Autoflower query...what do i do now?

[mr.green123]

looking good cherrybomb how long has she been flowering

 

[cherrybomb74]

Thanks mate! They've been flowering way too long for their size, about three weeks give or take a day, think that's down to the unhealthy start they had.
The plant that started off smallest is now 3ft and spindly as hell, lol she decided she was gonna grow and shot through and beyond the gap in the lights, burning her fanleaves in the process. Plants are crazy.

 

[mr.green123]

Thanks mate! They've been flowering way too long for their size, about three weeks give or take a day, think that's down to the unhealthy start they had.
The plant that started off smallest is now 3ft and spindly as hell, lol she decided she was gonna grow and shot through and beyond the gap in the lights, burning her fanleaves in the process. Plants are crazy.

lol its all a learning curve what lights are you useing

 

[cherrybomb74]

Overhead there are two 30w red spec, literally an inch away, and on the side a 30w blue for light to the lower nodes. I'm still waiting on my order of y splitters to be able to add more light, bloody overseas ebay shops!

 

[mr.green123]

Overhead there are two 30w red spec, literally an inch away, and on the side a 30w blue for light to the lower nodes. I'm still waiting on my order of y splitters to be able to add more light, bloody overseas ebay shops!

yea ebay is a nightmare i only order from the uk suppliers.are you going to switch to a hps or use the cfls all the way through

 

[cherrybomb74]

I think cfls....now and in future mate, i'm not good enough with diy to make an awesome cab and heat issues scare me, cfls seem like the safest way. Lol my next grow cab is going to be a large cardboard box preparing it now! It'll be 28"(L) 22"(D) 40" (H), and at least 4 x 30w cfls at any one time... do you think i'd get two plants on 12/12 from seed to get on alright in there?

 

[mr.green123]

yes you should be ok i fancy haveing a go at 12/12 from seed soon it looks like its well worth it.why not convert an old wardrobe into a cab and use a 300w cfl iv seen a few grows like this with good results

 

[cherrybomb74]

Yeah that's a good shout, trying to budget for a monster cfl in the not too distant future, my finances are screwed at the moment though, but soon fingers crossed!
What have you used for your soil grows?

 

[mr.green123]

iv always used cfl's for the first week or two then switch to hps.if your ever stuck i got spare 400hps you can use

 

[kushnotbush]

Hey Cherry those auto's are looking good for you. You definitely want to run them 18/6 or 20/4 for the duration of the grow. I have experimented with my autoflowers starting them at 20/4 and then cutting back to 18/6 at the sign of preflowers to keep some of the more sativa strains from stretching too much. It has worked ok, and I sometimes like to get a topping in around 3 weeks or so just before preflowers to try to bush them out some. Just a little food for thought for your next grow! Keep up the good work and happy growing.
KnB

 

[cherrybomb74]

Thanks KnB i'll definitely keep that in mind for next time. Do you find a big difference in terms of yield/quality when you top them rather than let them grow out untouched?

 

[cherrybomb74]

iv always used cfl's for the first week or two then switch to hps.if your ever stuck i got spare 400hps you can use

Thanks mrgreen, i might have to take you up on that at some point
Do you find a big heat difference between the cfls and hps?

 

[kushnotbush]

Well for me I try to top the more sativa dominant strains because I found that these will bush out more than the indica dominant strains. Topping is harder to get right on auto's though because sometimes the top won't grow back and it will start to bush out then just flower. If you get it right I think that I get a little more out of having more tops than just the normal single tall cola. I love growing autos because they are such a mixed bag and because you just never know how the plant will really grow until you grow it. That for me is what breaks the monotony and is what makes growing fun.
KnB

 

[kushnotbush]

Also to add to the light question, I would seek out a HPS if I were you. IME a 150w hps runs as hot as 4 or 5 of those 26w blue cfl's. A 150w hps will definitely do 2 autos well but I would not try running a hps in cardboard, for that I might look into a cheap tent. A 400 will definitely need to be air cooled or properly ventilated in a smaller confined space. If you get a smaller hps try to find one with a remote ballast, this will help your temps immensely. Again good luck and happy growing!
KnB

 

[cherrybomb74]

thanks for that, some really helpful advice, i'd imagined hps as some scorching hot light system but will definitely consider it when i get a suitable cab to grow in, kudos KnB

 

[mr.green123]

Thanks mrgreen, i might have to take you up on that at some point
Do you find a big heat difference between the cfls and hps?

yea theres a big difference but it can easily be sorted with a fan.. its there if you do need to use it some time

 

[cherrybomb74]

yea theres a big difference but it can easily be sorted with a fan.. its there if you do need to use it some time

Thanks MrGreen, i'll see how things pan out for now i need to get another fan cos the one i have now is a big tower thing and i think it's cooling a bit too much!
Updates with pics coming up.....

 

[cherrybomb74]

Ok, i'm gonna introduce you to Lolly...the problem child!
She started out tiny but very spindly....and has recently shot up to 29" tall.
She has no smell at all, hardly any trichs, and her leaves are very thin and droopy. I'm not sure if there's a problem, her buds are rock hard though so i'm just carrying on as i have done.

 

[cherrybomb74]

....and this is Lucky. She is now 22", smells AMAZING and is getting frostier by the minute! There is still a lot of stretch as with the other plant but she seems to carry more bulk, and the lower nodes are just as hard and healthy as the top.

 

[mr.green123]

is she higher than the light she looks like she needs more light i'm no expert tho