Auto flower outdoor

Govno

Active Member
Hi everyone,

Hoping someone can tell me if I got this right or what I should do as far as auto flower planting for outdoor.

I was going to germinate seeds grow in dome / soil medium about 4-5 weeks prior to planting them outside as recommended by others.

My question is: I was told that auto flowers do not like being replanted so go from grow dome into ground no in between to larger pots etc. - Is that true or does anyone have any pointers for this.

Please and thank you in advance.
 

Govno

Active Member
I would plan on planting them out side in 2 weeks after sprouting. They usually start to flower in 3-4 weeks and don’t want to stunt them. Transplanting is fine but I wouldn’t do it that late imo
Ohh crap so my math is wayyyyy off.

I figured I want to plant them outdoor June 4th this year would be ideal.
So I thought (Stupid me and that is why I am here asking questions so I don't f this up again) if I germinate seeds beginning of May and then transplant them outdoor June 4th.
From your info I would be way off, correct me if I am wrong but then according to your info I should germinate: May 17 - 18th and then kick them out June 4th?
That would give me 2 weeks indoor growing and 3-4 days to germinate seeds.

I always thought I could grow them out a little longer indoor under veg lights then kick them out but I am very new to this so I apologize for all the questions.

Thank you in advance.
 

Autodoctor

Well-Known Member
They usually go from this to this in about 18 days and if want to put outside you can. I would look at the data to make sure you can see what the approx yield will be indoor and out doors and should get you pretty close. So I would germinate my seeds like May 6-7 to be ready to put out first of June and a week or so will start to flower. I just do all indoors. If I was doing outdoors would do regular photos but would like to see autos done outdoors.. Not sure if your putting in ground or pot. Me I would put in the ground. Dig a hole and add in a good soil mix in hole then put the plant in. 2329936C-A078-47D7-BE12-6D1D40255B5E.png1F53A2AB-00A6-4AA1-B075-E19C33358DFD.png
 

Govno

Active Member
They usually go from this to this in about 18 days and if want to put outside you can. I would look at the data to make sure you can see what the approx yield will be indoor and out doors and should get you pretty close. So I would germinate my seeds like May 6-7 to be ready to put out first of June and a week or so will start to flower. I just do all indoors. If I was doing outdoors would do regular photos but would like to see autos done outdoors.. Not sure if your putting in ground or pot. Me I would put in the ground. Dig a hole and add in a good soil mix in hole then put the plant in. View attachment 5087407View attachment 5087408
Thank you for advice, I am doing outdoor and in soil / ground but I have added #4 mix onto soil for better soil conditions and a little sand to break up the clay in the original soil. Not planting in holes I am doing a garden, same as any garden, working up all soil.
 

Babalonian

Well-Known Member
Ohh crap so my math is wayyyyy off.

I figured I want to plant them outdoor June 4th this year would be ideal.
So I thought (Stupid me and that is why I am here asking questions so I don't f this up again) if I germinate seeds beginning of May and then transplant them outdoor June 4th.
From your info I would be way off, correct me if I am wrong but then according to your info I should germinate: May 17 - 18th and then kick them out June 4th?
That would give me 2 weeks indoor growing and 3-4 days to germinate seeds.

I always thought I could grow them out a little longer indoor under veg lights then kick them out but I am very new to this so I apologize for all the questions.

Thank you in advance.
youve got your dates pretty hard-set, is there some deadline or end-date goal you’re trying or have to meet?
 

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
If I was running autos outside I'd be timing them to take advantage of maximum sunlight hours during the summer. Unless I was trying to get two grows in, then I might put plants out right after the last frost. You want to give them as much light as possible for the best yield.
 

Govno

Active Member
youve got your dates pretty hard-set, is there some deadline or end-date goal you’re trying or have to meet?
No specific dates, I figure with our climate and frost the safest date is June 1 and end date needs to be as soon as possible / before mid October because after that it is unknown, ideal before October hits.
 

Govno

Active Member
If I was running autos outside I'd be timing them to take advantage of maximum sunlight hours during the summer. Unless I was trying to get two grows in, then I might put plants out right after the last frost. You want to give them as much light as possible for the best yield.
And that is why I want them out by June 4th this year to get max light as for second grow.... not sure that's going to happen in my climate.
 

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
I gotcha, it would be hard for me to squeeze in two complete auto harvests in an outdoor season also. It could be done but I'd have to pick the genetics pretty carefully to get strains that finish in 80 days or so. They're out there but you have to know what you're grabbing. I'm thinking about running a couple of really big autos outside this year but it depends on if I can get some tree work done before growing season or not. Last of season I wasn't happy with the direct sunlight hours I had. I might just run them indoors instead.
 

