First Timer Grow

OK.. This is my first time writing a journal or even growing; a little nervous and excited at the same time. I recently read a spoof on how to grow and remember laughing because they said plant seeds, come back in 10 min and check on them, come back and hour later and check..I though... how funny! So Saturday nite I put my seeds in water to soak over night. Planted them in a dixie cup using MG soil. Laughing, I checked an hour later. 3 hours later, chuckled again. It's like a freakin' baby. Any way... I was actually checking temperature, and the heating pad I put them on... stupid thing shuts off after a few hours with an internal timer.

I planted 2 feminized white castle and 4 feminized Aurora. Went into soil sunday afternoon Jan 2, 2011. Was concerned about aurora as they did not sink like I heard good ones due. I was affraid to do the paper towel method so just put them right in soil.

Jan 4: came home from work and voila.. the aurora popped out and is up about a 1.5cm! Im a momma! Scared as crap now, gotta read another 100 pages of which 99 pages will escape my memory. Very exciting. Sure hope the others pop soon.


My grow tent just got delivered along with T5 lights for veg and grow. I know not great for bloom but horticulure lite specific for grow and heat is an issue right now. For annoymitiy I am putting this in bedroom rather than garage.

My final destination is a 3gal soil bag. I plan on transfering from cups to bag as soon as stable enough and tent together. Didn't expect so quickly, so little time. Jee... maybe I should learn to smoke this so I can reduce my anxiety about taking care of them.

Day 6: one more Aurora popped out. The 1st one is getting bigger! Also 1 seed that I just put in papertowel to see how that method worked (seeds from bud so not sure what kind) just cracked so putting that to soil.

Here is a pic of the first one. The lights are about 2" away. As slow as things are going with the others not popping out, I think I am going to have problems keeping correct light distance when they finally do. I guess create like a step?



Maintaining anywhere from 80 degrees to 88 degrees with about 34% humidity.

paper towels work great to germinate mate you just need to make sure they are put in a dark place while germinating. you should only be watering every couple days as the soil drys. what kind of light are you using on them? the heating pad should be used for clones or if your room isnt warm enough. if you using cfl lights you can put the lights right on the plants acouple inches away. any questions ask away

also if you can look at your miracle grow soil and it has these lil balls in it which are time release nutrients which could burn your plants. you should get moisture control miracle grow if your going to use that brand

When you plant those in their bigger containers, you can match their heights but adjusting the height of the plant. The tallest one show be the deepest in the container. It will grow roots out of the stalk that you buried. For now, it's OK if you need to move the lights a little, and yeah, use little risers to keep them on par with each other. Good luck and welcome!

Heat is a little up there, are you air cooling the lights?

I have a feeling thermameter not great.they sent me a new one. I have 2 in there now attached to top of pot. Both are about 5 degrees of as well as 5 or so degrees off for humitity. I have been getting a wet towel and putting one in there every day. Humitity is still only 45% and heat around 76 degrees.

Sounds like your off to a good start!
+rep

Btw, i started my first grow logg yesterday, check it out later if you got time =]

Ok. It is 3 weeks now and here is my girl Aurora 1. The other 2 are about 1/2 her size and about 1 week behind. getting ready to give her some fertilizer. I am using Jacks 20-20-20 @ 1/4 strength. crossing fingers. Just ordered online Big bud 5-50-17 for blooming time. NOTHING on East coast have to order everything from West coast

clex kush, checking your blog now.

Thanks for checking out my log, your plants look like there doing well, I'll make sure to keep checking back
I should have new pictures up tonight, my two small plants grew about two inches. well the vanillia kush grew an inch and a half, and the White Widow grew two and a half inches. I wasn't able to get pictures of the J.H. and S.L.H. because there light was off and i didn't want to turn it on just for pictures.

Maximus cannabis said:

Heat is a little up there, are you air cooling the lights?

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no, using T5 grow and dont put much heat out. running about 76 during day and 65 during the 4 hours of lights-out.

