Germination - what is the next step toward success?

[garybo]

Good day and hi to all. I'm a newbie to auto growing and this forum.

I've a few questions about auto's that perhaps one of you farmers can assist me on. My last 2 auto grows have turned out having a pitifully small harvest, but the smoke was both great tasting and effective. I'm OK with this since they were experimental grows.

So, a little about my garden. I been growing photo's for several years outdoor in fabric pots, 5 and 10 gallon ones, we are located in south Alabama where the sun is warm and plentiful. The medium I'll be growing in is top soil with vermiculite and perlite as additives; same soil I grow photo's in. By the way, this year will probably be my last for growing photo's.

Now, my questions;
* Using fabric pots, what is the ideal size to use for outdoor.?
* This next question pertains to seed germination. Using the wet paper tower method, I've got the part of getting the taproot to emerge from the seed down pat. Now what do I do next, put the seed/taproot in something like a jiffy pod, or just put the enfant directly into potting soil, such as a small biodegradable pot and later transferred to its permanent home?
* Once the seedling is placed into its temporary home, should I put it under a grow light for a while before going into the direct sunlight, or put the seedling directly into the daytime sun? Typically our weather is warm with ample sun.
* I try to top photo's at the 3rd node, at which node can I top an auto and how many times afterward?


Thanks in advance folks and I'll probably be asking further questions, keep safe.
garybo

 

[Bob's Auto's]

Hey @garybo

First of all... to AFN brother!! Loads of information to be found and lot's of people willing to help a hand.

Using fabric pots, what is the ideal size to use for outdoor.?

For outdoor I would go with a 5 - 7 gallon pot. Any bigger and the roots won't be able to fill the pot and going smaller will effect your harvest.

This next question pertains to seed germination. Using the wet paper tower method, I've got the part of getting the taproot to emerge from the seed down pat. Now what do I do next, put the seed/taproot in something like a jiffy pod, or just put the enfant directly into potting soil, such as a small biodegradable pot and later transferred to its permanent home?

Best to plant the sprouts into a lightmix of some sort. Something with little nutrients in it.
About your soil, I'll come back to that in a minute...

Once the seedling is placed into its temporary home, should I put it under a grow light for a while before going into the direct sunlight, or put the seedling directly into the daytime sun? Typically our weather is warm with ample sun.

If possible, not in direct sunlight...Outside in the shade is ok for the first days, but put a dome over the seedlings as to keep humidity high and also keep the soil from drying out.

I try to top photo's at the 3rd node, at which node can I top an auto and how many times afterward?

I'm experimenting with the following this year...I top at the fifth node and remove the first and second node's side shoots, but keep all the leaves. The more leaves the plant has the more it can grow and store energy for creating big fat buds. But I digress..
Doing it this way will result in six main cola's with not to fat buds on them. This has the main advantage that mold is harder to acquire, which is a good thing.


Now, the soil... I don't know what your topsoil is made out of, but you need good drainage and good water retention. The drainage part you have sorted out with the perlite and vermiculite, but the retention could be solved by adding some peat to the mix. Adding a calcium source to compensate for the lower pH from the peat could be used. Depending on how much sand your soil contains I would add anything in between 20 - 50% peat to that mix and end up with a combined 20 - 30% of the perlite/vermiculite to the endmix.
If you are using topsoil, there should be enough bacteria and mycelium in it already, but adding some myco and bacteria to that mix can't hurt and may improve soil life. Talking about soil life, something to consider is making a worm bin. That way you have your own worm castings and besides being chockful with nutrients they also populate the soil with all sorts of bennies

 

[garybo]

@Bob's Auto's , you the man and thankz a lot for this great info. It sounds like you are someone I can "talk shop" with all day.

For outdoor I would go with a 5 - 7 gallon pot.

Excellent, I have a handful of 5 gal's laying around here that are just waiting to be used but not abused.

If possible, not in direct sunlight...Outside in the shade is ok for the first days, but put a dome over the seedlings as to keep humidity high and also keep the soil from drying out.

That can be done and I've already picked out a spot and the dome for coverage, which I would use anyway especially in the evenings when there are tiny little flying objects that just love munching on new growth.

I'm experimenting with the following this year...I top at the fifth node and remove the first and second node's side shoots, but keep all the leaves. The more leaves the plant has the more it can grow and store energy for creating big fat buds. But I digress..

I like that idea of removing those side shoots, never thought about that. Like you, I'll be playing around with this subject trying to build the perfect mouse-trap.

