Hullo

[supertroy1974]

Total n00b here, I got a couple of seeds free in an ounce a lady friend bought, we popped them and grew them out of 4 I had 2 females that I kept until the natural light in my garden window triggered flowering. After harvest I was hooked, but I didn’t want to deal with photoperiod, so I opted to go with autoflowers. First batch of bubblelicious from great north seed bank was a bust, only one popped and it didn’t thrive. So I bought a batch of 5 sour girl AF seeds from crop king. All 5 popped, but growing them has proven a challenge. The light in my garden window wasn’t enough so I wasted a month with 2 inch tall plants. Then I got a decent light, and they grew, but much too slow and now I have 5 inch plants in full flower. If I’m lucky i’ll Get a full joint out of this grow. So I have one more autoflower grow (white widow from Crop King) before I say screw it and just start buying regular. Feminized seeds.

Questions:

1. My grow space is 2.75 square feet. My light is a viparspectra 300 LED at 24 inches from my canopy. I’ve read elsewhere that you should budget 25W/square foot minimum but 40W is better meaning I have about 109W/square foot. But the guy at the grow shop acted like I was abusing my plants, so i’m Genuinely confused. Was they guy just trying to sell me a more expensive light or am I legit not using enough light.
2. I’ve experimented with iguana Juice and ionic as nutes (in like 1/4 of the recommended dosage) but every time I do the damn things get nute burn like inside of 20 minutes of watering, so should I just not give nutes to an AF? I’ve read elsewhere that AFs a super sensitive to nute burn, but I thought at 1/4 the dosage it would be okay. Am I overfeeding, or should I just say fuck it and go nuteless on my next grow?
3. For most of the rest of the grow, i’ve Been using straight tap water with Mammoth P. Since this grow has been something of a disaster, i’m Considering just foregoing the mammoth P. Is that wise or is this a situation where the mammoth p has been working despite me screwing the pooch.
4. I plan on using happy Frog for my next batch of soil. Is that auto flower friendly, or is it too hot and I should consider a soil with less added nutes?

Any insight y’all can provide would be appreciated, even if it’s just general points about working with autoflowers or telling me to ditch the AF’s and go with feminized normal seeds

 

[jodyhighrollr]

What are you currently using for soil and in how big of a pot? A 300w viparspectra isn't a super strong light I believe when I tested one of mine it got like 148 pull from the wall. You could probably use more light but people use those lights and get decent little harvests out of them. Autoflower can do well but if they started in the window they definitely weren't getting enough light to veg into a decent sized plant, some people only grow autos I steer away from them but don't let my opinion stop you. It's hard to tell much without more info or pictures. Personally I would fill that space with one or two feminized plants and veg them to fill most of it before flipping/stretch happens and supercrop or whatever you need to do to keep and even canopy to get the most out of that light.

 

[Calvados]

Hi. Welcome to 420. Sorry you are stressing over this. Organisation helps. That’s why you have people looking but not responding. Too much information in a confusing format. Lots of us are stoners and this free form thing is difficult to follow.

For example:

Seeds: type/sex/auto/fem?
Light: 300 Watt what?
Grow Medium: ??
Nutrients: ??
Grow space (ie 4x4 tent, outdoor) - 2.75 sq ft? Banzai marijuana plants? That’s a foot and half by a foot and half. You sure?

What stage of the grow are you in? Pictures of your set up and plant would help us more than anything to see where you’re at. Happy to help.

 

[supertroy1974]

Hey thank you for the etiquette pointers. I appreciate it.

seeds: sour girl autoflower from Crop king
Light: VIPARSPECTRA300
Grow medium: happy frog.
nutes: Mammoth P the whole time, but a dab of ionic once or twice (discontinued when they burned right away) and Iguana Juice when I noticed flowering starting.
Growspace: just a closet. Never got big enough to justify anywhere bigger there should be a pic of the whole space attached to this post

They’re all in flower now and I’m wondering what I can do with this setup so my white widow autoflower grow, which is next won’t be as disasterous

 

[supertroy1974]

Some more pic of individual plants first one was my superstar but now all it does is get yellow. I thought it might be spidermites, so I applied mighty wash during the dark period, left on for 2 days and washed it with water sparky in dark

 

[supertroy1974]

Okay so maybe you can’t do more than one pic per post , but you can see the plant I mentioned back and to the left

 

[Calvados]

Okay so maybe you can’t do more than one pic per post , but you can see the plant I mentioned back and to the left

Yes. It looks burned.

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but those are some odd looking plants.

Just from looking at that and for the future you need to organise the environment which includes temps, humidity, and the circulation of air. That big fan isn’t really going to work. Your light is fine for that space. I’d grow one plant. Two would be in case you killed one, but really you can grow 10 times the volume with one plant as you’ve got going right now.

They need CO2 to grow. They get that from fresh air. It really doesn’t look like they get any. That would account for the stunted growth. Most new growers overwater which stunts the roots which also stunts the growth. Because they have very little going for them any kind of nutrient is like main lining heroin. I’m not familiar with you soil. Do you have a PH pen? Do you PH your water?

