Auto Flowers first time growing having issues

[Reefaman]

Hey all! I’m having some issues with my auto flowers I have them on 18/6 under a mars 2000w TSL in a 2x4 tent in faberic 3 gal pots using HP Pro Mix. I have quickly learned with the first two I started (Critical Fast) that they don’t like to much nutes (slight nute burn) and I will be switching to organic soil next run but the issue I’m having is they are wilting/drooping by the end of the day every day. I started them on 24/0 but noticed my light must be to strong so I got the light up to 4 feet away and still they wilted like the light was to much. I made sure I wasn’t over watering or under watering and decided to drop the light to 35 inches away and try 18/6. In the morning they would be perked up and fine under the light but by the end of the day they all wilted. The temperature in tent fluctuates between 23-26 degrees Celsius and I also have to organic CO2 bags in the tent. My water PH fluctuates 6.3-6.5 I haven’t checked the soil PH yet. Any opinions as to what I might be doing wrong ?

 

[TorturedSoul]

Too much light for too many hours per day. You're on the right track in cutting the light schedule back from constant-on (I wouldn't recommend that, anyway ). If the trend continues and IF you start seeing (other) symptoms that appear to be indicative of an actual problem, you could adjust the power supplies' output downward.

However, you should be right in the sweet spot with that product in that tent, at 18:6. Maybe bump your temperature up to a maximum of 30°C, to allow the plants to use the most light-energy possible (at normal atmospheric CO₂ levels).

 

[Canuckush]

I may be wrong with this but isn't HP Promix a soiless medium? It should be treated as a hydro grow, feeding daily to runoff, your medium in those pots look dry. I grow in coco in fabric pots and never let my coco go dry.

 

[THC Onlyfans]

Agreed with light being too strong. Is the tsl dimmable? I have tsw2000 and slightly dimmed it during veg...increase as you go into flower. Or you can just raise and lower as you need.

My autos perked in the mornings and about 4 to 5 hrs before darkness they limped....i raised light and my plants stay perky during entire 18 hrs of light. Some more sensitive than others.
I grew autos and i found best was 18/6, tried 24/0 and 20/4. My autos responded best 6 hrs of darkness.

 

[TorturedSoul]

I may be wrong with this but isn't HP Promix a soiless medium?

There are actually a bunch (nine?) of "Pro-Mix HP" products, various mixes with various microbials/stimulants/fungicides in various combinations. However, yes, the company refers to all of them as "growing medium," not soil. Perlite, peat, some (labelled "CC") have "chunk coir."

 

[THC Onlyfans]

I may be wrong with this but isn't HP Promix a soiless medium? It should be treated as a hydro grow, feeding daily to runoff, your medium in those pots look dry. I grow in coco in fabric pots and never let my coco go dry.

Promix hp doesnt need to be watered everyday. Soiless medium but not quite like coco, it does take more time to dry

 

[Reefaman]

Hey all thanks for the fast replies! The HP Pro Mix I’m using is soilless but not like Coco, I have Bruce Banners (photo period) going in it right now flowering and I treat it like normal soil though I make sure it stays in the 6.3 to 6.5 PH range. I will try to heat the tent when the lights go off, it gets a bit cold at night here. My TSL 2000w can be dimmed and I will do that, I just thought if I gradually increased the light out put the plants would adjust to it but if you guys think it’s to strong then I’ll dim and see what happens. It’s at the end of the day that they all droop.

 

[Reefaman]

The two ladies on the left in black pots are starting to flower and they still don’t like the light so I’m having a hard time figuring out what’s going on.

 

[Reefaman]

I’ve adjusted the lights and have them on 18/6 and still they droop hard by the end of the day, I’m out of ideas or things to try. The last pic is how they are in the morning after getting the 6 hours off.

 

[Emilya Green]

so, how are you determining that you are not over or under watering?? I ask because it certainly looks to me like you are over watering. It also looks to me like you are underfeeding your plants and are about to get in trouble... i am looking at the yellow tops on at least the one plant when I say this.

 

[Reefaman]

Nope not over watering they where watered yesterday, i also use a wireless moister meter via phone app and I also check by lifting the pots to determine weight. I am lacking a bit of nutes but I added in Gaia green dry amendments last week so it should kick in as a slow release fert I could add in some other nutes if you think it won’t be quick enough to help them.

 

[Emilya Green]

That droop every day has me worried... it tells me that the lower roots are not getting oxygen. Try adding an extra day to the drying out one time to make sure you are getting enough oxygen down there. You might be lifting the pots, but I think you are content for them just to be lighter, but not light as a feather as they would be if all the water had been used up. What is your fancy moisture meter telling you? How deep down do you have the sensor?

