Outdoor Autoflower Grow Help

I live in the city with a bit of light pollution and nosey neighbors, so this year I'm growing some autos.

I want to keep things simple as I can this year and cheap as possible.

Right now I'm considering using 5 gallon grow bags and FFOF.

I'm considering using advanced nutrients micro, bloom and grow nutes, because I figured it would make things a little easier? I wouldn't have to buy a PH meter and it could also feed my plants through harvest once FFOF runs out of nutes? Seems cheap and easy, I'm not sure if that would be enough for autos or if it would be too much for them?

Or should I skip the advanced nutrients and buy a PH meter and just use some top dressing for when FFOF runs out of nutes? If so which top dressing can get me through until harvest?

Any advice or tips would be helpful. I'm on a tight budget so the cheaper the better.

My opinion; instead of Advanced Nutrients, go with FoxFarms trio. Way cheaper. Sounds like you have everything else planned out pretty well.

PopAndSonGrows said:

My opinion; instead of Advanced Nutrients, go with FoxFarms trio. Way cheaper. Sounds like you have everything else planned out pretty well.

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Thank you for your reply.

I was only considering advanced nutrients for their ph balance technology....supposedly it will ph your water for you. That was a big deal for me since I plan on using city tap water. It would be a little cheaper than buying a PH meter and PH down solution and plus I would need to buy some sort of top dressing to feed plants after FFOF runs out of nutes.

Or doesFoxFarm trio balance PH as well? From what I see online, I don't think it does?

You're going to want a ph pen, not having any idea of the ph or ppm of your water will create issues. Dry organic nutrients like Dr Earth, Down to Earth and Gaia are very simple and super cheap. The Ocean Forrest should carry you thru veg depending on how long you want to veg for and then you can start with the dry amendments. There's a couple threads on dry amendments over on the organics thread. I used the PH balance line of liquid ferts the first couple years I grew and had multiple ph and nutrient lockout issues. I was also just learning how to read plants so that was part of the problem as well.

No need for ph meter get some ph strips [cheap] find out what the base water is FF has buffers in the soil if water ph is between 5.5 to 7.0 your good to go. If the water is not in that range you will have to adjust up or down. I hate FF nutes have seen to many burnt plants over the yrs look into Mega crop 1 part cheap an works well. Better yet set up some buckets collect rain water if the water is that nasty.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Think I'll buy a PH meter and ph down adjusting crystals and use Tiger Bloom and Cal/Mag for flowering.

My 2 cents.
The Ph Perfect line is for RO water, not tap.
IMO something like this is cheap and easy (no calibration)....