The Stealth Project

yo, so basically we're(my girlfriend and i) starting this thread as a blog for my first time growing. as you may have seen already i'v named it the stealth project. this is because i have my set-up hidden away in a small bed-side locker(i'l post pics of it as soon as i take them). i know it may not seem like the perfect place to grow but its the only place i have to grow(apart from growing outside). I'l try to keep my blog updated as often as i can with pics and info of my project. Any advice or info would be greatly appreciated.

My set-up:
125watt energy saving eco-light
timer
10 northern lights seeds
2 seeds from bags o grass.
modified bed-side locker

Iv only recently planted 4 of the 10 northern lights seeds,and im still waiting for them to sprout. The 2 seeds from the bags of grass have already been growing on my window sill for a while so they'v had a bit of a head-start. I put together my set-up today and placed everything under the light. I'l keep you posted on my progress.

Once again any advice appreciated.

Peace out

buddy if you place the seeds in the soil with out the roots then before is a bad ideal

ah yes i know.but i bought these small pod things in a grow shop and was told i didn need to germinate them before putting them in soil. im germinating the rest of the seeds before i put them in. thanks anyway

right so,iv got the pics of everything. now i just gotta see if i can figure out how to get them on here.....

The pics are of my light, seeds, bed-side drawer(when its hidden and open), and the 2 plants which are already growing.

Enjoy

Is it light proof? what do you plann on doing about smell? do you have any ventilation?

For right now it looks to me like you took a dresser, gutted it, put some plants in it and threw a blanket over it. The cord is clearly visibly coming out of it. As of right now, I hate to say it but you've got your work cut out for you if you want to turn this into a stealth grow. Good goal though, I hope you get there.

Oh yeah, and might I suggest for others reading, please plan out and finish building any cab you want BEFORE you plant the seeds. I know it's tempting and all and you want to get growing right away, but if stealth is your goal don't rush it. Build your ladies a proper home before you get them, don't let them be homeless or hiding in corners of your closet. Not saying that you did Paddy, but it's easier to work on the cab or grow box without having a plant to worry about where it's going while you cut holes in the back for ventilation and what not. If stealth is your goal, get the cab built first, then grow. If stealth isn't a concern, then go for it.

wow man,calm down calm down! I know its not perfect but its only my first grow!! i know you mean to be helpfull, but this set-up will do for my first time. il try and perk it up a bit to suit the plants needs. but im new to this sort of thing, and so i most likely will make a lot of mistakes. Hence the reason i subscribed to this thread.......But still cheers for your help and comments.yes it is light proof,and il sort out the cable.
thanks again

I've read on a few peoples blogs that they'v used vermiculite while growing. just wondering is it worth using and what benefit does it have? I have some here and was just wondering should i use it? any of yous used it be4?
comments and advice appreciated

Dude nice is that a file cabinet? What r u using for ventilation? What color spec for the light? ill follow this stealth.

Vermiculture is used for airation and drainage in soil (I'm assuming you are planning on sticking with soil, right?). If you mix about a cup of vermiculture in with like three cups of potting soil or so it will increase the drainage that the soil gets, meaning that the plant's roots will get more air and help them grow. Some people use it as a straight hydroponic medium, but that's another story. For you it can be used as a soil additive, but not to be confused with a fertilizer because it isn't. You can get it at your local garden store, home depo, or walmart.

I'm very sorry if it sounded like I was assaulting you with my post earlier Paddy, that's not what I meant. Just trying to get a better idea of what was going on and setting a few things straight. Alot of people come on here with plans of a stealth grow, or talk about how they have a completly stealth grow opperation and they don't. It's hard, and in all honesty I think that you should try and focus on one aspect first: either your first grow or building a stealth grow. If you try to do them both at the same time you might get a little overwhelmed, is all I was trying to say. I've been there, and it becomes very hard to grow plants, train them, maintain everything they need while figuring out why it is still 95 degrees in the cab as you change the ventilation and what not. Either focus on your first grow, or focus on a stealth cab, but try not to do both at the same time, in my opinion.