The other classic error is not keeping a journal. The journal should explain and describe your grow as well as document feeding and training. It keeps you from making mistakes and when you do it documents them.

Is this legal where you are? If not, how do you deal with the smell?

Chin up. You are definitely at the right place. What you need is a healthy start.

 

[supertroy1974]

Yes. It looks burned.

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but those are some odd looking plants.

No insult taken, frustration drove me here.

Just from looking at that and for the future you need to organise the environment which includes temps, humidity, and the circulation of air. That big fan isn’t really going to work. Your light is fine for that space. I’d grow one plant. Two would be in case you killed one, but really you can grow 10 times the volume with one plant as you’ve got going right now.

What would you suggest to get them air on the next go round?

They need CO2 to grow. They get that from fresh air. It really doesn’t look like they get any. That would account for the stunted growth. Most new growers overwater which stunts the roots which also stunts the growth. Because they have very little going for them any kind of nutrient is like main lining heroin. I’m not familiar with you soil. Do you have a PH pen? Do you PH your water?

I have a ph soil tester with probe. I test my water and it’s usuallt around a 6.5. Pretty sure the stunted growth it due to having the first month out of the soil being in a garden window with October PNW sun, but I’m open to any explaination.

Is this legal where you are? If not, how do you deal with the smell?

It’s legal to possess, but not grow, I deal with the smell by not really giving a rip. I like the smell of plants in flower

Chin up. You are definitely at the right place. What you need is a healthy start.

I think I’m going to head out to the grow shop today and buy the light the guy recommended, i’ll Let you all know what I get. But do let me know what you suggest for getting them air.

 

[Calvados]

I think your light is fine. It is the least of your problems. I would hang on to it.

We should back up and start at the beginning.

I assume this is for your own use. Lol. You would be a very poor dealer based on your plants.

Is the closet the only place you can grow? Is there a room that you can put up a small tent? If not, can you sketch the layout of the closet, and where it is in relation to a window? Photo and post it. How well is your place ventilated. Can you modify stuff (cut holes in door panels etc). You want to set up a fan system to exchange the air in your closet something like 20 x an hour. You can mitigate poor circulation by making CO2, but without minimum air exchange this isn't going to work.

 

[Calvados]

That PH soil tester is useless for what you are doing. You need a PH pen. I have a semlos. It was around $10-$15. You will also need some PH up and down. Pretty much everything you need for growing you can get on amazon.

 

[supertroy1974]

I think your light is fine. It is the least of your problems. I would hang on to it.

We should back up and start at the beginning.

I assume this is for your own use. Lol. You would be a very poor dealer based on your plants.

Is the closet the only place you can grow? Is there a room that you can put up a small tent? If not, can you sketch the layout of the closet, and where it is in relation to a window? Photo and post it. How well is your place ventilated. Can you modify stuff (cut holes in door panels etc). You want to set up a fan system to exchange the air in your closet something like 20 x an hour. You can mitigate poor circulation by making CO2, but without minimum air exchange this isn't going to work.

Yeah, I can’t compete with the commercial growers here. I’ve already ID’d the state I live in, if you’re paying attention (legal to poses, but not homegrow applies to,one state). This is more for a hobby, because I need one. The closet isn’t the only place I can grown it’s just the only place I have to easily hang my light. I’ll sketch out a my growing space later. Right now I’m at work.

 

[supertroy1974]

Well I didn’t listen, but at the same time I did listen new light and new tent. Viparspectra900 and in 80cmx80cmx160cm tent. Now what do I need to do about ventilation?

 

[jodyhighrollr]

Hope everything is making some sense to you. Also I don’t use mammoth p during veg. It’s expensive and not very beneficial for plants in veg. I use photosynthesis plus during veg and mammoth p in flower. I also give my plants a compost tea. @Calvados addressed a lot of the other stuff. Your plants will also do much better when they start under a light and not in a window. I’ve not familiar with your soil, it sounds like it’s hot but if you are ph’ing over 6.5 your locking out important nutrients. Take it easy - jodyhighrollr

 

[supertroy1974]

For the time being I have the fan in front of one of the lower windows on the tent and the old light as side lighting less about making this grow a success and more about the next

 

[supertroy1974]

Hope everything is making some sense to you. Also I don’t use mammoth p during veg. It’s expensive and not very beneficial for plants in veg. I use photosynthesis plus during veg and mammoth p in flower. I also give my plants a compost tea. @Calvados addressed a lot of the other stuff. Your plants will also do much better when they start under a light and not in a window. I’ve not familiar with your soil, it sounds like it’s hot but if you are ph’ing over 6.5 your locking out important nutrients. Take it easy - jodyhighrollr

I’m not sure what compost tea is, could you elaborate? I’ll look up photosynthesis plus on my text trip to the grow shop


This is getting to be an expensive hobby.

 

[jodyhighrollr]

I’m not sure what compost tea is, could you elaborate? I’ll look up photosynthesis plus on my text trip to the grow shop


This is getting to be an expensive hobby.

