Autoflower Basics

[LG/]

If anyone has input or advice on autoflower practices please post! I'd really appreciate it.

I've read about it on forums, but there's some basic differing info. Here goes.

I have autos on the mind for spring. Started alot of a couple strains that seemed to have auto tendencies, under 18hrs light they both seemed to start flowering. Now their under weak/low light 24 hrs, no signs of auto yet but their small. Gonna start transplanting some in a week or so.

But I have a handful of auto seeds as well. I'd like to get some real big ones vegged up and outside early/mid May (last frost date round here). Plant count limit is 4 mature 4 immature. So I want 4 big autos out as early as possible. Might be able to do 2 auto runs and 1 full season photoperiod run.

Specific questions: transplanting, pot size and soil composition.

Is it best to avoid transplanting if possible or if its done at the right time and gently will there be minimal stunting?

Any specific soil recipes, additions or amendments to make it easier for the plant to build a solid root mass? (I ordered a block of coco chips... will add extra perlite too).

Pot size???!!! I have 6x 7gal fabric grow bags, some plastic 3 gallon grow bags. And 2 gallon bags.

Thanks all

 

[UncleB]

I'm betting @Photon Pharms will be popping in soon. He's definitely a good one for auto-guidance

 

[pepperpicante]

Plant in the biggest pots you got and avoud transplanting. Going for size in autos is harder then just being happy with quick yields. It depends a lot on genetics and avoiding any stressing or stunting early on. I reccommend leaf tucking unless you are familiar with the genetics or it is coming out as an xmass tree early on then you can top. Top withing the first 2 weeks if you are going too otherwise leave it alone with leaf tucking. For big autos you can use nutrient rich hot soil for the bottom and a couple inch layer of something easier to start in like a happy frog or coco on top. Straight coco and nutrients and automation is still the most proven as far as getting big autos. You can check out videos or insta of autopotamous for some ideas on getting big autos and the genetics he uses. As far as yield and consistenct goes it is hard to beat photos. But autos have come along way and people do grow some big ones. Just hard to say everyone is getting consistent results depening on genetics.

 

[Bullfrog]

If anyone has input or advice on autoflower practices please post! I'd really appreciate it.

I've read about it on forums, but there's some basic differing info. Here goes.

I have autos on the mind for spring. Started alot of a couple strains that seemed to have auto tendencies, under 18hrs light they both seemed to start flowering. Now their under weak/low light 24 hrs, no signs of auto yet but their small. Gonna start transplanting some in a week or so.

But I have a handful of auto seeds as well. I'd like to get some real big ones vegged up and outside early/mid May (last frost date round here). Plant count limit is 4 mature 4 immature. So I want 4 big autos out as early as possible. Might be able to do 2 auto runs and 1 full season photoperiod run.

Specific questions: transplanting, pot size and soil composition.

Is it best to avoid transplanting if possible or if its done at the right time and gently will there be minimal stunting?

Any specific soil recipes, additions or amendments to make it easier for the plant to build a solid root mass? (I ordered a block of coco chips... will add extra perlite too).

Pot size???!!! I have 6x 7gal fabric grow bags, some plastic 3 gallon grow bags. And 2 gallon bags.

Thanks all

I've tried transplanting auto's and I won't do it anymore. Have had a couple successes but more failures. I have some homemade autos that I'm not sure if they're true auto or not and they transplanted fine. Those vegged for 40 days or so outside after a couple weeks in cups, so maybe they're not true flower at 30 days auto's. Picked it first of September, with some bud rot. They did finish nearly 2 months before everything else. Seemed having fat buds during the heat and humidity of July and August weren't the best thing.

This year I'm not starting them until June or maybe July, trying to avoid having big buds during the hottest months. Last summer all the bud rot I found was during the hot humid months. Once it was all removed and the temps cooled some, I didn't find hardly anymore. What I did was probably just stuff I missed. Found almost no rot during chop and trim, which was amazing since my grow area has standing water the whole summer aside from a few weeks.

 

[Mizzo81]

A lot depends how big of a pot although some will just want to go. Get the first three weeks just right and you can get some giants. You can transplant but if you don’t time it just right it can affect the size. 7 gal is fine and so is 3gal. I feed them like photos never had an issue. I test grew for mephisto a few years back after journaling a bunch their gear on a forum. Then switched to photos. Some fire out there in auto form Rocbud Inc, and mephisto always loud frosty potent all different sizes but usually well described in that way. Some auto growers look for small plants I liked big ones. I need to repro some of my auto beans mostly my Rocbud collection!. Had some killers! They like an airy soil so big perlite.

 

[Photon Pharms]

If anyone has input or advice on autoflower practices please post! I'd really appreciate it.

I've read about it on forums, but there's some basic differing info. Here goes.

I have autos on the mind for spring. Started alot of a couple strains that seemed to have auto tendencies, under 18hrs light they both seemed to start flowering. Now their under weak/low light 24 hrs, no signs of auto yet but their small. Gonna start transplanting some in a week or so.

But I have a handful of auto seeds as well. I'd like to get some real big ones vegged up and outside early/mid May (last frost date round here). Plant count limit is 4 mature 4 immature. So I want 4 big autos out as early as possible. Might be able to do 2 auto runs and 1 full season photoperiod run.

