Sweetsue's First Grow - Stealthy Trio of Autos Under CFLs

SweetSue;2343364 said:

Thanks SoilGirl. You'll enjoy this one.

I greeted the new year delirious with fever. Not my recommended method. I DID stay up to share a kiss with my magic man.

When I wasn't drifting in fever I was revisiting the excellent information on Tulip's tutorial on CFLs. I've been over and over it and I've come up with a CFL lighting plan for my tiny 2 sq. ft. closet grow with auto-flowering plants.

The plan is based on a desire to supply a minimum of 10,000 lumens per square foot. Keeping in mind that the available light actually reaching the plant is all about distance, it is to your benefit to increase those available lumens, if possible.

The most efficient CFLs are actually the 23-26 watt ones. The ratio of lumens to watts comes close to 70. Next down are 40-43 watts, which are about 5 points less at around 65. They don't generate much heat, so you can get them in as close as 1 1/2", meaning you can sometimes slip them right into the interior of the plant. After you get further than 6" from the plant you lose light efficiency. Each plant has it's own sweet spot for light distance. They'll let you know when it's "ENOUGH!!"

You want to remember that the light is emitted from the sides of the bulbs. No light value for the plant exists on the ends. Work for greatest exposure to the sides of the bulbs. You also want to begin a log of individual build usage (think about coding them with a sharpie) and replace them early or with each grow. The 23-26 watt bulbs are the most cost-effective choice and the easiest to find.

This approach obviously works best for the micro grower who enjoys the time necessary to keep adjusting those lights. I suspect there are quite a large number of us out there. I live in a tiny, comfortable apartment in an urban area and the hours I spend cultivating these plants brings me great joy and makes me feel like I've kept in touch with the planet. Lights are the primary key to success. I'm still planning to upgrade to an LED somewhere in the middle of this grow, but this information may help someone else develop their successful grow. I can tell you from experience that thoughtful use of CFLs can result in dense and potent buds.

I'm a visual person. I want my research to result in something I can represent with color. I want it to be concise and thorough. Here is my attempt at mimicking Mother Nature in the corner of our living room.

Sorry it's a bit fuzzy. I wasn't as steady as I thought I was when I took it.

There is a gradual and steady increase on both wattage and lumens as the grow progresses. At it's maximum potential you are only using 367 watts and getting 25,800 lumens. You need to let the plants dictate their limits. The spectrum gently shifts from cool to warm as the buds ripen. Attention is paid to the need for the whole spectrum throughout the grow. I plan to daily rotate the plants by 1/4 turn to facilitate maximum light penetration.

Although this is designed for a shorter auto grow it could easily be adapted to a photo-flowering strain.

I may finish this grow out with the CFLs. It would be helpful to have it as a comparison for an LED grow.

Some quick pictures taken this morning:

A group shot. Buddha Magnum on the left, THC Bomb on the right.

Buddha, at Day 26, is beginning to go vertical. Measuring in at 6 1/2".

From the top you can see how she's filling out the pot.

I had shots of THC Bomb too, but I erroneously deleted them from my phone.

Click to expand...