I use a Earth worm casting compost tea. It’s worm castings, molasses and some people at other stuff in a container. I use a 5 gallon bucket and aerate it using a air stone and keep it warm to create beneficial microbial life. The microbes break down the nutrients in your soil and allow your plant to take that nutrients in. I grow all organically and in supersoil so I don’t add additional Nutes. Look up and research “EWC compost tea”

 

[Killian]

With that little space a 6" clip fan would be plenty to circulate the air . If you want to make it easy on yourself get you some Fox Farms Ocean Forest Soil and their trio of nutrients. I t doesn't get much easier than that. It's pretty much fool proof. To give you some perspective on the lights your using I have two 450's 13" from my plants in a 2 x4 tent and it's not to much light. The 900 is definitely a better choice. As far as autos I never done very well with them I prefer to run photos but I have seen some very impressive autos grown in this web site. With photos your in control of flipping them to flower so you have all the time you want to correct any mistakes you might have made and get them healthy before flowering. That's the thing with autos they are on their own timetable and not much room for mistakes or you end up with plants like you have. The good thing is you came to the right place for help. Best of luck on your next grow.

 

[supertroy1974]

I use a Earth worm casting compost tea. It’s worm castings, molasses and some people at other stuff in a container. I use a 5 gallon bucket and aerate it using a air stone and keep it warm to create beneficial microbial life. The microbes break down the nutrients in your soil and allow your plant to take that nutrients in. I grow all organically and in supersoil so I don’t add additional Nutes. Look up and research “EWC compost tea”

THANK YOU!

 

[supertroy1974]

With that little space a 6" clip fan would be plenty to circulate the air . If you want to make it easy on yourself get you some Fox Farms Ocean Forest Soil and their trio of nutrients. I t doesn't get much easier than that. It's pretty much fool proof. To give you some perspective on the lights your using I have two 450's 13" from my plants in a 2 x4 tent and it's not to much light. The 900 is definitely a better choice. As far as autos I never done very well with them I prefer to run photos but I have seen some very impressive autos grown in this web site. With photos your in control of flipping them to flower so you have all the time you want to correct any mistakes you might have made and get them healthy before flowering. That's the thing with autos they are on their own timetable and not much room for mistakes or you end up with plants like you have. The good thing is you came to the right place for help. Best of luck on your next grow.

I am seeing the error of my ways on this. Now that I have the grow tent and the 900 I may be switching back soon enough. I just have a set of 5 white widow seeds I bought already. But I may put them in the back burner and grow the free white cherry pie seeds I have. Only problem is those aren’t feminized

 

[Calvados]

Well I didn’t listen, but at the same time I did listen new light and new tent. Viparspectra900 and in 80cmx80cmx160cm tent. Now what do I need to do about ventilation?

Oh no!!! You took the red pill.

You can buy very cheap fans that fit in those holes. You want one for the top to pull the air out, and one for the bottom to pump the air in. You will probably run some ducting, so get some to fit the fans. If you really aren’t concerned about the smell, you don’t need a filter for the top extractor. If you change your mind, you can always get one later. Smell doesn’t generally become an issue until flowering.

I have no idea what state you live in. I live in the UK. It’s not legal here, so I grow with that in mind. I also don’t have central heat or air, so that is another difference. Ideally, you want access to fresh air. You can either site your tent in a room that has that and/or run the intake vent outside. Again, it depends on outside temps etc. My tent is in a spare room. I run the vent next to a window and generally keep it cracked open.

I have a 1.2m x 1.2m tent. Believe me when I tell you that you know more about this than I did when I started 3 grows ago. The fact that you got more than one thing to sprout and live makes you Einstein by comparison. I am a diabolical gardner. I don’t think I can stress enough how truly awful I was. I reproduce my journal on this site.

This is my completed journal from my second grow. It will give you an idea of materials, screw ups, and results. There are much better journals from others on this site, but I can answer questions about my own.

2nd Grow - Green Crack CBD

This is my current journal. I’m at the end of flowering.

3rd Grow - Jack Herer

You need to keep a journal and take pictures. Whether you post it on this site is something else entirely. It’s a good way to have people who know what they are doing look over your shoulder. I recommend it. It’s anonymous. Your pictures are scrubbed of their location.

My general advice is to pick something simple. The tent will make things easier. A well known soil for growing weed with whatever nutrients that producer recommends also keeps things simple. I’ve only ever grown with feminised photo seeds. I’m experienced with one set of nutrients and one grow medium. There are a bunch to choose from. I don’t grow continuously. I’ll pack this stuff up in a couple of weeks and turn it back into the spare bedroom until next time.

It’s fun. If you buy your pot, you should cover your costs after your first grow.

Not all the advice on here is correct. Some of it goes right over my head. Some of the posts on this particular thread don’t make sense to me. With that in mind you should read as much as you can on this site. I find the journals and some of the how to threads the best. If you start a journal, I’ll follow it. Hopefully someone who knows better what they are doing will follow along too.