Dark Devil Auto: A Community Grow Record

DAY 69

DDA#1 hasn't changed much in last 2 weeks. Lower buds may be a little fuller, but only noticeable difference in cola is lack of white pistils. And still no purple in leaves, but they are a darker green and plant is still pretty and smells strongly of pinesol.
This is last night:
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And this is 2 weeks ago:
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Trichomes are still clear (they look cloudy because of flash) so expecting at least another 2 weeks.
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DDA#2 in the basement hasn't put much weight on either and is well behind #1. Whole plant is looking very different. Leaves are starting to turn purple. Calyxes are much more noticeable. Foliage is denser, nodes tighter. First 2 differences are probably due to phenotype, but light and temp may also be factors in denser growth (LED spectrum designed to promote that.) Issue that I didn't consider until now is light penetration. I set LEDs at height that matched intensity of cloudy day in back yard, but that's only at cola. Most leaves are lower down and only receive about 1/2 that. I was expecting #2 to start overtaking #1 by now due to 20 hours of light vs 12 or less of good light for #1 outside. Tomorrow I'll move her back outside for final 2 weeks to take advantage of better light and night-time low temps to enhance the purple.
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This started as a high brix grow in Doc's kit soil, but I haven't been using the drenches other than the cat drench early in flower. They started in 5 gallons and just haven't needed more nutes. Unfortunately that means they also haven't gotten their microbe tea, and I've also been slacking in the foliar sprays that are important for establishing nute exchange with microbes in root zone, so I haven't been getting full benefit of the kit soil. I gave a spray this week and will it keep up 2x week until end. I hope that adds a little more weight and potency.

Next decision is whether to cure this or make fresh harvest oil. My gut says to make FHO because that's mostly what I use, but I want the experience of vaping it, and image of dark purple nugs in a jar appeals too. Harvest won't be large so if I make oil pretty much all harvest will go to that. I hate making decisions, but one thing I know for sure, these plants sure are pretty.
:Namaste:
 
Day 42;

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I can see the purple inside the buds, just waiting to come out. It might not be in a hurry, but hello, momma wants purple buds!
 
Day 74

DDA#2 has joined #1 outside for the remaining 1-2 weeks. Days are getting cloudier but still in 70's, expected to cool more but stay dry. I saw a couple new white pistils pop out so probably not ready yet. #2 continues to get more purple, and this week #1 just started showing some in leaves. In close up shot you can see the ash that fell last week from wild fires.
Plant on right edge of photo is Medical Mass clone that spent summer revegging after it accidentally started flowering last spring. Didn't put on much growth with most of her energy going toward reveg. Upside is that she is short enough to avoid a lot of the stray light that keeps my larger plants from flowering in back yard. She's 3 weeks in and with a little luck and dry weather she'll be the first to be successfully harvested outdoors.
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Day 83

Rains have come in a way that leaves no doubt that summer is over. Temps are in 50's. Won't get a good look at trichs until this weekend but I'm sure they're both done, no new pistils since last post, but both a little darker.
I decided I'll keep the cola from each plant to cure for vaping, but rest will be FHO. One benefit of making FHO is I can sample it this weekend! ;)
Can't get pics in the rain so here's a close up of a little bit of purple.
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:Namaste:
 
Well, I just finished reading post #2000. Which means I'm still 248 behind, but from the previous 2,000 I assume they're mostly just pictures of skimpy, leafy-ass purple bud on and off the plants.

Which brings me to my question: Are all auto-flowering strains like this? Or are there some that are capable of producing decent buds that aren't a RPitA to manicure (and which are actually worth manicuring)?
 
TorturedSoul said:
Well, I just finished reading post #2000. Which means I'm still 248 behind, but from the previous 2,000 I assume they're mostly just pictures of skimpy, leafy-ass purple bud on and off the plants.

Which brings me to my question: Are all auto-flowering strains like this? Or are there some that are capable of producing decent buds that aren't a RPitA to manicure (and which are actually worth manicuring)?
Click to expand...
No,this was 60 day lemon auto
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Indoor vs. Outdoor: The final results

Not at all what I expected.
DDA#1 (outside) = 67 grams wet.
DDA#2 (inside) = 136 grams wet.

I expected #1 to way outperform #2 given warmer temps, brighter light and penetration. This supports Mars Hydro's claims that their reflector 96 LED units deliver light where it counts.