Specific questions: transplanting, pot size and soil composition.

Is it best to avoid transplanting if possible or if its done at the right time and gently will there be minimal stunting?

Any specific soil recipes, additions or amendments to make it easier for the plant to build a solid root mass? (I ordered a block of coco chips... will add extra perlite too).

Pot size???!!! I have 6x 7gal fabric grow bags, some plastic 3 gallon grow bags. And 2 gallon bags.

Thanks all

Awesome! I hope you have a good experience as they can be a lot of fun. The explosive growth rate is tons of fun! That said, genetics, genetics, genetics. That will have the biggest influence on the final product, both in size and quality. Beyond that, mastering watering or having good control of both frequency and amounts, has a good deal to do with auto size. To be short, it has to do with both not stunting them or stressing them(more specifically their roots). Good genetics should handle temp swings fine, typically just slows them down a bit depending. If you can avoid transplanting, or if you know you're not great at it/have a slick system etc, I would. You can get them a bit bigger if you start in solos for two weeks, but again, a rough transplant can negate the aid of the smaller pot. So I'd say, outside, go into a seven or larger is fine. Just shield rain water during the first few weeks, you really don't want to over water early. Honestly in that pot size, use a nutrient rich soil in the bottom half(as recommended earlier) and a light blend up top. Ie - layering. Other than that, full sun, and have fun!!!!!! If I can be of any help during your grow, please don't hesitate to reach out. Always happy to to help and explain. Enjoy!!!!!

 

[RookieBuds]

My opinion

No matter auto, reg fem or whatever, I start them all in solo cups of coco. I personally get the best germination rates this way.

For autos, I let them grow in the solo cup for about 2 weeks then GENTLY transplant into a 3 or 5-gallon pot of coco, sprinkling MYKOS on the exposed roots and into the furrow. .. my determining factor on either 3 or 5-gallon is just whatever I have on hand, or, if the 2-week old seedling is of a good size I'll give it the bigger pot.

For nutrients; i give them "Grow" feed" until I notice the flower heads juuuust starting to form, then I switch to "Bloom" feed. I add PK booster after 2 weeks of a standard Bloom feed.

From the moment I drop the seed, I just mark 105 days out on the calendar as "slated harvest", anything sooner than that is a bonus IMO but, I feel like that's the average harvest time I've had of all the autos I've grown so far. My quickest was 85 days and probably coulda went a week or two longer.

 

[LG/]

Thanks everyone! I definitely know more now than when I started the thread.

Have my soil base for the autos

4 cu ft coco coir (half chips half normal) I think this will break down and become soil basically. But hopefully be easy to root for the plants. Maybe it was a waste haha.

4 cu ft peat moss (2.4 cuft bale)

8 cu ft perlite

Might add some organic matter (homemade compost) might not. I don't see why I can't just inoculate the coco and peat after ammending with some nutes... should still be a fine base for microbes (I think anyways).

I'll probably add biochar too...

 

[Willie]

not much on autos really but I have a transplanting tip. Use two solo cups. Take one cup and without cutting the rim, cut out vast windows.like 3 of them........leave 3/8" strips intact between the top and bottom. Put that cup inside the other cup. Plant your seed and when ready to transplant, just remove the outer cup and plant in a bigger pot. No roots disturbed.

 

[LG/]

not much on autos really but I have a transplanting tip. Use two solo cups. Take one cup and without cutting the rim, cut out vast windows.like 3 of them........leave 3/8" strips intact between the top and bottom. Put that cup inside the other cup. Plant your seed and when ready to transplant, just remove the outer cup and plant in a bigger pot. No roots disturbed.

Great tip, thanks!

 

[Willie]

Was planting some auto's outside and took some pics of that pot up method. Double Grape is the cultivar. Hoping it's done by august

First dig out a cup sized hole in the pot.


then remove the outer cup, and plant


Then just snip off the top portion of the cup, snug up the soil and water

 

[LoboGrow]

Was planting some auto's outside and took some pics of that pot up method. Double Grape is the cultivar. Hoping it's done by august

First dig out a cup sized hole in the pot.
View attachment 226990

then remove the outer cup, and plant
View attachment 226991View attachment 226992

Then just snip off the top portion of the cup, snug up the soil and water View attachment 226993

If that's Mephisto's Double Grape, it should be done by August. I grew mine outside in the Arizona heat and it did okay, but stayed short. Too much sun, not enough humidity early in life took it's toll lol...

 

[Willie]

If that's Mephisto's Double Grape, it should be done by August. I grew mine outside in the Arizona heat and it did okay, but stayed short. Too much sun, not enough humidity early in life took it's toll lol...

View attachment 227055

I believe it's an extension of Mephisto's Double Grape. Was made by LoveDaAutos. I have 4 of them up, one looks kinda weird. I might smoke a little but majority will hash it up I want it to work in this time frame.....

 

[RookieBuds]

I grew two of LoveDaAuto's Double Grape, mine weren't grapey per se but it was nice daily-driver smoke, like a nice standard Kush vibe. Reminded me of herb from the 90's in a way

 

[Willie]

I grew his hubbabubbasmelloscope last year and those were pretty decent. A groundhog ate one of the three, entirely wtf is that? lol