etc. with great results but, what is difficult to see, is the actual size of the space and the size of the plants.* As I said, I was planning to grow 4 plants in my shower based on what I thought I was seeing on the web.* Due to the issues with germination, I only had two plants and they outgrew my space in less than 5 weeks.* The other thing you don’t know is the amount of experience the growers have who are showing you how “easy” it is to grow in various sized spaces.* I have to admit that I broke off some healthy plant growth trying to rein in my plants with LST once they started to out grow the space I had for them.* I was fortunate that I could move my plants to a suitable space and continue to let them thrive.* As a newbie, do your research on the strain and its size requirements to avoid frustration and heartbreak.* The information is out there and, being that you are reading this, you made a wise decision to join a forum such as this.* The guys and gals here have hauled my ass out of many a mess over the past few months.* I have discovered that most advanced growers are more than happy to give you the information but, as a newbie, you need to make sure you are asking the right questions. *Always supply all the details of your grow such as medium, lights, nutrients, age of plants, watering schedule, size of grow area etc. along with your question.* I would suggest that you make a list of these things so you can cut and paste the next time you have an issue… cuz, as a newbie, there will be a next time.
Lights are a huge consideration when planning a grow.* As previously stated, I went with CFLs for cost and availability purposes only.* It wasn’t until my girls started to grow that I looked into it as deeply as I should have.* I don’t regret my decision as it was ideal for my growing situation at the time (more by good luck than good management).* CFLs are inexpensive, if you don’t have the money to layout for HPS. However; they are not the best if you are expecting large yields.* That said, by adding more CFLs, you can do a good job and increase your yield.* I went with 100 watt bulbs and started with 4 of them.* In doing some surfing around, I found that the 100 watts marked on the bulb was not the actual useable watts that your plants will convert to grams of herb.* The actual watts are 23 per 100 watt of light.* The 100 is to let you know what amount of light it will give off in comparison to an incandescent bulb of 100 watts.* Your girls will only use the 23 actual watts.* In my grow, I have 16 CFLs for my two plants.* With wiring, pig tails, cords & reflectors etc. I could have easily purchased a complete 400 to 600 watt MH & HPS light setup.* As I said, I am glad I went with the CFLs because I wouldn’t have been able to deal with the heat.* The other issue with CFLs is they need to be tended to on a regular basis, if you want them to be as effective as possible.* I keep my lights about 4 inches from my buds all the time.* During the initial stretch during flower, I had to adjust the lights twice a day to keep from burning my flowers.* If you don’t keep them close, the plants will stretch to reach the light.* The conundrum with this is, you are using CFLs for a confined space but if you can’t tend them, they will stretch toward the light and outgrow your space.* If you put them close enough and then don’t tend them, you will risk burning them.* If you don’t have the skill to LST or Supper Crop, you may find yourself backed into a corner or very sad.
Soil!!! I never thought that dirt could be so difficult.* As I said previously, I went to the store and bought some potting soil off the shelf… hell, it had a picture of blooming flowers on the front of the bag, it had to be good.* &%*#% I almost killed the plants before they had a chance to start.* DO YOUR RESEARCH!* Even though, or because, your plants are a weed, the wrong nutrients hidden in the soil can be the end of your grow.* Once I saw what was happening to my plants, I did the research I should have done before I ever planted them.* I went to the local green house and asked specifically for organic soil without added nutrients, peat moss, perlite and washed sand.* I was able to save my girls from a toxic death.* When you go to purchase soil, read the contents and check for fertilizers.* Many potting soil mixes have slow release fertilizers in them… that can be bad for you bibies.* If you go to the local greenhouse and tell them you are looking to plant some “flowers” or “tomatoes”, chances are you won’t get what you need.* Even worse, if you go to a hardware or grocery store, with a garden center, and ask for advice, the people you are asking probably know even less than you.* Go to a hydro store or greenhouse where people know their shit!
