New Grower Jumpin' In

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I ran across this site while trying to find advice on dealing with my first grow. Basically, I ordered and received seeds for Fem Blue Cheese AF and some Skunk that were photo.


Like most things in my life, this was not a well thought out plan. Have seeds, need dirt. I ran to Home Depot and picked up a 2 cuft bag of SuperSoil Potting Soil and a bag of Perlite, which I mixed at a 2:1 ratio. I tossed the seeds in that soil, in 3" pots. All 3 autos and 2 of the photos were spouted within 5 - 6 days and were named after some of my favotite bartenders. I put them under a 2 68W CFL fixture in a closet in my "toy room" with a fan blowing and light on a 18/6 schedule. I transfered them to #3 pots around the two week point. Feeding consisted of RO water for the first 2-3 weeks. Then I added some Vigoro All Purpose plant food (10-10-10) at 1/4 strength.


I saw the first little white hairs on the autos at about 3 weeks. That was a great day. Some time around the 4 week point a friend gave me a bottle of General Hydroponics FloraNova Bloom, which I started at 1/4 strength and used once a week on the autos. The rest of the week I use plain RO water.


At this point I thought now is a good time to do some research and learn about growing weed. Silly me. The fact that they are still alive is proof of the strength and resilience of these plants. This was also about the time I realized that my 2 Skunk photos grow a lot faster than BCAFs. Nothing gets by me.... Oh yeah, I built a new light and reflector with 4, 68W CFLs, which really helped increase the light foot print, but the only CFLs I could find are 2700K.


A few days ago I just bent the tips of the photos down about 8" to even the tops with the autos. Then completely rearranged the pots and I moved the photos to the outside and have the autos directly under the lights, hoping to keep their growth maximized. One of the autos is like 6" shorter than the other two, but its' buds look a lot more mature. I used a macro lens with extension tubes to get some pics of the resin gland things. Pretty cool looking. The little hairs also.


I've also just added a sugar and yeast type CO2 generator, plumbed to the back of my fan, and started aerating my water with air stone and pump.


This is day 60 since I planted the seeds, so like day 54 of growing above ground. I started an album that has some pictures from a few day ago, that photo session was more about shooting cool looking buds than documenting growth. I'm not sure where to go from here. because of the one plant that seems further along than the others I've been trying to find info about when to stop the nutrients for the two weeks prior to harvest. I found some good info that was recommended by some members when they welcomed me to this forum. Thanks again. It's too late to put a lot of things I've learned into this grow and maybe that's a good thing. I might have been right to just jump into this with the basics and learn as I go.


I'm really looking forward to this harvest and smoking my own stuff for the first time. But the next grow round I'll be trying what I've pick up from some of the experts on this forum. Thanks again. Adios!
 
Hey!
Well you certainly have a few things going on!!
As far as the one that is the most mature looking, keep an eye on the trichomes. I started mine on a water only diet when they were about 40-50% milky. It's been about two weeks now and my leaves are yellowing and I am starting to see a few amber and they are about 90% milky. I plan on harvesting this weekend.
I think what you have so far is really great!! I cannot stop taking bud pictures either (as I am sure folk around here will tell you!)
Peace and happy growing!
:karma Cloud: and one of these :slap:!!!
 
hey old diver, I am by no means an expert but reading,and rereading the sticky in the new growers section helped alot. It gives you a very good basic frame work in which to follow. Also, throw up photos whenever applicable, it helps alot
 
Hey Crossman! I couldn't agree more about what can be learned from the sticky posts. I'll get some new shots today with a better perspective of the overall condition and size of the plants. I also need to learn more about thinning out plant foliage without butchering anything.
 
Can I get some advice on a good ph tester. I prefer to pay more up front for good quality and accuracy. I've seen dozens of the yellow kind for $8 -$18 and they all look the same. the reviews are completely contradictory. Anything I get has to be mailed in so any help getting this right the first time would be great. Same thing for the a TDS tester.
 
I got a HM-80 from amazon, like 50 bucks. I think the sticky recomends a oakton. I noticed they all had varying reviews as well. I just went with the HM, cant remember why at the moment. I think they are all just delicate and really need to be taken care of properly. I never got a tds meter but did buy a accurate soil probe that also helped alot. Found out that me PH neutral soil was 7.8 which explained why I had so many problems with my current grow. I could be way off base but i think tds meters really come into play with hydro grows.
 
I got a HM-80 from amazon, like 50 bucks. I think the sticky recomends a oakton. I noticed they all had varying reviews as well. I just went with the HM, cant remember why at the moment. I think they are all just delicate and really need to be taken care of properly. I never got a tds meter but did buy a accurate soil probe that also helped alot. Found out that me PH neutral soil was 7.8 which explained why I had so many problems with my current grow. I could be way off base but i think tds meters really come into play with hydro grows.

HM are good, so is Hanna. So people like Blue Labs. I have an HM ec meter and like it well enough that I'm buying their PH meter to replace my $12 cheapo junker
 
I thought the same thing about the TDS tester until I read 'FD's Guide to Growing Hefty Autos in Small Places'. I realize this is 3 year old thread and made it to the mid 2011 posts, but I really liked what he had going on. He referred to his system, after the fact, as a "hybrid" and that made total sense to me. Good draining soil combined with almost hydro like ph. Since it's kind of hybrid I figure just to maintain consistency where ever possible I would use the TDS to monitor my nutrient solutions before I feed the plants. Soil tester sounds like a good idea also. I'm kind of limited with what I have to work with in the soil dept. We have a Home Depot here now, but that about as good as it gets. But a soil test would probably help me get the ph right at beginning at least.
 
A little side note. I anyone is in contact with FullDuplex, please pass on my most sincere appreciation for all the time he spent posting his thread titled, 'FD's Guide to Growing Hefty Autos in Small Places'. What an eye opener. If there are any updates to his process, let me know about the links. I'm a big fan of what he's doing, or at least what he was doing when he wrote that thread.
 
ya thats tough, home depot's rarely have decent soil choices. If there are garden shops in your area, they often have better soil for sale. also, google local or community compost piles. Alot of municipalities have compost piles and are usually free for the taking. You cant use it by itself but can help amend crappy soil. A older gent I know who grows killer vegetables swears by it
 
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