First Grow Starting Ghetto...

...But maybe will end fabulous!!!

Before I knew this site existed, started with the Anarchists Cookbook and a hope and a prayer.

Entering past 10 days from home journal.

Growing: Unknown/Bagseed x 50

Medium: 50% MiracleGro Garden Soil for Flowers/Vegetables (spaghnum moss, organic material, manure) with 50% backyard soil

Lights: Began with Sunlight, moved on to 2 x 48" 40 watt flouros, will be ordering 400 watt MH/HPS in a couple weeks, possibly two within the month.

Location: Bedroom, moving to Closet/Storage room when finished

Day 1:
Planted 50 seeds in Planter's Harvest germination tray with humidity dome. Put tray near South facing window for maximum indirect sunlight - hoping for life in about a week.

Day 4:
Looks like some possible life, will wait another day to be sure, book said it would be a week.

My Questions/Answers I found:
Scared to remove humidity dome, can't really see through it but if I do will they die? (No, they won't, need to remove it to check moisture and growth levels)

Is there good information on-line to help me with this, without getting in trouble?
(Yes!!! Found RIU, YOU GUYS ROCK!!!)

Day 5:
As per advice from RIU I removed the humidity dome. They looked kinda stretched, so placed them in direct sunlight, thought more light might help.

My Questions/Answers I Found:Wondered why only five sprouted out of 50. Asked RIU:
https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/212737-uneven-germination.html
Best Answer:

You have to go and pick out the good seeds from the bag before you throw them all into germination. Any seeds that are green or white already won't germinate, any seeds with even a small crack in the husk from mishandling won't germinate either.

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Thanks a ton to Gblink3 for that info, wish I would've known that to start!

Day 7:
Sixth baby sprouted, checked other pods, I believe the rest of the seeds are no good - many were cracked before planting. Got the Flouros, put 'em under about an inch away hoping to stop the stretching and get more roots. Tied them gently to toothpicks with yarn. Overhead fan circulating the air well.
Reading RIU obsessivly. Notes to self:

Perfection
Humidity 60%
Temp 60 - 90 (77-81)
PH 6 - 7

Nute Balance
Grow: 20-5-5
Flow: 5-15-15

PH Adjust
Baking Soda = +ph
Vinegar = -ph
Not sure in what PPM - (this is only for emergency)

Fertilizer PPM
At a month:
150 first 10 days
500 next 2-3 weeks
800 remainder of veg
1000 beginning of flower
Bump up to 1300 slowly
Flush 2 weeks before harvest! (when 1/4 hairs red)

Props to the posters of this info, I'm sorry but in my original notes I didn't write who posted what-so a big thank you to all of RIU!

My Questions/Answers I Found: Why are they stretching? Is the sun not a good thing for these guys? (They will keep reaching for the light, need to get 'em under some flouros at the very least).

Day 8:
Holy shit I think I killed 'em! Got up this morning, all of them droopy, three biggest limp over the yarn like they have hangovers! Put Flouros on Heavy Duty Outdoor timer, 18/6.

My Questions/Answers I Found: Why are my little ones limp? (Search of RIU suggests I am actually under watering them) Yep - I was so afraid of over watering, as many of you suggest it is one of the biggest newbie mistakes - that I went too far the opposite way. Watered thoroughly - within 30 minutes, they were standing proud again.

Day 9:
They seem to like the flouro's, little leaves are getting broader - and the second set of tiny leaves are coming in!Though plants 1 and 6 may not have survived the under watering. Built small C02 unit, baking soda w/ vinegar drip, again I didn't note original poster but thanks a bunch it works great! Hopefully it will encourage growth.

My Questions/Answers I Found: What in the hell is FIMming? (M Blaze has the most awesome tutorial on this method,
https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/200413-fimming-m-blaze-complete-how.html I gotta try it later when they get bigger - Props M Blaze!)Are earthworms good or not?(Suggested by Anarchists Cookbook - RIU seems to be divided in the issue, think I'll put a couple in when I transplant - don't think it can hurt)

Day 10:
Finished painting and airing out the future grow room, got the grounded outlet and the A/C unit working. Will be transplanting on Thursday. Removed "helmet" seed shell from plant 1, hoping it will grow.

