I need suggestions for a new grower

Hey,

I'm new to the forums as well as growing in general.
I could really use a few pointers on growing indoor.

I'm been smoking for years, and have friends that grow. So I have a very basic understanding of the whole process.

I will be getting 2 - 1' tall mother plants within the next week or so.
I'm hoping to be able to fit both plants inside a 6' tall by 3' wide closet with double swinging doors.
It's set in a spot where the sun can hit it part of the day, and also has great ventilation.

I have basic plant lights and foil on the inside of the closet.

I need to know what lighting and soil would be best for my setup.
Please be specific.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tool

get rid of the foil. the creases create hotspots; focussed beams of light that burn the foliage.

how long is your closet?

what are basic plant lights?

what are the one foot mothers in now?

i use bacto starter soil, good stuff.

as far as everything else; answer my questions, and i will answer yours.

kp

2 mothers = how many clones?
dimensions of flower/veg room (if different then closet)?
budget?
what are your ideas and goals. i.e. how many plants, how much, how often. are you a DIY type. might is suggest the FAQ @ the top of the page.
budget?
the information is here waiting for you my friend. good luck and happy growing

My closet is 6' tall, 3' wide, and about 2' deep.

"Basic plant lights" are just some lights my roommate stole from the lumber yard he works at. (They're supposed to be "for plants") If I had the packaging I could go into more detail, but I don't.

Mother plants are plants that are ready to be cloned.
I'm planning on letting these 2 mother plants grow till they're about 3-5' before I start the budding cycle. (No clones yet)

Right now, I'm just really trying to get my feet wet.
Once I understand the process and am a little better at caring for them,
then I'll start cloning and work on a bigger scale project.

Thanks.

They will probably double in size in flower. If you veg em to 3-5 ft you'll be screwed in a 6 ft closet....and even with a 400 hps you'll have no lower bud if they are that tall.

So..can you get more moms later? That's the only thing I can think of that would keep me from cloning the fuck out of these and getting a grow going.

What would be the proper height to grow them to for the best results?

Yes, I have access to more moms.
I close friend of mine has been in business for years.

As far as the lighting is concerned, HPS is the way to go? Where can I go to buy those lights? and how many watts should it be total. (I have 3 lighting fixtures setup in the closet)

jesus christ! first, let me say that your friend is not too cool for stealing lights. seriously, i have ripped new assholes for less...

but, they are either mercury vapor (wrong kind, too blue), metal halide (good for veg), or hps (good for flower).

they are probably between 250-400w.

with six feet of vertical room, you'll want plants no taller than 4' at harvest (remember pot height). this means you need to flower very soon. a plant will stretch 2-3x it's height in flower.

pix would help tremendously...

kp

I'll get you guys some pics this weekend after I go shopping for some more fixtures, lights, and some soil.

Thanks for the help so far.

no prob; any thing else you need to know before shopping?

kindprincess said:

no prob; any thing else you need to know before shopping?

Click to expand...

i think you should ask more questions to KP... just imo, this stuff can get expensive and like any project it is best to have a game plan.

Everything is kind of leaning on your expirence and availiable finances at this point.From the questions ask your knowledge is a very low beginning grower which is fine but gives us a start point.Money you dont really say.Not sure if your familiar with hps lighting but its a bulb,a ballast which is required, a reflector hood, and power cords.A new one form htg.com somehwre in the $140-150 range.If you want great soild you ll be getting something like fox farm or similar from a hydro grow shop. If its limited money a good soil for the low cost is miracle grow moisture control soil.You will need nutes which for fox farm run about $38-45 FOR THE SET OF ALL 3 NEEDED NUTES.You ll need some kind of soil ph tester and a water ph tester to make sure water is ok and some ph up and ph down for when getting the nutes in.You ll need some kind of fan setup 1 for bringing hot air out of the closet 1 for bringing air from outside the closet into the room and an oscalating fan to keep the stale air moving and strengthen stalks.Make sure to get a room thermometer to keep track of temps in there.A combo one with humidity readings is great.A timer for the lights and some mylar or flat white paint for the walls.Other then that a hanger for your light and your about ready for a small econo grow assuming not ready for clones.In that height veg plants til about 12-14 inches then 12/12 light them..good luck

Saturday I'm going to head to home depot to buy the necessities.

Will 6 cfl's work for veg?
I'm going to get an HPS once I start budding, but I'm kind of short of cash.

...also
Will placing mirrors around the base make any difference?
(I have easy access to small sized mirrors)

Bacto Starter Soil? k


How about transplanting from a smaller pot to a bigger one?
Any extra precautions when transplanting?

Thanks

mirrors are poor reflectors for usable light. but you can use them to make your grow closet look bigger. or watch yourself when you garden. but a cheap reflection material would be mylar wrapping paper or flat white paint

I'm doing this inside a smaller closet for now, what would be best to use...
Paint the inside flat white? or pin up mylar wrapping paper along the inside?

i use flat white paint. cheap at the dollar store...

Tool said:

Saturday I'm going to head to home depot to buy the necessities.

Will 6 cfl's work for veg?
I'm going to get an HPS once I start budding, but I'm kind of short of cash.



How about transplanting from a smaller pot to a bigger one?
Any extra precautions when transplanting?

Click to expand...

Thanks guys.

8cfl's would be better, the more the merrier.

in transplanting, wait until the plant needs to be watered. the soil will compact and stick together. pick up the pot and plant, turn it upside down, and give it a gentle shake. the whole root mass and dirt ball will come out as one, put this in your new pot on a few inches of soil, fill the sides, and water thoroughly. the water will pack the soil, don't try to pack it yourself. if you have superthrive, use it when watering after transplant.

kp

im sure we can all agree that superthrive or another B1 formula is well worth its money.