Now, the soil... I don't know what your topsoil is made out of, but you need good drainage and good water retention. The drainage part you have sorted out with the perlite and vermiculite, but the retention could be solved by adding some peat to the mix. Adding a calcium source to compensate for the lower pH from the peat could be used. Depending on how much sand your soil contains I would add anything in between 20 - 50% peat to that mix and end up with a combined 20 - 30% of the perlite/vermiculite to the endmix.

The present soil I have was originally built with about 50/50 topsoil and cocca cure. Then the vermiculite and perlite was added, along with worm casing. This soil is 4 years old and when this present crop is harvested I'll probably dump the soil somewhere in the yard and start from scratch.
I like the idea of the worm bed, don't know too much about how it's done but I'll goggle about it.

Thanks for your reply and you have provided some serious thoughts for my upcoming plan. Looking forward to another chat with you.
garybo

 

[Bob's Auto's]

You're welcome buddy and yes, think we can talk shop all day long brother!!

 

[NORBY]

I have concluded that most people now
Drop seeds in glass of water for 24 - 36 hours in a dark warm place until tap root appears.
Then plant into the medium
I get results every time doing this.
I've sometimes went longer in water up to 48 hours cos I forget things sometimes lol

 

[DCLXVI]

Hi Gary!

You sound a bit experienced so maybe this is a silly question. Do you have a pH meter and an ec/ppm meter? I found them both invaluable.

 

[garybo]

Hi Gary!

You sound a bit experienced so maybe this is a silly question. Do you have a pH meter and an ec/ppm meter? I found them both invaluable.

@DCLXVI , your avatar is just about the coolest picture I've seen, and I've met ton's of folks on chat pages.

Yes, I've very experienced, at growing photo's though.
Under the correct conditions (I grow outdoor) I can grow some quality smoke. I feed via a ppm reading based on the plants age. My feeding/watering habits is to feed when the plant is hungry, which I gauge when the pot (I grow photo's in 10 gal fabric pots) becomes light in weight, then I feed until a light runoff is noticed. I'm hoping auto's are the same as far is a feeding schedule. I'll be growing in 5 gal fabric's so moving them around will be half the effort.

Short story; 2 yrs ago I lost a large percentage of my crop due to extreme evenings rain, causing mold growth since the ladies did not have time to dry out at night. I'm in Florida so we have humid nights. This year I'm experiencing worms eating my crop. I think they came from some tomato plants we bought at the farm store.
Anyway, I had to leave the girls for a few days and when I got back to them, they were full of tomato worms. I spent hours (I have 10 plants) picking through and removing them, this went on continuously for 4 days, the latter part of that time was spent killing babies worms due to eggs developing, even those little ones eat vigorously. I lost another large percentage of cola's. The beautiful white pistils are all black and dropping over.

So, I decided it was not worth working with plants for 6 month's and watching them decline. Learn to grow auto's I though, the yield won't be a big as the big girls can produce, but they are quick and the zone I grow in, I could grow 3 crops a year, and being grown in 5 gal pots they should not be too difficult to move around.

I'm now convinced I'm in the right forum to learn the auto grow technique, now, if I only could find a quality distributor or farm to buy some seeds from. Any advice would be welcomed. I prefer a company in north America, but that's not cast in stone.

Thanks @DCLXVI for reaching out to me, looking forward to seeing you again.
garybo

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

For quality beans you should check out Mephisto Genetics. Not only consistent in top quality, you get more for your buck. Buy 1 get 3, buy 3 get 5, buy 7 get 10 plus they send you freebies with each order. Night Owl seeds are also top quality.

And hell yeah you found the right forum! These guys and gals are the best around!

 

[Bob's Auto's]

@DCLXVI , your avatar is just about the coolest picture I've seen

That's what he actually looks like

This year I'm experiencing worms eating my crop. I think they came from some tomato plants we bought at the farm store.
Anyway, I had to leave the girls for a few days and when I got back to them, they were full of tomato worms. I spent hours (I have 10 plants) picking through and removing them, this went on continuously for 4 days, the latter part of that time was spent killing babies worms due to eggs developing, even those little ones eat vigorously.

One word..."spinosad"

I'm now convinced I'm in the right forum to learn the auto grow technique, now, if I only could find a quality distributor or farm to buy some seeds from. Any advice would be welcomed. I prefer a company in north America, but that's not cast in stone.

If you want great genetics you must try Auto White Widow from Dutch Passion. This is thé closest you'll ever get to 90's White Widow, but with the advantage that she's an Auto.

 

[garybo]

Auto White Widow from Dutch Passion

Sounds great, though Dutch Passion will not sell to the USA, at least they use not to.

One word..."spinosad"

too late for that, though I found a home-aid recipe; 1 teaspoon dish soap, 1 teaspoon cyan pepper and 2 cups warm water. Spray the plant completely.
It works, but it was applied too late for the better part of it.