What to plant auto fem seeds in?

[berbes]

i got 5 seeds (nyc diesel auto fem) from you folks (fast shipping!) and planted them in 5 gal fabric pots filled with roots organics soil 1/2 down, and the lower half foxhound ocean forest.

They cracked and began perfectly with your recommended steps (cup 'o water up to 14 hours, then to napkin until sprouted). Unfortunately, once i put them in the soil exactly as shown on your video, they all died after 1-2 weeks, with no real growth other than 1/2 into the air. The tops looked ok, but as you looked into the soil, they were pinched and all died the same way.

Was it because there was some nutes in the soil? The people i bought it from said there wasn't much density in the nutes and i'd be ok, but, here we are . Since these are auto fem, the instructions say to plant it it the 'final' pot in the beginning. How do i do that if the nutes are burning them? i was going to use plugs, but you specifically say no to that idea.

i just bought 5 more from you (again, ZZZZZip delivery) and will await your reply. I mean, this IS a weed (and should grow like one), right? This grow will be documented for you, in case of disaster.

thanks for your knowledge!!
berbes

 

[Bluecheeze]

Hello My friend.

I am Also at My first grow so i am no expert, but maybe you give them too much water?

Thats a normal misstake for first time growers.

How much water do you give them?


Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[berbes]

hey BC! great answer, but i'm 55 1/2 and have been doing this for a good 15+ years. using a tent with every bell & whistle to make sure water, temps, ph, humidity and airflow are all good. you're certainly right about making sure you are good on the water. that's a mistake we've all made at one time or another. i've just never seen ALL of a grow go dead like that...unless i was doing a hydro grow. while the rewards on hydro are great, the risks are terrible if you lose the h20 flow . that's one reason i went back to dirt years ago.

happy growing!
berbes

 

[Frankfurt]

I know of a few people on other forums who not only transplant their autos but also top them, they swear by it and have the grow journals to back it up.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[Frankfurt]

Sorry, that want much help. I've never grown so I don't know how to help at all. But that's something I learned and thought it might be useful. I've heard that foxfarm can be iffy now due to them having to outsource, and I don't really think you received all bunk seeds. But unfortunately I can't really add any useful help in the terms of what may have actuality been wrong.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[Bluecheeze]

hey BC! great answer, but i'm 55 1/2 and have been doing this for a good 15+ years. using a tent with every bell & whistle to make sure water, temps, ph, humidity and airflow are all good. you're certainly right about making sure you are good on the water. that's a mistake we've all made at one time or another. i've just never seen ALL of a grow go dead like that...unless i was doing a hydro grow. while the rewards on hydro are great, the risks are terrible if you lose the h20 flow . that's one reason i went back to dirt years ago.

happy growing!
berbes

Oups, i thought it was your first time

Then i dont know, can it be a bad Batch of seeds maybe?



Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[golfer420]

Similar situation here, Berbes. I've grown a few plants before and have been recently having trouble with my Amnesia Haze auto. First 2 seeds popped and then didn't come out of the soil. Second 2 seeds popped, but barely grew above soil and then died.

I now have 2 more popped but they're still in paper towel. Waiting for the tap root to get a little longer. I'm growing in Sunshine mixture and the stuff can be so dry. I think the dryness was the problem with the first two. I've kept the soil moist and been mixing it up to ensure it's all damp before I plant again. The sunshine mixture (like promix) does this weird thing with water - almost repels it. I was afraid of over watering and may have not done enough.

Crossing my fingers I get it right this time. Only 1 more of these seeds left.

I would contact CKS if your next set doesn't grow. Had an issue with WHite Widow's that didn't pop and they replaced them. The new ones grew like a charm (see my grows in the links below).

Good luck

 

[berbes]

They do seem like a great company. I didn't keep a journal of this first grow. but I am for this next one.

Hey Frank, like you said, I found a GREAT journal using the same seeds from these guys. He used LST on his and it worked like a charm. That's exactly what I'll do...if I can get past the few weeks

 

[golfer420]

Berbes - welcome to 420

Feel free to share links to other 420 journals. Helps people roam around and get exposed to many tips and techniques. Topping and LST do work on auto's. Here is a link to an auto topping grow by theBeast27:

Auto Topping LED Grow

One of my last plants was a flux - another great method you can read more about on 420

 

[berbes]

Thanks for the tips, Golfer! The beans are in day two of their moist-towel-on-the-hot-water-heater phase. I'm hoping someone from CKS can answer my q about starting these seedlings in exactly what soil, so I'm covered in case of bean S.I.D.S. again.

