It's time for another grow experiment...UPDATE.

[MiHale]

Last edited Sat Mar 23, 2024, 11:34 AM - Edit history (2)

As I mentioned in the original post February 1st was the target date for starting the grow. This is a 7 day update. One week from putting seeds in the ground to sprouts, I have never had beans go that fast. Two days from now they should have their first true leaves.

Taking wicked advantage of my eyesight one of the original seeds went missing somewhere in the soil. So 2 days ago I started another, that’s the little thing under the dome.






February 1st was the target date to begin but being captive to the weather I turned attention to the next grow cycle. This grow will be the culmination of several experiments with growing Autoflowers as inexpensively and organic as possible. The cultivation of cannabis is not legal in some states I do not advocate the breaking of local laws. That said, “Legalize Cannabis” for everyone!

I have grown cannabis in different mediums, Deep Water hydroponics, soil based on a peat moss mix, finally I chose a coco coir mix. The mixture in measured units includes coir, perlite, vermiculite, worm castings, bonemeal, blood meal, epsom salts, mycorrhiza and my home grown special ingredient Comfrey, mixed and let to ‘brew’ for a couple weeks. I reuse the soil each grow from the previous, regenerating the soil in between cycles. It’s basically a living soil. This soil mix for Autoflowers seems to be kick ass.
Even though it’s compost-like it has never seen the outside to keep it pest free.

Over the course of about 20 grow cycles in the last few years all with autos I’ve learned some things about them. The rootball is smaller than a photoperiod plant. That’s in water, 5 gallon bags, 7 gallon bags, no matter the room it has it’s always smaller than photo. The yields on those methods were all about the same from 90 to 120 grams per plant. I’m trying a 3 gallon grow bag for this cycle, we have great success with tomatoes in this size bag so what the heck. This size, stepping down from the 7 gallon size, saves on medium costs. Two 3’s for every one 7.
Also moving on from the ‘Burple’ led lights to a full spectrum led that shines white. It has adjustable levels for all cycles of growth.

Autoflower cannabis is on a limited time cycle with no light adjustment from the growers, the plants move from a vegetative state to flowering all on their own, it cannot be held in a vegetative state like the photoperiods will allow you to do. There are no ‘Mother’ plants, no clones each grow cycle must start from seed. Their life cycle is between 3-4 months. Being able to have 3 or 4 cycles per year instead of one or two as with photoperiods gives us more time to experiment. It also allows for small batch grows from artisanal breeders.

This grow I’m growing seeds from Twisted Tree Autoflowers a Michigan company. He has been breeding autoflowers for 10 years after a couple decades working on photoperiod. I have been waiting to work with this breeder for a while. While back they had a fire and lost everything. They asked us to please help and send back our unused seeds to help them get back up to speed. I just purchased and received an order from them, never had a chance to grow any, I sent them all back. They are now taking care of us and repaying our help, great people. One of the beans I planted is called ‘Out of The Ashes’ a volunteer that came up from the fire that they dusted with ‘Pure Michigan’ pollen and created a new auto. 3 others are some Autoflower seeds he’d had around from other projects. True mystery seeds!

[Ponietz]

1. Looks like grow bags

If so, get a porous platform between the bag and the runoff pan so they don’t soak in the leakage. Plants piss, too.

I remember your last experiment and enjoyed your posts.

I’m trying my own — usually grow 4 plants under a 16x’ LED unit. Last yield was over 12 oz. I want to see how much I can get from just one plant. Less than 2 weeks to harvest this sublime Afghan Kush/Girl Scout Cookies hybrid.

Cheers.

[MiHale]

2. On other grows I did have the bags...

Up and off the drain pan. What I’m going to say next is baffling even to me. This medium stays at the right degree of moisture for an abnormal amount of time. While I was ‘brewing’ the soil I keep the lights on to warm the soil and that big box fan for flow. That soil is soaked till it drains out to make sure all parts will brew correctly. After that initial soak with two weeks of lights on 50% and fan blowing. The medium was still with great moisture throughout the bag. It did dry around the edges as bags do but the central soil was still able to ‘clump’ when squeezed.
So I’m hoping to water less during the veggie stage just maintaining the moisture without bleeding the bag. The girls always get thirstier during flower for that I have grids I place over the drain pan and set the bags on that.

Should be fun!

[Ponietz]

3. I gave up on the bags

I theorize that more plastic micro particles leech out and are absorbed by the plant.
Happy sailing.

[MiHale]

4. Fabric bags...no worries BPA free.

Every way of growing indoors utilizes plastics in some form. In the ground outdoor is best to get away from those plastics. Fabric changes that.