My 1st Auto Grow

[Li Siu Loong]

Hi everyone...It's me, Li...and I am starting my next grow. I recieved 5 feminized auto-flowering AK-47 beans and began germinating them this evening using the wet paper towel method. I also have placed the plastic plate the paper towel is sitting on onto a heating pad and covered the plate / seeds with a clear plastic dome. The entire little contraption is sitting in a very dark place. And I'll check on them in about 48 hours.

This is how my line up looks thus far.


Seeds: Auto-flowering feminized AK-47's
Soil: Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Soil
Lights: 3 Dual Spectrum 65 lights (2 vegetative
& 1 bloom) 3400 lumens per bulb
Nutes: Still deciding...need advice on this one
Photoperiod: 20/4 from seedling to harvest.


A friend of mine suggested that I start them outside, but from what I have read a plant gets accustomed to it's environment and changing in mid stream may introduce shock. So I am going to start them where I am going to finish them...indoors. And since they are autos, they have a life cycle of only 70 days...so it should be a little easier. I still don't have a single completed grow under my belt, and this is one way for me to get that experience and confidence.

I'm not a big fan of Miracle-Gro, but it's all I can afford right now and the moisture control formula has a "mixture of perlite, coconut fibers, sphagnum peat and a wetting agent that absorbs excess water and releases it as the plant needs it."...according to the label. It should keep me from over-watering. What concerns me is the MG nutes already in it. It makes me fear adding any additional nutes like FF Bloom Big or SuperThrive.

Anyway...here I go. I know I have made a lot of friends on here that will look out for me and keep me from messing up too bad. As usual...any advice is much appreciated...and needed. Pix up soon...

Peace and harmony everyone...

 

[Aberration]

I'm far from a pro at this, but I understand you could 'wash' the MG, and add more perlite and coco (if you can get them).

By wash, I mean put it into a large pot, and run clean water through it and drain out the bottom until you have flushed with three times as much water as the pot will hold. Clearex helps if you can get any. I know you said you can't spend more, and I know what that is like. That said, if you can find/do any of the above they will help a lot. If you can find some lava rock and crush it into smaller bits (make sure it's not painted red though), that might help drainage as an alternative to perlite, kinda. Go easy though cause it's sharp.

Surely there is a common household item that could be used in a similar fashion as Clearex? Anyone? My bottle only lists two ingredients: glucose (3.0%) and sucrose (1.5%). I doubt sugar would work the same, but I'm only guessing. I think blood sugar is glucose, and fruit sugars are sucrose, but I think bloodied apple juice is not it either (jk). Once I got past the ingredients, I started talking out my a-- there. No idea.

Anybody with more experience than one grow want to jump in here?

I'm sure that a good flush is the most useful thing you could do though. Good luck, eh?

 

[Li Siu Loong]

I'm far from a pro at this, but I understand you could 'wash' the MG, and add more perlite and coco (if you can get them).

By wash, I mean put it into a large pot, and run clean water through it and drain out the bottom until you have flushed with three times as much water as the pot will hold. Clearex helps if you can get any. I know you said you can't spend more, and I know what that is like. That said, if you can find/do any of the above they will help a lot. If you can find some lava rock and crush it into smaller bits (make sure it's not painted red though), that might help drainage as an alternative to perlite, kinda. Go easy though cause it's sharp.

Surely there is a common household item that could be used in a similar fashion as Clearex? Anyone? My bottle only lists two ingredients: glucose (3.0%) and sucrose (1.5%). I doubt sugar would work the same, but I'm only guessing. I think blood sugar is glucose, and fruit sugars are sucrose, but I think bloodied apple juice is not it either (jk). Once I got past the ingredients, I started talking out my a-- there. No idea.

Anybody with more experience than one grow want to jump in here?

I'm sure that a good flush is the most useful thing you could do though. Good luck, eh?

Thank you my friend. I have some perlite downstairs that I could add to the soil. It says it already has perlite in it...although I don't know how much. By "washing" the soil...I assume I would be washing out the MG nutes. I will look for Clearex (sounds like an acne ointment). Thanks again...

Peace...

 

[Poke Smot]

pulling up a chair

 

[Li Siu Loong]

pulling up a chair

Yes my friend...here we go !

