Growing guide

This thread is for people to post any good complete growing guide they find online, so that it eventually is a thread full of different guides. Please post the whole guide tho (from seedling to harvest).

I think this will help many people and will be a quick place to look for multiple ways of completing the task at hand, Flowering, Transplanting ect..
Also handy to compare techniques and decide what one will suite you best!

Try and keep it to a maximum of 3 pages tho lol


I didn't write this so i take no credit for it, i found it online so i thought i would share it with you as i know it will help a few people.


Introduction


Growing marijuana indoors is fast becoming an American Pastime. The reasons are varied. With the increased interest and experimentation in house plant cultivation, it was inevitable that people would apply their knowledge of plant care to growing marijuana. Many of those who occasionally like to light up a joint may find it difficult to locate a source or are hesitant to deal with a perhaps unsavory element of society in procuring their grass.

There is, of course, the criminal aspect of buying or selling grass; Growing marijuana is just as illegal as buying, selling, or smoking it, but growing is something you can do in the privacy of your own home without having to deal with someone you don't know or trust. The best reason for growing your own is the enjoyment you will get out of watching those tiny little seeds you picked out of you stash sprout and become some of the most lovely and lush of all house plants.

Anyone Can Do It

Even if you haven't had any prior experience with growing plants in you home, you can have a successful crop of marijuana by following the simple directions in this pamphlet. If you have had problems in the past with marijuana cultivation, you may find the solutions in the following chapters. Growing a marijuana plant involves four basic steps:
1. Get the seeds. If you don't already have some, you can buy some good Quality Marijuana seeds in our Seedshop or, you can ask your friends to save you seeds out of any good grass they may come across. You'll find that lots of people already have a seed collection of some sort and are willing to part with a few prime seeds in exchange for some of the finished product.
2. Germinate the seeds. You can simply drop a seed into moist soil, but by germinating the seeds first you can be sure that the seed will indeed produce a plant. To germinate seeds, place a group of them between about six moist paper towels, or in the pores of a moist sponge. Leave the towels or sponge moist but not soaking wet. Some seeds will germinate in 24 hours while others may take several days or even a week.
3. Plant the sprouts. As soon as a seed cracks open and begins to sprout, place it on some moist soil and sprinkle a little soil over the top of it.
4. Supply the plants with light. Flourescent lights are the best. Hang the lights with two inches of the soil and after the plants appear above the ground, continue to keep the lights with two inches of the plants. It is as easy as that. If you follow those four steps you will grow a marijuana plant. To ensure prime quality and the highest yield in the shortest time period, however, a few details are necessary.

Soil

Your prime concern, after choosing high quality seeds, is the soil. Use the best soil you can get. Scrimping on the soil doesn't pay off in the long run. If you use unsterilized soil you will almost certainly find parasites in it, probably after it is too late to transplant your marijuana. You can find excellent soil for sale at your local plant shop or nursery, K-Mart, Wal Mart, and even some grocery stores. The soil you use should have these properties for the best possible results:

• It should drain well. That is, it should have some sand in it and also some sponge rock or pearlite
• The ph should be between 6.5 and 7.5 since marijuana does not do well in acidic soil.
  High acidity in soil encourages the plant to be predominantly male, an undesirable trait.
• The soil should also contain humus for retaining moisture and nutrients.

If you want to make your own soil mixture, you can use this recipe: Mix two parts moss with one part sand and one part pearlite or sponge rock to each four gallons of soil. Test your soil for ph with litmus paper or with a soil testing kit available at most plant stores.

To raise the ph of the soil, add 1/2 lb. lime to 1 cubic foot of soil to raise the ph one point. If you absolutely insist on using dirt you dug up from your driveway, you must sterilize it by baking it in your oven for about an hour at 250 degrees. Be sure to moisten it thoroughly first and also prepare yourself for a rapid evacuation of your kitchen because that hot soil is going to stink. Now add to the mixture about one tablespoon of fertilizer (like Rapid-Gro) per gallon of soil and blend it in thoroughly. Better yet, just skip the whole process and spend a couple bucks on some soil.

Containers


After you have prepared your soil, you will have to come up with some kind of container to plant in. The container should be sterilized as well, especially if they have been used previously for growing other plants. The size of the container has a great deal to do with the rate of growth and overall size of the plant. You should plan on transplanting your plant not more than one time, since the process of transplanting can be a shock to the plant and it will have to undergo a recovery period in which growth is slowed or even stopped for a short while.

The first container you use should be no larger than six inches in diameter and can be made of clay or plastic. To transplant, simply prepare the larger pot by filling it with soil and scooping out a little hole about the size of the smaller pot that the plant is in. Turn the plant upside down, pot and all, and tap the rim of the pot sharply on a counter or the edge of the sink. The soil and root ball should come out of the pot cleanly with the soil retaining the shape of the pot and with no disturbances to the root ball.

Another method that can bypass the transplanting problem is using a Jiffy-Pot. Jiffy pots are made of compressed peat moss and can be planted right into moist soil where they decompose and allow the passage of the root system through their walls. The second container should have a volume of at least three gallons. Marijuana doesn't like to have its roots bound or cramped for space, so always be sure that the container you use will be deep enough for your plant's root system. It is very difficult to transplant a five-foot marijuana tree, so plan ahead. It is going to get bigger.

The small plants should be ready to transplant into their permanent homes in about two weeks. Keep a close watch on them after the first week or so and avoid root binding at all costs since the plants never seem to do as well once they have been stunted by the cramping of their roots.

Fertilizer

Marijuana likes lots of food, but you can do damage to the plants if you are too zealous. Some fertilizers can burn a plant and damage its roots if used in to high a concentration. Most commercial soil will have enough nutrients in it to sustain the plant for about three weeks of growth so you don't need to worry about feeding your plant until the end of the third week. The most important thing to remember is to introduce the fertilizer concentration to the plant gradually.

Start with a fairly diluted fertilizer solution and gradually increase the dosage. There are several good marijuana fertilizers on the commercial market, two of which are Rapid-Gro and Eco-Grow. Rapid-Gro has had widespread use in marijuana cultivation and is available in most parts of the United States.

Eco-Grow is also especially good for marijuana since it contains an ingredient that keeps the soil from becoming acid. Most fertilizers cause a ph change in the soil. Adding fertilizer to the soil almost always results in a more acidic ph.
As time goes on, the amount of salts produced by the breakdown of fertilizers in the soil causes the soil to become increasingly acidic and eventually the concentration of these salts in the soil will stunt the plant and cause browning out of the foliage. Also, as the plant gets older its roots become less effective in bringing food to the leaves. To avoid the accumulation of these salts in your soil and to ensure that your plant is getting all of the food it needs you can begin leaf feeding your plant at the age of about 1.5 months. Dissolve the fertilizer in worm water and spray the mixture directly onto the foliage. The leaves absorb the fertilizer into their veins. If you want to continue to put fertilizer into the soil as well as leaf feeding, be sure not to overdose your plants.
Remember to increase the amount of food your plant receives gradually. Marijuana seems to be able to take as much fertilizer as you want to give it as long as it is introduced over a period of time. During the first three months or so, fertilize your plants every few days. As the rate of foliage growth slows down in the plant's preparation for blooming and seed production, the fertilizer intake of the plant should be slowed down as well. Never fertilize the plant just before you are going to harvest it since the fertilizer will encourage foliage production and slow down resin production.

A word here about the most organic of fertilizers: worm castings. As you may know, worms are raised commercially for sale to gardeners. The breeders put the worms in organic compost mixtures and while the worms are reproducing they eat the organic matter and expel some of the best marijuana food around. After the worms have eaten all the organic matter in the compost, they are removed and sold and the remains are then sold as worm castings.

These castings are so rich that you can grow marijuana in straight worm castings. This isn't really necessary however, and it is somewhat impractical since the castings are very expensive. If you can afford them you can, however, blend them in with your soil and they will make a very good organic fertilizer.

Light


Without light, the plants cannot grow. In the countries in which marijuana grows best, the sun is the source of light. The amount of light and the length of the growing season in these countries results in huge tree-like plants.

In most parts of North America, however, the sun is not generally intense enough for long enough periods of time to produce the same size and quality of plants that grow with ease in Latin America and other tropical countries. The answer to the problem of lack of sun, especially in the winter months, shortness of the growing season, and other problems is to grow indoor under simulated conditions. The rule of thumb seems to be the more light, the better. In one experiment we know of, eight eight-foot VHO Gro-Lux fixtures were used over eight plants.

The plants grew at an astonishing rate. The lights had to be raised every day. There are many types of artificial light and all of them do different things to your plants. The common incandescent light bulb emits some of the frequencies of light the plant can use, but it also emits a high percentage of far red and infra-red light which cause the plant to concentrate its growth on the stem. This results in the plant stretching toward the light bulb until it becomes so tall and spindly that it just weakly topples over. There are several brands of bulb type.

One is the incandescent plant spot light which emits higher amounts of red and blue light than the common light bulb. It is an improvement, but has it drawbacks. It is hot, for example and cannot be placed close to the plants. Consequently, the plant has to stretch upwards again and is in danger of becoming elongated and falling over. The red bands of light seem to encourage stem growth which is not desirable in growing marijuana. The idea is to encourage foliage growth for obvious reasons. Gro-Lux lights are probably the most common flourescent plant lights.

In our experience with them, they have proven themselves to be extremely effective. They range in size from one to eight feet in length so you can set up a growing room in a closet or a warehouse. There are two types of Gro-Lux lights: The standard and the wide spectrum. They can be used in conjunction with on another, but the wide spectrum lights are not sufficient on their own.

