Need some simple advice

Well, for the past 18 months, I have used hydroponics. Now that I no longer have the equipment for hydro, I want to try just plain dirt and see how it works. My plants are roughly 3 weeks old (from seed) and there is something about them that is not settling with me. It seems like 3 weeks of growing is alot for only 3-leaf bunches. I have heard the strain is called "Honey Comb". My pictures will show what I mean. I just need some advice on what I should do to, if anything, to help my plants. They are currently on a 24 hour light supply and I water about 2 times a week with distilled water. A few of my concerns include: Are they being crowded (the cup with 2 plants)? Am I using too small of cups? Should I transplant them to a bigger pot? I have heard epsom salts are good to use in your water (1 tsp) to replace certain minerals that the plants aren't getting through tap water. Any merit to this? Has anyone tried it? Any other advice is GREATLY appreciated. I am also using just plain ol' Miracle Grow potting soil. Oh and the tall plant is around 8-10 inches tall and the other 2 are around 5-7. Are these plants doing fine? If any of you can answer all of those questions i listed above, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Matt.

EDIT: forgot to mention there is a mix of about 30% peat and 70% soil. Hope that helps :X
ALSO: Should I line my grow box with tin foil?

Here is a picture of my little grow operation. Are there any alterations to it that I should make? If so, please explain. THanks again.

Ps: Light source is about 2-4 inches above the tops of the plants. Its a standard fluorecent bulb that was used for an aquarium.

420Matt said:

Well, for the past 18 months, I have used hydroponics. Now that I no longer have the equipment for hydro, I want to try just plain dirt and see how it works. My plants are roughly 3 weeks old (from seed) and there is something about them that is not settling with me. It seems like 3 weeks of growing is alot for only 3-leaf bunches. My pictures will show what I mean. I just need some advice on what I should do to, if anything, to help my plants. They are currently on a 24 hour light supply and I water about 2 times a week with distilled water. A few of my concerns include: Are they being crowded (the cup with 2 plants)? Am I using too small of cups? Should I transplant them to a bigger pot? I have heard epsom salts are good to use in your water (1 tsp) to replace certain minerals that the plants aren't getting through tap water. Any merit to this? Has anyone tried it? Any other advice is GREATLY appreciated. I am also using just plain ol' Miracle Grow potting soil. Oh and the tall plant is around 8-10 inches tall and the other 2 are around 5-7. Are these plants doing fine? If any of you can answer all of those questions i listed above, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Matt.

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You need more light. You will need to transplant soon to bigger pots.

Hmm, I knew I would need to transplant soon, but I didnt think I'd need more light of all things :X It gives off a decent amount, and I have heard over different websites that flurocesnt work great, depending on the distance from the plant. I will try finding another lamp. Thank you.

u will need to transplant. ur gonna have a problem transplanting the one with 2 in a pot. both of them might die and ull end up with 1 plant. also, the cups need to have drainage holes.

and get a better light. dunno what light that is but it looks no way near suitable. im suprised u go this far.

The cups have 6 drainage holes. I dont see anything wrong with the light, its a standard flurocent light. Also, my friend grew a plant using the exact same light and it did fine. I am on a tight budget here.

420Matt said:

Hmm, I knew I would need to transplant soon, but I didnt think I'd need more light of all things :X It gives off a decent amount, and I have heard over different websites that flurocesnt work great, depending on the distance from the plant. I will try finding another lamp. Thank you.

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Fluorescents do work great but you need a lot of them LOL. You could supplement your lighting but it might be genetics too so no worries. A good strain is a good seed that turns into a good plant. That's just the way it goes I have noticed. Sometimes there are surprises in a bag but....not many.

They stretch for the light a little too. Those are just not plants that produce a lot of branches....it's one or the other bud...you get good seeds or damn good lights. If you get in between then all the better. You do not have a problem with nutes. They are as healthy as they can be. You want to get fans for sure. Also the breeze builds up resistence and makes them stronger. That's the best I can do for now. I have too many thoughts right now sorry....

LiveVibe said:

Fluorescents do work great but you need a lot of them LOL. You could supplement your lighting but it might be genetics too so no worries. A good strain is a good seed that turns into a good plant. That's just the way it goes I have noticed. Sometimes there are surprises in a bag but....not many.

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How should I supplement the lighting? With what? I dont know the genetics with this strain, all i know is the bud was grown hydroponically, but his batch got pollinated so it had seeds. I planted some of the seeds, and viola, they grew. Im only growing 3 plants, thats if 1 or 2 dont die during transplanting. You still think that light isn't enough for only 1 or 2 plants?

You might also be locking up back and forth....damn I don't know about this one. The plant looks like a healthy indica with stunted growth......maybe you should get a PH tester at a hardware store. They are cheap and see if it is that. Sometimes that will lock up your plant from absorbing nutrients.

LiveVibe said:

Fluorescents do work great but you need a lot of them LOL. You could supplement your lighting but it might be genetics too so no worries. A good strain is a good seed that turns into a good plant. That's just the way it goes I have noticed. Sometimes there are surprises in a bag but....not many.

They stretch for the light a little too. Those are just not plants that produce a lot of branches....it's one or the other bud...you get good seeds or damn good lights. If you get in between then all the better. You do not have a problem with nutes. They are as healthy as they can be. You want to get fans for sure. Also the breeze builds up resistence and makes them stronger. That's the best I can do for now. I have too many thoughts right now sorry....