My Questions/Answers I Found: Where can I find good nutes?(Found 3 pack of most commonly recomended nutes on EBay from HTG supply for about 48 USD.)

yo hows it goin bro? your seedlings look very typical. i have only one piece of constructive criticism; you are worried too much, keep it simple and remember its a weed, and all it needs from you is light and water.

as for your setup- your soil could be better but its no worries, its just sometimes the little nute balls in MG potting soil can burn small plants. your lights are good, good enough that you can put off ordering the 400w hps until you are ready to begin flowering. your planing on using nutes? hold off untill there atleast 2 weeks to a month old. if your MG dose have those little nute balls in it then you will be doing more harm than help by ading more chemical nutes. is there any way i can change your mind to using organic fetilizers and nutes instead of chemical nutes?

KaleoXxX said:

yo hows it goin bro? your seedlings look very typical. i have only one piece of constructive criticism; you are worried too much, keep it simple and remember its a weed, and all it needs from you is light and water.

as for your setup- your soil could be better but its no worries, its just sometimes the little nute balls in MG potting soil can burn small plants. your lights are good, good enough that you can put off ordering the 400w hps until you are ready to begin flowering. your planing on using nutes? hold off untill there atleast 2 weeks to a month old. if your MG dose have those little nute balls in it then you will be doing more harm than help by ading more chemical nutes. is there any way i can change your mind to using organic fetilizers and nutes instead of chemical nutes?

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Me, worry too much? lol Probably! You really think the lights are good enough for vegetation? Sure you can convince me, not really locked in on the nutes, just trying to get somthing peeps think will work well. What would you recommend?

Shit aren't we all worried about our first gro? I check every 10 mins LOL but I love sitting with them, they use to be in my office, but they made me move out LOL.

Hey it's early so if they fail no big to restart at this point.. Wait till you flower and everyday you feel like you dogged a bullet when everything is going ok.

Phenom420 said:

Shit aren't we all worried about our first gro? I check every 10 mins LOL but I love sitting with them, they use to be in my office, but they made me move out LOL.

Hey it's early so if they fail no big to restart at this point.. Wait till you flower and everyday you feel like you dogged a bullet when everything is going ok.

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lol I can believe it.

DoeEyed said:

Me, worry too much? lol Probably! You really think the lights are good enough for vegetation? Sure you can convince me, not really locked in on the nutes, just trying to get somthing peeps think will work well. What would you recommend?

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ya how many of your 50 seeds made it to seedlings? like 5-6? and your floros are the tube kind right? this should be good for a few seedlings at least. its when you have little bushes about to flower that you'll want that hps light

this is my (near) organic start up, i took this right from a message i sent to someone else who was just starting off and having problems with MG and killing all of their seedlings cuz they used chemical nutes way too early.

my secret is that i live right next door to a retired couple who has evrything i could ever need as far as compost (that could be older than i am) several kinds of soil, a jar of guano, neem oil, EVERY THING

when i start seedlings i put them in a clear shotglass/small cup of the same moisture control soil and nothing else. is as simple as watering it when the soil is completely dry and waiting until you can see the tips of the roots poking the side of the glass.

i give them 24 hours of light from 2-4 26w+ cfls through most of vegitation

then i transplant into medium sized pots with a mixture of (i dont measure this its approximate )7-10% guano (bat shit), 15-18% compost, 20% vermiculite 30%MG moisture control 25% MG with the nute balls(the only chem nutes i use).

i keep it in these conditons for about a mont or untill my plant is 8 inches or so. then i might transplant into bigger pots with a larger ratio of compost and guano depending on how big the plants are. i also add a few more cfls depending on how many plants i have

i like to ween my plants off of light like in nature by switching them to (hours of light/dark) 18/6 after about 3 weeks then 20/4 a week later then 18/6 for a few weeks then 14/20 for a week or two. then after a month and a half or two i switch to the long awaited 12/12 for flowering. after the weening the plants are ready to show there sex quickly if they havent yet. without LST these plants stand about 2.5 feet before i flower them, however i like to make an art of maxing yield and minimizing hight with lst

