newbieharvester
Member
So, I´m a newbie as my nick should indicate, however, being a newbie I´ve had some questions that I now see that most newbies has.
So here goes:
First some tech info
Reliable seedbanks:
The ones . you find here among others, don´t do like I did the first time! Just looking for low price, not checking forums..... They will germinate, but dna isn´t very good.
LIGHTS
CFL (low energy, fluo tubes is the same)
Great for seedlings, and are very decent if you use a 300w. However, most growers would only use it as an xtra lightsource. Soft/2700K for flowering, and white/6500K for veg. I believe a combo 70/30 in the various stages is best.
CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide)
The ones that uses these will never go back to conventional MH/HPS. Closest specter to the sun, extreme results on smaller grows. Only available in "low" wattages
MH (Metal Halide)
Great for veg state, but not a good source for flovering since the red spectrum is very low.
HPS (High Pressure Sodium)
The growers fav, good as an overall lamp, but will not have a very good blue specter.
LED
I like LED! But I would (and will) use it as an xtra source combined with HPS.
Take a look at some of the results a 90w UFO gives and you will be amazed! And don´t listen to those talking about lumens, LED penetrates in a different way, and is a very good source for plants.
Reflecting is another thing close to lights, but if you don´t want to buy mylar and other costly reflective materials: Survivalblankets are very good and cheap. Whitepaint is preferable to aluminiumfoil....
OTHER sources
Not mentioned? Then its either useless, very expensive or very rare.....
Thumbrule on distance:
Keep your hand under it for 20sec, if it doesn´t bother you it probably won´t harm your plants.
SOIL
I´m growing soil, I will eventually go over to hydro, but for now my research is just soil.
Most tend to agree on a mix of 1/3 perlite, 1/3 soil and 1/3 organic material.
Personally I mix a commercial with perlite. Be aware that many soil mixes are full of fertilizer/nutes, so be carefull not to overdo it!
Check out the PH on the soil, should be between 5-6,5 (things you add will probably raise the PH)
NUTES/FERTILIZER
Best tip? Choose nutes made for MJ, if u have problems getting it find something that will be ok for tomatos.
Veg stage: Needs "high" lvls of N
Flo stage: Needs "high" lvls of P
NO NUTES for atleast 14days from planting the seedling, then start with 1/4 dosage, gradually increase. A MJ plant can almost take anything, but it need to adjust/get used to it first. Back of if tips get burned, and go back to previous dosage for a while.
Some gives nutes every time, but most agree on evry 2nd.
PH
Some of the best growers give a damn about PH, others will carefully monitor.
Ideally it should be around 6. There are various ways to measure, I use PH strips that most pharmacies will have.
WATERING
Seedlings: Humid, high lvl of air humidity
Plant, humid, beneficial drying out once in a while, then flush (overwater it with water 3 times the pot size, this is however not a weekly process, when u see that your plant stop developing as an example). Some good growers will flush every time they water.
Every plant is like a human, would you ask how much water a 16 year old should drink? Or would you give when he asks for water? Plants are the same, read the signs.
SEX
Sex is difficult.... Low PH, high humidity may influence a seed going over to the female side. But if you have one plant growing much faster then the others it is probably a male.
For sexing you should wait until you have grown it
Then check out the threads.... Don´t worry about it at this stage!
So you got a male? You can make butter of him (recipes all over ), experiment, collect pollen (many good guides for this here on IC)to make your own seeds, but keep him away from the ladies.....
female seeds are NO guarantee, but gives approximately 80% females.
CO2
Co2 is essential for the plant, it´s their "oxygen". It may be beneficial putting a co2 "generator in a closet or tent, but in an open room it will not do wonders, actually you talking/singing to them will probably help more.... Plants can take a lot of co2, so you won't cause problems putting some xtra co2 around them.
Temperature and humidity
Humidity, veg state below 90%, flow stage below 50%.
Temperatures below 21 C (70 F) is bad, over 35c (95F) is also bad. Ideal is between 25-30c (75-85F approx)
Seed, and germinating.....
First of all, nature has done it for billions of years, so there is no magic about it, don´t stress and they will come out!!
There are various ways to germ., you have commercial germinating sets, but most puts it inbetween humid papertowels in a dark place after soaking the seed in a glass of water for 12hrs. I think its enough with half an hour, its just to trigger some chem processes. Personally having some education in plants/growing I use cotton, just moist it and let it stay dark. It may take up to 4 days, but they will normally germinate in24-48hrs.
