Single Northern Lights auto with lots of suffering throughout life, going into flower

So I started a second tent to keep up with my personal demand, and decided to put an auto in there (my first auto).

Specs: 40cm x 40cm x 120cm (so it's pretty tiny/skinny)
- 10 x 15W 4000K commercial LEDs
- organic soil mix, 2 feeds of root starter + 1 veg feed from BioBizz organics (as per their chart's dosage)
- 3 gallon airpot
- 1x 20cm fan blowing pretty much directly over the canopy
- 20/4 light schedule
- a humidifier to keep things moist


This auto is now 26 days old and I've noticed it has pre-flowers and has stopped vegging. Early on in its life it suffered an overwatering because I was dumb in relation to small plant + huge pot. Then it was growing fine, I topped it once (apparently just in the nick of time so it had some time to grow the two new nodes and divert energy to other parts of the plant). She got over the overwater, but then I may have hit her too hard with the light and she started taco-ing and such. I went and felt the soil yesterday and it seemed dry and she seemed thirsty, so I gave her just 500mL of pH corrected water (6.6ish) to her root balls and surroundings.
I checked on her this morning and she still seems sad, and it was hot in there, not insane, but hot (usually 25-29C, was 34C this morning because I turned down the humidity).

I realize I can only do so much at a time and that she needs time to react and respond, but I would really appreciate anyone who could perhap shed some light on something I could improve.

Thanks in advance.

Happy growing, fam.

To hot

She looks overfed. And topping is generally not recommended for autos. None of these were topped. Look up LST for autos.

Bose said:

To hot

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To hot indeed. 27c should really be about your max.

JoeBlow5823 said:

She looks overfed. And topping is generally not recommended for autos. None of these were topped. Look up LST for autos.
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Yeah, those look beautiful. I wanted to combine 1 topping with LST, but I probably didn't gain much in the way of yields (if anything).
This single auto is meant to be more of a learning experience, since my photoperiod girls should provide me with enough bud until my next cycle ends, but yes, I have been having problems with overfeeding my girls. I see the leaf tips all curled sideways.. :/

Nic Barlor said:

Yeah, those look beautiful. I wanted to combine 1 topping with LST, but I probably didn't gain much in the way of yields (if anything).
This single auto is meant to be more of a learning experience, since my photoperiod girls should provide me with enough bud until my next cycle ends, but yes, I have been having problems with overfeeding my girls. I see the leaf tips all curled sideways.. :/

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Topping generally reduces yield from autos because the amount of time they spend in veg is on a genetic timer. When you damage them with training like topping, you take away veg time that you will never get back.

JoeBlow5823 said:

Topping generally reduces yield from autos because the amount of time they spend in veg is on a genetic timer. When you damage them with training like topping, you take away veg time that you will never get back.

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An absolutely valid point and something I had always believed myself, but I saw a lot of locals doing it, so I figured I'd try it myself.
This particular NL auto is marketed as 55-60 days, so I've noticed it's got a really short veg timer indeed. Again, this entire 40x40 grow is experimental, but it does showcase my mistakes pretty well. I'd rather fuck up in here then in my next run where I will be running 4-6 autos.

JoeBlow5823 said:

She looks overfed. And topping is generally not recommended for autos. None of these were topped. Look up LST for autos.
View attachment 4505015

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Joeblow What is that fan sitting on the pole with?

neal62 said:

Joeblow What is that fan sitting on the pole with?

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Magic. LOL. See the black metal bracket under it. That is screwed to the piece of wood the fan is sitting on. The bracket is just hose clamped to the pole. Its ghetto but works perfectly for what i need.

Nic Barlor said:

An absolutely valid point and something I had always believed myself, but I saw a lot of locals doing it, so I figured I'd try it myself.
This particular NL auto is marketed as 55-60 days, so I've noticed it's got a really short veg timer indeed. Again, this entire 40x40 grow is experimental, but it does showcase my mistakes pretty well. I'd rather fuck up in here then in my next run where I will be running 4-6 autos.

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Dont believe what seed distributors say about "seed to harvest" times. Autos need right around 90-110 days.

Nic Barlor said:

An absolutely valid point and something I had always believed myself, but I saw a lot of locals doing it, so I figured I'd try it myself.
This particular NL auto is marketed as 55-60 days, so I've noticed it's got a really short veg timer indeed. Again, this entire 40x40 grow is experimental, but it does showcase my mistakes pretty well. I'd rather fuck up in here then in my next run where I will be running 4-6 autos.

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People do it because they have always done it with photos for better yield. Put a bamboo stake in on an angle and tie the plant to it as it grows.

JoeBlow5823 said:

Dont believe what seed distributors say about "seed to harvest" times. Autos need right around 90-110 days.

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JoeBlow5823 said:

People do it because they have always done it with photos for better yield. Put a bamboo stake in on an angle and tie the plant to it as it grows.

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Perhaps it's the time between actually beginning flower to harvest? Like we see on photo packaging. Anyway, obviously checking trichs and overall development is a lot more important than the information on the box.

And wow, what an ingenious and beautiful technique. Will definitely implement that in my full auto cycle.

Nic Barlor said:

Yeah, those look beautiful. I wanted to combine 1 topping with LST, but I probably didn't gain much in the way of yields (if anything).
This single auto is meant to be more of a learning experience, since my photoperiod girls should provide me with enough bud until my next cycle ends, but yes, I have been having problems with overfeeding my girls. I see the leaf tips all curled sideways.. :/

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I have an auto I topped and it is doing great, same strain,, but it’s a gamble. She came back fast thankfully.. but ya 50:50 shit? 34 I think is way to hot, I keep my room around the 22 or 24 range? But that’s just me

JoeBlow5823 said:

People do it because they have always done it with photos for better yield. Put a bamboo stake in on an angle and tie the plant to it as it grows.

View attachment 4505116

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That looks fantastic

Hippieryan said:

I have an auto I topped and it is doing great, same strain,, but it’s a gamble. She came back fast thankfully.. but ya 50:50 shit? 34 I think is way to hot, I keep my room around the 22 or 24 range? But that’s just me

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If I could keep my room at 22C I would, but I don't any form of a/c, just a ceiling fan and the wind that blows through my apt all day. I'm right on top of the tropic of Capricorn, so I get hot weather most of the year round.