From Dirt to Dank -- Week One

The time has come and I have finally begun--My First (legal) Grow!!

For purposes of legality, I will not speak too much on any possible "prior experience" I may or may not have with the marijuana plant. But let's just say, this ain't my first rodeo ;) What matters now is that currently I live in a state where ingesting cannabis is LEGAL for adults over age 21, AND it's permitted to be GROWN (the coolest part, in my opinion) in varying amounts, with authorization!!

Last week I received that authorization--

Today marks the end of the first week of my First (Legal) Cannabis Grow!!

The Story of the Seedling

It all started with a seed...

All these seeds were from "bags," so, I have no idea what sex they are--but I guess we shall see!!

1. The seeds were each placed in individually labelled glasses filled with room-temp/warm water to keep track of the strains.

2. After about a day or two the seeds "hatch," a small "tail," or root will protrude from their shell. This is an indication the seed is ready to be transplanted to soil. I used Black & Gold natural organic soil, which has almost zero nutrients (nutes). Low to NO nutrients in the soil is important because we will add nutes later. Seedlings typically contain intrinsically sufficient amounts of nutes to get the plant through at least its first few weeks on its own, without adding anything extra. I also add perlite, which is all those little white "pebble"-looking pieces in the soil. It helps to maintain proper soil-drainage. Add perlite at around a 70: 30, soil-to-perlite mix. Perlite use is very important, in my experience.

3. Seedlings are then individually placed in pre-soil-filled plastic cups with pre-poked holes in the bottom (one seed per cup), about 5-7mm below top soil surface (0.33 in.), root down, then re-covered with a small pinch of dirt. (IMPORTANT: It is vital to maintain sanitary conditions while working with your plants; gloves, and properly cleaned utensils should be used when in close-contact with leaves or plants. Be particularly careful not to touch seedlings' root; i.e., "taproot.")

4. Lights. At this stage, I use a "20/4" lighting schedule; meaning, 20 hours lights on, followed by 4 hours lights off. (Many growers opt for a full 24 hour light session at this stage. Idk about you, but I sure benefit from a little rest now and again--I don't see why my plants should be any different? :) I use a simple little "light timer" that you've probably seen in your grandparents' living room, to regulate the lighting. I also try to keep as close of a schedule to the outdoor, seasonal schedule as well; it's just easier on temps, and lighting, too. Also: MAKE SURE YOUR GROWROOM IS LIGHT-SEALED!! In other words, no light leaking through any cracks, and on to your plants! Nothing can stress your plants more than being "woken up" from a nap--especially during the flowering stage. But we'll get to that later :)

   4a. The kind of lighting used may differ. I use what are called "Compact Florescent Lights," or, CFLs. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to obtain, and stay relatively cool temperature-wise. Downside is, you will likely be using upwards of 8 bulbs a plant, minimum, when flowering-stage is reached.
   4b. The color spectrum used by the bulb is also important. The sun's light during the Spring months, when cannabis is starting, out is "cooler," color spectrum-wise, than the sun in the later Summer months, when a cannabis plant would be Flowering. During the beginning stages of seedling through vegetation, you will want to use a light within the 5000K to 6500K (K = degrees Kelvin) range. Also, one bulb per foot-squared should suffice. Bulbs should be around 23 watts each, and emit somewhere between 1300 - 1600 lumens a piece.

5. Water. Properly watering your seedlings is crucial. It is commonly thought that overwatering your plants--especially at this stage--is more detrimental to their well-being than underwatering. Therefore, if you are going to err on the side of "caution," opt for a "less is more" mentality. I don't even pour water at this stage. I only use one of these:

You want to squirt just enough water around the base of your seedling, to where the soil gets wet, but not soaking. The plants will tell you when they need water or not. Check by inserting the first knuckle of a finger into the top of the soil. If your finger comes out dry, then it's time to refill. If you can feel even a little moisture in that first inch or so: WAIT. Rule of "thumb" is, if you think you're overwatering, you probably are. If you think it's too early to water, it probably is. WAIT. Also, it is best to water your plants close to when they "wake up" for the day. If you soak them right before "lights out," they will stay too wet, and also possibly cold; something to do with the process of photosynthesis and aspiration.

Moving on...

Here's how they looked 1-2 days after being planted in soil (if you look closely, you can just see the bottom one unfolding out, up and into the light :)

A few days later...

Then...

Today, the Kiddos!

In order from left to right: Pink Panther 1, Pink Panther 2, Snoop's Dream, Pink Panther 3, and last but not least, DJ Short Blueberry.

Where it all goes down:

(Note my fan in the right corner of the closet. All plants need: Air, Light, and Water to grow. I didn't go over air just yet, but, that is another crucial factor for a successful grow. When the seedlings first poke their head through the dirt, I like to place a small fan over them. This does two things: keeps dust, debris, and even pests from accumulating on your leaves; also, it blows some of that hot air coming from your lights away from your plants, which is helpful in maintaining a proper grow-climate.

Conclusion

Growing weed is both fun and rewarding. By following just a few simple guidelines (and local laws and regulation, of course ;)), it's not even all-too difficult. I am hoping for a great experience this go-round! I also have a variety of strains in this grow, and, unlike before, I actually know where the seeds came from :)

The Pink Panther, which is more of a Sativa dominant strain, will probably take longer to grow; and, from what I hear, may even be somewhat more difficult to deal with than her Indican counterparts: the Snoop's Dream or the DJ Short Blueberry.

Personally, being more of an Indica-man myself, I am hoping at least one of the two Indicas come through. As we move from the seedling stage, into the vegetative, growth will become much more rapid and I will (eventually) start to give the plants some nutriants. For now, we focus on proper watering, and simply waiting and watching to ensure proper climate and conditions.

Next week I will be discussing these two factors: Climate and Condition, and also proper watering technique.

Thanks for joining me; and, as always: Stay Green!!