Serpents guide to growing autos in soil

[wookiem]

Thought I'd share my experiences here with my auto's. First crop I ever did with them I hit 2 oz per plant (sweet sees fast bud), really happy with that. Since then I've struggled and had some awful results but I knew they worked and so persisted with it. Just cropped 20 oz from 10 plants, sweet seeds fast bud again. This thread has been super useful so I thought I'd give something back.

I use 6.5l square pots with Plagron light, I played around with cheaper garden centre composts but don't waste your time, the extra £6-7 per bag is well worth the investment. The plagron light is good because you start feeding the plant straight away pretty much. I bought the Hesi soil starter kit and use the complete range, it's brilliant IMHO and would feed as per the instructions. Some say that auto's are light feeders, I've not found this to be the case.

Best tip is to start the seed in the final pot, no transplanting. The key to success with auto's is to get the first 2-3 weeks right so as to avoid tiny dwarf plants that will not deliver the yields. Plant magic bio silicon is a must and the veg boost works wonders. Bio silicon with every feed and the boost at 4th node ish and again a week to 10 days later, I prune out the lower plant to encourage new growth at the top. Any mistreatment or lunching of watering in the first 2-3 weeks and you will be punished, get it right though and you will be rewarded.

One thing I made that I'm convinced is brilliant is a scrog net/frame which I train the plants with, bending over the main cola's so the rest of the plant catches up, the frame is 1sqm and my light is a 600w para, I'll get a photo of the frame from the next crop, maybe even do a diary.

Hope someone finds this useful. Auto's really do work, you've got to get the start right though

Happy growing

Wookiem

[true]

Nice one, congrats on the grow

[SpiderKamenetzki]

I'd just like to clear something up - do not trim autos. They do not like it, and you it will either affect your yield, or add extra grow time on, which completely defeats the point of them. Unlike their photo period counter parts, they do not have time to recover from it. The most you can do in this regard is taking off entirely yellow/dead leaves as they will come off on their own most of the time any way.

If you want even growth with an auto, LST or train them in some way. Trimming is a no no.

[MaxTrichomes]

I agree that there is no need to trim auto fan leaves unless it is lower leaves and they are yellow/getting wet often/ stuck in soil/increasing likelyhood of mould etc. I have not noticed much in the way of differences with yields myself topped or untopped. I have always topped my auto's the once. "they do not have time to recover from it."

What is the evidence of this ? I keep hearing people say my auto ran 10-14 weeks (though that is not my own experience 9 weeks max so far), thats not enough time to recover from 1 topping ? I am asking not telling. Plants grow, cells divide, more branches appear (compared with untopped plants) they recover, given good conditions there is no law about not topping other than massive internet repetition. It would be interesting if someone would do an 8 plant grow, 4 topped and 4 untopped all the same strain and find out for sure.

I am not arguing, each to their own but what is the scientific basis ?

If a strain is not a dwarf/small variety I top em and see what happens.

Auto Wappa tops very well the once and I get 1 - 1.5 oz and thats outside with 10 hours light in 9 weeks.

Edited June 13, 2014 by MaxTrichomes

[Guest craigwestuk]

Hey serpent , I started off my akr in there final pots currenty on day 14 started giving them plant magic bio silicon on day 12 not much difference still quite slow , there grown in coco and perlite under a 400 hps any pointers about nutes at this time or stick to bio silicon for another week ?

[wookiem]

Craigwestuk, sorry I'm not serpent but I use PM bio silicon on every feed, 1mm per litre. Have you tried PM veg boost? Also, are you ph adjusting?

[wookiem]

Spiderkamenetzki, Maxi trichomes, for me, trimming out the lower fan leaves and branches works. Maybe it's because I cram 10 plants into 1sqm. The lower stuff never comes to anything as the light can not penetrate the canopy and to my mind without the lower stuff the plant puts all of it's energy into the tops which are basking in all the light. Each to their own I say.

Happy growing

[Guest craigwestuk]

Hey there , now on day 16 still no change but one of the 3 has slight yellow on smaller top leafs I think it's cause the 400hps is close so backed it off to a ft now and changed to an mh bulb c if any difference it just seems slow , how do you adjust ph I've just kept watering with evian water and add 1mm per 2 litres ? Any advice must be something I'm doin wrong ?

[wookiem]

Hi Craigwestuk, You need to ph adjust in coco, the plants can't feed properly otherwise. Ph down available from growshop and if budget is tight instead of a ph pen the drop tests are reasonably accurate, I would recommend diluting the ph down, say 30ml/l so that you use more of the diluted solution in your feed water, slight differences in the amount of solution you give don't make such an effect on the ph as they would if you were using neat ph down solution. Much easier to use compost IMO, it acts as a buffer and there is no need to ph adjust.

Search around these forums, there are some good guides to plants nutrient difficiencies, heat stresses etc.

Wookiem

[wookiem]

have a look around here craigwestuk

http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?app=tutorials&cat=30

[Guest craigwestuk]

Thanks alot mate ur a great help ! I've ordered some stuff now and testers I'll report bk if all fails I'll start again in plant magic supreme , again thanks !

[Guest craigwestuk]

Do you use the ph down then add the bio silicon to same water before watering or seperate times ??

[morkenlee]

Really welcome post. I've tried a couple of grows in the past. They were ok but the crop could have been better due to my nievity.

I'm propagating 12 autos at the moment. An idea occured to me that if you let the pots go fairly dry it'll encourage roots or is that bollocks?

Look forward to folks thoughts

Daft question but how do you reply to individual reply posts?

Edited June 23, 2014 by morkenlee

[wookiem]

Sorry Serpent, I feel like I'm hijacking your thread........

Craigwestuk, you want to ph adjust all the water you give the plants if you are using coco/coir. You want between 5.5-6.2 but try and keep it constant, ph fluctuations aren't disasterous but aren't good. Silicon with every feed, 1 ml per l. Have you got any photos?

Morkenlee. Sounds like a dangerous tactic, you could cause irrepairable damage if your not careful. If anything I'd keep them well watered and make use of a good root stim.

Here's a pic of my grow at the minute, not autos, free seeds I've accumulated, gone for the more sativa end of what I had. Show's my grow net though which is a really good bit of kit to have.

Trying to post a pic, I'm being thick, how do you post a pic?

[Guest craigwestuk]

Yeah I got pics for you just started the ph yesterday to 5.8 they were sittin at 9 ! And added bio silicon and watered last nite dunno how long it will take for the plants to start moving I'm on week 3 now and still the same u

Do you think these will still be ok ?