first time grower needs advice please

[envirosinger]

Im in my 40's and am a first time grower. I have 6 pots with 2 plants in each pot. They are very young, have maybe 4-6 leaves each, and are about 4-5" tall. I have 2 rows of 3 pots each with 2 60watt grow lights, one on each end. Is it too early to tell whether the plant is male or female? At what age/size should i be able to figure it out? I will have to seperate the males from the females when they start showing their gender into their own seperate pots, and yes i know that isnt ideally great. Should i be watering everyday or every other day? Since these are so young, should they be on a light schedule already? I've been doing 16-18hrs a day. I know i sound pathetic but i could use some advice please. Alot of threads and posts have tips and advice that varies.

 

[Captain Kronic]

Re: first tim grower needs advice please...

I will give you the best piece of advice I can... GET AND READ A BOOK!
I know you think I'm being a smart ass but, that IS the only way to learn, that and trial and error! I learn more by reading that I could ever learn w/o! You could start reading here:
How to Grow Marijuana - 420 Magazine

When you get stuck, ask your questions in the proper section of this site, someone will have an answer for you... usually!
Best of to you and yours... see ya round!

 

[oldgardener]

I can see a few potential issues coming at you, but first, I'd like to say that my opinion is just that: my opinion.
What I like or the next guy likes or what works for you may all be entirely different, but still meet our needs.

So the first thing I'd ask is "what are your needs"?
You don't have to tell me, but ask youself.
Mine is a small quantity of medicine for night time relief of joint pain, and that affects how I do my grow. I also keep within my states legal limit.
Mine is also all organic, just like my vegetable garden Many say that hydro will yield more, if my yields are smaller that's ok with me.

So, with that said, here is what I see....
What size are the pots? I'd not grow 2 plants in a single pot to flowering myself.

What kind of 60 watt grow light? A round bulb? (I don't know of any other kind that size) If so, a waste of time.
Are they CFL? If CFL and actual usage watts are 60 not "equivelent watts" they may let you veg a few plants for a while, unlike to produce much of use with the quantity you have though.
If you need to keep it small, check out the "room and cabinet" threads in the grower section. There are some very clever small cfl grows in there, and most use good reflective material on the walls which you don't mention.

Check this thread, it poses some good questions for you to ask yourself.

So you want to grow some pot eh?

Hope this helps
an old gardener