[halfbaked]

In a recent discussion in this forum, we've been talking about lights and first time growers. It occured to me that there is no place here for the new grower to get the information he or she needs to be succesfull in growing this wonderful weed we all love so much. So all the new guy can do is ask questions. The problem is that we all percieve things differently. Which leads to question being asked in a random manner. One grower may ask about lights. While the next may allready have several seedlings and ask about transplanting. Yet another may want to know about soil and fertilizers. This leads to the same questions being asked and answerd multiple times.

So I was thinking, hey, these guys should put up a grow guide. Then I thought, why is it always these guys or they? Why not me? So here goes.
Mods, if I am over stepping my bounds I appologise. Please delete this as you see fit. If not, then I will attempt to put up some information that new growers can use to get started and hopefully be succesful in their fisrt attempt at growing.
I will say this right off the bat. I am not an expert by any means. I do have several grows under my belt and can succesfully grow marijuana. I also like to help others grow their own like I think we all do here. So without further mumbojumbo here goes.
If anyone catches me in a obvious mistake please feel free to correct me. I would prefer a pm so as to keep this flowing nicely.

[halfbaked]

Lets start off with lighting. Lighting is probably the single most important ingredient in a succesful grow. If you don't have enough light, then at best you will have poor yield and low quality. At worst you will end up with nothing to show for your effort.
There are several ways to go here.
1. Flourescents.
2. HID (high intensity discharge)
3. A combination of the two.

Florescents come in a variety of shapes and sizes. there are compact flouros, circle bulbs that fit in a standard socket, and the standard long tube found in shop lights etc. Flourescents were the standard used before HID became widely available. These are really good for seedlings, starting small plants and for maintaing moms for cloning. The upside to flourescent lights is that they don't produce alot of heat. The down side is that the light is softer and won't penetrate the plant canopy as well as HID, so lower parts of the plant get less light.

HID (high intensity discharge) includes.
1. MV. mercury vapor= Street lights
2. MH. metal Halide.
3. HPS. High pressure sodium.

High pressure sodium is probably the best light for growing pot. Some growers use MH for the veg (vegetative) stage, more on that later, and HPS for flower. You can grow all the way through with HPS, so if you are tight on money, this is the way to go.

Combination of the two. Some use HPS and Flouros at the same time. HPS for the main light and Flourescent for side lighting. This works well.
The next thing we need is to determine how much light we need for our space. Most folks use lumens as the measure of light provided to the plant(s)
Because it's easier. A 70 watt flourescent light will provide less lumens than a 70 watt HPS light. The lumens is always listed on the box or literature that comes with your light.

How many lumens do you need for your space? Well most experts say you need at least 2000 lumens psf(per square foot) to sustain growth. Mid range is about 5000 lumens psf. 7000 lumens psf is optimal.
Figureing out how many lumens psf you have is simple. Find out the square footage of your space and divide the lumens available by the square footage.
Well, thats about it for lighting. Just remember, the more light you have the better, usually. Give the plants 18 to 24 hours of light a day during veg and watch them grow.

[halfbaked]

Okay, Let me just say that I don't now anything about hydro, so I will concentrate on growing in soil. So onto the soil part of the deal.

The soil is the source for water, air and nutrients that the plant will use.
This is also a very important part of growing MJ.
I notice alot of new growers trying to save a buck and just going out in the back yard and scooping out some dirt to plant their expensive seeds in. Won't
work.
While Marijuana is a weed, it needs more than just any dirt to grow right and right is what we want. So you need a soil that has good drainage, is high in nutrients and is near neutral in PH (6.5)

What soil to use?

I have used Miracle grow potting soil with mixed results. Some growers hate the stuff. I have used scotts potting soil with great results. Seems to me the MG caused more problems than the Scotts. I've also used generic brand potting soil and found it to have a lot of sand which had a strange consistancy that I did not like. I usually mix my potting soil with a little extra perlite.(the premixed soil comes with perlite in it) I might add a handfull of perlite and stir it with my hand before planting.

PH
PH is also very important and you should have a PH test kit which you can buy at Home depot when you get your soil. Also a moisture meter is very valuable in the home garden.

PH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity of soil. 7.0 is neutral Ph. Below 7 is acidic, above 7 is alkaline. According to the experts, MJ likes 6.5 PH
You don't have to be exact, just try to keep it in a range along those numbers. not too much, over or too low. Ph will affect whether the plant can absorb nutrients or not so it is important. If you have a PH test kit and start having problems with you're plant(strange color leaves, stunted growth,etc) first check the PH.