ISK

Well-Known Member
No specific dates, I figure with our climate and frost the safest date is June 1 and end date needs to be as soon as possible / before mid October because after that it is unknown, ideal before October hits.
Typically we would plant our garden plants in Edmonton Alberta by mid-May.....are you north or south of this region?

I start to germinate my seeds on 4-20 (April 20th) but I'm in Vancouver now.

You could consider starting late April or early May and keep them indoors under a few CFL light bulbs until the weather start to look decent.

If you start them in pots, you can bring them indoors if/when the weather takes a nasty dip, then back outside when the weather permits.

There are no issue with bringing them back and forth from the outside to indoors, assuming you are not putting them beside other indoor MJ plants as bugs can follow you indoors.

Once June comes along, you can then transplant them into the ground if you like, or keep them in pots for the entire term which gives you the flexibility of avoiding thunderstorms and frost in the late fall.

Auto's take no more than 3 months from start to finish, so if first crop starts in May, you will be finished by end of July. Then start the second crop in mid-July and finish by mid-October.
 

Govno

Active Member
Typically we would plant our garden plants in Edmonton Alberta by mid-May.....are you north or south of this region?

I start to germinate my seeds on 4-20 (April 20th) but I'm in Vancouver now.

You could consider starting late April or early May and keep them indoors under a few CFL light bulbs until the weather start to look decent.

If you start them in pots, you can bring them indoors if/when the weather takes a nasty dip, then back outside when the weather permits.

There are no issue with bringing them back and forth from the outside to indoors, assuming you are not putting them beside other indoor MJ plants as bugs can follow you indoors.

Once June comes along, you can then transplant them into the ground if you like, or keep them in pots for the entire term which gives you the flexibility of avoiding thunderstorms and frost in the late fall.

Auto's take no more than 3 months from start to finish, so if first crop starts in May, you will be finished by end of July. Then start the second crop in mid-July and finish by mid-October.
I am in MB, near the lakes - Edmonton is much further north by parallel then where I am kind of like between Calgary and Edmonton as a comparison.

I will take all this good advice and start germ them beginning of May and in the ground by June ish start.
Using the dome for growing out a little then into ground, no pots.
Not bringing them in or out just out.
As for adverse weather etc that is part of life and I will roll with it.
Not sure if I will be as lucky as you say in 3 months but if so that is great, then I will post pics of my screw ups I mean grow this year and if that does work out in 3 months I will do same next year but space it out so I get 2 grows in one year.
 
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ISK

Well-Known Member
I am in MB, near the lakes - Edmonton is much further north by parallel then where I am kind of like between Calgary and Edmonton as a comparison.

I will take all this good advice and start germ them beginning of May and in the ground by June ish start.
Using the dome for growing out a little then into ground, no pots.
Not bringing them in or out just out.
As for adverse weather etc that is part of life and I will roll with it.
Not sure if I will be as lucky as you say in 3 months but if so that is great, then I will post pics of my screw ups I mean grow this year and if that does work out in 3 months I will do same next year but space it out so I get 2 grows in one year.
Actually 3 months is on the high side, typically an auto will finish in 14 to 16 weeks, so you should be able to pull off 2 crops.

Here is a pic of an indoor sunshine grow which took 15 weeks in total

IMG_1232.JPG

PS: if you start a grow journal, please tag me in
 
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Govno

Active Member
Actually 3 months is on the high side, typically an auto will finish in 14 to 16 weeks, so you should be able to pull off 2 crops.

Here is a pic of an indoor sunshine grow which took 15 weeks in total

View attachment 5092572

PS: if you start a grow journal, please tag me in
Thank you with all advice I appreciate it and maybe I will try to pull off 2 grows.
I have more then enough seeds and if first bunch is out from under grow lamps I can shove another under easy enough,
I will try to plan my garden in this manner and I will most definitely tag you in the thread / grow journal.... Might need more advice and when I say maybe I mean I will.
 
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Govno

Active Member
Sorry to bump thread, I am ready to grow.... Ok Not true the seeds cracked, I planted them and put them under T5 grow light approx 18" overtop of them and they grew kind of stingy (These are the auto flower ones as in earlier part of thread)
Any f'in clue why they go stringy? I was told not enough light ? Not sure but I did add more soil in pot to prop them up a bit and got rid of the T5 and put 2 - 600W LED grow lights (They have a toggle for flowering Vs grow) and centered them over the little fellers about 18" off the top.
Ohh sorry using the GH trio liquid for seedlings @ 336PPM (No idea if I am doing good or bad at this point - using the seedling mix recommendation but added 2 ml of the grow / green one)

Any suggestions? Anything anyone can say I am F'ing up already?
 

