To pot up at all or not to..

So I’m used to growing photos. I’m getting ready to pop a bunch of autos and am really wondering whether I should drop the seeds in 5g/7g pots from seed or 4 inch pot, then final pot. Any comments suggestions would be awesome. Will be growing....
Oasis genetics
Ak74
Gypsy widow
Aurora Borealis

RQS
royal AK
Northern light

Sensi seeds
Sensi skunk

Auto seeds
Sucker punch

Dinafem
Amnesia xxl

Dutch passion
Ultimate

Also, is perlite, pear moss, vermiculite a good seed starting mix?

Sawzall77 said:

Also, is perlite, pear moss, vermiculite a good seed starting mix?

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I'd say 2/3 peat moss and 1/3 perlite and vermiculite blend... I'd got 2 parts perlite 1 part vermiculite...

As far as the up potting. I am going to sprout my seeds in peat pellets sized for tomatoes... Once they have started in those I'm going to put them in 1 gallon pots for a couple of weeks. Until the leaves are out to the edges of the pot... Then I'm going into 5 or 7 gal pots... But this is the first time I've tried this. Dr. MJ Coco recommends up potting for autos. I think the "don't transplant" theory is more for newer growers that aren't familiar with autos and it's a rule to keep things simple for them. There is no chance of them waiting too long to transplant if they just start in the final pots...

I've had the best luck going from the starter tray to a 1 gallon then their final home (3 gal or 5 gal in my case). I found that autos taproot outgrew 4" planters way to quickly.

Th

Gentlemencorpse said:

I've had the best luck going from the starter tray to a 1 gallon then their final home (3 gal or 5 gal in my case). I found that autos taproot outgrew 4" planters way to quickly.

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Is was my plan for my next grow.

For the last couple years I've only been doing auto's. I do both final pot and xplant and found no benefit to either method. I do however like the comfort it brings being able to look at my roots with a solo cup. The one thing I will say about starting in a smaller container is you want to transplant early, around day 7-10. Auto's have a fast seeking tap root that will shoot for the bottom of your container then focus it's root growth laterally. I believe it sort of sets off a trigger saying "this is what we have to work with" and will stunt the plant if left too long.

Autos do not like to be transplanted. I learned this 2 years ago when I started running autos.

Start them in their final container. Their life span is too short to mess with transplanting.

For the first pot for autos, use a 2-4 litre and cut a bunch of 1/2" inch holes around the pot and on the bottom and then plop the seed in. When your ready to pot on to larger size just put the 2-4 litre pot it's final pot, leaving in the 2-4 l pot, no transplant shock, something about 15-20 L for final.

TheDifferenceX said:

Autos do not like to be transplanted. I learned this 2 years ago when I started running autos.

Start them in their final container. Their life span is too short to mess with transplanting.

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Also my time is too valuable to mess with transplanting.

I grow in 5gal fabric pots, and go right from the napkin to the pot.

I get it ready the day before, water the soil and let it adjust to the tent. I also put a 6" dome over the plant area after I put the taprooted seed in the dirt about .5in down. Leave the dome on until the plant is 1" out of the dirt and then the it off.

I'm on my 15th auto this way and I've only ever had one dud, and I think that was the seed.

CptTripps said:

I grow in 5gal fabric pots, and go right from the napkin to the pot.

I get it ready the day before, water the soil and let it adjust to the tent. I also put a 6" dome over the plant area after I put the taprooted seed in the dirt about .5in down. Leave the dome on until the plant is 1" out of the dirt and then the it off.

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It is true, great minds think alike.

quirk said:

Also my time is too valuable to mess with transplanting.

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Beautiful. All that room for those roots to grow.

About how long will an auto last in a 4 inch pot? After paper towel to expose rap root of course. 14 days? More? No way it can be less lol

TheDifferenceX said:

It is true, great minds think alike.

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CptTripps said:

I grow in 5gal fabric pots, and go right from the napkin to the pot.

I get it ready the day before, water the soil and let it adjust to the tent. I also put a 6" dome over the plant area after I put the taprooted seed in the dirt about .5in down. Leave the dome on until the plant is 1" out of the dirt and then the it off.

I'm on my 15th auto this way and I've only ever had one dud, and I think that was the seed.

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I’m liking this idea... so is the center 4 inch pot sized area composed of a different medium?(perlit, peat moss, vermiculite etc)

Sawzall77 said:

About how long will an auto last in a 4 inch pot? After paper towel to expose rap root of course. 14 days? More? No way it can be less lol

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Way less. 7 days or so, maybe less. Not enough time for it to be worth it

Really eh... wow okay then right into final pots it is

Sawzall77 said:

Really eh... wow okay then right into final pots it is

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You could do a large solo cup... It is taller than a 4inch pot and would allow the tap root more space before hitting bottom...

Sawzall77 said:

About how long will an auto last in a 4 inch pot? After paper towel to expose rap root of course. 14 days? More? No way it can be less lol

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It'll go through a 4" pot like shit through a goose. This is one day in a 2" jiffy

quirk said:

It'll go through a 4" pot like shit through a goose. This is one day in a 2" jiffy

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"Like shit through a goose" is my new favorite saying

Here’s a pic of 2 seedlings autos which broke the soil on April 8th. They were in 4 inch pots Mins ago. I didn’t notice any roots and some of the medium fell apart as I was transplanting. They are in 5 g pots now. It seems to me I transplanted way too early... as there wasn’t much root structure holding the medium together. Any thoughts? Just growing slow?