White Dwarf Autoflowering 125W CFL Grow

[Kilco]

Hello!
This is my first grow and im using Buddah seeds - White Dwarf Autoflowering Feminized. My grow box has changed almost everyday but is currently a wooden box with dimensions of 50x20x20cm (10cm height used by light).

Im using a 125W Dual Spectrum CFL, enriched soil mix with perlite (around 70/30 mix) and distilled water. Have some BioBizz Bloom fertilizer in the post and will use that on week three.

I germinated the seed using paper towel method and im already on day 13 of the grow. The plant sufferent some major droopage from around day 10-11 but looks to be recovering, help needed on this as so far I have put it down to overwatering but im not 100% sure.

I'll skip the seedling pics and get straight to the good stuff :]

Thanks!

P.S. Comments and advice would be muchos appreciated.

 

[Hypo Hippy]

Kilco...welcome to the 420 family! Sounds like you got it going on. Did you try to post some pics? If you did they didn't show up. Anyhow, welcome my man!

 

[Kilco]

Hi Hypo, thanks for the warm welcome. I just found out how to post pics so here they are. The grow box and light:


Day 11:

Think I have sorted the image problem, I didnt click them full size first but its woorking now so Hey-Ho! Thanks for the help (Sorry about the quality....it was my phone camera): Great grow journal Tokensmoke! I think my first dwarf will end up around that size. They're supposed to grow a bit bigger but I probably lost a bit of growth time due to drooping. Anyhow here are the pics:

The grow box and light:

The plant: (I know she looks bad at the moment but the soil is drying out quick so she should perk up soon....hopefully! :])

P.S. Oh yea and shes alreay starting to stink...goooooood...!

 

[Kilco]

Hmmmm....Cant see pictures but I followed the posting guide to the letter. Anyone know why they're not showing?

 

[XEric420X]

i think your problem is that you need to link the pictures with the 420mag watermark on them, not the original photos.

 

[Tokensmoke10]

Once you have your photos in the the photo gallery, scroll down and copy the "Direct Link" and paste into the Insert Image button. Tada!

 

[Kilco]

Day 13:

Lost a bit of growth time due to the drooping leaves but as you can see from day 11 they are recovering and starting to perk up more. It must have been overwatering...a rookie mistake :] I started germinating another autoflowering feminized white dwarf seed with paper towel method yesterday, to grow alongside this one. Hopefully i will have learnt from my mistakes and the new grow will become a prized crop xD Enjoy!

Comments and help would be great. Peace.

 

[CocoJoe]

Hi brother, I'm just wacthing the show.

 

[Siscokid]

What's up Kilco, just had to see what a 125w cfl can do with an auto. I use cfl also just not the big one like yours.. I will be around to cheer ya on and help out if I can.

How long do you go without watering? I over watered my first girls and the leafs tend to droop when they get a little too much water.. I would go 3 days before watering or use the finger method to check the soil for moisture.

There is my 2 cents worth just in case. Also WELCOME to the community and good luck with the first grow! You'll do fine with all the help here.

 

[Kilco]

Hi CoCo and Sisco,

Thanks for the help, the plant started to droop after I gave it a big dose of watering before bed on around day 9/10. But unfortunately at first, I thought it was rootbound so transplanted it to a bigger pot which involved drenching the medium again. That was on Friday evening, day 11, and I havent watered it since. I plan not to until tommow at some point. The soil feels pretty dry but if I stick my finger in there is still a bit of moisture. What does an underwatered plant look like by the way, because I dont want to go too long without watering and have her die on me! :]

I would definitely recommend the light, but it is pretty damn big: 9cm wide, 9cm high and 40cm long (after being attached to hanger and all). There are 6 of the double flourescent tubes with 3 being Blue spectrum and 3 being Red spectrum which is perfect for me (all I have to do is swith it round whenb it comes to budding :]) I can post more pictures of it if you like?

Thanks!

 

[Siscokid]

You don't really need to worry about the seedling getting root bound so soon, I would check the weight of the pot or cup it is in after it dries out, and try to gauge it like that or with the finger method wich works well for me.

I think an under watered plant would look droopy also but it would take a week or so for it to start showing signs of it..

More pics would be great! How about the cab you are working on.. how is the air flow and temps coming along?

 

[Kilco]

Thanks for the help, i'll leave it until tommorow to water again...she can take it! xD. Im not sure what you mean by cab, but the system I have at the moment is an oscillating fan directed at the open face of the box. With this, the temps are around 25 degrees, but as this is a stealth grow sometimes I have to cover up my box and then the temps go up to around 30 degrees. There are numerous gaps and slits in the box (purely from bad contruction not thoughtful design :]) so there are availble spots for air to move in and out.

I plan on getting a computer fan at some point but have no idea on how I would wire it to a battery. Is there an easier way and does anyone have any recommendations?

