1st grow, done on the cheap.

Wll she's survived her first week and has grown a nice bit since yesterday, still a bit droopy. Not going to water her for a day or too.

water whenever the pot feels really light. period. you don't decide when to water........it does. plants drink at varied rates. there can be no watering "schedule." i feel the same way about ferts. i read my plants, and support them. i never "force" things. others may yield a little more, but i wanna enjoy the grow, and connect with my crop. and avoid problems.

scroglodyte said:

water whenever the pot feels really light. period. you don't decide when to water........it does. plants drink at varied rates. there can be no watering "schedule." i feel the same way about ferts. i read my plants, and support them. i never "force" things. others may yield a little more, but i wanna enjoy the grow, and connect with my crop. and avoid problems.

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Thanks for the input throughout my grow dude.Trying my best to communicate with her. Have you any advice re LED bulds. Was thinking of getting a few 20w corns?

LEDs are sweet. I use 2 90w blue LEDs for my veg. I used to use MH but I like this better and less heat issues. Never tried the 20w.

Carbon filter question:Can i put my filter at end of line(outside my cabinet) instead if inside it to create more room inside? And how much less effective, if any would it be?

Can anyone answer my carbon filter question?Anyway she's still growing nicely and on her third set of leaves already. Hope to get another pic or two up later.

View attachment 2204060 My lady at two weeks and two feet ` My own personal strain `

Here she is today

She's growing nicely by the day now, added 2x25w cfls and moved my exhaust ducting to near the top of the box. Temps holding nicely around 25-30.

Day 9:another set of leaves this morning, guess I'm about 10% of the way through now, cant wait

hotbot said:

Hi,
Just started my first grow about a week ago. I ordered some femmed short rider seeds and soaked it in warm water in the hot press for 24 hours and then planted it in all purpose compost. It broke soil about 3 days ago. I have it in a 5 litre pot under 2x85w (porcelain fittings) warm white cfls in a cardboard box lined with plasterboard and covered in reflective bubblewrap. Have extraction and a carbon filter(not connecting the filter til it starts to smell) and waiting on a cooling/circulating fan before I add more lighting(probably 2x25w cfl's). Box is about 1.25x1.5x2.5foot. Temp is currently 25ish. I'm not a very good verbal communicator so I hope to get a few pics up soon.

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mind the cardboard doesnt start soaking up humidity, and growing mould, or worse collapse in the night. i wouldnt mount lights on cardboard without adding wood to the structure

hotbot said:

Can anyone answer my carbon filter question?Anyway she's still growing nicely and on her third set of leaves already. Hope to get another pic or two up later.

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a long as the air passes through the carbon filter it doesnt matter if the air is pulled into the filter or pushed out. i would rather have it pushed into a filter can at the outside of my growroom, so anything caught in the filter (bugs, pollen and mould spores etc) are away from my plants. just be sure the air is going through the filter the right way for that particular filter. if you make your own from central air charcoal filters for home air conditioner systems, theres a in and out direction on the filter frame. make sure the arrow is pointing the right way for your airflow. outward if you are using a duct end can, or inwards for a blower intake mounted filter.



also with the spiral compact flourescents it doesnt matter if the bulb is vertical or horizontal for lighting purposes, the facing of the bulb is about the same all ways, but the lateral strain on the spirals at the ballast joint can make the larger horizontal bulbs break. unless you are using the straight tube CFLs keep them pointed down for safety.

Cheers Doc,Box is fireproofed with plasterboard(drywall) and this helps keep the box rigid. Lights are hung facing downwards from a wooden structure. Tried +reping you and scroglodyte but not sure if it went through (surfing through a proxy but it changes the behaviour of the site functionality a bit) Thanks for the input.

WOW. Visibly bigger by the day. About 5 inches in diameter now and looking healthy (i think). Soil dried out so i watered her. Will post a few pics in the next few days.

hotbot said:

Box is fireproofed with plasterboard(drywall) and this helps keep the box rigid.

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NNNNNGGG!!!!

unless you used green-board the (moisture resistant, for bathrooms etc...) drywall will also soak up moisture, until it slumps over like undercooked pudding or starts growing mould. drywall also traps heat and holds it

I'll have to reinforce it with some wood framing at a later date or built something a bit more permanent for my next grow. Also theres lots of cardboard with no mold or damp that are there year., on the plus side plant is looking real healthy and growing rapidly.

Added a fan 4" fan today and a 30w cool white as all my cfls are warm whites. plants looking well. Will put up a pic tomorrow when she's 2 weeks old.

Beginning to smell nice and about 6 inches accross or more now

Day 16. Hows she (hopefully) looking? 225w of cfl (mostly warm whites). Temps very stable 22-25 since I put a fan in.

I have seen people put their seeds in mineral water and leave them there until they pop seems to work i use paper towels put what ever works for you is fine.