First Timer

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MooseBud

Active Member
I'll just jump right into it

This is not my first time growing and it won't be my last. Started out with a 6.5' x 6.5' x 6' tall room one light and a heater. Every couple of months I would add to my room and now feel im all set.

3) 40 watt UV light bars (lights of America)
1) 8 inch fan
1) isolating heater with a fan
1 roll) 50' bubble uv insulation (it's not totally sealed off but it's toasty warm)

I have 4 seeds started and am really just wanting to know how I can improve my situation.

The first time I grew, out of 4 plants I only ended up with 2oz
The second time I grew, out of 5 plants I only ended up with 4oz

Current seeds
1) northern lights
2) strawberry cough
3) super lemon haze
4) ... good ol number 4 is either a feminized super lemon haze or an unknown sex of Mekong haze

Yes I realize my last seed could ruin my whole batch and I've kept it on the other side of the table but is that safe?

I'm hoping to post some pictures and I hope you lady's and gents are able to help.
 
I'm a new guy, but I've never heard or read of growing with just UV. Now I'll admit, I don't know everything, but I would think, you need a broader spectrum.

With that said, maybe more people will drop by and give their opinion.
 
the lights say "grow lights" right on the box and I know uv lighting is really good for the budding stage. But yea your probably right with having two different sets of lighting.
 
MooseBud said:
the lights say "grow lights" right on the box and I know uv lighting is really good for the budding stage. But yea your probably right with having two different sets of lighting.
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Can I ask where you purchased them? I tried to look them up but can't find any information on them at all.
 
Also, with that wattage, you should be real close to the plants usually. Fluorescents usually less than a foot away. (or closer)
 
i bought them at TSC store in Canada. Thank you for letting me know about the distance too. I can post the chart on the box later today.
 
MooseBud said:
i bought them at TSC store in Canada. Thank you for letting me know about the distance too. I can post the chart on the box later today.
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That isn't important. I'll look them up. I personally would put some 5000k bulbs (most lumens you can find around you) in two of those fixtures.

I think your distance and your spectrum are the limiting factors.

Maybe some of the more experienced growers will jump on here and give more information.
 
Unfortunately my only experience with UV light was the time I used a large CFL bulb, that I found somewhere, for cloning.

Didn't notice for a long time that it was a UV bulb for a reptile home. It fried the cuttings when I moved it close.
I googled but couldn't find the light mentioned based on the info.
Like B. Weed I've only ever heard of UV used as a supplement.
I'm also fairly sure they aren't meant to be put close to the plants.

With plant #4- is it hermies you are worried about? You'll easily have time to spot that if it develops. It can hang with the rest of the herd for now no problem.
 
Clearly you have the basics down, as you have finished two grows and improved your yield too. Hey, congrats on that!

You have a LOT of space, too much for your current lighting. Two options are more lighting to fill the room (which would also allow more plants) or partition the room to a size more appropriate for your lights. By keeping the room a smaller size, you will get more light on more surface area of your plants, because the light will reflect off the walls and hit the plants all over. If your walls are too far away, it won't be nearly as effective. Either way, bumping up your light intensity per square foot will increase yields.

Other suggestions - make sure your room is light proof (completely dark) during lights out; get an exhaust fan in there to keep fresh air flowing; monitor your air temp/humidity day and night, especially if you are in an area that gets extreme temps.
Oh, and you don't have to worry about whether that last seed is a male or female just yet. The only time a male can ruin a crop is if he has released his pollen sacs, which won't mature until flowering. So you can grow as normal for now.

Pomaika'i!

I like those strains you chose, just ordered your top 3 last week!
 
Weaselcracker said:
Unfortunately my only experience with UV light was the time I used a large CFL bulb, that I found somewhere, for cloning. It fried the cuttings when I moved it close.
I googled but couldn't find the light mentioned based on the info.
Like B. Weed I've only ever heard of UV used as a supplement.
I'm also fairly sure they aren't meant to be put close to the plants.

With plant #4- is it hermies you are worried about? You'll easily have time to spot that if it develops. It can hang with the rest of the herd for now no problem.
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Thanks for jumping in. I like a second (third fourth) opinion at this stage of my education. :thanks:
 
keep the comments coming!

So would a 4x4x6 room be better for my situation? Should I move my plants closer to the light? Personally I don't want to buy more for my room as I haven't come flush yet with my spending. But it is what it is.

