Autoflower seedlings watering

[Grower2020]

Ok so I'm about to germinate 11 beautiful auto strains and I don't want to mess this up. My seeds just germinated in paper towel and I planted them in pots outdoors with tap root down and husk up, just under the surface. I know autos need to dry out a bit to rapidly increase root growth but in the stage I currently have them at and for say the first week how wet do I need to keep the sprout area . Really don't want to stuff up these seeds by over or under watering.
Thanks in advance

 

[Apoc]

I water 4 ounces in a circle around the seedling in the morning and evening.

I'm in a tent so outside is going to depend on temperature, humidity, sunlight etc.

 

[Grower2020]

I'm in potting mix. And it's hot

I water 4 ounces in a circle around the seedling in the morning and evening.

I'm in a tent so outside is going to depend on temperature, humidity, sunlight etc.

I'm in potting mix. And it's hot and humid here at the moment. You would recommend at least one drenching a day until run off. ?
Do you grow autoflower?

 

[Apoc]

I grow Autoflowering and photo. No I don't recommend drenching. It's easy to stunt seedlings with to much water.

Move them inside until they sprout they don't need light until they sprout.

Here's the issues with autoflowering beans.

They don't like to be transplanted so I use rapid rooters, start them in a grow tray with a dome in rapid rooters. As soon as a root comes out the bottom into the final pot they will mature in.

Over watering is the number one mistake most new growers make. To much water inhibits root growth as the plant doesn't have any motivation to grow a big rootball and you can drown the roots killing the bean. Yes you love your girls just don't over love them with to much water.

To start with you need to keep the immediate area around the future seedling moist, never let it get completely dry. Watering to runoff happens later not on seedlings.

Water around the seedling in circles I use 4 ounces morning and night. You're outside in the heat so you'll have to use best guess so I'd start at like 8 ounces morning.

If you have to work all day error to the to much water side and check when you come home. If it's to wet still dial it back a little.

Remember autoflowering beans are on a death timer. From the minute they pop up the clock is ticking. In 60 or 70 days you harvest so stunting them costs big on harvest.

Later in 3 weeks or a month when they are big then water to 20% runoff but let the soil dry out before rewatering. Letting the soil dry encourages roots to reach for water, more roots more canopy, more canopy more nugs.

 

[Apoc]

You also need to control the waters PH, PH it to like 6.0 because weed likes it slightly acidic.

Please tell me it's not Miracle Grow, miracle grow is to hot for seedlings.

You should use potting soil with 25 to 30% perlite. Weed doesn't like wet roots all the time.

Plain potting soil, not so much here I use Fox Farm Happy Frog.

Nutrients, what are you using? If the answer is nothing order the free bag of Mega Crop.

Don't start feeding immediately, usually 2 or 3 weeks after sprout start on weak feeding.

GL

 

[Modest Grower]

I just spray them with a spray bottle until they have established and then slowly up the amount of water amd start pouring around the plant.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Ok so I'm about to germinate 11 beautiful auto strains and I don't want to mess this up. My seeds just germinated in paper towel and I planted them in pots outdoors with tap root down and husk up, just under the surface. I know autos need to dry out a bit to rapidly increase root growth but in the stage I currently have them at and for say the first week how wet do I need to keep the sprout area . Really don't want to stuff up these seeds by over or under watering.
Thanks in advance

Hey @Grower2020 , welcome to our 420 community - you're in good hands here!

Warm - nice - you an Aussie?

I used to grow autos but now I just do photos.

Just an FYI, please consider planting your seeds like this:

​

Your pots are outside already - are they covered so if it rains the seed won't float to the top?

If you do start the plants inside (you'll have more control), the plant will need to be hardened to the sunlight before you take it outside again.

"I know autos need to dry out a bit to rapidly increase root growth"

An auto is essentially a photoperiod that has been cut with a ruderalis plant - so for the most part, we can treat autos like photos. There are exceptions.

