I have been growing under CFL's for the past 2 years, because like you I started on a very tight budget. Here is my 2 cents based on what I have learned...


1, You have been given some great advice already on this thread, make sure you heed it.

2, Growing on a budget costs more in the long run.

3, CFL's are great for seedlings, cloning and veg. But they are very weak when it comes to flowering. If you can get HPS or LED for flowering do it. I plan to switch to LED or HPS for flowering as soon as I have the cash. (I want 1 or 2 of those Wex-C150 units but I am struggling to find them in my country)

4, If you are going to flower under CFL's then you need to keep your plants small and the lights close. Topping/Fimming with some L.S.T or Scrog is the way to go. I currently have 4 plants in the last weeks of flower under 2x250w 2700k CFL's. 3 of the plants are Fimmed and LST'd and just 12" tall. Large plants under CFL's = lots of popcorn buds, not more bud. I reckon I veg for around 21 days, but it is hard to say, because I go by size rather than age.

5, Don't underestimate how much your plants are going to smell, I started without a carbon filter and I think this was my biggest mistake.



I was planning to put some pictures up of my Bonsai Babes in the next couple of weeks, keep an eye out for them, I think you will find them interesting.

Last but not least, you asked a question in my grow log about my covers. That was one of my very early grows, so I cannot really remember where I got the inspiration from, it just appeared in my brain one day and I got busy with a pair of scissors and a pizza box.