Wow .... Am I ever overwhelmed.

Hello everyone. I so desperately want to enjoy growing. I am just soooo ignorant on how to grow anything. I feel really overwhelmed, especially after reading on this forum. It is a damned science for sure, and it feels like I could not live long enough to learn it all LOL.

So I went and purchased this book : http://www.amazon.com/Marijuana-Buds-Less-Grow-Than/dp/0932551874/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I read through it, and felt SO very happy and confident that I could do it ! I saw the daily photos as a really easy way to compare my plants to the authors, and make sure I was right on track. But then I felt deflated when I saw so many experienced growers saying it was nothing more than a grow journal, and not very good as a how to grow book .... Well fuck me ! Now I do not really know how to really begin. And I had thought it was going to be really easy ....

I understand that most every person who posts on this forum, wants easy answers without putting any effort in. And I assume it is most likely that EVERYTHING a person could ever need to know is on the pages of this huge forum. But unfortunately I take care of a VERY sick wife, and just do not have enough time to spend months reading through this forum.

So I would truly appreciate any info you can give me, and I would appreciate any links to the threads most likely to help me to understand what it is I am about to try doing, and if you can direct me to any really good books or DVDs for BEGINNERS , that I can actually understand ( not overly advanced or scientific ) , I sure would appreciate the help. I want to join the ranks of small growers that enjoy what they do, but my wife's circumstances really do warrant needing help from someone willing to lend a hand.

Thanks so much

Full Circle said:

Hello everyone. I so desperately want to enjoy growing. I am just soooo ignorant on how to grow anything. I feel really overwhelmed, especially after reading on this forum. It is a damned science for sure, and it feels like I could not live long enough to learn it all LOL.

So I went and purchased this book : http://www.amazon.com/Marijuana-Buds-Less-Grow-Than/dp/0932551874/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I read through it, and felt SO very happy and confident that I could do it ! I saw the daily photos as a really easy way to compare my plants to the authors, and make sure I was right on track. But then I felt deflated when I saw so many experienced growers saying it was nothing more than a grow journal, and not very good as a how to grow book .... Well fuck me ! Now I do not really know how to really begin. And I had thought it was going to be really easy ....

I understand that most every person who posts on this forum, wants easy answers without putting any effort in. And I assume it is most likely that EVERYTHING a person could ever need to know is on the pages of this huge forum. But unfortunately I take care of a VERY sick wife, and just do not have enough time to spend months reading through this forum.

So I would truly appreciate any info you can give me, and I would appreciate any links to the threads most likely to help me to understand what it is I am about to try doing, and if you can direct me to any really good books or DVDs for BEGINNERS , that I can actually understand ( not overly advanced or scientific ) , I sure would appreciate the help. I want to join the ranks of small growers that enjoy what they do, but my wife's circumstances really do warrant needing help from someone willing to lend a hand.

Thanks so much

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I'm one who isn't within your "most every person" statement

Book: http://www.amazon.ca/Marijuana-Horticulture-Outdoor-Medical-Growers/dp/187882323X
Videos: (search youtube) or here's a freebie: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/ultimate-grow/

Other: Hang around for a while on this forum, and if something intrigues you, follow up with research with searches on Google or at your local library.

Ask questions, follow the threads you're interested in (even ones you're not interested in yield valuable info), and before you dive in, once more, ask questions.

Good luck!

-spek

Growing weed is easier than sitting on the couch watching tv.

Step 1: Believe nothing you read here
Step 2: Go to a botany forum and learn about cultivation
Step 3: Go to an aquarium forum and learn about lighting
Step 4: come back here and be more informed than 90% of the posters

Successful growing will be like I said, easier than sitting on couch watching tv

Drop me a note- I have links to a lot of helpful FAQ's and tutorials and will answer your questions (within reason of course!)
Many people forget what it is like being a 'newbie' to growing- and many just never relate to people who stress over it... I can, and have no probs with it!

mr2shim said:

Growing weed is easier than sitting on the couch watching tv.

Step 1: Believe nothing you read here
Step 2: Go to a botany forum and learn about cultivation
Step 3: Go to an aquarium forum and learn about lighting
Step 4: come back here and be more informed than 90% of the posters

Successful growing will be like I said, easier than sitting on couch watching tv

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Shitty advice right here. To grow a little marihuana I have to go to a aquarium forum? Yea, no fucking thanks!!!! Tons of info on this site to grow super sick fucking dank.

a mongo frog said:

Shitty advice right here. To grow a little marihuana I have to go to a aquarium forum? Yea, no fucking thanks!!!! Tons of info on this site to grow super sick fucking dank.

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I said to learn about lighting.. I figured my post wouldn't be easily understood. I guess that's my fault for not further explaining but I don't really have the care.

i guess online biology classes would be wayyy outta line too.

mr2shim said:

I said to learn about lighting.. I figured my post wouldn't be easily understood.

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Your going to make this dudes brain explode. Pretty sure he just wants to grow a little sweet Mary Jane. Your post kinda sounded like " fuck this site, no body knows shit." That's just the way I took it thats all. I sad now!!! Thanks...

im sure the book is fine. it isn't that difficult. You don't have to get everything perfect. You just need to not completely fuck up.

I have a light, Some crappy soil (cheap compost mixed with garden soil), some cannabis specific nutrients, and a timer.
If you want to fine tune your grow to maximise yield, then you will have to learn some 'science', but you can get pretty far with just the absolute basics

brimck325 said:

i guess online biology classes would be wayyy outta line too.