If you have previous experience then great, you'll be fine with autos. I personally wouldn't suggest an auto to a novice grower - you need to be able to read, keep up and bend with the plant.

For rapid root growth, we use hormones or kelp - I just learned this today from @DrSeeds - Kelp Organic Bio Stimulant

For consistent root growth laterally/vertically we use watering techniques like @Emilya 's watering technique - I'll let her say hi and give you that link.

You can also get improved lateral root growth if you up-pot to the final pot.

Are the seeds in their final pots yet?

Anyway, please shoot us some pictures, and we'll at least help you get through the first two weeks of your grow - germination and seedling - those two I find are the most important. If you decide to stick around, we'll follow you in a grow journal.

Here's some extra reading for you when you can find some time:


Healthy Roots For Healthy Cannabis Plants

How And When To Transplant Cannabis Seedlings



Hey @Apoc - nice feedback!

 

[Modest Grower]

Wow, I've always done tap root down. I wonder of I can verify this after harvest by looking at my roots? Or would it be too hard to see? Very interesting. I did notice my blue dream looked a bit like the incorrect S shape when it came up but all others seemed good.

 

[Apoc]

Lol I just popped a Northern Lights bean with the pointed end planted up. The tap root came out, pushed the bean up and the tap root curled down above the rapid rooter.

Had to cut the little tard out and slice the rooter and reinsert it. Still alive but the jury is out on that.

 

[Grower2020]

Hey @Grower2020 , welcome to our 420 community - you're in good hands here!

Warm - nice - you an Aussie?

I used to grow autos but now I just do photos.

Just an FYI, please consider planting your seeds like this:

​

Your pots are outside already - are they covered so if it rains the seed won't float to the top?

If you do start the plants inside (you'll have more control), the plant will need to be hardened to the sunlight before you take it outside again.

"I know autos need to dry out a bit to rapidly increase root growth"

An auto is essentially a photoperiod that has been cut with a ruderalis plant - so for the most part, we can treat autos like photos. There are exceptions.

If you have previous experience then great, you'll be fine with autos. I personally wouldn't suggest an auto to a novice grower - you need to be able to read, keep up and bend with the plant.

For rapid root growth, we use hormones or kelp - I just learned this today from @DrSeeds - Kelp Organic Bio Stimulant

For consistent root growth laterally/vertically we use watering techniques like @Emilya 's watering technique - I'll let her say hi and give you that link.

You can also get improved lateral root growth if you up-pot to the final pot.

Are the seeds in their final pots yet?

Anyway, please shoot us some pictures, and we'll at least help you get through the first two weeks of your grow - germination and seedling - those two I find are the most important. If you decide to stick around, we'll follow you in a grow journal.

Here's some extra reading for you when you can find some time:


Healthy Roots For Healthy Cannabis Plants

How And When To Transplant Cannabis Seedlings



Hey @Apoc - nice feedback!

Thank you for this information. Somehow I managed to fail on a 10 seed germination of white diesel which I'm not very happy about
Used paper towel and planted freshly germinated seeds into the pitting mix seen below in pics .
From what I've read up on this potting mix is the most ideal that can be purchased here in Australia.
Maybe I should have mixed a little mushroom compost into centre of where I out the seeds into so they didn't go into nutrient potting mix. The npk isn't too hot. I'm thinking I may have over wet the seeds when germinating them and rotted them?
I'm using 3 gal pots as you can see and the other plants in the pics are photo sugar black rose. Yummy smelling and hardy plant. I have just started 4 other strains in coco. They have only just come out of paper towel and been put into coco, small seed raising cubes.
Do I need to give them a light liquid fertilise while sprouting? And can I transplant into humid direct sun after a week sprouted? Thank you

 

[Modest Grower]

The seeds cracked before planting and still 0 out of 10? How deep did you bury? Any lights and what temp? Did you keep the soil moist? I'm interested in this

 

[Modest Grower]

Drop in water for 6 hours or over night, not super concerned to be exact.

