Root bound Autoflower, transfer or let it grow?

DankTankerous

DankTankerous

Well-Known Member
So i'm a Blue Mystic Auto from Nirvana and she's pretty fucking root bound and i don't know what to do. I'm pretty sure the size of the pot is 2 gals, maybe less, but she's about 2 or 3 weeks into flowering and her leaves are turning greenish-yellow. I do have a 3 or 5 gal smart pot laying around that i could do a quick transfer, but what could happen? If the most is some nanners, i'd take that risk. Can I just grow it out? i think it was 4 weeks left. Any help would be great

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GrowUrOwnDank

Well-Known Member
Doesn't look bad to me. Root bound to me just means your plant will grow smaller rather than larger. You can grow a tree(like a Maple Tree or whatever) in a small pot and you will have a small healthy tree after several years if you give it the proper nutrients and environment. Seen it. I think some do it on purpose and call it bonzai. Then plant it in the yard and it will eventually take off like it should.

With just 4 weeks left I would leave it alone. And address the nutrient issues if need be. 2 gallon pots should be fine. If you aren't looking for a huge yield. It should not effect the quality of the genetics that much tho. In my opinion.
 
DankTankerous

DankTankerous

Well-Known Member
hotrodharley said:
Have you fed her anything?
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Here's what I feed her at 1/2 gal of water

Superthrive: a few drops per half gallon. The directions say a drip per gallon, but that's for house plants.
Garrett Juice: 2 Tbsp. Equal parts compost tea or liquid humate, molasses, apple cider vinegar, liquid seaweed. It nourishes the plant as well as improve the soil and the beneficial microbes living in it.
Liquid Fish 5-1-1: 1/2 Tsp. Good 'ole stinky fish emulsion
Cal-Mag: 1/4 Tsp. Name says it all
Liquid Fish 2-4-1: 1/2 Tsp. More stinky fish emulsion

I'm going to up the 2-4-1 of course, to 1 Tsp. the directions say 2 Tbsp per gallon, Same as the 5-1-1. She has also been top dressed with Azomite.
 
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wiethe20

Well-Known Member
Wait so your feeding the fish emulsion (5-1-1) and liquid fish (dno what that is)(2-4-1) at the same time?
 
Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler

Well-Known Member
With such a short grow-time from a Autoflower, it's highly unlikely you are looking at a "root bound" or girdled root system. More likely a minor macro/micro nutrient issue as the plant looks generally healthy. Re-potting is only advised on long-term grows and even then, only during the vegetative stage not during flower to help prevent undue stress.
Also not sure why you are doubling up on the fish emulsion. If they are given the same rate/amount as you stated, it is essentially a 7-5-2. Not there is anything wrong with the ratio as Autoflowers tend to be heavier feeders due to their short lifespan. Just puzzled as to why you would give both.
 
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wiethe20

Well-Known Member
Carl Spackler said:
With such a short grow-time from a Autoflower, it's highly unlikely you are looking at a "root bound" or girdled root system. More likely a minor macro/micro nutrient issue as the plant looks generally healthy. Re-potting is only advised on long-term grows and even then, only during the vegetative stage not during flower to help prevent undue stress.
Also not sure why you are doubling up on the fish emulsion. If they are given the same rate/amount as you stated, it is essentially a 7-5-2. Not there is anything wrong with the ratio as Autoflowers tend to be heavier feeders due to their short lifespan. Just puzzled as to why you would give both.
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I've always heard auto's are the opposite and finicky with food? But yea I am just a puzzled as you on the double fish ?
 
Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler

Well-Known Member
wiethe20 said:
I've always heard auto's are the opposite and finicky with food? But yea I am just a puzzled as you on the double fish ?
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I suppose I should have said that Auto's are heavy feeders relative to their size. Since conventional plants require a slow, steady supply of nutrients through their life cycle beginning with tiny amounts in the early vegetative stage, it's been my experience that Auto's need slightly more and, earlier. The Ruderalis genetics of Auto's are likely the source for this tendency as they are trying to reproduce/flower in roughly 1/3 the time of conventional cannabis . My first Auto Grow about 6 years ago was sub-par as I kept the same feeding schedule and amounts as other grows. Then again, your mileage may vary.
 