Here are some pics on the development of my grow box. The seedling stage was done under a 8W T5 flourescent tube (pathetic I know but got the job done) in a small white cupboard:

I then got a wooden box and painted the insides white with flat paint. I had to cut into it because the lamp was so massive:

However this only left me with about 30cm growing room, and seeing as White Dwarf grows 12-14" I upgraded again and put the light in its own box on top, giving me 39cm total height growing room:

I know it look a bit messy and chucked together (you can see where I blu-tacked back on the section I originally cut out....a moment of genius I think xD) but it gets the job done for me!

 

[Siscokid]

I suck at converting measurements but I see what you are working with. I don't have any idea of how to operate the comp. fan but I would suggest looking in the FAQ thread for it, I'm sure there is something about it there.

You will probably be needing to upgrade the box size, so try to keep at least a 2'x2' area for branching and 3' for vertical growth plus the light.

I am only putting out my opinion of what I would consider minimum for air circulation, it's kinda important.

You really want to have a box that will not give the darling girl claustrophobia. Maybe even get room in there for a small oscillating fan to keep the girl cool, not that you ain't already..

I don't think just having a comp. fan on her will be enough to circulate air.

Try having a look at some other journals that have cfl's. I would recommend LIl Neutrinos journal (first grow)

 

[Kilco]

Thanks for the help Sisco, I have been looking into getting a USB style desktop oscillating fan. It is 8" in height with a 2"x2" base...what do you think? When you say "2'x2' area for branching and 3' for vertical growth" what are you measuring in...inches, metres?

And im not that concerned about size at the moment as this is sort of a practise grow just to see how it works so i'm not that bothered about having to cut it shorter. I'm expecting around 10g from each plant but do realise that 2 plants in that box is slightly pushing it!

Im always on the look out for a permanant, bigger box so this is sort of like a flat until the mansion comes along :]

Thanks for the help.

 

[TomatoPie]

Hey dude, if I can give you a bit of advice, that light seems way too massive for your box.

Do you have the funding to get 4 45W CFLs? It's allow for much better light coverage and canopy penetration than that huge thing.

Half of the fluoro tubes of that mega bulb in there are on the upper part of the box, which has other tubes in the way. The top tubes can't emit light to the plants because there are other tubes in the way.

With 4 45W CFL's in each corner of your box, you'd get a massively bushy plant and that's plenty of light for one single auto through harvest, maybe a bit of LST would help you control canopy height when you're starting to flower.

Good luck, I love the micro stuff.

 

[Kilco]

Hey Afka,
Thanks for the advice and I realise thats probably what I should have done in the first place! I do have funds for those lights but as this is just a bit of a hobby and im not too concerned about yeild I think I will stick to the fat off light for now.

It doesnt matter too much about the top tubes being blocked because they are the red spectrum so arent really needed for veg!

Thanks anyway, and one day when I hopefully have a half decent box I will invest in more light :]

Thanks for the help!

 

[Kilco]

Day 14:

Had to repot her today as I could see roots poking throught the bottom. I know its probably really bad to repot twice within less than a week, especially on an autoflowering strain, but im working whith what ive got and she seems fine.

Not too much change except the second set of spikey leaves (not the drooping ones) have got much bigger and the 6 new leaves are growing nicely. I can also see the beginning of a couple more leaves...she getting all grown up :]

Unfortunately the original drooping leaves havent changed much, should I cut them off or can they still survive?

Also my blooming nutes arrived today - BioBizz Bloom, which I will be starting on week three. But should I use one application of vegging nutes before then or is it not needed with autoflowering strain?

Thanks!

 

[bongtastic]

Welcome Kilco, I'll be watching your grow! I'm also in the middle of my own first grow and I am also growing autoflowering strains. Come check it out and maybe we can learn from each other!

 

[Kilco]

Hi BT,
I checked out your grow and it looks great. Will keep following it as hopefully mine will be growing in a similar style to yours. What do you find is the best fert schedule to use. I have just bought some Baby Bio (N-P-K, 10-4-2 or something like that) and BioBizz bloom (N-P-K, 2-8,3), when do think I should use each baring in mind im on dasy 15 already and have recently watered.

My plan was to leave the veg fert for this grow and start Bio Bloom start of week four (i.e. day 21)

Thanks!

 

[bongtastic]

I first fed my babies on day 14 or 15. Then a week later. So, only two feedings so far.

First feeding was 1/3rd strength Grow Big from Fox Farm. Second with 3/4th strength grow big.

Next feeding will be 1/2 tiger bloom and 1/2 grow big.

After that it will be full strength tiger bloom and big bloom (supplemental nutes).

Don't give them any "bloom" nut until you start seeing flowers.

There is a gentleman on my thread who said that he fed his lowryders full strength fox farm nutes from day 1 and his plants are loving it. Although, I don't think i would recommend this.