New Grower First Time Auto Growing Need Help!

[Exotic Flower]

As usual, thanks in bunches! U guys will always be my original mentors! If u guys ever come to my place for a vacation, u will have me as a guide and hopefully I will have some good buds to share!

Haha!

Just for your info, here are some of my Heavyweight Strawberry Cake seeds this morning.
They've been on soak for 48 hrs, in purified water plus a couple of drops of H2O2 (keeps fungus away):

You can see how the sprout is showing, about 5mm long each.
The one floating on the surface has also sprouted. So it's 3 out of 4.

A lot of people say don't soak so long, but it works just fine.
I have soaked for up to a week in the past.
But now, just try to keep it to 24-48 hrs or so, max.

FYI.

 

[Exotic Flower]

If you'd like to see a full outdoor grow in my area, check out this journal:
http://www.autoflower.org/threads/m...il-fb-green-crack-g14-c-4-dp-automazar.58843/

 

[bakEQuatorial]

If you'd like to see a full outdoor grow in my area, check out this journal:
http://www.autoflower.org/threads/m...il-fb-green-crack-g14-c-4-dp-automazar.58843/

All good info and really helping. For my first grow, I'm starting to lean heavily on my balcony as a fixed location. Reason is I don't wanna risk cooking the plant. I grew up here. I know how hot it gets. If my skin can get burnt in a matter of mins, I don't want it to be the last thing my plants feel b4 leaving this world. Lol

Also, security and stealth is great up my 3rd storey balcony. It may receive less direct lights due to the extended roof and direction it faces but I can turn on the lights at night. Or even buy a suitable cheap light to switch on at night? What is best? Since it's not used in a grow room, something too expensive would be a waste. The high end lights will shine everywhere and look weird on a balcony from afar. I prefer lighter yellow lights for discretion or even white ones. At the moment, I just have normal home led white light on the ceiling of the extended roof. It will be at least 5-6 feet away from the potted plants on the floor. I know it will help nevertheless but perhaps with negligible effects.

So any advice for me as I'm a total newb with all things lights related?

 

[Exotic Flower]

All good info and really helping. For my first grow, I'm starting to lean heavily on my balcony as a fixed location. Reason is I don't wanna risk cooking the plant. I grew up here. I know how hot it gets. If my skin can get burnt in a matter of mins, I don't want it to be the last thing my plants feel b4 leaving this world. Lol

Also, security and stealth is great up my 3rd storey balcony. It may receive less direct lights due to the extended roof and direction it faces but I can turn on the lights at night. Or even buy a suitable cheap light to switch on at night? What is best? Since it's not used in a grow room, something too expensive would be a waste. The high end lights will shine everywhere and look weird on a balcony from afar. I prefer lighter yellow lights for discretion or even white ones. At the moment, I just have normal home led white light on the ceiling of the extended roof. It will be at least 5-6 feet away from the potted plants on the floor. I know it will help nevertheless but perhaps with negligible effects.

So any advice for me as I'm a total newb with all things lights related?

They'll prob be okay getting their main light from the sun on the balcony.
Then just having some more hours from a little LED or flouro light will be enough.
As you say, use white or warm yellow, rather than blue/red grow lights.

One thing is the light intensity, so rely on the sun for that. At least 7-8 hrs / day is enough.
Then the supplementary light will keep them ticking over.
They are autos, so it's all good.

If they are photos, then even low light may make a diff between veg and bloom.
But you don't need to worry about that.

 

[bakEQuatorial]

They'll prob be okay getting their main light from the sun on the balcony.
Then just having some more hours from a little LED or flouro light will be enough.
As you say, use white or warm yellow, rather than blue/red grow lights.

One thing is the light intensity, so rely on the sun for that. At least 7-8 hrs / day is enough.
Then the supplementary light will keep them ticking over.
They are autos, so it's all good.

If they are photos, then even low light may make a diff between veg and bloom.
But you don't need to worry about that.

That's what I was thinking too. Main light from sun and then balcony lights to maximize yield at reasonable costs. Since these are autos, I don't need to worry about veg and blooming since it will bloom automatically. I was told that I should not use bloom nutes right away at the first sight of flowering. Cos the plant is still vegetating at that stage and bloom nutes will encourage it to flower and stop vegetating. So I should wait till it stops growing sideways. But how is this observed without being too late? A week extra?

About the lights, I guess what I really need are specs. For 5-6 plants on a balcony, what spec of lights do I need? Whether LED or CFL or T5?

 

[Exotic Flower]

That's what I was thinking too. Main light from sun and then balcony lights to maximize yield at reasonable costs. Since these are autos, I don't need to worry about veg and blooming since it will bloom automatically. I was told that I should not use bloom nutes right away at the first sight of flowering. Cos the plant is still vegetating at that stage and bloom nutes will encourage it to flower and stop vegetating. So I should wait till it stops growing sideways. But how is this observed without being too late? A week extra?