Both times prier I've been satisfied with the growth and unsatisfied with the yield as I've seen people get roughly a pound off of 1 plant and I haven't been able to get anywhere near that with 4 or so.

I also have a nutrience kit but I don't plan on using it until the plants have passed the growth stage. And yes I have used the nitrience on the other grows as well.
 
Do not blame you one bit for not wanting to throw more money at it. If it were me, I would go no more than 2x4 and top/train my plants to spread wider, rather than letting them get taller. The reason being your lights do not have the "penetration" to get very deep into the plant. To help play to the light's strength, a ScroG-type training would do best, keeping the plants wide and short allowing more bud sites to get nearer to the surface. With the colas near the surface, you will be able to use your space/light more efficiently. If you are not comfortable with the hands on nature of topping/LST for ScroG, you can always look into SoG technique, which is the same concept of keeping plants short and colas near the surface. But instead of manipulating a few plants into many colas, you simply have many small plants with a few colas.

What I have noticed over the years is that just about all lights work like a champ in the vegetative stage. Mainly because cannabis has less light requirement for that stage. The flowering stage is where the rubber hits the road and proper lighting is vital to get those monster yields. Fluorescent lights are perfectly fine for seedling and vegging stages but are not the most efficient for flowering. You can still get solid yields but do not make the mistake of trying to compare your grow with HID's or quality LED's. They are simply in a different category. Not to mention they use a lot more wattage!

I have not grown with your specific bulbs, but fluorescents are known for even light distribution and ability to keep them very close to your plants - within a few inches. Your seedlings are young and a little tender, but soon they should able to take more intensity. A lot of people say the hand test is a good bench mark (put the back of your hand under the light for 15 seconds. If you are comfortable at that distance, your plant will be too). I would say move the light a little bit closer each day and let the plant tell you. Nothing too dramatic, just a couple inches each day. This way the plant has a chance to adjust or show you signs of light stress. Keep in mind that different strains react differently to light. Some may like it 3" away, others may want 12". One of the drawbacks to growing different strains at the same time. We all like the variety of it, but sometimes they grow very differently. Makes it a little more challenging to manage.
 
Ok so I've done some changes to my room since the last post. I've already noticed a change in the plant groth and feel my plants are at a good distance. I'm all for the "hands on work", but when should I fim them? I also understand the whole "bending method" but when should I do this to my plants?
 
Industry standard is to wait for 5 pairs of nodes, then top them above the third pair of nodes. These remaining three pairs of nodes will grow out and become the main branches of your plant. You can start LST anytime after topping. Just be careful and try not to use too much force. If the branch breaks, it can sometimes be repaired, so do not remove it from the plant. You can make a splint and the plant will repair itself in many cases.
It's easier to train if you bend them down more toward the top of the branch, just below the leaves. They make twist ties specifically for plants you can use, just be sure to use something that won't cut into the branches (No string, zip ties, etc.). Tie them down securely but leave a little room for growth.
Remember, your goal as the plant grows is to bend as needed to keep as many bud sites the same level at the top of your canopy. Those main branches will keep growing the fastest, so those will need most of the training. The nodes/bud sites that develop from the branches won't grow as fast, so just try to give them enough space to get a clear path to your lights. If any fan leaves are blocking bud sites, tuck them out of the way as needed too.
As for FIM'ing, I don't have much experience with it. Nothing wrong with it when done correctly, just not my preference.

On a side note, you can try your hand at cloning as well. If you let the plant go a little longer before topping (6-7 pairs of nodes), that part you cut off can be used as a cutting. With a little time and luck, you will have a clone!
 
Hey man. Just did a little research and based from what I've read so far, I think the UV lights are only supposed to be used as a supplemental light to get more yields and I quote from a site I forgot and can't retrieve since I'm at the office and have deleted my history that some growers place a 40W UV bulb above the plants and research showed that they get up to at least 28% more yield.

But then again, I'm just a newbie grower and I'm really curious too if that's true or if UV lights can be used as the main grow light. I think I'll be holding on to this one to get some answers from a more experienced grower :D
 
You can FIM or top about the same time - after you get 5 sets of nodes on the plants. The reason I top instead of FIM is sometimes the FIM doesn't take. So I just top it and make sure! Upside to a FIM is you save some time in the Veg cycle not having to wait for recovery like you would for topping.

Three of those plants look great! Cannot see a clear photo of the little one. Is that one a genetic deformity or did something happen?
 
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