Growing for strictly for myself (First time grower - advice is welcome)

THIS IS KINDA LONG (CLIFFNOTES AT BOTTOM)

I smoke to chill out almost daily. I don't smoke very much in comparison to others I know and people I've read about online. Typically I'll smoke about .5 - .8 throughout a whole day (usually half a joint afternoon, half at night). Since I do it so regularly, I figured it would be worth looking into growing my own. I hate buying it due to paranoia... not to mention the monetary aspect of it. Now, I've been reading a lot today but it is a ton of information to take in and there is quite a few conflicting techniques.

Ideally, I'd like something I can fit in a spare closet in my office. I don't need more than 15 grams per month, so I figure 45 grams for a 3 month growing period would be sufficient. I don't know if this is realistic or not because most of the places I read didn't really say how much to expect from each seed. From what I gathered, this is what I plan on doing:

1. Buying sterilized soil with sand and sponge rock in it with a pH between 6.5 - 7.5. Buying a pot no bigger than 6 inches in diameter (probably a Jiffy-Pot), and also a pot with 3 gallon volume. Buying some flourescent lights (not cool white).

2. Germinate. Plant the seed.

3. Water well ONLY when needed.

4. Light 24/7 for about 4 weeks, keeping the lamp 2"-4" above the top of the plant.

5. Put in bigger pot/container when it's ready.

6. After 4 weeks, light for 12 hrs. on, 12 hrs off. Continue this until they're "ripe".

Note that I've NEVER done this before, so if I'm doing something wrong please point it out. I'm going to hold off on this project until I get some confirmation that everything I'm doing is correct. :-D


Cliffnotes:


- How many seeds would I need to grow 45gr. over a three month period?
- Is it going to fit in a closet?


Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this!

 

Let me start off by giving you the same advice I give all beginners. Your first step, and most important part, is to read a grow book. Anything by Ed Rosenthal is good. It really helps to have an overall view of the entire growing process.

Allow me to crtique you so far.
My suggestion is to buy Fox Farms potting soil. It's expensive but worth it.
If you can't find it, go to a large garden department/nursery and look for potting soil that has lots of organic goodies in it, like seaweed/kelp, bird/bat guano, worm castings, hydrated lime, mychorrizae and perlite. To this lots of growers like to add some extra perlite. Pick up some organic nutrients too.

Start with 6" planters. Plant each seed on it's side, 1/2" deep. You don't need to pre-germinate them.
Plant 3 seeds per planter. After 10 days thin to the strongest seedling in each planter. Cut the other ones off at soil level.
With rich soil you don't need to fertilize for the first 3--4 weeks. Watch the plants. When they begin to lose that vibrant green color it time to add nutrients, but DON'T overdo it. Start of with 1/2 strength doses.
Let the soil dry out a bit between waterings.

The best light by far is a 400-watt HPS. This effectively light an area 8 sq/ft. or slightly smaller than 3' x 3'. This is enough room for 8 plants. Start off with the light 24" above the seedlings. As the plant gain more strength lower the light to 18" (an inch or 2 at a time) above the plant tops and maintain this spacing.

When the plants are 1' tall transplant into 2 or 3 gal. containers.

When the plants begin to alternate nodes (usually 3--5 weeks after sprouting) you can induce flowering. Lower the light to 15".

Flowering for most strains is 8--9 weeks, longer for sativa's. Harvest when 75% of the bud hairs turn brown/red.

Bag dry & cure.

Notes:
you will need to supply ventilation (intake and exhaust) to regulate temps (HPS light are hot) and to provide vital fresh air for the plants.

 

thanks for the response and for going into as much detail as you did. i apprecaite it. a few questions:

1. You suggest three seeds per planter, and after 10 days cut the weaker ones off, correct? So I should be left with 1 plant. Correct me if I am reading this wrong.

2. How many plants do you think I'd need to grow in order to reach my goal of 45 grams per three months? I've read it depends on how much you take care of the plants with people claiming to have seen seeds grow anywhere from 1 gram to 90 grams. If I'm estimating my plant will be mediocre, should I grow just one? Two to be safe?

3. Is a 400 watt HPS a huge power-hog? I live in an old house with limited power to the room I want to grow in, so when too much power is being required it sometimes blows fuses . Are flourescent lights useless compared to HPS?

4. When the plants begin to show gender, should I cut the males off?

5. What does it look like when the plants begin to "alternate nodes"? This question may be answered by reading a book like you've suggested, but I figured you may have a link to pictures or something.