Peace & Green.... &

 

[WheeloFortune]

li,

wassup. good luck.

i would prob mix in up to a 1:1 ratio of perlite. MG is crap, a flush would be good, but it wont help if they are those time release balls. how long does it say it will feed the plants for?

i just read a most interesting way to feed plants in dirt, you make a super dirt and put it on the bottom of the pot, and then regular dirt for the top few inches and then just water it throughout its life with plain water. it was a hightimes article this month. I was thinking about having my father use this method because it looks so easy and works so well.

 

[Li Siu Loong]

li,

wassup. good luck.

i would prob mix in up to a 1:1 ratio of perlite. MG is crap, a flush would be good, but it wont help if they are those time release balls. how long does it say it will feed the plants for?

i just read a most interesting way to feed plants in dirt, you make a super dirt and put it on the bottom of the pot, and then regular dirt for the top few inches and then just water it throughout its life with plain water. it was a hightimes article this month. I was thinking about having my father use this method because it looks so easy and works so well.

Hey Wheel...Thanks, I appreciate it. It says it will feed the plants for 3 months...which is past the entire life cycle of the plants which is 70 days. I agree MG is crap...but it's free and my budget is tighter than ever. I still could do them in my DWC...but I had such trouble with my WW, I'm not sure I have what it takes as far as knowledge and skill to get the job done in hydro.

I have ALL my soil planters and such washed and scrubbed beyond belief...and my DWC equipment has been belached and scrubbed. Everything is ready to go and the seeds are on day 2 of germ. These being auto flowering, some of the guess work has been taken out. Still there is Murphey's Law to consider...at least in my case.

Let me know your thoughts on this...

Thanks again, peace...

 

[WheeloFortune]

i think dirt grows are much easier than hydro, but i always use inert medium like promix so i can add my own nutrients. i've used the MG before but i didnt have good results.

if you are going to use it, just cut it with a bunch of pearlite, this should at least dilute the nutrients a bit., and allow air to get into the dirt, MG usually doesn't breathe very well. it is important that you let the dirt dry out almost completely between waterings, and a bunch of perlite will help that happen more quickly. that will allow you to water it more often and get fresh o2 to your roots. even with the perlite, you'll only need to water it once-twice a week depending on how thirsty she is.

good luck man, i am gonna do some dirt again too my next run.

 

[Li Siu Loong]

i think dirt grows are much easier than hydro, but i always use inert medium like promix so i can add my own nutrients. i've used the MG before but i didnt have good results.

if you are going to use it, just cut it with a bunch of pearlite, this should at least dilute the nutrients a bit., and allow air to get into the dirt, MG usually doesn't breathe very well. it is important that you let the dirt dry out almost completely between waterings, and a bunch of perlite will help that happen more quickly. that will allow you to water it more often and get fresh o2 to your roots. even with the perlite, you'll only need to water it once-twice a week depending on how thirsty she is.

good luck man, i am gonna do some dirt again too my next run.

Thanks buddy...I have some perlite already so I'll get on that tonight after classes. I have to get to the school and get stuff ready...talk to ya later. Have a great...I mean GREEN day !

Peace...

 

[Wolfbuddie]

LI, I used MG potting soil for my first grow and Wheeloffortune is correct, the time release balls are what hold the nutes. if you have a screen, you can sift the MG soil to separate the tree bark and time release balls and let the compost fall thru. That should help you remove most of the nutes. then you can begin adding weak solutions of your own nutes. Just a suggestion

 

[Li Siu Loong]

LI, I used MG potting soil for my first grow and Wheeloffortune is correct, the time release balls are what hold the nutes. if you have a screen, you can sift the MG soil to separate the tree bark and time release balls and let the compost fall thru. That should help you remove most of the nutes. then you can begin adding weak solutions of your own nutes. Just a suggestion

Thanks buddy...I have no screen available...not that I could strain soil thru. Last night I added a lot more perlite to the soil and flushed each container twice heavily. I'm still reluctant...and sort of leaning toward trying them in my DWC 4 planter and just do 1 in the weaker MG (just to see what happens). Any thought on whether I should hydro these babies ?

Thanks again...peace...

