New Grower Best lighting?

[nitro jen]

Hey everyone,

I have plenty of experience in growing "regular" cannabis, but I am just now starting my very first feminized/autoflower grow. I have a 400 watt halide, a 1000 watt hps, and I also have, of course, the wonderful sunshine. What is the best light to use this time of year for maximum production? Obviously, I get my biggest regular plants growing outdoors during the summer, but I'm not sure what the autoflowering strains would do best with, or if I should use a combination of lighting depending on stage. Space is not an issue.

I have 5 babies that I have just germinated. One each of Afghan Kush Ryder, Afghan Kush Special, Ice, Holy Grail 69, and Supersonic Super Storm.

Also, can feminized plants be cloned as easily as normal plants?

Thanks in advance for any info!

 

[Dr Fluff]

Hi Nitro
You can use the same set up indoors as you would for photos.

MH veg & HPS flower and of course you can grow autos outside.

I'm a LED user and you'll find a good number throughout the forums.

Outside autos can get bit bigger due to larger pots or being planted directly into soil.

Size can be also come down to gentics some dwarf autos stay very small 40cm to 60cm and are used for discrete guerilla grows window sill and balconies.Super autos can get to 2.5M tall. A majority of auto are in the 80cm-140cm range.

You may find you get a better yield under lights though, due to longer lighting hours.

There are three basic light regimes that auto growers like to use 20/4 , 18/6 & 24/0 .

It can be a matter of choice which you choose, each to their own type of deal I go 24/0 personally.

If day time temps happen to be a problem then having a dark period in the hottest part of the day is good, after all if it is too hot in your cab/tent etc your plants won't be growing properly, so might as well cool things down and save some money.

Unfortuately due to the inbuilt time clock in auto they go into flower approx 3 weeks after germination this means you can't have an extended veg period controlled by photoperiod, so no cutting with autos.

Am I right in thinking that the Ice & the Holy Grail 69 are photos? Feminized photos can be cloned.

 

[nitro jen]

Thank you for the response arty. I am starting to think I might put them in huge pots and keep them outdoors during the light hours, and wheel them indoors during the night hours to expose them to maximum light. Maybe use the halide for the first few weeks, then change to hps. Not sure if going back and forth from natural light to bulbs everyday will cause any stress, but I've done it before with regular plants and not had a problem.

As far as I know, the ice and holy grail should be photos....they are feminized, I know that much. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

 

[Dr Fluff]

Yeah thought they were photo so cuttings can be taken no probs.

If your gonna wheel your autos in in the evening then just make sure your photos are in dark period in the day, and lights come on in the evening for when you bring in the autos.

I don't see any problem bringing them in for extra light, I run my lights 24/0 and my plants love it.