The wide spectrum lights were designed as a supplementary light source and are cheaper than the standard lights. Wide spectrum lights emit the same bands of light as the standard but the standard emit higher concentrations of red and blue bands that the plants need to grow. The wide spectrum lights also emit infra-red, the effect of which on stem growth we have already discussed. If you are planning to grow on a large scale, you might be interested to know that the regular flourescent lamps and fixtures, the type that are used in commercial lighting, work well when used along with standard Gro- Lux lights. These commercial lights are called cool whites, and are the cheapest of the flourescent lights we have mentioned. They emit as much blue light as the Gro-Lux standards and the blue light is what the plants use in foliage growth.
Now we come to the question of intensity. Both the standard and wide spectrum lamps come in three intensities: regular output, high output and very high output. You can grow a nice crop of plants under the regular output lamps and probably be quite satisfied with our results. The difference in using the HO or VHO lamps is the time it takes to grow a crop. Under a VHO lamp, the plants grow at a rate that is about three times the rate at which they grow under the standard lamps.

People have been known to get a plant that is four feet tall in two months under one of these lights. Under the VHO lights, one may have to raise the lights every day which means a growth rate of ate least two inches a day. The only drawback is the expense of the VHO lamps and fixtures.The VHO lamps and fixtures are almost twice the price of the standard. If you are interested in our opinion, they are well worth it. Now that you have your lights up, you might be curious about the amount of light to give you plants per day.

The maturation date of your plants is dependent on how much light they receive per day. The longer the dark period per day, the sooner the plant will bloom. Generally speaking, the less dark per day the better during the first six months of the plant's life. The older the plant is before it blooms and goes to seed, the better the grass will be. After the plant is allowed to bloom, its metabolic rate is slowed so that the plant's quality does not increase with the age at the same rate it did before it bloomed.

The idea, then, is to let the plant get as old as possible before allowing it to mature so that the potency will be a high as possible at the time of harvest. One relatively sure way to keep your plants from blooming until you are ready for them is to leave the lights on all the time. Occasionally a plant will go ahead and bloom anyway, but it is the exception rather than the rule. If your plants receive 12 hours of light per day they will probably mature in 2 to 2.5 months.

If they get 16 hours of light per day they will probably be blooming in 3.5 to 4 months. With 18 hours of light per day, they will flower in 4.5 to 5 months. Its a good idea to put your lights on a timer to ensure that the amount of light received each day remains constant. A "vacation" timer, normally used to make it look like you are home while you are away, works nicely and can be found at most hardware or discount stores.
Energy Emissions In Arbitrary Color Bands : 40 Watt Flourescent Lamps : In Watts and Percent of Total Emissions

Temperature and Humidity


The ideal temperature for the light hours is 68 to 78 degrees fahrenheit and for the dark hours there should be about a 15 degree drop in temperature. The growing room should be relatively dry if possible. What you want is a resinous coating on the leaves and to get the plant to do this, you must convince it that it needs the resinous coating on its leaves to protect itself from drying out. In an extremely humid room, the plants develop wide leaves and do not produce as much resin.

You must take care not to let the temperature in a dry room become too hot, however, since the plant cannot assimilate water fast enough through its roots and its foliage will begin to brown out.

Ventilation


Proper ventilation in your growing room is fairly important. The more plants you have in one room, the more important good ventilation becomes. Plants breathe through their leaves. The also rid themselves of poisons through their leaves. If proper ventilation is not maintained, the pores of the leaves will become clogged and the leaves will die. If there is a free movement of air, the poisons can evaporate off the leaves and the plant can breathe and remain healthy.
In a small closet where there are only a few plants you can probably create enough air circulation just by opening the door to look at them. Although it is possible to grow healthy looking plants in poorly ventilated rooms, they would be larger and healthier if they had a fresh supply of air coming in. If you spend a lot of time in your growing room, your plants will grow better because they will be using the carbon dioxide that you are exhaling around them.

It is sometimes quite difficult to get a fresh supply of air in to your growing room because your room is usually hidden away in a secret corner of your house, possibly in the attic or basement. In this case, a fan will create some movement of air. It will also stimulate your plants into growing a healthier and sturdier stalk. Often times in an indoor environment, the stems of plants fail to become rigid because they don't have to cope with elements of wind and rain. To a degree, though, this is an advantage because the plant puts most of its energy into producing leaves and resin instead of stems.

Dehumidifying Your Growing Room


Cannabis that grows in a hot, dry climate will have narrower leaves than cannabis grown in a humid atmosphere. The reason is that in a dry atmosphere the plant can respirate easier because the moisture on the leaves evaporates faster. In a humid atmosphere, the moisture cannot evaporate as fast.

Consequently, the leaves have to be broader with more surface area in order to expel the wastes that the plant put out. Since the broad leaves produce less resin per leaf than the narrow there will be more resin in an ounce of narrow leaves than in one ounce of broad leaves. There may be more leaf mass in the broader leafed plants, but most people are growing their own for quality rather than quantity.
Since the resin in the marijuana plant serves the purpose of keeping the leaves from drying out, there is more apt to be a lot of resin produced in a dry room than in a humid one. In the Sears catalog, dehumidifiers cost around $100.00 and are therefore a bit impractical for the "hobby grower."

Watering


If you live near a clear mountain stream, you can skip this bit on the quality of water. Most of us are supplied water by the city and some cities add more chemicals to the water than others. They all add chlorine, however, in varying quantities. Humans over the years have learned to either get rid of it somehow or to live with it, but your marijuana plants won't have time to acquire a taste for it so you had better see that they don't have to.

Chlorine will evaporate if you let the water stand for 24 hours in an open container. Letting the water stand for a day or two will serve a dual purpose: The water will come to room temperature during that period of time and you can avoid the nasty shock your plants sufferwhen you drench them with cold water. Always water with room temperature to lukewarm water. If your water has an excessive amount of chlorine in it, you may want to get some anti- chlorine drops at the local fish or pet store. The most important thing about watering is to do it thoroughly. You can water a plant in a three gallon container with as much as three quarts of water.

The idea is to get the soil evenly moist all the way to the bottom of the pot. If you use a little water, even if you do it often, it seeps just a short way down into the soil and any roots below the moist soil will start to turn upwards toward the water. The second most important thing about watering is to see to it that the pot has good drainage. There should be some holes in the bottom so that any excess water will run out.

If the pot won't drain, the excess water will accumulate in a pocket and rot the roots of the plant or simply make the soil sour or mildew. The soil, as we said earlier, must allow the water to drain evenly through it and must not become hard or packed. If you have made sure that the soil contains sand and pearlite, you shouldn't have drainage problems.

To discover when to water, feel the soil with your finger. if you feel moisture in the soil, you can wait a day or two to water. The soil near the top of the pot is always drier than the soil further down. You can drown your plant just as easily as you can let it get too dry and it is more likely to survive a dry spell than it is to survive a torrential flood. Water the plants well when you water and don't water them at all when they don't need it.

Bugs

If you can avoid getting bugs in the first place you will be much better off. Once your plants become infested you will prob-ably be fighting bugs for the rest of your plants' lives. To avoid bugs be sure to use sterilized soil and containers and don't bring other plants from outside into your growing room.

If you have bets, ensure that they stay out of your growing room, since they can bring in pests on their fur. Examine your plants regularly for signs of insects, spots, holes in the leaves, browning of the tips of the leaves, and droopy branches.

If you find that somehow in spite of all your precautions you have a plant room full of bugs, you'll have to spray your plants with some kind of insecticide. You'll want to use something that will kill the bugs and not you. Spider mites are probably the bug that will do the most damage to the marijuana plants. One of the reasons is that they are almost microscopic and very hard to spot. They are called spider mites because they leave a web-like substance clinging to the leaves. They also cause tiny little spots to appear on the leaves. Probably the first thing you'll notice, however, is that your plants look sick and depressed.

The mites suck enzymes from the leaves and as a result the leaves lose some of their green color and glossiness. Sometimes the leaves look like they have some kid of fungus on them. The eggs are very tiny black dots. You might be wise to get a magnifying glass so that you can really scrutinize your plants closely. Be sure to examine the underside of the leaves too.

The mites will often be found clinging to the underside as well as the top of the leaves. The sooner you start fighting the bugs, the easier it will be to get rid of them. For killing spider mites on marijuana, one of the best insecticides if "Fruit and Berry" spray made by llers.

Ortho also produces several insecticides that will kill mites. The ingredients to look for are Kelthane and Malatheon. Both of these poisons are lethal to humans and pets as well as bugs, but they both detoxify in about ten days so you can safely smoke the grass ten days after spraying. Fruit and Berry will only kill the adult mite, however, and you'll have to spray every four days for about two weeks to be sure that you have killed all the adults before they have had a chance to lay eggs.

Keep a close watch on your plants because it only takes one egg laying adult to re- infest your plants and chances are that one or two will escape your barrage of insecticides. If you see little bugs flying around your plants, they are probably white flies.The adults are immune to almost all the commercial insecticides except Fruit and Berry which will not kill the eggs or larva. It is the larval stage of this insect that does the most damage. They suck out enzymes too, and kill your plants if they go unchecked. You will have to get on a spraying program just as was explained in the spider mite section.
An organic method of bug control is using soap suds. Put Ivory flakes in some lukewarm water and work up the suds into a lather. Then put the suds over the plant. The obvious disadvantage is it you don't rinse the soap off the plant you'll taste the soap when you smoke the leaves.

Pruning


We have found that pruning is not always necessary. The reason one does it in the first place is to encourage secondary growth and to allow light to reach the immature leaves. Some strands of grass just naturally grow thick and bushy and if they are not clipped the sap moves in an uninterrupted flow right to the top of the plant where it produces flowers that are thick with resin.

On the other hand, if your plants appear tall and spindly for their age at three weeks, they probably require a little trimming to ensure a nice full leafy plant. At three weeks of age your plant should have at least two sets of branches or four leaf clusters and a top.