Watering the plant(s). This is where most newbee's make the big mistake. I know what you are going through. you want to do all you can for your plant.
You look at it(them) constantly. You feel like you have to do something. So you water it(them) everyday. Don't. MJ likes to dry out between watering.
So water abundantley, till water runs out the bottom of the pot, then let it dry. This is where the moisture meter comes in. These are very easy to use and cheap so get one. don't water untill the plant is almost totaly dry, wilting a little. Usually 5 to 7 days.

Feeding the plant. The essential nutrients are Nitrogen(N), Phosphoruos(P) and potassium(K). N.P.K. During veg MJ likes higher N and less P and K. During Flower MJ likes higher K. Fertilizers come with numbers that correspond to the amount of nutrient in them. Example 20,20,20 = 20% nitrogen,20% phosphorous,20% potasium. I usually just use this type of fertilzer(20,20,20) most other growers will tell you to use 2,1,1 For veg and 1,2,2 for flower.
The numbers stand for the percentage of nutrient in the mix.So 2,1,1, = higher N And lower P,K and vice versa.for 1,2,2

Don't over fertilize. I don't feed my plants the first 3 weeks of growth and then once every 3 or 4 weeks after. Start with a 1/4 whatever it say's on the box. Usually it's in teaspoons so make it 1/4 teaspoon. And adjust upwards based on your plants needs. Make sure to water well between feedings as the fertilizer will accumulate in the soil between feedings and may cause a nutrient lockout and major problems to the plant. Well thats it for this installment hope it helps to make growing easier.

[halfbaked]

Okay, so we have a partial list of supplies for our grow so far.
1. lights.
2. soil.
3. fertilizer.
4. PH test kit
5. moisture meter.

[U]Now we need pots[/u]. I say pots because I've also seen newb's try to grow multiple plants in one pot. This won't work.Too many plants in one pot causesone to over power the other and one winds up dieing. so one plant to a pot. Now you want a large enough pot to accomodate root growth. Within limits. Obviously you only have so much room in your grow space so usually 12in round pot per plant is good. With holes on the bottom for drainage. No dishes on the bottom cause you want the water to run off and not accumulate down there. That will not allow the plant to dry out between watering and will cause over water problems. As I said in my last post water the plant well. Untill clear water comes out the bottom. Then let the plant dry out for a few days. Using a moisture meter takes the guess work out of watering the plant and will prevent problems. Also letting the plant dry makes it search for water causing root growth and a stronger plant.

Fan

You will also need a fan. Just like you, the plant needs to breath. A fan will circulate the air in the grow area and give them fresh air, also a fan blowing on the stems of young plants cause small tears in the stem which the plant has to repair and makes the stem stronger. we will need this to support those very large buds we are growing.

A timer is also very important to our grow, particularly when we start to flower the plant. Any irregularity in lighting schedule then will cause havok in the plant and potential buds.

Lets see, I think I have most everything covered. When it comes to supplies.
Next we will get into germinating, transplanting and a bunch of other stuff.

[halfbaked]

Ok. Here we are again. Next up on the list is germination. I wish I had pictures to show this but I don't. And unfortunately I just germinated a bunch of seeds which are growing as we speak.

There are probably as many methods of germination as there are growers. Well not that many but close. I've heard of everything from the paper towel method to soaking seeds in a cup of water till they sprout. I don't know about alot of this stuff but I do know the paper towel method and of course just germinating directly in the soil.

1. In soil germination is probably the easiest way to do it. There is really no guess work and very little handeling of the seed. What I do when I go this route is to get little dixie cups, About 8 ounce cups and cut a hole in the bottom. Fill with potting soil to approximately 1/2 inch from the top. Wet the soil. Not too wet, just moist.Take a pencil tip and poke a hole in the soil about 1/4 inch deep. Put the seed in there and cover loosely with soil.

Make sure the soil stays moist. It can take anywhere from 2 to several days for the seed to sprout. Some folks will cover the cups with a sandwich bag to make it like a little green house. Keep an eye out for the sprout cause as soon as they pop out of the ground you will want to put them under a small flourescent light for a few days. Thats all there is for in soil germination. The most important thing is to keep the soil moist. Don't let it dry out.

2. Paper towel method. I've also used this method with great success. Get two small plates. one is going to be the bottom the other will fit over the that to form a top. Take a large paper towel or two and fold them over to form a pad. The paper towels have to be white with no dye/patterns. Using distilled or filtered water spray the paper towel to get it very moist but not driping water. Place your seeds on the towel with some separation between the seeds. Take on more paper towel again no dye/ pattern. Fold it over and place on top of the seeds. Spray this towel the same as the first. Place the second plate over the bottom plate and put it somewhere it won't be knocked off by pets and such. Some folks say to put this on a warm object like a cable box.I did that once and the heat dried my towel and ruined the seeds. You can germinate using this method in temps as low as the high 60's. I did it on this last grow. 67 or 68 degress in the house and the seeds still germinated.

