- Alright, so I've recently picked up some Big Bang Auto Flower seeds and I'm really eager to start my first grow, but could use some direct opinions as well as some extra information. I've done my research on the Auto Flower strain and found out they don't require a change in their light cycles, nor the colour spectrum for the veg and flowering stages. I was thinking about going with 125W CFL's with a 6400k blue for my plants on a 18/6 light cycle, but I have no idea as to how many lamps ill need per plant. I'm gonna be growing 4 plants the first time around, so how many of these would be ideal, one or two? Also, if there are any better alternatives I could be using let me know.
Need Advice On First Grow, Auto Flowering
- Thread starter Ekztreme
- Start date
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
I light per plant if you want any yield. Time is against you with autos. Make up for it with lumens. Run them 20/4.
The Real Slim Shady
Member
Use a reflector to maximize the light intensity that the plants receive. You can make one yourself with mylar, but I used the emergency blankets they sell at Canadian Tire for like $3.99 in the hunting section. It works really well.
509Zman420
Active Member
I agree with hotrod, time is most definitely against you. You will want MINIMUM 1 light per plant, I would actually use 6 lights for 4 plants. Two rows of three and you can buy a reflector for cheap at your local hardware store. One thing you have to watch for is heat, those lights are going to produce quite the bit of heat. I use LED's myself but since my tent is in my COLD basement, I use a 65W grow bulb to heat up my tent. You are going to need a venting system to cool the area down or else you will kill the plants before they get a chance to grow.
With the strain you have chosen... on a good run you will get about 50+g/plant (but I dont see more than an OZ 28g/plant with CFL) and you will harvest in about 65-75 days from seed so that is a plus... what I would recommend...
Container-
3 gal Smart Pot or 3 gal Air Pot per plant... because you are running low light output anything bigger in size of container would just be a waste of dirt... you could use either of the choice because they both basically do the same thing... they both breath... the smart pots are more short and fat and made of a fabric material that can be washed and sanitized my hand and reused ( they even come with nifty little grab handles to make it easier to move your plants)... Air Pots are more tall and skinny, but not by much, and are made of a plastic material that can also be washed and sanitized.
Dirt-
Fox Farms Natural and Organic Ocean Forrest Potting Soil or Happy Frog Natural and Organic Potting Soil... Either will do you just fine I have used both and will usually purchase the one that is cheapest at the time... I haggle with my local store owner
...
Earthworm castings... even though there are castings in each of those soils, you are going to want more... if you use a 3 gal mix in 1lb casting per pot... this give and natural organic nitrogen suppliment to your plants that will last all throughout its life...
Some sort of WATER Soluble root growth enhancer for when you transplant your seedlings into the 3 gal pot... I only transplant once... I use Root Organics by Aurora its but go here www.aurorainnovations.org and they have a map or places around your area that sell their products. and then apply it as directed on the can.
Water!!!---
Now this is a big deal... If you use city water, before you use it make sure to test ph levels before you water. I have but do not use city water. I would actually recommend getting a reverse osmosis unit for that problem, but not all of us are made of money, so if you are like me then just test your water. Or if you feel really hard core you can just go to the store and buy bottles of spring water lol... If you have a well I would test the PH too but I am not too sure about this so I cant give much advise on well water.
Autoflowering Cannabis have a very short lifespan as is, so with this dirt setup I have found that I really do not have to worry about adding any nutes to my ladies because with their small stature and fast growth they natural nutes in the soil can last up to 60+ days, right around the time you would be flushing anyways. The only time I need to add chemicals is for PH in my water and maybe a little bug issue, which I have not had yet, I have had nats but nothing on my girls fly trap gets those btw
Man I hope this really helps you a little if not a lot and I would love to see the out come of this grow
With the strain you have chosen... on a good run you will get about 50+g/plant (but I dont see more than an OZ 28g/plant with CFL) and you will harvest in about 65-75 days from seed so that is a plus... what I would recommend...
Container-
3 gal Smart Pot or 3 gal Air Pot per plant... because you are running low light output anything bigger in size of container would just be a waste of dirt... you could use either of the choice because they both basically do the same thing... they both breath... the smart pots are more short and fat and made of a fabric material that can be washed and sanitized my hand and reused ( they even come with nifty little grab handles to make it easier to move your plants)... Air Pots are more tall and skinny, but not by much, and are made of a plastic material that can also be washed and sanitized.
Dirt-
Fox Farms Natural and Organic Ocean Forrest Potting Soil or Happy Frog Natural and Organic Potting Soil... Either will do you just fine I have used both and will usually purchase the one that is cheapest at the time... I haggle with my local store owner
...Earthworm castings... even though there are castings in each of those soils, you are going to want more... if you use a 3 gal mix in 1lb casting per pot... this give and natural organic nitrogen suppliment to your plants that will last all throughout its life...
Some sort of WATER Soluble root growth enhancer for when you transplant your seedlings into the 3 gal pot... I only transplant once... I use Root Organics by Aurora its but go here www.aurorainnovations.org and they have a map or places around your area that sell their products. and then apply it as directed on the can.
Water!!!---
Now this is a big deal... If you use city water, before you use it make sure to test ph levels before you water. I have but do not use city water. I would actually recommend getting a reverse osmosis unit for that problem, but not all of us are made of money, so if you are like me then just test your water. Or if you feel really hard core you can just go to the store and buy bottles of spring water lol... If you have a well I would test the PH too but I am not too sure about this so I cant give much advise on well water.
Autoflowering Cannabis have a very short lifespan as is, so with this dirt setup I have found that I really do not have to worry about adding any nutes to my ladies because with their small stature and fast growth they natural nutes in the soil can last up to 60+ days, right around the time you would be flushing anyways. The only time I need to add chemicals is for PH in my water and maybe a little bug issue, which I have not had yet, I have had nats but nothing on my girls
fly trap gets those btwMan I hope this really helps you a little if not a lot and I would love to see the out come of this grow