DankTankerous

DankTankerous

Well-Known Member
Carl Spackler said:
I suppose I should have said that Auto's are heavy feeders relative to their size. Since conventional plants require a slow, steady supply of nutrients through their life cycle beginning with tiny amounts in the early vegetative stage, it's been my experience that Auto's need slightly more and, earlier. The Ruderalis genetics of Auto's are likely the source for this tendency as they are trying to reproduce/flower in roughly 1/3 the time of conventional cannabis . My first Auto Grow about 6 years ago was sub-par as I kept the same feeding schedule and amounts as other grows. Then again, your mileage may vary.
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No she can take all the feeding. I've burned her once so far, and it was a minor burn. I've been using nutes since week 2. She has atleast 4 more weeks, maybe more.

Thanks for the knowledge dude
 
Gabarram

Gabarram

Member
I just found your question here because I was looking for the advice already given in cases like the one described. I have four autoflowering plants growing in coco/perlite, they're on their 3rd week of flowering, and I've noticed that even though there's yet no sign of deficiencies suggesting they are root bound (the plants still look healthy) but the roots can be seen on the coco surface (when water splaehes at watering them, though I do it gently, it removes some of the coco at the surface aqnd thus the roots can be seen as a tangled mas on the surface). Also there are roots sneaking thru the drainage holes of the 11 liter plastic pots I've got them planted in. I suspected a problem after I obseved that the coco was drying too quickly and I needed to be constantly watering the substrate with about 1-1,5 L of fsolution per pot every one or two days (letting about 20% solution run-off each watering). During vegetative stage I used to feed them "heavily" once a week (following the Flower Power feeding schedule for soil) and every two days I watered with pH'd water only (ocassionaly I added Ca/Mg/Fe and Clean Drip to the water). Into theflowering stage I'm feeding them at 1/4 dose every watering time (every two days). I am worried for this issue to decrease further the poor yields I could have with autoflowering plants. Besides letting the plant finish their cycle, I calculate I have still three or four more weeks to go, do you have further advice or recommendations?
I have to say that in a first instance I don't think of transplanting at this stage for the few weeks more they have left. Best regards.
 

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DankTankerous

DankTankerous

Well-Known Member
Gabarram said:
I just found your question here because I was looking for the advice already given in cases like the one described. I have four autoflowering plants growing in coco/perlite, they're on their 3rd week of flowering, and I've noticed that even though there's yet no sign of deficiencies suggesting they are root bound (the plants still look healthy) but the roots can be seen on the coco surface (when water splaehes at watering them, though I do it gently, it removes some of the coco at the surface aqnd thus the roots can be seen as a tangled mas on the surface). Also there are roots sneaking thru the drainage holes of the 11 liter plastic pots I've got them planted in. I suspected a problem after I obseved that the coco was drying too quickly and I needed to be constantly watering the substrate with about 1-1,5 L of fsolution per pot every one or two days (letting about 20% solution run-off each watering). During vegetative stage I used to feed them "heavily" once a week (following the Flower Power feeding schedule for soil) and every two days I watered with pH'd water only (ocassionaly I added Ca/Mg/Fe and Clean Drip to the water). Into theflowering stage I'm feeding them at 1/4 dose every watering time (every two days). I am worried for this issue to decrease further the poor yields I could have with autoflowering plants. Besides letting the plant finish their cycle, I calculate I have still three or four more weeks to go, do you have further advice or recommendations?
I have to say that in a first instance I don't think of transplanting at this stage for the few weeks more they have left. Best regards.
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Hey Gabarram,

I don’t suggest you transplant on their 3rd week of flowering especially with an auto flower that more times than not are sensitive to anything stressful. I always was under the impression that you don’t transplant auto flowers. Put more coco on the top, or top dress it with worm castings. The exposed roots won’t shock your plants, and you’re 1/3rd of the way through flowering so the plant should be done growing roots and focusing on taking up nutrients. Which I hope you’re feeding flowering nutrients. Next time give each plant their own pot, for now you’ll have to deal what you have.
 
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