Winging It In Winter By The Window: Soil Auto Grow

Good mornin Carmen....so I do agree with the crew about the up potting at least to a 3....but also with that being said I just got 1.5 oz off an autoflower that was in a 1.5 gallon pot... So if done right you can still produce some good weight from pigmy plants in small pots....not to ruffle feathers or make others advice seem untruthful I'm just giving info on what I have seen.

But keep up the good work and have a great Monday.
Hey Happy, thank you. I see 1.5 gal is equal to 5.6 L. I can visualize that. That's slightly bigger than the bag I have her in now. I can see her in the 20 L though. I'm sure it will be any day now because I think I see pistils starting :passitleft:
If you guys are having trouble using the living soils off the bat with your seedlings, a good option might be to try some version of the Sohum method I learned. In that method (this is what the Zkittlez is growing in), the pot looks like this:

- bottom 50% all Sohum or living soil
- top 50% is 3/4 Sohum and 1/4 some base soil, like FF Happy Frog
- down the middle of the whole pot is a column the width of a nute bottle with just Happy Frog.
- add any additional stuff you're adding like bokashi, frass, perlite, whatever before you layer the pot and mix in with soils

Then you begin the sprout in plain soil, like the Happy Frog. When you transplant, it goes into the prepped final pot as outlined above.

This mitigates the "over hotness" that Sohum and many living soils have out of the bag. I learned it from some guru on Youtube. It works extremely well.

An option!!
Thank you Jon. This sounds like a yummy recipe. In my situation I find it easier to use the pre-mixed craft stuff. I think it is very good and I haven't had any problems with it.
That's essentially why I have no interest in growing autoflowers going forward. The autoflower that I consider a staple in my repertoire, Dark Devil, has as one of its parents Big Devil XL, which delivers the same kind of high as the Dark Devil but with a better yield. So once I'm done with the Dark Devil seeds I own (16), I won't grow it again.
Big Devil XL sound like a nice Sativa dominant varietal HG. I really want to make this grow work. I don't have the time, space or equipment for photos. I hope I can grow enough to last me until the next harvest. That'll be fine.
Carmen you really do take beautiful pictures :)

We are going to grow together, and I’m super excited about it!
Yay I love that we have babies at the same time Tra! Greg is very sweet indeed, and literally days apart from my little LB. Thank you for the compliment. I make an effort to get the pics I like and It makes me happy if you like them too :) :green_heart:
I'm with you HG! I've got a whole bunch of auto seeds that will never see water. I don't want to grow a plant with a mind of its own. But then, I could never grow an auto like Boo!
Hey Shed, you have the space and the sunshine and the skillz to do what I dream of and I hope that I can learn to grow beauties like Boo's! :)
 
@BooWho2 please take a look at my girl today. She is 22 days above ground and developing her 6th node. Would you call this flower, or is it still too early?
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I can't answer for Boo, but I'd say those pistils at the top of the branches
indicate that she's going for it.
Seems a shame to cut her pretty little head off, but it's part of the plan... ;)
 
I can't answer for Boo, but I'd say those pistils at the top of the branches
indicate that she's going for it.
Seems a shame to cut her pretty little head off, but it's part of the plan... ;)
What @Carcass said! Off with her head! And transplant her too (maybe first!). She's gorgeous!
Thank you both :) Boo, I have drawn a pink line and a blue line on the stem. Please tell me where I must snip, the pink or the blue? I looked at your Wedding Cake again just now and I thought it looked like the pink line but I don't want to make a wrong move now.
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Topping a cannabis plant is unnecessary, you know (I hope). If you're looking for cutting fodder for rooting clones, snip a bottom branch. If merely wanting to encourage branching, you only need to train the plant, in other words, pull that top down and tie it in place. If you're worried that you might break the main stem (having to "splint and tape" it back together is annoying, I know - although everyone should have the opportunity to experience it... once :rolleyes: ), just don't get into a hurry. You can train actual trees into all kinds of contortions, lol; cannabis is pretty easy. Little bit today, little bit more tomorrow, more still the day after... And you get to keep the top of your plant.
 