To prune the plant, simply slice the top off just about the place where two branches oppose each other. Use a razor blade in a straight cut. If you want to, you can root the top in some water and when the roots appear, plant the top in moist soil and it should grow into another plant. If you are going to root the top you should cut the end again, this time with a diagonal cut so as to expose more surface to the water or rooting solution.

The advantage to taking cuttings from your plant is that it produces more tops. The tops have the resin, and that's the name of the game. Every time you cut off a top, the plant seeds out two more top branches at the base of the existing branches. Pruning also encourages the branches underneath to grow faster than they normally would without the top having been cut.

Harvesting and Curing


Well, now that you've grown your marijuana, you will want to cur it right so that it smokes clean and won't bite. You can avoid that "homegrown" taste of chlorophyll that sometimes makes one's fillings taste like they might be dissolving. We know of several methods of curing the marijuana so that it will have a mild flavor and a mellow rather than harsh smoke.
First, pull the plant up roots and all and hang it upside down for 24 hours. Then put each plant in a paper grocery bag with the top open for three or four days or until the leaves feel dry to the touch. Now strip the leaves off the stem and put them in a glass jar with a lid. Don't pack the leaves in tightly, you want air to reach all the leaves.

The main danger in the curing process is mold. If the leaves are too damp when you put them into the jar, they will mold and since the mold will destroy the resins, mold will ruin your marijuana. you should check the jars every day by smelling them and if you smell an acrid aroma, take the weed out of the jar and spread it out on newspaper so that it can dry quickly. Another method is to uproot the plants and hang them upside down.

You get some burlap bags damp and slip them up over the plants. Keep the bags damp and leave them in the sun for at least a week. Now put the plants in a paper bag for a few days until the weed is dry enough to smoke. Like many fine things in life, marijuana mellows out with age. The aging process tends to remove the chlorophyll taste.

Table of Contents

• Your place of growing
• Materials
• Seeds
• Stage 1: Starting your seeds
• Stage 2: Sprouting in soil
• Stage 3: Jiffy cup to 5-gal bucket
• Stage 4a:Flowering
• Stage 4b: Mating (Optional)
• Stage 5a: Clipping and Drying
• Stage 5b: Curing (Optional)
• Disclaimer

Your place of growing

The place you would grow your plants would have to be adequate for your plants overall ending size. For most plants this can tend to be anywhere's from an area of 1'x1' floor space and 3' of height to, for much larger growths, 4'x4'x10' for each plant. But you will most likely need 2.5'x2.5'x6' for each good healthy plant. You do not need to sprout, grow and mature your plants all in the same spot. Be sure that your plants get plenty of air circulation and that with lights, any heating equipment, and any other sources nearby, that the room will stay at approx. 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit (optimal growth range 73-7. Beware of the smell of your plants drifting into your neighborhood, as it is illegal to cultivate this misunderstood plant. Also, be sure to include outlets for lighting and cooling.
CO2: CO2 is an entirely optional system for helping your plants growth. If there is enough air circulation there should not be any need for such a system, as you could possibly kill the plants with to
much. But, if you do choose to use this option, CO2 can be obtained from
local gas supply companies. A tank can be obtained for around $100-200 with
refills generally costing about $30-50.

Note: This is, of course, true only if you do not live in a smog filled city, where it would be healthier for your plants to be giving them cleaned and/or CO2.


Materials

LIGHTS: I feel that the best lights you can use are fluorescents. 25-watt 4-foot tubes are most likely the optimum lights, period. Using normal shop lights for your growth stage and warm "bathroom/kitchen" lights for maturing will be excellent for home personal-use ganja growing. In the seedling stage I prefer to use 75-watt halogen "Plant-Lights" to wake 'them up. You may want to purchase more expensive lighting, such as HID systems and High-Pressure Sodium lights, if you plan on more than one crop and/or larger crops. But, it is still better to keep a low profile with low energy using lighting and cooling.
SOIL: Your soil should be clean of contaminants and of high quality. Sand is something you should keep away from. Most store bought soils will work fine in this case.
PLANT FOOD: Your plants will need supplemental food other than what is in the soil, so buying supplemental nutrients is a very good idea. For the sprouting stage you do not truly need food unless you want to baby your plants. If you do, the sprouting stage requires a NPK'S ratio of approximately 12-8-12. NPK'S stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. These are the basic nutrients required by plants, and most plat foods have other added nutrients, that the makers feel improve plant growth. For your growth stage you will need food with a NPK'S ratio of about 15-5-5 and in the flowering stage of 10-30-10.
CONTAINERS: It is best to transplant as little as possible to ensure female turnout, so my method has to planting steps: Once to a "Jiffy Pot" and then to a 5-gal. bucket. At most growing stores you may purchase "Jiffy 7 peat pots", or another look-alike brand, for a reasonable price. The entire body of these cups is made of a bio-degradable material that the roots of the plants easily grow through, allowing you to put the entire pot and plant, no pun, directly into the next growing bucket. Be sure to sterilize the buckets before using them for your plants.
WATER: The water you use should be sterile and of a ph level of 6-6.5. In other words, the 25-cent per gallon water from Wall-mart will work fine. A spray bottle for water will work excellent for helping your plants receive water.
INSECTICIDES: DO NOT USE SYNTHETIC AND/OR CHEMICAL INSECTICIDES!! They WILL kill your plants, and if you smoke your plants, they may kill you.

Seeds

You should use your own best judgement on what seeds to use, but, the basic things you should keep in mind are as follows:

• The seeds come from a good background; "The smoke was good."
• When lightly squished between your fingers the seed does not pop.
• The more "plump" the seed the easier it will sprout.
• The fresher the seed the more likely to grow.

Stage 1: Starting your seeds

To sprout your seeds, get a kitchen plate and two paper towels. Place the first paper towel on the plate and soak the towel with water. Then, put the seeds you want to sprout onto the paper towel at least 1 cm apart. After that, place the other paper towel over the plate, and add more water to soak the towel. Now you may place any food you have for sprouting stage in the plate or add nutrient supplemented water. Place plate under growth lamp, on a 24-hour schedule, and add water daily, to keep soaked. In about one week, or often in less time, you will see the sprouting of your babies. You may now go to Stage 2.

Stage 2: Sprouting in soil

Once you see the sprouts it is time for the sprouting stage. Fill the Jiffy Pots close to the rim. Push your finger into the center until your finger is half the way in the soil. Carefully place one seed in the hole with the root pointing up. This will help to build strength for you baby. Lightly cover the seed with soil and place under intense light. Soak the soil with nutrient supplemented water. If the plant does not get enough light, it will grow tall too quickly and the plant will not be strong enough to support itself and will quickly die. Put the cup on a saucer and put water in the saucer daily. The pot and soil will soak up the water for the plant. You can spray water on the plant to help it and to create a little humidity. The plant will first grow two round leaves, followed by two longer textured leaves on each side. We will call these sets. One more set of two may appear. After that two sets of three's on each side. After that, sets of five, and, when the plant feels it's strong enough, sets of seven on each side. If your growing conditions are the best those plants strain have seen, or pretty close to it, you will see nine leaf sets. But all of that is yet to come. When your baby grows the three leaf sets you may move to stage 3.

Stage 3: Jiffy Cup to 5-gal. bucket

Cut hole for drainage in the bottoms of the buckets and place them on trays to collect the water. Fill the bucket up to 2-4 inches from the top. Dig out a hole in the center big enough to hold the entire Jiffy Pot. Soak the soil with nutrient supplemented water. When the plant reaches a height of about two feet, you should go to the flowering stage.
Stage 4a: Flowering

In the fruiting stage, your plants will double their size from start of flowering to maturity, when you can trim, dry, and smoke. You will need to change the lighting schedule from 24 to 12 on - 12 off. You will also need to change the NPK'S of the food to 10-30-10. In anywhere from a few days to a few weeks you will be able to see the buds begin to form. They will look like the buds on a tree, only greener. In a few weeks you will be able to tell sexes. The females will grow two little pistils in the shape of a V out of the end of the little bud. The males will not.

You should keep the females away from the males. The reason for this is that the males mature faster and will pollinated your plants too early. When this happens the entire female bud will be full of seeds.

Stage 4b: Mating (Optional)

It is a good idea to pollinate your females, not only to get seeds for another crop, but also because if you are growing with seeds from a local bag, they will most likely grow at least one hermaphrodite, that is one with a male bud or more growing among the females. When the males mature and begin to open and distribute pollen. When this happens you should collect the pollen with a Q-tip and store it in a glass container until the last 3-4 weeks of the females flowering stages.
The pistils of the females will be white until they are ready to snip. When the plant has reached around twice their size in the first part of the flowering stage, look for the white pistils to begin to darken to a greenish-brown. When you first see this happen, you should pollinate the bud. When about 60% of the pistils do this the bud is ready to clip.

Stage 5a: Clipping and Drying

Clipping should be done with a sharp razor, if you plan to keep growing the plant. If not, cut the branch with a sharp pair of scissors. Either way, you need to trim the leaves and other excess "shake". Drying should be done as slowly a possible. Place the buds on a screen and place the screen in a dark cool place, at about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with plenty of fresh air movement. Check on them daily, turning them over, to distribute the drying, and checking for an ammonia smell. If you smell that, there is mold on your crop, and can minimize your yields very quickly. If you smell this, quickly find the source and isolate it from the rest of the crop. Mold can spread of entire yields in less than 24 hours, so beware! When your buds feel like you know they should feel then they're ready to smoke. An easy way to figure on the best dryness is to roll up a big fatty. If it stays lit, It's ready to go!

