You can run FFOF alone for autos … it is a little hot upfront but your plants
will acclimate to it as it settles in. Ffof is 6.3 out of bag , run 6.6 /6.7 to allow for any ph drift. Runoff check is unnecessary. As long as you control your ph going in and match close to medium you are fine. I run TAP - no fancy water shit necessary.
There are tweaks to this bagged soil you can do to improve it even more …. ADD
MORE perlite / pumice to increase drainage and aeration. ADD some myco. ADD Neem meal ( helps combat any pest issues that may have been introduced from storage and pallet loads ).
FEEDING - For autos most feeding can be done on this soil alone …. ( Top dressing ) ( Adding more FFOF at specific intervals to “ recharge “ it after initial first 4-5 weeks.
Plant will exhaust it over time you are merely keeping it available. Just by simply watering it in in. FFOF can also be used as a tea and soil drench too.
I add only KELP and some silica ( hot weather grows ) in my watering from start to finish …. NO BOTTLES NO BOOSTERS.
Dry Fertilizer :
Any simple dry mix ( dr. earth / megacrop , 3/3/3 or 4/4/4 type ) … even a soluble like GH maxibloom ( powder mix ) which by the way works well as a simple water mix to feed.
Either way works well as you are only feeding for average 90 days or so of life.
Big autos can also be grown with DWC / Hempy methods too.
CYCLE :
24/0 - 20/4 - 18/6
Any of these work. I chose 20/4 for
2 reasons. First , is to maximize as much light ( longer ) upfront for auto to root and structure
BEFORE it decides to preflower . This is one of the most important stages - simple LST training and you are golden. Second reason is give my gear a rest period on use and life.
I run quantums and have same original build going on 6 years with no failures doing this. 24/0 comparison to 20/4 is negligible to me … rather not overwork gear.
TIPS : yes you can transplant autos , i prefer a simple solo start in a mild mix to create a PLUG or simply plant in final size … Yes you can top autos too ( some strains ) not all like it but you can. I prefer LST to “ open “ up structure.
Not sure why peeps hate on autos … really not that complicated.
I run FFOF with layered mixes and it works just fine.
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