It sounds like you got germination figured out with is really important. Starting from seeds will always take about a month or two longer since you have to spend time growing them in the plants vegetative state, which is also known as growing in any lighting longer then a 12/12 lighting cycle. With fluorescent lights you wont see a huge increase in your electric bill, I would say maybe 10 - 15 bucks, a number pretty low considering all the air conditioning we have to run.
Moving on let me answer some more of your questions.
thanks badfrog0221.....yea im in NY and its been same way, I mean i could barley stand outside without wanting to burn or run inside......Those lights i have now are just temp...I will use them for my new seedlings probably and then want to invest into the best kind of light which is better the Metal Halide or HPS grow lamps, and what watt and all that should they be....I have at least 4 seeds I will be planting today....thank you
I have a 400W switchable ballast. That means you can switch between MH and HPS grow lamps.
Metal Halide lights will not be sufficient by themselves for flowering. They are very effective for vegetative growth. They can be used in combination with other lights and burn much hotter then fluorescent you will have to raise them at least 12-18 inches above the plants canopy depending on the wattage you may have to raise them more.
High Pressure Sodium lamps work for vegetative and flowering. You can use an HPS light throughout a grow by itself and produce a decent harvest. You can just use them for flowering or in combination with other lights. The put off the most lumens per watt of any of the lighting choices out there.
A 400W light option will raise you electric bill. It hit me for about 25-30 extra bucks a month, but you also have to figure in the fan, dehumidifier, and anything else you have set up in the grow room.
Here's a link to the local grow shop where I got my supplies. They have some competitive prices to compare to so you can make a good choice.
Harry's Hydro
Yes I have great drainage...I also water around the perimeter to promote the roots to spread out for the water......i shake out any excess water and smush the pot a bit to losen up the the soil for air.....concerning pests...idk if you saw my light set up but I just went in there today after setting it up yest afternoon to get my plant out for today's sun, and noticed a black fly with clear wings on one of the leaves, then i saw a white moth in my soil....That shed I put them in temporarily is extremely old, wood is damp in some places and is really dirty, I know its a terrible place, breeding ground for molds and pests I would believe?
I hit the soil and plant with a some Natria (insect, disease and mite control) just in case......I have not seen any webs or anything like that with any of my growing attempts.....Im not thinking its a great idea to use my shed anymore for my new seedlings, what do you guys think?
I don't know what pushing the soil down means... If your soil feels wet wait for it to dry completely before you water again. for smaller plants such as seedlings in party cups, you will rarely have to water more then once every two weeks. It will depend on the conditions though. Water until it starts to drip out of the bottom and then let the plants do there thing. Try holding them before and after you water to get an idea of how it feels when it is dry versus full of water.
It's not a good idea to move them back and fourth
ESPECIALLY if you see bugs! There will always be a bug problem outside it's just a fact of life. When you expose your plants to the bugs they become carriers. Then when you bring them back into a sterile grow room the infestation can begin. Once you get bugs it;s much harder to get rid of them. Be careful what products you use to get rid of the bugs and try reclaiming the shed. Perhaps put some poison around the outside of it and then clean out the inside and seal it up.
I had a gnat problem with my last grow. I did it all indoors except I also grew some vegetable which I took outside. When I brought them back in the were transporting gnats. They got into my buckets and majorly affected the output of two of my plants. Gnats are pretty small scale there are uglier bugs out there that would love to eat your plants.
I just wanted to add that I put 30% perlite into my soil for extra drainage.........i dont want anyone thinking the white moth i saw was a "white fly" this was a regular moth like inchs size and the fly was big like a regular fly but clear wings......What do you guys think about the shed my lights are in? its prob not ok is my gut feeling because its extremely dirty like i said before, and also was built with no foundation. Built right on the ground and the whole shed is warped due to this......im not really planning on using those lights for long......I really want to get the correct lighting down..but I have to decide where my grow room will be. I have another shed that is in great condition and clean but does not have power...I can always run a extension cord.......its hard doing this when you live with your mother! ahhaha but she is ok with it becuase i tell her its my little experiment, but once she see's the lights and the plants grow big things might change....How much does your electric bill increase usually from running good grow lights, like ones we talked about earlier
Think I hit this. Gotta toke
I just checked my paper towel and see 9 seeds that have just started to germinate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be planting these seeds this afternoon, any comments suggestions or opinions
I bought a bag of seed starting soil from the grocery store, which i will be using, in either a keg cup or small 8 oz clear cup.... prob clear cup....Very excited! I do not want any of my past problems to happen again but I believe I know some of the issues. one was deff my soil previously, and second I believe the heat and humidity conditions....After I planted my germinated seeds in the past I would just leave the cup outside in the scorching sun..
Yea sounds like your getting some good knowledge keep growing strong. The seedlings don't demand light like the big ladies do. Try to get extra lighting in there ASAP. More fluorescent bulbs will help until you can invest in some bigger lighting. You may get away with sunlight from a window, but again beware of the heat factor. It can come blazing in and hurt the plant.
Try to stay away from clear cups. Wrapping it in duct tape will do the trick. The roots will not grow where there is light. So they will hit the side of the cup and stop even if only a little light is penetrating. If you make the cups light proof the roots can wrap around inside the cup no problem.
Good luck and happy growing.
just planted these,i covered with renolds wrap for high humidification and put holes in it....still have MORE seeds in the paper towel...I planted in keg cup with 4" worth of soil and 1/4 inch into the soil...
