Easiest Way To Grow

[TheBeagle]

1st of all i do not have my card yet (in the process) so i figured Id start off early and start picking up equipment by the time my papers come in i should have all the things needed.

This is where i need your help What would be the easiest way to start my 1st grow? I know next to nothing about growing but i am willing to learn.

 

Im on a very small budget so keep that in mind Im willing to spend no more the around 500 usd for everything. That being said what its the most cheapest route that will yield the most ? I plan on starting off with medium strains or easy strains to grow.

 

Any help much appreciated and if possible a detailed/picture worthy tutorial would be much helpful.

[Kingdiamond]

Soil is the most forgiving to first time growers imo.

[Morhawk]

cheapest route that will yield the most ?

 

Come on... You know you get what you pay for..lol

 

Anywho.. With $500 you have a couple of options. Use Florescent lights in an existing closet, or get yourself a prefab grow tent with a 400w switchable. Or if you have a big enough closet, just get the 400w light (maybe 600) but that ups the cost and the heat depending on your area size.

 

And of course, check out BubbleGrowers guide for a great starting place..

 

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/18150-need-your-grow-questions-answered-come-on-in/page__hl__reveg

[pic book]

$500 will grow 8 large-yielding plants. Recycle plastic containers from the kitchen. Fill to within 2 inches of top with 100% over-wintered horse manure. Feed them tap water only. Buy a used 1000 watt Metal Halide ($90) at Jackson Farmer's Market. Use it from clone acquisition thru veg (24/0) and flowering (12/12). (Clones at Jackson Farmer's Market can be had 8 for $100 on most Saturdays). Box fan from Walmart $15.44 tax included. Rest of your $500 goes to electric bill as it comes in over the 35 days veg and 56 days flowering and 9 days drying. $500 will do it for this basic, pest free set-up.

bill of materials

containers free

100% over-wintered horse manure free

8 clones $100

used 1000 metal halide lamp complete $90

box fan $15.44

----------------------------------------------

$205.44 start-up equipment

spend the balance of $294.56 on your electric bill over the 101 days til harvest.

[pic book]

$500 will grow 8 large-yielding plants. Recycle plastic containers from the kitchen. Fill to within 2 inches of top with 100% over-wintered horse manure. Feed them tap water only. Buy a used 1000 watt Metal Halide ($90) at Jackson Farmer's Market. Use it from clone acquisition thru veg (24/0) and flowering (12/12). (Clones at Jackson Farmer's Market can be had 8 for $100 on most Saturdays). Box fan from Walmart $15.44 tax included. Rest of your $500 goes to electric bill as it comes in over the 35 days veg and 56 days flowering. $500 will do it for this basic, pest free set-up.

bill of materials

containers free

100% over-wintered horse manure free

8 clones $100

used 1000 metral halide lamp complete $90

box fan $15.44

----------------------------------------------

[Kevin]

Nothing against hydro, but in my experience nothing tastes better than when grown organically in dirt. Holds true for fruits, veggies and cannabis. Organic crops are generally healthier for ingestion.

 

I hafta be particular what I put in my body. Can't afford the health to slip any further or will start sliding. When that happens, the exit door isn't too far away. Then before ya know it, you've left the building before the show is over.

 

You can have a nice garden for under $500. These guys know what they're doing and will steer you in the right direction.

 

Here's 100 grow books to help you out.

https://www.greenpassion.org/index.php?/topic/7231-100-freecannabis-library-of-thee-top-100-literary-on-mj-ever

 

 

Best of luck

[Rx Grade Hydro]

RIGHT ON Pic!! GL Jimi84...Keep it simple and dont waste your money on over priced grow stores w/ redundant. nuits w/ pretty color bottles and over priced containers.Theyre great places to spend a lot of money after a few good rips....