About the lights, I guess what I really need are specs. For 5-6 plants on a balcony, what spec of lights do I need? Whether LED or CFL or T5?

I'd just go for maybe 100W of CFL or T5 over them.

Of course, one could give them 100W each, if really wanted to.
But, as you want to keep it simple, 100W total would be enough I think.

As for the nutes, unless they are showing signs of deficiency,
just leave the flowering nutes until maybe 2 weeks after showing pistils.

I'm assuming you know how to spot a pistil on a female flower, right?
The little white fuzzy hairs.

 

[bakEQuatorial]

I'd just go for maybe 100W of CFL or T5 over them.

Of course, one could give them 100W each, if really wanted to.
But, as you want to keep it simple, 100W total would be enough I think.

As for the nutes, unless they are showing signs of deficiency,
just leave the flowering nutes until maybe 2 weeks after showing pistils.

I'm assuming you know how to spot a pistil on a female flower, right?
The little white fuzzy hairs.

I did some research on the T5s and CFL and will go for 4ft ×4 of the highest wattage i can find which is probably 54w but thats if i can get them. Otherwise 28w ones which are normal T5s will have to do. Thinking of just going with 2 each of warm and cool so i wont need to change anything throughout the grow.

The extended roof on the balcony was originally a drawback but now that i think of it, is a blessing in disguise. Firstly, it would not be that hot. Second, i scouted the directions today and found only one room from one house can see part of my balcony. All i need to do is put 3 slightly tall plants on one side of the window panes and problem solved(no worries, that family dont speak English). Its on the 3rd storey so ppl walking below can't see it too. I was worried that the lights would be too suspicious but i did a simple test today and found that if you turn on the balcony ceiling cool white LED light, you will barely notice extra lights at the bottom and even if u do, it looks more like an acquarium, especially behind the plants. I'll try to make a reflector out of mylar and keep the lights focused on the plants. I read they have to be damn near anyways, like 6inches or something.

So it all seems to work out theoretically and the location seems perfect. Gonna use natural light and supplement with the T5s. Ambitious and counting my eggs early, i know. But can't blame me for planning ahead. My balcony is also surrounded by 3-4 streetlights shining orange lights but not directly though. Somehow i feel this doesn't mean anything.

Im also particularly worried about mold. Both during growing and drying/curing. Reason is we get huge fluctuations sometimes. I was just saying 58% the other day and its 91% today. Just bought some mini hygros and some other tools. Once i get them, gonna practise manipulating the conditions in the room i plan to use for drying cos it has A/C.

One thing i cant practice is odor control. Its not possible to get grow room type of exhaust without burning a hole in my wallet here. Only the normal bathroom or kitchen fan types. I'm hoping it will be ok cos i expect drying to be done in couple of days due to climate and my quantities would not be much. I plan to buy a fabric closet and line it with mylar. Dry inside hanging and leave zipper half open? Will install that bathroom exhaust fan on the room window anyways to get as much odor out. Any chance this may work?

 

[Exotic Flower]

Glad it's coming together. Deal with the harvest smell issue when you get there.
Sounds like most locals won't have a clue what fresh and drying ganja smells like. ;-)

 

[bakEQuatorial]

The last few days has been reading and buying stuff. So far, bought the following:

4 x 4ft 36w T8 Fluoro at 12k+ lumens total. 2 each of 2700 and 6500 with simple aluminium reflectors. It’s 2 sets of double barrel with reflectors. Any ideas on how to DIY it into something hanging and can easily adjust height?

Fabric Pots 5 gallon x 5pcs + 1 ceramic pot just to see difference. Any great ideas on what to put them on? My balcony floors are tiles so I am guessing a drip tray of some sort.

Potting Soil + Perlite + Purmice Stone for a sturdier bottom and air flow. Will just add barely a layer on bottom + Worm Castings (on the way). Planned mix is 60:Soil 20erlite 20:worm poop

Bought Seaweed + Fish Amino Acids to hopefully help with heat but the NPK ratio of 4:1:1 seems like a good nute during vege too. It was within my budget so bought it anyways even though won’t be using it yet. Should I drench the soil with a light mix of this before planting? Btw, does the first drench before planting mean just to water slowly till it drips? Or 20% of container size? Or? I keep getting confused with the pre planting drench and the pre harvest flushing

Seeds should reach in few days.

Bought soil tester, ph pen, TDS/ EC tester, hygrometers

Any tips on choosing camouflage/ stealth accompaniment plants? Those that can help keep cool like aloe vera? Lookalikes like ferns? Or ornaments? Strategies?


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[bakEQuatorial]

I’ll be preparing the soil mix as soon as the worm poop arrives. Can anyone point me to a good guide/ YouTube video? on how to prepare the mix properly?

@hecno @Maria Sanchez @islandgrower @912GreenSkell


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