First AutoFlower Failure (Pics Posted and Help Needed)

[CannadaJ]

No doubt. I use ffhf and don’t feed till around day 30. When I do feed they get hit with a full dose but probably watered down some

Sounds like we have a similar approach. I started with FFHF and on 3rd grow reamending with 3-4 TBS/gallon. So far so good although current grow showing slight nute burn with white tips at 28days old. I think I top dressed a bit too early at 21 days, but could also be the copious amount of worm castings I've been using combined with the Gaia Green. Otherwise plants are thriving.

My next grow I'm going to wait till day 30 to top dress. I've been reamending after each grow to replenish, waiting a few weeks before starting seedlings etc. I think I can get to day 30 without amendments.

OP: Given your soil and that it includes fertilizer, you could try starting without adding any Gaia Green and even digging out a few cups for lighter soil in the middle. Top dress 3-4TBS/gallon TOTAL Gaia Green amendments somewhere between day 21 and 30 assuming plants are healthy. Every soil blend will be different, so probably best to stick to one for a few grows and learn its intricacies.

 

[DABaracuss]

most of us mix the happy frog with the ocean forest or you may get some burn and slow growth untill they grow out of it and can hadle the nutes. I mix pronix bx ffof and ffhf chunky per lite 20%and worm castings and your off.. you got to let it cook for about 3 moths but youw ill get the results you want ,but for the low try mixing it with the ocean forest.

 

[Auto Tay]

If you want a problem free soil for autos use happy frog. I almost want to say it’s buffered in the 6 range because I use regular 7.23pH tap and never have problems and always a mid 6 runoff. Ocean forest on the other hand is a battle against low pH when the buds appear from my experience

 

[GreenTomatoes]

If you want a problem free soil for autos use happy frog. I almost want to say it’s buffered in the 6 range because I use regular 7.23pH tap and never have problems and always a mid 6 runoff. Ocean forest on the other hand is a battle against low pH when the buds appear from my experience

My understanding is that, with the 5 gallon pot and the GAI GREEN I added, that was a self feeding organic setup and should last around 4-5 weeks, at which point I would start top dressing and address other needs along the way. I plan to keep my water PH 5.8 - 6.3 ( I keep fish, so I have a nice RO/DI system with no TDS) and will check and try to keep soil 6.5 and then lower during flower.

Method 1: So to make things simple, should I just get a basic cheap potting soil from a big box store, mix that with some coco and then add in the Gai Green - which should last the 4 weeks then top dressing

Method 2: Buy some Happy Frog off Amazon, Fill 5 gallon pot, germinate seed, transfer to Happy Frog Pot and start to top dress, or Can I add the Gai Green to the Happy Frog and then at 4-5 weeks start top dressing with the Gai and worm casings etc...?

 

[Auto Tay]

dressing

Method 2: Buy some Happy Frog off Amazon, Fill 5 gallon pot, germinate seed, transfer to Happy Frog Pot and start to top dress, or Can I add the Gai Green to the Happy Frog and then at 4-5 weeks start top dressing with the Gai and worm casings etc...?

Yes to this. Top dress at day 30 with whatever organic nutes you want.

 

[oldham]

I used canna terra professional. Seed planted direct in to a 5gallon pot. No nutes the first 2 plus weeks. Only light mist of rhizotonic mix.
Will do the same set up for next grow. Very interesting if it just was luck.

 

[Bill.de.Cat]

It's so hard being new at it with all the information out there but these people will help get you going.

 

[420autoflower]

Not sure why people are suggesting to top dress with 3-4 tablespoons per gallon when Giai Greens application instructions clearly states 1 tablespoon per gallon. I use Down to Earth dry amendments and only top dress with a 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) for a 2 gallon container every 10-14 days.

 

[CannadaJ]

Not sure why people are suggesting to top dress with 3-4 tablespoons per gallon when Gaia Greens application instructions clearly states 1 tablespoon per gallon. I use Down to Earth dry amendments and only top dress with a 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) for a 2 gallon container every 10-14 days.

Good point. There is a distinction between amending empty soil and top dressing. From Gaia Green using 444:

1. Pre-mixing soil or potted plants: 3TBS/Gallon
2. Top dressing soil or potted plants: 1TBS/Gallon

Keep in mind these amounts should be TOTAL nutrients. So if you're top dressing and mixing 444 and 284 at day 28, for example, you're still only adding these amounts above combined.

With a new soil and new line of nutrients, I would always follow the product instructions. I've pushed to 3TBS/Gallon top dressing but I also knew that my soil was completely depleted (and I got slightly burned tips in the current grow!). Knowing your soil is a big part of it, and for the first run or two I'd keep it simple.

The trick is knowing how far your starting soil can take a plant. Some soils will be empty after 2 weeks, others 4. Your starting soil already has nutrients, so a light touch is best. I am always surprised how many nutrients the plant can uptake from it's cotyledons the first 2 or 3 weeks without any nutrients.

 

[CannadaJ]

Just to add here...

A lot of the YouTube videos people are making a super soil. They add dry amendments to a base soil (like Fox Farms Ocean Forest or Happy Frog, Promix, etc.) but they keep the nutrient rich soil for the bottom half of the pot and fill with lighter soil on top. In this scenario, you can add a little to the soil because you will be providing a lighter soil for the seedlings. If you're going the Super Soil way, there is a lot of information available.