Stage 5b: Curing

can have an excellent effect on your pot. If curing is done correctly, your smoke will have a better smell and a premium taste. It can also make it a much smoother smoke and a more potent bag of weed. If done incorrectly, the disadvantages can range from a nasty taste and a weak high to being so infected with mold, that it can prove fatal. If you smoke local city pot, it usually is never cured, so doing so can be a very nice smoking experience for all whom try your weed.
To begin curing your plants fruit, you will take a paper bag and a plastic bag. The paper bag will provide the darkness required for the process, while the plastic will keep the paper from absorbing the precious THC. Line the paper bag with the plastic bag. Place a few of your buds in the plastic bag until it is a little less than half-full. Roll it down, lightly, so it is not to suffocate them, and roll the paper bag down. Check it daily, smelling for ammonia and turning the buds to distribute the "cure". What will occur is that inside the plastic bag, the moisture that is left in the center of the buds will work its way to the surface, kind of like as if your plants were sweating. This is what I believe is what creates the better, smoother smoke. If you smell ammonia, or anything that doesn't smell like buds for that matter, you probably have an infection of mold another like fungus. Once you feel you have mastered basic curing, you can try experimenting with things like adding a piece of fruit, to try to flavor it a little, or any thing else your demented mind can think of.

Section I
Introduction
Where To Grow
Hydroponics
Lighting
Seeds Or Clones
Growing
Flowering
Male Plants
Harvesting And Curing
Books
Required Item List



How To Grow Hydroponic Marijuana Introduction

When you grow hydroponic marijuana yourself, you know the crop will be potent (if you started with good seeds) and clean. That is something you can't always count on when buying from someone else. This is especially important if you are growing for medical reasons.
Using hydroponics to grow plants is fairly simple once you understand how it works. Anyone who wants to learn to grow hydroponic marijuana will succeed in time.
When you know how to grow your own, you will not have to pay ridiculous prices for top grade marijuana and you will never run out.
You can use a hydroponic garden to grow just about any kind of plant, not just marijuana. The experience you gain growing hydroponic marijuana can be applied to any other hydroponic crop you decide to grow in the future.
A hydroponic garden will require monitoring to make sure everything is working properly. If you are away from the grow area for long periods of time, growing hydroponic marijuana might not be possible.
How it works: A seed that has been germinated and sprouted a root or a plant cutting (clone) is placed in a hydroponic garden and supplied with nutrients (food) and light. After this, the plant develops a root system and leaves. Plants are given about 16-18 hours of light a day during this (the seedling) stage of growth.
After the plant has put down a solid root system and grown some leaves, it enters the next stage of the marijuana plant life cycle. This is called the growth or vegetative phase. During this phase the light source is on 18 to 24 hours a day. When growing hydroponic marijuana indoors the seedling/vegetative stage usually lasts 4 to 8 weeks.
The next stage is called flowering. When growing indoors, the flowering stage is started by cutting the light down to 12 hours on and 12 hours off per 24 hour period. With most marijuana strains, the flowering stage lasts about 8 to 12 weeks. Almost all THC (the primary cannabinoid that causes marijuana intoxication) is produced during the flowering stage.
Total time from germinating to harvest is about 4 months. This can be shortened to 3 months or less by using two growing areas, one for the first stages of life and another strictly for flowering. At the end of flowering, marijuana plants are harvested then allowed to air dry.


Where To Grow Hydroponic Marijuana

This guide is about growing hydroponic marijuana indoors, so the growing will be done indoors. Where to grow your marijuana depends on what space you have available. An attic, closet or similar space will do, but a room dedicated to growing is preferred.
Things to consider include:
airflow - has to be good
water - easy access to water
well hidden - minimize the chance of theft
electricity - enough power to run everything
temperature - cool area that stays above 60 degrees F
The biggest problem most new growers face is heat. A room with an exhaust fan on the ceiling is a good choice, if it is available. The exhaust fan on the ceiling will help keep the temperature cool, and if needed, you can upgrade to a stronger fan to remove a larger volume of hot air (created by the grow-lights).
A section of a basement also makes a very good area to set up a grow room. An attic will work but heat can be a real problem unless very well ventilated. All grow rooms require fresh air (from another room or outdoors) to replace carbon dioxide that the plants breathe when the grow light(s) are on. Almost any grow room will need some kind of exhaust fan that will move hot air out of the grow room.
After you have decided where you are going to grow, you have to clean the area and keep it clean. That means scrubbing walls, cleaning equipment, washing floors, etc. Carpets should be removed, if possible.
Everything in the growing area should be cleaned then sterilized with something like lysol, bleach, or some other germ killer to prevent the marijuana plants from being harmed by germs, bacteria, molds, etc.
If you are going to grow in an area where the floor may be damaged by water spills (there will be some), the area where the hydroponic system is placed should have some kind of floor covering that will protect it. A thick drop cloth (the plastic sheets painters use to protect items from paint damage) will do a good job.
Once clean, you can paint the walls and ceiling with white paint to reflect light or use black/white visqueen plastic (white side towards the plants so light is reflected). Commercial reflectors like mylar are sometimes used for this purpose because they are more efficient. Do not use mirrors because they absorb light.
gloss white paint is about 70% to 75% reflective
flat white paint is about 75% to 80% reflective
white visqueen plastic is about 70% to 80% reflective
mylar is about 95% reflective


Indica And Sativa
Before you can start to grow, you will need marijuana seeds or clones. There are two species of cannabis that are grown to produce marijuana, they are Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. Even though there are dozens, if not hundreds of marijuana strains, most strains used to grow marijuana are mainly indica, mainly sativa, or an indica/sativa mix.
All things considered, mainly indica plants are by far the best plant for hydroponic beginners growing indoors. They are easier to grow, don't get as tall, and produce a larger harvest than sativa plants. The only drawback is indica plants have lower THC levels than sativa plants, this makes them a bit less potent.
As a grower gains experience they may try growing an indica/sativa mix. When very experienced, an indoor hydroponic grower may try a mainly sativa strain. But for the first few crops, stick with indica or indica/sativa plants.


Hydroponic System For Growing Marijuana

Now you have a basic idea of how things work, let's get into more detail. If you are going to be growing hydroponic marijuana and have chosen a suitable location, you will need a hydroponic system, also called a hydroponic garden.
There are different types of hydroponic systems available to marijuana growers. If you would like to know more about hydroponics and the different types of hydroponic systems, there is a good article at wikipedia.
The most common systems for growing marijuana are:
aeroponics
deep water culture
drip (top feed or top irrigation)
ebb and flow
nutrient film technique (NFT)
The method you choose should meet your budget and be able to fit in your growing area. NFT and aeroponic systems are the most efficient types of systems, but they are a bit harder to maintain.
The number of plants your garden can sustain and the area your garden covers will determine how much light you need. Read the section in this guide about lighting before deciding on a hydroponic system.
A hydroponic system is made to grow plants without soil. Plant nutrients are mixed with water and 'delivered' to the plants roots by a pump or other method. This delivering of nutrients means that the plant doesn't have to use as much energy making roots in search of the nutrients it requires.
Energy not used looking for food is used to make the plant develop its leaves and flowers faster than they would if grown in soil.
It's not uncommon for marijuana plants in hydroponic garden to grow as much as 1 to 2 inches or more, per day, during the vegetative growth phase.
Because no soil is used, some hydroponic systems require something for the plants roots to anchor themselves to. This is usually referred to as the growing media or growing medium.
For a personal indoor hydroponic marijuana garden, plants should be grown about eight to sixteen inches apart. Some strains are bushy and they will require more space but produce a larger yield than a slender strain.
Unless you plan on growing small plants, the roots require a fairly large area to grow in. The opening for each plants roots should be about three inches (or larger). This will accommodate a marijuana plant that will produce a half ounce of marijuana or more. Smaller plants can be grown with a smaller space for roots.

The hydroponic garden pictured here is an NFT type garden but other types of hydroponics systems can be found with similar dimensions. It's 24 inches off the floor and covers a 48 inch by 48 inch area.
A reservoir (shown in black in the picture) placed below the area where the plants grow (shown in white in the picture) is filled with water and nutrients. A pump moves this nutrient solution from the reservoir and supplies it to the roots of the plants growing above.
Openings for the plants root system are about 3 inches by 3 inches, ideal for 3 inch rockwool cubes. Capacity is 23 plants spaced about 9 inches apart. Plants grown 9 inches apart will only be able to branch 4.5 inches away from the main stem before competing for light with adjoining plants.
This might be ok for slender plants, but with marijuana plants that will produce 1/2 to 1 ounce each at harvest time, you would only be able to grow a maximum of 9 to 12 plants in a garden with these dimensions. Some of the plant openings wouldn't be occupied. The extra room would allow plants to branch further and produce a larger crop.
If you grew 9 to 12 marijuana plants in a hydroponic garden with these dimensions and used a 400 watt lighting system, the expected yield would be about 1/2 to 1 ounce per plant, every four months.
An indica or indica/sativa strain grown in a properly maintained hydroponic garden like this (9-12 plants supplied with 400 watts of light) would provide enough marijuana to allow you to consume about 2 ounces a month without ever having to buy marijuana again.
A mainly sativa strain might only produce enough marijuana to allow you to consume a bit over 1 ounce of marijuana per month. That is to say, when grown under the same conditions, some sativa plants will only yield 1/2 ounce per plant while an indica or indica/sativa plant could yield nearly 1 ounce per plant.