My cotton method has so far given me close to 100% germination, but find the one that suits you!
A germinated seed should be planted with the root tip upwards!!! But they will grow upwards eventually, just to help them out a bit.
Increase yield initially:
LST (low stress training), can be started very early.
Bending a plant so that other parts will get enough light to produce buds (simple explanation, I know )
Example: http://www.indoormarijuanaseeds.com/images/low-stress-training.jpg
Topping/pinching:
It really just divides the main stem (or more) to produce 2 (or more) colas.
Example: http://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/151706-uncle-bens-topping-technique-get.html
And there are many many more.....
Transplanting
Let the plant stay in shade for 24hrs in humid (not wet) soil, this will stimulate roots to get a grip/search for water.
Health Problems:
Most problems are related to watering and nute problems, but when you get to that point there are so many threads with pics and stuff that you will easily find.
But if you choose the lazy way asking in your own thread, post PICS of it!!!! How should they help you otherwise???
Light cycles
24/0Seedlings mainly, IMO plants need to rest as well...
20/4, Veg stage
16/8, Veg stage
12/12, flowering stage, can be started from seedling if you like.
Some pointers:
Keep i easy and low cost the first time, don´t spend thousands if you´re not cut out for it!
Have a small ventilator in the room, it will strenghten stems and make your plants happy....
Clean!!!! Everything should be tidy, and cleaned as often as possible. Don´t go in to your grow room if just worked in your garden. Risk for transporting insects and pests is very high....
Missing a lot? Well, heres the thing, I just gave you a good start, why not search out flowering, harvesting and so on by yourself? You´ll do yourself a favour.... If you dont get it by then come back and ask....!
Try to grow a tomato plant, if you have success with that you should be able to grow your MJ.
DO NOT OVERWATER!!!! Most common error! Been there, done that! So remember, humid is good, soaked is very very bad!
Plan your growth, when, where and so on, plan that you wont have to change pot more than once, your plant will love you for it!
That was it for now, and to the experts, this is a black and white tip, I´m a newbie, so I write like one. Hopefully those that should understand will But if I left out essential stuff feel free to fill out the gaps.
Thx to riddleme and several others in various forums......
So here goes:
First some tech info
Reliable seedbanks:
The ones . you find here among others, don´t do like I did the first time! Just looking for low price, not checking forums..... They will germinate, but dna isn´t very good.
LIGHTS
CFL (low energy, fluo tubes is the same)
Great for seedlings, and are very decent if you use a 300w. However, most growers would only use it as an xtra lightsource. Soft/2700K for flowering, and white/6500K for veg. I believe a combo 70/30 in the various stages is best.
CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide)
The ones that uses these will never go back to conventional MH/HPS. Closest specter to the sun, extreme results on smaller grows. Only available in "low" wattages
MH (Metal Halide)
Great for veg state, but not a good source for flovering since the red spectrum is very low.
HPS (High Pressure Sodium)
The growers fav, good as an overall lamp, but will not have a very good blue specter.
LED
I like LED! But I would (and will) use it as an xtra source combined with HPS.
Take a look at some of the results a 90w UFO gives and you will be amazed! And don´t listen to those talking about lumens, LED penetrates in a different way, and is a very good source for plants.
Reflecting is another thing close to lights, but if you don´t want to buy mylar and other costly reflective materials: Survivalblankets are very good and cheap. Whitepaint is preferable to aluminiumfoil....
OTHER sources
Not mentioned? Then its either useless, very expensive or very rare.....
Thumbrule on distance:
Keep your hand under it for 20sec, if it doesn´t bother you it probably won´t harm your plants.
SOIL
I´m growing soil, I will eventually go over to hydro, but for now my research is just soil.
Most tend to agree on a mix of 1/3 perlite, 1/3 soil and 1/3 organic material.
Personally I mix a commercial with perlite. Be aware that many soil mixes are full of fertilizer/nutes, so be carefull not to overdo it!
Check out the PH on the soil, should be between 5-6,5 (things you add will probably raise the PH)
NUTES/FERTILIZER
Best tip? Choose nutes made for MJ, if u have problems getting it find something that will be ok for tomatos.
