Jwilsn's Fruit Flavor Grow - MH/HPS

OMG
I am just astounded how some will Veg a couple or a few small plants under 400, 600, 1000 watts.
I am sorry Wilson, the plants will turn out great... BUT!
Does anyone think about the environmental impact, electricity waste? The money? That's what really bothers me about prohibition. The sun shines for everyone yet we are forced to grow under ground. That sucks.
I like using two 23watt CFLs, split in a single hanging lamp. I then have an intense enough light to germ and grow seedlings four or five branchings then move to a largeer light source. With 46watts CFLs you can shine intense light on one plant-- moderate, but very good light on two adittonal seedlings to the front and back of the hanging spilt cfl fixture. And even two more, with just slightly less illumination to the sides. That is five seedlings.
But you can also use a two foot T5 strip, that will handle maybe 6 - 10 seedlings, but all will get moderate light, none will get intense light.
But with either setup adding an additional hanging fixture will more than double the quantity you can bring up your babies in a happy environment.
Wilson, same some money, turn off the halides until you have teens to grow.
But have fun... Maybe throw a sun bathing orgy under your halides and dance around your babies naked. Remember to sun screen your dangly bits.

I'm glad you stuck with 6500k
I've had problems with anything lower 5500k. Unless the ratio is above 3 to 1. I have tried all 5500k and had problems with flowering being triggered. The plants just seem to love the brighter blue.

Once you get your teens and mother's growing, you can then use the CFLs for side lighting, or whole plant suplimentation.

Yea, so now I am running a total of 4 CFL's at 23 watts each (92 watts compared to my 400 halide lol) and 1500 lumens each (6k total) and they seem to be working good.

Pictures will be up in like 30 mins, just have to shovel some of this damn snow.

And here are todays images!

Day 6

Berry Bomb

Big Grapefruit

Your pocket book will thank you. Your plants are already thanking you. Nature is shedding a tear of relief.
Keep them close but not enough to burn. But watch quick growth spurts. Burned baby leave's, while not quite child abuse, comes close. The will recover, but don't we all love that mandalic symmetry. Well I do at least.
Peace... Grow happy.

Haha thanks kief. Right now they are sitting roughly 3.5 inches from the light and I see no signs of stress or possibility of burn. Just watered them after the images as well. Can't wait till they get bigger

Looks like they are liking the new light. The stretch has stopped finally and I am no longer scared of them getting scorched due to the new CFL's. Got a humidifier in the room since the new grow box was sitting at 20 RH. I'm hoping this new humidifier will bring it up to around 40-60.

Lookin good.i used 4 26w 6500k cfls to veg then switched to 2 55w and 2 68w 2700k to flower in my micro cfl box.

Yea, I am definitely seeing the advantages to CFL for keeping things cheap and small. Eventually I will move these but for small vegging, I am loving this.

Well, Day 7 is here folks. 1 Week old so far and still on pure water. Going to need some advice on nutes. I have FloraNova Grow sitting here but what else, and how much?

Pictures for Week 1


Big Grapefruit


Berry Bomb

At 2 to 3 inches, with 26 watts, you get temperatures about 80 degrees. That 80 temp is my limit, or guideline for temps in my growing area. Once you've gotten a healthy seedling, six or seven branchings, a little shorched leaf hear and there is not the end of the world. The plant won't die... It may lose a little symmetry though. At your stage just keep the lights 5 inches so if you have a growth spurt they won't get into the hot zone.
I think you are worrying a little to much... Your babys will adapt. I would keep the low humidity. Less problems with mold or other humitiy loving pests.

part time grower326 said:

Lookin good.i used 4 26w 6500k cfls to veg then switched to 2 55w and 2 68w 2700k to flower in my micro cfl box.

Click to expand...

I am wondeing of you've tried a higher ratio of 2700k... I use now about 5 to 1;5500k, or 3200k at 2 to 5 ratio. My plants just simply love this combination. Buy I've also noticed that some plants want a lower or higher kelven for bud productuon. So as the budding gets underway, I add higher or lover kelven as needed per plant by plant basis.

part time grower326 said:

Lookin good.i used 4 26w 6500k cfls to veg then switched to 2 55w and 2 68w 2700k to flower in my micro cfl box.

