The New Autoflower Topping Thread

[Stinky Snid]

Thanks in advance for any help. This is my first post and my last indoor grow was 35 years ago. I couldn't tell you what the outcome was 35 years ago as I was a teenager just messing around. I have 2 Dutch passion blue auto Mazar at day 12 in 3 gallon fabric pots. The light is a mars 2 1600 on 20/4. The soil is a LOS. My first question is does anybody have any experience with this strain? It doesn't look to me at 12 days it will be ready to be topped at the 4th node anytime soon. Should this plant be a little further along for 12 days?

First of all, welcome to the forums kindrin great to have your first post here. Your window for topping closes at the 3 week mark. I've not grown auto mazar myself but have seen very large plants here using topping ad training. Hope someone can pinpoint veg time for this strain for you. But if there's no pistils and your less than 3 weeks old your ok to top them. Imo. They look great to me, how's your Humidity levels?

KiG cheers

Edit: sorry I just seen the hygrometer... Lol 25% is low and will result in slightly slower growth. I'm confident you'll make the window. Keep us posted kindrin

 

[Kindrin]

First of all, welcome to the forums kindrin great to have your first post here. Your window for topping closes at the 3 week mark. I've not grown auto mazar myself but have seen very large plants here using topping ad training. Hope someone can pinpoint veg time for this strain for you. But if there's no pistils and your less than 3 weeks old your ok to top them. Imo. They look great to me, how's your Humidity levels?

KiG cheers

Edit: sorry I just seen the hygrometer... Lol 25% is low and will result in slightly slower growth. I'm confident you'll make the window. Keep us posted kindrin

RH is low no doubt. It's cold and dry here this time of year. Temp stays around 74F when lights are on. I could add a humidifier. What's a comfortable RH for an auto at this stage?

 

[bckush]

to

RH is low no doubt. It's cold and dry here this time of year. Temp stays around 74F when lights are on. I could add a humidifier. What's a comfortable RH for an auto at this stage?

I think around 50-65% for the first 2-3 weeks or until they start flowering then try to keep it 35-40%. If this is not correct, someone let me know.

 

[Stinky Snid]

to




I think around 50-65% for the first 2-3 weeks or until they start flowering then try to keep it 35-40%. If this is not correct, someone let me know.

This is entirely correct, but 40% will do fine... I know your struggles kindrin I'm dealing with low Rh too, fortunately I'm now into flower and it's irrelevant. I'd get yourself a small humidifier and just try and keep it above 30% if you can.... Winter sucks!

KiG cheers

 

[Kindrin]

I will put a humidifier in there tomorrow. I'm not as far north as you snidthumb:hint hint east coast legal US) but close and it's cold. Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[XobeMan]

Try northern ontario weather lol

A Licenced Medicinal Cannabis User

 

[bckush]

I will put a humidifier in there tomorrow. I'm not as far north as you snidthumb:hint hint east coast legal US) but close and it's cold. Thanks for the advice guys.

I hang a wet towel in my cab when the rh gets below 30...seems to help raise it above 40

 

[Kindrin]

I hang a wet towel in my cab when the rh gets below 30...seems to help raise it above 40

About how long does the towel trick last for you before having to wet it again?

 

[bckush]

About how long does the towel trick last for you before having to wet it again?

I use a regular size bath towel...wet it...not dripping....you kinda have to work with it until you know what works for you...if its really low i hang the towel unfolded and it helps come up quick...but dries quick too...if im mid 30's i fold it a couple of times and it takes a day or so to dry out... I've also put a bowl of water in to help out at times.

 

[Kindrin]

I use a regular size bath towel...wet it...not dripping....you kinda have to work with it until you know what works for you...if its really low i hang the towel unfolded and it helps come up quick...but dries quick too...if im mid 30's i fold it a couple of times and it takes a day or so to dry out... I've also put a bowl of water in to help out at times.

I think I will give that a try just for the hell of it before I put a humidifier in there.

 

[jimmyclone]

Just put some water in a pail in your tent.. I find its not as messy as a wet towel.. I went from 20-40% RH. I put mine on the edge if the tent, but with some light hitting it... Also u can fill the pail and it will last for awhile...
Just my. .02$

 

[Integrum Stultus]

Hang the towel over the pale.. double duty. The towel will drip into the pale so no mess in the tent liner. Then u have the towel going and the pale. I use a humidifier and a towel.


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[Lazarus13]

The towel thing never worked for me. My rh would never get above about 38% so i went to the pet store and got a little $10 terrarium humidifier, stuck it in a bucket and attached a piece of 3 inch pvc to the top like a stove pipe and it works wonders. Keeps me at 55%-65% in veg and then i put it on a timer in flower so it runs enough to keep it at about 40% theyre cheap and small.

Its in a 1 gallon bucket now but you can put it in any size container. Its only about 3 or 4 inches round.

 

[bckush]

Hello my auto flower friends



Time for an update on the top vs untop plants

I don't know if it is a fair test for the two as they are different stains( side by side same strain test coming to a thread near you soon ) ) But at least from a plant structure standpoint it shows the difference. the two test subjects are:

Pineapple kush auto aka... Patty....35 days from seed.....seeds from...ummm...not a sponsor, so I don't know if i am suppose to post Their name. Snid, let me know on this. I would have used a sponsor but I ordered my seeds before I found this site.

