first timer

[smokiescottish]

Hi, I have just got all my equipment ect and got it finaly set up just need to germinate seeds then everything will be good to go but just wondering if there is anything crucial i realy need to know? any do's and dont's i realy need to know and anything else would be realy helpfull im reading up on my light cycles but need to know how to controlll humidity and what it should be also am i right in saying my temp needs to be between 20-30c

thanks guys

 

[xSwimToTheMoon]

it's hard to research everything before your first grow. try and stay one step ahead of your plant In terms of studying.

Focus on sprouting and then seedling care. Lots of sitting around reading.

 

[smokiescottish]

well i have started germinating them by soaking them and looked at how to handle and transplant them so think im all good with that. i have looked at quite a few different sites that keep telling me diffrent things so is there anyware that is the one place to go for information apart from here obv

 

[GrowinDad]

Tons of sites. Growweedeasy is pretty cool. But really, you need to research and ask specifc questions. Wiht what is written, my best tip would be to keep it as simple as possible your first few grows.

 

[oldtimer54]

All the research in the world won't help you gain what you truly need EXPERIENCE. As GrowinDad said keep it simple to begin with and the experience you gain early on will greatly benefit you as you move forward. Good luck to you !

 

[Smokenpassout]

Rule#1 dont over water (after you water, let it dry out well before rewater.

Rule#2 for newly germinated seedlings get some gentle light very close (5000k-6500k cfl bulbs with 1-3" proximity to tops) and keep them close while it grows to avoid stretch.
You want it bushy.

Rule#3 when ready to feed, go 1/4 strength of the bottle reccomendation, and water with nutrients in between plain waterings. Less is more with nutrients.

 

[bigsteve]

Let's start at the beginning - germination. Although there are many ways to germinate seeds the most popular has to be the paper towel method. That's where you bury the seeds in paper towels and soak 'em wet. IMPORTANT - make sure that you place the plate with paper towels inside a big baggie that you can seal air-tight. Otherwise the plate will dry out and your beans won't sprout.

Good luck, BigSteve.

 

[old&stilldoinit]

Rule#1 dont over water (after you water, let it dry out well before rewater.

Rule#2 for newly germinated seedlings get some gentle light very close (5000k-6500k cfl bulbs with 1-3" proximity to tops) and keep them close while it grows to avoid stretch.
You want it bushy.

Rule#3 when ready to feed, go 1/4 strength of the bottle reccomendation, and water with nutrients in between plain waterings. Less is more with nutrients.

 

[old&stilldoinit]

lets not forget rule #4 PH

 

[peaceandlove600]

Depending on how serious you are my biggest tip is don't skimp on your initial investment like lights, fans ect you pay in the end that's what I have learned. If your new to growing I would try a more forgiving medium. I personally prefer soiless mediums for indoor grows. But also a good nutrient line will make it much more simple. I prefer general hydroponics lines of nute. For veging your plants t5s are great! And for flowering a high pressure sodium. Good airflow is key to healthy plants and good yeilds you must keep fresh air coming into your growing space to keep the oxygen in the room from becoming stagnant. But the number one thing is patience don't get ahead of your plants or you'll regret it!

 

[smokiescottish]

thanks for the tips guys and they have been all taken into account my setup is done i have notscrimped at any part my total investment so far is just shy of £700 my seeds are now put in paper towels to germinate. but can any one help im using the rhizo pots 8lt and put 2lt of water into them and got no runoff and checked the soil this morning as i left the lights on to get the temps ajusted and to make sure there was no problems (so far there are no problems with temp, air flow or humidity) but the soil was as dry as a bone how wet should my soil be and how often should i water them im using a 400w hps light with air cooled reflector if that helps any

 

[budman111]

Scottish water is soft about 20 ppm so you will more than likely need a calcium supplement especially if you use LED.

 

[smokiescottish]

im not using LED im using a 400w hps bulb id never grow with LED from what i have heard and read lol and dont i test the ph of the water so the water being "soft" water wouldnt be a problem

 

[budman111]

im not using LED im using a 400w hps bulb id never grow with LED from what i have heard and read lol and dont i test the ph of the water so the water being "soft" water wouldnt be a problem

LED is far better than you realize , I was talking of PPM - Parts Per Million, not pH, a non calcium addition in your setup via tap will lead to lots of rusty spots, if you get that then buy a calcium supplement