$500 will grow 8 large-yielding plants. Recycle plastic containers from the kitchen. Fill to within 2 inches of top with 100% over-wintered horse manure. Feed them tap water only. Buy a used 1000 watt Metal Halide ($90) at Jackson Farmer's Market. Use it from clone acquisition thru veg (24/0) and flowering (12/12). (Clones at Jackson Farmer's Market can be had 8 for $100 on most Saturdays). Box fan from Walmart $15.44 tax included. Rest of your $500 goes to electric bill as it comes in over the 35 days veg and 56 days flowering and 9 days drying. $500 will do it for this basic, pest free set-up.

bill of materials

containers free

100% over-wintered horse manure free

8 clones $100

used 1000 metal halide lamp complete $90

box fan $15.44

----------------------------------------------

$205.44 start-up equipment

spend the balance of $294.56 on your electric bill over the 101 days til harvest.

[ccpulsipher]

Come on... You know you get what you pay for..lol

 

Anywho.. With $500 you have a couple of options. Use Florescent lights in an existing closet, or get yourself a prefab grow tent with a 400w switchable. Or if you have a big enough closet, just get the 400w light (maybe 600) but that ups the cost and the heat depending on your area size.

 

And of course, check out BubbleGrowers guide for a great starting place..

 

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/18150-need-your-grow-questions-answered-come-on-in/page__hl__reveg

just so you know i was going to pick up a 600 watt and the folks at grow co told me it was only like $25 or $30 more for the 1000 watt so if you can control the heat of a 1000 go with that also if you have your paperwork or hard card thaey give you like a 20% discount they are very friendly

to mmj patients and caregivers and i don't work or own grow co they are in grand rapids they are just a great store good luck and i agree that soil is better for first time grower

[TheBeagle]

Thx for the info! At 1st I was gonna start with a pc grow but im not sure

[Rx Grade Hydro]

Personaly I dont think soil is the best choice for the first time grower it may be more forgiving but I dont think its the easiest, but thats just my thoughts and experence.Soil is where Im at now but thinking of switching over to Coco coir..

just so you know i was going to pick up a 600 watt and the folks at grow co told me it was only like $25 or $30 more for the 1000 watt so if you can control the heat of a 1000 go with that also if you have your paperwork or hard card thaey give you like a 20% discount they are very friendly

to mmj patients and caregivers and i don't work or own grow co they are in grand rapids they are just a great store good luck and i agree that soil is better for first time grower

[rhinoman]

i would do what pic.book said. just one thing when you first plant in compost you have to watch out how much water you give them till they have good root growth.

[budpuffer]

hempy buckets,and a 600 watt light sys...you can grow very nice meds..easily under $500,,bp/zb

[kindbuds]

if you contact this ebay seller and offer him 150.00 he will accept it for this 600 watt hps with digital ballast and extra goodies,bulb included: http://www.ebay.com/itm/320733734422?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 If you dont want to spend the time and money to build a grow room here is a sweet deal on a 4ftX4ftX78"tall tent for 100.00 including shipping: http://www.ebay.com/itm/REFLECTIVE-48-x48-x78-HYDROPONICS-GROW-TENT-ROOM-BOX-/160640671573?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2566ee1f55 you will need a couple fans,1 in 1 out in at the bottom out up top and a fan inside isnt a bad idea either here are some more affordable fans: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-inch-INLINE-DUCT-BOOSTER-FAN-exhaust-blower-cooling-/160632452339?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256670b4f3 if you contact this seller and offer 30.00 for 2 with free ship he will accept.Get 3 gallon grow bags at hydro store cheap and go with dirt,best of luck to you-Kb

[TheBeagle]

Well I do have a small closet im goin to use not sure on dimensions as for air flow the closet backs up to an attic. Could I just punch a hole in the wall to the attic. For the out flow for air? Id image id use a tent inside the closet

[mike44]

Well I do have a small closet im goin to use not sure on dimensions as for air flow the closet backs up to an attic. Could I just punch a hole in the wall to the attic. For the out flow for air? Id image id use a tent inside the closet

 

If you use a 600W HID in a closet (unless it's a real big closet) you will at least want one of those 6" booster fans to pull the air into the attic. If you keep the bulbs cool they will last longer, they put out lots of heat. The constant airflow will benefit the plants greatly. You might get away with a 4" booster fan with a 400W, but I would just spend the extra 5 to 7 bucks for a 6" to be sure.

[purklize]

Soil is the most forgiving to first time growers imo.

 

I thought this would be the case. Picked up a nice organic soil (Happy Frog) and root aphids (make spider mites seem like a total joke) came along for the ride. It's been hell exterminating them. I'm in the process of moving to DWC... I'll never look back. The plants are so much happier and I actually think it's easier.

[Willy]

Just to add my 2cents, i also have grown in dirt for years, now im switchin also to dwc/current im not looking back. i suggest first find a light and two bubble buckets, even a 400 switchable ballast and two bulbs and a timer, buckets cost 7.00 ea. timers are 10. thats it andyour growing, now a exhaust fan is important and yes you can push it out to the attic, and a small fan to move theplants like a wind outside, a small bottle of grow fertilzer your choice, and cut the amount in half , fill buckets and check every few days, thats it, rock on man.

[ScrogBubbles]

I was able to get rolling dirt cheap using bubble buckets and a 400w. Later on I made a website for my local hydro store in exchange for wholesale prices. I suggest you try that since you have the design skills.

[Wild Bill]

Read this book.

 

Marijuana Buds For Less

 

 

 

[Motorbuds]

If I had it to do all over again I would've started on DWC w/Lucas. There's a little more maintenance in the way of feeding everyday but there (to me) are just so many pests that can end up in your dirt and you can't see your roots so it can be really hard at first to troubleshoot if you have a problem. Plus I really like the yields with DWC, makes it worth feeding every day.

[purklize]

Yep, I'm still having a fantastic experience with DWC. It's really simple to set up. My hydro shop had a bucket with a net pot lid for sale, that's what I use... all I had to do was drill a 1/4" hole for an air line for the air stone. It's really simple, cheaper than dealing with soil, you don't have large amounts of trash to dump, no pests, plants are far healthier and grow 2-3x faster, problems can be correctly very easily unlike soil (have fun flushing every plant with 20 gallons of water every time you have salt buildup in soil!!!!). I will NEVER look back. I'm looking at growing veggies indoors and I'm not even considering soil for it. Hydro is far easier than people say. Soon I will post a chart of how to mix up hydroponic nute formulas too. Right now I mix up one liter bottles with 10 grams of pH up. Then, for flowering right now, I add (to the bucket of RO water) 80mL of Botanicare 1-5-4, 7mL of Botanicare Calmag, and 60mL of my pH up solution - comes to pH 5.8 every time and saves me time adjusting it. So easy... :thumbsu:

[The Digital Nomad]

I still like soil, I believe it gives more to the plant than hydro can. The flavors and smells are always there.

 

The only issue I have with soil, is getting rid of the old soil. so I build a raised bed garden outside.

 

I still think soil over monitoring water temp, ph, changing it out, cleaning the gear - soil is just easier.

 

As far as root aphids in soil, a treatment of neem can take care of that. Besides, the plant is fast growing - transplanting into bigger pots allows the plant to overcome things like that.

 

DN

[purklize]

Root aphids like neem. They multiplied after I gave them that. I've been fighting them for months. The only way they can be defeated is in hydroponics, because soil offers too many little air pockets, even when dunked... allowing them to survive.

[The Digital Nomad]

that might be an assumption, but consider that the plant is being fed neem oil and building SYSTEMIC protection against pest and PM. When pest bite a plant that has been fed neem oil, they will taste it and leave.

 

consider that while soil might have pest, they can exist with a plant for awhile before harm comes to it, and by then - its harvested and soil dumped.

 

DN

[purklize]

I tried multiple applications of neem oil + water and nicotine and it did nothing, the population only continued to explode while the health of the plant deteriorated. However, 1/4tsp of rosemary oil, or particularly, peppermint oil, with a bit of soap in a gallon of water, worked fantastic. But the application has to be very consistent as there are always a few survivors in soil who were in little air pockets when you flushed or dunked. With hydroponics the root mass is naked and it's vastly more effective.