Serpents guide to growing autos in soil

[squirrel]

Just a quick tip for anyone starting them off in large pots. Serpent mentioned putting them in pre-wetted soil, but didn't stress it particularly. This is very important in large pots, because if you plant them into dry compost and then add water, the seeds can get washed all over the place. We found this out the hard way, when several seeds got washed right into the corners of their pots, and the seedlings had to be carefully teased out of the corner and back into the middle. One didn't come up at all, so after a week or so we gave up on it and poured the compost out of the pot to reuse it. A day later the missing seed popped it's head up, and grew quite happily as if nothing had happened! It had somehow got itself buried way too deep when we watered.

I dare say if we had watered more slowly and carefully, using a fine rose etc, it wouldn't have happened, but it's much easier just to soak the compost before you plant.

[Serpent]

I grew 8 Speed Devil #2 out in hydro system last grow and was pretty impressed although went way over the 60 day mark. Fairly new to growing mind. I got 18oz dry off them and it is really enjoyable smoke, giggly as fook!

Sorry. crap pic!!

Impressive harvest PD, nice one

Just a quick tip for anyone starting them off in large pots. Serpent mentioned putting them in pre-wetted soil, but didn't stress it particularly. This is very important in large pots, because if you plant them into dry compost and then add water, the seeds can get washed all over the place. We found this out the hard way, when several seeds got washed right into the corners of their pots, and the seedlings had to be carefully teased out of the corner and back into the middle. One didn't come up at all, so after a week or so we gave up on it and poured the compost out of the pot to reuse it. A day later the missing seed popped it's head up, and grew quite happily as if nothing had happened! It had somehow got itself buried way too deep when we watered.

I dare say if we had watered more slowly and carefully, using a fine rose etc, it wouldn't have happened, but it's much easier just to soak the compost before you plant.

Good advice squirrel and yes I should have stressed pre-wetted soil, nice though that your rougue seed came through in the end though

Edited August 24, 2011 by Serpent

[DaChunky1]

Great idea 'Auto' Serp

Getting fedup of all the questions eh?

DC1

[Serpent]

maybe

Nah just thought it would be good to get auto info in one place

[DaChunky1]

Honestly dude, its a great idea. And very well put accross.

Top job

DC1

[REdDragon]

Excellent article you really always give a lovely concise version that actually makes sense. You were the inspiration for me to start growing, it was only a matter of time before i would investigate autos and why you made the change from photoperiod cheers buddy judging on how my grow is going so far i think the dr60 prob is more suited to growing autos.

Edited August 26, 2011 by REdDragon

[Serpent]

Haha, thanks RD and I guess my university education hasn't been a complete waste

The reason why I dipped my toes into auto's is simple, I fancied having a go at them anyway, but for the sweet seeds comp, there were only auto's left, so I thought, what an ideal time to have a go, and I have to say, they really took me by surprise and sweet seeds must have been impressed as I blagged 3rd place in the comp

[Think Floyd]

I like this bit in particular ...

Light Cycle

Once potted up, I’ll move the girls into my tent under a 250w HPS under a light cycle of 18 hours on and 6 hours off, there’s lots of talk whether they should be kept under 24 hour light, 20 hour on, 4 hours off, and from what I’ve read there’s isn’t a huge difference in yield, so to take the cost of electricity into consideration, I always grow mine on 18/6 which it stays on until harvest and so far I’ve no complaints.

I did recently read that Big Buddha recommends in the last couple of weeks to start knocking the lights down gradually until you get to 12/12 to reproduce the natural cycle of the sun as you head towards the harvest date, although I’ve yet to try this method, if anyone has, it would be good to know what results you got.

Ive always been on the fence with autos, slightly falling over into the against side of them just due to the 24hr light required as it raises a stealth issue for me. But 18/6 i think is do-able and good to know. Il certainly keep it in mind as im a dr60 too.

Good job.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Think Floyd

[Serpent]

Thanks dude and I really do think the only thing you'll get extra leaving the lights on 24 hours through till harvest is a massive leccy bill and if your growing in a DR60, might be worth toying with doing a couple in with a couple of photoperiod strains, I'm learning towards doing that my next grow.

[puffead]

That's a top quality guide Auto-Serp. Nice and simple, and not far off the way I went about my first grow, with a little help from your good self and others on here. Nice to see people putting in the effort to do such things. Used Westlands multi-purpose and just used a bit of baby bio for herbs after the first few weeks(not very organic, but I swear this stuff worked wonders on my young plants), and then used plant magic soil bloom for the rest of the grow.

I had really good results for a first go, and you really need to get some of those Auto Hindhu-kush seeds, because you will make a better job of them than I did, and I managed about 2oz per plant. That stuff does you in man!

I think you are probably better off leaving them on the verge of neglect, rather than keep giving them water and nutes, or they will lock-out, or burn. Just let them do their thing and they will be fine.

By the way Serps, how the f**k do you add your grow diaries to your signature on the bottom of a topic/reply???

Cheers dude

Puffead

[Evertondave]

Great little guide, that. Having overfed my last two auto's I can agree with them being light feeders.

