Sun and cfl's?

I'm trying to grow 2 plants. The strain is green crack, indica. I have 2 26w 6500k cfl 1650 lumens per bulb. thats only for veg I will get bigger cfl's for flower. So it's a low watt grow, but I can only leave them on for 12 hours a day. So I put them up in my window when I leave for work. I would say they get about 5-6 hours direct sunlight per day. Is this ok? Will it harm my plant switching between cfl's and sunlight.
 
Also, when they sit in the window it not always sunny and warm. What's the lowest temp a plant could withstand. Usually when I get home the sun is setting and I would say they are at room temp or maybe a little lower.
 

New Age United

Well-Known Member
No the sunlight would definitely be better than 2 26w cfls it won't harm your plants, the problem is both plants are gonna be stunted right from the start of veg, I'm sorry to be honest but you need an actual grow light of at least 150w, cfl, led or hid take your pick, if you have less than 6' height in your grow room I would suggest led's, but if you don't have the cash pick up a 250w cfl on ebay for $120 and get a couple extra bulbs I hear they have problems with the bulbs. If you have 6' or more and you have the cash go hid, you can't match the max output of HID's and imo the pros and cons of led's don't outweigh the max output of HID's. Trust me you'll grow small stringy buds with 23w cfls it won't be worth your time there will be no potency it will be swag and very low yield.If you go with cfl make sure it's an actual grow light and at least 150w not equivalent to 150w.
 

New Age United

Well-Known Member
Also, when they sit in the window it not always sunny and warm. What's the lowest temp a plant could withstand. Usually when I get home the sun is setting and I would say they are at room temp or maybe a little lower.
Some plants can withstand 4 celsius others turn brown at 12 it depends on the strain. Indicas are more suited for northern climates so they can usually withstand colder temps but still my dakini kush is pure indica and it can only live at 12 celsius plus and you can tell she doesn't even like that.
 

newbuddy

Well-Known Member
I was kinda wondering the same thing-Im on disability and dont have the kind of cash I would LOVE TO for this so I have to go with CFL as well.............last time it was strictly outside from start to almost finished and is lookin GOOD
SUN is the best light you can get IMO
 

New Age United

Well-Known Member
I was kinda wondering the same thing-Im on disability and dont have the kind of cash I would LOVE TO for this so I have to go with CFL as well.............last time it was strictly outside from start to almost finished and is lookin GOOD
SUN is the best light you can get IMO
Dakini kush yields a quarter pound per plant under a 600w hid and up to a lb and a half if grown till the beginning of September outdoors and brought in and put under the same 600w light to finish. There's my proof you don't need anymore than 1 guerrilla and 1 indoor grow with the same strain to realize anything but the sun is a deficiency.
 

sunni

Administrator
Staff member
unless your window is a green house window thats built into the house (my mom had one ,...fantastic little thing) its not really going to do your plant much justice

marijuana likes semi hot lots of light, at least for the purpose of growing to smoke.

its not like a house plant which can take shaded semi light
 

Michael Huntherz

Well-Known Member
I'm trying to grow 2 plants. The strain is green crack, indica. I have 2 26w 6500k cfl 1650 lumens per bulb. thats only for veg I will get bigger cfl's for flower. So it's a low watt grow, but I can only leave them on for 12 hours a day. So I put them up in my window when I leave for work. I would say they get about 5-6 hours direct sunlight per day. Is this ok? Will it harm my plant switching between cfl's and sunlight.
OP: Low wattage CFL are more efficient anyway, so get a bunch of little CFLs.
 
