Bag o' Schwag, first grow, closet CFL setup

I just got some 10-54-10 Bloom Buster fo' free, along with another CFL

Do 3-way CFL's still work for growing if I just leave it at the highest setting? The one I was given is 50w-100w-150w, and I only want to use the 150w. Is that possible with the other bulbs I have being plugged into adapters?

Day 10

I'm not sure what's wrong with them, but my guess would be it's either heat or humidity related. The plants have been dry- and wilty-looking all day, even after a spritzing this morning and a full watering 4 hours ago. Two of them have seemed to go back to normal, albeit with their leaves almost straight up in the air.

I'm a little worried just because I won't be able to leave them in full health! Saturday starts my spring break and I'm going to be away from my plants for a full 8 days. I've arranged for one of my friends to come by with a good excuse for being there and water them at least once next week. Is there anything important I should do before leaving?

Pic#1:
All my plants, seemingly in dire need of help.

Pic#2-3:
The runty lot of them. They look pretty scraggly right now, at least in comparison to their old selves.

Pic#4-5:
These two are the healthiest looking. I haven't done anything differently with them...

Oh, I also deduced that this problem didn't start happening until I introduced the blanket to the mix. For now I've taken it down, but I'm going to want that light blockage for when I'm out of town. The other option is to buy some duct tape and seal up my door. Anybody got any other ideas?

So, questions that need answering:
1: What's wrong with my plants?
2: What's a good, CHEAP light insulator?
3: What can I do to revitalize my plants?
4: How can I prepare them for my 8 days out of town?

Thanks guys!

It's Thursday night and you all have something better to do than help me out? I envy you.

Hey, Sorry I'm late, Glory

They look fine, man. They're "reaching" from what it looks like and that means they're okay...I've never seen them do it like that this early on, but they may just be "content".

8 days out of town? Only thing I can think of is to put them in a tray with water in the bottom and let them feed that way.

Otherwise your talking about a reservoir, water pump, timers and all sorts of neat gizmos.

Don't panic yet, they still look okay. If anything negative, the plants are getting too many nutrients like we have discussed and that explains why they look that way; they'll grow through it.

I'll check back this afternoon and see how ya doin !!

Yeah, i'm not sure the reservoir/pump setup is within my financial constraints.

As long as their lives aren't in grave danger and it's possible for them to survive the next week on their own I'll be content. They seem much perkier this morning, but in contrast that doesn't necessarily mean much. The ones that hadn't unfolded are mostly (two still have very curled tips) stretching up towards the light now. Should I upgrade the lighting before I go, or should all major modifications happen AFTER I get back and check on them?

Thanks for the continued support and feedback!

No problem, Glory! Glad I can help a lil bit.

I'd wait to switch the lighting around til you get back, just in case there's a problem. If your friend can come by at the halfway point of next week, you'll be fine. Just have him put some water in the reservoir with the plants and they'll be able to stay alive.

Don't worry so much about the plants, Glory.. there are plenty of seeds out there and this is your first grow; the most important lesson of the first grow is patience

Very true. Wise words indeed, Muddy Paws.

Yeah, I've got another 6 seeds that are bigger and much darker than the ones I planted sitting in front of me right now as backups. If anything happens to my current plants, I may just have to hold off growing for a couple months, which would be very sad. I was hoping to have a small stockpile saved up until I could grow again, since I have no idea how long it will be until I'm in the same place long enough.

Anyone need a 3D Graphics guy that they can pay real well without needing to relocate them?

It'll all work out, Glory...if anything you'll walk away from this with a bit of knowledge! My first grow as a nightmare and that was in Miracle Grow too.

I freaked out, overwatered, messed with the ph and did about every noob mistake under the sun. Second grow is better, but I switched to passive Hydro and now it's kickin my ass...lol. Should have just stuck with the MG soil!

So how would I go about constructing a reservoir of some sort? I've got a 9x13x2" Pyrex casserole dish that I'll set the plants in. How much water do I need to put in, and how long should that last?

Test it out! Get a casserole dish or something like that and put some water in the bottom, then set a couple of cups in it.

You won't drown it; just use an inch or two and keep an eye on them to see how they do for a few days.

Make that water anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1 inch deep....not more

Muddy Paws said:

That sounds about right...just water til it comes out the bottom a little bit. You shouldn't need to water except every other day or every 3rd day.

The lime will raise the PH, but not much...but it also acts as a "buffer" so that the roots will be open to more variations in the PH, so it will raise it, but it will work out and the plant WILL grow better. Remeber, just 1/4 Tsp per gallon of water!

PREFERABLY, mix it into the soil when you transplant.

Oh don't worry about the lime hurting your pocket...a 40 Lb bag cost me less than 4 bucks..lol
I think you'll spend more than that in gas going to the store!

You can return the nutes you bought, save the money for blooming nutrients later on or get another CFL; believe me the soil has all you'll need; it says it feeds up to 3 months, hopefully you'll have taken cuttings and be done flowering by then.

Just get one PH kit tonight, it'll last you a few weeks, mate.

I'm gonna throw another pic in...it's my New York City Diesel...she's two weeks old, but I moved her up to a bigger pot already, so I don't have to move her again later..

Bigger bucket = bigger plant = bigger buds

Click to expand...

dude I use those trashcans too for gumby hash...random

That's how I make mine too, man

He was quoting your post Muddy Paws.

I started the plants on the reservoir so I can try to monitor how they take to it for a few hours. I know nothing's going to change in a short span of time, but we'll see. I put in 1/2" of pH treated water. Hopefully they don't rot!

"Hopefully they don't rot!"


Yes, that would suck.

I take it that's a good possibility then? I'm at the airport right now about to fly home for the week. Missed my first flight and now I get to chill out with a borrowed laptop for 5 hours and kill some time waiting on my next one.

This morning I checked the reservoir and the plants drank about 1/8" of water last night. I did 1/2" in the reservoir, so I'm hoping that by Wednesday the res will be dry. Thursday is when my friend is coming to water, so I won't get an update on them until then at the earliest.

I'm already having separation anxiety. I miss my little seedlings, and they need my love!

I'm keepin my fingers crossed for ya!

hey decided to drop by they look like healthy little buggers and no stretching. So far so good! I have to post pics of my 3 little shwaggys in my journal they are a little ahead of yours but not by far, yours look far better though myn are all stretched out because I am focusing on lighting my big girl. Anyway good luck dog! haha

I need a lot more light or else I'll be dealing with stretching soon. I'm very anxious about my babies, and I just really really hope they'll still be in good condition when I get back. Actually, in better condition, because they weren't exactly too well off when I left them.

theyll be fine homie... I know it.