I've not been bothering with the potting up recently, just planting the seed straight into a 6.5l pot, mainly as it;s less mess to not have to pot up again and again, but there's been no noticeable change in plant size.

Wouldn't recommend airpots for auto's though. The plant spends too long creating roots, meaning it won't root out a bigger pot.

[Serpent]

That's a top quality guide Auto-Serp. Nice and simple, and not far off the way I went about my first grow, with a little help from your good self and others on here. Nice to see people putting in the effort to do such things. Used Westlands multi-purpose and just used a bit of baby bio for herbs after the first few weeks(not very organic, but I swear this stuff worked wonders on my young plants), and then used plant magic soil bloom for the rest of the grow.

I had really good results for a first go, and you really need to get some of those Auto Hindhu-kush seeds, because you will make a better job of them than I did, and I managed about 2oz per plant. That stuff does you in man!

I think you are probably better off leaving them on the verge of neglect, rather than keep giving them water and nutes, or they will lock-out, or burn. Just let them do their thing and they will be fine.

By the way Serps, how the f**k do you add your grow diaries to your signature on the bottom of a topic/reply???

Cheers dude

Puffead

Thanks mate, when I had a dabble about 12 year ago at growing (it was a real shabby attempt I might add), I used a grow bag for medium and babybio for nutes, and although I thought it was working, with hindsight, the results I got were completely tosh if I'm honest, this time round though, I thought if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it properly.

What breeder were your auto Hindhu-Kush seeds from? Remember having some Hindhu Kush from Amsterdam, again about 12 year ago, was a lovely smoke and kicked my arse

Great little guide, that. Having overfed my last two auto's I can agree with them being light feeders.

I've not been bothering with the potting up recently, just planting the seed straight into a 6.5l pot, mainly as it;s less mess to not have to pot up again and again, but there's been no noticeable change in plant size.

Wouldn't recommend airpots for auto's though. The plant spends too long creating roots, meaning it won't root out a bigger pot.

Thanks ED and I did the same with my 1st auto grow, went a bit over the top with the nutes and interesting to know you haven't noticed a massive difference (except for the mess) with going straight into final pots, I know for me, it's easier to start them off in small pots, but I will attempt it on one of my grows so I can see for myself.

ETA: puffead - I've pm'd you about putting a link in your sig

Edited August 29, 2011 by Serpent

[Steiner]

I've not been bothering with the potting up recently, just planting the seed straight into a 6.5l pot, mainly as it;s less mess to not have to pot up again and again, but there's been no noticeable change in plant size.

Worked for me on my first auto grow too - seedlings went straight into 11 litre final pots, and ended up with 4.2oz from 2 plants. This, for me, is one of the biggest advantages of autos either for the novice grower or someone lacking time to tend to their plants. Early into big pots means fewer points of failure, like:

• fewer potting-up cock-ups
  
• those big pots hold lots of water, so you water less often (like once every 4 or 5 days)
  
• and they hold lots of nutes, so less feeding
  
• generally less time taken overall
  

And you don't need to be concerned about light-proofing your grow room, those autos are very forgiving.

Wasn't a very thick rootball at the end (big pots, mind) and I reckon I'd have had the same yield from 6.5l pots. Biggest risk is getting stale compost from lack of root activity, but wasn't a problem for me.

[REdDragon]

Haha, thanks RD and I guess my university education hasn't been a complete waste

The reason why I dipped my toes into auto's is simple, I fancied having a go at them anyway, but for the sweet seeds comp, there were only auto's left, so I thought, what an ideal time to have a go, and I have to say, they really took me by surprise and sweet seeds must have been impressed as I blagged 3rd place in the comp

Ah this explains everything you would be amazed at how many conversations about you and your grows I have with my gf haha only in terms of what your growing. Your first grow was amazing and then you went to autos and we couldnt understand. Well now I understand although I must say if I yield as much from autos as I have been doing with photoperiod I may as well stick with them.

[Arnold Layne]

Nice thread, Serpent - very informative.

Just a quick tip for anyone starting them off in large pots. Serpent mentioned putting them in pre-wetted soil, but didn't stress it particularly. This is very important in large pots, because if you plant them into dry compost and then add water, the seeds can get washed all over the place. We found this out the hard way, when several seeds got washed right into the corners of their pots, and the seedlings had to be carefully teased out of the corner and back into the middle. One didn't come up at all, so after a week or so we gave up on it and poured the compost out of the pot to reuse it. A day later the missing seed popped it's head up, and grew quite happily as if nothing had happened! It had somehow got itself buried way too deep when we watered.

I dare say if we had watered more slowly and carefully, using a fine rose etc, it wouldn't have happened, but it's much easier just to soak the compost before you plant.

Been there, got the T!

My tip: To pre-soak compost I fill my pot with dry compost and then stand it in a dish of water and let it soak it up from the bottom. I normally do this over a 24 hour period to allow everything to reach room temps too. Then just a quick (fine) spray of the surface and there you go, a lovely, moist tilth. Perfect for seeds and cuts