Root scoring/pruning autos

[Purple2thepeople]

I enjoy experimenting a lot. So nothing wrong with trying new things.

I can tell you that I grow fairly large plants and get decent yields. So maybe try a run with some different approaches? Last run of 3 autos yielded 20.5 oz, 13.4 oz, and 9.9 oz. The 9.9 oz would have been bigger, but it ended up getting shaded out by the other 2. 3 plants pretty much consumed a 4x4 tent.

Biggest differences for me was experimenting with pot size. On that run above, the largest yielder was in a 10 gallon pot. The other 2 were in 5 gallons.

Shortly after (or during) that run, I had another plant in the 4x4 in a 7 gallon and it was taking up almost the entire tent once she had it to herself. Unfortunately we got wind with little notice that we had to move, so I had to cull it.

I also use coco. Not too much early LST is another thing I finally figured out halfway into the last run. Top, then let them go until they start the stretch, for the most part. Then canopy widening and lower branch defoliation.

Here is a photo of that run, I have successfully been able to duplicate the results - for the most part - in my current run. So it is a repeatable process I am finding.

Not to dissuade you from the scoring. I think you should try it because why not. Just other options to increase your yields.

EDIT - Noticed you mentioned not growing autos since 2016. Genetics have come a long way. I try to push them to yield more like a photo. That's a lot of fun for me. I've slowly dialed it in over time. And continue to.

Strains in this photo -

Fastbuds Orange Sherbet - Back left - 10 gallon pot - 20.5 oz dried and cured.

Twisted Tree Alien Moon Rocks - Back Right - that's the one that I had to cull = heartbreaker. 7 gallon

Night Owl Sage Scout - Front Left - 5 gallon -9.9 oz. Got shaded out by the...

Mephisto Strawberry Nuggets - Front Right - 5 gallon - 13.4 oz. That was an interesting one because they claim she would stay small. But she didn't. Dunno if I got lucky or not. But similar results

Outdoors I am mostly organic. Indoors I use synthetics.

Great reply I appreciate your input! I had considered that larger pots may be a big factor possibly aswell, sorry if I missed it, do you plant direct into the final pot?

I always did that with autos before, but when I heard the episode it got me thinking haha.

I will have to delay planting a bit unfortunately as I am going to have to move, but should be able to finish my photos off at least.

I'm very excited to try these genetics, I've wanted to grow mephisto since 2014/15 but they were very hard to get where I live until recently and I acquired a fairly large amount of their beans now to mess around with which is exciting.

I like to chuck pollen, so their genetics will be fun to play around with.

So excited to grow a sour stomper and crem de la Chem, among others haha

 

[GreenBean]

Great reply I appreciate your input! I had considered that larger pots may be a big factor possibly aswell, sorry if I missed it, do you plant direct into the final pot?

I always did that with autos before, but when I heard the episode it got me thinking haha.

I will have to delay planting a bit unfortunately as I am going to have to move, but should be able to finish my photos off at least.

I'm very excited to try these genetics, I've wanted to grow mephisto since 2014/15 but they were very hard to get where I live until recently and I acquired a fairly large amount of their beans now to mess around with which is exciting.

I like to chuck pollen, so their genetics will be fun to play around with.

So excited to grow a sour stomper and crem de la Chem, among others haha

Good luck with your move. We just went through that over the Holidays. Was not enjoyable. Took me almost 4 months to even get one tent going again.

 

[Purple2thepeople]

Thanks @Green Bean will get it sorted, hoping to get going again in a month but we'll see haha

 

[kfigerm]

Hey, thats what guardeners (should) do to all plants that grew to long in a pot. First lesson on potting/repotting, well understood in general.

If you buy any plant in a pot and put it to soil, especially trees that need to settle fast, that's the first thing to do, scratch the roots off the ball to give them a new direction and to stimulate growth due to the little wounds.
The fastest test on this you can do with basil from the supermarket.
If the pot becomes too small and the roots circled around, this IS a thing to do for sure.

Transplanting autos from seedling to final pot should occur early enough imo, so there should not be much root mass circling around some container I think.
If the taproot has already reached the ground in the small seedling pot gently stretch her and poke it into the new pot. No more stress needed.
The thinner the roots are, the more you want to keep them and try to spread them in the new container, because these are the ones feeding in the new medium, while the taproot keeps looking for more water lower down.
I keep my small ones away from stress. I never transplant autos, but if i ever had to, I'd scratch and cut the roots like i do to any other plant.

usual disclaimers...

 

[Purple2thepeople]

@kfigerm cheers thanks for the reply!

That's a good point about the timing of auto transplants, I'm considering starting a couple in their final pots and doing a couple transplants, and 1 or 2 with scoring just for fun.

Once I move I'll be able to grow more plants at once at least, so I will be able to perform the experiment after all! I will likely start 4-5 of one strain and then 3-4 individuals of other strains, I figure up to 8 5gallon fabric pots in a 4×4 should be OK, maybe a little tight I guess actually haha

 

[Tom Bombadil]

@kfigerm cheers thanks for the reply!

That's a good point about the timing of auto transplants, I'm considering starting a couple in their final pots and doing a couple transplants, and 1 or 2 with scoring just for fun.

Once I move I'll be able to grow more plants at once at least, so I will be able to perform the experiment after all! I will likely start 4-5 of one strain and then 3-4 individuals of other strains, I figure up to 8 5gallon fabric pots in a 4×4 should be OK, maybe a little tight I guess actually haha

8 true 5 gallon pots in a 4x4 will be a a nightmare if you have even moderately sized autoflowers. 5 plants in 5 gallon pots would be crowded and a pain in the ass to work around but doable.

 

[GreenBean]

I can fit 3 plants in 5 gallons in a 4x4 when they’re going full steam. 4 is doable but not ideal. Since we moved I’m not running my 4x4 yet. Just the 4x2 and 2, 5 gallons is going to get really tight soon once my Walter White stretches and blooms.

 

[Purple2thepeople]

Thanks for the info, I guess I haven't seen these big autos yet myself so I'm excited! I'll plant to do 4-5 so they can have room to breathe

Gonna chop some of my photos today most likely