Hi does anyone have a good proven general hydroponics nute schedule for soil they've used for autoflowers? I'm a noob to autoflowers and thought I heard that they need a different nute schedule than photos...I'll be growing one heavyweight fast n vast and one royal queen northern lights from herbies in soil under a Mars hydro 300 reflector with some cfl.. Any advice would be great! Thanks
Autoflower nute schedule question?
- Thread starter Joebob69
- Start date
Give vege nuts till vertical growth stops, day 30-40 depends on the strain. But you could eye check the plant... After vertical growth stops hit em with bloom food.
QUOTE:
Another common question I see is when to switch autos from veg to bloom. Many people are under the impression that as soon as they see the first flowers it's time to switch. Perhaps a little explanation of the life cycle of autos will help to clarify this.
Weeks 1 - 3. Once you've started your seeds and they break the surface of the soil, they are in their seedling stage. The first set of leaves to appear will usually single fingered, followed by a second set that may still be single fingered or perhaps 3 fingered. Once that second set appears growth will start to accelerate as the new leaves provide more photosynthesis. This process will continue, more new leaves, faster growth. Depending on the type of soil in use, mild vegetative nutes can be introduced at week 2. By week 3 most plants will start to show their sex. Males will start to produce pollen sacks and females will display pistols.
Weeks 4 - 6. The plants are now entering a pre flowering stage. During this time the plants should exhibit explosive growth, often as much as a new set of nodes and 1" vertical growth a day. This is the time when they will gain most of their vertical height. Many people make the mistake of switching from vegetative to flowering nutrients at this point, assuming that since they see flowers it must be the proper time. This is incorrect. If the switch to flowering nutes is made at this time the vertical growth will stop and the plant will put it's energy into producing buds. If you need to keep your plants small, or want them to finish earlier, they by all means switch nutes at this point. But if you want to get the most out of your plants continue feeding vegetative nutes until you see the vertical growth slow and stop. Depending on the strain that will usually be sometime during week 5 or 6.
Weeks 7 - 9. By now vertical growth has stopped and the switch to flowering nutrients has been made. The buds will start to fill out and put on weight, becoming hard and tight. Pistols will start to change from white to brown, orange, red, etc. By now the plants will also have developed a strong smell. Toward the end of this phase the large primary and smaller secondary fan leaves will begin to turn yellow. This is an indication that the plant is moving toward the end of it's life.
Weeks 10 - 11. At this time flowering nutes should be discontinued and only plain pHed water fed to flush the remaining nutrients from the soil and improve the taste. Yellowing of the fan leaves will continue as the plant draws the stored energy from them. Eventually they will die and fall off. By the time that the smaller leaves that come from out of the buds will also start to turn yellow. Then it's time to harvest.
I know that many of you are thinking that the seed bank said the plants will finish in 8-9 weeks, so why are you saying they take 10-11? The claims made by the seed banks are somewhat deceptive. If you switch to flowering nutes at week 3 or 4 the plants can finish in the times the seed banks say but they will remain small and not reach their full potential yield. Years of growing by myself and others has shown that autos do best if you follow this time line.
Of course, there will always be variations depending on the strain, the environment, nutrients, etc. This information is meant to only serve as a general guideline.
QUOTE:
Another common question I see is when to switch autos from veg to bloom. Many people are under the impression that as soon as they see the first flowers it's time to switch. Perhaps a little explanation of the life cycle of autos will help to clarify this.
Weeks 1 - 3. Once you've started your seeds and they break the surface of the soil, they are in their seedling stage. The first set of leaves to appear will usually single fingered, followed by a second set that may still be single fingered or perhaps 3 fingered. Once that second set appears growth will start to accelerate as the new leaves provide more photosynthesis. This process will continue, more new leaves, faster growth. Depending on the type of soil in use, mild vegetative nutes can be introduced at week 2. By week 3 most plants will start to show their sex. Males will start to produce pollen sacks and females will display pistols.
