A couple questions about my first grow

I've been growing an AK47 Auto for about a month now. I'm running a 45W LED light and the plant is in a 5 gallon pot with Biobizz light mix soil.

Question 1: The plant is getting pretty big now, but I find myself only watering once a week -- maybe even less than that. I water with 1 gallon every time and it takes a week or more for the soil to feel dry. Is this normal? I've read that by this stage people are watering about every 3 days.

Question 2: Is it too early to tell the sex/pre flower stage? (See pictures attached)

Thanks so much for the help

Q1 - you water when it needs it, and you are very correct in waiting for it to feel dry before watering again....don't change that approach

Q2 - yes, or at least I see no signs of gender yet

The soil should always be moist it should never get dry or the roots will die. Water is what makes the soil work it moves the nutrients through the soil so the roots can absorb them, the best way is to use less water/nutes at a time but water more often that way the plant is not waiting a week for nutrients.

You will have to water more as the plant gets bigger. its all about feeling how heavy your container is dry vs wet... youll notice a big difference.

also If I were you only using 45 watts of led I'd go to lowes.. they have 150 watt equivalent cfl's (40 actual watts) for like 10$ a piece.. thats for slyvania name brand good ones.

I would buy 2 of those 150 watt cfls and put one on each side of the plant. It helps a ton with your final yield.. I used to do that.. LED above plant and 1 cfl on each side of plant.. The heat generated by the cfl's will also dry out soil faster so you can water more often... plus in the coming winter months it will keep your temps perfect.

as long as you have some patience dope growin is simple.. give it 2 months or a little longer and you'll have around 1 oz dry of the funk.

I would give flowering nutrients once the stretch stops.. where its an auto you should see white hairs any day now then you'll get good upward growth.. when that upward growth stops give it flowering nutes in small doses once or twice a week.

If the temps in your room and your soil mix is light enough watering 1 gallon into 5 gallon container you should have to water once every 4 or so days.


just wait till it gets bigger and it will drink more water.. hang in there.. you're doing good so far.

Thank you very much

If it's taking the soil a long time to dry you might need better air circulation

I had some auto's outside this summer beside photo's, the auto's took twice as long to dry out, I have no clue as to why as they were at one point killing the photo's in growth. The root structure in the auto's were half the size of the regs as well. Are you getting any run off at all when watering? If not perhaps the soil is compacted, just a thought. they do look good though.

Back tracker had it right in that if you water less, you water more often.

I water everyday at lights on. 5 gallon pots generally get 4 cups per day. Watering a whole gallon at a time in a 5 gallon is over watering in my book.....Cut it back to 1/2 a gallon and try that awhile.
The more often you water, the more O2 gets to the roots and that's a very good thing.
The soil staying damp too long can be a bad thing!