Adventures of my first grow

So I am working on my first grow at the moment. I have turned a TV sized indent in my wall into a grow-box which I covered in tin foil and placed 4 small flower pots inside. I germinated the seeds and had them planted for multiple days with no light source but they ended up sprouting anyway. Right now I have two 200 watt lights on two lamps in the middle of the grow-box and am using Miracle Gro Herb and Vegetable fertilizer until the plants get bigger and I move into the next phase. Does anyone know what I should get as my next fertilizer and/or any good plant food? I am planning on getting a new light soon that can cover each plant evenly. Any recommendations? Thanks! Here’s what it looks like at the moment:

Salutations G.narly,

IMO those CFL units which you’re showing us just ain’t consuming a full 100 Watts each at all; here’s my former “prototyping platform” setup using bulbs rated 26, 40 and 45 Watts per unit:

What you have is more like 35 ~ 45 Watts each i’d think, so i wonder if that wouldn’t explain signs of what i perceive as excessive “stretching” in the lower-left corner of your picture… Ideally i would aim for the lower cotyledon possible so that’s why i had so many lamps installed in this contraption. I figure 550 Watts shouldn’t actually prove necessary for a single plant growing under normal circumstances, i was simply testing the limits i guess.

In any case you may find half of the fun is not directly connected to the plant and/or it’s consumption: photo sessions can be quite a challenge of their own at times! And rewarding ones if trying hard enough.

If i may, i equally notice the soil surface is wet. Pehaps next time i’d switch to self-watering buckets (that draw water from a bottom tank), with some inert/sterile toping to delay many sorts of surface infestations, because sometimes shit happens. It’s great having water but right now there’s no common measure between root size and the reserve presently available… Light, on another hand, may turn trickier and most especially past the vegetative phase. I also figure re-potting is on the to-do list, etc.

M’well, i realize i’m getting too pre-emptive on 1st contact. Please pardon the sudden involvement as i’m merely lurking around anyway.

Good day, have fun!! :peace:

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I would take those sockets out of the lamps and hang them over the pots or lay the lamp on the pot so the light is over the seedling. It’s a good idea to keep the cords off the bottom of your grow. Fold them up and tape them. I use zip ties to control the cords.

The seedling is in good shape right now but it will fall over the side of the pots very soon.

What would be some good lights to get? And where could I find those kinds of pots?

The pot is good just need to figure out how to hang a cfl over the seedling. I don’t know much about cfl/led lighting past the seedling stage.

If your don’t have to hide your grow get a 600 Watt and some Earth Juice Grow and Bloom. What ever you feed with look at the drain to waste feeding.

Edit… Sorry I did not see the post about self watering pots

you shouldnt be feeding them yet. and dispose of the miracle grow properly and go to your local feed store and get a 50lb bag of kelp meal. amazon has a 125w cfl and reflector for like 60 bucks or something. a fan from walmart, bigger pots and thats all youll need for the first few years of your growing:)

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Awesome, thanks for the help guys! Went into this with little knowledge of proper growing so this information is greatly appreciated :+1:

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Upgrade #1 so far. Re upped on some supplies now I just need fertlizer and better pots :sunglasses:

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Nice set up… There is a lot of info posted on the net about Fox Farm.

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Yeah I have a chart actually on how to use it. I just need to learn to flush

If you are growing 100% organic, there is no need to flush. Your soil is alive and all natural, and will not affect taste poorly. Only need to flush chemical fertilizers.

Technically, if feed correctly, there’s no need to ever flush regardless of nutrient type.

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Okay I got it, I’m going to be posting the progress as I go

Nice led upgrade! How much watts does it on output?

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The best way to use Fox Farm is to start out with 1 ml per gallon of water when the plant gets its first true leaves. Then add a ml per gallon each watering until you see white tips on the leaves . Then back off 1 ml per gallon. It’s a slow way to learn but soon you will know the correct ml per gallon per plant size. I dump what’s left over and mix up a new gallon on the next water.

Next you will have to fix PH swings but wait until you transplant in bigger pots and get some Pro Mix so you will have something more stable to work with.

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What stores sell the pro mix soil and other soils I could get?

Sadly two of my plants look like they will not make it, I will be getting more seeds soon.