Weeks 4 - 6. The plants are now entering a pre flowering stage. During this time the plants should exhibit explosive growth, often as much as a new set of nodes and 1" vertical growth a day. This is the time when they will gain most of their vertical height. Many people make the mistake of switching from vegetative to flowering nutrients at this point, assuming that since they see flowers it must be the proper time. This is incorrect. If the switch to flowering nutes is made at this time the vertical growth will stop and the plant will put it's energy into producing buds. If you need to keep your plants small, or want them to finish earlier, they by all means switch nutes at this point. But if you want to get the most out of your plants continue feeding vegetative nutes until you see the vertical growth slow and stop. Depending on the strain that will usually be sometime during week 5 or 6.
Weeks 7 - 9. By now vertical growth has stopped and the switch to flowering nutrients has been made. The buds will start to fill out and put on weight, becoming hard and tight. Pistols will start to change from white to brown, orange, red, etc. By now the plants will also have developed a strong smell. Toward the end of this phase the large primary and smaller secondary fan leaves will begin to turn yellow. This is an indication that the plant is moving toward the end of it's life.
Weeks 10 - 11. At this time flowering nutes should be discontinued and only plain pHed water fed to flush the remaining nutrients from the soil and improve the taste. Yellowing of the fan leaves will continue as the plant draws the stored energy from them. Eventually they will die and fall off. By the time that the smaller leaves that come from out of the buds will also start to turn yellow. Then it's time to harvest.
I know that many of you are thinking that the seed bank said the plants will finish in 8-9 weeks, so why are you saying they take 10-11? The claims made by the seed banks are somewhat deceptive. If you switch to flowering nutes at week 3 or 4 the plants can finish in the times the seed banks say but they will remain small and not reach their full potential yield. Years of growing by myself and others has shown that autos do best if you follow this time line.
Of course, there will always be variations depending on the strain, the environment, nutrients, etc. This information is meant to only serve as a general guideline.
ClosetTomatos
New Member
I use General Hydroponics Flora Series for my soil plants, too, and I'm pretty damn impressed with the results. Hell, my actual tomato plants are larger than having used Miracle Grow in the past. Per the question and the above answer, I treat them by their cycle-- just like any other plant. The fundamental difference between autos and regular is that the autos, of course, start flowering with or without a increase in a dark period. I use the Vegetation - Pre-Flower - Flower charts on the standard bottles.
- Thread starter
- #4
Good info! Thanks! As far as the dosage goes, Do I need to increase or decrease the dosage from what the bottle says? Or just go with what they recommend for photos? Thanks
SolMJ
Well-Known Member
I use GH flora series & only add 1/4 recommended strength...seems to be enough. Not sure auto's like too much anyway, they seem susceptible to nute burn. Good luck
- Thread starter
- #6
iwltfum
New Member
1/4 strength flora is the truth in veg! I go 1/2 strength in bloom though. With a small plant you could probably stick with 1/4 strength in bloom too.
Auto's hate nutes in soil for some reason. Ive grown about 20 in soil and the most ive got out of 1 plant was 2 ounces and I didnt fertilize that one hardly any maybe once or twice with low strenght. I have killed or severly stunted more then a few when I was testing them in the beginning. If you grow auto in a dwc bucket you can get 8+ ounces of 1 plant and the potency in no comparison. They can handle nutes way better in hydro and overall they grow much bigger. I had 2 autos same strain side by side one in soil and one in 5 gallon dwc bucket. The soil auto I got 45 grams and the dwc I got 260 grams. They both where harvested 85 days from seed. If your up for a experiment and havent tryed a dwc bucket you wont be dissapointed.
FloridaSunset
New Member
Many thanks for the very informative post! My first grow (hydro) is going to be a photo (haven't decided the variety yet) but my 2nd is going to be an auto and I already have this post saved for future reference. Again, many thanks...
- Thread starter
- #11
Wow that is a big difference! I've never grown hydro before, soil just seems more simple, but now you have me thinking about it! Sounds like the experiment you did was pretty thorough and accurate... Thanks for the info, I will look into dwc a little more! I'm guessing you like dwc better than soil?
