Hi guys, need some advice on how to start please

[stonergirl]

hi everyone!
I feel a little nervous cuz I want to start growing and dont know what Im doing. I want to grow a few plants in a closet and was thing about getting a digi greenouse 250 from htg. Would that work for a few plants? I dont want to waste any money but im sick of buying weed that sucks and is way tooo expensive. If anyone could help with a little advice I'd really appreciate it.
thanks,
Jessica

 

[Richard Gozinya]

Stonergirl, all the info you need is here. Just start reading, make notes, and grow. Your first few runs might not be great but you just have to get your hands dirty. I'm pretty new at this myself, and the one thing i will say is DO NOT bring home spider mite's. And be safe, don't tell anyone, but all the knowledge you desire is here.

 

[stonergirl]

thanks richard,
how do you prevent spider mites??? Yuck!
Jessica

 

[MRBIg$]

Hi stonergirl and welcome to icmag i am kinda new @ this myself currently on my fourth grow and when i started out i was a total newb but from reading other members posts and using the search option i was able to find answerers for ever thing i needed to know and i am currently learning new things every day this sight is such a useful tool especially for us newbs to answer your question the best way to avoid mites is to keep a good environment they love the heat if you do get them witch i have i used hot shot no pest strips and fixed my environment have not seen a mite sense
don't be afraid to ask questions after all thats how we learn what strain you thinking of growing you will need to take in consideration of how much they stretch so you need to pick a strain that does not have a lot of stretch in less you have a lot of room to work with i would start of with some kind of indica dominate for your first grow the sativas are really hard to manage in a small area but can be done doing sour diesel ibl f1 as we speak so take your time get the right equipment good genetics and a allot of patients and you should do just fine if you need help with anything just ask would love to help you out peace

 

[THCforus]

stonergirl,the best advice i could give you right now, has already been said twice, but I'll say it again anyway. Do your homework.
It will save you allot of grief in the very beginning. If your going to do something, or buy something new, research it first. Along with the forums, a good grow book "or 10" helped me out and never hurts.
When things go wrong, and they probably will at first, just keep your head up.
Theres no doubt in my mind that before you know it, you'll forget all about payin' top dollar for fast produced scagg buds. Also, a big mistake i made was buyin expensive seeds for the first couple runs. I'd agree to go w/ a fast growing, squat indica, if your gonna grow in a closet. A couple of the cheaper strains that worked out good for me was(and still does) Sadhu from Mandala or ice from Nirvana. Any of the indica dom. Nirvana strains are great starter strains.
Anyway welcome, and i wish you nothing but the best

 

[stonergirl]

thanks for the replies,
guess I made my first mistake then,
I just ordered some sensie star seeds from the hemp depot... Hope it works out. Ifigured I mights as well start with some good seeds-I read somewhere they were easy to grow. I guess time will tell.
Jessica

 

[Joey56789]

Hey Jess, start with this thread full of links to figure out what you are going to grow in.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=40637

And don't pop those beans till it is all constructed and tested.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Some more links to try including beginners info, what others are doing with 250s and another link collection full of cool stuff.

Starting a MedCab • 250 Watt Club • Messin's Library of Links

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Sensi Star, yum! I hope you enjoy growing as much as I do. Smoking mj is my pastime but growing is my favorite hobby.

 

[stonergirl]

Oh boy,
all this reading is getting confusing, Im not sure what to do. I thought this was going to be a little simpler. I've got a lot of reading to do...
thanks everyone
Jessica

 

[Forest20]

here is a link to help you http://www.icmag.com/modules/Tutorials/

 

[stonergirl]

do you guys think its safe to have lights and stuff delivered to your home? Has anyone had problems ordering grow lights and nutrients delivered? Maybe I'm a little paranoid because the state I'm in is not cool as far as the law goes...

 

[LolaGal]

It is safer to have stuff delivered to a friend's house and not the grow address, but if you don't have a friend you trust, I doubt lights and nutes would cause any interest to the DEA.

Paint your closet flat white.
Get a 400 watt MH/HPS switchable ballast kit with hood, bulb, etc.
For dirt use Fox Farms with 1/3 perlite and Earth Worm Castings (poop), dolomite lime.
Get a pH meter to test water pH and soil runoff pH
Start 3 seeds out of your pack at first. If something happens or you get all males, start 3 more. Finally, use the last 4 seeds if necessary.
Keep a fan running on the seedlings 24-0, run lights 24-0 for fastest growth.

That should get you started! Once you get hooked on the hobby, you will be glad you got the 400 watt light!

Stay a little paranoid, it will keep you safe.

 

[stonergirl]

Thanks lolagal,
I'm thinking about the 250 because of the lower heat. I think I might want to put the set up inside a dresser or something inside the closet so if you open the doors-presto, its just a dresser. I like to keep the house in the high 70s so I'm concerned about heat, not to mention the xtra $ a 400 will do to the electric bill. Can you put a 250 bulbs in a 400 watt Ballast to start? I know this is a stupid question but I just don't know about this stuff. Anyone else think a 400 is a better way to go?

 

[LolaGal]

I'd just put a lock on the door to the closet so no one could "just open it"

If it's a small closet and you are renting, consider the 250.

Without knowing if you rent, own, it's hard to recommend whether you should start taking out ceilings and inserting vent systems.

I'd start out small with 3 plants and go from there. Weed ain't easy to grow in a pot of soil inside a closet. (Not it's natural habitat!! LOL)

Imagine the cost of running one of those plug in space heaters. They are usually 1500 watt appliances, at a minimum. Would you be worried about the cost of one space heater? If so, get out of this hobby before you start. The cost of an electric bill with one light going should be barely noticed.

I suggest a 400 because if you like growing like I do, one 400 turns into 2 400s then 4 400s.... I never seem to have enough light. Running 1600 watts and it's dark in my veg area. Gonna have to get another 400....lol.

 

[stonergirl]

I am renting so I don't want to go ripping up walls and stuff. The lock on the door is a good idea. Maybe I will go for the 400 instead. I'm also thinking about buying one of those vaportecs for the smell because I don't want to cut into the walls, not to mention the sound when I'm sleeping.

 

[LolaGal]

Probably not a good idea to grow in an apartment building. Make sure your landlord will notify you in advance before coming into the apartment. Most don't.

We should all move to Detroit and get those $12,000 houses for sale I saw on the news. They probably all have basements and would be perfect for growing in.

Be safe.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

A cab/dresser inside a closet will get hotter than growing in the closet alone.

 

[kaotic]

hi everyone!
I feel a little nervous cuz I want to start growing and dont know what Im doing. I want to grow a few plants in a closet and was thing about getting a digi greenouse 250 from htg. Would that work for a few plants? I dont want to waste any money but im sick of buying weed that sucks and is way tooo expensive. If anyone could help with a little advice I'd really appreciate it.
thanks,
Jessica

Seed in dirt. Water on seed. Light on plant. Timer on light. Chop. Hang. Cure. Smoke.


No thanks needed, just happy to help.

 

[FreezerBoy]

If stealth and heat are concerns, stick to a 250 or less. While cooling is easy, dealing with the noise of cooling is something else. If there's a fan (and you'll need one) there WILL be exhaust noise. Period. You can: lock the door, move exhaust port out of the room, mask it with a louder sound or, pin it on a patsy. I prefer the last. Stealth does not require silence, merely explanation. Show them the noise and the noise "disappears."