Newbie needs guidance

Hi guys, sorry if this question has been beat into the ground. This is my first grow. I have 5 plants. I started out with 2 plnts under 3 CFLs for about a week. The super glue was doing perfectly fine but my candy land was not doing well at all. So I got 3 more clones and upgraded to a 20 watt 2ft led grow light. They are in 1 gal smart pots with Fox farms ocean forest soil. I used super thrive and OG tea veganic special sauce, then phd the water and gave them their first watering 2 days ago. The pots are still super wet today. How often should you really have to water newly potted clones. I know people say to put a finger in and if it's dry to the first knuckle then water. I'm only asking cause I want to know when a certain plant is drinking water slowly. Also What would cause my clones to start turning yellow from the center of the leaves spreading outwards. Most of the plants are slightly yellowing in the center of the leaves. Also the candy land has leaves that are dried up and crispy with brown spots. I'm not sure why the super glue did perfectly fine but the candy land didn't do so well. I'm not giving up on her yet. Should I clip off her dead dried up leaves? And if so how close to the stem do you cut the branch. need guidance from the experts. Also how many led watts should I have for 5 plants that are young and how close to the plants should the led be. I know most people say 8 inches or so for CFLs. I need guidance with lighting. I will be vegging indoors and flowwring outdoors. I live in the bay area in California so my summer weather is perfect. I'm afraid of not having powerful enough lighting for a good veg state. The 2ft led light I'm using puts off the good 440nm spectrum for veg I'm just not sure if it's enough liget for a solid grow. So should I get one more 2ft led light for a total of 40 watts for 5 plants or use a combo of the led with the CFLs? Any guidance is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

@BrandonNebel When using FFOF soil you do not need to add nutrients for a few weeks because the soil is hot already. As for the watering schedule for your plants this early on its about 3-5 days between waterings in smart pots depending on temperatures, humity ect.. A good way to tell when they need water is to lift the pot after you water to see how heavy it is after waterings and when it feels lighter it needs water. As for only 40watts of lighting for 5 plants you are definitely going to need more lighting unless you are just starting them indoors and then going ro transfer them outside to grow this summer.

VenomGrower6990 said:

@BrandonNebel When using FFOF soil you do not need to add nutrients for a few weeks because the soil is hot already. As for the watering schedule for your plants this early on its about 3-5 days between waterings in smart pots depending on temperatures, humity ect.. A good way to tell when they need water is to lift the pot after you water to see how heavy it is after waterings and when it feels lighter it needs water. As for only 40watts of lighting for 5 plants you are definitely going to need more lighting unless you are just starting them indoors and then going ro transfer them outside to grow this summer.

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I was just doing what the hydro store told me. He said no food yet but he said the special sauce and super thrive were fine to start with. I'm worried that the candy land isn't drinking any water. I'm just vegging them inside for about 4 weeks then putting them outside. So how much light do I need right now as they are young. And how much light will I need in a few weeks to get themy a good veg and put them out back around June 21

you can veg under decent CFLs almost indefinitely. However as venomgrower69 says ffof is a hot "soil" or has been for a bit. I bet the clones came in a wimpy mix low on any nutrition and now you give them every thing they need and more with the ffof . So if you don't feed it anything but water for a little bit it should catch up with the nutrient burn that it's getting and should grow out of it. Cannabis can be in medium that Is entirely dry before it wilts so don't worry about under watering g. Hope something helps

Brandon Nebel said:

I was just doing what the hydro store told me. He said no food yet but he said the special sauce and super thrive were fine to start with. I'm worried that the candy land isn't drinking any water. I'm just vegging them inside for about 4 weeks then putting them outside. So how much light do I need right now as they are young. And how much light will I need in a few weeks to get themy a good veg and put them out back around June 21

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The more light the merrier IMO. I cant tell you exactly how many cfl's to use because I veg under 8 24 watt T5HO bulbs mixed spectrum(20,000+/-Lumens) and then move them to my LED tent for flower.

VenomGrower6990 said:

The more light the merrier IMO. I cant tell you exactly how many cfl's to use because I veg under 8 24 watt T5HO bulbs mixed spectrum(20,000+/-Lumens) and then move them to my LED tent for flower.

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It doesn't have to be CFLs. It can be led or anything else you guys recommend but cost is an issue. Don't wanna go over board but want a good grow. I'm just vegging indoors then going outdoors with then to flower. Any help is appreciated.

Brandon Nebel said:

It doesn't have to be CFLs. It can be led or anything else you guys recommend but cost is an issue. Don't wanna go over board but want a good grow. I'm just vegging indoors then going outdoors with then to flower. Any help is appreciated.

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So, like I was blathering about lol. You can literally veg as long as you like indoors in a controlled environment. The size and wattage and type of light or light's that you choose will determine how big she grows and how fast she does it.. Literally its that easy. If you want to put a monster into the garden then light her up! Within your budget of course.

Hey Brandon, CFLs are great for veg, you can keep adding them one at a time and keep an eye on what that does to your temps, the cost of buying them I very little. You will find they can grow super tight internodes. Buying an LED on the other hand is expensive if you buy a good one.
As for the superthrive its ok, its not N,P,K its mainly b vitamins and other vitamins and hormones. Just go steady, if you have already added some then leave it alone for a while. Less is more with that stuff.
As for your problem with top growth yellowing and spreading outward that could be an iron deficiency caused by PH fluctuation. If that's the case it should level out next watering or two, don't use that as an excuse to overwater though. Sounds like you have a hot medium which the Ph was different. Try testing your run off next water and see what it comes out at compared to what you are putting in.
Good luck!

If your just starting out and want a recommendation on a good veg light. I'd grab a cob led. I've grown for years mainly with hid and I think my next upgrade will be cob after seeing some side by side grows.

Enjoy your grow. It's a rewarding hobby.

Welcome to RIU, and the wonderful world of cultivating the world's most misunderstood and feared medicines!!!

The only 'advice' I can give you or anyone is to read and learn and then apply what you have read and learned to your garden and you cannot fail. Anyways, remember the search tool is your friend...Lots of folks here willing to help a new farmer get up and growing. But at the end of the day your grow will be only as good as the knowledge and work you put into it.

It is always great to ask questions but do not take anyone's advice or opinions and follow blindly. Do your own research, you will be much happier knowing you have done it for yourself and by yourself. The first buzz you get from your own budz...is by far the BEST high you will ever have!

Do a search using your current question as the keyword(s) and ZOOOM!! Like Wonka's Great Glass Elevator…off you go to tons of threads answering all your questions. Read all the Newbie Central stickies and learn…

Soaking up all that information and sifting through it, is going to take time. You will likely finish your first grow by then. Viola! grow complete and education well under way.

Brandon Nebel said:

I'm just vegging indoors then going outdoors with then to flower. Any help is appreciated.

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Just curious here...if you can and are going to flower outdoors in the natural, superior and free sunlight, why not veg there as well? This is the optimal planting time in your area...if you can grow outdoors...don't waste the opportunity broh! That is just how I see it. There again due to badge wearing, gun carrying neo-Nazi fascist pigs, I am unable to enjoy the freedom you have.