My Grow Set-up *plan*

Hey guys, I've tried growing twice now, and havn't had a plant get passed about 6 inches, or like three or four weeks of life.

I'm looking to change that this year, and like usual growing indoors again.

I have put together some things that I will be doing, and have written down all the tips I see.

Here's a little about what I'm going to do.

Grow Area:

Past years:
My first year was so embarassing I wont even add details about it here, but my second year I was growing two plants (fairly good) in a 4x4 area. (Although I used foil on the walls...)

Future:

I'm planning on having a 4x4ft area with two plants growing in it (in case I get a male, knowing my luck both will be males ....)

I plan on covering the walls of my box in just white paper, because I have read that foil gives heat spots (I tried foil this past year..), and that it's pretty much the best "cheap" thing you can do, besides just painting the walls white.

Lighting:

Past:

My first year I tried to just use sunlight, my plants stretched out, and died before they had more than four leafs.

Second year I used one 100W CFL and I had two plants get fairly bushy, and were going good until I had a spidermite problem (more on what I'm doing about that later).

Future:

I will be using a 400 watt CFL (I believe).

It's the biggest bulb i've used yet. Obviously

also..
Is it ok to use the 400 Watt for two plants? I heard bigger is better, and honestly that will be the best light I can ever get. (until I'm out of the house and into my own).

Bug Prevention, etc.

Past:

My first grow, I never even knew bugs would be a problem, and honestly, they died before any bug could get to them.

Second grow I was a lot more educated (not pro, obviously) and had spidermites.
I figure its because my grow room was in a basement that flooded twice, the last time recently before I put my plants in there. It was not clean at all, and all I had to fight away bugs were some Garden Safe 3 in 1 spray. (Germicide/Pesticide/Fungicide or something)

Future:

I plan on grinding up garlic (or just using garlic powder) in my soil (more on that later), and then when my seedling sprouts I will spray it with garlic water, one time for two weeks, as I heard it can do wonders.

I really can't just go out and buy stuff like the Hotrod No Pest strips (or whatever), or anything else that needs to be bought.
Any other home recipes for mold/pest protection would be much appreciated.

Soil:

Past:

First year I just used dirt out of my backyard, nothing in it at all..

Second year I though Miracle Grow would be amazing, until I realized it wasn't..
Not much to say.

Future

I plan on using some ordinary soil, mixed with peat moss, and perlite.
I also plan to mix in wood ash as well, as I heard it keeps the pH from getting too low. (pH is something I've ignored both past years.)

I will eventually go buy Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, before I start my grow. As it's really a must if I even want to harvest anything more than droopy leaves.

Ventilation(sp?)

blah blah in the past I havn't even used fans at all, not wasting the time to type in bbcodes..

Future

I plan on using an ordinary house fan, fairly small. I will probably keep it level to the plants until they get bigger, and then position a bigger fan underneath the plants (hopefully).

I won't be able to put in great ventilation tubing etc etc, as this whole grow will be in my closet.


Ending the grow

Past

The first year I tried, it ended before it all even started.. Total failure.

Second year, I for some reason decided that it would be better for my plants to live outdoors, so I went into the woods, (poorly) cleared out a very small area, and planted them into holes.

I came back a week later and they weren't even there anymore. (Not dug up, but just dried up and dead)

Future

Unless someone can tell me a way to keep a plant growing very short and compact, I will HAVE to move it outdoors eventually.
As my closet will not house a fully grown plant.

I have planned, like last year (hopefully I'll get to this point next time around), to grow my plants in Veg mode until they are as big as I can fit them in my closet (safely), probably 6-7inches tall hopefully.

And heres where I actually need help.

Should I force them into flowering mode, and just take a relatively small yeild?
or
Should I take them to a NICE place outdoors (this time.), clear out a very good area for them, make sure the soil is good. Spray garlic water everywhere, dig a big hole, fill it up with good soil (like what I said I will use next time around) and transplant them into a good outdoor setting?

