Saturday, July 23, 2011

Grow option number two: Soil

Growing in the dirt is as natural as can be. It is certainly easier then growing Hydroponically. If you water by hand you don't have to worry about timers for feeding, air stones in reservoirs, power goes out and your plant's don't get watered, messing with ph and ppm constantly. If you choose to go the extra mile and put in an automated drip system more power to you. When soil gardening make sure to get your self a premium organic soil that has been PH balanced to set yourself up for success. What I do not recommend  is just grabbing a bunch of soil from your back yard. The problem is you don't know whats in it,or what kind of enemy you chance bringing in your garden.  Spider mites, mold spores, the list goes on. If you decide to go the route of soil make sure to use a container big enough to support your growth. Figure at least a gallon of pot size per month of growth. If there is not sufficient space for root growth the plant will ultimately suffer effecting yield payload and an overall waste a lot of valuable time.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Grow Option Numero Uno: Hydro

Hydroponics is a great way to grow some super high grade smoke. It involves growing your plants in a soil free medium such as Rockwool or Hydroton . The roots are then either then submerged or repeatedly drenched in a highly oxygenated nutrient solution. The result is explosive root and vegetative growth unparalleled by any other type of growing method. It definitely  is a little bit more labor intensive then other growing methods but definitely worth the work. For a beginner I would recommend an ebb and flow system. It's easy to set up and monitor and is self contained. The set ups usually include a reservoir, flood table, pump, hose, flood/drain fittings, and an air pump with a diffuser stone to keep your nutrients moving and highly oxygenated. More on this later.

Ventilation is key

Ventilation is a key factor in the success of your grow. Ventilation keeps your temperatures down, relative humidity in check, and ample co2 in your room to keep the girls happy. Looking at the size of your room find a fan that has ample CFM to change the air in the room couple of times a minute. This is another item to consider spending a little bit more on then the cheapo fan because they tend to be pretty noisy. The bigger the better to be more efficient and their speed can always be dialed down with a speed controller. A bigger fan running at half speed is better than a little guy running full speed ahead.
When ventilating the room, make sure that you take appropriate measures to destroy any unwanted odors from giving your grow away to an unwanted audience. Carbon filters are the perfect choice for the task. They come in a range of sizes and the key to picking the right unit is its CFM rating. Make sure it is rated for at least the CFM of your fan to work appropriately.

High Intensity Disharge: The best choice for your grow


After deciding on your grow location you have to start thinking about your choice for lighting. Although there are many choices out there most people usually end up going with HID lighting. Simply, it will give you the best result. The two choices are Metal Halide Lamps (MH), and High Pressure Sodium (HPS). If your on a tight budget go with a standard HPS ballast. If you are willing to spend a little more go with a switchable MH/HPS or Electronic Ballast like the Lumatek or the Phantom which will also fire both types of bulbs. You will want the MH for vegetative growth and HPS for flowering. If you're on a budget it is okay to use HPS for both cycles and it won't hurt at all. To determine the wattage you will need will depend the size of your grow. You will want at least 50 watts per square foot of canopy. So if your growing in a 4'x4' area you would most likely go for a 1000 watt system. With today's electronic ballast's most of them can be dimmed for when the plants don't need as much light when their small to save some green while growing your green.
When choosing a Reflector for your lamp digging through all of the choices will give you a migraine. Look for something that will evenly disperse light over your canopy to maximize your crops potential. If your reflectors footprint isn't optimal the plants on the edge of the grow will be long and stretchy, spacing out your internodal growth. Not to big a deal unless you want a BIGGER yield. I like the Magnum XXL 6 Air Cooled Hood. It has a great foot print, air cooled to keep the temps down, and sealed for performance. Feel free to explore your options and let me kn,ow what you have learned for your experience.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Embarking on the grow: Finding the space.

After pondering the grow for sometime the first big step is finding the right location at your spot to set up shop. Your going to want a spot out of the eye of the general public as well as any house guest you may have over. Things that will also make the spot you choose a winner is the ability of easy ventilation, ample power, access to water, and a controlled environment. A good majority of folks when they think about growing pot they think you just throw a light in a closet and plant a seed in some dirt. Although you may be able to grow a plant like that your results will be lame at best. For most beginners I would recommend a grow tent. Self contained and portable is much easier then drilling holes and trying to seal cracks to prevent light intrusion.
As for brands I highly recommend the Secret Jardin line of grow tents. You will be able to find cheaper alternatives but not of the same quality. Zippers fail, some off gas toxins. When your three weeks into flowering and a zipper fails do you wan to worry about obtaining a new tent and transferring all your tools of the trade to the new home? Highly doubtful. I would rather just sit back and stare at the girls doing their thing.
For a first grow I would recommend a 4'x4' area as this is an adequate amount of space to work with and would not recommend an area any smaller then 3'x3'. As a beginner there will most certainly be some hurdles with stress, nutrient deficiencies, pest's, and fungal issues. With the room for a few more girls your chances will definitely up your odds for success.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Growing Medical Marijuana Made Easy

Welcome everybody to Medical Marijuana Mayhem, where you will learn the in's and out's of growing your own HIGH GRADE MEDICAL MARIJUANA. Who say's growing your pot has to be difficult? Who says you need a horticulture degree? In this blog we will cover everything from your small closet grow to upscale warehouse collective grows. Need help deciding what light would meet the needs of your garden? Look forward to many product reviews, side by side comparisons, new emerging techniques and products, and much much more......