First Grow Autos

[LordEnki]

I've been pondering the small stature of my first autos, and this is what I've come up with so far. When I was growing photos, the guys growing monster plants were usually using coco or hydro. I've always been a soil grower, but with photos I could make up for some of that medium disadvantage by vegging longer. I might veg for twice as long as the super growers and still only have 2/3's the finished weight, but it was enough for me and I got to grow the way I like to, so it was fine. I never really thought about it that much.

It seems to me that with autos, it's much more difficult to make up for the inherent limitations of growing in soil. I made some HUGE mistakes this first grow, trying to carry over methods that I used with photos (for some reason it worked outdoors, indoors in nearly killed them). I need to do more research to try and figure out what it is about coco/hydro/etc. that makes plants grow so much bigger, and see how much of that I can recreate with soil.

From what I've gathered, non-soil paradigms have very loose airy mediums which allow for unfettered root growth. They also have way more frequent light feedings that are capable of contacting the entire root mass. Soil has far fewer opportunities to feed since we water less frequently, so we end out putting larger amounts of food into our less frequent watering/feedings. So far I'm thinking about adding more perlite to my soil mix to lighten it, and I'm going to switch to liquid nutrients instead of dry for more accessibility and control. I'm definitely moving back to fabric pots from plastic, they dry out more quickly allowing more opportunities for gentle feeding.

I'm sure there are a lot more variables, but for me this will be the starting point. There is only so much I'll be able to do as long as I am me, which is to say, inherently lazy, and a fan of growing in soil. And everything I've said is probably obvious to most growers, it's just news to me. Sorry for the ramble... hope something in there was useful to you.

no worries! I like a good story.
I've had similar thoughts about perlite recently.

 

[Nutty sKunK]

I've been pondering the small stature of my first autos, and this is what I've come up with so far. When I was growing photos, the guys growing monster plants were usually using coco or hydro. I've always been a soil grower, but with photos I could make up for some of that medium disadvantage by vegging longer. I might veg for twice as long as the super growers and still only have 2/3's the finished weight, but it was enough for me and I got to grow the way I like to, so it was fine. I never really thought about it that much.

It seems to me that with autos, it's much more difficult to make up for the inherent limitations of growing in soil. I made some HUGE mistakes this first grow, trying to carry over methods that I used with photos (for some reason it worked outdoors, indoors in nearly killed them). I need to do more research to try and figure out what it is about coco/hydro/etc. that makes plants grow so much bigger, and see how much of that I can recreate with soil.

From what I've gathered, non-soil paradigms have very loose airy mediums which allow for unfettered root growth. They also have way more frequent light feedings that are capable of contacting the entire root mass. Soil has far fewer opportunities to feed since we water less frequently, so we end out putting larger amounts of food into our less frequent watering/feedings. So far I'm thinking about adding more perlite to my soil mix to lighten it, and I'm going to switch to liquid nutrients instead of dry for more accessibility and control. I'm definitely moving back to fabric pots from plastic, they dry out more quickly allowing more opportunities for gentle feeding.

I'm sure there are a lot more variables, but for me this will be the starting point. There is only so much I'll be able to do as long as I am me, which is to say, inherently lazy, and a fan of growing in soil. And everything I've said is probably obvious to most growers, it's just news to me. Sorry for the ramble... hope something in there was useful to you.

You’re spot on about aerating the medium so u can water more often.

Also temperature has a massive effect on our plants sinceour vegging window is so much smaller. Anything below 22,23c slows growth. And that’s ambient temperature - which is the same temp as the room the tent is in, providing theres good air exchange.

More perlite, top quality soil (I like plant magic supreme to start) incredibly fluffy. I transplant them because I can water them every couple of days in the 1L air pots.

Airpots are the single easiest thing u can do to achieve bigger plants/yields.

I have to water every 48hrs otherwise she droops. Even a few
Hours too late is enough.