Once you get the little white growth tip coming out of one end of the seed, get your cups together as in the first method. Poke the little hole like before and place the seed in the hole. Only this time, the white growth tip has to go down into the soil. This time it will usually take anywhere from 18 to 48 hours for the seeds to sprout. It could take a few more days so if nothing happens keep the soil moist and your fingers crossed.

Thats it for germination. see you next time when we transplant these little seedlings into their new home.

[halfbaked]

Ok. Time to transplant those little one's. Once again I don't have any pictures and I really wish I did but my digi cam crapped out and I don't have one to show this process, so here goes nothing and I hope to make it discriptive enough that anyone can do it.

First prepare the pots you will be transplanting into.
Like I said earlier, good potting soils come with perlite in them, a little extra perlite is good. Just a handfull. Be sure to mix it up good. Now, Get your little seedling and scoop out enough dirt to accomodate(sp)the seedling and it's root ball.
I usually wait a few days, About a week, before I try to transplant so the the plants have time to root and will be able to support a root ball. Take the cup with the seedling in it and with your index and middle finger around the stem for support, turn the whole thing over. Gently tap on the bottom of the cup to make the root ball fall out. Be very careful not to disturb the roots of the young plant. Place the root ball in the hole you prepared and gently cover it with potting soil. Try not to cover too much of the young stem as this can cause stem rot and more problems.

Once the young plant is in the soil, add water. Not too much at this time, just a couple of cups worth. You want the plant to search for water and this increases root development. For the first couple of weeks check frequently with your moisture meter and don't water untill it is almost dry. As the plant gets bigger you can give more water at a time. Checking often gives you the chance to learn how your plants are using water and give you an approximate idea of how often you should water. Remember to let the plant dry pretty well between watering.

Transplant shock Sometimes when we transplant, if we are not real carefull, we cause the plant to go into transplant shock. This is characterized buy wilting and a generaly unhealthy appearence. Do not panic. Give the plant a few days to settle in. Most times the plant repairs the damaged roots and starts to grow normally again. Some times it's just about growing new roots and settling in to a new home. I've transplanted a bunch of times without any problems, so just being carefull is enough to avoid transplant shock. But this is a procedure that can take some practice to accomplish with out problems.
The most important thing is not to panic for a few days and not to add anything to the soil, as this can aggrevate the situation and cause real harm to the plant.
At this stage in the game you should be very carefull. Before you add anything to the soil please check the PH. Remember, Once you put something in the soil you can't take it back.
By the way, If the plant is wilting, you can use a small stake to support it untill it is able to stand on it's own.

[halfbaked]

Ok. So we transplanted and now it's time to wait. I know what you are going through. You wan't to get through it, you want growth, you want to see stuff happening. well be patient. The plant will do it's own thing and there is not much we can do to change that.

As I said before, the biggest mistake made by new growers is to over water. please resist the temptation. It wont help and will kill your plants.
Some times an over water problem will look like the plant is thirsty. It will start to wilt and most folks will add more water making things worse. Thats why I say to get a moisture meter.

Don't feed them for at least three weeks. The seedling doesn't need much of anything in the begining, just soil, water and warmth. Once you transplant into good potting soil it has enough nutes to get the young plant off to a good start. Wait at least 3 weeks to fertilize your plants. When you do fertilize, use 1/4 the amount recomended on the package and build up from there. Go easy in every thing you do to your plant. no radical changes ever, because it's easier tho mess up than it is to fix a problem. Then just feed the plant every 3 or 4 weeks.

when to flower You can pretty much make the plant flower anytime during veg but it would be a waste of time and effort to do it too soon.
Wait atleast untill you get alternating nodes. This takes about one month of veg growth.
What are alternating nodes? When the plant first starts growing leaves come out directly opposit each other. with alternating nodes they grow first on one side then the other, they alternate.
You can switcht light timing at any time now, though most folks will wait 1,1/2
to 2 months for a better yield. Switch to 12/12 and after about one week or so you will start to see whats what. who's male and who's female. Oh yeah!
Think I'm gonna tell you what they look like now? wrong, wait till next post. :smile:

[usawontstopme]

Not a new grower but great job on ur guide Half baked Who nows u might just be the editor of ur own grow guide mag or book.

[sunnyside]

good idea....kinda hard to read in that format. You see what happened in the FPN when the 'idea' snowball started to roll...hopefully this will be the start of something great.

[tokinjoe]

Halfbaked

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I'm sure it will help a lot of people.