closet set up possible without box? please evaluate

[melodious fellow]

I am trying to revive a plant that had been left, cared for only by nature for the last few months, outside.

The plant is a thin and straggly 8-10 in tall with 2 small, 3 fingered leaves and a few small purple flowers/preflowers emerging.

It is currently in a 10 inch diameter pot in my closet, receiving 12hrs of light (currently at 5700 lumens, from 4 fluorescents)
and 12 hrs of darkness a day, as that is what it had been getting outside.

I do not have any kind of special box as I have little money for this project that will likely fail as my other grow attempts have, but am hoping this will be ok, I may possibly need to add a few more fluorescents?

attached is a pic of the setup, please evaluate! : )

thnx and cheers!

[Jerry Garcia 2007]

I would recomend mounting the lights to a board that you could hang from the ceiling and move up as the plant grows, keep the CFL's around 3" above the plant and a coulple of florecents or CFL's on the sides, you need to keep the CFL's as close to the plant as possible.
As for regenerating your plant you need to go to 24/0 from what I have read.

[Zcomp]

Also, Those aquarium plant bulbs suck. using a regular cool white bulb gives more light.
That will probably work though. I had brought in a plant that did no good outside, it perked back up within 2 weeks.
Just be careful about watering and don't use any nutes until your sure its back on the right track. Letting the soil dry up between watering, encourages root growth.

[melodious fellow]

Hmm. So even though the plant has been in flower for at least a month (it started getting dark around 5-6pm a few months ago) it is okay to put it back into veg for a while? The plant is already 8-10 inches tall, and I don't want it more than 3ft tall (I think it is a sativa though) so when should I put it back into flower, as they usually double or triple in size during flowering, correct?
Thanks for the help so far, much appreciated.
peace

[Jerry Garcia 2007]

Sorry, I re-read your first post, if it is already flowering then I would keep it there disregard the 24/0 and keep it at 12/12 IMO. There are people with alot more experiance at this situation than me to answer your questions so I will leave it to them.
WYLOL with your plant, hope it pulls thru.

[Zcomp]

Yeah, you could put it back in veg but I wouldn't. It will take at least 2 weeks to a month to reverse from flowering to full veg.
Flower it out, smoke what you get, then think real hard about what you want to do next.
a 10" pot will be fine the whole way, Right now you need to worry about it surviving the transplant.
More important than some "box" to grow in, is a reflector for your CFL's. Don't use tinfoil cause it absorbs too much light. What you want to do more than anything is focus the light you have into the small area the plant takes up.
Putting a small fan in the room would thicken up your stems in a week or 2. Just be sure the fan doesn't blow directly on your plant. Instead aim the wind at the nearest wall and let it bounce off and hit the plant.
P.S. 8"-10" now equals about 2' finished. If you veg it, by the time you put it back in flower it grow to 4'-6'.

[melodious fellow]

Ok so a box isn't necessary. Great news!

Will try to get on the reflector and fan today. Will prolly need some help figuring out how to set up the reflector... hopefully mylan or some other cheap reflective material (suggestions?) can be found at Home Depot.

So yea, if the reflector does not work out so well, I will still have 5700 lumens on one plant. This will hopefully be enough for flowering, yes?

Anyone care to propose a timeline?

[Jerry Garcia 2007]

8 to 10 weeks is normal you have plenty of time to read up in the FAQ section to help you thru your grow. But still if you have other qustions we are here to help.

Oh yeh you can get mylar at walmart ( emergancy sleep blanket for around $3.00)

[melodious fellow]

I found one of those car dashboard-sunlight reflectors that I am going to stand up around the plant and have the lights hanging down, hopefully within a few inches of the plant. Will it be okay to not have any type of reflector directly vertical of the plant, as the lights will be hanging from above with the reflectiveness all around the sides, with the reflector definitely a foot or so taller than the top of the plant. thnx in advance. peace

[Jerry Garcia 2007]

I think you mean horizontal or top,

wait you are in flowering correct?
you need to have complete darkness during lights out. So yes you need come up with a top and sides that no light can get thru.

[melodious fellow]

It is in a closet. I close the door at night and put a black sweater to cover the bottom of the door. Should be dark enough.... or at least as dark, if not darker than it would be outside at night. The dashboard sunlight reflector is going to stand up around the plant, encircling it, and stretching at least a foot above the top of the plant, but with the top open for the lights to hang down.

[SunnySativa]

Dont forget about Ventilation, if your growin in a closet area itll get kinda hot from the lights so make sure you got air in and air out

[Jerry Garcia 2007]

A top would help but not critical. For now you got everything covered. Just when you have a chance pick up an item here or there to improve your plant and grow area.

[melodious fellow]

thnx so much for all the help. post back soon.

[Zcomp]

Ahh, I didn't get back to ya quick enough to recommend the windshield reflector. everyone gets the blankets but I prefer the stitched edges, natural crinkle and being backed by heat diffusing foam. I use those all over.
I plan to start a thread on "incognito growroom building", every step with the "paranoid" in mind. CFL's, These reflectors, certain nutes and the many uses of black ducktape.

[melodious fellow]

I just posted an update and it is gone!

Anyway, to repeat in short:

Currently running 9,000 lumens of CFLs on the one small plant, the leaves are shriveling up and the plant looks more brown than green. I thought WTF1 caps lock keeps coming on automatically. arrrg I thought the lights were too close, but I read CFL's are cool and are only effective within 2-3 inches of plant, so that is what I did.

Added some super-bloom. 14-60-10 ratio of Nitrogen, Phos, and Potash (or something like that), respectively. But that was added after I noticed the browning/shriveling so doubtfully the cause.

Also, I read that the organic potting soil apparently is not meant for potted containers, as it says not to in big letters on the back... whoops... Anyway, it says to mix 1 part of the organic soil to 2 or 3 parts dirt in your outdoor garden. I read the ingredients though, and it doesn't contain anything weird or in high amounts... just like 3% nitrogen

[Zcomp]

if browning started at the tips, then you may need to flush right away. Adding too much fert is one of the quick ways to kill it.
When you do add ferts. start with a 1/4 dose then move up a little at a time.

[melodious fellow]

Update!

She is prolly dead, but I performed an emergency flush and transplanted her into a new container with a 60% 40% ratio of spagnum peat moss and vermiculite.

I also sowed a few seeds in this new soil as well, in the likely event that my plant dies/is dead.

Still running 9,000 lumens of CFL's (3- 26 watt bulbs on sides, 1- 42 watt bulb directly overhead) Hopefully that is enough to flower.

I found a single CFL that puts out 4900 lumens. It is big and $20, but I might get it to use for vegging the new seeds. That should be plenty of light to veg, and then when it is time to flower, shift over to the 9,000 lumens of CFL, yes?

Planning on getting a moisture meter soon.

All comment and advice greatly appreciated.

[melodious fellow]

Upon the official death of my purple girl, this thread has moved and is now dedicated to new seedlings that just sprouted today!

Under the indoor growing section, entitled "CFL Bagseed Take 2"


see you all soon!

[melodious fellow]

hey guys, check out the new thread: http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-growing/144705-cfl-bagseed-take-2-a.html#post1763609