first time growing (I need help)

[samajade]

hi
so i have seeds and i have started them using distilled water. i even bought a how to grow book. but my stems keep bending and to be honest i dont know where i can even get a clone. i need help. i am in rio rancho but stuck on what to do. the root system seems to small for some that i am trying to grow and i did transplant so the can grow faster?

Help....Help....Help

samajade Reviewed by samajade on 09-28-2010. first time growing (I need help) hi so i have seeds and i have started them using distilled water. i even bought a how to grow book. but my stems keep bending and to be honest i dont know where i can even get a clone. i need help. i am in rio rancho but stuck on what to do. the root system seems to small for some that i am trying to grow and i did transplant so the can grow faster? Help....Help....Help Rating: 5

[mscaboo]

usually when i start seeds i fill the container up only half way..then as the seedling stretches you can fill the pot up to give the stem support...you can use a straw to give it support,,what sizeontainer are you in now?

[Sandia]

hi
so i have seeds and i have started them using distilled water. i even bought a how to grow book. but my stems keep bending and to be honest i dont know where i can even get a clone. i need help. i am in rio rancho but stuck on what to do. the root system seems to small for some that i am trying to grow and i did transplant so the can grow faster?

Help....Help....Help

Samajade,

Congrats on the seed starts! I agree with Blackhash on the stretching. The little ones are struggling to get as close to the light source as possible. You did not mention what type of lighting you are using....

If you are a medical patient then you can contact one of the producers for clones right now. I know that they have just recently provided them to some of the patients here for a fee.

You mentioned that the root system was still small.....if you are checking out roots right after sprouting then you are doing way more harm than good by checking and disturbing them.

If you can give us a few more details on your situation that would be great:

1. Are you checking the pH of your water?
2. What types of lights (color temp, type, wattage) are you using?
3. How long has it been since the beans popped?
4. What is the temp and humidity levels in your grow area?
5. Are you using any nutrient supplementation?

One thing to note: pH for soil should run around 6.5 distilled water alone (I get mine from Wally World locally) and usually does NOT contain Cal/Mag...this can lead to issues with your plants if they do not get these things.

Best of luck and I am sure you will get the knack of it soon!

[xsnoder]

All great advise and congrats on your start.
Just adding a small tid bit. I use a small osculating fan to keep the stems strong. I don't point the fan directly at the plants but more above them kind of indirectly giving them some exercise. Keeps the babies strong even if they stretch a little to much. I don't have the right lighting system at the moment but by keeping a fan on them and keeping the lights as close as possible they turn out strong.
I have my first indoor grow album on my profile page.. It is a very generic set up but it provides for my medical needs at the moment.
Good luck and agian congrats on the start.

[samajade]

well i have a light from hydrowfarm. i did not have any ph strips yet. the container is a two inch five quart. it helps alot that i was able to get help on this. i am still very new to the program and had no idea.

[coolslayer]

Hydrofarm makes a variety of lights and setups.......can you be more specific as to what wattage and kind of light,I.E. metal halide,high pressure sodium, fluorescent?

[samajade]

it is a fluoresencent and the watts are 125 for my light sourse. any other ideas cus you all are extreemly helpful.

[coolslayer]

it is a fluoresencent and the watts are 125 for my light sourse. any other ideas cus you all are extreemly helpful.

How many plants are you growing? I wouldn't go more than three with that small of a light source.

[xsnoder]

I put a 4' natural sunlight ,duel, tube florescent light ,vertical in a corner and 4, 60 watt cfl's above in a homemade reflector. you don't have to worry about heat all that much with fluorescents. With cflâ??s, just make sure wherever you are growing it is well ventilated. You should not over heat with cfl's. As you can see in my â??first indoor grow album. The back of your hand is a perfect example of testing to see if the lights/heat are to close to the plants.
Regular white and even yellow ( cool, warm ) fluorescents can be put a few inches away from the tops of your babies. cfl's put off just a tad more heat, 75f I believe is what a 120 volt 60 watt cfl puts out. A regular white 4' florescent tube puts out less then 60f.
With 4 cfl's and a dual 4' white florescent light, keeping my room under 80f is no problem.
Although, If you have the money, time, room and resources? I would invest in the right equipment and only use fluorescents for vegging. Just my :twocents:

With proper lighting (400 to 1000 watt hps, hid's),These put out some heat so, ventilation is key and they should go hand in hand. Cooling a room is ok but extraction of the air in the room is very important.

Here are some books, sites and authors that can help.
Cannabis cultivator by Jeff Ditchfield
Urban garden magazine/ [Urban Garden Magazine | Cultivation indoors and outdoors using hydroponics and organicsAwesome indoor op tricks and tips on ventilation. can also help show how to set up your indoor layout.
Marijuana growerâ??s insider grower guide by Mel frank- this mans books are very informative for the first time grower or the advanced grower.
Any of the cannabibles by Jason King I suggest all three volumes.
growing marijuana is not complete rocket science but it does take a fair amount of time and effort. The more you do it and the more you experiment with your environment the more successful your garden will be

Good luck and good growing. :thumbsup:

[xsnoder]

How many plants are you growing? I wouldn't go more than three with that small of a light source.

I Agree. The rule of thumb, I believe is 5,000 lumnes per plant, min, but not 100% about that.