400W CFL, 8 Plant Grow

I bet if you planted those autoflowers now they would do just fine. My reading and slight experience is that Autos need to be born with a silver spoon in their mouths. I.E. Pot size, grow room lights and environment already set up perfectly.
Learning how to grow on Auto’s offers the challenge of you can’t mess up. If you do one thing wrong you set it back a week and if you do two things wrong the plant can’t keep up with the time factor.
However now you have a nicer brighter environment and ability to predict the spreading of foliage across your grow area plus you’ve done some learning curve growing so you could better plan for AutoPounders.
I’m up in the air about Auto’s. I’m smoking my first one and it works as intended super stoked but have a more personal relationship with my photoperiod plants. Hippy talk but that’s how I feel.
I hope you didn't pot size down, i've never even heard of that.

Get some good ventilation, get rid of the illuminum foil, your soil looks like shit, easy on the nutes

Thx for replies.. Update pics at bottom.

BBbubblegum said:

Get some good ventilation, get rid of the illuminum foil, your soil looks like shit, easy on the nutes

Click to expand...

I agree with the soil but too late to change that now. Its straight compost. Drains OK, has given a bit of nute burn... other than that, no issues. Feeding with small amounts of H202 to help with oxygen to the roots (Even tho they are not displaying signs)
Extractor fan and Carbon filter arrive today - will be better for lowering humidity on day of water. General air circulation, temps and general humidity are good normally.

No need to get rid of the Aluminium foil if I have nothing else...? It is by far, better than nothing as it reflects approx 40-50% of light..

Some people think Aluminium will burn plants - Aluminium Foil doesn't create hotspots... this is a myth that really has been done to death (No, it really doesn’t work as a magnifying glass even if it’s crinkled and screwed up... Screwing it up, will however change the overall equal placement of reflected light). There really is no science or even simple minded logic that would explain how an item reflecting less light than a primary source would increase the primary sources output... it cant (Considering its not even 50% reflective)
Foil does increase overall temp of the box (For me, maybe 3F).... Other than that being an issue (Is not for me), I see no reason of why one would get rid of foil if they have nothing to replace with it?

Have a quick flick through - https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/495495-great-aluminum-foil-myth.html - Good read!

Update:

Plants really enjoying their LST... New tops keep appearing.
Managed to re-pot some plants and fit them back in the box...
starting to alternate pot positions now.... the plant directly under than 250w CFL loves it too much...

I get it, when you LST, the plants auxins redistribute and create new tops... general plant mechanics....

What if I was to throw some Superthrive in there? Superthrive consists of a few vitamins and plant Auxins (Hormones)
Would this help promote new tops? or would this help promote the growth of the main top?... Any ideas or anyone experimented?


Autopounder - top left/bottom right..
Auto Blue Northrn Lights - All the others

Things picking up.. even the auto pounders doing better.. they seem to just want to grow tall and skinny.

No complaints bout the others at the mo. Doing OK I think.


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update soon... cant seem to upload pictures right nw

Looking nice and healthy.

Getting there.. few pH issues with one.

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About week 5 now.

One auto pounder lookin quite cool. Lots of branches but tiny thin leaves..
Goin to chop the other pathetic one soon... its embarresing ... maybe doesn't like the 24 hours light

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hey benjwg,

looking good man, I have just seeded a NLB so interested to see how yours goes,

when do you plan to switch to 12/12, I just say coz going 24/0 to 12/12 would be a bit stressy on them no?

Might be worth stepping at least 20/4 then 12/12.. just a thought .. peace..

Just a tip. plants grow healthier with a 18/6 lighting schedule.... 20/4, 24/0 is really beneficial for rooting clones.

Little update, lagging behind here. nearly week 7 I think. guessing 6 more weeks to go.

Will get a group photo soon.

Each plant is doing well, few PH / Nute issues... other than that all is OK.


People use 12/12 normally to induce and replicate conditions for flowering - mine are flowering fine on 24/0. I will not be changing to any lighting other than 24/0, all the way through flower. Certainly wont go to 12/12 with an auto... Maybe 20/4 .

I haven't noticed any issues with 24/0 lighting except I can control temps better. You gotta remember some of these plants are use to flowering at 24/0 in some parts of the world. they produce weight based on age not photoperiod. If I turn the lights off in my box for 4 hours, temps will be 40F - Lights on 24/7 = temps about 70F normally. I have to decide which is least damaging.

From my understanding, the general idea for autos is more light, the better. people argue what is best for flowering but not 12/12 usually. No one has actually shown me a diminished yield on 24/0 flowering an autoflower strain.

Im using 400watts of CFL so your grow may be different from mine. My plants seem happy(With the light anyway) so no complaints from me.

One group pic.

Definitely a few PH/Nute issues going on.

FYI - Only fed nutes once... seems the compost is far too strong.

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Not surprised I am having a few issues but all good fun.

8 plants in a small space, £50 on lights, £20 on soil.

Want just one big bush... Lol.

Going to start vegging my other ladies next week.

I can't see any of the new photos.

Bit of a trim, all still doing OK. Thrown some mesh over the top to keep height down better. Will be cutting the mesh into bigger gaps and replacing foil on walls

Think I will start feeding this week or next... I am in about week 7 and using pure compost... don't seem to have any deficiencies.

Will start 1/3 dose of Tiger Bloom.

So far week 7... 5/6 more weeks to go at a guess from the looks of things.. 2 plants may be finished in 4/5 weeks.


Will I 100% need to make the gaps in the wire mesh bigger? - Any one know how often I need to check on tops growing through/when to push back under? Can only check on them twice a week.

Thanks.

Just 2 more - buds fluffing up!


Personally, for the amount I have, amount of light, type of light, space of grow, quality of soil.... I think they look great.

Sorry. Didn't read where it said you were growing autos. Carry on!

Ben, in my garden is a plant we made a mod scrog for, and I would reccomend you make the squares a bit bigger. Maybe just cutthe rectangles so they're squares. I think your plants look great though!

Also, get those lights as close as you can since you've limited your canopy, your plants will love you.