 

[Dwight Monk]

They only guarantee that they will germinate, and only if you follow their specific rules. As there is so many different growing mediums let alone "soil" can be an ungodly variance as to nutrients/water retention/etc.... so they almost have to blame the operator at that point. So I guess my question is how did you do it before since you are experienced? If that is different then do it they way you always have. In example I am clumsy so if I sprout in a paper towel my success rate becomes lower due to damage while trying to plant it, so I soak seed for a few hours and stick it into a soaked Jiffy Plug 1/4" under the surface, and depending on temperature they go in the dark for a day or two or go under my light (haven't had one work better than the other yet, so who knows if it matters really). So go with what works best for you in your experience and if you are new then probably not a good idea to listen to me anyway

 

[DukeO]

( I soak seed for a few hours and stick it into a soaked Jiffy Plug 1/4" under the surface)

I do the same thing. But I now use Rapid Rooters.

I found that most of the Jiffy Plugs had bugs in them.

There where little tiny grasshoppers in mine. I bought 3 different batches all from different places and they all had them.

I did not know where they where coming from until batch two. But they for sure where coming out of the Jiffy Plugs.

Rapid Rooters work great and no bugs for sure. I soak the seed and then put it in a soaked Rooter and then I tear off a little piece of it to cover the hole.

I put them under a dome and in one or two days they are popping up. Give them three days under the dome letting more and more air into it to hardened them and then they are ready to transplant where ever you like.

 

[berbes]

I was asking for specifics from CKS, as i have never grown auto fems, especially at $15 per seed after discounts. no matter how many seasons i've grown, i've never had a seed that auto flowers and is fem. CKS tell us to grow them in their final pot, and always at 18/6. With regular beans I've always transplant 2-3 times during the grow, beginning with 18/6 or 24/0 veg, then 12/12 flower.

The video CKS's show in moving the seeds from wet towels to the final pot, show them poke a finger in medium that seems to be a mix of perlite and who-knows-what. they don't specify what the medium is. I just wanted to make sure the "operator error" is taken out of the equation. Using the soil mixes I am, all I need to do is water and forget until they get into flower. If the little nutes in the Roots Organics soil killed the little guys off, then, I need to know how to plant them in their final pot without the burn, while getting the advantages of pre-mixed soils.

thanks!
berbes

 

[Linden]

That sounds very similar to what happened to 3 out of my 5 Jack Herer seeds.

I'm a first time grower, doing it all indoors with very limited space and equipment. I grow all kinds of other regular household plants without any problems.

I germinated one seed, planted it in soil mixed with a manure mix. It grew to about an inch high then died. It looked "pinched" just above the soil. I figured I burned it with the soil/manure mix.

I started two more seeds. Both germinated. I planted both in fresh premium potting soil in red solo cups. Both grew to about an inch and then one died. It had the same "pinched" look near the base. No nutes, so I knew that wasn't my problem. I then assumed I was probably overwatering.

I germinated my last two JH seeds. Again, both sprouted well. One of the two died at around an inch tall. With two surviving, I paid very close attention to my watering schedule. Once they were both on their third or fourth set of leaves, I transplanted them into 8" pots, with a mix of potting soil and perlite, and crossed my fingers for a few days.

They are now both over two feet high and ready to harvest this weekend. They're not as full and bushy as I've seen in photos, but I'll get enough from them that made it worth the effort and cost. I'm pretty sure my amateur lighting setup and the use of regular household plant food mix.... "Schultz All-Purpose Liquid Plant Food, 10-15-10" is the reason for a lower yield. I'll look into getting better for the next round when I'll be trying Dwarf Low Flyer and Train Wreck.

 

[berbes]

thanks for putting in your story, linden. basically your story IS my story. so far by doing exactly as instructed, i have four dead beans (2 NL and 2 NYCD auto fems) out of 7, with one NYCD still alive, but looking ragged and still without the second set of 'real' leaves. i'll post up a pic soon. you'll see i have a very competent setup, under a dome and complete with heat pad, t-5s, waiting to go into a 4x4x7 gorilla tent and 2-400w california light works solar storms.

now, please don't think of this as any kind of rap on CKS. while pricey, the beans came quickly and i even got a couple extra beans in the pack! that's a great way to do business. i'm just seeing that they are not responding as advertised and i want to know why, and how i can stop these terrible germ rates from happening with the few i have left to use. i have beans from 5 years ago that would germ at this rate. that reminds me, an earlier poster mentioned something germ rate, and i'm wondering exactly what is a successful germination? is it when they pop from the shells and begin with the very first set of rounded leaves? if they die after that, like ours did, does that mean they were outside of the guarantee, since they are now 1-3 day old seedlings?

i'm surprised that no one from CKS has responded to this post, but hopefully they will now. i also really hope the beans that do make it through are as good as some of the grow diaries i've read about here and other places.

happy thanksgiving!