The pots you are going to plant in are also very important.* The plants root system will use whatever depth of soil you give them but they won’t necessarily use the width right away.* It is important to build a root system that will support your plants when they are full of heavy buds.* The other issue with having a pot that is too large has to do with watering.* You want/need your plants to drink the water you give them but if your roots are growing straight down, the wet soil on the sides will just stay wet.* I planted directly into 6 inch pots.* Inside of 10 days, I had green algae covering my soil.* Also, wet soil is very attractive to little critters who love nothing more than to eat your plants from the roots up.* I have to add, I didn’t have a bug problem but realizing that could be an issue, I purchased some diatomaceous earth and mixed it in my soil mix and put some on the top of the soil during transplant.
Fertilizer was something I never paid any attention to when I was “planning”.* While doing research on soil, to save my plants from the other stupid mistake I made, I started reading about nutrients.* By this point in my grow, I finally realized that I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing.* Because I started down the organic path, I decided that I would go all organic. I went to the local hydro store and asked “what would you recommend if I wanted to grow some vegetables organically indoors”.** She said, “I would use this” and handed me a bottle of General Organics Grow, and I bought it, thinking I was finally ahead of the curve!* I few days later, I went on line to check out what I bought with a cross reference to growing cannabis and quickly found out I was still a dumb ass and as ill prepared as the day I had the original thought about growing my own herb.* At that point I did some in-depth research.* I did stay with the GO line but returned the bottle of Grow and purchase the GO Box.* Another thing you will eventually find out, the “recommended” mixture will not be what you will end up using.* I could only get to 1/3 the recommendation on the box.* Also, I had to stop using one of the products when I discovered the indica plants can be sensitive to nitrogen.* Yes, I had a nitrogen toxicity issue I had to fix.
I started vegetating my seedlings by placing my pots in a beer cooler (top open) and dangling the lights over them.* It was probably the only thing I did right to this point.* The cooler was bright white, on the inside, and the plants seem to love it there.* The cooler idea bought me enough time to set-up the shower growing space.* At this point I am very knowledgeable about all things cannabis (in my mind).* In my grow room research, I saw that many of the growers kept a close eye on the temperature and humidity so I had already purchased a Temp/RH meter, not knowing why I needed it. I also came across a product called Panda Wrap and saw what others have done with it, from lining a room to building a grow tent, and thought* “I too shall use this wondrous material”.* I went to the local hydro store and purchase a roll of a similar product (Panda Wrap is not available everywhere and, as it turns out, is not the best product anyway).* I lined the shower with it, hung my lights on the friction shower rod, installed the Temp/RH meter and built a flap to cover the front of the shower.* I moved my plants into the new high tech grow tent, turned the light on, set the timer to 18/6, turned down the flap and stood back to basque in the glory of it all.* I couple hours later; I went to check on the plants.* Lifting up the flap I was hit in the face by a blast of 97 degree heat with an HR of over 80.* Once again, I was reminded of my total ignorance.* While researching the lights, it was stated over and over again that CFLs don’t get too hot.* In fact, many of the proponents on YouTube would demonstrate this by holding the lit bulb in their hand.* The reality is, although CFLs don’t get very hot, they still produce heat and heat will accumulate if not given the opportunity to dissipate.** So, lesson learned, yet again.** I removed the flap from the front of the grow space and used a section of the plastic to seal off the bathroom window so light wouldn’t get in during the dark cycle and light wouldn’t get out and alert my neighbours of my activities.** In the middle of the first night, my wife woke me up as she heard a large sound coming from my grow space.* Yup, you guessed it, the light pulled down the curtain rod and landed on my plants.* The heat and humidity from earlier in the day created a slippery surface on the plastic wrap and the friction rod…. Well, there was no longer any friction.* The babies were ok and I secured the rod so it wouldn’t happen again.
I am now starting to clue in to the fact that I hadn’t been seeking out the right information.* I started investigating why growers were doing the things they were.* For instance, I noticed that most growers had fans in their grow room.* I checkout what benefit this served for plants in general, not just cannabis.* I found out that it actually strengthened the plants main stock as well as the removal of stagnant air under the canopy.* I found that critters of all kinds enjoyed stagnant humid air.* So, my girls were about 2 inches tall when I purchased a small desk fan to blow over them.* That was probably not necessary at that time but I figured it wouldn’t hurt.* By time my plants were 12 inches tall they had huge sturdy stocks about the size of a sausage!
