New Grower New Alaskan Autos

[EnkiTheBarbarian]

Hello from the Northlands! As you all well know it is legal to grow your own in Alaska. I could say it is "now" legal to grow your own here, however, the actual laws indicate that it has been legal to do so since the eighties.

I am an experienced organic photoperiod grower. I have grown all of my favorites over the years and have even generated my own stable hybrids as well as pure back-breeds.

Some months ago a friend gave me a freebie seedling that he had obtained. It was a fem Blueberry Headband. He didn't mention it was an auto until I tracked him down and told him what the little monster was doing. He was so intrigued he demanded I show him. I had already pruned her apical node after she generated the fourth leafset, as I always do. I ended up finishing her under a 250w MH in her own little makeshift living quarters. It was simply all I could throw together at the time. I ended up with about 2&1/2 oz. of some gnarly stuff that people still swear by today as some of the best they have smoked in years. I never told my other friends that she was an auto. Simply let them puff on the good stuff and assess it for what it was.

This summer I am shutting off the closet grow lights.

The Alaskan summer allows for a range of light from 16 to 23 to 16 hours over the course of about 4 months. During this time the temperature is allowable for growing plants outdoors.

 

[EnkiTheBarbarian]

I have two separate, small, greenhouses. The strains I have to work with are Flash Stardust(reg) and Nirvana Jock Horror(fem). The best females of each will be paired with the best Stardust male. The other females will be flowered in the other greenhouse.

 

[EnkiTheBarbarian]

How does this mix sound?

Five gallon bucket, blended medium as follows:
Promix BX 3&1/2 gal.
Perlite 1/4 gal.
Vermiculite 1/4 gal.
2 Tbspn. 7-4-5 Happy Frog Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer
2 Tbspn. 0-0-0.2 (1.8% calcium, 0.5% magnesium, 0.1% chlorine, 0.1% sodium) Azomite
2 Tbspn. 2-14-0 DTE Bonemeal
2 Tbspn. Mykos Mycorrizhae Innoculum
4 Tbspn. 1-0.1-2 DTE Kelp Meal
2 Tbspn. 6-6-0 (10% calcium) DTE shrimp meal
1 Tbspn. 0-0-22 (10% magnesium, 22% sulfur, 3% chlorine) DTE langbeinite (Sprinkled on Hydrocorn for finisher)
2 Tbspn. 0-10-0 Sun Leaves Jamaican Bat Guano (Sprinkled on Hydrocorn for finisher)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hydrocorn Clay Pellets 1 gal. (at bottom of bucket to aid in drainage)

Total approximate macronutrients: 8.5-12.05-3.6 (8.5-17.05-9.1 with finishing nutrients. May consider augmenting Potassium during cycle using diluted Snowstorm Ultra if deficiencies become present.)

 

[HMR]

Good mix, but don't layer. The top 4-6 inches is where the plant feeds from the most so your best bet is to just give the whole soil mix a good well... Mix. It evenly distributes the nutrients in the soil and prevents from slowed growth until longer feeder roots reach the hot spots in the soil, which may end up burning them anyways

 

[Alaskan1]

Hey Barbarian,
Alaska summer is on its way! Have you tried growing outdoors here? I tried last year. Not good. Bugs ate up the buds. In my greenhouse plants grow great in the summers, but legally the plants can't be visible from outside the greenhouse, and the greenhouse locked and secured. I just leave my plants indoors in the grow tent, and save the greenhouse room for my tomato and cucumber plants.

I've had a good time making hybrids too. Here's my favorite so far. It's Dutch Breed Lowberry X Low Life AK 47 Automatic. I call it "AK Berry." The color is amazing, and it smells strongly of berries. The dried buds retained the colors, and the buds soooo hard; like rock. Effects are very buzzy.

I've never created my own soil mix as you're doing. Too lazy I'm sure. I buy Sunshine Mix #1 at the local greenhouse, and that's it. I use PHed water with Fox Farm nutes and CalMag, and that's it. Super simple . I get 2 dried oz in one gallon pots and 3+ in 3 gallon pots. I'm wondering if doing a mix like you do would increase yield. You think?

Have a great growing season in our Beautiful Midnight Sun.

 

[EnkiTheBarbarian]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Those nugs look good, Alaskan1! I've scoured the internet(thus finding this forum) and have had moderate luck obtaining information on organic growing without liquid organics. For containers I hand mix the promix until all the organic nutrients are well blended. The medium/nutrient layering is indicated by the squiggly lines. I grow everything that way, from my photoperiod cannabis, to houseplants, to containerized fruit trees, to my standard greenhouse fare. Different mixes for different purposes. It's actually laziness that created this proficiency for dry organic additives. After that I just add water! Every now and then I'll get an oddball pheno that burns a tad in late veg but explodes into flower like her sisters(or brothers). Or inversely an oddball that is still hungry for nitrogen during early-mid flower. I could still reduce the mix slightly. However, I thought I was in the safe zone with everything I've read about autos. That's why I'm here asking! The mix presented is approximately 1/3 of my transplant-to-flower mix for photoperiods. I've been mildly obsessed with botany since I was about ten. Another question, since I didn't make close observations while growing the BBHB, how much growth can I expect from the energy stored in the cotyledons? Will the roots penetrate approximately 1&1/2" of soil before the cotyledons expire?