I am using T5's (UltraLux® 6-Lamp) for the first time as well.. the difference in heat compared to Mh and Hps is huge. I am a few weeks in and they seem happy, the growth is compact and going well. but I have a 600 Hps for flowering.. I may use both.

canibud said:

I am using T5's (UltraLux® 6-Lamp) for the first time as well.. the difference in heat compared to Mh and Hps is huge. I am a few weeks in and they seem happy, the growth is compact and going well. but I have a 600 Hps for flowering.. I may use both.

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i just read Maximus thread on T5's. I plan on flowering with T5 bloom bulbs. really interesting. https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/374882-t-5-mini-closet-grow.html

jillyBean44 said:

i just read Maximus thread on T5's. I plan on flowering with T5 bloom bulbs. really interesting. https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/374882-t-5-mini-closet-grow.html

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ya good results for sure.. I may try in the future, the vegging works great but I think that the canopy penetration with Hps adds bulk. For a few plants its probably not to bad they will work... led's are making progress as well but hid's are the next best thing to the sun so far

Yeah you need to be selective in your genetics if your going to use t5s. I have some og kush going right now and that as a bad idea, the canopy is too think, leaves are too big. My hash berry and dp plants are really loving it, but not the og.

T5s have about 10 - 12 inches of penetrating power and that's it. I've seen other guys get a second t5 4 or 6 bar assembly and place it on it's side and broadside the plants as well as top lit for amazing results by just rotating your plants. I may try that next run.

Also, I used bushmaster in that first grow, and not my second. I tried only to use it on two plants but he fan blew it everywhere. However, the stretch was non existent. At first I thought it was the lighting, but the same rig and no bushmaster i had to fight it the whole 2 1/2 weeks. With close quarters like this either flower at about half of your total grow height, or experiment with bushmaster.

Maximus cannabis said:

Yeah you need to be selective in your genetics if your going to use t5s. I have some og kush going right now and that as a bad idea, the canopy is too think, leaves are too big. My hash berry and dp plants are really loving it, but not the og.

T5s have about 10 - 12 inches of penetrating power and that's it. I've seen other guys get a second t5 4 or 6 bar assembly and place it on it's side and broadside the plants as well as top lit for amazing results by just rotating your plants. I may try that next run.

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LOL... I was just googling T-5 vertical daisychain... trying to make sense. sometimes it appears they dont include the daisey chain and sometimes cant be put vertical.... they get ya coming and going. Teally dont know how thick Aurora gets. got from Nirvana and never did this before.

jillyBean44 said:

LOL... I was just googling T-5 vertical daisychain... trying to make sense. sometimes it appears they dont include the daisey chain and sometimes cant be put vertical.... they get ya coming and going. Teally dont know how thick Aurora gets. got from Nirvana and never did this before.

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oh and i figured definately looking for atleast flowering time.

jillyBean44 said:

no, using T5 grow and dont put much heat out. running about 76 during day and 65 during the 4 hours of lights-out.

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Aren't you in a basement? That just seems warm, but well within the range. How much reading have you done on plant problems, etc? Would be good to have some background so that when issues pop up, aNd they will, you can give better information and we can be more helpful.

Also don't overlook drying and curing. There are whole threads on it. Most new people ignore it because they don't think it's important, but its probably the MOST important part of the process. All that time and effort only to ruin it with bud mold. Real shame.

Maximus cannabis said:

Aren't you in a basement? That just seems warm, but well within the range. How much reading have you done on plant problems, etc? Would be good to have some background so that when issues pop up, aNd they will, you can give better information and we can be more helpful.

Also don't overlook drying and curing. There are whole threads on it. Most new people ignore it because they don't think it's important, but its probably the MOST important part of the process. All that time and effort only to ruin it with bud mold. Real shame.

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not in basement. in bedroom. (20"x36"x62" tent), read and reread and reread an ebook (which i printed) by ryan riley (growing elite marijuana) also watch videos and reading what ever I can find. It is all so confusing. I think I have retained 10%. every day I re-read something and spending most of my time in front of this stupid pc. (hubby is a little pissed I no longer sit with him and watch tv) LOL I did read about drying and curing, although quickly bc I figured I had plenty of time to absorb that part when the time comes. Im using basic nutrients (not organic) as the easier the better right now although i just bought online a bloom enhancer. NOONE carries ANYTHING around here. I just read they busted a hydroponic store last year about 45 minutes from me and that was prob the only one that could have helped me. Ive never had a green thumb except for my basil and rosemary Im a hands on learner. I can read and read but until I actually "SEE" hard to imagine. you linked for "topping" Ill need to see a video of that bugger cause it totally confused me.

Oh yeah... read about the mold issues. yuk. Originally was going to buy the bubbleponic system (cause they said it was easy) but a few peeps here steered me away bc you have to be on top of issues quickly. Soil gave me the ability to go slow. ( like me... slow) I think my humidity will be OK with the mold issue when flowering, it doesn't seem to be high about 35 to 42% (i've tried to increase but difficult) Have wet towel in there now trying to bump it up.

I've been looking at pictures over and over about the carbon filter. bought an inline filter not realising the carbon filter not with it... now re-evaluating who/what/where and HOW. I look at pics and try to replicate. yes, that is me "copycat".

Keep in mind, dont know if you saw this... I dont smoke. I dont know what would be good or not. ALL NEW for me. Doing for my son and ultimately, hopefully, in the long run, my pocketbook. Here it was going for $225. 1/4 oz. I know the cost up front is high but thought after maybe 3 grows I will have recaptured my money. Ya think?

Thanks for your help.... Im gonna be a pest... but not the kind you have to use your bug killer with

Growing can be simple.. if you want, and at the same time it can get very complex depending on how far into the science (or art) you want to get. but you can get good smoke from soil and water with some miracle grow. Like people say it is just a weed.

You dont need a green thumb, the only plant I can grow is pot and like you I have spent.. well to much time researching and trial and error can teach you allot, it takes quite a bit to kill a plant. Try different things and keep an eye on them to see what they think.

this is my first time growing with aeroponics I am about a month in and really have had no problems, I used to hand water every day.. now timers do it all I just poke my head in and take a look every now and again. Getting a second pump for standby is probably the way to go, if the pump dies they die.. other than that risk, it is way less work and less mess than soil. may not be the best for a first grow but once you learn how to grow the plant hydroponic or aeroponic is the way to go

and ya carbon filters are the way to go.. unless you dont have neighbors or house guests. there are some people that have made their own for cheap, but in the end I think they are worth the money for the "real" ones

$225 per 1/4 oz... for real.. its only about $40 in my neck of the woods. thats like $10 a joint.

wow

canibud said:

and ya carbon filters are the way to go.. unless you dont have neighbors or house guests. there are some people that have made their own for cheap, but in the end I think they are worth the money for the "real" ones

$225 per 1/4 oz... for real.. its only about $40 in my neck of the woods. thats like $10 a joint.

wow

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Getting ready to buy carbon filter, prob from HTG (atleast they are fairly close and so far like their service). The inline filter I already bought I will make for intake. When I get al together I will make a drawing on my idea to set up to make sure it is ok. was thinking intake can be outside drawing in filter to ducting to the flange at tent opening. I dont have to have any ducting from opening into tent do I? reversing that thought, I was going to do carbon filter to fan to ducting to upper vent opening but not put ducting outside. (confusing yes, therefore a drawing)

AND YES $225.! hence taking the chance and growing my own. plus the next seeds I buy I think Im gonna look for heavy CBD and let him vape that at bedtime. That may get him off the heavy sleep/pain meds. I DONT GET WHY THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY CANT SEE THIS AS VIABLE ALTERNATIVE SAFE MEDICINE.