what next?

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Originally Posted by bigsamjoon

so my plant is only about 10 inches tall right now... its under two cfls 150 watt real wattage.... single plant in soil... ive been feeding her miracle grow... ive been keeping this grow really simple because it is my first... i was feeding and watering her every 3 days... lights on for 18hrs a day... and just yesterday my leaves on the bottom have started drooping heavily i have no idea why?

Here is where pictures would be great. From the sound of it, you could either be overwatering, or may have over fertilized. Miracle Grow is extremely heavy on synthetic chemicals, and can be overapplied very easily. If the droopy leaves progresses up through the rest of the plant - which will happen pretty quickly - then you should flush the entire pot with lots of water, as it's probably due to excess fertilizer in the soil. Otherwise, only water the plant when the top 2-3" of topsoil is dry.

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Originally Posted by bigsamjoon

also i am curious as to what my next step is... how do i bring the plant back to a healthy status?

one of the bottom fan leaves is just about dead... and hanging on by a thread...

my questions are how can i bring her back up to speed and healthy...

Try what I just mentioned first, as well as posting a picture of the plant. This would certainly help produce an accurate diagnosis.

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Originally Posted by bigsamjoon

when and how do i start my flowering process... do i just literally put it in the dark for 18 hrs then swap the lighting to 12 and 12? do i need different lights or will the cfls be suffice?

Start feeding with a good bloom fertilizer (preferably something organic, as opposed to MG) the week before you induce flowering, then switch your lighting regimen to 12/12. I've never heard of giving it 18 hours of total darkness beforehand, but it could help the plant make the transition from vegging to flowering. Not sure why else anyone would recommend doing this...so, do it at your own discretion.