Ara Veebee
Active Member
Hello there Rollitup,
When I first started growing, I used this website extensively to learn everything from germinating and growing to flowering and cloning. I would look back at my search history and see hundreds of Rollitup threads.
So thank you!
I never really did any of my own posting because I was too busy learning, but years later I feel like giving back to the community. None of what I present in this thread is going to be "new" information, but hopefully it will serve a purpose by combining all of the elements of small-scale growing into a cost-effective, user-friendly package.
For those looking to get into growing on an extremely low budget and with little available space but still get healthy, happy plants that produce quality buds, look no further! Here is my setup, I wish I had taken pictures earlier in the process, but so it always goes. These pics are from my extremely small grow squished into the corner of a tiny closet, one week into switching the light cycle to 12/12
There are four pots in total:
Two bigger plants on the front and back left, about 15'' tall after extensive low-stress training and one topping per plant. Then, there is one younger plant I started for the hell of it squished into the back right and LSTed extensively but no topping. Lastly, front right is a pot filled with TINY clones (I'm talking like 3-4'' tall, quarter for size comparison).
These clones were taken from the bottoms of the two main plants. I wanted to direct the main plants' energy into 3-4 branches to provide a better canopy for CFL growing since these bulbs have trouble penetrating to lower foliage. So I chopped off the bottom 4-6 branches of each plant. However, why not use these little branches and clone them into their own soil and flower them out with the big boys? It makes a great gift to a friend once done flowering, like a little ornamental houseplant...... but buds!
The setup:
1 x Apollo Studios 60w CFL 3200k (red) - Amazon for $8
1 x StudioPro 65w CFL 5500k (blue) - Amazon for $14
2 x DIY light sockets - $10 parts each (these are created from a porcelain lamp socket ($4), metal electrical box ($5), 5ft of 14 gauge 2-conductor wire, and a 3-prong head)
1 x fan (whatever you want to use, small desk/room fan) - $15-30
1 x power strip - $10
Total: $67-82
^ This is assuming you have none of these things lying around already, bring out that power strip and fan sitting in your basement, $42 for the entire setup.
Run bulbs (125w total) 18hr per day during veg, depending on your electricity cost (avg. 12c/khw) you're looking at $8.10 per month. During flowering, 12hr per day looking at $5.40 per month.
Lets assume ~2 months veg + ~3 months flower, you're looking at $32.40 in electricity costs.
Even more totaled total: $67-82 + $32 = $99-114 for an entire growing cycle starting from scratch. $32.40 for every subsequent cycle.
NOTES:
- Yes, I didn't take into account soil cost/container costs, but again these are not high, bag of Fox Farm soil for around $12 and a couple smart pots for $1 each
- I've grown outdoor as well as with larger HPS and MH lights. I'm not saying you are going to match the compact, huge nature of buds grown in these ways, but what you are going to get is an abundance of loose, crystally, fragrant, sticky buds that get you nice and stoned at an absurdly low cost.
- Some might say I need more air exchange i.e. ducting to pull in new CO2-laden air from outside. I say, debatable
Some might say I need mylar or another reflective surface on my walls. I say, it's painted white so DEBATABLE.
- I do a slow transition from 2 blue bulbs during veg to 1 blue/1 red in start of flower to 2 red at end of flower. The blue addition during early flowering keeps stretching to a minimum (to me a large part of this setup is space conservation).
- If anyone has questions or wants anything explained in more detail (like perhaps how to assemble your light fixtures) just leave comments and I will try to check this periodically.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT! GET OUT AND GROW! PLANTS ARE PEOPLE TOO! MUCH <3!
P.S. I thought of a technique of placing the pictures so as you go from first to last it slowly zooms you into the grow room. Let me know if this feeling was achieved or not. EDIT: Oh man, scrolling like that makes me dizzy I thought it was gonna be an arrow-next thing.
P.P.S. Right, the big disclaimer at the top.... I will try posting pictures once whatever issue is resolved.
When I first started growing, I used this website extensively to learn everything from germinating and growing to flowering and cloning. I would look back at my search history and see hundreds of Rollitup threads.
So thank you!
I never really did any of my own posting because I was too busy learning, but years later I feel like giving back to the community. None of what I present in this thread is going to be "new" information, but hopefully it will serve a purpose by combining all of the elements of small-scale growing into a cost-effective, user-friendly package.
For those looking to get into growing on an extremely low budget and with little available space but still get healthy, happy plants that produce quality buds, look no further! Here is my setup, I wish I had taken pictures earlier in the process, but so it always goes. These pics are from my extremely small grow squished into the corner of a tiny closet, one week into switching the light cycle to 12/12
There are four pots in total:
Two bigger plants on the front and back left, about 15'' tall after extensive low-stress training and one topping per plant. Then, there is one younger plant I started for the hell of it squished into the back right and LSTed extensively but no topping. Lastly, front right is a pot filled with TINY clones (I'm talking like 3-4'' tall, quarter for size comparison).
These clones were taken from the bottoms of the two main plants. I wanted to direct the main plants' energy into 3-4 branches to provide a better canopy for CFL growing since these bulbs have trouble penetrating to lower foliage. So I chopped off the bottom 4-6 branches of each plant. However, why not use these little branches and clone them into their own soil and flower them out with the big boys? It makes a great gift to a friend once done flowering, like a little ornamental houseplant...... but buds!
The setup:
1 x Apollo Studios 60w CFL 3200k (red) - Amazon for $8
1 x StudioPro 65w CFL 5500k (blue) - Amazon for $14
2 x DIY light sockets - $10 parts each (these are created from a porcelain lamp socket ($4), metal electrical box ($5), 5ft of 14 gauge 2-conductor wire, and a 3-prong head)
1 x fan (whatever you want to use, small desk/room fan) - $15-30
1 x power strip - $10
Total: $67-82
^ This is assuming you have none of these things lying around already, bring out that power strip and fan sitting in your basement, $42 for the entire setup.
Run bulbs (125w total) 18hr per day during veg, depending on your electricity cost (avg. 12c/khw) you're looking at $8.10 per month. During flowering, 12hr per day looking at $5.40 per month.
Lets assume ~2 months veg + ~3 months flower, you're looking at $32.40 in electricity costs.
Even more totaled total: $67-82 + $32 = $99-114 for an entire growing cycle starting from scratch. $32.40 for every subsequent cycle.
NOTES:
- Yes, I didn't take into account soil cost/container costs, but again these are not high, bag of Fox Farm soil for around $12 and a couple smart pots for $1 each
- I've grown outdoor as well as with larger HPS and MH lights. I'm not saying you are going to match the compact, huge nature of buds grown in these ways, but what you are going to get is an abundance of loose, crystally, fragrant, sticky buds that get you nice and stoned at an absurdly low cost.
- Some might say I need more air exchange i.e. ducting to pull in new CO2-laden air from outside. I say, debatable
Some might say I need mylar or another reflective surface on my walls. I say, it's painted white so DEBATABLE.- I do a slow transition from 2 blue bulbs during veg to 1 blue/1 red in start of flower to 2 red at end of flower. The blue addition during early flowering keeps stretching to a minimum (to me a large part of this setup is space conservation).
- If anyone has questions or wants anything explained in more detail (like perhaps how to assemble your light fixtures) just leave comments and I will try to check this periodically.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT! GET OUT AND GROW! PLANTS ARE PEOPLE TOO! MUCH <3!
P.S. I thought of a technique of placing the pictures so as you go from first to last it slowly zooms you into the grow room. Let me know if this feeling was achieved or not. EDIT: Oh man, scrolling like that makes me dizzy I thought it was gonna be an arrow-next thing.
P.P.S. Right, the big disclaimer at the top.... I will try posting pictures once whatever issue is resolved.
Last edited:
3-way 3/4" corner pieces ~6$
