My first grow! Skunk #1!

Hello there! I'm in process of growing my Skunk #1 seeds! I bought them from Sensi Seed in Amsterdam. The seeds are not feminized. I also bought a Philips MASTER SON-T PIA Plus 400W HPS light. I'll use soil for growing. Hope i'll get the best advices and tips from you all users, during my grow process. I'll start growing in a short time, need to put all things and details together and i shall start. To mention i want to grow maximum 2 plants for the beginning. Till' then, i'll ask my first question, how good is that bulb light and i saw that some growers use different lights for different stages of the plant. Can i obtain a good healthy plant, only with this bulb light? Because look what i found :

" While blooming, do not use bulbs that give too much of a yellowish light, like SON T Plus bulbs. With such a lamp the harvest will be about 20% lesser. Also do not use the MASTER SON-T PIA (used for streetlights) but the MASTER SON-T PIA GREEN POWER. Furthermore, Philips advises to combine HPS bulbs with MASTER HPI-T PLUS bulbs in case of growing without any sunlight."

The funny thing is that i bought the seeds and the bulb light, directly from Amsterdam, Sensi Seeds, Oudezijds Achterburgwal 150.
That article makes me sceptical in growing my seeds with that light....

Hi there. I'm in a similar situation to you but a bit further. I'm growing 6 Sensi Skunk #1 seeds. They are a week into flowering now and about 1.5 foot tall.

I had a few problems in earlier stages mostly with over feeding and over watering. If you're using a compost make sure it has at least 10% perlite in it. If not, add more.

Only feed after about 3-4 weeks from germination.

As for your bulb. The red/orange light is best suited for the flowering stages. Plants grow better when vegetating with a lamp in the blue spectrum. Some HPS bulbs have added blue spectrum to aid this.

"The MASTER SON-T PIA Agro-lamp is a tube lamp developed specifically for greenhouse lighting. The blue light emitted by this lamp optimises plant development. The MASTER SON-T PIA Agro-lamp ensures healthy leaf, good branching and rich blooming in beautiful, deep colours"

As this is your first grow, I wouldn't concern yourself overly with this. The bulb you have will grow your plant from seed to harvest and give you a nice yield. I know because that's all I've used and have 6 healthy looking plants.

One thing I'm interested in though. As this was my first grow also I didn't have any preconceptions about how my plants should appear. They all had purple stems and petioles which I assumed was normal. I fed my plants Epsom salts at 3 weeks when somebody suggested I may have a Mg deficiency. The purple stems disappeared and left a lush bright green colour and haven't returned. I'm still not sure of the cause of this. You'll have to tell me if you see the same thing as we're using the same genetics.

Psyfiend.

You're 1 HPS will work fine. For maximum results you would want an MH (blue spectrum) for veg and the HPS (red spectrum) for flowering. But as this is your first grow, you'll be satisfied with just the HPS.

i just put the seeds to germinate (4 for the start), now 11 hours ago, nothing yet, and i bought 2 x 120W CFL, which i'll use them for the veg, and switch to HPS 400W when needed. I'll put the seeds in some little pots (soil) after germination, and as i read over the internet and on forum, i'll keep them in dark place till the sprout will show up, and intend to put those on the two CFL's, i don't know the intervals which i'll must keep the light on and off for the veg period (CFL period). I read many variants, and some says to keep the light 24/7! What you advice me?

dude, im growing with a 400watt Song T agro which isnt as good as yours and im at my 2nd week of flowering and theyr lookin fine. No need for an MH if your only doing small time grow.

Motion seconded, I've used a 400w HPS my whole grow, look at the results yourself - 'Operation Ivy' in grow journal section. Worry not, friend

24 hours had passed and no reaction! should i worry?

The picture looks like there's too much water

Desired User Name said:

The picture looks like there's too much water

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no, it's just your illusion. two of them already start to move, i just checked.

updates... i guess it's not time yet to move them in to small pots

I'd plant 'em up if I were you mate. They'll thank you for it.

Tap root down, about 0.5cm deep, careful not to touch the shoot.

Good luck!

SnowWhite said:

I'd plant 'em up if I were you mate. They'll thank you for it.

Tap root down, about 0.5cm deep, careful not to touch the shoot.

Good luck!

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Yeah.... i'll put them in some little pots in a few hours. How should i keep the pots right after that? No light, and warm place ?

asd3reff said:

Yeah.... i'll put them in some little pots in a few hours. How should i keep the pots right after that? No light, and warm place ?

Click to expand...

You growing in soil I guess? Watch this vid and copy it. That's what I did.

Stoned Free Guide to Growing Cannabis. - Google Video

SnowWhite said:

You growing in soil I guess? Watch this vid and copy it. That's what I did.

Stoned Free Guide to Growing Cannabis. - Google Video

Click to expand...

yes, i'll grow it in soil. I just don't understand why should be the light keep on right after you put the sprouted seeds in those little pots, because the plant is still in soil....

i put them in little pots, and keep them in closet. I don't know what to say about lighting, when to switch those CFL's on!
What about watering the plants with mineral water gas free from the shop?

need a little help. Just don't understand how to use this... i know i'll need it and the lighting period is about to start.

thanks for helping me using that device. however i did figure out myself.
updates :

i'm lighting the plants with 18 hours of light, and 6 of dark. i understand that when they'll reach 10". i shall transplant them in bigget pots (5 gallons). when i shall start using 12/12 light? right after transplantation?

Get some perlite to mix with the soil you have, it'll help the roots out alot. As long as you are careful when you transplant, they won't get shocked and should continue growing normally. So yes, you can start 12/12 right after you transplant. But remember, the plants will double or triple in size during flowering, so start to flower them at about 1/2 to 1/3 of the height you want them to be.

muu232 said:

Get some perlite to mix with the soil you have, it'll help the roots out alot. As long as you are careful when you transplant, they won't get shocked and should continue growing normally. So yes, you can start 12/12 right after you transplant. But remember, the plants will double or triple in size during flowering, so start to flower them at about 1/2 to 1/3 of the height you want them to be.

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i already put them in those little containers, so i guess if i want to add some perlites, i'll have the chance to do it when i'll transplant them in those bigger pots (final pots), and that soil will contain perlites. right?