Sorry if it seems like I'm driving a point harder than I should. It's just kinda a pet peive of mine to hear everyone say they are making a stealth opperation when it is really a cardboard box that is hot to the touch and leaks light all the time. A truely steath cab is a work of art in my opinion, something I've been trying to completly fix on and off for a few years yet. It's hard, and can get expensive.

the level of stealth a person needs is all relative to the situation. some people need 100% stealth while other can get away with 70-80 percent stealth.

the problem I see is that there seems to be no temperature control or any equipment to monitor the temperature at all. the sprouts look stretched and are falling over as well. you can pot them and then fill the soil all the way to the the first set of leaves to support the thin stem.

I guess I need to appologize, I guess whenever I heard someone say 'stealth' I automatically assumed 100% stealth. I really didn't have a concept of percentage of stealth. I just figured if you were going for 70% stealth or so you wouldn't call it stealth, just like low profile or something, but I guess you make alot of sense Galvatron. Sorry if I offended anyone, not trying to.

i dont think the original poster took it offensively so theres no need to apologize.

one thing people need to remember is that when the US government calls their planes stealth(which is where we take the term from) its not 100% stealth, its no where near that. its just a designation for planes with lower than normal radar visibility, and that definition should be applicable to 'stealth' growers as well.

I agree, nothing in my opinion can be completly stealth, it's just a goal to strive for. And I am very familar with the origins of the word and it's military uses, and how a B2 isn't 'invisible', but that radar picks it up as looking like a sparrow, not as a jet. Disguising it, therefore, as something completly different and unimaginable as a grow box is the goal. I just think the term 'stealth' is thrown around a little too often is all. Most dresser grows arn't even stealth in my opinion, but maybe I'm just a little too harsh on myself and others and have unreachable goals.

All and all, I wish you the best of luck paddy, and I'll be stoping in to watch how it's going. I hope you get what you are trying to get, I really do. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, some of the best ideas come from those kinds of places. One of the best 'stealth' grows I've seen yet doesn't exactly fall into conventional lines:

GROWFAQ

First of all no i didn take offense from what he said,i was just tryin t say i know i'm not doing everything perfectly,and i know its not completely 'stealth'., but im jus doin it as an experiment and the reason i called it 'the stealth project' is because i dont have the freedom to grow it anywhere in the house,so i have certain space restrictions, and well i spose im not supposed to be growing it in the first place......

but anywho im guna try it my way and see if it works, and hopefully sum of yous will take interest in it and give advice now and then upon the way

now to answer some of your questions:

1. no its not a filing cabinet its just a simple set of bed-side drawers which i removed the back of the drawers themselves and left the front on so it appears to be normal(my idea of stealth)

2.i already have d vermiculite so i guess ill try and use it when puttin my plants into pots.

3. The 2 plants that are long and stretched started growing on a window sill,thats why they're not in the best of condition,and i spose they were stretching to reach the sunlight.

4. and its a full spectrum light

so anyway il try and keep you posted on my,or my plants, progress upon the way.

peace out

Good news!! The first of my 4 northern lights seeds has sprouted!!wouh! its been a while since i planted them but finally they'v shown signs of life.hopefully the others will follow soon.

iv added a few pics of the newborn and the progress of the others

oh yeah, i'm naming the newborn 'Kaya'

Um, your leaves appear to have brown tips .... what's going on?

yeah i know.it happened while i had them growin on my window sill,i think it was cos i didn water them for a while? its just the 2 bottom layer of leaves.the new ones after them seem to be fine.

right so, all the northern lights seeds have sprouted and are goin well.And my two other plants are goin strong!!

Thinkin of pickin up some nutrients in d growshop soon,any one got any ideas on the best kind/brand?

will post pics as soon as i take them

hi there, well i promised new pics so here they are. all 4 of the northern lights seeds have sprouted and are goin strong. i put them into pots tday and watered them. i also invested in some plant food : Bio Biz Bio-Grow plant food , 8.0-2.0-6.0! I got it in my grow shop. i also fed them with this. Anyone ever used this stuff before? Any use?

I noticed on one of the seedlings the end of the leaves seen to be curling up to the light. anyone know any reasons for this?should i be worried? any comments or advice is appreciated

Cheers