Lighting For Growing Hydroponic Marijuana

Choosing a hydroponic system will necessitate the consideration of the right grow light for your needs. Metal Halide (mh) and/or High Pressure Sodium (hps) are the lighting systems you need to flower hydroponic marijuana.
Fluorescent and LED grow lights are good for the seedling/vegetative stages of growth (or as supplemental light when flowering) but at the present time, they will not produce as big of a harvest as mh or hps grow lights during flowering. It will also take more time for the plant to mature.
Beware of claims by fluorescent and LED grow light sellers that say their lights will preform as good as mh or hps lights. The only light I have seen that looked like it might compete with a 400 watt mh or hps light was an LED light system that costed over $1000. A good 400 watt mh or hps grow light can be purchased for under $400.
If LED technology improves and prices come down, LED grow lights might become the best choice of grow light in the future. But if you are serious about growing marijuana now, mh or hps are the only grow lights to consider, at least for flowering.
The sun emits light energy that spans from the red to the blue end of the light spectrum. As far as marijuana plants are concerned, in spring-summer when plants start to grow (seedling and vegetative stages) there is more blue spectrum energy, that (along with long days) promotes plant growth.
In summer-fall when plants produce flowers, there is more red spectrum energy. The change in light (and more importantly shorter days) cause hormones in plants to increase flower and THC production.
Metal halide light fixtures produce large amounts of blue spectrum energy and are best for vegetative (beginning) growth. The light produced looks similar to the 'cool white' fluorescent light found in schools, offices, stores, and other high traffic areas.

High pressure sodium light fixtures produce large amounts of red spectrum energy and are best for flowering (later) growth. The light produced looks similar to the 'warm' incandescent lights found in homes, but has a deeper orange-red color. The street lamps in many cities are hps lights.


What light should you get?
In a perfect world both metal halide (mh) and high pressure sodium (hps) would be used during both the vegetative and flowering stages of growth.
For example, a garden with 15 plants or less could use a 250 watt hps and a 250 watt mh lighting fixture. A garden with 20 plants or less could use a 400 watt hps and a 250 watt mh lighting fixture (or 250 watt hps and a 400 watt mh).
This is not always possible because the cost of two light fixtures will be more that of a single fixture. Two lights will also take up more space and might produce more heat than a single unit.


You can run

1. hps light through both stages of growth (ok).
2. mh light through both stages of growth (ok).
3. run a mh light through the veg phase of growth followed by hps light through flowering (very good).
4. run both mh and hps light through both stages of growth (best).

When given the choice of only one light, most marijuana growers will choose an hps grow light over mh, because hps lights are more efficient (larger harvest).
You can't use a standard high pressure sodium bulb in a metal halide fixture, but you can use a metal halide bulb in a high pressure sodium fixture of the same wattage.
There are special hps bulbs that can be used in a mh fixture and vice-versa. But these conversion bulbs cost about double the price of a standard bulb.
When I began to grow, there was only a 400 watt high pressure sodium fixture available to grow with. A 400 watt metal halide bulb was used in that 400 watt high pressure sodium fixture during the vegetative stage. The light was on 18 to 24 hours a day at this time.
When the plants were ready to start flowering, the 400 watt metal halide bulb was replaced with a 400 watt high pressure sodium bulb. During the flowering phase the high pressure sodium light cycle was changed to 12 hours on and 12 hours off a day. Running a mh bulb in an hps fixture is not recommended operating procedure, but it does work if the need should arise.
If you can only afford a single fixture, get a high pressure sodium fixture with a high pressure sodium bulb and a metal halide bulb (both bulbs rated for the same wattage as your light fixture). Use the metal halide bulb for vegetative growth and the high pressure sodium for flowering. When you have enough money, get a proper metal halide fixture.
The list below gives an approximate idea of the area covered and how many marijuana plants can be grown with a certain wattage light system in a dark room. Any sunlight you can give the plants will increase the number of plants you can grow, and will help the plants grow faster.

The number of plants in the list below is an approximate maximum number you can grow with various wattage mh or hps grow light systems. It is not exact, but it should give you an idea of the area a grow light can cover, and the number of marijuana plants that can be grown in that area.

• A 250 watt fixture will supply enough light to cover a 2.5 foot by 2.5 foot grow area. (6 plants or less)
• A 400 watt fixture will supply enough light to cover a 4 foot by 4 foot grow area. (12 plants or less)
• A 600 watt fixture will supply enough light to cover a 5 foot by 5 foot grow area. (18 plants or less)
• A 1000 watt fixture will supply enough light to cover a 6.5 foot by 6.5 foot grow area. (30 plants or less)

In order for the heat produced by a light system not to harm the plant, a 250 watt light system should be started 18 to 30 inches above the tops of the plants, a 400 watt light system should be started 3 to 4 feet above the tops of the plants,
A 600 watt light system should be started 4 to 5 feet above the tops of the plants, a 1000 watt light system should be started 5 to 6 feet above the tops of the plants.
The light should be lowered a few inches everyday until the light is as close as it can be without harming the plant. You will have to figure out the optimal distance yourself because it will vary depending on bulb efficiency, quality of reflector, and other things.
Whatever your light source, replace bulbs after 6 to 12 months of use. If the light is on 24 hours a day replace it after 6 months. If the light is on 18 hours a day replace it after 9 months. If the light is on 12 hours a day replace it after 12 months.
One note about replacement bulbs, they can be divided into three categories: vertical, horizontal, universal. Vertical bulbs have to be used with fixtures in the vertical position. Horizontal bulbs have to be used with fixtures in the horizontal position. Universal bulbs can be used in a horizontal or vertical position. If you aren't sure what to buy, make sure you get a universal bulb. It will work in either type of fixture.
The standard ceiling is 8 feet (96 inches) from the floor, most hydroponic systems are on a platform that is 18 to 30 inches off the floor and the plant itself will probably be 18 to 36 inches tall when fully grown.
In most cases if your ceiling isn't more than 8 feet (96 inches) from the floor, the largest light system you should get is 400-600 watts. 400-600 watt systems are used by a majority of marijuana growers who are growing for personal consumption. If you need more light, get 250, 400, or 600 watt lights rather than 1000 watt lights.
Experienced growers know how to limit the height of a plant by making plants grow horizontally as opposed to the natural vertical growth marijuana plants follow. The first time grower should use a 1000 watt light systems only in areas with ceiling heights of 10 feet (120 inches) or more.


Seeds Or Clones To Grow Hydroponic Marijuana

Now that you understand hydroponic systems and grow lights, it's time to decide on seeds or clones. Most people start from seeds but someone who is currently growing a crop will be able to provide you with clones from female plants.
Clones are simply cuttings taken from a growing plant. After a cutting is taken from the mother plant, it will develop into an adult plant, if provided with reasonable growing conditions. Clones will be exact copies of the plant they are taken from.
Make sure to get seeds or clones from someone who can tell you the origin of the strain (indica or sativa), expected yield size, expected flowering time, and if the seed is meant to be grown indoors or outdoors.
Marijuana seeds can be hard to obtain. In the past In the past I have ordered from dutch (Holland) seedbanks. Unfortunately some people (like myself and other growers) are paying for seeds and not getting them.
Instead of ordering from Holland (the netherlands, amsterdam, etcetera), it is safest to buy marijuana seeds through a seedbank that ships from Canada, especially if you are ordering from the United States or Canada. In Europe, try ordering from the UK. Make sure to get an outdoor strain if you plan growing outside, or an indoor strain if you want to grow inside.
A mainly indica strain is probably the best choice for an indoor gardener to start with (growing with either hydroponics or soil). They easy to grow indoors, produce a large yield, don't grow tall, and the high is good.
After you grow hydroponic marijuana from seed, you should learn to clone your plants. Once you know how to clone marijuana, you will not have to buy seeds to start a new crop again.
To ensure a supply of seeds for future propagation, you can produce your own by selectively pollinating a single flower on a female plant (not the entire plant) with pollen from a male plant. When the plant is harvested, the single flower that was pollinated will contain hundreds of seeds.
Set up your hydroponic garden and check your light before you germinate the seeds or get clones. Add plain water with no nutrient solution and start your hydroponic system. Make sure everything works and there are no leaks.
Let it run for a day or more before putting the plants in. Tap water must be aged for 3 days or longer prior to being used in a hydroponic garden. So if you added water right from the tap, wait for 3 days before putting the plants in.
When you are sure that your garden functions properly, you will need to germinate your seeds. If you germinated the seed directly onto your growing medium, you can put it in the garden when you know the seed has sprouted a root that is about a quarter of an inch long.
If you germinated the seed on paper towel, wait till after the seeds have germinated and the root is about a quarter of an inch long. When you see that it is, place the seed (root down) in the hydroponic system growing medium according to the manufacturers instructions.
Wash your hands prior to touching the seeds for any reason, and be very gentle. Do not touch the root itself, it is very sensitive and may be permanently damaged if mis-handled. You don't have to, but some growers find tweezers the best way to work with seeds.
If you have obtained clones, set up your hydroponic garden. When you are sure it functions properly, put the clones in the hydroponic system according to the manufacturers instructions.
After the seeds or clones are put into the garden, allow them to remain in darkness for 8 to 10 hours before turning on the light. This is to allow for recovery from the shock of transplanting, this is more important for clones than seeds.
You can start the seedlings or clones off with hps or mh light from the start. But a better idea is to begin with fluorescent light turned on for 16-18 hours a day until you are ready to grow under hps or mh.
The reason for starting off with fluorescent lighting is to not give the plants too much light. Let them build up to it as they would in nature where the seedlings would take root in spring when the sun is not as strong as it is during summer. It also saves energy.
Use a standard double light 48 inch fluorescent fixtures with two 'cool' 30-60 watt bulbs. A 48 inch fixture with bulbs will cost under $50 at most hardware stores. Place the fluorescent fixtures about 3 to 10 inches above the plants.
4 to 6 inches is good, but you might have to raise the light a bit higher so all the plants get some light. Depending on the size of your setup you might need two fixtures, but in most cases one will be enough.
When the plants have a solid root system, they will start to produce leaves. After a minimum of two or three sets of leaves have appeared (usually in 1 to 2 weeks) the plants are ready to really start growing.


Growing Hydroponic Marijuana

Now the plants are ready to start growing (vegetative phase of life). The hydroponic system is working and the plants have two or more sets of leaves. Remove the fluorescent lighting then install and adjust the height of your metal halide or high pressure sodium fixture.


When you first start the metal halide or high pressure sodium light the distance from the top of the plants to the light source should be started at the following height and lowered daily until you find an optimal distance:

• 18 to 30 inches for 250 watt light
• 3 to 4 feet for 400 watt light
• 4 to 5 feet for 600 watt light
• 5 to 6 feet for 1000 watt light

For the first week, have the light on 18 hours a day and off 6 hours a day. After the first week you can add an hour of light a day until the light is on 19 to 24 hours a day. The longer the light is on, the faster the plants will grow, but the higher you electricity bill will be. I usually give the plants 20-22 hours of light per 24 hour period.
You want the plants to be as close to the light as possible without being burned. If the parts of the plants closest to the light dry out, raise the height of the light source, they are too close. If the plants are too far from the light they will stretch and be tall but not have much bud. That is a waste of space and light energy.
Start high and lower the light a few inches daily until you think the height is right and. Don't forget to raise the light as the plants grow. Plants can grow 3 inches in a single day.
As the plant grows, some leaves will die and should be removed from the plant by cutting them rather than pulling them off by hand. You may also want to prune your plant, see why and how to prune and pruning tips for an explanation.
The plant is allowed to grow in the vegetative stage until it is big enough to provide a worthwhile amount of marijuana when harvested. When growing hydroponic marijuana indoors, the seedling/vegetative stage usually lasts 4 to 8 weeks.
You can let the vegetative stage last several months with no negative effects on the plant. But the vegetative phase can be ended (and the flowering stage began) as soon as the plants are large enough.


Hydroponic Marijuana Flowering

Flowering is the phase of marijuana growth that produces the most THC (the primary chemical that produces intoxication). You could start flowering when the plants are a minimum of about six inches high and have at least four sets of leaves, but the amount of marijuana produced by a plant of this size would be small.
Starting the flowering process when the plants are about twelve inches tall is recommended when using a 400 watt light source (usually after 4 to 8 weeks of vegetative growth). Any taller and the bud isn't as potent because the light can't reach some of the lower branches, any shorter and the harvest is too small.
If you are using a 250 watt light try flowering when the plants are about eight inches tall. Marijuana plants grown under 600-1000 watt systems can be eighteen inches or taller before flowering. Higher wattage bulbs produce enough light to penetrate to the lower branches. The higher the wattage, the taller (more buds) your plants can be without loosing potency.
When the plant is large enough to force into flowering, turn off the light and allow the plant to remain in complete darkness for 24 to 36 hours (you don't have to do this but I've found the plants flower faster by doing so).
To initiate flowering, adjust the light timer to turn the light on for 10-14 hours a day. Most people start a light cycle of 12 hours a day on 12 hours a day off. If the plant got 20-24 hours of light per day prior to flowering, it will flower when the light is on for between 10-14 hours a day.
Less than 12 hours light a day and the plants will be ready to harvest sooner but they will produce a smaller yield. More than 12 hours of light a day and the plants will produce a lager yield but it will take longer for them to mature and harvest.
When you grow hydroponic marijuana indoors the height of the plant will continue to increase for about two to four weeks after flowering has been started.
After two to four weeks of flowering, the height of the plant will stop increasing and most of the female plants energy will be used for flower production, unless pollinated when some energy will be used to produce seeds.
During flowering, the dark period must be perfectly dark. No room light, sun light, or any other light should reach the plant in the 12 hours of darkness that the plant must get everyday.
The strongest light that should reach the plant during the dark period of flowering would equal that of moonlight and only for short periods. Stronger light than this will delay flowering, and if it continues there is a chance that the plant will not flower, but stay in the vegetative phase.
This is more important in the fist 4 weeks of flowering. When the plants have started to flower for over a month, small amounts of light for short periods of time during the dark period are not as harmful.
You will know the plants are flowering when you see what look like little sacks appearing on the male plants and white hairs (pistils) developing at bud sites of female plants. They should be visible after about two weeks of the flowering light cycle.
The white hairs turn color as the plant ages. They will eventually be the red/brown hairs that you see on marijuana that you have probably smoked in the past or are smoking now.


How To Tell Male From Female Marijuana Plants

Sinsemilla marijuana is a term for female plants that have not produced seeds. Not producing seeds allows the plant to use more energy producing THC and other chemicals that users require.
An ancient tradition for cannabis growers, sinsemilla is the result of removing male plants from the grow environment before they have a chance to fertilize the females.
People who grow hydroponic marijuana indoors always grow sinsemilla. Growing sinsemilla outdoors is harder. Outdoors, a single male plant can fertilize females within an area of a few hundred feet. Indoors, a single male plant will fertilize all females plants in the grow room.
If you have started from clones you can skip this part as the clones you obtained were female but if you have grown from seed, you will have to separate the male plants from the female plants before the male plants flower and produce pollen (unless you wish to produce seeds). There is approximately a 50% chance a seed will be either male or female.
Assuming all the seeds are of the same strain, the male plants will almost always mature before the females. The male plant will have small oval pollen sacks that the female lacks. Once you see these sacks, remove the male plants from your garden. In contrast, white hairs (pistils) will begin to develop at bud sites of female plants.
Male plants from some marijuana strains may be potent, while other strains are worthless for smoking purposes. If you remove male plants from your garden, try cutting 6 to 10 inches off the top of the plant. Dry it and try smoking, sometimes it's worth the effort.


Harvesting And Curing Hydroponic Marijuana

After about 8 to 12 weeks of flowering it will be time to harvest. It is very important to harvest at the right time. The optimal time to harvest marijuana plants is when THC production has reached its maximum.
A rough guide as to when to harvest is to wait until 50%-80% of the white pistils (hairs) have turned dark (usually brown or red). But a better method of determining when to harvest is to wait until certain trichomes on the plant have matured.
Trichomes on marijuana plants that develop a resin gland at the top are a rich source of THC, and monitoring them will allow you to best judge when the plants are ready for harvesting. A better description of harvesting directions can be located here.
Right after the plants have been harvested, they should be manicured (leaves removed from the buds), then dried and cured. Marijuana is not potent just after harvest, it is also is harsh and bad tasting. Drying will let a majority of the water in the plant evaporate quickly and curing will finish the drying process.
After the plants are cut down, some of the THC is in a non-psychoactive acidic form. Besides improving the taste, drying and curing marijuana will convert the non-psychoactive acidic compounds into psychoactive THC. A better description of drying and curing directions can be located here.
If your marijuana is going to be stored for any amount of time, it should be put in an air tight container and be stored somewhere that is dark, dry, and cool. Remember that light, air, and heat are the things to avoid. They will degrade THC and make marijuana less potent.
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Section II
Breeding
Carbon Dioxide
EC, TDS, PPM, CF
Heat
Humidity
Media
Number Of Plants
Nutrients
Odors
pH
Temperature
Two Growing Areas
Various Extras

Section III
Obtaining Items




Mandatory Items

• Introduction
• Floor Covering
• Fluorescent Lighting
• Grow Books
• Hydroponic System
• Lighting System
• Light Hanger
• Marijuana Seeds
• Media
• Nutrients
• Oscillating Fan(s)
• pH Related
• Scissors
• Thermometer
• Timers
• Water Containers

Optional Items

• Air Cooled Lighting
• Carbon Dioxide
• Cloner
• EC meter
• Hygrometer
• Light Mover
• Light Reflection
• Ozone Generator
• Scales

Introduction Expect to pay about $1000.00 to $2000.00 for lighting, hydroponic garden, seeds, grow books, and other mandatory items needed for a basic personal hydroponic marijuana garden.
Once you get things set up you can continue to grow hydroponic marijuana with your set up and only have to spend money on nutrients, bulbs, and other maintenance. A very wise investment of money for any consumer.
The mandatory items listed are necessary for any grower. As you gain experience, you can get some of the optional items with the money you save by producing your own marijuana instead of buying it.




Floor Covering: The area where the hydroponic system is placed should have some kind of floor covering that will protect it from water and nutrient spills that will happen. A thick drop cloth (the thick plastic sheets painters use to protect items from paint damage) will do a good job.
Get something that is larger than the area of the hydroponic garden. If your garden covers a 4 foot by 4 foot area, an 8 foot by 8 foot (or larger) drop cloth will be good. If it is too big, you can cut it to any size you need. A plastic drop cloth should be 4 mills or thicker but this might not be stated on the package.
You should be able to find a drop cloth in the paint section of a local hardware or department store. Be sure to get something made of thick plastic or another material that will repel water so you can mop it up. Stay away from canvas or anything that will absorb liquids. If you can't find one at a store near your home, you should be able to find something suitable online

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Fluorescent Lighting: If you are using 1 grow area for both the seedling/vegetative and flowering phases, a standard 48 inch fluorescent lighting fixture that holds 2 bulbs (rated at 30-60) watts each will provide enough light for 20+ clones or seedlings to grow for the first two weeks (or longer), after which mh or hps light can be introduced.
If you are using 2 grow areas (one for the seedling/vegetative phase and another strictly for flowering), a standard 48 inch fluorescent lighting fixture that holds 2 bulbs (rated at 30-60) watts each will provide enough light for 6-8 plants in the seedling/vegetative area to grow until they are 8-12 inches tall and ready to be moved to the flowering area.

A standard 48 inch fluorescent lighting fixture that holds 2 bulbs (rated at 30-60 watts each) should be available at a local department or hardware store for under $40. When you purchase the fixture, get cool white bulbs for it.
40 watt cool white fluorescent bulbs are cheaper than most other wattage bulbs. Try to get a fluorescent fixture that can run 40 watt bulbs and you will save money over the long term. Get a basic fixture with no light cover. If you buy one with a light cover, remove it prior to use so no light energy is wasted.
Make sure to get bulbs that will fit the fixture. There are different types of bulbs like T5, T8, and T12 (T5 are most efficient, T12 are least efficient). The type of ballast on the fluorescent fixture you get will determine the type of bulb you need. Only put T8 bulbs in a T8 fixture. Most fixtures can only run one type, but some can run more than one type of bulb.


Hydroponic System: A crucial decision when growing hydroponic marijuana is the type of system you decide on. The cost of a hydroponic system can be very high.
Cheaper models tend to be small while larger models tend to be expensive. Rather than buying a commercial unit, you can build a low budget water culture system yourself. They are not hard to make if you understand how they work.
Almost any building supply store should have the majority of stuff required. It may take a bit of work but by learning how to put a system together yourself but this will allow you to make a custom sized unit that will use all the energy your light source produces, for a reasonable price.
If you would rather buy a hydroponic system, expect to pay $250 or more for a hydroponic system that will accommodate 6 or more plants to maturity. See the hydroponic system part of this grow guide before buying a hydroponic system.
Rather than using a single large unit, you can use 2 separate hydroponic system to cover a certain area. For example, a 400 watt light source will produce enough light to cover a maximum grow area that is 4 feet by 4 feet. Instead of a single 4x4 system, you could use 2 separate 2x4 systems to cover the same area.
The hydroponic system you choose is a matter of personal preference. At the present time I use a drip system with 12 plants. It covers a 4x4 foot area and works well with a 400 watt hps light. If flowering is started when the plants are about 12 inches tall, the harvest size is about 1/2 to 1 ounce per plant (6-12 ounces depending on the strain), every four months.
The harvested amount depends on the strain being grown. If grown in the same hydroponic system with the same 400 watt light supply, some sativa strains will yield as little as 1/2 ounce per plant while some indica strains yield over 1 ounce per plant, when grown under the same conditions.
It is probably best to find a local hydroponics store where you can get an idea of the different types of hydroponic systems available. Seeing a hydroponic system in person will help you determine how practical a particular unit will be in your grow room.




Lighting: You can use fluorescent light for all stages of growth, except flowering. When it is time to start flowering, you will need a high pressure sodium or metal halide light source.
Expect to pay $200.00 to $500.00 for a single 250, 400, 600, or 1000 watt lighting system designed for growing plants. See the lighting section of this guide before purchasing a lighting system for growing hydroponic marijuana.
For someone who consumes up to 2 ounces of marijuana a month, consider a 400 watt hps or 400 watt mh light and a hydroponic garden that will cover a 4 foot by 4 foot area and grow 9-12 plants the first time you grow hydroponic marijuana.
If you wish to produce a lesser amount of marijuana, a 250 watt hps or 250 watt mh grow light can be used to grow a smaller number of shorter plants. The amount you produce per plant won't be as large as it would be when using a 400 watt light supply.
But for many users who consume small amounts of marijuana (under an ounce a month), 250 watts of light and a hydroponic garden with 6 plants is all that is required to produce enough marijuana for their particular needs.
Although you can use metal halide and high pressure sodium lights that were meant to be used as flood lights (or for some other purpose), it is best to get a light designed to be used to grow plants (a grow light).
An alternative to a single large fixture is two smaller fixtures that add up to a wattage similar to the single large fixture. For example, instead of a single 400 watt fixture, use two 250 watt fixtures (one mh fixture - one hps fixture).
Instead of a single 1000 watt fixture, use two 400 watt lighting fixtures (one mh fixture - one hps fixture) and a single 250 watt hps fixture. This will allow you to spread light more evenly over a larger area.
It also enables you to use both metal halide and high pressure sodium light at the same time, and it will reduce the ceiling height needed since a smaller wattage bulb can be placed closer to the plants. The drawback is the higher cost of two or more fixtures compared to only buying one.




Light Hanger: As the plants grow the height of the light must be increased so as not to burn the tops of the plants. You can buy a pre-made light hanger or make one yourself with stuff you find at a hardware store. Pre-made light hangers may also be sold as 'vertical light movers'.




Marijuana Seeds: Getting female clones from a from another grower might be an option for some people but most of us start from seeds. Keeping seeds from marijuana that you smoke is the cheapest source of marijuana seeds but it is better when you know the origin of the seed. At the present time, it is best to order seeds from Canada if possible, especially if you are ordering from the United States or Canada.
Some marijuana strains can produce an ounce (or more) per plant at harvest time, when grown in a hydroponic garden with a 400 watt light source. A mainly indica strain is recommended for the beginner. See this information about marijuana strains if you are unsure of what seed strain is best for your needs.




Media: Most types of hydroponics utilize media for the plant roots to grow in, but some types of systems do not require growing media. Aeroponics, for instance, does not use any media. Roots are suspended in the air and a fine spray of nutrient solution is applied.
Wait until you get a hydroponic system and see what the manufacturer recommends before purchasing media. If you know what to get, you can find rockwool and other types of media online at reasonable prices.




Nutrients: You have to use nutrients designed for hydroponic use. The kind you buy for use in an outdoor garden will not work with a hydroponic garden.
See the page about nutrients and marijuana if you are not sure what to get. Most hydroponic stores have a wide selection of hydroponic nutrients, you can usually find dry and liquid types.
Organic nutrient solutions for hydroponic systems are harder to find. Make sure the organic nutrient solution (or any other nutrients) are made to be used in a hydroponic garden, if that is the intended use.




Oscillating Fan: A good way to circulate air in the grow room is an oscillating fan. The fan or fans should be aimed at the plants so that all the plants show some leaf movement when the fan blows over them. A gentle breeze is better than a strong gust of wind. Depending on the size of your grow room, one or more 12" to 16" units may be used.
Oscillating fans are used during warm weather by most people that don't have air conditioning in their home. In the summer, they can be found easily in almost any local department store. However, they may be hard to find during the winter months.
If you need a fan but can't get one locally, you can find oscillating fans online all year round. For the first time grower, a cheap model ($20-$40) designed for home use is preferred over an expensive heavy duty industrial unit.




pH Related: pH should always be kept between 5.0 and 7.0 when growing hydroponic marijuana. A pH level between 5.5 and 6.8 is better, and in most cases pH in the range of about 5.8 to 6.3 is optimal.
To measure the pH of your hydroponic nutrient solution you will need a pH meter or a pH test kit. To adjust the pH of your hydroponic nutrient solution you will need pH up (increase) and pH down (decrease) solution. See the page about pH and marijuana for more information.
--- pH meters can measure the pH of water, hydroponic nutrient solution, hydroponic media, and soil. They can be found at hydroponic stores and sometimes at fish stores (pH meters are used to measure the pH of freshwater, saltwater, and reef aquariums).
Any pH meter designed to be used to measure the pH of liquids will do a good job, if used for hydroponic purposes. Prices start at about $60 US.
An example of a good budget pH meter for hydroponic use is the Hanna pH Champs. If you are planning on getting a pH meter and an EC meter separately, consider something like the Hanna Gro'Chek.
--- pH pH test kits can be found at hydroponic stores and aquarium supply stores (they are used to measure the pH of freshwater, saltwater, and reef aquariums). Do not try to use a soil test kit to measure the pH or nutrient levels in a hydroponic system.
A pH test kit designed for measuring the pH of liquids can be purchased for $10 US or less. Some pH test kits come with pH-up and pH-down solutions included. Make sure the kit can measure between 4.0 and 8.0 for hydroponic marijuana.
--- pH-up and pH down solutions that are made for hydroponic or fishtank use should be added to the nutrient solution when necessary. Both liquid or dry solutions will work equally well.


When growing marijuana in soil the pH of the soil should be between 6.5 and 7.0. The pH can be measured with a soil test kit or a soil pH meter. A soil test kit measures the pH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels of soil while a soil pH meter only measures the pH level of soil.
--- A soil test kit can be purchased for $30 US or less at most gardening stores. Kits at this price will usually allow you to test pH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels of soil on 10 occasions before having to purchase another kit. There are also soil pH test kits available that just measure the pH level of soil.
--- A soil pH meter will range in price from about $20-$40 US, they can be used for years (thousands of times) before they break or have to be replaced because of a malfunction. A soil pH meter is recommended over a soil test kit unless you need to measure nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (in addition to pH).




Scissors: A small pair of sharp scissors for cutting off dying leaves and other small jobs will be needed. Also a pruner or some other cutting tool will be needed to cut down plants. In most cases the stems will be 3/4 of an inch or thicker at harvest time.
Only use these cutting tools for working on your marijuana garden and keep them clean. Scissors can be found at any department store. Garden pruners should be available in the garden section of most stores during summer months. They maybe harder to find out of season.
If you aren't sure how thick the stem will be at harvest time, you should wait till your plants are ready to harvest before buying something to cut them down. To be safe and get yourself through all stages in the life cycle, you could get a scissor set that includes shears.




Thermometer: A thermometer will be necessary to monitor temperature. A normal household thermometer that can measure between 50-90 degrees F will work. You can usually find them in the housewares section of a department store. Some hygrometers have built in thermometers so you can measure the temperature and humidity together.




Timers: You will need a timer to turn your light on and off. Some systems require a pump and another timer to circulate the nutrient solution. If you have a lighting systems that is 400 watts or less, get a heavy-duty grounded timer rated at 600 watts or higher and 10-15 amps. You can find these for $30 or less at most hardware stores in the U.S. and Canada.
A 600 watt lighting systems would require a timer rated at 800 watts or more and 12-15 amps. A 1000 watt lighting systems would require a timer rated at 1400 watts or more and 15 amps. You can find these for $50 or less at most hardware stores in the U.S. and Canada.
Outdoor timers are recommended for turning your lighting off and on in a hydroponic environment because they are more rugged (and water resistant) than indoor models. The model shown here is ideal for any light system up to 1000 watts. An indoor timer can be used but if you haven't bought a light timer yet, get an outdoor model.
Timers used strictly to turn on a pump that circulates nutrients will generally only need a light-duty timer because they don't consume much power. Make sure to get a timer rated at least 200 watts higher that the load it will run. All electrical devices sold in North America should have a label that tells the amount of power consumed.
You can use a heavy-duty timer to run a small load, but a timer designed for small loads might be cheaper. You should be able to find a timer intended to be used for small loads (like to turn room lighting on and off or for some other use) at any department store.
If you are using an ebb and flow type of hydroponic garden, you will need a timer that can be set to 15-20 minute increments to run the pump that supplies nutrients. This is because an ebb and flow system requires the roots of the plant to be supplied with nutrients every 15-20 minutes.
At the end of the 15-20 minutes the timer is supplying nutrients, the timer is then set to turn the pump off for 15-20 minutes. After being off for 15-20 minutes, the timer is then set to turn the pump back on for another 15-20 minute nutrient cycle. This cycle of 15-20 minutes on, then 15-20 minutes off, is repeated all day.




Water Containers: Tap water has to be aged for at least 3 days before being used with plants. 3-5 gallon containers do a good job. 5 gallon water bottles are very good and can be found at most supermarkets.
Do not use containers that might have been used to store anything toxic. If the tap water is really bad in your area, you may have to use distilled water or water that has been treated with reverse osmosis.








Air Cooled Lighting: Grow lights can produce a lot of heat. Sometimes this heat raises temperatures above a safe limit for the plants. An air cooled lighting system uses an enclosed light that forces air to provide cooling. You can buy light systems that come with an air cooled enclosure or you can buy an enclosure to put your existing light into.
The unit pictured here is an example of a system that is used to convert a standard grow light to an air cooled system. The enclosed light has an air intake supply and an air exhaust.
When the air exhaust is fed to another room or outside, most of the heat produced by the light is expelled from the grow room. See through plastic or glass is fitted to the bottom of the unit so light can pass through but heat doesn't.
Heat resistant duct (like the stuff used on clothes dryers) is usually attached to the air intake and air exhaust openings. An inline fan is then hooked up to the duct on each end. Heat can be quickly expelled through the air exhaust and replaced with cooler air from the air intake.
Make sure to get a kit to fit your light if you are converting from standard to air cooling. There are some air cooling systems that can only be used with hps bulbs, mh bulbs are wider than hps bulbs and won't fit in.




Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Can be obtained by buying or leasing cylinders from local welding supply houses. The DEA has asked the supply houses to provide lists of large CO2 users. If you are questioned, say you need the CO2 for a welder you are using. If you find that you are making lots of trips to the same supply house, try alternating the places you buy from.




Cloner (Clone Machine): If you are going to set up 2 grow areas (one for the first stages of growth and another area strictly for flowering), a cloner would be a good idea. A plant cloner is a unit designed to be used during the first stages of growth to start clones or seeds in.
When the plants have grown to a point where they are large enough, they are transplanted from the cloner to the hydroponic garden. After being placed in the hydroponic garden, they are allowed to grow larger (by supplying 18 to 24 hours of mh or hps light per day) or they are forced to flower by cutting the light to 12 hours on and 12 hours off per day.
In general, most plant cloners sold for a reasonable price (under $150) are too small to be used for growing marijuana from seeds or clones up till the time they are about 12 inches to 20 inches tall and ready to flower. By the time the plants grow a few inches, they are so close together that there is no room left to grow. Larger models have more growing room but they are fairly expensive ($250 or more).
Because clones and seeds only need a small amount of light, fluorescent lighting is recommended. Fluorescent lighting fixtures are cheap and can be found at almost any store with a lighting section. The bulbs don't use as much electricity as hps and mh lights so a cloner and its light supply won't cost a lot to run.
If you are going to get a cloner for growing marijuana, get a deep water cloner. Stay away from aeroponic cloners unless you are familiar with the operation of aeroponic systems.
If for any reason the nutrient pump stops working in an aeroponic system, the roots of the plant(s) can dry out in less than an hour. Once the roots of the plant dry out, the plant dies. A deep water cloner supports the roots of the plant directly in the nutrient/water solution.




EC meter: EC and TDS meters measure the amount of dissolved solids in nutrient solution. EC meters are preferred because they are more accurate than TDS meters. See this ec, tds, ppm info before buying a meter for measuring dissolved solids in your nutrient solution.
EC meters and TDS meters can be found at amazon. If you get an EC meter, make sure it can display ranges from 0 mS to 4 mS.




Hygrometer: A hygrometer is used to measure humidity. If you think humidity is a problem and would like to know how humid the grow room is, get a hygrometer. You can usually find them in the housewares section of a department store. Some hygrometers have built in thermometers, you can use them to measure both the temperature and humidity.




Light Mover: A light mover is a tool that keeps a lighting system in constant horizontal motion. This is a very efficient way of using metal halide or high pressure sodium lights.
By moving the lights, a larger area can be covered than would be with a stationary light. This means a light is able to cover more plants in a larger area than a stationary light of the same wattage. With a light mover, you can use a lesser number (or smaller wattage) of lights to cover a garden.
A moving light will also be able to pass closer to a plant without burning it, so plants get stronger light that penetrates more of the lower branches. Plants tend to grow towards light and a moving light provides more even source, plants tend to grow straight up.
There are 2 types of light mover designs. One system works by moving the light on a rail system by means of a motor. The other type rotates the light in a circular motion that is similar to the way a ceiling fan works.
The circular type is recommended for growing areas that are roughly the same dimensions (a square growing area) while the rail type is better suited to long and narrow grow rooms (a rectangular growing area). Some rail types can be purchased in sections, this allows you to choose a custom length.
You should choose the length of track based on the shape and size of your garden and the amount of light you have. Different wattage lights will be able to cover different size areas. Stronger light will allow longer track lengths. These are approximate distances of the maximum length of rail that different wattage lights will cover.
a 250 watt light - 3-4 feet of rail
a 400 watt light - 6 feet of rail
a 600 watt light - 8 feet of rail
a 1000 watt light - 10-12 feet of rail
Don't base the length of track solely on the amount of light you have. A 400 watt light will produce enough light for 6 feet of rail. But if your garden is only 3 feet by 3 feet, a 4-5 foot section of rail might be a better choice.
Circular light movers are usually made to cover a grow area of about 9x9 to 12x12 feet. They come with arms for 1-3 lights (some allow more lights to be used). Both types of light movers start in price at about $200-$350 and can be found online here.




Light Reflection: If something that will reflect light back onto plants is needed, there are several options. Painting walls white or covering them with visqueen plastic will reflect some of the light that would have been wasted back on the plants. But commercial reflectors like mylar are the most effective.




Ozone Generator: If the smell of the growing plants is strong you can use ozone to decrease or eliminate it. If you would like to, you can build an ozone generator. If you would rather buy a commercial unit, you can compare prices at ebay and amazon.




Scales: Some people may wish to know the weight of the marijuana they produce. Digital scales are inexpensive, small, and accurate but any scale that is accurate (and can hold the material to be weighed) will work.
Some small scales include a tray that is put on the weighing platform. If you plan on getting a digital scale to measure the weight of dry herbs and plants, look for a model that has a tray (with sides) included.
A scale with a tray like this or this would be a good choice if you plan on using a scale for measuring small amounts of marijuana (or any other herb). A scale like one of these is recommended for weighing a few grams of dry plant material at a time. Expect to pay about $25-$35 US.
If you need a scale to weigh items that are larger than a few grams, a fish scale is recommended. Depending on the particular model, fish scales have a capacity for weighing several ounces to several pounds at a time. Expect to pay about $25-$50 US for a good fish scale.
Some small scales will require a minimum weight to register a reading. A friend had a particular scale that would only register when a gram or more of material was being weighed, even though it read in 1/10th of a gram increments. Sometimes the owner wished to weigh items weighing as little as 1/10th of a gram.
When weighing items that weighed less than a gram, the owner turned on the scale and set it to 0. A coin was placed on the scale and the weight was noted. The material to be weighed was then added to the scale until the difference between the original weight of the coin and the amount of material added was equal to the desired amount.
In easier to understand terms. Turn on the scale and set it to 0. Place a coin on the scale and note its weight. Assume the weight of the coin is 5.0 grams. If 1/10th of a gram of material is required, add the material to the scale (with the coin on it) until the scale reads 5.1 grams.

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my seedlings are on 24 hour light and have been for 1 week when can i put them under a 400w lamp? thanks

Honestly if my ph is atleast 5.2 - 6.0 I will be happy for it being my first successful indoor. Decide to go ahead a buy my irrigation system for the pump setup. Used a drill to make 1/4 hole on about foot of 3/8" ID / 5/8" OD hose I am using for drainage and the pump. But do I want it to be a constant flow to my plants or an actual "Drip" from the feeding lines.

Hi i just bought some auto flowering seeds 10 different kinds to see what produces the best.I f anybody has any advise at all on auto
flowering strains please let me no im a firstimer of indoors and autoflowerng growing the more help i can get the better,thanks alot!

why isnt this like a sticky or somthing???

good thread thumbs up rep 4 u

i wonder if i can grow magic mushrooms

whats the other stuff ya smoke on a pipe and ya get different strengths like x10 , x20 , x60 even begins with s its on tha tip of my tongue rep 4 who ever knows it

salvia extract sounds most likely