I think Boo usually tops above node 5, unless the plant isn't flowering yet, then she tops higher, when it starts flowering.
Pretty sure that's how it goes, but you might want to wait for her answer to be sure.
Personally, I'd cut at the blue line, to just take off the top node.
 
Hi BK, it's my first time growing autos. I'm used to big photoperiod plants, so this is all new to me. The soil I am using is our top local craft soil. It's excellent. She seems to have shot up a little over night, so hopefully will continue to do so. I don't yet see more pistils. I agree, keep on trying and follow in the footsteps of those who achieve masterful results. Thank you for the good wishes... and I wish you the best in your grow too :green_heart:
Autos is also new to me and I think going forward I will be doing photoperiod than autos. I feel there is more control over photo than auto's.
 
Good morning Carmen, so I top at forth node beginning of fifth node.... Waiting to late to top autos "can" cause them to stunt In growth and development. I find when you top them as early as possible they recover better and you get more time to train the new heads you created for optimal bud sites. But what ever you choose we will stand behind your decision.




Topping a cannabis plant is unnecessary, you know (I hope).
Good morning tortured soul, so I have grown autos both with being topped and without... And I have to say that topping is important for autos. You don't get alot of time to dick around with them..... From seed to chop most auto strains are 75-100 days....that's not to much time to bend, train, and be all delicate to wait for new spots to show....kinda got to get in there and force it to work over time to produce enough sites to make growing them worth it. But again this is my opinion and experience....everyone has they're own way.

Two pictures to show the difference.

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IMG_20220203_172431955~2.jpg
 
CK Update: 22 Days AG

Today I up-potted CK to the 20 L (5 Gal) fabric bag and in trying to top her, accidentally fimmed the top and then I cut it a second time to make it a proper topping. Her roots had progressed well into the 4L bag but were far from filling it. I couldn't take a photo because the soil was kind of falling apart and it was a tricky up-pot. In retrospect I would prefer not to do a 4L with an auto again. I'll go straight from cup to 20 L next time, I think.

Before topping
CK Day 22 before topping.jpg


After topping
CK Day 22 after topping.jpg


After topping from above

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First a fimming then a second snip
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I have moved the light closer, from 50 to 20 cm from her top, which is what my friend said he did for his flowering plants. The light is warm but the fan cools it down. She is at 770 ppfd or 42000 lux. I have a gentle fan on her. The soil was ever so slightly damp on the transplant so I didn't want to water further. What I did was draw a well around her and poured about 150 ml water and mycco solution into that well. I forgot to put the mycco directly in the soil before transplant but I will water it in once a week.

Boy am I glad that's over! @BooWho2 and @Carcass, when do you suggest I begin the Carhooking, and will any defoliation or leaf snipping be required?

Thank you to everyone who visits and contributes to the grow. Have an awesome day :green_heart: .
 
Topping a cannabis plant is unnecessary, you know (I hope). If you're looking for cutting fodder for rooting clones, snip a bottom branch. If merely wanting to encourage branching, you only need to train the plant, in other words, pull that top down and tie it in place. If you're worried that you might break the main stem (having to "splint and tape" it back together is annoying, I know - although everyone should have the opportunity to experience it... once :rolleyes: ), just don't get into a hurry. You can train actual trees into all kinds of contortions, lol; cannabis is pretty easy. Little bit today, little bit more tomorrow, more still the day after... And you get to keep the top of your plant.
Hi TS, thank you for your view. I decided at the beginning of my grow that I would follow BooWho2's methodology for growing autos and so I am going to continue with that plan.
I think Boo usually tops above node 5, unless the plant isn't flowering yet, then she tops higher, when it starts flowering.
Pretty sure that's how it goes, but you might want to wait for her answer to be sure.
Personally, I'd cut at the blue line, to just take off the top node.
Thank you Carcass, I'm glad you responded when you did because I felt it was time.
Good morning Carmen, so I top at forth node beginning of fifth node.... Waiting to late to top autos "can" cause them to stunt In growth and development. I find when you top them as early as possible they recover better and you get more time to train the new heads you created for optimal bud sites. But what ever you choose we will stand behind your decision.