Differences go way beyond the yields. When I moved #2 to basement she was smaller in every way: height, leaves, stem thickness and first to branch. So I doubt that phenotype played as much of a role as lighting did.

Photos below (#2 on left in each) show fatter stems with more branches, denser infill of buds (although neither had dense buds, #2 has much better leaf/calyx ratio), and more purple much sooner (yes, it's superficial, but still one of the attractions of the strain.) Smell was about the same and spiked noticeably in the past week, easily the strongest of any strain I've grown.
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Overall I'm disappointed with this grow. Admittedly I didn't do any training to increase growth, and this is still better than my first attempt at growing autos. But I figured with all I've learned about growing since then that these would blow prior autos away. Final test still awaits.
Final shot (#2 on right). #1 finished turning purple at last minute.
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And a few interesting fall colored leaves I saved in case my daughters need any for a school project.
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:Namaste:
 
KingstonRabbi said:
Indoor vs. Outdoor: The final results

Not at all what I expected.
DDA#1 (outside) = 67 grams wet.
DDA#2 (inside) = 136 grams wet.

I expected #1 to way outperform #2 given warmer temps, brighter light and penetration. This supports Mars Hydro's claims that their reflector 96 LED units deliver light where it counts.

Differences go way beyond the yields. When I moved #2 to basement she was smaller in every way: height, leaves, stem thickness and first to branch. So I doubt that phenotype played as much of a role as lighting did.

Photos below (#2 on left in each) show fatter stems with more branches, denser infill of buds (although neither had dense buds, #2 has much better leaf/calyx ratio), and more purple much sooner (yes, it's superficial, but still one of the attractions of the strain.) Smell was about the same and spiked noticeably in the past week, easily the strongest of any strain I've grown.
20170924_170701.jpg
20170924_171523.jpg
20170924_170633.jpg


Overall I'm disappointed with this grow. Admittedly I didn't do any training to increase growth, and this is still better than my first attempt at growing autos. But I figured with all I've learned about growing since then that these would blow prior autos away. Final test still awaits.
Final shot (#2 on right). #1 finished turning purple at last minute.
20170924_164902_001.jpg


And a few interesting fall colored leaves I saved in case my daughters need any for a school project.
20170924_172208.jpg

:Namaste:
Click to expand...
What about pots?
When did you go to final pot from seedling
Nutes the same

To me, an auto needs focused light, and not sure outdoors will do it. Meaning 20/4 schedule and the right 2700k and 6500k mix

That said all my 6 so far have been Green pheno..very very upset about that
I have 3 seeds now going that SHOULD get me purple....they better...lol
 
I had the purple pheno and the smoke was great and smelled very lemony. I did have issues the whole grow because I broke the stem in a mishap and she never fully bounced back. I ended up with only a half ounce dry but atleast I had the opportunity to grow one. I have one more that just sprouted so I will see how this next go around is
 
Scorpio420 said:
What about pots?
When did you go to final pot from seedling
Nutes the same

To me, an auto needs focused light, and not sure outdoors will do it. Meaning 20/4 schedule and the right 2700k and 6500k mix

That said all my 6 so far have been Green pheno..very very upset about that
I have 3 seeds now going that SHOULD get me purple....they better...lol
Click to expand...

Pots were 5 gal from seed. I'd read that root touching bottom could trigger early flowering in autos, so I gave as much room as I could.
Same nutes and soil (doc's kit).
I did set indoor lighting to 20/4, outside was still 18/6 when I separated them. I'm still so oriented toward photos that I completely forgot about that. By harvest it was 12/12 light outside.
As for the purple, #1 outdoors didn't show any purple leaves until night temps started dropping and really turned after daytime dropped into 60s, but she did have purple calyxes as soon as they were noticeable. #2 indoors was in constant upper 60s throughout flower. Or her purple could be due to LEDs. If your 3 new ones don't go purple I'll send you my last seed. :)
 
Day 60;

Coming along nicely! Lots of purple, and hopefully only a couple weeks left.

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Absolutely gorgeous girls there folks!!! Sometimes quality is much better than quantity! This is one of my fav threads!! Top those lil suckers about the 4th node!! Very early on so she has time to recover. Happy humpday friends! :thumb::volcano-smiley:
 
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