She was topped above the 4th node around day 14 and has had alot of lst done..she has been as tall as 15" but currently sits with the canopy tied down to around 11" tall...Even in my rookie grow, my training seems to have served her well. Nice flat canopy. All thanks to the peeps on this site.



Caramelicious auto...aka...Carrie...35 days from seed

Man, she could use a hair cut..lol....so I gave her one

Untopped as you can see but lst done on the lower 6 nodes, She will get more lst on the upper nodes later today . She is currently on node 14.. She currently sits at 15" tall. She didn't get as much love as patty did but she still looks good. I think I will cost myself some bud by not spending as much time doing lst and making sure lower bud sites were getting enough lite.

Side by side

A couple of things to note....I have found when topping and training auto's you have to stay on top of it. They grow so fast and the stems get thick very quick. If your into defol then autos are for you...Fans leaves grow so big so fast that they all but cover the lower bud sites, either defol or tuck or something to get them out of the way.

Side by side it is easy to see the difference. Patty is a table top with a canopy about 18'x18" Has really good secondary bud growth due to all the time spent lst with her. I don't think I could be much happier with her. Carrie is a little different....untopped, she is shooting for the stars. With the lst that I have done on her she has that classic christmas tree look. A fat wedge, not only is she 15" tall but she is about 16" across at the bottom.
However, with an untopped plant, I believe lst is even more important because there is a top and It completely shades the inner parts of the plant and carrie has almost no inner bud growth.

One last note.......with Patty's flat canopy 70% of her bud sites are 3-5" away from the light, Carrie on the other hand has a nice cola forming but 50% of her bud sites are 14" or so from the light....That may not have an effect if a 1000 watt light was in use but, in general, buds growing closer to the light source grow bigger.

Sorry this was such a long post guys

 

[Kindrin]

I tried the wet towel and left it for 6 hours, and there was no change in humidity. I then put in a small humidifier that will only bring the humidity above 55% if my exhaust fan is off. When the exhaust fan is on its lowest setting it brings the humidity back down to the 20% range. I suppose I can run without the exhaust fan on until it's starts to smell in there. With the exhaust fan off the temp went from 72f to 82f.

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

This is entirely correct, but 40% will do fine... I know your struggles kindrin I'm dealing with low Rh too, fortunately I'm now into flower and it's irrelevant. I'd get yourself a small humidifier and just try and keep it above 30% if you can.... Winter sucks!

KiG cheers

I closed my system this year. I tried to humidify the tent, but with the flaps open...it was just impossible. Then I tried humidifying the room the tent was in but that was a loosing battle too. I finally ordered a mycelium CO2 bag and closed up the flaps. My fan circulates out of the tent, then right back in...so I don't lose any CO2. Humidity and temps are perfect and I end up with fan leaves the size of dinner plates. I have a new run at 7 days old (today), I should be able to top at about day 10

 

[Integrum Stultus]

Schtigg, what can you tell me about the bag? I've been considering one but know nothing about it other than it will supplement co2.


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[jhfhklsnhfldk]

Schtigg, what can you tell me about the bag? I've been considering one but know nothing about it other than it will supplement co2.


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The one I am using is called "Exhale 2". They are supposed to last about 6 months and are said to bring the co2 level to over 1000ppm in about a day, in a closed 4'x4' tent. When using CO2 your environmental conditions can be a bit more extreme. Temps to 90+ are OK and I have had my humidity as high as 75%. The plants grow fast an very large. I take the CO2 out of the tent shortly after the stretch ends. As I understand it, CO2 inhibits production of ethylene, which promotes ripening. Not sure about all the science...but I can tell you that it is quite easy and it works VERY well.
Hope this helps.

 

[Integrum Stultus]

Sure does.. I'm mainly concerned with how much it produces. I dont wanna suffocate from co2 pushing out all the o2 while im sleeping or something. Lmfao! ... Do you run your extractor also while the bag is in there? I have a 2'x4' tent. U baggin it with lights on or off?


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[jhfhklsnhfldk]

Sure does.. I'm mainly concerned with how much it produces. I dont wanna suffocate from co2 pushing out all the o2 while im sleeping or something. Lmfao! ... Do you run your extractor also while the bag is in there? I have a 2'x4' tent. U baggin it with lights on or off?


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I do run my extractor, but I have the time set to "Stir" It runs 30minutes on 30 off, 30on, 30off and so on. Only while the lights are on. It runs out of the tent, takes an immediate right turn, then runs 2 feet and turns right again....right back into the tent. When it comes back in, it blows CO2 rich air down onto the plants.
It won't produce enough CO2 to kill you....I think you have to be somewhere near 8000-1000ppm to be a problem. After I work in the tent, I close it up then hit it with a huge dose of CO2 from a vinegar and baking soda set up. This way the plants don't have to wait for the bag to build the CO2 back up. The pic below is of a 21 day old Early Miss that I grew with the same method. It is the one in the front right corner. The plants around it are 31 days old. They were started for the first 10 days without CO2. This is my biggest plant yet at 21 days above soil .