Transplanting was a non issue.* With the soil research I had done to solve my previous problems, I was ready with the medium.* As someone once said, “newbie growers rarely under do anything”… I did a great deal of research on optimal setups for growing in soil.* I looked at the hydrosoil, air injection and several other methods.* I decided to keep it somewhat simple but didn’t want to “under do” it.* I bought 7 gallon green house pots, placed 2 inches of clay pellets on the bottom, covered it with burlap and put my mixed soil on top.* I inserted an air line through one of the drain holes to the middle of the pots and attached an aquarium air pump to supply oxygen to the bottom of the soil and help with moisture issues.* I have no idea if it helped with anything or not but it certainly didn’t hurt and I have been using it 24/7 ever since.*
The aquarium pump served another purpose as well.* I start preparing my water 24 hours before watering so the temperature is consistent.* I detach the air hoses from the bottom of my pots and attach them to air stones and place them in the bucket of water for about 12 hours before watering to inject as much oxygen into the water as possible.* I have also found that, when mixing nutrients, the air bubbles coming from the air stones do a great job of making sure the nutrients are well integrated with the water. Watering was something I didn’t think I had to worry much about as I was growing in soil, I just needed to make sure I didn’t over or under water.* I started using the 20% runoff method right away and it seemed to be working as it should, that is until I got nutrient lock.* I was told by many that if you grow in soil, you don’t have to worry about the PH of the water.* This may be true and my issue may have had to do with something else but, the moment I started to ph my water, the problem went away.* Now, my water out of the tap is 5 and that could be more acidic than normal but I have been adjusting my ph ever since.
Smell was a shocker.* I knew the plants would smell but I thought this wasn’t going to take place until they started to flower.* Was I wrong!* By time they were 6 inches tall, you could smell them the moment you walked into the house.* I dealt with that by keeping the doors to the bedroom and bathroom closed at all times.* This worked until I had to move them to a larger space and they started to explode with growth.* Again, my friend Google told me that activated charcoal filters was the only thing that would solve the problem.* So, by this stage in growth, the small fan had been replaced with a larger window fan.* Still trying to keep my costs down, I purchase some activated charcoal filters and attached them to the inlet of the fan.* I may as well burnt the money I spent on the filters and let the smoke from the fire cover up the smell of my plants.* So, my next purchase was Ona Pro Gel.* That did work for a couple of weeks but as the girls started to flower, it would no longer do the trick at all.* I was now too invested in the process to give up.* I found a new 6 inch Typhoon in-line fan on a local buy & sell site for about $100 less than from the local hydro store so, I got it.* I then purchased a MA 620 filter from the hydro store ($165), set it in the middle of the room and inside of 30 minutes, the smell was completely gone.* Yes, it was a lot of money!* Make sure you do your research.* There are cheaper filters and fans on eBay or Amazon but all you have to do is ask some of the experienced growers here and you will find out that most of them are not worth shit.* If you haven’t started your grow yet…. You need to think about what you are going to do about the smell.
Temperature and humidity was another thing to deal with.* After everything I had been through, I am pleased to say I was ready for this.* High humidity is not a problem in the winter months so, I needed to devise a plan to replace the humid air from my grow room with dry air from elsewhere in the house.* I bought a 70 cfm bathroom fan, vented it out the window with a dryer vent. I attached the power line to a humidistat.* Using dryer vent tubing, I ran one end into the basement and the other end on the other side of in my grow room across from the bathroom fan.* It worked great!** When the humidity got to high, the fan would suck the air out of the room and vent it outside.* The negative pressure caused by this would such air from my basement, replacing the air in the room. Using this, I can control my humidity to +- 10 at all times.* As it turned out, in conjunction with electric heating, this kept the temperature steady with about a 7 degree difference between light on and off.
