Thanks for having me. Ive a query regarding growing Autos outside. Especially if you grow autos outside in Australia southern climate.

[RazzamaDazza]

I really appreciate these forums. What a great place to learn. We have some regulars outside in pots doing just fine from a local vendor. They're around 3 weeks old. I also have some Black cream autos (from a different local vendor)in the same medium sprouted and planted at roughly the same time. They're all in a mix of Ozmocote Premium soil from Bunnings, (Prolly a bad choice on reflection, but Im new at this and read that it works well for some), 20-30% peat/coco and around 20% perlite. The Autos (in 5 gallon grow bags) though are tiny and have just started to grow their 2nd set of true leaves but you almost need a magnifying glass to see them (all 4). Im going easy with the water on them, keeping the pots cool and they cop around 5-6 hours of sun daily, at around 20°-30° (In Melbourne) . Ive been moving them around to protect them when its been cold or raining, but I've never taken them from daylight to dark. The tiny autos soil has never dried out, but its not "soggy/wet" either, just damp, the same as the regulars that are going great. The vendor that sold me the AutoCreams also sold me some AutoPurps. The Cream beans were very, very small, and the Purps were giant. None of the 5 Purp beans sprouted at all after trying all methods, soaking in water, peat pucks, paper towel, cotton wool, and as I said, the tiny Cream seeds sprouted but are really stunted. Ive read that autos dont like a lot of nutrients and the soil has around 4 months worth of nutes in it. Do you reckon I screwed up with the slow release soil, or just bad seeds, or maybe both? I tried to find grow guides for Autos outdoors in Australia using the limited "off the shelf" soils available to us in Oz, but never really found what I was looking for. Wow, apologies for the huge 1st post. Im not normally a "havachat". -Anyhow, (have a Winfield) with that said- If you have any advice for Autos outdoors in Southern Aus (Vic actually) Id be forever greatful.

 

[Navanman]

Hey buddy being down in melbourne I would have bought a bag of easy as kiss organic soil just water that's it I'm no expert I'm still getting my head around the auto revolution myself but good soil good plants I get mine sent up to Sydney never go back

 

[RazzamaDazza]

Cheers Navanman. Thinking of worm castings. 1/3 normal soil, 1/3 castings, 1/3 peat or coco, in 5 gallon grow bags with a light feed of chook manure tea and seasol. Where do you grab the Kiss if you dont mind me asking?

 

[Navanman]

Easy as organics water only soil its expensive but can be reamend cant mix my own anymore back buggered

 

[RazzamaDazza]

Decided to go coco with nutes. A lot of step by step guides around so I'll give it a crack. My backs buggered too. 30 years of Roof Tiling then driving trucks took its toll, hence the self medicating

 

[weed-whacker]

hey

Yeah so few things The ph of most Bunnings soil is terrible for the first month

Seasol is ur friend, same as ryzotonic from canna but more concentrate use it every watering for seedlings


Coco and nutes is a good choice for autos in our climate,but the Bunnings bricks of coco has fucked up ph values so start seeds in scots pure organics and transplant into coco after they fill a half litre pot or yogurt cup or whatever

I’m a big fan of the cheap self watering pots from Bunnings when running coco out doors


Also don’t forget to use the seasol

Oh and use lots of seasol the regular green one classic seasol

 

[RazzamaDazza]

Champion, weed-whacker. Appreciate the advice. Yeheheah, never forget the Seasol. Always have a bottle handy. Have to fence off the plants though, dogs dig the seasol as much as plants dig the seasol. Ive actually got a handful of norms going outside. Mixture of coco, castings perlite and regular soil in a few pots, and Ozmocote Pro with only perlite in others. The ones in the Ozmocot are going well, however the slow release shit bothers me, as I have no idea what to add and when. Oh and 1 forced lady in the ground going nuts. (dug about 4 foot down and across, (I was knackered, too old for that shit) filled the hole with worm castings, perlite, regular soil and peat moss. Rambling now, DOH. Hey do you know if you need total, absolute pitch darkness in a closet grow with Autos? (I read you do with reg plants) Cheers WW.

 

[weed-whacker]

Nah autos don’t care too much about light schedule

Yeah mate u will run into trouble with the Bunnings soil I use the coco and that organic one I mentioned end with lime and sand and cow manure and sheep and chook poo(all from Bunnings)

I Start them in the scots pure organic/ coco 60/40 use seasol and when repot use maxi series never check ph or ppm

 

[RazzamaDazza]

Haha I just spent most of the day light proofing an old closet. Wasted a day, Im only putting autos in it. Hava a Vipaspectra 300 in the mail (im new to this). 2 autos in a closet is plenty for me and using Advanced Nutrients 3 pack gizmo kit.(I know some here hate 'em and some love 'em) Im not too worried about yield this grow. Just a learning experience. We'll see what happens I guess.
Cheers for the info. Much abliiiiged.

 

[weed-whacker]

Light proofing is always a good idea

Stealth is paramount

Not familiar with that gizmo kit but sounds like u got ph buffered so that’s the right direction

I feel in our climate with shitty Bunnings soil we fight ph to insanity

I switched to coco/soil and ph buffered nutes a while back and will never go back to hydro and ph pen...rrrg head ache

If u need help with leds I’m one of the original adapters of diy led(my work is over at ic mag under a dif handle)

Just pm me if u want help designing building or figuring out parts ect

 

[MrToad69]

Hey RD
Saw your auto thread and figured I'd chime in as I love growing autos...Ive been doing autos a few years now..
I live in Calgary, Canada so have some familiarity with some of the grow issues you have...
Here's a few pointers...
Auto's are like race cars...you need light and lots of it..Indoors you run them at 20+Hrs light start to finish..You have to have a good solid foundation of a plant built before it starts to flower or your harvest is going to severely suffer..
Second, Autos are finicky..its best if you dont transplant as it can stunt them...pop the seed into whatever you intend to finish the plant in..

Third, be careful if/when you decide to train them..pony-tailing is helpful to get the bottom branches going..I also do some LST.

For me, I start mine in a 2 gal pot or larger and start them indoors on 20+ hr light for 2-3 weeks...I time it so that when I take the plants outdoors the longest sunshine hours will just be starting ..again you need that light..

Once you find the right genetics you should be able to crank out 4+ ozs per plant for these autos..again genetics will make a difference as many strains begin to flower faster and produce far less..

Get a ph tester..you'll want your ph around 6.2..lower for coco.

good luck

Toad

 

[RazzamaDazza]

Light proofing is always a good idea

Stealth is paramount

Not familiar with that gizmo kit but sounds like u got ph buffered so that’s the right direction

I feel in our climate with shitty Bunnings soil we fight ph to insanity

I switched to coco/soil and ph buffered nutes a while back and will never go back to hydro and ph pen...rrrg head ache

If u need help with leds I’m one of the original adapters of diy led(my work is over at ic mag under a dif handle)

Just pm me if u want help designing building or figuring out parts ect

Will do. Apreciate it. Cheers

 

[RazzamaDazza]

Hey RD
Saw your auto thread and figured I'd chime in as I love growing autos...Ive been doing autos a few years now..
I live in Calgary, Canada so have some familiarity with some of the grow issues you have...
Here's a few pointers...
Auto's are like race cars...you need light and lots of it..Indoors you run them at 20+Hrs light start to finish..You have to have a good solid foundation of a plant built before it starts to flower or your harvest is going to severely suffer..
Second, Autos are finicky..its best if you dont transplant as it can stunt them...pop the seed into whatever you intend to finish the plant in..

Third, be careful if/when you decide to train them..pony-tailing is helpful to get the bottom branches going..I also do some LST.

For me, I start mine in a 2 gal pot or larger and start them indoors on 20+ hr light for 2-3 weeks...I time it so that when I take the plants outdoors the longest sunshine hours will just be starting ..again you need that light..

Once you find the right genetics you should be able to crank out 4+ ozs per plant for these autos..again genetics will make a difference as many strains begin to flower faster and produce far less..

Get a ph tester..you'll want your ph around 6.2..lower for coco.

good luck

Toad

Thanks alot Toad. really apreciate the advice from a seasoned grower. I hear ya'. Tried growing Autos outdoors and theyre all runts. looking forward to throwing the LED up and starting the Autos properly, inside. Again - cheers for the help.

 

[weed-whacker]

Hey RD
Saw your auto thread and figured I'd chime in as I love growing autos...Ive been doing autos a few years now..
I live in Calgary, Canada so have some familiarity with some of the grow issues you have...
Here's a few pointers...
Auto's are like race cars...you need light and lots of it..Indoors you run them at 20+Hrs light start to finish..You have to have a good solid foundation of a plant built before it starts to flower or your harvest is going to severely suffer..
Second, Autos are finicky..its best if you dont transplant as it can stunt them...pop the seed into whatever you intend to finish the plant in..

Third, be careful if/when you decide to train them..pony-tailing is helpful to get the bottom branches going..I also do some LST.

For me, I start mine in a 2 gal pot or larger and start them indoors on 20+ hr light for 2-3 weeks...I time it so that when I take the plants outdoors the longest sunshine hours will just be starting ..again you need that light..

Once you find the right genetics you should be able to crank out 4+ ozs per plant for these autos..again genetics will make a difference as many strains begin to flower faster and produce far less..

Get a ph tester..you'll want your ph around 6.2..lower for coco.

good luck

Toad

For OP

Both his advice and mine are valid even though our approach to ph is in converse


You will find th way that works for you

That’s what makes this hobby great


Just wanted to say that coz I know as a noob it can get confusing with conflicting advice

 

[RazzamaDazza]

For OP

Both his advice and mine are valid even though our approach to ph is in converse


You will find th way that works for you

That’s what makes this hobby great


Just wanted to say that coz I know as a noob it can get confusing with conflicting advice

Yeah cheers. Gonna keep it simple for the first grow. Aparently these nutes handle the PH for you. I'll still keep an eye on it. I'd imagine monitoring PH is like mowing the lawn at a new house. Its all great fun at first, but the novelty wears off.