HELP - I want to grow 1 plant !

Garden weeds

Garden weeds

Active Member
Hi, I want to grow just 1 plant in my attic, I have read so much on this and am confused. Could anyone please tell me very simply step by step on how to grow, I dont want to spend much either, so cheaper the better, as long as it does the job and grows the plant. Also could you include the materials I will need, should I build a small hut so the plant is enclosed with the heat and light? Can I use normal tap water? What lights do I need?flourescent? UV? And do I need a heat lamp? How many hours do I have them on for? How often do I water them etc, I need to know the very basics of how to grow a weed plant, thanks a lot for all your help!!!!
 
LemonAssistance

LemonAssistance

Well-Known Member
Use CFLs. there are 2 general spectrums. daylight, and soft/warm. Most will use daylight (bluish hue) bulbs to start there plant from clone or seed, and continue using them threw the vegetative stage (stage where your plant is just growing in height and size, not producing buds yet.

Then, when you decide your plant is large enough to change the light cycle from 24hours of light a day to 12hours of light a day, most people will switch there CFL bulbs over to soft/warm spectrum to finish out the flowering cycle.

If you just want to grow one easy plant, as i am, you can do it pretty easily and simply. Just keep asking questions and surfin round the RUI forums!
 
jody709

jody709

Active Member
walmart/ your local hardware store.. id go for at least 23-42w which is 100-150w equivalent.
 
Garden weeds

Garden weeds

Active Member
Also do I an enclosure up there? I am thinking about building a small green house sort of thing and lining the inside with tin foil so it's all enclosed up there. Is this good?
 
jody709

jody709

Active Member
mylar or flat white paint is a better option that tinfoil.. ive read in some peoples forums that tinfoil can create beams of light that can burn holes in your leaves. youll get just as good or better reeflection from white paint. be sure to have some kind of air circulation as well
 
Garden weeds

Garden weeds

Active Member
Ok that's fine, when I am germinating my seeds I no I put them in a paper towel and keep them wet, do I use any sort of light aswell? Or leave them in darkness? Thanks
 
jody709

jody709

Active Member
keep them in a dark place, like a kitchen drawer or cupboard. leave them for 24-48hrs, checking every12hrs lightly mist the paper towel if it seems dry,, one taproot comes out place directly in dirt.. 1/8th-1/4 inch down.. taproot facing down. some people say from here you shouldnt put light until it sprouts, but i do.. i put seedlings under cfls and very high humidity.. aiming for something around 70-80% RH.
 
Hugo Phurst

Hugo Phurst

Well-Known Member
Cheapest and most forgivng is soil. Make sure it's really good dirt, not just cheap generic crap (my mistake). A friend is using Miracle Grow 20-20-20 fert, and his plants are quite happy.

Soil may contain seeds and eggs, you might want to bake it in the oven to kill anything that might be in there.

At a hardware store buy the ceapest vanity mirror light fixture tere is, might look like this...
http://myverbosity.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Vanity-Lights.jpg

I've read that you need a mix of cfl's, at a 2 or 3 to 1 ratio.
So that's 2 or 3 "daylight" and one "soft" for vegging, and the other way around for flowering.

I get my "daylight" cfl's at the grocery store.

http://www.homehardware.ca/products/300/36947121.jpg


A greenhouse in the attic? -- Think "Thermal Imaging Cameras & Helocoptors".
 
jody709

jody709

Active Member
lol this is true,, it will benefit your plant if you mix the spectrum,. a closet or a makeshift grow box seems like it would be better than the attic. your attic will be very hot, and more than likely quite humid, depending on where your located. To control the plants environment is the point.. If you could build a small growbox, something like 2x2x4 would be ideal. And you would have complete control. if you could get some 24"T5ho bulbs they would do wonders for you. you can get the bulb and fixture for like $30-40 online, or at a hydroponics store.
 