/edit I don't know if it would increase yield in autos. My mixes typically yield an oz. per gallon of soil with photoperiods. The BBHB only produced about 2&1/2 oz. but I also pruned it and then transplanted it to a 3 gallon when I realized it was an auto. I may very well scorch these beans this summer and have to go back to the drawing board. By mixing the total nutrients with the other half gallon of promix, as HMR suggested, I will lower the total available nutrients slightly. I could rework the mix, but I'm limited as to what I have to work with as I live in a rural area and almost always have to order everything. I figure my window for sprouting seeds will be some time at the end of this month or possible in the first or second week of next month. If I sprout too late I run the risk of missing the season by a week or two. I will begin a grow journal at that time. Just trying to dragnet for as much info as I can on nutrient requirements before I make the mix or germinate beans. Another thing that I typically do is activate the organics a week before using the soil mix by putting it in a five gallon pot and drenching it with water. This makes the organics more "gentle" by accelerating the microorganisms in the soil. So in all actuality there is probably slightly less nutrient content than I initially calculate for the mix. Another question, am I to understand that 50f is the absolute bare minimum temperature at which autoflowers will flourish? This is what I have read on several websites.

 

[Alaskan1]

Sounds like you've done your research, and are having fun with it. Since I grow in soil, and have never uprooted a seedling once it gets going, I don't know how deep the seed leaves will grow your seedling roots. If you've got extra seeds, that would be a quick thing to find out; just uproot the seedling and take a look. One thing I've found, autoflowers have very small root structure compared to photoperiod plants. The picture shows the tiny root structure of Lowryder 2 plant that produced close to 2 ounces. Skimpy, huh?
As far as temperature goes .... I've grown autos here outside in AK, and they were way too small, and bug eaten. In my grow tent during the winter, I've had it down to 50 at night, and 70 during the day. I suppose I could have turned up the heat, but plants didn't seem to mind. I've found that the cool temps really bring out the colors in some strains, such as the bud pictures I posted above.
Happy Growing!

 

[briman]

Heya ETB! Head over to the organic area and look for my mate @Eyes on Fire! He is a guru in the realm of organic mixes and Autos would be a sure, best bet for our summer! He will also give you some good info on organic bug stuff just in case! The guy knows his organics for sure! I too am in the land of the midnight sun and have had better luck with autos than with photos. You can make a killing on autos in a greenhouse in 5 gallon pots! Best of luck! Head over to introductions and post a quick hello to the members, please and will look forward to seeing you around!

 

[EnkiTheBarbarian]

Right on, did the introduction thing. It's been years since I've really participated in a forum so I'm a bit rusty. Dayumn, AK1! Those are tiny roots! I think the BBHB had about a good gallon of roots in the three gallon bucket when I dumped it out in the compost bin. But I definitely recall there being substantial untouched soil in there. I'll get ahold of Eyes on Fire and see what he thinks about the soil blend. I'm not fond of the idea of frying my beans and my wife would probably punt me in the gonads if I did. I'd rather re-work the blend than waste my time. I really appreciate the feed-back.

/edit In regards to pest control I usually have good luck with ordering Phytoseiulus persimilis for mite control, Stratiolaelaps scimitus for gnats or thrips, or just old fashioned ladybugs. I once tried Orius insidiosus, I would not suggest these to anyone, pretty much ever. The population persisted for months and they bite like flees. Populations can be reduced during winter months and shipping is always outrageous. But, typically, once a population of predators is established you're good for a year or two.

 

[Eyes on Fire]

hey man, i was looking at your mix and as a simple organics powder mix without a fully integrated inoculate it should work well.the key is the mix you know.so if your fully versed in this style of organics,and at 1/3 strength right about 45-50% of full strength.now IF thats done imho you would want to pre blend these components and not layer.similar to cooking a batch but your just wetting and blending them powders into the soil and then in a week or so ya pot up and rinse the soil lightly ,as ya do..lol and voila.shoudl work fine imo. but even what you intend to do currently.the only suggestion I would make is make a long plug for your tap root say 2/3of the way down the 5 gallon bucket. thats what id do.

and as for pests you certainly seem well versed within IPM systems.so as for soil and a systemic action to take Ive personally not lost a plant to pests .indoors ,ever ...and OD its always been molds for me here in my personal situation outside. but Neem cale,Kanja cake and some frass will give you that secure pre protection and horde limiter.if infested it will give you a solid amount of time to know them down bedore they take hold and use a siera natrual sciences pest and mite control.and no it wont mess with your harvest.well integrated system in three way battle for dominance to kill and piss off the first bugs that come crawling either In your mix or nibble your leaves they have a WTF was that on their face? and i like azamax for a pita pest issue. with them imho youll stand thee absolute best chance for success. best of luck man.. that all make sense man?

frass is a little expensive but it'll last a long time AND in soil AND used as a drench.its a nice thing to have.and neem,well..LOL we all know neem.lol and kanja cake is essentially like a vitamin..one dont typically do it full job without the other. so neem and kanja cake,frass and a systemic SNS-209 from rosemary oil will do ya good.AND of you can increase the brix levels gradually over the transition phase predominantly that will also help incluse heavier cell walls and also help fight off pests and other molds n things alone.and others with fair conditions and a solid grower?sounds like success to me man.LOL!

now on the flip side,you could order from tlosoils.com and look at the 5LB packs,since thats a recipe i really like and you add it too 25-30 gallons and an inoculate youll get ro fully harvested autos per batch for 14.99.free shipping last i looked.but other than that looks like a winne id also want to include some lime.or did i just miss that you had that? hell im still blurry eyed lol