This purple crack is in a 9l airpot and it’s a 4x4 tent lol

 

[Humanrob]

You’re spot on about aerating the medium so u can water more often.

Also temperature has a massive effect on our plants sinceour vegging window is so much smaller. Anything below 22,23c slows growth. And that’s ambient temperature - which is the same temp as the room the tent is in, providing theres good air exchange.

More perlite, top quality soil (I like plant magic supreme to start) incredibly fluffy. I transplant them because I can water them every couple of days in the 1L air pots.

Airpots are the single easiest thing u can do to achieve bigger plants/yields.

I have to water every 48hrs otherwise she droops. Even a few
Hours too late is enough.

This purple crack is in a 9l airpot and it’s a 4x4 tent lol

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Thanks for the confirmation, I've read all the good advice and just been slow on the uptake.
I have a couple of good sized airpots someone gave me, they are kind of tall for my space but I might try them.
I think the US equivalent to the soil you recommend might be Roots Organic?

 

[Tiflis]

Airpots are the single easiest thing u can do to achieve bigger plants/yields.

Do you think drilling good size holes all around plastic would be enough to get similar benefits, or is it the shape of those "bumps" where the magic's at?

 

[Humanrob]

Do you think drilling good size holes all around plastic would be enough to get similar benefits, or is it the shape of those "bumps" where the magic's at?

In addition to the tons of holes, airpots also have a raised bottom, so even the roots at the bottom of the pot never hit the tray or sit in water. That's 360º quick dry. I haven't tried them yet, but I put a couple together and checked them out.

 

[Tiflis]

In addition to the tons of holes, airpots also have a raised bottom, so even the roots at the bottom of the pot never hit the tray or sit in water. That's 360º quick dry. I haven't tried them yet, but I put a couple together and checked them out.

Might be able to add a little tray on the bottom that you get from hanging flower baskets. Those air pots aren't exactly cheap.

 

[Nutty sKunK]

Do you think drilling good size holes all around plastic would be enough to get similar benefits, or is it the shape of those "bumps" where the magic's at?

Its a cheap way to get some benefit. But ideally you want to use the proper brand. The knock offs don’t work as well. The pot will outlast u as well - really sturdy.

As rob said the bottom is raised. You can achieve this by putting a plastic mesh on a solid pot.

It’s the way those wee bumps move the roots back into the medium

 

[LordEnki]

....Those air pots aren't exactly cheap.

quite an expensive hobby, isn't it. lol

 

[LordEnki]

well, finally chopped the Zkittlez OG and the Gelato. Gave them 2 more weeks and they didnt fill out much more, so.... all good.
they look a little pittiful to me, but they'll do.

 

[LordEnki]

 

[LordEnki]

at least the bars not set too high for the second try....

 

[Humanrob]

quite an expensive hobby, isn't it. lol

When Oregon went legal and we could get $100 ounces, we had to pause and decide if growing was still worth it. Because my wife/the med patient consumes about an ounce every two weeks, it's still worth it for us. I have a lot of money 'invested' in my set up, but most of the equipment I'm no longer using, because I barely grow indoors anymore.

Best dollar-per-output ratio is with outdoor grows. Last summer an all Mephisto outdoor averaged over 6 ounces per plant, and I don't get a full days sun in my garden. At $10 per seed and maybe $15 per plant for fresh soil and dry nutes, that's where financially it all starts to make sense. My indoor has become 100% hobby, since we can make it through the year on the outdoor harvest.

That said, I will continue to try and improve my little indoor experiments, because I just can't let it go. I was pretty good with photos, I'm going to get better with autos. I hope you'll share your next grow too.

 

[MATTYMATT726]

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Don't get confused. Alost of people don't even harvest their 1st plants. Getting to the finish line is what counts and the 1st time you smoke your own will never be forgotten. It's not pounds, but you grew your own successful plant. Next time will always be better.

 

[LordEnki]

final tally, dry:

56g Gorilla Glue
20.9g Gelato
15.4g Zkittlez OG

it'll do.