Auto topping thread,pushing the auto limits;)

Good day growers im a master photo and auto grower.but my passion is with autoflower seeds.i been on a mission for 5 years growing now trying diffrent methods of training on autos to see what they truly behold.truth is autos aint no diffrent to a normal plant other than they flower on there own.u can top lst supercrop and defol autos with monster results if done at the correct time.oviously every plant is diffrent so always use the seed info as a rough guide and a short plant can yield just as much as a tall plant in this thread i will show u all along the way of the true limits of autos and there true potential as i grow them for u all to see.also if ur an auto grower who likes to push the limits,do speak up and all pics of ur autos and talk and all questions welcome on pushing the auto limits.here a few examples of the results achived topping an auto young followed by later lst.few heavy defols along the way ,gives u an army of dominant colas and a big heavy yield.and a beautiful plant.here is automazar topped and lstd

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Hi @autobeast - I have a couple questions I posted in the new growers area. I hope you don't mind... I thought I'd post them here as well to get your thoughts.

1. When using compost teas, we oxygenate the water using an aquarium pump. Does it make sense to oxygenate plain water? Will the roots/plants gain any benefit from doing this?

2. I'm using organic living soil. I've read multiple times that you water your plants and then let them dry out so the roots grow searching for water. Once every 3 days. This can leave the soil hydrophobic. I've also read that people water their plants multiple times a day with very small doses to keep the soil even which benefits the plants. How do I know which is correct/best? I'm guessing the answer is to test, but I'm on my first grow and don't want to mess my plants up.

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and roots there will die. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering.

 

[Belle]

Yucca powder ordered. Thanks for the info Man. @Mañ'O'Green

I feel that I'm probably under-watering more than over. It's tricky. I don't want it to get soggy, but the top dries out pretty bad. I wonder if I need to add more perlite to the lower 1/4-1/2. Would that make sense?

 

[Builder0101]

@Belle
I don't see where you state what the constituents of your "living soil" are. If it is Coco and pearlite you can water every day. If it is a soil based medium with pearlite then you need to water like soil i.e. every 2 or 3 days. I am in Coco and water every day until the bottoms are saturated. I then place the pots on folded towels for a couple minutes. I have no evidence that this method is good or bad. I just know that I do not worry about soggy bottoms. Also if you develop fungus gnats it is easy to set them in a totem with 4 or 5 inches of water and let them wick. Keeps the top couple inches dry.

 

[Autobeast]

Hi @autobeast - I have a couple questions I posted in the new growers area. I hope you don't mind... I thought I'd post them here as well to get your thoughts.

1. When using compost teas, we oxygenate the water using an aquarium pump. Does it make sense to oxygenate plain water? Will the roots/plants gain any benefit from doing this?

2. I'm using organic living soil. I've read multiple times that you water your plants and then let them dry out so the roots grow searching for water. Once every 3 days. This can leave the soil hydrophobic. I've also read that people water their plants multiple times a day with very small doses to keep the soil even which benefits the plants. How do I know which is correct/best? I'm guessing the answer is to test, but I'm on my first grow and don't want to mess my plants up.

Hi there lady.iv never oxygenated my water so unsure on that.good quality soil is the most important thing of ur grow.and is good to let plants dry out between waterings indeed for good root structure.im not saying bone dry.just lift up ur pots to establisn how dry they are.if heavy all good.lift each day and u will notice how light ur pot gets ,best idea to teach urself how much ur plant drinka and needs.as for watering.there isnt any right or wrong way each to there own.happy growing every1

 

[Qbgrower]

Hi @autobeast - I have a couple questions I posted in the new growers area. I hope you don't mind... I thought I'd post them here as well to get your thoughts.

1. When using compost teas, we oxygenate the water using an aquarium pump. Does it make sense to oxygenate plain water? Will the roots/plants gain any benefit from doing this?

2. I'm using organic living soil. I've read multiple times that you water your plants and then let them dry out so the roots grow searching for water. Once every 3 days. This can leave the soil hydrophobic. I've also read that people water their plants multiple times a day with very small doses to keep the soil even which benefits the plants. How do I know which is correct/best? I'm guessing the answer is to test, but I'm on my first grow and don't want to mess my plants up.

Hi mate. thought id pitch in some suggestions. Autopot and biotab user here.

I use an autopot system and the tank contains plain water that I have an airstone in and on constantly. I feel like i have noticed small improvements since doing this, It also help with getting rid of chlorine.

I highly recommend an Autopot system, it takes the guesswork out of watering. I was having really bad problems with under-watering initially then over-watering. The autopot has taken out the biggest problem (ME) and really improved my yields and overall quality of bud.

Hope ive helped you out a bit.

Qb

 

[Belle]

@Builder0101 In 5 gallon fabric pots I have bottom 2/3 OF with amendments - nutrients/rocks etc, top 1/3 is Happy Frog. Great idea about setting them on towels after watering! I'll check into making a trap. I had gnats, but they seem to be better now.

@autobeast Ty for the info/response!

@Qbgrower I will check them out, thank you!

 

[Builder0101]

@Builder0101 In 5 gallon fabric pots I have bottom 2/3 OF with amendments - nutrients/rocks etc, top 1/3 is Happy Frog. Great idea about setting them on towels after watering! I'll check into making a trap. I had gnats, but they seem to be better now.

@autobeast Ty for the info/response!

@Qbgrower I will check them out, thank you!

I do not care for Happy Frog. Too heavy for me. If I used that I would probably be 60/40 HF/pearlite same for OF. That's just me.

 

[Belle]

@Builder0101 Ya. I don't plan on getting it again. I couldn't find a local blend at the time. An old friend said to stay away from now because of bugs, and I ended up with bugs. I only have 5 gallon fabric pots now, but want to get larger containers so I can keep worms in it to help the castings etc.

 

[Builder0101]

I ordered cheap Coco from Amazon. The cheapest I could get. I will spend more money next time; however. it worked out just fine. I rinsed and buffered it, used it as my base for "living soil". I have gone to 7 gallon pots complete with my worms and everything. Have you seen the YouTube where the guy uses avocado shells as worm food pods? I should have saved it. At any rate fill half a shell with blended up avocado, banana, egg shell, carrot peels... Turn the pods upside down in your pots . Instant worm restaurant.

 

[AFNG]

@autobeast just wanted to say thanks for starting this thread! It's definitely been an inspiration and great learning tool. Here is my first beauty at 16 days.