Questions from Newbie

[Dark Ninja Mark]

Wow, I don't know where to begin. Feel guilty this being my first post, and not posting in the "say hi" forum, but I just got posting access and want to get this out of my head and written before I forget everything I was thinking.

So what's up, guys. I'm Mark. I don't really have a reputation at any public forums, so I am the proverbial GREEN newbie. I am just getting into all of this growing type stuff and I think it's really amazing.

Okay, so I am new to this. I found a design for a stealth grow box by Ambre.

Wow. I am just realizing, while measuring my tubs for this post, that they are only 18"x12", and 36" tall cumulatively... Much smaller than everyone talks about. I had just assumed my setup was 3'x3'... Damn.

Now I am thinking I should just use the entire closet, which is only 2'x3'... wow...

Well, I still have one question. What makes a good sized container for a soil grow? And how many plants per square foot? Thanks in advance.

 

[medicaluser420]

I would not grow more than 6 in those conditions or less plants but let them get bigger in the closet I mean forget abot the tubs they are only good for clones/sprouts/ or maybe a mum or two but not to grow inside of. You just need some pots or plastic crates with garbage bags inside them also work. But I would not start in big pot cause you only want females and whats the point of mixing all that dirt and giving them TLC if they are just going to be males. I start in small cups then move to 6 inch or 1 gallon pots to sex and finally to 5 gallon pot to finish. Get some potting soil and perlite and make a basic mix for your sprout half of each works good for me.
Good Luck

 

[Guest]

Dark Ninja Mark, Welcome I grow in soil and a lot of the time I will finish my plants in three gallon pots it is good to start in small pots and work your way up in size thru transplanting it is very important to have your plant develop a good root system lots of roots equal lots of buds.The best to you and be safe dequilo

 

[lumbo]

Mark,

That's a good point about using multiple pots over the course of your grow. I usually transplant 3 or 4 times before getting into my finishing vessel of choice, which is a 5 gallon bucket. One nice thing about regular transplanting is that it gives you a chance to check out your root growth and the condition (moisture level) of your mix and plants.

I usually start seeds & clones in little 3x3-inch square plastic pots. Then I move them into 6-inch diameter round pots. Then they go into 1 gallon nursery pots (round) and then either into 3-gallon nursery pots (round) or directly into the 5-gallon buckets for flower. It's always good to use flexible plastic pots to grow your plants, because you can get them out of the pot for transplanting a lot easier than if you use something stiff like terracotta or thick plastic. All you do with the cheap plastic pots is turn the plant upside down and squeeze. Simple.

Hey dequilo: That place in the mountains you told me you like to go in the summer has lots of growers--I can assure you of that.

 

[Guest]

Lumbo, I sure know that to be true ( LOL ) it is nice of Uncle George P to let them use his land like that or is our land ? I do not grow outside annymore but you got to love the park it super to hike and grow at the same time. Peace and be safe dequilo

 

[Dark Ninja Mark]

Thanks for all the responses guys. So I've decided to mylar the entire closet and just wing it. Hang my HPS reflector from the clothes-hanger bar, and just put pots down on the floor. Brings up another question...

Any ideas on what's the best material to use to hang reflectors? It has two hooks, one on each end of it. I am using stereo wire right now and it's very hard to untie to adjust the height of it. Any suggestions, guys?

 

[Guest]

try coat hangers peace and be safe dequilo

 

[meduser180056]

Get some chains for hanging lights. They have em at Home Depot, OSH, places like that.

 

[Opt1983]

Chains is the way i go. Put some hooks into the ceiling above then just raise the links.A good rule of thumb is 1 gallon of medium to every foot of growth.I start in 16 oz. keg cups then transplant to 1 gallon, 2 gallon, and finish in 3 gallon grow bags.3 gallons of medium should be sufficient for your type of setup, you wont be growing monster 5 footers. -Opt

 

[Dark Ninja Mark]

Thanks, I'll have to go check out and comparison shop some chains. Good Good..

So when using the little red 20oz party cups, holes should be pushed through the bottom? To drain water out? I remember the OG GrowFaq said "Overwatering is the biggest newbie mistake"...

I decided holes throughout the bottom pushed with a thumbtack and then sit the cup inside another cup which has a papertowel folded up in the bottom to absorb excess water that comes out (currently, no water is coming out of the holes)

Any insight on this would be much appreciated ;D

 

[Opt1983]

yes you need drainage holes. next time when they dry out and are in need of water, water them enough to where water actually runs out the bottom, but make sure that water dont sit in the cup underneith. -Opt

 

[Dark Ninja Mark]

thx opt ;D

and thanks to everyone who responded. Such kindness is very refreshing.

 

[Guest]

i always make sure I water til I see it come out the bottom. and I wait til its almost bone dry.

 

[Guest]

dark , I use 16 or 20 oz cups all the time do yourself a favor take a screwdriver (phillips or big nail) heat it on a stove or something and put some real holes in them it is very ez to overwater in a plastic pot (cup). be safe dequilo