Getting ready to start

[merrimanmerlin]

Hey you guys! I just got some seeds from Nirvana (Their "Nirvana Special" White strain). I have a 400 watt hps/mh conversion system. I also have 2 cfl's 30 watts that I plan on using for cloning http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...392&lpage=none. I will be growing in a closet for stealth. I need help on deciding what other items I will be using for my grow. Right now I have the Organic potting mix from Miracle Grow, and I was wandering if that would work ok. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...595&lpage=none I have 4 three quart pots, because I plan on growing 4 at a time. Will these pots be big enough? They are plastic, and green, with a srew off water catch at the bottom. I also have this schultz nutes that is I think (I dont have it to look at right now) 7-14-7. I know it is low-high-low, so these nutes would best be used in bloom, if they would work at all (this is where you guys tell me). The nutes also have micronutes. The soil is 14-10-10 (again, I think. Either way, it is high-low-low, so it would feed the plants well during veg I think. It doesnt have any micronutes though, so I was thing about feeding it the schultz maybe once during veg. Would that give the plany too much phosphorous though? I know it doesnt need that much during veg, more so towards bloom, but I figured it wouldnt hurt to feed it that to get it it's micronutes, if it overfed a little on the phosphorous side.

I basically need to know will my soil work, will my nutes work, what are some better options that are either online or in a store. I can't find a specialty garden store around me anywhere. Any ideas with what to do would be awesome. I already have mylar for the reflecion inside the room. I'm going to put a shower curtain on the floor just in case any water spills, or anything else happens. Any pointers or suggestions, or definately questions back to me would greatly be appreciated. Peace and love you guys. (BTW, this is my first grow op, so I'm just getting my feet wet. I have done a lot of research though, and anymore new info would be great!)
:rasta: :dance:

merrimanmerlin Reviewed by merrimanmerlin on 11-19-2006. Getting ready to start Hey you guys! I just got some seeds from Nirvana (Their "Nirvana Special" White strain). I have a 400 watt hps/mh conversion system. I also have 2 cfl's 30 watts that I plan on using for cloning http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=44433-3-29392&lpage=none. I will be growing in a closet for stealth. I need help on deciding what other items I will be using for my grow. Right now I have the Organic potting mix from Miracle Grow, and I was wandering if that would work ok. Rating: 5

[locomark]

Well merrimanmerlin,

Your getting it all together very nicely. Rethink the cfl you linked there is one for plants/aquariums that will preform better. Your soil will do you fine. Your pots should get you through a month or so but you'll need bigger. Remember if you want big buds you need big balls rootballs that is. Try http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/ you can nver go wrong with the best. But what do I know?

Loco

[Bodom Children Of]

I have used fox farm potting soil with much success. I didn't even add any ferts (a bad thing) but i still made it all the way through a grow. I used stuff from lowes/walmart/etc but my first successful was with the fox farm soil. Cost like 15 bucks but is enough for a couple plants all the way. As for pot size I would say 3-5gallon using the biggest size that you possibly can. Also be sure to drill out some more holes for drainage, the more the better. Make sure to get some cloning gel/powder....makes cloning easier/more successful. :thumbsup:
good luck:smokin:

[Abattoir Dream]

Okay, i dont want to worry you or anything, but i just noticed on the miracle grow link, it reads; Feeds for up to 3-months its not a good idea to use this soil for a starter, my advice would be to keep the miracle grow for more mature plants, get some good compost, one that has no nutrients in it, and use it for your plants until they reach about 1.5ft tall, then re-pot them into the miracle grow soil, that way you know your plants arent taking up nutes too early, basically just dont put young plants in that soil, and i guess it may be hard to flush out all nutes towards the end of flowering if you use that soil, thats just my two cents, go and get some normal compost, without nutes.... your plants will love you for it...

[merrimanmerlin]

locomark: I figured the soil would do alright. I know it isn't the best (which is I guess plain, sterilized soil), especially since it has nutrients in it already, and seedling don't really need them. I just have a problem with getting the supplies. There is no retail seller of FoxFarm (which I hear good things of) in my city. I would like to order the supplies online, and I did for some things, like my 400watt light, but I don't want any bax showing up with "Garden Supply" or some shit like that on the box. I'm sure that would blow my cover. Even when I bought things online (say eBay) even when people say thier packages are discreet, they place thier URL address to thier store on the boxes. That is just so retarded, considering all one would have to do is type it in and see what kind of stuff I was buying. Are the cfl's you are talking about the "Sun light" enhanced ones, that have all the pretty colors of the rainbow on them? I saw them at lowes, and really wanted to get them, but the color temp was like 6500K, and I heard that a high number like that is used for flowering with flourescents, and a low number, like 3000K is used for veg. I just stuck with the plain one, cause I didn't want to but it if it wouldn't work. Could anybody explain a little more in detail about this whole color temperature thing? Should I get the 6500K one, with enhanced spectrum then?

