Okay Scott, i give it a try as well
First step - ask yourself if you want to grow with all that comes along. Growing is risky business!
-then decide where to grow (indoors or outdoors)
-if you know if you go in- or outdoors start looking for a spot
from now on i go indoors as we have fall/winter now (sorry to all on the southern half)
-think if you need to take care of light emission, odor or noise (fans produce noise) and if so how to take care of it (>>see FAQ for this)
-how much space do you have?
-what strain would fit in there (as you never grown before you should rather try a indica or indica heavy mixed strain for this)
-what type of lights (must be maintainable in the grow room and put out enough light [HPS or CFL/floro]) and don't buy a LED lights and then come crying to us!
-soil, pot, fertilizer and pH pen or paper strips
- finish the walls with either panda foil or simple and cheap flat white paint
-get the electrics set up (maybe ask a professional to do it for you)
everything do and set to start growing?
-time to buy some seeds
-check the FAQ once more for sprucing seeds
grow happily from now on
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in general i would want to keep it step by step in order from mental preparation, to planing, to shopping, to setup of the actual room and ending in sprucing the seeds. i would go further as by then you completely back in the containts of FAQs and this information is better served thru the FAQs.