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I appreciate your feedback, really i do. Its all constructive criticism for me. I check on the plants maybe twice daily, so that adds fresh air to my little closet. Another thing, I blow a fan on it for about an hour or two a day to build up the stalks.

Ps: what are nutes?

You could get some CFL's to hit it on the side of the plants to promote growth from the sides and help it move along. That way it will not stretch anymore either. CFL's are also cheap. You just need a surge protector and a bulb outlet to hook it up. They last a long time. Some of these things are investments you know? Don't be cheap if you know for sure it is worth it. It is worth it to get CFL's. They last ten times longer than those tubes and emit ten times more light. The surge protector will last a long time and regardless you can always use light bulbs and stuff so no worries.

LiveVibe said:

You might also be locking up back and forth....damn I don't know about this one. The plant looks like a healthy indica with stunted growth......maybe you should get a PH tester at a hardware store. They are cheap and see if it is that. Sometimes that will lock up your plant from absorbing nutrients.

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My budget is TIGHT if not non existant right now. I have a job interview soon though so hopefully i will have some income. I have heard epsom salts supplement certain nutrients. I have also heard salt can kill plants. Do you think this would help?

hi matt id have 2 agree with smokeh, give them babbies a lil room and 1 more thing if i was u id change the soil even a standard all purpose compost might be better 4 you as they are used for growing food,(even though u aint) it will still work ok anyway we have sumthing in common thats the change frm hydro to soil ive found the taste of the finished product is better good luck

afrosam said:

hi matt id have 2 agree with smokeh, give them babbies a lil room and 1 more thing if i was u id change the soil even a standard all purpose compost might be better 4 you as they are used for growing food,(even though u aint) it will still work ok anyway we have sumthing in common thats the change frm hydro to soil ive found the taste of the finished product is better good luck

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Thank you very much! I left out some info though, there is about a 30% peat and 70% soil so its not all soil.

420Matt said:

I appreciate your feedback, really i do. Its all constructive criticism for me. I check on the plants maybe twice daily, so that adds fresh air to my little closet. Another thing, I blow a fan on it for about an hour or two a day to build up the stalks.

Ps: what are nutes?

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Do not take it as criticism. It is far from that. You have great soil and the plants have no nutrition problems (nutes - I'm lazy sorry). You want to have a fan that blows air out of the closet and one that circulates inside at least as long as the lights are on. That will help your temperature too. You want to get a bulb that is the correct spectrum too. 6500K for vegetative and 2700K for bloom. You can use both at the same time too. I think that is actually healthier for them but most people use one or the other at each stage.

LiveVibe said:

Do not take it as criticism. It is far from that. You have great soil and the plants have no nutrition problems (nutes - I'm lazy sorry). You want to have a fan that blows air out of the closet and one that circulates inside at least as long as the lights are on. That will help your temperature too. You want to get a bulb that is the correct spectrum too. 6500K for vegetative and 2700K for bloom. You can use both at the same time too. I think that is actually healthier for them but most people use one or the other at each stage.

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No it is criticism, But i want that. I wouldnt have posted if i didnt need this criticism to help me in the future. The florecent bulb doesnt emit that much heat at all really, but I do try to keep the closet well ventilated and aired out as often as possible.

thanks again.

I do not recommend the salt.

It is used to correct problems with PH.

So you spend maybe 3 or 4 pounds or 5-8 USD bucks on a 2-4 pack of compact fluorescent bulbs and they last 5000 hours. Then the plugs are maybe 1 USD - 3 each. The surge protectors are maybe 3-4 USD each or 8 for two. A fan is maybe 4 USD. You only need small ones. These things help A LOT. Also you could build a reflective area around them to keep light from escaping. Flat white paint is great and cost efficient. The cheapest I know of is posterboard, the non-glossy side but will restrict air flow unless you can figure that aspect into the construction.

LiveVibe said:

I do not recommend the salt.

It is used to correct problems with PH.

So you spend maybe 3 or 4 pounds or 5-8 USD bucks on a 2-4 pack of compact fluorescent bulbs and they last 5000 hours. Then the plugs are maybe 1 USD - 3 each. The surge protectors are maybe 3-4 USD each or 8 for two. A fan is maybe 4 USD. You only need small ones. These things help A LOT. Also you could build a reflective area around them to keep light from escaping. Flat white paint is great and cost efficient. The cheapest I know of is posterboard, the non-glossy side but will restrict air flow unless you can figure that aspect into the construction.

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Well lucky for me, My closet is painted flat white After I get a couple pay checks, I will make my next grow 10 times more efficient. Thanks for the feedback Vibe

You are too hard on yourself. I notice everytime I do that to myself I end up going into a depressed state where I never work out anything. That is the rut I am in right now so don't take it as criticism but shared experience. Don't be cheap dude LOL. I'm cheap too. Next time they give you gifts just ask for gift cards from hardware stores. Don't tell them why. That's what I did LOL.

Well this is my first soil grow so I am completely in the dark in this field. I am not that serious with this at this point, so if some things go a little wrong at times, it is a learning experience. I will have all supplys needed in a couple months for a better grow. I dont plan on ever growing more than 6 plants at this time, due to the stench and i live in a shared household. Trying to keep things under wraps.