Couple questions for a beginner

[profitprophet]

Hey there, I hope I can reap a little wisdom from some experienced indoor growers...

I'm growing my first crop in a couple small planters...just a basic schwag, I'm not sure if I'll even separate the genders. Anyway, I just have a couple questions...

1) How long should I expect to wait until I see the first pairs of leaves pop up from the seedlings in the soil?

2) I'm using a couple hot incandescents right now for the vegetative stage...on 24 hours. Is that ok for the first week or so until I get fluorescents?

3) What kind of fluorescent light would you recommend? I hear HPS lights help grow larger buds, but are antithetic to early plant growth. Should I use MH for the vegetative state and then HPS for the flowering stage?

4) Is fertilizer absolutely necessary? I'm using your basic Scotts potting soil...

Thanks in advance and happy toking...

profitprophet Reviewed by profitprophet on 09-27-2007. Couple questions for a beginner Hey there, I hope I can reap a little wisdom from some experienced indoor growers... I'm growing my first crop in a couple small planters...just a basic schwag, I'm not sure if I'll even separate the genders. Anyway, I just have a couple questions... 1) How long should I expect to wait until I see the first pairs of leaves pop up from the seedlings in the soil? 2) I'm using a couple hot incandescents right now for the vegetative stage...on 24 hours. Is that ok for the first week or Rating: 5

[stinkyattic]

I'm growing my first crop in a couple small planters...just a basic schwag, I'm not sure if I'll even separate the genders.

Then don't bother. You will end up with a nice crop of schwag seeds. Unless that is your goal, of course.

1) How long should I expect to wait until I see the first pairs of leaves pop up from the seedlings in the soil?

If you germed them in a cup or paper towel before planting, 4 days or less. If not, up to 2 weeks.

2) I'm using a couple hot incandescents right now for the vegetative stage...on 24 hours. Is that ok for the first week or so until I get fluorescents?

No.

3) What kind of fluorescent light would you recommend? ...Should I use MH for the vegetative state and then HPS for the flowering stage?

Neither of those are flourescent lights; they are HIDs. You can use flouros all through veg, or switch to MH as soon as the seedlings are rooted well enough to take the heat. This is all in both the FAQs and in the sticky in Basic Growing.

4) Is fertilizer absolutely necessary? I'm using your basic Scotts potting soil...

Yes. And that potting soil, if it is a continuous-feeding type, will kill your seedlings with too much fertilizer.

You've got a bit of reading to do- there's a link in my sig. It shoudl answer a few questions.

[Delta9Haze420]

Hey there, I hope I can reap a little wisdom from some experienced indoor growers...

I'm growing my first crop in a couple small planters...just a basic schwag, I'm not sure if I'll even separate the genders. Anyway, I just have a couple questions...

1) How long should I expect to wait until I see the first pairs of leaves pop up from the seedlings in the soil?

2) I'm using a couple hot incandescents right now for the vegetative stage...on 24 hours. Is that ok for the first week or so until I get fluorescents?

3) What kind of fluorescent light would you recommend? I hear HPS lights help grow larger buds, but are antithetic to early plant growth. Should I use MH for the vegetative state and then HPS for the flowering stage?

4) Is fertilizer absolutely necessary? I'm using your basic Scotts potting soil...

Thanks in advance and happy toking...

**Seeds (when germinated correctly either in soil or any other medium) can take up to 7 days before they emerge as seedlings (depending on what they are planted in and how deep). Generally they should be 1cm under the soil surface on soil grows.

**Flouros (CFLs) are not the same as HPS or MH. The latter two are HIDs. CFLs have internal ballasts and are far, far cheaper than the latter mentioned. With the others, you will have to buy an external ballast and spend a lot more money. If you are using regular bulbs right now, I would assume you probably can't afford a several hundred dollar investment on externally ballasted lights. If you get CFLs, then get 1-2 per plant with as much light output per bulb as you can find. At that, I would get CFLs are rapidly as possible at the very least (as in within the next 24-48 hours). Incans really SUCK when it comes to growing, put out a TON of heat, and give off almost no light.

**Yes, feeding (nutes / ferts) is absolutely necessary for things to survive - just like people die if they aren't fed. It's not hard to give nutes to your plants, just add them every few waterings depending on stage of growth and how much diluent you use.

Sorry I can't help more but I have to get back to my real job. Good Luck!

[Delta9Haze420]

Then don't bother. You will end up with a nice crop of schwag seeds. Unless that is your goal, of course.
If you germed them in a cup or paper towel before planting, 4 days or less. If not, up to 2 weeks.
No.
Neither of those are flourescent lights; they are HIDs. You can use flouros all through veg, or switch to MH as soon as the seedlings are rooted well enough to take the heat. This is all in both the FAQs and in the sticky in Basic Growing.
Yes. And that potting soil, if it is a continuous-feeding type, will kill your seedlings with too much fertilizer.

You've got a bit of reading to do- there's a link in my sig. It shoudl answer a few questions.

Damn Stinky! You got there before me! It's on now!!!

[stinkyattic]

It's on. Come to chat?

[profitprophet]

Thanks for your replies. Yeah I didn't think incandescents gave off much besides heat. I did germinate in damp paper towels, they seemed pretty healthy. I am looking to make a small batch of seeds, maybe I'll separate all but one plant.

How long can I allow the plants to go completely vegetative (24 hr light) and stay healthy?

[Delta9Haze420]

How long can I allow the plants to go completely vegetative (24 hr light) and stay healthy?

Short answer? Forever. Long answer? For about 4-8 months before they become too large to deal with (assuming no FIMing, etc), get sick from something or another, or just die off. You can, however, veg them for a very long time, switch to flower 12/12, then switch back to veg after a harvest or halfway through a harvest (leaving the lower branches alone). This is how to perpetuate a single plant. You can also alternate from 24 solid to 18/6 back and forth and veg for an extremely long time. I have known of plants that stretched several meters this way.

[stinkyattic]

You can, however, veg them for a very long time, switch to flower 12/12, then switch back to veg after a harvest or halfway through a harvest (leaving the lower branches alone). .

If you do this, read up on 're-vegging'. You really should only do it once; it takes 3 weeks to a month to fully re-veg a finished female. Then the best thing to do with her is to take cuts. The more you switch photoperiods the more likely you are to produce herms.

[Delta9Haze420]

If you do this, read up on 're-vegging'. You really should only do it once; it takes 3 weeks to a month to fully re-veg a finished female. Then the best thing to do with her is to take cuts. The more you switch photoperiods the more likely you are to produce herms.

Good catch by Stinky. I should have mentioned that this will greatly lengthen a plant's life, but will not keep it alive indefinitely.