Click to expand...

JWILSON, Do you have a fan going? They need the "wind" to build strong stems and branches to hold your massive buds to come. I notice you planted low in the cup. So I take it you had it covered with plastic wrap for humidity while germinating? So that is a good thing when young, but you have to prepare your babies for your HPS/MH lights. I personly would cut the cup down to about a 1/2 from this soil line. And maybe sprinklen some pure worm casting on the top of the soil, like a half hand full. Water heavey, then let it get almost dry. Then re plant balance to a really good soil mixture but remember... always have a smile for your plants, theyDo you have a fan going? They need the "wind" to build strong stems and branches to hold your massive buds to come. I notice you planted low on the cup. So o take it you had it cover with plastit wrap for humidity while germinating. So that is a good thing when young, but you have to prepare your babies for your HPS/MH lights. I personly would cut the cup down to about a 1/2 from this soil line. And maybe sprinklen some pure worm casting on the top of the soil, like a half hand full. Water heavey, then let it get almost dry. Then re plant to a really good soil mixture.

I always have a fan going on my plants. I have it set back to blow on the lights and plants dropping temps to 75 degrees.


I germed in paper towel and planted in the cup like that for easy watering. The soil itself has worm castings in it. I have been watering until it comes out the bottom every 4 days but looks like its drying lot quicker (as it should now that the plant is eating it faster.)

I mixed up a batch or floranova grow in a one gallon pot I am going to include in the next watering. I noticed the one plant was bending towards the fan for some reason, it is placed right under the light too so only other thing I can think of is that it was trying to get extra water from the humidifier or something.

I staked the stem to make it less fragile as well.

Is it to early to start 1/4 power nutes at this point? Going to water tonight.

kief boi said:

I am wondeing of you've tried a higher ratio of 2700k... I use now about 5 to 1;5500k, or 3200k at 2 to 5 ratio. My plants just simply love this combination. Buy I've also noticed that some plants want a lower or higher kelven for bud productuon. So as the budding gets underway, I add higher or lover kelven as needed per plant by plant basis.

Click to expand...

I originally was going to add 1 6500k with 3 of the 2700k but I went for pure wattage over color.i had 30,000 lumens using all my 2700k and they loved it.they were showing pistils within a few days of switching to flowering.

Ok, so today I decided to let em absorb the last bit of water they got, and prob go ahead with adding water + nutes (1/4 strength) tomorrow. But for now here is the daily update of my progress. Oh btw, stirred up some soil with a fan by accident and it ended up in the Berry bomb's leaves. Just figured I would mention that before someone said something about it haha.

Day 8

Berry Bomb

Big Grapefruit

part time grower326 said:

I originally was going to add 1 6500k with 3 of the 2700k but I went for pure wattage over color.i had 30,000 lumens using all my 2700k and they loved it.they were showing pistils within a few days of switching to flowering.

Click to expand...

That's what I was aiming for. I've done, mixes; while you can flower under full spectrum, in this case, full is less, not more. Less flavor, less or equal yield if you have forgiving plants, but mostly just less satisfaction.

Day 9 ladies and gents, here they are!

Day 9


Berry Bomb


Big Grapefruit

IS the curl on the Berry Bomb common? From what I read it says it commonly happens to rootbound plants but there is no way these are rootbound within a week. Let me know guys, I love the feedback.

I chose to just add some soil and water this watering instead of putting in some 1/4 strength nutes. I have them mixed, ppm'd and ph'd for their next watering but wanted to wait until around day 14-15, depending on when they are dry again. The watering was right after I took the pics.

Day 10 is here!


Berry Bomb

Big Grapefruit

One of mines first set of leaves have just a little kink/curl in it kind of like that.none of the other leaves are just the first points.not sure if it's just where there are the first set and aren't formed right or what.