I really need all of your help on this.

I don't think I can go another year without getting a crop at all.
I am fairly prepared this time, and would like to hear your opinions.

If anything I'm doing is incorrect, please tell me, and tell me what I should do instead.

Also, anyone with more antipest/fungi homemade remedies it would be much appreciated.

I expect no one to post anything actually. soo. Thanks if you even read it

keep tieing your plants down, this will keep them from getting too tall. Keep your light as close as possible. 400w CFL? Im assuming you are using multiple bulbs then... Ventilation, you need it, even CFL's get hot, specially 400w of them. You should be fine with a jimmy rigged intake and exhaust. You will probally spend around $100 at home depot if you buy some small 4" inline blowers and rig up some kind of scrubber so your parents dont bust you. check out the DIY section.

Haha I love the part about my parents busting me..

Its so true..

The light I have is a single bulb 400W (5900 Lumens, not perfect, but pretty damn good). It doesn't specifically say CFL on it, but I'm assuming it is.
I can get a picture up here of it, if you'd like to see it.

Another thing, I believe I forgot to mention, is that I will be spraying the leaves of my plants (undersides mostly) to prevent spidermites (what ruined my previous grow), and to also clean off the dust.

I'll do misting about once or twice a week, should that be sufficient?
I'll also break up the top layer of soil with my fingers every few days, as I heard it keeps gnats away.

Anything on my home recipe bug preventers or is everything pretty much in line?
If you could post a link to a good how-to, or overal good thread on LST (low stress training/tying down, I believe), I would really appreciate it.
I've seen different ones, mostly filled with criticisms. I want to get the all right.

You aren't using a 400 watt CFL, you're using a 105 watt cfl. The "equivalent" rating does not mean anything, since this is just a comparison to traditional incandescent bulbs.

Your bulb is good for about 1 square foot of growing space.

You will get some bud, but it will be fairly insignificant. You should aim for about 5000 lumens per square foot for flowering, although you can get away with less for veg (3000 +).

You need more light, or a smaller space to produce well. A 400 watt HPS would be okay for your area, although a 600 watt would be better, if you can extract properly.

If you want to use the light you have now, and still produce nice dense buds, consider making your area smaller. (say 1.5 x 1.5ft at the most)

It wasn't Miracle Grow's fault your second time around. We have many growers here at RIU that swear by it. If you read anybody swearing AT MG, ask thyem for details, they won't have any.

There is a thread going on now about a side by side test of MG and FF OF. The MG is winning.

https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/373397-test-progress-miracle-grow-soil.html <--- link

Thanks for the link Serapis.

Smaller spaces are not a problem at all, it's more of the lights I'd have to buy.
Can a plant grow in a 1.5x1.5 area?

Anyone posting a link to a good thread of tying your plants down I'll +rep deffinately.

Here are a couple of threads on tying (LST) to get you going:

How To LST (Low Stress Training)

Show me what u got LST

Alternatively, you could use the ScrOG (Screen of Green) method, which basically means training your plant under a net, in order to make many small colas, rather than one big one.

Scrog (offsite link)

I think scrogging is easier than lst, and has more consistent results when done well, but opinions vary.

Either method will help you maximise your yield in small spaces, and make the best of lower powered lighting, which doesn't penetrate very well.

Hey Nocturn, thanks for the second post.
+rep for the links.

Here is a picture of the light bulb i'm using. Sorry its a terrible picture because I had to use my webcam.


*Edit, for me the picture isn't showing up, but it works if you right click, and hit "Open in new tab". Check it out. Please

Anyone else have ways of keeping my area bug free? (Besides the remedies I have in the first post)

Also, I have MG soil, is it ok to use it straight up? Or should I go out and buy some perlite to mix in with it?

I'm +repping for about every post, so let me know what you guys think, and throw some opinions and helpful things in and I'll rep you up.

Thanks.

Like 157 views and a handful of replies, I'd appreciate some more input.. Don't be shy.