 

[Wolfbuddie]

Having never done Hydro, I can't suggest what I don't know. As far as soil grows using MG, I am almost done with my first soil grow using MG potting soil. I did not add any extra perlite and I am finding that the soil compacts too much over the 3 months my plants having been growing. So I would add perlite like you are planning. Since the time release balls are still in the soil. I would wait about a month before adding any supplemental Nutes and then begin with a very weak solution and watch the plants closely for any signs of nute burn on the leaves.

Check out my journal, as my grow is very similar to what yours will be like in soil.

Wolfbuddie/unkown strain/started May 16th 2009

Hope this helps a little bit.

 

[WheeloFortune]

good advice from wolf.

and if you can do one soil and one hydro in the same room, it would be twice the work, but you'd also learn twice as much and have twice the chance of at least one success. I agree with the 1 month no feeding in the MG. and if you mixed perlite anywhere near 1:1 you shouldn't have the compacting problem wolf has.

 

[Li Siu Loong]

Having never done Hydro, I can't suggest what I don't know. As far as soil grows using MG, I am almost done with my first soil grow using MG potting soil. I did not add any extra perlite and I am finding that the soil compacts too much over the 3 months my plants having been growing. So I would add perlite like you are planning. Since the time release balls are still in the soil. I would wait about a month before adding any supplemental Nutes and then begin with a very weak solution and watch the plants closely for any signs of nute burn on the leaves.

Check out my journal, as my grow is very similar to what yours will be like in soil.

Wolfbuddie/unkown strain/started May 16th 2009

Hope this helps a little bit.

good advice from wolf.

and if you can do one soil and one hydro in the same room, it would be twice the work, but you'd also learn twice as much and have twice the chance of at least one success. I agree with the 1 month no feeding in the MG. and if you mixed perlite anywhere near 1:1 you shouldn't have the compacting problem wolf has.

Thanks my friends...When I mixed the extra perlite in, I don't know the exact ratio...but I put a good bit in. I am going to look at your grow Wolf and take a few notes. Thanks...

I am planning on doing them both in soil and hydro. I have a small 4 planter DWC which I think would be fine for these since the life span is only 70 days and they only grow about a foot tall. I have already begun soaking 4 rockwool cubes although I'm probably only going to use 2 of them, and 2 of the older Rapid Rooter plugs that I boiled the other night to sterlize. That way I can see for myself which does what and which is better for what I want to do in the future.

The other will be in the flushed MG and like I said...we'll see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained...right ? I am really looking forward to getting this underway. The seeds are in day 3 of germing. I'm using a heating pad that I used for a back injury a while back...it gets pretty warm so I am switching it on and off regularly in an attempt to not actually cook the seeds...and I am keeping the paper towel wet. Should be anyday now.

Thanks again Wolf and Wheel...I appreciate your interest and advice.

Peace...

 

[Li Siu Loong]

Any thoughts on germing auto AK's ? I have had them in the wet paper towel on a plastic plate in a dark place under a clear plastic dome and sitting on a heating pad for going on 5 days...and still nothing. What am I doing wrong here (if anything) ?

Peace...

 

[Setting Sun]

Any thoughts on germing auto AK's ? I have had them in the wet paper towel on a plastic plate in a dark place under a clear plastic dome and sitting on a heating pad for going on 5 days...and still nothing. What am I doing wrong here (if anything) ?

Peace...

Like I mentioned in PM, most heating pads that aren't designed for germing seeds probably get too hot.

I'm sure hoping that's not it, however.

Change out the old paper towels for fresh ones with fresh water to avoid mold, and give em some more time to see what happens.

ss

 

[WeedRyder]

it takes time for seeds to germ' one time it took me more then 10 days but they poped out at the end

 

[Li Siu Loong]

Thanks friends...that's what I am doing. I'll let you know how things turned out.

Peace...Li

 

[WheeloFortune]

i would also be careful of too much heat from the pad. I like to put mine in my media, wet it and put it in a mini greenhouse, on a plate, ontop of my cable box which generates a small amount of convection heat 24/7

i also have a seed mat heater, but no control of it so i cant use it in the summertime. gets too hot.

 

[Li Siu Loong]

Hey everyone...It's 3:27 AM and I just looked in on those auto AK's that I went ahead and planted in the soil I had prepared...and I saw the 1st leaves poking thru the dirt. I'm gonna have some pix up in a few days. I also started germing my 10 KC-39 seeds too. They have started to pop...at least a couple of them, but I have faith in the others. I'll keep yall informed.

Peace...