New Grower Autopot / Coco Indoor Grow - Dutch Passion Think Different and Seedsman Amnesia Haze

[jokgga]

Hey fellow growers,

Figured I would create my first journal here given I have posted in these forums a lot.

My grow set up is 3 Autopots (15L/4 Gallon) with the following:
Tent - Mars Hydro 2x4 tent
Light - HLG 135V2 RSPEC / HLG 100 4000K
Autopot System (15L/4 Gallon) - Cloud Coco 50/50 Perlite
Inline fan/filter/duct - AC Inifinity 6inch fan with temperature control
Nutrients - Megacrop/Great White / Hydroguard to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9


Strains are
Strain #1 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (right) - Germinated via Rockwool and planted to autopot
Strain #2 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (middle) - Planted directly to autopot
Strain #3 - Seedsman Amnesia Haze Auto (left) - Planted directly to autopot

I am currently at day 15 and overall I am seeing slow growth than others. Not sure if it is because I am under/overwatering or just because of the big pots that these seeds were directly planted to.

Set up :

Strain #1 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (right) - Germinated via Rockwool on 9/18 / Planted to Autopot on 9/22

Day 19 - I had germinated this 4 days earlier than the others in a Rockwool and fear I may have overwatered initially. I feel this one is a little stunted as it is on Day 15 since it was planted to the autopot (pretty small). I have initially top fed water to this one every 5 days (750ML), which I think was too much so I have been lowering the dosage to around 50ML/ every morning.

Nutrients are a mix of MC (1/4 dosage), GW, Hydroguard with tap water to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9
Temp: 79-82°f
RH: 53-62%
Light Cycle: 24/0
Light Height: 30 inches dimmed to 50%

Strain #2 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (middle)

Day 15 - This was planted directly from the paper towel to the autopot on 9/22 so it has been roughly 15 days since. I feel this one will be smaller because it is sharing the two lights, but also bushier. This is the exact same strain as my first one.

Nutrients are a mix of MC (1/4 dosage), GW, Hydroguard with tap water to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9
Temp: 79-82°f
RH: 53-62%
Light Cycle: 24/0
Light Height: 30 inches dimmed to 50%

Strain #3 - Seedsman Amnesia Haze Auto (left) - Planted directly to autopot on 9/22

Day 15 - This one was also planted directly, after germination, to the autopot and I feel this one is growing a little slow. I have watered this plant every 3-5 days with 500ML of light nutes.

Nutrients are a mix of MC (1/4 dosage), GW, Hydroguard with tap water to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9
Temp: 79-82°f
RH: 53-62%
Light Cycle: 24/0
Light Height: 30 inches HLG 100 lights at 100%

Overall, I am off to a slow start but things seem to be picking up so the next couple weeks will be important for me. Given the coco medium, I have been trying not to water too much and going off feeling the top inch of coco for wetness. However, I read and started to give very light nutes (about a shot glass worth 50-100ML) every morning for the past couple days and have seen some growth so will keep doing that.

Both Dutch Passion @DutchPassionTony and Seedsman seeds seem to be very strong and perfect for a first time grower such as myself. Thank you to them and North Atlantic for providing these.

Also big thanks to @Mañ'O'Green @Simplicio @blue @Hypathetical Gardener @MANNIK @Highway 61 for being rockstar guides.. This has been an amazing learning experience.

Any comments and feedback obviously welcome

 

[blue]

Hey fellow growers,

Figured I would create my first journal here given I have posted in these forums a lot.

My grow set up is 3 Autopots (15L/4 Gallon) with the following:
Tent - Mars Hydro 2x4 tent
Light - HLG 135V2 RSPEC / HLG 100 4000K
Autopot System (15L/4 Gallon) - Cloud Coco 50/50 Perlite
Inline fan/filter/duct - AC Inifinity 6inch fan with temperature control
Nutrients - Megacrop/Great White / Hydroguard to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9


Strains are
Strain #1 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (right) - Germinated via Rockwool and planted to autopot
Strain #2 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (middle) - Planted directly to autopot
Strain #3 - Seedsman Amnesia Haze Auto (left) - Planted directly to autopot

I am currently at day 15 and overall I am seeing slow growth than others. Not sure if it is because I am under/overwatering or just because of the big pots that these seeds were directly planted to.

