My first grow

Okay, so I am a newb and starting growing some really good bag seed (actually only one seed, I was offered a lot for it). So anyways only one seed but got lucky and its a girl. The nodes have switched and I was wondering if I should start to flower. I started this plant late so I'm worried about the cold weather approaching, since it takes about 8 weeks to flower. I live on the East Coast. I'll try and get some pics.

Equipment being used: Sunburst 250Watt switchable. Currently there is a 250watt MH and I have a 250watt HPS for flowering. Also I am using a couple CFL's placed low for the undergrowth.

Grow Area: 3x3

Reflection: Budget, so I used flat white paint I had laying around. I've heard this is better than aluminum foil.

Schedule- 18-6

Nutes- Not using any really I did use some Alaska Fish Fertilizer once, but I decided that since this is my first grow I should take it easy and focus on learning from the plant. I am using distilled water though to eliminate the additives that are present in tap water. I was watering every 3 days or so, but decided to not water it for a bit to see if the plant will let me know when it's thirsty. Like I said, I'm really just trying to learn and I feel the more variables I add like nutes and co2 the better chance I will have to screw it up and learn nothing.

Anyways, thanks for reading and if you have any insight to offer regarding my flowering question I would greatly appreciate it.

Peace in Ganja Grease!

Bump, some feedback would be awesome.

Sounds like a good plan. You can get into using and all purpose veg nute and a Blooming nute, but sparringly.....I do this..because it is inevidable that the plant will go through the nutrients in the soil. And need to have some replaced. Generally you don't need anything for the first month. depending on the soil quality. I mix anything i use half strength....and use it one in a while as a good soaking. NEVER have a problem. Also switch from distilled water to Reverse osmosis water if you can. Flat white is perfect and provides good reflection.

u got any pics how old is plant how tall how do u know its a girl is it preflowering
and it needs nutes use them 1/4-1/2 strength if afraid to mess up
is grow in house or some where unheated

fabfun said:

u got any pics how old is plant how tall how do u know its a girl is it preflowering
and it needs nutes use them 1/4-1/2 strength if afraid to mess up
is grow in house or some where unheated

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Agreed show some pics.You will get more than enough feedback.

I'll post some pics today. Thanks for the tips so far.

Okay here goes the pics.

You can see some holes in the leaves. I have been battling some kind of worm/caterpillar. I used this stuff once, but am reluctant to use too many chemicals, so I have been manually picking them off each day.


I did some pruning early to try and promote bushiness and undergrowth.




So, from all the reading I have been doing on this forum, I'm pretty sure that I have a female on my hands. My concern is that I'll lose her if it gets to cold. She is in an area with no heat and I don't really want to put a space heater in there unattended as it's a fire hazard. So let me know what you think. I appreciate your thoughts.

Peace in Ganja Grease!

Good, Bad, or indifferent I can take the constructive criticism.

The plant looks good.I dont see any signs of sex yet.You need to see white pistils for it to be female.Do you have a hygrometer?to take temps in the grow room.

UMM how do figure your nodes are switching? They still look asymetrical . And how are you figuring thats a female yet ? Too early to tell by the looks of your pics . But you can flower it at anytime just remember its gonna gain 2/3 of its height in flower .

Thanks, like I said I'm a noob, so I may have some terms messed up. I thought though that when the leaves start growing 90 degrees different than the main fan leaves that that was what node switching was. Maybe you can point me in the right direction where I could find that info?

@ whyteberrywidow no I don't have a hygrometer or anything to take temps. It's getting down in the 50's at night and in the high 70's during the day outside, so I imagine it gets just over 80 in the day and in the mid 50's at night in there. The room has insulation in the little attic area, but not on the walls.

I appreciate the feedback. I'm trying to get this right the first time and get a little smoke so the help is well received.

43Hitman said:

Thanks, like I said I'm a noob, so I may have some terms messed up. I thought though that when the leaves start growing 90 degrees different than the main fan leaves that that was what node switching was. Maybe you can point me in the right direction where I could find that info?

@ whyteberrywidow no I don't have a hygrometer or anything to take temps. It's getting down in the 50's at night and in the high 70's during the day outside, so I imagine it gets just over 80 in the day and in the mid 50's at night in there. The room has insulation in the little attic area, but not on the walls.

I appreciate the feedback. I'm trying to get this right the first time and get a little smoke so the help is well received.

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The plant is concidered to be sexually mature when the nodes alternate up the stalk. As opposed to 2 nodes A symetrical from eachother. If your plant is over 21 days and you still have no sign of sex it could have greater chances of turning out female as females sex later than males. However, You will know when you see pistles . White hairs that can usually be found second node from the top for their first and earliest apearance. And ya keep your plant temps up over 60, perhaps a heating mat would do the trick just enough.

For the heat problem you could buy a Vornado Heater nothing Hot is exposed and it has a built in thermostat. You use buttons on the top to adjust the temp and it shuts off when it reaches that temp then turns back on when it gets a few degs below.

iPot said:

For the heat problem you could buy a Vornado Heater nothing Hot is exposed and it has a built in thermostat. You use buttons on the top to adjust the temp and it shuts off when it reaches that temp then turns back on when it gets a few degs below.

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Awesome! Thanks so much, I'll have to look into that.

Sgt.Sly said:

The plant is concidered to be sexually mature when the nodes alternate up the stalk. As opposed to 2 nodes A symetrical from eachother. If your plant is over 21 days and you still have no sign of sex it could have greater chances of turning out female as females sex later than males. However, You will know when you see pistles . White hairs that can usually be found second node from the top for their first and earliest apearance. And ya keep your plant temps up over 60, perhaps a heating mat would do the trick just enough.

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Okay yep, that's what my plant just started doing. I'm going to post some more pics in a couple of days as she(being optimistic) is taking off now.

I just ordered one of those Vornado's as they don't have them in stock at Home Depot or Lowes yet. I'll keep you guys posted.

Rep points awarded for those that helped so far.

Oh for node switching i thought you meant in referance to flowering . In flowering the nodes start to alternate vertically.

Watch the wattage on that heater if you try that route that heater and any other one you buy I dont care brand make or what they all draw 1500 watts on high . That running all the time and it may will add about 50 bucks to your light bill . I,m looking into alternative heating solutions that draw way less power . Oh not to mention be wary of what u plug a heater into thats around 12 amps its gonna draw.

kingofqueen said:

Watch the wattage on that heater if you try that route that heater and any other one you buy I dont care brand make or what they all draw 1500 watts on high . That running all the time and it may will add about 50 bucks to your light bill . I,m looking into alternative heating solutions that draw way less power . Oh not to mention be wary of what u plug a heater into thats around 12 amps its gonna draw.

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50 bucks thats cheap let that be over here it adds a easy 110-150 just for the heater.Bullshit i tell you.

Okay here's a little update if anyone is still following along. I am set to get the technaflora reciepe for success starter pack tomorrow and the Vornado is set to arrive the day after tomorrow. I plan on going into flower as soon as I get the nutes. My question is should I use one round of veg nutes for the first week of flower? Also, I was wondering could I use a plastic barrel or trashcan to cover the plant in its 12 off cycle? Or would that suffocate it? Anyways thanks for all the tips and friendly responses so far. Here's some more pics. It's been 4 days since I last took any.