Very New Grow

[Mingles]

Hey hey everyone,

I know there are a hundred other "first growers" posting here, but even after much research and reading, I still feel clueless. Since its my first grow and am short on cash, I started with bag seeds, from some of the better stuff I've gotten recently.

So far the seeds have been planted (one seed per pot, mind you) in 3 10 inch pots and one 6 inch pot for a total of four plants so far. I have 3 other seeds in the paper towels, just waiting for them to pop through. I finally had my first one break ground this morning. Not sure what to do next honestly. I know I need to get it under lights. I bought a 4 foot shop light with a couple Sylvania Daylight 6500K 40 watt bulbs. I'm going to be buying a couple more shop lights (one for either side) next weekend.

I haven't prepoared the space where I'm going to grow and put the lights in yet due to family obligations, time, laziness etc., but now that one popped up, I'll be at least getting the light going tonight after family is in bed.

My question, what do I do next? Just put it under the light and wait for growth? I am tentatively planning a little grow journal here (that is, unless people are getting annoyed by everyone and their mother starting one) and I could really use some advice to get me started. Thanks in advance and wish me luck. Oh and here is my first baby.

[phytokind]

So yeah get one of those 6500k lights and put over it, keep it on 24 hours a day for at least two weeks, then change to 12/12. On 12/12 you'll need to keep it in complete darkness for 12 hour a day, thus causing it to show sex and flower. Right now, while under the light, keep the soil quite moist, but be sure the soil drains well so it's not too moist, then water every few days. Four plants is probably enough to ensure that you get a female, and more than four will probably require too much space and light once they start to get significantly bigger in a couple weeks.

[Cas]

don't leave the light on for 24 hrs. do 18 on and 6 off

[Mingles]

Thanks for the replies! I put it under the light I have so far and will be adding a few more in the next week. I'm glad to hear four should get me a female. I was kind of worried how many I would have to grow in order for that to happen. I think between 4 and 6 (my ideal) is where I can be with my space and lighting restrictions.

A followup question. This is going in my basement as thats the only place it can stay discrete enough, what with nosy neighbors and all. Will having this in a basement cause any issues other than making sure its not seen by others?

I have some work to do to get my area properly set up (i.e. mylar and more lights) plus a better place to set my pots since they're just sitting on top of a box now. That should happen in the next week or so. I'll put more pictures up as things progress.

Thanks again for the advice so far!

[checkmark9]

then change to 12/12. On 12/12 you'll need to keep it in complete darkness for 12 hour a day, thus causing it to show sex and flower.

dont listen to him, dont put ur plant into 12/12 lighting until at least 2 months or maybe 1 1/2 months

im in the middle of my first grow and its goin great. I had 24 hr light for about a month but i just hooked my timer up and now im at 18/6. They seem to have grown the same with 24hrs light and 18hrs. But i heard on dutch passion a less light early in life makes higher chance of female. So just use ur floros 1-2 inches above plant and when u check on it stick ur finger in the dirt and if its wet water till u just start to see water come out the bottom. This is what i plan on doin my whole grown and its goin great so far (month and a half in).

[checkmark9]

if you dont need to hide from your family your basement shld be fine. I doubt ppl will smell it from outside.

[phytokind]

Well of course you can wait longer like two months but then it'll be forever before you have any bud, and if your space is limited, and you wait that long, you'll have a massive plant. Of course that's good theoretically, but many times not practically. And I recommend 24 hours a day of light at first because there's no need to get a timer that way.

[mr magoo]

ive heard of a few people using 24 hr lighting but i dont know of any where in the world that gange grows that has 24 hr sunlight most people ive spoken too say your plants will just get stresed under 24 my plants were started in the greenhouse for a couple of weeks then brought indoors on 18/6 for 4/5 weeks now theve been on 12/12 for two weeks now im no expert this is my first grow but my 4 plants must have 50 /70 buds between them ive just got to keep runnin around tryin to find a dealer with a smoke {hard these days} for another 8 weeks 6 weeks growin and two weeks ish dryin cant wait check out pics from a few days ago

[Mingles]

Thannks to everyone so far for the insight and advice. I think I may try going the 18/6 route with the 6 being overnight starting at midnight tonight. I would assume that would be best. Less noticeable with lights on in my basement after all.

