Newbie needs help with questions everyone new has! Experienced users please

Carl Sagan

New Member
Hi all,

New to the forum and have a few questions that I'd like to get a few opinions on from the experienced farmers. I think there will be loads with the same questions. Thanks .

I am based in Ireland. I am considering becoming a farmer and need advice. All Irish famers are indoor. I am no exception. I own the house. I am 25 so not young. I do some research but there is so much info out there and some of it contradicts or does not explain in detail exactly what is being talked about.

Are forms like this honestly a safe place for discussions? Why is it asking for DOB when registering? How safe are we on here?

The people in the grow shops here are all very nice, they don't seem to give a hoot that what you are doing is illegal and they sell seeds, but do they actually have any real grow experience or are they just there to push crap product regardless of utility, quality and outcome?
Maybe they are experienced tomato farmers and just generalise that knowledge to pretend to the real knowledge I am seeking.
If they know so much why are they working in a grow shop and not making a killing from selling the weed they can so easily grow?
I worked in retail, in a DIY store and all the employees, myself included, had no knowledge/experience of what advice we gave — we just said anything to make the customer feel at ease (this was management instructed). Are grow shop employees any different?

Are the LED lighting systems worth it? What if I was not worried about the huge cost of electrity here in Ireland. Would they yield any more than HPS (600w min.)?

As I am a first timer I was advised to go with soil as it is 'more forgiving if something goes wrong'. Is this good advice or should I go straight into hydro?

I am going to do it in a large bedroom (13 * 13 foot and 11foot high). I will take out the carpet and put in lino, Is this good?

How small/big should I start? 6 plants or 60? I have 24/7 to dedicate to this. I want to product as much as is possible. I also want to do it right. Is it something where anyone can play god and do it well, even on the first attempt?

How long does it take before a farmer graduates to 'experienced'?

There is so much varying information on yield potential. I have ordered 10 white widow regulars. I plan on taking clones. What can I, as a newbie, expect in yield?
Is there actually any difference in a 10 pack of €20 seeds bought from the internet and a €109 pack bought from the grow shop? Or in a €20 ten pack from the web and a €80 pack from a different site.

Can anyone comment or advise on which is best.. Buying lighting systems in a grow shop vs online? They are much cheaper online, but is money the only measure in these things? (I am not worried about the growshop employees calling the cops or anything like that). I just question their products and prices.

Can anyone post links to videos, or other places with in debt information on how to create the full growroom, how to properly section of each room within the room, how to hang lights etc and on each of the stages of the plant life cycle etc.
Please no videos that are trying to sell products. I want to keep cost down.
I don't want to spend money on unnecessary things or on things that I can just make myself or that any house already has e.g. #1 easy and cheap to make a homemade CO2 system from yeast and water than to buy for €20 - €30, e.g. #2 white paint instead of mylar.

All the videos on YouTube of people growing and then showing the flowers — is this real? Can a normal person, with no gardening experience produce 1 or 1kgs per 2weeks? Or are these guys people who have spent all their lives at this and are a very rare bread? Can a newbie do this sort of thing or how does it work? Will a newbie do this after a year or more? Or what time frame?

Is the farming of this something that is just a gimmick for dopes and hobbyist and a way to keep grow shops and judges in business? Or can someone who loves high quality stuff and smokes 24 7 produce enough for his and his households needs instead of paying a street dealer a small fortune every month? (Stuff is very very expensive in Ireland).
 
Oh wow, where to start? First off this is a SAFE place. If it wasn't there wouldn't be near the amount of info (read as personal knowledge) being shared. That being said, the best advice I can give you right now is to read. Read 420mag until you think you've read it all...then read it again. It will answer most of your questions. Then go over to the active grow journals and read more. The journals area is where you can follow a grow and see what works, what doesn't, and learn from other growers. Start at the link below, enjoy and good luck.

How to Grow Marijuana Everything You Need to Know
 
I would start smaller and build your way up as you learn. If you want to clone you will need 2 grow areas. I would suggest starting with 2 tents. The are reasonably priced and easy to set up. Look though my journals in my sig. You will need lights, carbon filters, exaust fans, cloner (I had much better success once I got my cloner) etc.

My first grow was with CFLs and due to my own mistakes I only got 10 or 12 g from my first plant. Now (depending on Strain, veg time pot size etc) I usually get between 2-4 oz per plant and I have a perpetual garden so I am harvesting a plant every 2 or 3 weeks. :peace:
 
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