Bodom: I was so glad to see your name pop up on my thread. You are one of the first people's grows I was interested in here. Some of the things you do are so crazy cool, as I'm sure you've heard. I really would like to get some foxfarm stuff, but I think it is just out of my reach right now. Does anybody who has bought this, or any other good soil, online that they know is shipped very discreetly? For the foxfarm potting soil, which one is it, the ocean forest one, or the original. What is it's NPK reading, and does it have micronutes? I know to get cloning gel, probably gonna be clonex or Olivia's. Anybody else have any good brands they trust? Thanks Bodom, for the pot sizes I will need. Do you think germinating, and then placing directly into the 3 quart buckets will do alright. I know rockwool and jiffy peat pots work well, but I would like to be able to skip that part, if at all possible. Think it is a good idea?

Abattoir Dream: another name I've become familiar with. Thanks for pointing out the need to start them in something else. I forget that a plant growing from seeds has plenty of nutes in the seed. Since this is the case, planting them directly into the soil after germ might not be a good idea then? Another question: If the potting soil I've chosen is enough to feed the plants for three months, and I don't start them i that soil, how can I parse the plant of the nutes before harvest. I don't want any harsh smoke (right now I'm smoking on a bag of the worst burning weed ). Or do you think it won't be that big of a deal.

You guys are great. i'm glad to have some professional growers lending me a helping hand. I love how you guys pass on the knowledge so freely, as it should be. Keep passing the info, cause i know you've got it. :thumbsup:

[locomark]

Well Merrimanmerlin,

Now that you have your lights from some not so wise vendors don't worry about that either. As far as fertilizer you may rent a PO Box for a month then order online if you fear discovery. I know it is an extra expense but this hobby isn't cheap. Neither is any of the smoke you'll find from a local dealer. Some people get by with lowes fertilizer but others excel by using organic. Do what you can to get by on this grow but understand you are always looking to improve you results.

I haven't been to lowes lately so I don't know anything about lights. I do know you can do better than the ones you linked. Look for plant/aquarium lights http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio.../rightNavHowTo
they rock dude.

[Abattoir Dream]

Abattoir Dream: another name I've become familiar with. Thanks for pointing out the need to start them in something else. I forget that a plant growing from seeds has plenty of nutes in the seed. Since this is the case, planting them directly into the soil after germ might not be a good idea then? Another question: If the potting soil I've chosen is enough to feed the plants for three months, and I don't start them i that soil, how can I parse the plant of the nutes before harvest. I don't want any harsh smoke (right now I'm smoking on a bag of the worst burning weed ). Or do you think it won't be that big of a deal.

You guys are great. i'm glad to have some professional growers lending me a helping hand. I love how you guys pass on the knowledge so freely, as it should be. Keep passing the info, cause i know you've got it.

yes, seedlings store all the nutes they need in the FIRST round leaves (cotelydons) so never cut them off lol.
If you use the miracle grow soil with your plants its a good idea to vegg. for at least 2 months, that way another month of flowering (when nute. uptake is increased) should in theory clear the rest out, if you want to be real safe vegg for three months in that soil and flush every three weeks, when your plants start turning a lighter shade of green start feeding it the other nutes you have all through flowering, that way you can cut nutes completely a week previous to harvest, if i were you i'd try and mix some normal compost with the MG compost for added effect.
Whatever you need help with i will try to answer as best i can, and im glad your such an eager learner, however im not really a proffesional grower, but as long as i can type, i will pass on what i know, It's all for the cause

Good luck man, and remember your plants dont work for you, you work for them

[Bodom Children Of]

Bodom: I was so glad to see your name pop up on my thread. You are one of the first people's grows I was interested in here. Some of the things you do are so crazy cool, as I'm sure you've heard. I really would like to get some foxfarm stuff, but I think it is just out of my reach right now. Does anybody who has bought this, or any other good soil, online that they know is shipped very discreetly? For the foxfarm potting soil, which one is it, the ocean forest one, or the original. What is it's NPK reading, and does it have micronutes? I know to get cloning gel, probably gonna be clonex or Olivia's. Anybody else have any good brands they trust? Thanks Bodom, for the pot sizes I will need. Do you think germinating, and then placing directly into the 3 quart buckets will do alright. I know rockwool and jiffy peat pots work well, but I would like to be able to skip that part, if at all possible. Think it is a good idea? :thumbsup:

I use the original but this is only because it's $5 less than ocean forest and I'm cheap/broke. I couldn't find the specs at http://www.foxfarmfertilizer.com/ but here is a description "The very best for your soil! Our premium organic planting mix is designed to be worked into the soil every time you plant. Itâ??s got everything you need to get your garden off to a good start: earthworm castings, bat guano, Norwegian kelp meal, composted forest humus, sphagnum peat moss, and more. We carefully adjust the pH to make sure that your plants can take up the nutrients they need. Our special mix also helps hold moisture in the soil, which keeps plants hydrated and growing."

I use the roottech cloning gel but I'm sure either of those will work just as well.

After germination you can put them in anysize pot and they will grow. You want at least 3 gallon not quarts in order to finish them. I usually transplant them to bigger and bigger size pots because I am space confined.

goodluck:thumbsup:
:smokin: