First Grow!

MyBigFatSummerofGrow This is my first summer growing, and it already feels like something I’ll remember for a long time. I call it an outdoor grow, but in reality it’s a mix of spaces: my rooftop and balcony will carry most of the journey, while everything begins indoors under a VIPARSPECTRA P2000 (250W) LED grow light I picked up on Amazon for around €180. There’s no tent, no controlled lab setup—just a simple light, a few tools, and whatever space I can make work. The silver pipe you might notice in my Pheno II picture isn’t part of the grow at all; it’s actually just a C-stand from my camera gear. This whole setup is less about precision engineering and more about making things work with what I already have. The idea is simple: start small indoors, build strength, then move outside once the plants are ready to take on the world. I am growing in Berlin where we get a solid summer from June to early September. Long hours of light, however, rainy and overcast days are also to be expected. Unless a heavy storm comes I will keep everything outside. The foundation is just as simple as the setup. I’m running a low-budget “living soil” mix—basic supermarket soil enriched with worm castings, horse and cow manure pellets, and rock dust. Nothing fancy. I even added a small spoon of “forest soil” from a tree on my street, more out of curiosity than anything else. On top of that, I covered the surface with dried weeds from my neighbour’s garden. It looks a bit wild, but that’s kind of the point. After letting the soil rest on the balcony for a few days, I planted the seeds directly into it and left nature to do its thing. About five days later, they germinated. By the way I am using 19 liter (5 Gallon) grow bags and I plan this to be the final pot size. No repotting. The photos you’re seeing here are from day 4 after germination. The seedlings pushed through strong and healthy. I started them alongside two other strains—Black Cream Auto and Stardust 54 Auto, both from Sweet Seeds—but right now, Diabolo’s Delight is clearly taking the lead in terms of vigor. It even stretched a bit in the early days, which I corrected simply by adding more soil around the stem. The light is currently running at 75%, positioned about 60 cm above the canopy, which should be more than enough for this stage. Actually the lamp is too small for the area I am covering but it should be sufficient for the seedling phase.The photoperiod is set to 18/6, keeping things steady and consistent while they build strength. And honestly, that’s where I’m at right now—early days, a bit of stretching, a lot of observation, and a lot of curiosity. I’m documenting everything as it happens, not just the successes but the process itself. This grow isn’t just about the plants; it’s about learning how they respond, adapt, and develop over time. So yeah—first summer, first real run, and everything still ahead of me. Recommendations welcome: Should I add more hours of light? 20/4 or even 24/7?