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Unless it is specifically about growing weed otherwise it's useless! Because you know, weed is like a one of a kind plant and nothing on earth grows like it...

brimck325 said:

i guess online biology classes would be wayyy outta line too.

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No, that would be fun. But it's not needed to grow sick buds sparkling with frosty goodness.

a mongo frog said:

Shitty advice right here. To grow a little marihuana I have to go to a aquarium forum? Yea, no fucking thanks!!!! Tons of info on this site to grow super sick fucking dank.

Click to expand...

Ya i mean really want to make it easy on yourself...don't expect to be perfect the first time everybody falls off a bike...hell i flew off a motorcycle track at 120mph but i'm still hopping back up and learning from my mistakes. It's so much fun growing but can be challenging at times. There are plenty of books and people who can provide info on the basics...but you can't be so ignorant that you're expecting the best the first time. Do research and ask as many questions as you want even if you feel dumb for asking! Better be safe than sorry with MJ

a mongo frog said:

No, that would be fun. But it's not needed to grow sick buds sparkling with frosty goodness.

Click to expand...

In reality all someone needs to properly grow weed is a pot, soil, water, seed, a light source, nutrients and patience. That's it. Hilariously enough lots and lots people can't seem to do just that. That last little bit (patience) tends to stump a lot of people.

maybe you should look at a few shim, could be enlightening.

Hey sorry you're feeling overwhelmed. For a first grow, you want to keep it as simple as possible. Choose your medium in which the plant will grow, figure out how much light you can handle/afford, pick a spot (room, grow tent) that is contained but also can be cooled and ventilated. Right there you have the major areas covered -- medium, light, heat/cooling and ventilation.

I started with: hydro, small grow tent, 400 Watts. I didn't think through the cooling/ventilation issues so well, so I had to leave the tent open when the lights were on and cool with my window A/C. As such, I had some problems containing odor.

Nutes -- none for the first 2-3 weeks (so don't get a soil that comes pre-nuted!), then feed your plants at 1/3 what the bottle recommends. I'm not kidding. Your plants will do fine, and you won't burn them. If you get a ppm meter, you can be more exact, but in the absence of one (and they can be expensive), just go with 1/4 - 1/3 strength on the nutes. I recommend a 3-part micro/grow/bloom set, but get what you can. You do not need a ton of extras on your first grow. Basic nutes will get you to a happy harvest.

PH - you will need to maintain a ph specific to your medium, so get a ph meter.

And that's about it. Get some nice seeds and get going! I recommend you grow two to three plants the first time around if you have the room, so that one can die, one can be male and you can still harvest something. Your first time out is just about building experience.

Check out my Jillybean grow link in my signature, and you'll see what a newbie can do! I avoided feeling overwhelmed by just learning 1 thing at a time. 1, germination, 2, putting plants in tent and turning on lights, 3, first nutes, 4 topping (yes, I got ambitious!), 5, flipping to 12/12, 6, running out of room on the stretch, 7, checking trichs for ripeness, 8, harvest, 9, dry and cure. Just take it one step at a time -- it's a four-month process easily, so you don't have to learn everything the first day!

Good luck!

Thanks to everyone who responded. I certainly don't expect to be a champion grower the first time out. I just want to be able to not waste all of my time Time is very precious to me, with my necessary commitments. I am about to figure out what strains I am most interested in ( looking for happy, grinning, laughing, low anxiety, low couch lock ) ... And when I get the strains figured out, I will order the seeds.

I do have one question though .... I see these grow "boxes" advertised in High Times magazines which have lights already in it. A lot of them are under $1000. Is this a good idea to make my learning curve and a need for simplicity better ?

Thanks again

You are definitely over thinking this.

Keep It Simple!

It is a plant, even called weed, it is going to grow as long as it has 3 things. A grow medium (soil), light, water.

Plant it in your moist soil, only water when the planter is light and you can tell it is dry, and sit back and let it grow.

Check out HTG supply for a tent with light, you will need to add a air-cooled hood/tube and a CFM fan if it isnt included.

Full Circle said:

Thanks to everyone who responded. I certainly don't expect to be a champion grower the first time out. I just want to be able to not waste all of my time Time is very precious to me, with my necessary commitments. I am about to figure out what strains I am most interested in ( looking for happy, grinning, laughing, low anxiety, low couch lock ) ... And when I get the strains figured out, I will order the seeds.

I do have one question though .... I see these grow "boxes" advertised in High Times magazines which have lights already in it. A lot of them are under $1000. Is this a good idea to make my learning curve and a need for simplicity better ?

Thanks again

Click to expand...

No, do not fall into that gimmick trap. I bought all of my stuff from ebay for ~500 and it has yet to let me down(knock on wood)

Got a tent, cool tube, 400w ballast, MH HPS lamps, 4" inline fan & filter and a waterfarm. Only thing I spend money on now days are seeds, nutrients and power.

Bought relatively similar to this recently (400w)... price is quite decent. You'll still need to add a few things, but this'll get you started: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Complete-Kit-400-600w-Ballast-Cool-Tube-2pc-Bulb-4-Fan-Filter-Ducting-4x2-Tent-/300853684902?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&var=&hash=item460c46eaa6

-spek

Lot of good suggestions so far, OP.
Only thing I would add, is start with some cheap seeds, or even bagseed to practice with when you are first starting.
No sense in spending 15-20 bucks a seed to experiment, right?