I am posting some more pictures updated as of a few minutes ago. I'm not sure if its easy to see from the pics (I'm no pro photographer after all) but the one little leaf that is starting is turning half yellow towards the end. Is this normal for two days since breaking ground? The light is about 2-4 inches away right now and just giving it tap water. Yes, as I've been reading, this isn't probably the best water so I will be switching to filtered tap water (Brita filters in water cooler). Any other advice at this juncture?

Also, how long should I give the others to pop through the ground? Will it get to a point that they won't sprout and I should replace that seed? Now for the (crappy) pics.

[Mingles]

For any who care to notice or even better give advice, I have returned from Chicago to see a couple leaves have sprouted on my baby. Three still not out of the ground but not calling their death time as of yet. I know it can take awhile. Keep in mind it has only been 6 days since it sprouted out of the soil.

I've been watering about every two to three days. Not sure if I should water more or less than what I do. I just water till the dish holding the pot is getting water in it. Its not soaking up all that much so far as they pan has maintained water at all times though.

When should I be noticing a big growth spurt? Or for that matter, will I? Call me anxious, but its my first grow and I really haven't a clue other than what I've read here and there. Nothing like flying by the seat of my pants to pop my grow cherry. On to the latest pics and any advice (other than take better pictures)...

[yabatab]

I have herd of the 24 hour light cycle but I have never used it
just think about it nature has darkness. And the guy that said
switch to 12/12 after a week is just plan wrong that is the light
cycle for flowering. Best thing to do is research the information
your self because you wont always get the correct answer in
these forums. There are a few here that know exactly what
they are talking about but if you are just starting out it will
be hard to know those from the ones that don't. So read
read read and then read some more. :thumbsup:

[Mingles]

Ok thanks everyone for the responses. A little update and worry. I'm at day 16 of seedling breakthrough and I think thought they were progressing ok. Only about 2 inches (estimating) tall, a few bigger leaves and about a half dozen tiny leaves starting. I switched to an 18/6 lighting cycle which seems to help as far as I can see. I've gotten a 200 watt cfl (2250 lumens, I think)and another set of flourecents to match the two on it now.

Everything has been progressing,but today I see a few issues popping up and I haven't a clue what to do. My only survivor that made it through the soil is begining to wilt it almost seems. I've spotted some tiny brownish-red spots on a couple of the leaves. Also, the perlite that is at the surface is turning green as well. Not sure what that is a sign of. I added some pictures and although they aren't that good of pics, hopefully some of you can maybe help me out. I haven't added anything so far except water. I know I need to check the ph of what I'm putting in, and I'm getting something this weekend for that, but otherwise, just filtered water. Could that be the problem by chance?

[Mingles]

OK since I only have one growing, I switched over to haing a 200 watt cfl directly on it instead of the daylight flouro's. It seems to like that light better so hopefully thats the ticket. I am getting some reddish-brown on some of the leaves though. What, if any, nutes should I be adding at this point?

[Mingles]

OK this may be my last contribution as I haven't gotten much of any response in awhile and I believe my plant is on its way to better pastures so to say. It doesn't bother me so much that this plant looks to be on its last leg, but that I don't know what I did or where I went wrong. I've tried posting pictures along the way, but to no avail.

That being said, community, if you can see by my pictures where I went wrong or what I may have done wrong, please enlighten me. I want to not make the same mistakes again if at all possible. If it can still be saved, I would like to know that too, with what I can do.

In the pictures, my soil had started turning green on the top, as did the exposed perlite. Assuming thats not a good thing, what would cause that and is that a contributing factor or a non-issue. Let's have a look....

[hudson88]

Hey mingles, don't think there's much you can do to save your plant i'm afraid, it looks beyond saving to me. But don't give up, it just takes a while to figure out where your going wrong and fix it, just keep trying, it gets easier. Right now to try and figure out what went wrong. From a couple of things you said like "pan has maintained water at all times though" and "my soil had started turning green " leads me to believe you've been overwatering. When they're just starting out they can't take up much water so water them with that in mind, you probably only need give them 1/8th of a pint twice a week for the first few weeks. You've not said what your temps are either, thats something that you really need to know, so if you've not got a thermometer already, get one! It might be too cold for them in your basement. Oh and don't worry about not getting many replies, i started a thread a few days ago and nobody's replied! Think it's just like you said, there's so many new threads each day you can't be arsed replyin to them all.
Hope this helps, peace :rasta: