Newbie, need plant help.

Hello everyone. I've finally made the decision to start growing my own green. I am completely new to this and am not really sure what I'm doing. I've read many threads and tutorial but there are often different opinions. I started by soaking the seeds in a glass of water until they sunk and then wrapped them up until they sprouted. I planted the seeds into small pots that were filled with miracle grow seed starter soil. The first plant sprouted fast, the other 2 came a few days later. The tallest is about 3" tall and about a week old. The others are about 2" tall and just under a week. The plants are sitting in the window currently. My main questions are:
1) Should I keep this soil or do I need to switch soils after the plants have started to grow? If not, then which kind of soil.

2) How much water do they need daily at this point and as they grow how will I know how much water to provide them?

3) At what point do they need to be put into a larger pot. The ones right now are about pint sized.

4) How much light to darkness should they be getting right now. They are in the windo so they get natural sunlight for now. Is this reliable or should I use a grow light.

I'm basically looking for the next step at the moment. Thanks guys.

Hey, sexysmoker,

Here's some help with your questions!

1) Yes, I would recommend switching soil. Go with something that is a basically complete soil--something like Roots, Manna, or another coco-coir or peat-moss based organic soil. This will have all the microbacteria and mycorrhizae your plants need. Also, they contain enough nitrogen that you won't need to add nutrients for the first month, just Ph adjusted water.

2) They do not need water daily. The best way to water cannabis is to pour enough to cover the entire surface with about an inch of water, let it sink down, and leave it. Re-water only when the soil is dry 1/4-1/2" down. This will take at least a couple of days, usually. Overwatering is a very common problem. Cannabis doesn't like to get her feet wet in soil. Remember that!

3) The plants should be started in a solo cup or otherwise. You are fine in your pint size cup. They basically need to be about 10"-12" tall before they need to be transplanted. At this point their roots will be long enough to have the potential to be root-bound. Transplant them into at least a 3gallon pot or bigger. I highly recommend 12X12 pots. You can finish all the way through flower in them.

4) They do not need darkness now. I run 24 hours of light in vegetative state and my plants love it. You can let them sleep if you want, on a 20/4 light schedule, or a 18/6, or a 16/8 light schedule. 24 is just easier in veg, anyway, and does not stress the plants in my opinion.

As far as light goes, the sun will get them going, but you need a source of light, such as CFL or HID (Metal Halide or HPS).

It's great the you're starting out, but do a bunch of research first! It will save you so many headaches!

Happy growing to you!

1) Should I keep this soil or do I need to switch soils after the plants have started to grow? If not, then which kind of soil.
- I suppose you could use the same soil you got, but i'd recommend you change to a 'stronger' soil which has more nutes in it as the soil you got is aimed at seedlings..

2) How much water do they need daily at this point and as they grow how will I know how much water to provide them?
- Your going to have to find this one out yourself, to find out when they need watering.. stick your finger about a cm or 2 into the dirt, if it's dry.. water till it's moist, watch how much water you use to make it moist and there you go
You could also spray some water on the leaves

3) At what point do they need to be put into a larger pot. The ones right now are about pint sized.
- I'd say not untill they have there first few fully developed leaves you transplant to a bigger pot..

4) How much light to darkness should they be getting right now. They are in the windo so they get natural sunlight for now. Is this reliable or should I use a grow light.
- at seedling stage i'd give 'em anywere from 20 - 18hrs of sunlight a day, i doubt the sun is out that much in your area but i guess it'll do so long as you get more than 12hrs of sunlight.

Goodluck on your grow, keep us posted on how it goes!
Wiz

Thanks for all of the advice so far. One thing I have been noticing is that they grow to face towards the sun. This gives each of the plants a slight slant. Will this be an issue? Since they are in a window the sun isn't hitting from directly above. What would be a good growing light on a budget? Thanks!

That's called a phototropism. The plant naturally orients itself toward light. All plants do it, actually, as they require light for photosynthesis! A great way to set up lights on a budget would be to just get CFLs.

You can get these at wal-mart for very cheap. If you check out pages 2 and 3 of my current grow, you'll see how I have some CFLs set up around a single plant in a 12X12. It's a $30 set up inside a very cheap grow tent.

All you need to do is get some bottle lamp kits ($8 apiece), and a few CFL bulbs. They come in two types: full spectrum (bright white light) and warm daylight (a soft, more red spectrum). You need the bright white light for vegetation, and the warm light ones for flowering.

You should read up a lot more on these things! I'm happy to help, and many other growers will be as well, but these are very basic questions. You should check out Subcools videos and articles on LAWS--the Light, Air, Water, and Soil required to grow cannabis.

Good luck!

Its common to lean. Its reaching for light so it will stretch as well.

plants will always lean toward the light thats why in nature you can actually see plants lean one way in the morning then the other way at night...on that note you should rotate your plant daily to get it equal lighting

sexysmokergirl said:

Hello everyone. I've finally made the decision to start growing my own green. I am completely new to this and am not really sure what I'm doing. I've read many threads and tutorial but there are often different opinions. I started by soaking the seeds in a glass of water until they sunk and then wrapped them up until they sprouted. I planted the seeds into small pots that were filled with miracle grow seed starter soil. The first plant sprouted fast, the other 2 came a few days later. The tallest is about 3" tall and about a week old. The others are about 2" tall and just under a week. The plants are sitting in the window currently. My main questions are:
1) Should I keep this soil or do I need to switch soils after the plants have started to grow? If not, then which kind of soil.

2) How much water do they need daily at this point and as they grow how will I know how much water to provide them?

3) At what point do they need to be put into a larger pot. The ones right now are about pint sized.

4) How much light to darkness should they be getting right now. They are in the windo so they get natural sunlight for now. Is this reliable or should I use a grow light.

I'm basically looking for the next step at the moment. Thanks guys.

Click to expand...

I am too tired for a point-by-point answer-list, but I'll throw in my two cents.

Don't dig up the plants to re-pot: At this point, the soil you have is fine. Easiest way to check if they need a bigger pot, is to check the bottom of the pot for any roots. They don't have to be root-bound for you to see roots, so just check, and if you see any little white roots start sticking out the bottom, you're ready to upsize to a bigger pot. When re-potting, go straight to the largest pot you can find: I use 10litre bucket-sized pots, and even then, the plants' root-zone can start getting crowded at the end of flowering, anyway, there's no need to gradually increase pot-size: The sooner you get them in BIG pots, the sooner they can settle into a permanent home.

Amount of water - as someone else said - is best learnt via trial and error. What's MORE important, is that the soil you use is light, and free-draining. However much potting-mix you use, add around 1/3 it's volume in Perlite. Perlite allows air into the roots (that's GOOD), and forms little pockets as well as lightening the soil. With good drainage, you can water as much as you want. The worst soil you could have is thick, badly draining, fine silt or clay-like soil: Fine/badly draining soil promotes root infections, fungii and diseases. The point: Spend a little time mixing a grow mix that's healthy for your plants, and you'll have 50% less issues later on in the grow.

They can get as much as 24 hours each day, or as little as ~ 15-18 hours a day of light. Any less than 12 hours light each day, and the plants will start flowering - even if they're only an inch tall. You don't have to have 16 hours of DIRECT sunlight per day (though it'd be great for the plants) but they should receive - at least - 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Indoors, with lighting, you can set the light on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the plants will love it, but I'm assuming you don't have a light yet, so if you plan to grow em outside, be sure they get a minimum 6 hours direct Sun each day.

So the next step I guess, is to check for roots at the base of the pots. If you can see a root anywhere sticking out the bottom, you can re-pot anytime you're ready.

CaptainCarnival said:

plants will always lean toward the light thats why in nature you can actually see plants lean one way in the morning then the other way at night...on that note you should rotate your plant daily to get it equal lighting

Click to expand...

Phototropism is - for anyone doesn't know - the correct term for some plants ability to move towards their light source

Remember perlite in the soil. Helps drainage. I didn't and am paying for it.