Prep list for a first timer basically

I’ve tried to grow in the past and my poor plants made is 5 weeks and never got bigger than a couple inches tall, to be fair the seeds were from a bag I had “mystery bud” in and I didn’t even expect to see plants. I have now purchased some nice fem seeds and am ready to try again.
I have a 3x3x4 tall indoor grow tent
Seeds
A couple small lights to start seeds
And definitely space

I’m very new to growing things and I have a small but reasonable bit of cash for soil, some nutrients and a couple buckets, as I’m growing for personal use only. Not sure if I need to buy super expensive lights? And I live where it’s already cold so do I wait to start?? I could get hooked up through winter but I’d rather learn more things as it’s a favorite thing of mine to do in winter.
Any and all help would be super appreciated, even directing me to other threads. I am super down to do the homework because I’d love to be successful
Thanks everyone

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You’re starting off on the right foot by laying out a plan and asking for advice.

What seeds do you have?

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Digital PH and PPM water testing meter are a must .

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I got purple haze and bergmans gold leaf… if I can get those going I really want to get some blue dream and Girl Scout cookie but those are future plans…

I’ve read a bunch so far and will for sure be getting fox farms soil and nutrients

Is a cloth pot better than a plastic 5 gallon bucket?

Eventually ( after Christmas and I recooperate funds ) I want to drop 150-250 on a nice light for my little set up though I don’t know if I’m going to have to for something that will fit in my corner tent??? But from what I understand light is a huge factor for indoor grows.

I’m also trying to figure out how to keep it warm enough as my space is 10-15 degrees cooler than my house

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I’d look at the Mars Hydro TS 1000 and 2000 lights, along with all other recommendations. They are not the best lights, but they’re good and offer a great value. They’re within your budget.

You can get a small thermostat controlled electric heater. Keep an eye on Craigslist and EBay for deals.

With a stout tent like that, you’re going to want to be clever about your containers. The type is down to personal preference. I’ve been eager to try Aeropots myself. I like Pro Cal nursery pots. The fabric pots are affordable for huge pots; for anything smaller than 10 gallons I don’t see the appeal, but they’re super popular.

Thanks a bunch, I dropped that light into my cart… I’m going to start a running list and keep updating until I’m ready to go…

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Just make sure you understand what you’re getting. The TS 1000 will flower a 2’x2’ plant. The 2000 will cover a 3’x3’.

They are as efficient, if not slightly more efficient than the HID options (like High Pressure Sodium).

The biggest mistake I made on my first grow was sprouting too many plants. In that 2’x2’ space I would have just 1 plant.

I was going to shoot for 2 plants in case one doesn’t make it, if both do I won’t be heartbroken if I don’t get hefty yields but I’d love to actually get one plant through an entire grow. Thank you again for your advice, it’s golden

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I recommend doing lots of light research before buying as there are so many options out there . I have 4-5 lights I wish I never bought . Fabric pots are cheap and washable for reuse .

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I’ll do a bunch of research based on recommendations, I love that shit!!! Sometimes I can read myself into confusion but then I’ll just use that to ask more questions. I don’t plan on buying anything this month so I have time to look in to a lot.

Quick question do different strains like different climates??? Temp / humidity and if so where do I dig that info up?

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Welcome to the forum!

The way I see it, in most cases you will get out what you put into your grow. That goes for money spent as well as time and effort spent researching and trying different things. Some items are worth spending a little extra money on.

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Yes, but another way to think of it is the environment you create works with the genes in the plant. For example, you might need to give the plant cooler temps to bring out anthocyanins (purple color), but the plant will complete a full and healthy lifecycle if you keep the temps at 74 day and night.

All you can do is research. The breeder is the absolute best resource for info, but if you can find a grow journal that carefully documented everything that’s also helpful.

I wish there was a database of each cultivar and the phenotypes it produces.

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Here on ILGM , go to the seed strain and below the it says MORE PRODUCT INFO and most have a brief description on what they like . Best Climate For Purple Haze

Purple Haze is great to grow both indoors or out as the seeds carry a high resistance to disease. If you plan to grow outdoors, we suggest sticking with sunny and warmer climates - that’s where Purple Haze has the best grow potential. Don’t have a sunny and warm outdoor area to grow? Don’t worry! Purple Haze does just as good indoors as it does out. Depending on where you live, you can expect to harvest October at the latest. Hope this helps some .

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I prefer to watch Janie’s video . she never coughs . Welcome to the forum @ArtsNHearts you will get lots of help here . I have to check out due to lack of sleep . Happy growing .

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Welcome to the forum. Look at getting a good exhaust fan and filter. These will be essential to help keep the climate controlled and the smell down. I made the mistake if getting a cheap fan only to have to spend more for a better one. My motto now is buy once cry once.

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Don’t listen to the person saying fabric pots aren’t great. I am using fabric pots for the first time and they’re great. Better water circulation, air circulation, root development(you can Google all of this for real explainations). Regular pots are ok but fabric pots are way cheap and, imo, much better.

Let’s put it this way; I’ve grown my biggest healthiest crop with fabric pots. Plus they’re reusable.

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Welcome to the forum. Lots of knowledge and experience and everyone is willing to help. I would have to go with cloth pots myself, if you are going to be growing in soil. Once you get up and running tag me into your journal. As far as getting them to grow, for your first time I would follow germination directions on seed sight. Good luck and tag me if I can be of any help. Please do yourself a favor and don’t skimp on lights. Tag @dbrn32, he will help you get on the right track

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Hello. I’m a new grower like you. I have grown 2 plants to harvest and am working on 6 clones from those plants. I use fabric pots. Not because they are washable and reusable (u can do the same with plastic pots) but because all the research I have done states they are better.
Better air flow in and around soil
Air prune the roots so u don’t get root bound
Drain better so all roots don’t go to the bottom
Less likely to get root rot

Idk your budget but if u can or you know someone that can operate a sewing machine (or hand sew)
You can make your own from landscaping fabric.
Landscaping fabric can be bought at any garden center, Walmart, Lowe’s, or hardware stores.
Thicker the fabric the longer the pots last.

You sew 2 squares of fabric together.
Sew 3 sides close to the edge.
Then take the bottom corners and fold inward.
Hot glue or sew the tips of the 2 bottom corners together.
Then turn bag inside out and bam u have a fabric grow pot.
To figure out pot size measure
width (divided by 2)
height of your bag
compare to pic below.

(Ex. Lay bag flat. width is 12” and height is 12” cut the width in half. So you would have a 6”x12” bag when filled with soil)

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Welcome to the community, good choice of seeds. as far as the 4-foot high tent take into consideration how long you’re planning on veg. You can fill that space up pretty quick. Good luck

You got good advice so far. A couple of things stand out though;

in a colder climate you may want to consider using CMH or LEC instead of LED’s as they generate a fair amount of waste heat.

Both strains you chose (you have good taste) are considered ‘large’ plants. The Gold Leaf in particular can be a monster. Something you should factor in while deciding on how many plants to grow.

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