Looking for some advice

[denajohn]

I'm not sure I'm in the right forum. If not...sorry. This is relatively long so only bother reading it if you are bored or have nothing better to do. I just got my hands on 10 White Widow feminized seeds. I am told that they are a fairly easy plant to grow for a beginner (that's me). I started 5 different strains about 6 weeks ago with mixed results. Of the 11 seeds I planted, only 7 are still alive. I realize that I made mistakes (wrong potting soil, over watering, etc., etc.). However, I have gotten some really good advice from this forum and want to see what I can do with the White Widows.

Here's my game plan:

1. Soak seeds in water for 24 hours.
2. Place seeds in soil in 2 ¼ inch peat pots
3. Once roots begin to fill peat pots I plan to move them to 2 gallon plastic buckets where they will spend the remainder of their lives.

I have been told that Happy Frog makes great potting soil but I can't find it locally. Home Depot carries something called Miracle-Gro Nature's Care Organic Potting Mix. It contains no fertilizer and I was planning on ordering some Fox Farm Trio to feed them when appropriate.

I currently own a 250 watt HPS light, a 400 watt HPS and 2 each 4 foot fluorescent fixtures each with eight, 32 watt tubes. The 8 tubes put out about 5,900 lux measured at the plant tops (whatever the hell that means). I put 1 each of 3 strains (Sweet Critical, Baikal Express and White Walker Kush) in 5 gallon Buckets to keep as Mothers. The 3 Mother plants live in a spare bedroom under one of the fluorescent fixtures and my other 4 sit in my basement under the 250 HPS. Right now, they all get 18 hours of light and 6 hours darkness daily. The 4 in the basement will eventually go to 12/12 when ready.

Hey...Remember I told you this was going to be long. Anyway, I'm looking for opinions/advice on my next (the 10 White Widow) grow. Please remember that I'm new at this so I would appreciate it if you would kindly dumb it down for me. THANKS!!!

 

[fuglyman]

With seeds I have had good luck with a wet paper towel in a mug or what ever you have of similar size. Once the seeds sprout I put

themin 1/2 gallon containers.

Be sure to have green sticks to prop up the seedlings. Once they get about 9" tall or the plant tells you to

transplant to a #2 1.7 gal pot. Then transplant to between a 5 and 7 gal pot #7 for flowering. I have seen this be very successful. I

once planted a seedling in a 5 gal bucket and had very poor results. Fox Farms makes Happy Frog you might want to see if you can order

it Check out my grow journal in the links below I think I am getting good results.

 

[AKgramma]

Think of seedlings like babies. You don't give them more than they need.

No nutes for a month. The cotyledons have enough food to feed the sprout.

Dilute nutes to 1/4 of the recommended strength on the bottle, and feed maybe once a week, not with every watering.

Up-pot only when the roots fill the current container, and then only to the next size. This prevents the roots from always being wet.

Water only when the leaves just start to droop, then water well, till there is runoff through the holes.

Keep lights just close enough to the plants to give them lots of light, but not burn them. Put your hand between the bulb and the plant. What you feel is what the plant feels. Adjust the height of the plant accordingly.

KEEP IT SIMPLE, until you understand more advanced methods, then try them sparingly. Cannibus is a WEED. It adapts to a wide variety of environments.

Good luck!

 

[HeartWW]

I would say yes buy hopped up expensive soil if you can but get this. I have been at this since the 70's. I buy inexpensive " top soil " from Home Depot or Menards.( Not Miracle Grow ) I mix it with a lot of vermiculite and a little peat. Always use Ph'd water and totally soak the soil for a day or so before planting in it. I take the little plant that has been in a 1/2 pint pot for a week or 2 and I just stick it right into a 4 gln pot and leave it there until harvest. I never have any problems or even issues.This is how it happens in nature.. I do use Fox Farms nutes but as stated above this is a weed so don't over think it. Good luck and enjoy my favorite bud, WW..