Good morning tortured soul, so I have grown autos both with being topped and without... And I have to say that topping is important for autos. You don't get alot of time to dick around with them..... From seed to chop most auto strains are 75-100 days....that's not to much time to bend, train, and be all delicate to wait for new spots to show....kinda got to get in there and force it to work over time to produce enough sites to make growing them worth it. But again this is my opinion and experience....everyone has they're own way.

Two pictures to show the difference.

IMG_20220421_134850435~2.jpg


IMG_20220203_172431955~2.jpg
Thank you Happy. I think that makes the point nicely... do you have little garden folk living with your plants? I'm sure I see a gnome?
 
Thank you Happy. I think that makes the point nicely... do you have little garden folk living with your plants? I'm sure I see a gnome?
Nice top job Carmen...yea first few times I did it I cut some "extra" lol she'll be fine. And thank you I try to show proof of my advice...I feel it helps with comfortableness in trying out new things for others.

yes I've had the gnomes last two grows lol may sound crazy but I feel they bring grow luck :laugh: browse around you'll see Bob Ross figurines...gnomes...robots....all in people grows lol maybe mascots:hmmmm:
But they bring a bit of fun and whimsy to grow so it's not serious all the time.
 
Well done Carmen! I believe we must be on way different timezones, so apologies if my responses are hours late! I'm on the East coast of the US. I would start gently training when the 2 top nodes start growing tall enough that you can get a pipe cleaner or carhook gently pulling them down. As they get taller you can be a little more heavy handed with it. She's going to be a beauty. Nicely done!
 
Well done Carmen! I believe we must be on way different timezones, so apologies if my responses are hours late! I'm on the East coast of the US. I would start gently training when the 2 top nodes start growing tall enough that you can get a pipe cleaner or carhook gently pulling them down. As they get taller you can be a little more heavy handed with it. She's going to be a beauty. Nicely done!
Thank you so much Boo! :green_heart: I'm in south Africa so several hours ahead of you. I think for you it is early morning now and for me it is nearly 2 pm. I have another piccie with the top 2 nodes marked. I just want to confirm that I am l waiting for these chaps to get bigger, and then I pull them flat with the hook when they are big enough. What about the fans covering the lowers? Should I pull the lowers sideways out of the shade of the fans, or leave them alone for now?
CK Day 22 where to carhook later.jpg

Nicely done Carmen! Now the fun, well in a few days when the branches come.
Thank you so much Otter :green_heart: I'm nervous and excited both :)
 
Thank you so much Boo! :green_heart: I'm in south Africa so several hours ahead of you. I think for you it is early morning now and for me it is nearly 2 pm. I have another piccie with the top 2 nodes marked. I just want to confirm that I am l waiting for these chaps to get bigger, and then I pull them flat with the hook when they are big enough. What about the fans covering the lowers? Should I pull the lowers sideways out of the shade of the fans, or leave them alone for now?
CK Day 22 where to carhook later.jpg


Thank you so much Otter :green_heart: I'm nervous and excited both :)
I get an excitement in me whenever those days happen still. It's just plain exciting to plan a shape for them and see them go to it! I had my day yesterday. All nerved up on approach and a few minutes in the creative force takes over.
 
I get an excitement in me whenever those days happen still. It's just plain exciting to plan a shape for them and see them go to it! I had my day yesterday. All nerved up on approach and a few minutes in the creative force takes over.
I'm so glad it doesn't get tired after you've been doing it a while (your ladies have beautiful canopies and look gorgeous in your tent ready for flip) Otter, I couldn't resist ....
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I don't use the carhooks so I will let @Carcass chime in on that since he uses them on most of the plant. For the top nodes, it may take a day or so for those two new tops to get tall enough to slip something around. You could take some of the green coated wire you bought and just snip a small piece off and wrap it around the top nodes stems and the stems of the leaves right below them. That's a "soft" way to start a tiny bit of training while triggering growth from below. Hopefully that makes sense?
 
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