I’ve been having horrible luck with topping my autos but I KNOW I’m doing something wrong. With Waira’s help I’ve identified a BIG problem that’s been effecting my plants - my well water. Now that I have started using an RO system, my photos seem to be doing much better. So, I’m wanting to start over. Basically, do a complete reset of what I’ve been doing; to see if I can get the kind of results that others are getting. So, I’ve got some questions about some of the changes I’m planning. Hopefully
@autobeast or
@Mañ'O'Green or one of you auto experts can give me some advice. Here goes...
1. SOIL - what kind of soil do autos (I know I’m generalizing here) like? I mean, do they tolerate a heavily amended organic soil that’s really rich in nutrients and biology. I ended up doing expanded version of the Coots Mix, with the help of Tad Hussey of KIS Organics. It closely mirrors their “water only biochar soil.” It’s not a perfect copy as I don’t have access to their compost or worm castings but it’s 95% the same and follows their proportioning and uses their inputs. I know it’ll be good for photos but I’m curious if it might be too hot OR not rich enough for autos; since the Mix was designed for growing photos.
Here’s my mix that makes 10.5 gallons of soil:
Base-
3.75 gallons Lambert Canadian Peat Moss
1.25 gallons of high-end store bought compost and EWC at a 2:1 ratio
2.5 gallons Pumice
3 cups malted barley
0.5 Cups Kelp Meal
0.5 Cups Neem/Karanja Meal (3:1)
0.5 Cups Crustacean Meal
0.5 Cups Alfalfa meal
1 Cup Insect Frass
0.5 Cups Feather Meal
0.5 Cups Fish Bone Meal
1.5 US Teaspoons Yucca Extract (wetting agent for peat moss)
3 Cups Biochar inoculated w/ homemade Lacto Bacillus, Recharge and Mycorhizal fungi.
Mineral additions-
4 Cups Glacial Rock Dust
4 Cups Basalt
4 Cups Gypsum
4 Cups Oyster Shell Flour
Additional inputs-
0.25 Cup Soft Rock Phosphate
0.25 Cup High N Bat Guano
0.25 Cup High P Bat Guano
1 Cup Leonardite
0.5 US Teaspoon Great White Myco
1 US Teaspoon Recharge
Leaving this to cure for 3-4 weeks. While it’s a long list of ingredients it’s very balanced and not particularly “hot” from what I’ve been told.
Question is:
How do you think it’ll work for autos? I’m really wanting to get off bottled nutrients if possible and cut it to an absolute minimum.
2. Lighting- my indoor growing has been under a 600 (true) watt LED at 3000k. But I currently have 2 photos that just went to flower under that light on 12/12. I’m working on getting another light with the intention of having a “veg” tent and a “flower” tent. While I’m mulling over my only other light choice is a 5 bulb, 4-foot long T5 fixture with 6500k bulbs in it. Now, I’ve started some autos under that light and then moved them outside after about 3 weeks; but I’ve never left them under it any longer.
So, what is the story with autos and light; and would you recommend waiting until I get a new light or wound you go ahead and pop some seeds, veg it under the fluorescents for a few weeks and THEN toss it into the flower tent under 600w on 12/12?
I mean, do Autos have spectrum preferences (if so, what are they?) and/or will they veg under a bright 600w 3000k bulb even though they’re only getting it 12 hours a day? I know I CAN do this but how will they react - will I just get low Bud production or some larfy buds? I’d really appreciate some opinions on what to do here, given my situation as I layed out.
I can get a veg light put together pretty dang quick but HLG is about to release (next few weeks) the Version 2 of the quantum boards I’d like to use. They have about 10% efficacy improvement over the V1 that’s currently available. I’d really like to wait on the new boards but I’d also like to pop a few new beans. As usual, I’m looking to y’all to help me ‘have my bud and smoke it too,’ as it were. Lol!
3. Strains- I know that the genetics of the autos you grow play a big role in success and after reading Man O’ Green’s comments recently about vigorous growers doing better with topping, I wondered if I’m choosing the right genetics. I’m just finishing a Dinafem XXL Cheese Auto and a DP Auto Ultimate that really disappointed me with their small sizes. Again, this is probably a result of the water I was using. But, are these XXL type strains from breeders like Dinafem and Dutch Passion the types of genetics that
ought to be perfect for topping?
Sorry for the super long post and I hope it’s ok to include it in this thread but I’m
TRYING to implement @autobeast’s methodology and get some of the fantastic results achieved by folks in this thread. I’ve come to believe that the stunted results that I’ve had when I topped my autos before (with autobeast’s guidance) is related to my crappy water but possibly to the various FoxFarm and other soils I’ve tried. So, I’m re-examining the nuances of growing and maximizing autos. If it’s not appropriate for inclusion here, I’ll move it to an independent thread.
Thanks for taking the time to read all this!
and a short plant can yield just as much as a tall plant