Place in paper towel in a s ok somewhat enclosed container. I use a mint box.

Once mine crack, I barely place them in the soil so the tip of the seed is just under the surface but still slightly visible.

Spray mist with water until it has two sets of leaves

 

[Grower2020]

Drop in water for 6 hours or over night, not super concerned to be exact.

Place in paper towel in a s ok somewhat enclosed container. I use a mint box.

Once mine crack, I barely place them in the soil so the tip of the seed is just under the surface but still slightly visible.

Spray mist with water until it has two sets of leaves

The blue pots are in the sun and I placed them just under the potting mix and wet roughly 4-6 times a day with a dripping water bottle as the sun and heat here is fairly extreme still this time of year. All other steps are as you mentioned

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

I have just started 4 other strains in coco. They have only just come out of paper towel and been put into coco, small seed raising cubes.
Do I need to give them a light liquid fertilise while sprouting?

To ensure that your seedlings start their life off on the right foot, it is important to ensure that the environment is optimal. The temperature, humidity and medium quality are all variables that are important to control. The pH in the water is also an important variable.

Let's get these 4 strains stabilized as seedlings. They are going outside right?

Are the "small seed raising cubes" Coco or Rockwool? What is the product name please?

Did the manufacturer indicate the cubes needed to be initialized with CalMag and pHed to 5.8?

Have you prepared the coco properly?

What is the pH and EC of your nutrient water?

The seeds have enough food to survive for a few days.

Once they pop up, you can spritz them with 25% nute solution every 12 hours. You should use a humidity dome and keep them around 22°C .

Depending on the size of the cubes you may need to feed them with about 30 ml (1 oz) of 25% nute solution every 48 hours until the tap root pops out of the bottom.

We want the medium moist and well aerated.

Please send us pictures of your setup - thanks.

Here's some basic theory:

The Complete Guide To Germinating Cannabis Seeds

 

[Grower2020]

I got these germinating cups for free from Woolworth's every time I go to the shop and purchase items. I'm pretty sure it's coco coir as it was compressed into a small round brick and it swells when you add water. I ph'd the run off after soaking the small brick and it was 7. Same as my rain water.
I added only a couple of drops of fertiliser to bring ph down to 6.4 . No ph up or down used just a tiny amount of nutes. Very minimal. Contains calcium and mag.
Have them under 2x36w cool white fluros.
Am I doing ok? I don't have heat mats and thermometers etc

 

[bluter]

what is that potting soil ?
looks like it has time release nutes added and is not for cannabis
that should crisp those seedlings right up

you are in for a hell of a time. good luck..

 

[Grower2020]

what is that potting soil ?
looks like it has time release nutes added and is not for cannabis
that should crisp those seedlings right up

you are in for a hell of a time. good luck..

The potting mix is Australias number one potting mix.

 

[bluter]

The potting mix is Australias number one potting mix.

potting mix is not cannabis mix.
kinda looks like a miracle grow type product. we call it miracle kill.

miracle grow is the #1 potting soil, probably worldwide. it is for houseplants, not cannabis. it has time release nutes added, much like what this looks like. it has a tendency to burn plants up at different stages due to nute imbalance.

some people learn to grow with it, but it is difficult, and may cost a few grows to get there. it does look like you have stuff going in it though, so you may get lucky.

there are a number of cannabis potting soils, water - only types, and types where you add bottled or other nutes. would recommend going with that.

 

[Grower2020]

potting mix is not cannabis mix.
kinda looks like a miracle grow type product. we call it miracle kill.

miracle grow is the #1 potting soil, probably worldwide. it is for houseplants, not cannabis. it has time release nutes added, much like what this looks like. it has a tendency to burn plants up at different stages due to nute imbalance.

some people learn to grow with it, but it is difficult, and may cost a few grows to get there. it does look like you have stuff going in it though, so you may get lucky.

there are a number of cannabis potting soils, water - only types, and types where you add bottled or other nutes. would recommend going with that.

Sorry guys thought I was replying to a different thread