2x25W CFL, NL Blue, first grow!

[obeobe]

Hi everyone!

First of all excuse me if I made mistakes, but english isn't my primary language...

However, four weeks ago I started my first grow!
My budget is quite limited so I kept everything as simple as possible... I'm growing in a carton box approximately 40x20x40 cm with 2 25W cfl one red spectrum, the other blue but i'm thinking to add more when i put the girl into flower. No ventilation for now, I'm leaving the "door" open and I cut holes above the lamp so hot air goes up and fresh air enters from the bottom. I'm using no nutes but soil is pre-fertilized... and that's all!

I think that things are going great! After two weeks I did some lst and always kept her 3/5 cm from the bulbs. Light seems to be enough as she looks healthy and some leaves even have 9 tips

But she doesn't grow that much and not because she is slow but because she has super short internodes, no more than 1cm! It shouldn't be something bad but that thing stunts her growth... Do you guys think I should change something or just let her veg a little more?

peace!

 

[exploziv]

First of all, welcome to IcMag!
Looking good so far, but you shoud add ventilation. Even a cheap pc cooler fan and a cheap wall-mart type power adapter will make a big difference.

Good luck!

 

[obeobe]

First of all, welcome to IcMag!
Looking good so far, but you shoud add ventilation. Even a cheap pc cooler fan and a cheap wall-mart type power adapter will make a big difference.

Good luck!

thanks for the advice!

I have been thinking about ventilation since the beginning but never done anything. I'm planning some changes when flowering begins... do you think is better a pc fan or a small fan blowing directly on the plant and creating passive air movement?

 

[exploziv]

Any fan will help, as long as it creates a light breeze of air around the plant, just enaugh to move it a bit when the plant is small.
And you can't create PASSIVE air movement with a fan. Using a fan means it's ACTIVE air movement.
Also, in the future, think about having an active exhaust (with a fan). that will help a lot, too.

 

[obeobe]

active exhaust sounds cool but not now because of the poor budget... I'll think about something cheap while she vegs another week or two maybe

 

[obeobe]

Time for an update!
After the last pic I lowered the plant from the lights and ...She exploded!!
So today is the big day, switch to 12/12!!

There are two pics of her before and after a little lst and one of my ghetto growbox. I also added a 20W cfl.

Hope everything goes well!

 

[HerBnGorE(illa)]

looks like the plant is doing well. Gotta say cardboard seems a bit risky for a grow box....that is unless you are trying to grow some fire!

 

[obeobe]

looks like the plant is doing well. Gotta say cardboard seems a bit risky for a grow box....that is unless you are trying to grow some fire!

It's my main fear but I didn't have much money to invest in the project and thought that cardboard would work... onestly when I started I didn't thought that things would go so far. I'm trying to lower the risk by covering the part above the bulbs with multiple sheets of aluminium so the fire won't reach the card and all bulbs are new and of a good quality... but, in the end, the risk remains...
However everything is temporary and won't be used again but at that point I'm going to finish the grow and hope for the best!

 

[chefbudz]

do you have an empty closest? or perhaps just a closet?
i am paranoid about fires i find my self counting watts feeling extension cords and plugs for heat and just waking up in the middle of the night checking for non existent fires ..

is the 15-20 grams you might get off your plant worth you and your family's safety?

 

[unk1]

It's my main fear but I didn't have much money to invest in the project and thought that cardboard would work... onestly when I started I didn't thought that things would go so far. I'm trying to lower the risk by covering the part above the bulbs with multiple sheets of aluminium so the fire won't reach the card and all bulbs are new and of a good quality... but, in the end, the risk remains...
However everything is temporary and won't be used again but at that point I'm going to finish the grow and hope for the best!

invest in a 35 gallon storage bin with a lid. you can find them everywhere and they are usually around $20. they are pretty easy to work with and they are a little more easier to hide (if you only run one at a time). check out my thread on my new bin, if you look in the pic of the full bin, you will see a blue bin on the left side and 2 of them stacked on the right (hollowed out, will hold 8 1 gal planters). but yeah. with the bin on the left plus all parts the total was under $50 and you can run more plants that way.

 

[unk1]

sorry, not trying to hijack your thread but i didn't really think this was worth starting a new thread to. but here's some pics of an under $50 set up. you already have the lights so it's probably down to just an extra $30 to set up.







there are vents in the back, and a fan inside. this is just a clone/seedling bin, but yours could be set up for a full flower. hope this helps. better safe than sorry!!!

 

[obeobe]

You don't have to say sorry, I appreciate advices very much and your setup looks good! Surely I'll consider it for my future grows!
But for now, as explain before, i'm not thinking of changing setup as it'll be used for a month and then thrown away (don't get me wrong, i know the risk... right now the growbox is in the middle of the room, far from everything that can burn)

Just a quick question... in that "hole" in the middle of the plant there are two/three little branches that are trying to reach the light but are covered by the leaves of the others one (not big fan leaves, little ones), should I defoliate a little?

 

[exploziv]

Yes, if you have potential tops under there, it will sure help with your yeld. But take only the leaves that block the light to those tops, nothing more. Plant needs leaves, too.

 

[obeobe]

Update: week 1 of flowering

After the switch i stopped lst and let her grow vertically, stretch looks like normal growth and i'm just doing little action to keep the tops at the same level. As she grows i'm also cutting the lower leaves... don't know if that branch in the middle will manage his way up but we'll see

So far i think she's going good, when should i see the first pistils?

 

[unk1]

looking good, she's filling in nicely! was this from a feminized seed or a clone from a female? if it's female you should see pistils any day now.

 

[orev]

good luck with the grow !
i hope that cardboard will be safe until the end of the grow
do you have a thermometer inside the box ?

 

[obeobe]

Thanks! It was a feminized seed from delicious seeds

No, I don't have a termometer... i can't guess the temperature inside the box but not very hot. The temperature of the room is always at 18/20 degrees... that light are not so hot inside the box...

 

[crbs]

Hi obeobe!!! Beautiful plants with a strong green, which the strain? Peace follow watching!

 

[obeobe]

Hi obeobe!!! Beautiful plants with a strong green, which the strain? Peace follow watching!

Thanks for watching, It's northern lights blue!

 

[Monyo]

Hi, very nice grow you got going there. I suggest after you cure, try to sell some and buy a new box and another bulb or two...

How many seeds did you plant there?