Tidings:

I am 50 yo male who lives in the Bay Area, CA. I used to get ahead most regularly until about 20 years ago (as in everyday for 16 years before that) but then I had kids and then moved from the Midwest to California. Yeah, yeah I know California is the "Golden State" for more reasons than one, but when you don't really know folks of a like mind and cannot afford the bust which can occur from seeking new suppliers, it puts on a serious crimp. So, my intake has been maybe 5 or so heads in the past 20 years - at a concert here, bumming a toke from kids at a park there - you know. I never would have believed it, either, but it's true.

Anyway, the kids are gone now and I have moved to a smaller house but with a big workshop. I plan on dedicating a portion of it (about 100 sq ft.) to cultivation. I have A LOT of experience with gardening and have both hydroponic and lighting equipment. Now that the last of the nosy (but deeply loved) eyes are gone off to college, my plan is to merely change plant types, as it were.

My biggest concerns at this point are:

1) Can I get away with doing this within the city due to the smell of growing and drying and, if so, what precautions to take????

2) The strain of seeds to buy for the first go round - hoping to grow both a sativa and indica strain (sativa types are best in my memory, but a good body stone is something my wife used to like).

3) What drying, curing, and storing methods to use. I used to mostly just buy. When we grew - we slashed, hung upside down till dry, and smoked. As far as storage, ha, always smoked it like I bought it - quickly. I figure now to be able to grow more than I can smoke in several few months (I WILL NEVER, EVER SELL), so storage is important. I am certain that many worthwhile advances are out there. I just want to be able to grow a few plants so that I can have the freedom to get ahead when I want without having to go out into a market that I'd sooner avoid. It is probably about the only illegal thing I ever contemplate doing, beyond driving too fast or eating a free piece of fruit in the market.

I have grazed this site a bit before joining and have found some every worthwhile information and tips in getting a start. I am open to all ideas and suggestions. If anyone has particular hints or wants to suggest other sites, I welcome messages.

If you go to the growfaqs a lot of your questions can be answered. They have odor control methods, curing methods, etc. and whatnot listed on there. Welcome and good luck.

hey buddy... message something to ROSEMAN

he is a man close to your age with a pretty good knowledge of hydro SOG grows... he is extremely helpful and nice

i hope you have the best of luck with all your growing... sounds like you're gonna be set...

for the smell... you can make or buy a "carbon scrubber" which is basically a fan that pulls the air inside the grow room through an activated carbon mesh absorbing all smells... then just extracts the cleaned air to the outside...

if you want to see some video's about grow room setup (both soil and hydro) go to youtube.com, look up

stoned free guide to growing marijuana
ready, set, grow!
how to grow green

or, just search "growing marijuana" and look at all the different vids... there a few good ones, those ones above are just the ones that come to mind right away

__________________
Lumberjack's personal - my new grow journal (check it out!)

i'll cut you yo

member of pagc

Thanks to the both of you. Looking forward to the day when I can "give back".

GetAhead,
just wondering since your in the bay area... why not visit a medical supplyer.. some of them help people grow at home and can sell clones and seeds...
its a nice resource to have at hand..

like gygx1974 said just hit the grow faqs an when you have anymore questions comeon back an most of us will help you....but when taken care of smell make sure you keep all ionirs an carbon scrubbers in a different to filter pumped air,these devices' sometimes cause the weed to have a weak an tarnished taste...

Kids are a drag,mine is out of the house now.

I could not disagree more. An occasional inconvenience but never, EVER a drag.