Day 12:
Transplanted the little ones yesterday, into three gallon pots with Scott's Potting Soil from Home Depot. Added three live earthworms to each pot. Put white plastic tablecloths on the floor of grow room, added oscillating fan, and temp/hygrometer . Moved the little ones in. I wound up removing them from their peat pots, as the soil in them was completely dried out - almost like sand or dust - and was not retaining moisture any longer. I hope this did not damage the roots too badly! Will add 2 more 48" 40 watt flouros this evening, as the one fixture does not provide enough coverage for the six of them in their new 12" pots. Put the homemade C02 unit up high near the fan, maybe it will blow the gas towards the plants.
Will update pics in a few days when I see who survived the ordeal.

DoeEyed said:

Day 12:
Transplanted the little ones yesterday, into three gallon pots with Scott's Potting Soil from Home Depot. Added three live earthworms to each pot. Put white plastic tablecloths on the floor of grow room, added oscillating fan, and temp/hygrometer . Moved the little ones in. I wound up removing them from their peat pots, as the soil in them was completely dried out - almost like sand or dust - and was not retaining moisture any longer. I hope this did not damage the roots too badly! Will add 2 more 48" 40 watt flouros this evening, as the one fixture does not provide enough coverage for the six of them in their new 12" pots. Put the homemade C02 unit up high near the fan, maybe it will blow the gas towards the plants.
Will update pics in a few days when I see who survived the ordeal.

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Yeah here ya go, lets dig that money pit
floros wont b enuf
they dont put out alot of light
I tried that route first myself.
I have 4' tubs on all my stages but its only becuase I already had wasted my money on them.
BTW I was stupid and paid 19.99 per "gro bulb" when the ones at walmart were $8 and better LMFAO.

CFL's are better but you will wind up buying and buying on them 2...
anyways
when u gonna post some pics

Phenom420 said:

Yeah here ya go, lets dig that money pit
floros wont b enuf
they dont put out alot of light
I tried that route first myself.
I have 4' tubs on all my stages but its only becuase I already had wasted my money on them.
BTW I was stupid and paid 19.99 per "gro bulb" when the ones at walmart were $8 and better LMFAO.

CFL's are better but you will wind up buying and buying on them 2...
anyways
when u gonna post some pics

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Soon, might have lost three of the plants - had light troubles too, I won't ever buy a fluorescent light fixture from wal-mart again. Home Depot is my new best friend. I still plan on getting the MH/HPS lights - just have to wait a couple weeks.

that sux
I got my floro fixtures from there
the "stainless steel" ones that are $12 I put 6500k & 5850k (19.99 bulbs BTW) in them for veg spec with the CFLs
not a total waste but def not worth friggin with
HO T5's are costly and hard to find (I cant get any locally) they cost more than a HPS
I dont think Ill do MH they are good and all but the CFLs have better color absorption I think..

Day 16:
Two of my seedlings did not survive the transplant, and a third may die as well. The remaining three, however, are growing well, and seem happy with their new homes. Had one bug problem yesterday, asked RIU about it:
https://www.rollitup.org/bugs/216807-tiny-green-worm.html
Waiting for info on this yet.
Here is a current pic of the three - sorry it's not very close. The camera I was using to take decent pics has died and this one takes bad pictures.

Day 18:
Almost three weeks along, but here are my babies, a bit small but happy again.

Day 25:

Growth has picked up now, having to move the lights every couple of days! Already the little ones smell like a skunk!Watered them today for the first time since transplant - may have used too much, one gallon between the three of them. Will know by the end of the day.

DoeEyed said:

Day 25:

Growth has picked up now, having to move the lights every couple of days! Already the little ones smell like a skunk!Watered them today for the first time since transplant - may have used too much, one gallon between the three of them. Will know by the end of the day.

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Lookin good, ah it's just water they will get over it. It's not like old G doesn't make it pur down on them in nature more than they need. gagaaga