 

[Reefaman]

The sensor is 3 1/2 inches long. I’ve used them to water my Bruce Banner(photoperiods) I have going in my 3x3 tent used it sense they developed 5 nodes and I haven’t had any watering issues at all. Those lady’s are 4 1/2 weeks into flower. I let them get to 1-5% moister on the meter before watering. The autos I’ve been doing 5-8%.

 

[Reefaman]

They only droop at the end of the day near to light off I’ve dimmed my light it’s 35 inches away so I don’t know. Also have the two Co2 bags in the tent

 

[Emilya Green]

The sensor is 3 1/2 inches long. I’ve used them to water my Bruce Banner(photoperiods) I have going in my 3x3 tent used it sense they developed 5 nodes and I haven’t had any watering issues at all. Those lady’s are 4 1/2 weeks into flower. I let them get to 1-5% moister on the meter before watering. The autos I’ve been doing 5-8%.

So you are only monitoring the top 3.5 inches of your soil, and you are watering as determined by that reading? Sorry, that is not how to water a weed, it is how to water a tomato. You are having watering issues, you just don't realize it. Maybe if you did a side by side, trying a wet/dry cycle on one and your high tech method on another, you would see. The droop is what I told you it is... it is your choice to fix the problem or not. You seem to think it is fine this way, but then get used to your constant droop... it is clearly showing what is happening at the bottom of your containers.

 

[Reefaman]

I have three ways of checking and I only water when dry usually every 4-5 days and I’m not saying your wrong it could be my watering. How dry should I let an auto flower get ? Didn’t think waiting for an auto flower to wilt and tell you it’s thirsty would be good for it, nothing wrong with letting a photoperiod do that I know but I’m new with Autos and it’s a new light/tent set up for me. I will try waiting an extra day or two for watering. Do you recommend feeding the two that are yellowing or wait for the slow release fert to kick in ? I did a top dressing last week

 

[Emilya Green]

If they are unable to feed correctly because the bottom roots are shutting down part of the day, your top dressing is not getting a good chance to get to where it needs. I suggest a light feed... never been a fan of top dressing.

Regarding Autos... welcome to the world of Auto slick marketing. They are supposedly supernatural plants that should never be transplanted, always fed lightly and never stressed in the least. This is BS. They are a plant. They are cannabis plants like every other and the same techniques work on them as with any other cannabis plant. They just move faster is all, and you don't want to get in their way.

I am not suggesting taking the plant all the way down to full wilt. While as you say, it doesn't harm the plant while in veg and actually it causes the plant to grow more roots in search of any last water in the container, it is best to keep the plant moving at full speed by keeping it supplied with enough water to do its thing. The wilt doesn't start all over the plant at the same time... it starts with the lowest leaves, a good 12 hours before the droop starts moving up the stalk. A good eye can spot this initial lower droop and then water before we get to the full droop stage rapidly approaching.

The problem with your plants is they are drooping every evening and you have no visual indicator you can go by at the moment. You have got to activate those lower roots again and get some water moving through these plants. You will know when the lower roots go back to full duty because the plant will literally stand up. The water pressure will increase in the trunk to the point that all the leaves will go at least horizontal, and some of the upper leaves will track the light and lift all the way up to a 45 degree angle, "praying" toward the light. When you see this degree of lift, you will know that your lower roots have become healthy again. The key is getting oxygen down there, and the only way to do that is to dry them out.

So no, it is not harmful to do this to an auto. To NOT do this to your autos has resulted in what you are seeing. Do the math. Something is not working. Try a new approach... you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[Reefaman]

Awesome thanks ! I will increase time between watering and watch my lower leaves as well as changing my watering technique, I read your article on how you like to water and I’ll be trying your technique . I appreciate you taking the time to educate me and help me learn more about Autos and growing !

 

[Emilya Green]

Awesome thanks ! I will increase time between watering and watch my lower leaves as well as changing my watering technique, I read your article on how you like to water and I’ll be trying your technique . I appreciate you taking the time to educate me and help me learn more about Autos and growing !

Glad to help. i think you are going to be very impressed with what happens. By the way, welcome to the forum, I am glad you found us.

Why don't you start up a grow journal so we can follow along, and so you can keep notes to yourself as to what is working and what isnt?

 

[Reefaman]

I never thought of starting a grow journal on here but it does sound like it would be a great idea ! I’ll look into starting one and thanks ! I will keep you up to date on how they are doing.