sorry for the re-post I didnt know how to erase the one I just did in the wrong section :stoneslap:
Well While Im waiting for my other room to clear out Ive decided to go ahead and start my "Germinator" grow that I mentioned in my other grow blog..
So I have been gathering info on AUTOFLOWER-SPECIFIC growing tips, and one of the biggest things I come across is container size... MOSTLY that it is more important to have a tall rather then a wider pot to grow in... THIS IS SOMEWHAT COUNTER INTUITIVE TO NORMAL PHOTO-PERIOD ADVICE, but for whatever reason autoflowers roots act differently, and they prefer a deeper pot. I kept reading about how the bigger the pot the better, and this is true.. BUT TO WHAT EXTENT???
Well Ive decided to try n help answer this question for myself, and the AFN community... For genetics, I have chosen Barney's Farm Malana Bomb Auto
... well actually it was recommended to me by someone as a big producing, good smoking autoflower...
WTF is that you ask? LOL Well it used to be a 21 gallon/80L trash can from your local hardware store(1st picture). I then took my dremmel tool with a cutting disk attached and cut out 4 slots up and down the sides. This is to serve 2 purposes: first to allow more air flow into the soil/root area, and secondly so I could physically view the moisture level in the middle and lower levels of the pot. I have moisture meter for the top of it, and it NORMALLY reaches all the way down, but when using large, deep planting pots, it sometimes gets hard to judge the soil moisture especially when using a new pot size/setup
For medium, Im trying a NEW MIX also for testing purposes and autoflower specific growing... I have started off with canna bio-terra plus orgainc soiless mix... It says on the label that it is made with the finest grade humus, spagnam and peat moss, as well as having ALL ORGANIC NUTRIENTS pre-mixed into it such as bat and lizard guano, rock phosphate, lime, humic & fulvic acids etc etc.. Into this mix I have also added some slow-release organic granular feed pictured here...
It has beneficial root zone fungi/microbes called mychorrizae(?) in the mixture as well as the organic nutrients, AND FOR US LED GROWERS CAL/MAG!!! It says it will last for about 3 weeks before another flowering feed is needed.. HOWEVER when reading the bio-terra plus from Canna, they talk about because they have already included some organic nutrients in the soiless mix that you dont really need to feed. or if you do feed it your own nutrients, it wont use the nutrients already in the soil. BASICALLY what their saying is that if you give it fast acting nutrients to pair with the slower acting nutrients the roots will take what they want, when they want rather then you dictating their diet to them. This is MOSTLY TRUE.... So I figure that by adding the slow release organic nutrients in when I made the soiless mix I was basically giving the plants all the nutrients and micro nutrients etc etc it will need for 8 weeks give or take a few days... My theory being that the plant will use the organic nutrient supplement I added first as its in a more readily available form, and as the grow progresses, the beneficials will start breaking down the other slow release organic nutrients Canna added and feed itself with this entirely throughthe flowering!
I SINCERELY HOPE THIS WORKS AS WELL AS I EXPECT IT TO... This soiless mix was SO EASY to make, so easy to find the organic ingredients I added to it, and Canna usually provides quality products, so im expecting good things from this mix... Because autoflowers like a drier soil, I have also supplemented perlite into the mix for quicker drying in my large container, and to make the soil dry...
Well While Im waiting for my other room to clear out Ive decided to go ahead and start my "Germinator" grow that I mentioned in my other grow blog..
So I have been gathering info on AUTOFLOWER-SPECIFIC growing tips, and one of the biggest things I come across is container size... MOSTLY that it is more important to have a tall rather then a wider pot to grow in... THIS IS SOMEWHAT COUNTER INTUITIVE TO NORMAL PHOTO-PERIOD ADVICE, but for whatever reason autoflowers roots act differently, and they prefer a deeper pot. I kept reading about how the bigger the pot the better, and this is true.. BUT TO WHAT EXTENT???
Well Ive decided to try n help answer this question for myself, and the AFN community... For genetics, I have chosen Barney's Farm Malana Bomb Auto
WTF is that you ask? LOL Well it used to be a 21 gallon/80L trash can from your local hardware store(1st picture). I then took my dremmel tool with a cutting disk attached and cut out 4 slots up and down the sides. This is to serve 2 purposes: first to allow more air flow into the soil/root area, and secondly so I could physically view the moisture level in the middle and lower levels of the pot. I have moisture meter for the top of it, and it NORMALLY reaches all the way down, but when using large, deep planting pots, it sometimes gets hard to judge the soil moisture especially when using a new pot size/setupFor medium, Im trying a NEW MIX also for testing purposes and autoflower specific growing... I have started off with canna bio-terra plus orgainc soiless mix... It says on the label that it is made with the finest grade humus, spagnam and peat moss, as well as having ALL ORGANIC NUTRIENTS pre-mixed into it such as bat and lizard guano, rock phosphate, lime, humic & fulvic acids etc etc.. Into this mix I have also added some slow-release organic granular feed pictured here...
It has beneficial root zone fungi/microbes called mychorrizae(?) in the mixture as well as the organic nutrients, AND FOR US LED GROWERS CAL/MAG!!! It says it will last for about 3 weeks before another flowering feed is needed.. HOWEVER when reading the bio-terra plus from Canna, they talk about because they have already included some organic nutrients in the soiless mix that you dont really need to feed. or if you do feed it your own nutrients, it wont use the nutrients already in the soil. BASICALLY what their saying is that if you give it fast acting nutrients to pair with the slower acting nutrients the roots will take what they want, when they want rather then you dictating their diet to them. This is MOSTLY TRUE.... So I figure that by adding the slow release organic nutrients in when I made the soiless mix I was basically giving the plants all the nutrients and micro nutrients etc etc it will need for 8 weeks give or take a few days... My theory being that the plant will use the organic nutrient supplement I added first as its in a more readily available form, and as the grow progresses, the beneficials will start breaking down the other slow release organic nutrients Canna added and feed itself with this entirely throughthe flowering!I SINCERELY HOPE THIS WORKS AS WELL AS I EXPECT IT TO... This soiless mix was SO EASY to make, so easy to find the organic ingredients I added to it, and Canna usually provides quality products, so im expecting good things from this mix... Because autoflowers like a drier soil, I have also supplemented perlite into the mix for quicker drying in my large container, and to make the soil dry...