So, my girls are about 2 to 3 weeks from harvest.* I have huge dark purple colas over both plants.* I am guesstimating that I should get 6 to 8 oz in total, which isn’t bad for CFLs… I am told.* My next hurdle will be the drying and curing process which I have been doing extensive research on.* I purchased a 40x jeweler’s loupe and have 60% milky trichomes right now and am checking them regularly.* Which brings me to the topic; flush or not.* There are two camps on this topic.* I am growing in organic soil with organic nutrients so, some say I don’t need to flush and others say you always flush.* I am not going to flush and here is why.* Just yesterday, my regular supplier ran out of product.* That was not an issue for me as I have* a big chunk of hash that keeps me happy,* but my significant other is not a fan of hash.* I told her that I would trim some of the sucker buds off the bottom of the plant for her.* I warned her that it would probably be harsh as hell but if she was game, we could give it a try.* I left her some, which she fast dried in the oven.* She couldn’t believe the result!* It was not harsh at all and it burned with a white ash.* She said that it was better than what she had be getting on a regular basis from our supplier and the high was incredible.* So, I am not doing a full flush, but will just water one time before harvest.* FYI:* this is not my recommendation, it is just what I am going to do with my girls.
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The list:* Prices in Canadian funds.
Space: Identify your space and plan EVERYTHING around it.
Reflective Surface:* $20 for a roll of 3meter by 50meter heavy duty opaque green house ploy liner.* There are several different ways you can go.* Pain, mylar or even white paper.* Your space will dictate what you will need or can use.* You should have something.
Seeds: $50 to $60 for 5 seeds - Find a reliable source and know what you are growing.* Different strains have different requirement.* You won’t grow a sativa in a bucket.***
Pots: $35 for several sizes as you are going to want to pot-up (transplant) as your plants grow.* I went from 6 inch to 7 gallon but I would not recommend making that big of jump.* My next grow, I am going to pot up at least 3 and maybe 4 times.
Medium: $30 to $50 for about 30 gallons of finished soil product that you mix yourself. What can you handle for work, time and money?* They all take work and knowledge so don’t be greedy, be realistic.* Like lights, different growing mediums will give you different results but they all come with requirements.* I would suggest, as a first time, keep it simple.
Diatomaceous Earth: $10.* This is a natural way to control bug problems.* I would suggest to get some when you buy your soil… if you go with soil.* It is called a mechanical pesticide which means it destroys the pests without the use of poison.* It has no nutrient value and is naturally occurring… it is even in some ice-creams.
Nutrients: $65 for General Organics GO box.* Unless you can go super soil, you will need nutrients of some sort.* Do your research and once you decide on a product, do more research on how others have used it in the same medium you are using.* Did I mention, do your research???
PH tester: $12 for the test strips.* Because I am starting to plan for my next grow, I picked up a PH, TDS* and Soil PH meters.* The test strips are accurate enough to start with but a little bit of a pain in the ass to use.
Lights:* CFLs - $3 - $4 a piece.* With CFLs, you need to pay close attention to the kelvin rating.* I use a combination of both 6500k and 2700k to cover the light spectrum. Do your research on what ever light you are going to use. CFLs run cool but they do produce heat and you will need to be able to control it in your space.
Wiring: $140 for pig tails, 16 gauge electrical cord, end caps, tape, marrets, adjusters for raising and lowering your lights and reflectors.* You could save some money by using heavy string or small rope for rising or lowering your lights but, trust me, it is a royal pain in the ass and the adjusters are not that expensive.* You will need reflectors to redirect as much light as possible toward the plants. I used aluminum roasters and pizza pans from the local grocery store for reflectors for little money.* DO NOT use household electrical cords unless you only have couple of lights.* Build your own cords with heavy duty wire and you shouldn’t burn your house down.
Ventilation and Humidity control:** $130 for a bathroom fan, 50 feet of dryer vent tubing, humidistat and Temp/RH meter.* This was for my setup (read above).* Depending on the time of year and your climate, you may need a dehumidifier.* You will need some way to draw fresh air into your grow area or you will have to find a way to generate carbon dioxide.* Fresh air is much simpler to manage.
Fan: $30 for a good articulating fan.* I started with a small desktop model for about $10 but when the plants really start to grow you are going to need something larger.* I don’t think you can go without one.
Oder Control:* $320 for a 6 inch inline fan and a good quality carbon filter. I am sure you could go less expensive but I am planning for next time. *Oder will be an issue if you are trying to go stealth… do not try to go cheap, you are just wasting your money.
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Happy growing!
Hobby420
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Postscript:* I am going to do another grow but am building a specific room for it.* I am going to switch to a MH & HPS lighting system but I am going to stick with soil…. For now.