ddimebag

ddimebag

Active Member
I disagree on using CFL's...perhaps for the first grow, as a learning excercise...but you will be disappointed with your results, I guarantee you that...its fine to veg with CFLs but if you flower with them, the potency, density and total weight will be lacking (especially with low wattage CFLs like 23w). If you want good results, go with an HPS lamp for flowering (or induction lamp with supplemental LEDs if you can afford it). If you get a digital ballast for your HPS (which I highly recommend) you can adjust the amount of electricity it uses with a built-in switch. Also, cover the inside of your growspace with mylar (preferably diamond print). Also, you should take a look at grow tents on ebay...a small growtent should cost about the same or less than the materials for a similar sized growspace. It will save you a lot of time and effort, last longer and is probably easier to set up and put away. You will also need an exhaust fan to get rid of the heat from the lamp...or better yet, a cooltube with an inline fan...then you can bring your light a lot closer to your plants without burning them. Finally, use a SCROG. One that's attached to the pot (oh, and use the biggest container you can get your hands on as a pot...like a nice 30 liter storage crate...and use only high quality organic soil...might as well go all out if it's just one plant) so you can still move the plant and take down your setup temporarily, in case of visitors or whatever...
 
jody709

jody709

Active Member
for my personal grow ive got a small wattage 150watt hps growing my one plant. in a 2x2x4 tent. with two 24"T5ho for supplementary side lighting. I grow in 3-5gal buckets. I would aslo suggest at least a 400w if doing any more than 1-2 plants. I will be getting a lumetek digital kit.( you can get them for pretty cheap) and they really dont burn that much power when you can dial it down to 50% power. I have seen some people get good results withs cfls but the difference will be night and day when using a hps ..
 
LemonAssistance

LemonAssistance

Well-Known Member
ddimebag said:
I disagree on using CFL's...perhaps for the first grow, as a learning excercise...but you will be disappointed with your results, I guarantee you that...its fine to veg with CFLs but if you flower with them, the potency, density and total weight will be lacking (especially with low wattage CFLs like 23w). If you want good results, go with an HPS lamp for flowering (or induction lamp with supplemental LEDs if you can afford it). If you get a digital ballast for your HPS (which I highly recommend) you can adjust the amount of electricity it uses with a built-in switch. Also, cover the inside of your growspace with mylar (preferably diamond print). Also, you should take a look at grow tents on ebay...a small growtent should cost about the same or less than the materials for a similar sized growspace. It will save you a lot of time and effort, last longer and is probably easier to set up and put away. You will also need an exhaust fan to get rid of the heat from the lamp...or better yet, a cooltube with an inline fan...then you can bring your light a lot closer to your plants without burning them. Finally, use a SCROG. One that's attached to the pot (oh, and use the biggest container you can get your hands on as a pot...like a nice 30 liter storage crate...and use only high quality organic soil...might as well go all out if it's just one plant) so you can still move the plant and take down your setup temporarily, in case of visitors or whatever...
Click to expand...
Hey man, some people swear by CFL. especially if your only doing a few plants or its your first. CFL hasnt disappointed me one bit!
 
Hugo Phurst

Hugo Phurst

Well-Known Member
Certainally hps is best, but for someone like me, who's growing for personal use, the additional set up and running cost would make it pretty much, cost prohibitive.

That being said, I've tried my first plant...it worked just fine.

My flower table, lights and accessories, less than 300w.
IMGP7298.jpgIMGP7302.jpgIMGP7308.jpgIMGP7310.jpgIMGP7311.jpgIMGP7312.jpgIMGP7315.jpgIMGP7304.jpgIMGP7305.jpgIMGP7299.jpg
 
Garden weeds

Garden weeds

Active Member
Hey, thanks a lot for all the help it's been really useful everyone. I am going to start germinating my seeds in the next few days or so so I'll keep on posting and updating letting you know what is going on.. And if I need more help, which am sure I will, I will ask you guys on here, thanks a lot for help I appreciate it!
 
PJ Diaz

PJ Diaz

Well-Known Member
Don't use CFL's. Use HPS.

1. Spend $ 400 on gear - 3x3 tent, 400w HPS, carbon scrubber/exhaust fan.

2. Get seeds or a clone is possible, and plant it in organic potting soil mixed with espoma organic ferts and Dolomite lime.

3. Grow under constant light for two months, topping twice during that time and use tap water. Out in a larger pot at 3 and 7 weeks.

4. Change light to 12/12 at 8 weeks.

5. Continue water and organic ferts for 2 months and watch for pests and problems.

6. Harvest your quarter pound of organic home grown.

7. Profit
 
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