Set up :
View attachment 1240448


Strain #1 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (right) - Germinated via Rockwool on 9/18 / Planted to Autopot on 9/22

Day 19 - I had germinated this 4 days earlier than the others in a Rockwool and fear I may have overwatered initially. I feel this one is a little stunted as it is on Day 15 since it was planted to the autopot (pretty small). I have initially top fed water to this one every 5 days (750ML), which I think was too much so I have been lowering the dosage to around 50ML/ every morning.

Nutrients are a mix of MC (1/4 dosage), GW, Hydroguard with tap water to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9
Temp: 79-82°f
RH: 53-62%
Light Cycle: 24/0
Light Height: 30 inches dimmed to 50%

View attachment 1240456


Strain #2 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (middle)

Day 15 - This was planted directly from the paper towel to the autopot on 9/22 so it has been roughly 15 days since. I feel this one will be smaller because it is sharing the two lights, but also bushier. This is the exact same strain as my first one.

Nutrients are a mix of MC (1/4 dosage), GW, Hydroguard with tap water to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9
Temp: 79-82°f
RH: 53-62%
Light Cycle: 24/0
Light Height: 30 inches dimmed to 50%


View attachment 1240457


Strain #3 - Seedsman Amnesia Haze Auto (left) - Planted directly to autopot on 9/22

Day 15 - This one was also planted directly, after germination, to the autopot and I feel this one is growing a little slow. I have watered this plant every 3-5 days with 500ML of light nutes.

Nutrients are a mix of MC (1/4 dosage), GW, Hydroguard with tap water to a PH of 6.0 and EC of 0.9
Temp: 79-82°f
RH: 53-62%
Light Cycle: 24/0
Light Height: 30 inches HLG 100 lights at 100%

View attachment 1240458

Overall, I am off to a slow start but things seem to be picking up so the next couple weeks will be important for me. Given the coco medium, I have been trying not to water too much and going off feeling the top inch of coco for wetness. However, I read and started to give very light nutes (about a shot glass worth 50-100ML) every morning for the past couple days and have seen some growth so will keep doing that.

Both Dutch Passion @DutchPassionTony and Seedsman seeds seem to be very strong and perfect for a first time grower such as myself. Thank you to them and North Atlantic for providing these.

Also big thanks to @Mañ'O'Green @Simplicio @blue @Hypathetical Gardener @MANNIK @Highway 61 for being rockstar guides.. This has been an amazing learning experience.

Any comments and feedback obviously welcome

Hello

As you say, a bit of a slow start, but it's a start!

Nearly everything looks right to me apart from the seedlings are a little small and a little pale. I would put this down to nutrition .. but maybe not lack of .. perhaps uptake due to the PH being slightly too high.

0.9ec of feed should be fine for a seedling to keep it going. IMO the PH needs to be dropped in order for the little un to take ujp the Nitrogen that's need at the mo.
Perhaps a tiny bit of calcium would help too.

I'd also get the light on a timer and drop it to 20 hours or 18 hours, unless you need the light for heat. Whilst it's true that a true autoflower will flower under 24 hours light, i've encountered issues, and there doesn't seem to be a big difference in outcomes (yeild)

So my suggestion would be to knock up a foliar spray of epsom salts if you have them, and drop the PH to 5.6 with an ec of 0.8-1.0 of whatever you're using with N in it.

Hope this helps

Blue

 

[Highway 61]

Hi Jokgga,

Nice looking setup!