Thanks for all your help! Please answer what you can, I appreciate any help I can get.

 

1. Yes

2. There are too many variables to give an accurate answer.
I'm an experienced grow and if I planted seeds and harvested the plants 3 months later I'd prob end up with over an ounce each.
HOWEVER
that's only with the female plants. Approx 1/2 of the plants will be males, and males have no buds.
When you have more experience (after a grow or 2) you can get into cloning, which means taking cuttings from a known female plant. That way you don't waste time & $ on males (which are only good for breeding purposes).

3. A 400-watter will raise your Kw bill by about $15/month. Whether it will blow a fuse of not I can't say, but remember most microwaves draw 1,000 watts, and most elect. space heaters more than that.

4. Within 2 weeks of switching the light cycle from 24/0 to 12/12, the males will grow balls (pollen sacs, they look like little balls). As soon as you see them, ditch 'em.

5. Many grow books have pictures. It's hard to explain by writing, but once you see the pics you'll be able to notice straight away. (P.S. nodes are branches)

 

Considering that I was in a similar situation just a little while ago I'll tell you about my setup.

I grow in a 2x4 closet that has about 7 feet of headroom.
-I have a 400 watt metal halide light, and I use an hps conversion bulb when I start flowering. (to germinate seeds I use 40w of floro's)

-My plants are grown in soil, and the mix i use is a 50/50 mix of Fox Farm Ocean Forest and Fox Farm Light Warrior.

-For nutes I use:
(1)Pure Blend Pro Grow for veg (although with soil this rich I don't really need to use nutes in veg so this stiff pretty much just site on the shelf
(2)Pure Blend Pro Bloom for flower
(3)Liquid Karma - get this stuff
(4)Hygrozyme - it's a medium cleaner, helps roots grow big and strong

-I have an ocilating fan moving air around in the closet, a 7 inch passive intake (a hole in the wall that has is made so no light can come in), and a 4 inch fan sucking air out which is attached to a carbom scubber to take care of the smell. Since the 4 inch fan is creating negative pressure in the closet, no air escapes the intake.

-When I flower the plants I can fit 8 plants each in 2 gal containers perfectly

With a setup like this you can expect to pull at least a QP ever harvest, which to me is the pefect amount just to smoke on. When shit's on lock then expect maybe 6-8 zips, plus all the cannabutter from the trim

For books buy and read The Cannabis Grow Bible by Greg Green. I can't reccomend that one enough. Like ranger said Ed Rosenthal is good too.

Finally, don't use bagseed. You have no idea if it's a seed from a hermi, if the female was polinated by ditch weed, etc, etc. Why spend 5 monthes from seed to smoke only to take a chance getting garbage.
Buy seeds online. I've only used seedbay before (and they are awesome), but have had buddies who have used seedboutque and dr chronic and they'vre all gotten there fine.

PS - The golden rule: Don't tell a fucking soul that you are growing. Not even your buddies. One person knows that I grow, and I would trust that one person with my money, girl and freedom, so unless you consider someone your brother they shouldn't know - Loose lips sink ships, and also get your shit robbed from you.

 

Kudo's to you hamsammich; excellent post.
I only disagree with you on 1 point, and that's seeds.
For a first-timer I recommend bag seeds.
Commercially grown weed like schwag is usually a hardier strain than designer strains. It can survive more mistakes, and no matter how much someone reads there are some things you only learn by doing i.e. trial and error.
I always consider the first grow a sort of training type deal.
Once someone's got a successful grow or two under their belt, THEN i suggest paying for/getting good seeds.

 

Thanks for the help both of you. I will DEFINITELY take all of your advice. You have no idea how much I appreciate it!

As for the bagseed vs. quality seeds, I think I may do a mixture. I think I'll order some cheap seeds online (the ones that are like $15 a bag) and also some more expensive quality seeds. I will do my first harvest with the $15 bag and save the more expensive stuff when I am more experienced.

Another alternative (which will be decided by 2PM tomorrow) is buying from a shop close-by. I'm meeting with a place tomorrow to be perscribed a Cannabis Card... . Wish me luck with both my card approval and growing!

 

If you are in Cali and have a medical card then don't even worry about seeds. Just buy some clones from a dispensary.

 

yeah, i didn't even know i was going to attempt to get one until a few minutes before i posted that. I did get it! so... tomorrow i'll pick up some clones. wish me luck!

also, i just realized i put "for" twice in the thread title haha.