noob looking for a little help

Set up:
grow box 1.5ftx3ftx4ft its an old chicken incubator
20w Fluorescent <-- yeah my major problem
3" fan
grown in miracle grow

i like to think of this grow as a dry run. im just growing to get some experience before i drop money into a nice grow setup and a good strain. the only nutrients my plant gets is from miracle grow and bottled water. the only thing im spending money on is power and water. the seeds are a mix of some of the local strains so no clue what they are... so im one month in and i got 8 plants i dont have room to grow them all but i thought id grow them all and just use the best looking females and kill the males but they are only between 4"-8" tall and some the steams are to weak to hold themselves up. so i looked over my set up and found what i think my problem is. my light is only a 20w so i know i need to upgrade. also i think my problem might be the pots are to small. when i upgrade pots i wont be able to fit all my plants in my grow box anymore so i will need to sex them and kill the males and the weakest looking females. so here are my ?s. can i put my plants into the flower stage just long enough to sex and switch back to grow? if so can i do it now with the light i have now till i get a chance to buy a new one? and last if i buy a new bulb about how much more longer do you think they will need in the grow stage to be with anything?

i was going to take some pics of my set up before i posted this but the people im hangin with tonight came early, i dont like to advertise my growing sooooo ill post some tomorrow

Try these ideas:

1. Do not use Miricl-Gro plant food. Use Mircle-Gro AZALEA food. Start at a very low ratio, like 1/4 strength.
2. Add two teaspoons of white vinegar to your gallon of bottled water.
3. Go to big-box home supply (Lowes or Home Depot) and buy a y-spliter in the electrical department. Cost $3, bulbs $6, results - priceless!
4. Raise all the seedlings to about 8 inches. Then turn your lights to a 12/12 schedule.
5. Find your females. Kill any hermies. Keep one good-looking male. Stash him outside somewhere.
6. Raise your crop to 90%.
7. Clip bud as it becomes ripe.
8. Leave the last little bit of bud on the ladies and bring your male back into the box.
9. Grow some seeds.
10. Pluck seeds when they appear firm.
11. Seeds ripen over time.
12. Turn the light back to 18/6.
13. Start over.

14. If you find a plant with great smoke, clone her. If you fand a plant with lousy smoke, kill her.

the lighting info is true. those y spliters are fantastic good luck.

twistup04 said:

the lighting info is true. those y spliters are fantastic good luck.

Click to expand...

Everything I said was true. But, not everyone wishes to spend $500 to get started. This shoestring approach is slower but effective.

QuadMX said:

Set up:
grow box 1.5ftx3ftx4ft its an old chicken incubator
20w Fluorescent <-- yeah my major problem
3" fan
grown in miracle grow

i like to think of this grow as a dry run. im just growing to get some experience before i drop money into a nice grow setup and a good strain. the only nutrients my plant gets is from miracle grow and bottled water. the only thing im spending money on is power and water. the seeds are a mix of some of the local strains so no clue what they are... so im one month in and i got 8 plants i dont have room to grow them all but i thought id grow them all and just use the best looking females and kill the males but they are only between 4"-8" tall and some the steams are to weak to hold themselves up. so i looked over my set up and found what i think my problem is. my light is only a 20w so i know i need to upgrade. also i think my problem might be the pots are to small. when i upgrade pots i wont be able to fit all my plants in my grow box anymore so i will need to sex them and kill the males and the weakest looking females. so here are my ?s. can i put my plants into the flower stage just long enough to sex and switch back to grow? if so can i do it now with the light i have now till i get a chance to buy a new one? and last if i buy a new bulb about how much more longer do you think they will need in the grow stage to be with anything?

i was going to take some pics of my set up before i posted this but the people im hangin with tonight came early, i dont like to advertise my growing sooooo ill post some tomorrow

Click to expand...

Thats the funniest thing i have read tonight.

40acres said:

Thats the funniest thing i have read tonight.

Click to expand...

And it STILL grows chicks!

thank you mockingbird ill try those ideas out.

here are some pics



this is a close up on my best looking plant


sorry for the image quality it was taken on a cell in my basement
https://www.rollitup.org/members/mockingbird131313.html

I used cfl's for a grow or two until i could afford an HID. DO what ou have to do.

a few pics taken on my cell phone...





thanks for all the advice