Quick Auto grow

[BillyBuddWiseR]

I am setting up my garden. It is my first one in 25 years or so. In order to create something to smoke as quickly as possible, my first crop is all auto flowering.

Yesterday I began germinating seven seeds, 3 Auto Diesel, 3 Critical Rapido and 1 Auto Amnesia. All are feminized and fresh. One of the CR seeds looked like it was harvested too early so I didn't have high hopes for it. After 24 hours five have germinated. I transferred all seeds to starter pellets. (Those peat things that are flat until wet, then expand with a hole for the seed.) The pellet are in a small plastic tray with a canopy.


I haven't got my grow tent set up so my tray is under a kitchen fluorescent. Tomorrow I will finish setting up my tent, a Secret Jarden Dark Room 2.5 with a 4x4 footprint. In three days is payday so I will buy all supplies I don't have then. That would be soil, light, PH supplies ect. I have 1 and 2 gallon grow bags for transplanting. I'll probably need 3 gallon also but we'll see.


I'm not sure about lighting. I originally planned on using one 600 watt HPS and adding an additional later. But I think I'd rather use four 250 watt HPS. This would allow all plants to get very close to a light source. Co2 will be added but may have to wait until my second grow.

[BillyBuddWiseR]

I have one plant poking out of soil now. One of the CR.

[BillyBuddWiseR]

I just checked and all three CR are now poked out of the soil. The AD and AA haved not yet, but it's still early.

[catbuds]

Easy on the HID lights there killer. 4x4 is pretty small, hard (if not impossible) to keep temps down. Read the forum & check out newer lighting technology. High lumens, low heat & MUCH lower electric bill. Hope I caught you before you make a major purchase. :) ~~~ PEACE! ~~~

[BillyBuddWiseR]

If 1000 watts in a 4x4 tent is acceptable, and it is - I've used that before then 1200 should be manageable. Yes?

[catbuds]

There are much more economical ways of doing it now. That's a lot of heat & electricity compared to new technology. Check it out. Its all over the forum. :) :) :)

Do-able, sure. But far from economical, & more of a fire hazard than the newer stuff.

[BillyBuddWiseR]

I can't afford LEDs unless I stick with a single light. I really like the idea of multiple light sources.

[catbuds]

You could go with the one 600 & side light with one double tube fluorescent on each of the four walls (shop light with grow lux plant lights) & hang a few CFL's to bring up the lumens cheaper to purchase & cheaper on electric. I like to lay a few (tube type) fluorescents on the floor, on their backs aimed at the undersides of the plants too. Besides the grow lux & special plant fluorescents, you can use cool white (blue spectrum) for growth & warm white (red spectrum) for flowering. I see you started your seedlings under fluorescents, don't underestimate them to combine with other lighting throughout your grow. Its a good mix & a cheap way to raise the lumens, anytime you need to up the light output, throw in another fluorescent or two. Keeps the temps down compared to HID's. Don't forget to figure in electric usage for cooling.

[BillyBuddWiseR]

Thanks cat buds.
Well, out of 7 seeds, 4 are doing great, 1 looks like it is poking out of soil, 1 is a write off and the last is a question.

My tent is good to go now. I've got my light hung, carbon filter and fan is up and I've got all the items needed except a fan for the light. Temp without the HPS is 75 during the day and 69 at night so I'm gonna order fan soon.


The autos I've got going will only take up part of tent so I'm going to wait 30 days or so and start some White Strawberry Skunk so it will be readyBillto flower when I harvest the autos. Lights are on 24/0.

[catbuds]

Haven't tried the white strawberry skunk, but I really like what I've read & it looks great in pics. It has some supper genetics, & that's the 'tell all' when you get down to it. One thing that I want to remind EVERYBODY of is FIRE HAZZARDS! NEVER over load extention cords, & several times a day, feel the ones you are using. You can go for months with no problems, then one day, one may decide to over heat & cause an electrical fire. This has gotten many a grower busted, & has caused loss of life. I posted about my electrical fire during hurricane Sandy on my grow log, 'camper closet grow'. While I really attribute the fire to Sandy, it has made me supper aware of fire hazzards. SAFTEY FIRST! Its so easy to have your attention focused on your grow, but first & foremost, always remember SAFETY! Yeah, Sandy really screwed me, between the fire, my house roof (&even my greenhouse), she has reduced me to living in my camper. She was a real bitch!
----:) :) :) ~~~ PEACE! ~~~ :) :) :)

[BillyBuddWiseR]

Sorry I've neglected this. I ended up using my whole tent on one little Auto Diesel figuring I could shake out bugs in the grow room without potentially losing a bunch of plants. I tried to upload pics but don't think you can from an IPad.
Every node is producing buds with the main cola 3-4 inches. None of the pistils have turned color and the heads are all clear. Plant is about 18"
something worth noting - this strain does very well in hot dry conditions. The RH is 16% without humidifier. I haven't been able to get it higher than 40% and it's usually lower.
Will post when done with amt harvested.

[BillyBuddWiseR]

I got 20 grams dry. Since potential is listed as 30 gr on one site and 40 on another I'm happy considering. It is curing but a test smoke was very satisfactory.