image.jpg image.jpg
No the sunlight would definitely be better than 2 26w cfls it won't harm your plants, the problem is both plants are gonna be stunted right from the start of veg, I'm sorry to be honest but you need an actual grow light of at least 150w, cfl, led or hid take your pick, if you have less than 6' height in your grow room I would suggest led's, but if you don't have the cash pick up a 250w cfl on ebay for $120 and get a couple extra bulbs I hear they have problems with the bulbs. If you have 6' or more and you have the cash go hid, you can't match the max output of HID's and imo the pros and cons of led's don't outweigh the max output of HID's. Trust me you'll grow small stringy buds with 23w cfls it won't be worth your time there will be no potency it will be swag and very low yield.If you go with cfl make sure it's an actual grow light and at least 150w not equivalent to 150w.
I watch this YouTube channel nvclosetmedgrower. He says 500-1500 lumens per sq ft is good for the first couple weeks of veg. I have 2 more 26w lights I'm planning to add them on the second week. For flower he says 10000 lumens is good. I will invest in some big cfl's when I get to flower. But for now this is all I have lol. The big one sprouted Tuesday its only 4 days old and 2in. Tall. The little bastard sprouted yesterday. I broke off its tap root when planting it, so it's a couple days behind. The first pic was last night. The second I just took now. Btw I'm growing in a book shelf with materials from my house I only spent 20$ on a box of 4 26w cfl's and an emg blanket for 5$
 
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so after 2 weeks I will have the 4 lights at 3300 lumens per sq ft. For flower I would have 3* that. I'm going to get some 150w bulbs. I will run 1 per plant for flower, that's if I get any females. This is just a learning curve for me. if I can get anything over a half O I will be happy. My next grow will have some $$$$ put into it. Thanks for all the info guys.
 

New Age United

Well-Known Member
Yes it will be a learning experience for you, and you will learn how cfl bulbs are not enough for veg. I use a 23w bulb per sprout up until the second set of leaves, ie the seedling stage, then you begin veg with a much stronger light, trust me even with 30 26w cfl bulbs you will be lucky to even make it to harvest, it just not the intensity of light you need to grow.
 
Yes it will be a learning experience for you, and you will learn how cfl bulbs are not enough for veg. I use a 23w bulb per sprout up until the second set of leaves, ie the seedling stage, then you begin veg with a much stronger light, trust me even with 30 26w cfl bulbs you will be lucky to even make it to harvest, it just not the intensity of light you need to grow.
Well I can't do anything for a few weeks, hopefully everything goes well until I can get some stronger lights.
 
Yes it will be a learning experience for you, and you will learn how cfl bulbs are not enough for veg. I use a 23w bulb per sprout up until the second set of leaves, ie the seedling stage, then you begin veg with a much stronger light, trust me even with 30 26w cfl bulbs you will be lucky to even make it to harvest, it just not the intensity of light you need to grow.
I've been vegging with 3 6500k 13 watt cfls and 2 10.5 watt 5000k leds

IMG_20151002_232526292_HDR.jpg
 

ISK

Well-Known Member
unless your window is a green house window thats built into the house (my mom had one ,...fantastic little thing) its not really going to do your plant much justice

marijuana likes semi hot lots of light, at least for the purpose of growing to smoke.

its not like a house plant which can take shaded semi light
I beg to differ...I'm in a high rise with modern tinted glass and I do okay for just 6 hours/day of direct sunshine...no artificial light
Yeah maybe not huge but still decent
P9140001.JPG

@GreenBastardo
Last year this one had a mix of sunshine & CFL'S

PIC 1

this year i did a mix of sunshine and CFL/LED bulbs

PIC 2
 

Attachments

sunni

Administrator
Staff member
I beg to differ...I'm in a high rise with modern tinted glass and I do okay for just 6 hours/day of direct sunshine...no artificial light
Yeah maybe not huge but still decent
View attachment 3513508

@GreenBastardo
Last year this one had a mix of sunshine & CFL'S

PIC 1

this year i did a mix of sunshine and CFL/LED bulbs

PIC 2
ya i knew you would respond, i was going to add/edit i suppose it all goes where you live though

you wouldnt get away with that in alaska, its pretty much cloudy 6 out 7 days a week plus rain.
and i wouldnt have gotten away with that in my last apartment as i had limited windows.
 
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