[n1ckpapageorgio]

Hi all, has anyone been to the phx farmer's market recently? at VFW720? I went several times a few months ago and met a couple of really solid growers, one ALWAYS wore tie-dye, had a super lemon haze, wet dream, and kosher kush from him, fantastic product. a different guy had a super lemon haze and phenomenal kosher kush, called it his private stash. since the bust-up in June they haven't been back. I've tried a number of dispensaries and they just don't compare to what these guys had, at a lower price even. i'm hoping to find either one again. I know the descriptions are vague but it's the best I can do.

another market is just around the corner and would like to know if anyone has been and have any product reviews? thank you for any information

yes I am a prop203 card holder

[dank.frank]

Have you considered setting up a small grow to supply your personal needs?

A 600w lamp in the closet can set you free from the hunt...

This site can teach you everything you need to know.

It can all start with a seed.



dank.Frank

[n1ckpapageorgio]

oh yes I have considered it. I have not worked out the logistics yet though (time, job, wife/kid). I just don't want to start it and end up with subpar flowers, i'm kind of the type that feels if it isn't done "right" then i'd rather have spent money for better buds, instead of the time and possible disappointment. but practice makes perfect...I probably just need to bite the bullet and get a grow started. any seed recommendations? in AZ?

but nonetheless any recent phx market reviews are still appreciated

[dank.frank]

I'm not in AZ fwiw - so I couldn't make suggestions on seeds available there...

It's like anything else - spend a couple weeks reading about it then make up your mind and see if it's a practical investment for you...

I started growing for medical reasons, cost, quality, free time, etc. However, I don't have a family - so that makes the scenario a bit different in terms of what one might consider "safe"...

But if you follow some GENERAL guidelines, you can pull it off I'm sure. Just don't try to learn how to grow the plant...not really. Learn how to control and manipulate environmental factors. Two environments exist - one around the foliage and one around the roots. Learn to control those two environments, and the plant will respond accordingly with the best genetic information it contains. The plant is merely a meter, so to speak, of the environmental variables we introduce it to.

Watch your temps. No higher than 78 no lower than 65.
Watch your relative humidity during flower - never above 65%. Try and keep it around 45% once you past the 4th week.

If you are intimidated by the hundreds of options when it comes to nutrients - just start with something simple and proven to work. There are COUNTLESS organic soil recipes that all work to varying degrees depending on what you consider "truly organic".

I'd suggest if you are after quality in the first place - and are truly only growing to supply your own needs - you'd be great with a 600w. You'll be looking at 12-16oz harvests when you get your environment dialed in. You're electric bill won't see to big of an increase - maybe $100-$150 a month with A/C, fans, lights, etc - and of course that depends on where you live...prices vary greatly...but that is an absolute MAX...

And I'm willing to bet you spend more than $150 a month buying...

You mention safety issues - which makes sense...but I've always though it more safe to be my own connect and have NO ONE know what I do in my personal time vs. having to hit the phone and call around and drive around or have people come over. Then you are seen in a certainly "circle of friends" and you never know who they are around and how much attention they are bringing you just by being associated. I'd never consider that being safe anymore - not when the alternative is to basically be a ghost in relation to such things...

Anyway - I'm obviously pro-grower. You can't beat your own supply. And there is truly something special that you get from enjoying your own work, labor, effort, time, etc - that you put into a garden, that you'll never get from purchasing.

I think anyone on this site would tend to feel the same way!!



dank.Frank

[n1ckpapageorgio]

yes, no interest in selling or dealing. just personal use with some close friends.

what have you found in regard to growing medium? obviously an indoor controlled environment is ideal. but some of the best tasting/smelling, strongest buds I had was indoor in organic soil, or so I was told. it was a bit of a paradigm shift from the thought that hydro was king. has your experience growing been the same?

i'd like to get seeds/clones locally but i'll try anywhere, if I get serious about it. any seed banks/breeders that you favor?

I know it's a bit of an opened-ended question and i'm cool if you just say use the search function, ha. I've only been on the user end of things, and I only looked into growing previously until I decided I couldn't dedicate the time and attention to detail necessary, at least not yet.

but thank you for your time.

[waveguide]

my retrospective on growing small.. i'm not claiming authority on anything except my own experience..

biggest i've run was a 400w which left me with more than i needed. i've also run micros using cfls and homemade leds, which left me with less. with the 400w, blue cfls were good supplementary. cfls alone can grow decent buds, but eg. a lot of sativa leaning strains don't really do anything except weak and fluffy. hps is good to have indoors..

best grows were organic soil with a fair amount of peat moss (lowers the pH, has good air and water properties and you can taste it, it's real good). i hardly do any supplementary feeding, adding all kinds of crap screwed up more often than helping. also indoor grows in arizona, it can be tough to not overwater.

for seeds, i have no money now, but bought like maybe 20 different kinds. if i could do it again, i'd buy a lot of nirvana seeds... always seemed like people find some good phenos in there, which is much like most companies except you don't lose as much money if the pack is all duds.

..i bought some more expensive seeds and several less expensive ones, and for following the reviews and grows online, people keep trying to take credit for nature.. brand name or strain didn't amount to much, my best individuals were pretty much random from seeds i paid for, freebies and bagseed. sure, having good predecessors does help, but when so many people are after your money, truth is hard to discern, so having the most number of seeds is a good strategy. stupid money....

once you start growing, things change - your own weed is what you want to smoke. it's good feedback.. ..also, once you start to discern the flavours, then you turn into a strain whore, because your palate is about to become discerning..

[paper thorn]

Hey nick, the problem is that most likely you live within 25 miles from a dispensary and your card does not give you 'authorization to cultivate' your 12 plants. Lots of work even setting up a small grow, and you can't let the kids know, wife might not be on board etc. You need time, space, money...
Have a friend who lives in the perfect place to pull off a big grow, but 13 year old can be nosy, so he doesn't. He leaves the growing to me.
What you need is a local-ish guy to give you the sweet deal on quality meds. Hang out around here and post a lot, you'll meet some az cardholders, who can at least point you in the right direction.
Takes 50 posts to be able to PM

[n1ckpapageorgio]

yup i am within the 25 mile rule. trying to get a buddy who is single on board but meeting some resistance, so yeah I think i'm just gonna stick around and try to meet folks. at least this forum has peeps that actually responded to me instead of ignoring, or hell one site banned me for asking about market growers

although to me $150/half at the Phx market was a good deal, and this was primo stuff

kinda naïve to think this would be an easy search, haha. the grower community is a tough nut to crack, understandably so

so what strains do everyone prefer? I like the blue lineage. and hazes. nothing wrong with a good kush, but it's a little kush-heavy out there in my opinion

[n1ckpapageorgio]

and I have something called animal cookies in my Pax as I write this

[waveguide]

the number one engrave it on your forehead rule of growing is do not tell anyone. no one. ever.

time goes by. relationships change.