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
T5's are fine for seedlings but need to be pretty close to work well and for autos I'd use them only briefly. The lights you have now claim 600 watts, is that the actual power draw? That makes a big difference. Look for the actual watts used and tell us what that says. Also how old are the seeds exactly as with autos you're on a clock kind of so age matters some.
 

Govno

Active Member
T5's are fine for seedlings but need to be pretty close to work well and for autos I'd use them only briefly. The lights you have now claim 600 watts, is that the actual power draw? That makes a big difference. Look for the actual watts used and tell us what that says. Also how old are the seeds exactly as with autos you're on a clock kind of so age matters some.
Well I got 2 of these ones: 600W LED Grow Light Double On/Off Switch Full Spectrum Grow Lamp


SPECIFICATIONS
- LED Power: 600W (10W x 60Pcs)
- LED Type: Dual-Chip Bridgelux / Epileds LEDs
- Input Voltage: AC85~265V
- Working Current: 600mA
- Working Environment: -20℃~40℃, 45%RH~90%RH
- Lumens: 9600lm
- Working Frequency: 50/60Hz
- HPS Replacement: 400W HPS/MH
- Lifespan: 50,000 hours

COVERAGE AREA
- VEG Coverage at 24": 2.5x2.5ft
- BLOOM Coverage at 18": 2x2 ft
- View Angle of LEDs: 90° and 120°
 

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
Ok, so even though they say they're 600 watt lights, they're really only 70 watts. That's with both switches on. Lights are based on actual current draw from the wall but manufacturers like to use marketing numbers with less expensive lights and use what's called equivalent wattage. They are saying it's equivalent to a 600 watt led because of the number of chips. The math doesn't matter to the plants. The actual watts of the light matter way more as far as how powerful it is usually. Not to say it's a bad light, it's just not like having 1200 watts of true LED in your tent and you need to understand that. Those led lights are commonly called blurples due to the bluish purple light their spectrum puts out that makes it hard to see the true colors of the plant like you do in white light. A lot of growers, myself included, started out with them and then upgraded to a white light LED as the spectrum is better for the plants and way easier on the eyes. Having said all that, with 140 watts total from both lights using both switches or only 66 watts if you run only the veg switches you are going to struggle with these lights for anything other than seedlings and small vegging plants at very close distances. It looks like based on their graph it puts out about 300 Umols of light around 12" and roughly 200 at 18", I'm rounding the numbers, so for veg somewhere around 12-16" should be the area I'd try. Seedlings I'd be around 18-24" to start and just try to read them. If they stretch, move them closer. Hope this helps and anytime you move the light, pay close attention to the plant for the next day or two as it will tell you if it is happy or not. Look for twisting or funky leaves that start growing weird. Any of that happens right after you move the light closer and you may want to back it off.
 

Govno

Active Member
Ok, so even though they say they're 600 watt lights, they're really only 70 watts. That's with both switches on. Lights are based on actual current draw from the wall but manufacturers like to use marketing numbers with less expensive lights and use what's called equivalent wattage. They are saying it's equivalent to a 600 watt led because of the number of chips. The math doesn't matter to the plants. The actual watts of the light matter way more as far as how powerful it is usually. Not to say it's a bad light, it's just not like having 1200 watts of true LED in your tent and you need to understand that. Those led lights are commonly called blurples due to the bluish purple light their spectrum puts out that makes it hard to see the true colors of the plant like you do in white light. A lot of growers, myself included, started out with them and then upgraded to a white light LED as the spectrum is better for the plants and way easier on the eyes. Having said all that, with 140 watts total from both lights using both switches or only 66 watts if you run only the veg switches you are going to struggle with these lights for anything other than seedlings and small vegging plants at very close distances. It looks like based on their graph it puts out about 300 Umols of light around 12" and roughly 200 at 18", I'm rounding the numbers, so for veg somewhere around 12-16" should be the area I'd try. Seedlings I'd be around 18-24" to start and just try to read them. If they stretch, move them closer. Hope this helps and anytime you move the light, pay close attention to the plant for the next day or two as it will tell you if it is happy or not. Look for twisting or funky leaves that start growing weird. Any of that happens right after you move the light closer and you may want to back it off.
Thank you, I am looking at them since I switched them from the T5 yo these LEDS and they seem to be liking it as I see leaves and the fan swaying them seems to be doing them good.
I might bring the light a bit closer then the 18" they are at now though.
Think 14" Maybe 12"
 
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