Veg stage: Needs "high" lvls of N
Flo stage: Needs "high" lvls of P
NO NUTES for atleast 14days from planting the seedling, then start with 1/4 dosage, gradually increase. A MJ plant can almost take anything, but it need to adjust/get used to it first. Back of if tips get burned, and go back to previous dosage for a while.
Some gives nutes every time, but most agree on evry 2nd.
PH
Some of the best growers give a damn about PH, others will carefully monitor.
Ideally it should be around 6. There are various ways to measure, I use PH strips that most pharmacies will have.
WATERING
Seedlings: Humid, high lvl of air humidity
Plant, humid, beneficial drying out once in a while, then flush (overwater it with water 3 times the pot size, this is however not a weekly process, when u see that your plant stop developing as an example). Some good growers will flush every time they water.
Every plant is like a human, would you ask how much water a 16 year old should drink? Or would you give when he asks for water? Plants are the same, read the signs.
SEX
Sex is difficult.... Low PH, high humidity may influence a seed going over to the female side. But if you have one plant growing much faster then the others it is probably a male.
For sexing you should wait until you have grown it
Then check out the threads.... Don´t worry about it at this stage!So you got a male? You can make butter of him (recipes all over
), experiment, collect pollen (many good guides for this here on IC)to make your own seeds, but keep him away from the ladies.....female seeds are NO guarantee, but gives approximately 80% females.
CO2
Co2 is essential for the plant, it´s their "oxygen". It may be beneficial putting a co2 "generator in a closet or tent, but in an open room it will not do wonders, actually you talking/singing to them will probably help more.... Plants can take a lot of co2, so you won't cause problems putting some xtra co2 around them.
Temperature and humidity
Humidity, veg state below 90%, flow stage below 50%.
Temperatures below 21 C (70 F) is bad, over 35c (95F) is also bad. Ideal is between 25-30c (75-85F approx)
Seed, and germinating.....
First of all, nature has done it for billions of years, so there is no magic about it, don´t stress and they will come out!!
There are various ways to germ., you have commercial germinating sets, but most puts it inbetween humid papertowels in a dark place after soaking the seed in a glass of water for 12hrs. I think its enough with half an hour, its just to trigger some chem processes. Personally having some education in plants/growing I use cotton, just moist it and let it stay dark. It may take up to 4 days, but they will normally germinate in24-48hrs.
My cotton method has so far given me close to 100% germination, but find the one that suits you!
A germinated seed should be planted with the root tip upwards!!! But they will grow upwards eventually, just to help them out a bit.
Increase yield initially:
LST (low stress training), can be started very early.
Bending a plant so that other parts will get enough light to produce buds (simple explanation, I know
) Example: http://www.indoormarijuanaseeds.com/images/low-stress-training.jpg
Topping/pinching:
It really just divides the main stem (or more) to produce 2 (or more) colas.
Example: http://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/151706-uncle-bens-topping-technique-get.html
And there are many many more.....
Transplanting
Let the plant stay in shade for 24hrs in humid (not wet) soil, this will stimulate roots to get a grip/search for water.
Health Problems:
Most problems are related to watering and nute problems, but when you get to that point there are so many threads with pics and stuff that you will easily find.
But if you choose the lazy way asking in your own thread, post PICS of it!!!! How should they help you otherwise???
Light cycles
24/0Seedlings mainly, IMO plants need to rest as well...
20/4, Veg stage
16/8, Veg stage
12/12, flowering stage, can be started from seedling if you like.
Some pointers:
Keep i easy and low cost the first time, don´t spend thousands if you´re not cut out for it!
Have a small ventilator in the room, it will strenghten stems and make your plants happy....
Clean!!!! Everything should be tidy, and cleaned as often as possible. Don´t go in to your grow room if just worked in your garden. Risk for transporting insects and pests is very high....
Missing a lot? Well, heres the thing, I just gave you a good start, why not search out flowering, harvesting and so on by yourself? You´ll do yourself a favour.... If you dont get it by then come back and ask....!
Try to grow a tomato plant, if you have success with that you should be able to grow your MJ.
DO NOT OVERWATER!!!! Most common error! Been there, done that! So remember, humid is good, soaked is very very bad!
Plan your growth, when, where and so on, plan that you wont have to change pot more than once, your plant will love you for it!
That was it for now, and to the experts, this is a black and white tip, I´m a newbie, so I write like one. Hopefully those that should understand will
But if I left out essential stuff feel free to fill out the gaps.Thx to riddleme and several others in various forums......
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