first indoor grow

[dryst]

today i started the germination of 20 bag seeds my goal is to have at least 10 females at cultivation. ill be starting them off in small cups using miracle grow organic soil and watering with tap then transplanting them into 5 gallon buckets. i just have a few questions...i plan on using 3 400w hps lights, would home depot have these? and if they do how much would they be around? i cheked the website but couldnt find anything but a 27 watt light bulb. also drainage is very important...should i drill a few holes in the bottom of the buckets and prop the buckets up on something high enough to fit like a pan underneath to catch water that drains out? and finally i planed on not using any ferts or nuts just watering about ever other day, but if i have any money left over after the soil and buckets and lights i plan on getting at least a little something...any ideas?

ill be updating this grow with pics as soon as i plant the germinated seeds

thx

dryst Reviewed by dryst on 07-09-2006. first indoor grow today i started the germination of 20 bag seeds my goal is to have at least 10 females at cultivation. ill be starting them off in small cups using miracle grow organic soil and watering with tap then transplanting them into 5 gallon buckets. i just have a few questions...i plan on using 3 400w hps lights, would home depot have these? and if they do how much would they be around? i cheked the website but couldnt find anything but a 27 watt light bulb. also drainage is very important...should i Rating: 5

[chisme]

i dont water as much so it drains out the bottom i just top it up untill the pots heavy and damp looking but only a couple of times i coem sout the bottom.

[LIP]

YES. Make sure your soil has about 30% minimum of perlite and alot of holes at the bottom and 2 inches up the side for good drainage.

And yes, prop it up so the water can leak out. I normally water untill its dripping from the bottom and then leave it.


Chisme, hows your plants doing man?

[dryst]

ok so i stopped at the local hardware shop to see what they had and the most powerful hps bulb they had was 250w, but i was lookin around and i wondering if halogen bulbs on flood lights work. also i have miracle grow potting soil which comes with perlite but i dont think its 30% so i guess i could just buy a bag of perlite and mix it into the soil

[sjacobs713]

i have heard a bunch of negative things about cannabis and miracle grow.. not sure how good that stuff is to use..
check w/ others, i'm a newb and could possibly be wrong..

[dryst]

hmm...ive heard the same, it was just sitting in the back yard and i thought id use it up...but anyone have any suggestions on the type of soil i could use?

[sjacobs713]

fox farms is suppose to be a real good mix for our type of plants.. a little pricier though, i believe..

[Login Failed]

Most peoples problems with Mirical Grow is the PH. Make sure if you use the MG that you check the PH in the soil.

[TheHump]

I personally have been using MG without any reall issues. I will know how it is for sure when i am ready to cut them down.

[stinkyattic]

Hello Dryst.
Halogen lights are useless. They have the wrong wavelength, put out a ton of heat, and suck electicity like a Tribble! ; )

Home Depot does carry HPS lights but they are the little 70w security lights.

The 27w you saw was probably an incandescent p[lant light, also one step up from useless.

They do carry both compact and tube flourescents, both of which should have a place in your grow room.

Compacts (CFLs) are excellent for small seedlings. Cram as many as you can above the seedling tray.

Tubes are nice, I find, for the late seedling stage, when they have 3 sets of adult leaves, until they are ready to go under HID. Keep the fixture on chains, and raise it as the plants grow, to 2 inches above the plants.

One cool white and one aquarium tube per fixture works for me. 2- 2tube fixtures side by side is even better.