I'm a novice to coco but I would be inclined to feed every day. In with the good and out with the bad. With seedlings, you need to be cautious not to float the roots. But the cool thing about coco/perlite is that it is hard to overwater like with soil. Even when it is fully saturated, there is a lot of oxygen in the medium. You can feed every day and know exactly what the ph and ppms are while flushing out the salts and unused nutes in your runoff. I'm not sure about the one in rockwool, though - whether you need to water less in Rockwool.

FWIW, I think if you were to feed every day with a bit higher ec, your seedlings would likely green up and take off. And I would suggest that you remember to feed cal mag to your coco to avoid a cation exchange issue with your medium. You don't want your coco to compete with your plants for calcium and magnesium because the coco will win that fight and your plants will have a deficiency. I add a bit of cal mag to every bucket of nutes.

Best of luck! Thank you for the content.

 

[jokgga]

Thanks @Highway 61, I have been feeding every day and have started to see growth. I think the trickiest part right now is over/underwatering. I thought this was stunted because of overwatering but it may have been in fact underwatering as I have been increasing my water dosage to around 100ML per pot daily, along with foliar spray of Epson Salt/Nutes (thanks @blue )

My nutes are now closer to 5.6PH with an EC of 1.1 with Epson Salt added in.

See below for pictures

Day 21
Strain #1 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (right) -

Day 18 -
Strain #2 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (middle) - This one has been getting some extra Epson Salt spray

Day 18 -
Strain #3 - Seedsman Amnesia Haze Auto (left)

Setup: I have both TD under the HLG 135 and AH is under the HLG 100.

Do you think I should water more or do another flush to get things going faster?

I feel I have another week before I have to turn on the autopots.

 

[St. Tom]

Thanks @Highway 61, I have been feeding every day and have started to see growth. I think the trickiest part right now is over/underwatering. I thought this was stunted because of overwatering but it may have been in fact underwatering as I have been increasing my water dosage to around 100ML per pot daily, along with foliar spray of Epson Salt/Nutes (thanks @blue )

My nutes are now closer to 5.6PH with an EC of 1.1 with Epson Salt added in.

See below for pictures

Day 21
Strain #1 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (right) -
View attachment 1241389

Day 18 -
Strain #2 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (middle) - This one has been getting some extra Epson Salt spray
View attachment 1241390


Day 18 -
Strain #3 - Seedsman Amnesia Haze Auto (left) View attachment 1241391

Setup: I have both TD under the HLG 135 and AH is under the HLG 100.

View attachment 1241392

Do you think I should water more or do another flush to get things going faster?

I feel I have another week before I have to turn on the autopots.

hi my friend they are quite stunted i grow in autopots and I'm thinking same as i do in your next run start your babies in solo cups as they are impossible to overwater and from them you would have a great rootzone before you pot up into your autopots as i think maybe earlier on your coco may of been waterlogged as that can stop the root growth and cut off their oxygen that's why I'm suggesting the solo cups also you don't want to turn your autopot res till your plants are up to the edges of the pots . and if i was you i would consider starting another one if you have any more seeds as a backup

 

[Highway 61]

Things definitely look better than last week. But St. Tom makes a good point. They are already at day 21 so they will start to flower soon. Yields will be low.

I have limited experience with autos but get the impression that you need to be dialed in from the start because there is not much time to fix issues in veg.

Your plants look to be more than a week away from turning on your res.

As far as watering frequency goes, I would recommend that you continue watering once each day, gradually feeding more as your plants grow until you water to runoff about ten to twenty percent. Remove the runoff each day so that your plants aren't wicking it back up. When your plants bush out to touch the sides of your pots, then the roots should have made it down to the bottom of your pots and you can turn on your res.

I tend to think you underwatered a bit and your plants did not get enough nutes to be vigorous. That's gonna hurt your yields.

I like solo cups and coco for seedlings. But if your aren't careful, you can stress your plants upon transplant and stunt them. Photoperiods can recover before you choose to flip to flower but autos are on the clock from the first day. I've germinated seeds a number of different ways but my personal preference right now with photos is to germinate in coco/solo cups. For autos, I'd be inclined to plant directly into my final pot. But there is never only one best way.

 

[jokgga]

Thanks @St. Tom ..it is unfortunate that I may have to start over but I am thinking the same, if this does not get bigger in the next week.

Lessons learned.. Do you think any of these can be recovered? If I am planting in Solo Cups, do i need to water at all?

Do you think with these autopots, I should always water to run off but also make sure they are drained properly (use pot risers or something ) to ensure they have water but nothing stuck in the autopot tray?

Thanks

 

[St. Tom]

Thanks @St. Tom ..it is unfortunate that I may have to start over but I am thinking the same, if this does not get bigger in the next week.

Lessons learned.. Do you think any of these can be recovered? If I am planting in Solo Cups, do i need to water at all?

Do you think with these autopots, I should always water to run off but also make sure they are drained properly (use pot risers or something ) to ensure they have water but nothing stuck in the autopot tray?

Thanks

with young plants you need to make the roots look for food etc and i just think from the start you been tipping more water after more water as i let my pots get light before giving any more feed and the reason i go with the solo cups is there only in a small amount of media so there very hard to drown the roots that's why i start all my plants in them and if you check out my threads i grow some big and small plants but always great yields and here are a couple of pics of girls started in solo cups then potted onto autopots .also when feeding solo cups when they are tiny seedlings say from day 1 to 3 i only give them a little tiny drink around the edge of the seedling and after they get to the age in the pics i know they have got good roots so that's when i start to run off i hope this helps you and any other questions please ask

 

[jokgga]

Solo Cups seems to make more sense. I hear of people also poking holes in the cup and dipping the bottom in water for a couple secs as well.

Anyways, here is an update. The Amnesia Haze has been growing much faster than the Think Different. I think it is a mixture of the HLG 100 light and just not watering as much as the first TD. I stopped giving water (spray only) for a day and have seen some droop.
I have also been seeing Mycelium which is good news that my MC/HG/GW solution is working a bit. Going to wait a few more days until the AH leaves get to the edge of the pot before turning on the autopot.

Nutrients are a mix of MC (1/4 dosage), GW, Hydroguard with tap water to a PH of 5.7 and EC of 1.2
Temp: 79-82°f
RH: 53-62%
Light Cycle: 24/0
Light Height: 30 inches dimmed to 50%


Day 24 - Strain #1 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (right) -

Day 21 Strain #2 - Dutch Passion Think Different Auto (middle) - This one is still small but hoping it takes off like the first TD.

Day 21 Strain #3 - Seedsman Amnesia Haze Auto (right) - This one seems to have the fastest growth. God speed my friend.

Some mycelium

@Highway 61 you mention that these will start to flower soon? Are there set schedules from when it was sprouted or is this stunted plant something I can recover from?

Thanks all for looking and happy growing!

 

[Highway 61]

Yes, autoflowers will start to flower based on their age whether or not they have vegged out sufficiently. For that reason, autos require that you be on your game from the start to avoid any stress that might slow growth during veg. Photoperiod strains allow you to veg as long as you want until you get the canopy exactly as you want it before you flip your lights to start them flowering. It gives you time to dial in your lights and nutes and ventilation before flipping to 12/12. Autoflowers gonna flower whether you think they are ready or not.

You can grow them out to see what happens. I suspect that your yield will be low and you might want to consider now whether to start over if getting a larger yield is important to you.

Autoflowers have the benefit of shorter growing times but I think they are harder to grow than photoperiods. My only experience with autos resulted in similar issues that you have now. I had three zkittlez autos that were not sufficiently vigorous by the time they started flowering. I decided to let them continue on and ended up with three small plants that yielded about two ounces total. Not much to show for three months but I was not worried about yield so I learned a few things. For comparison, I'm now running four photoperiod plants which together I expect will yield a pound or so at harvest.

Thanks again for the content.