Should I repot my autoflowers into bigger pots?

Gentlemencorpse

Well-Known Member
Thankyou for the chart, this is telling me I definitely need a digital pH pen to get it exactly right at 5.8.
Just don't buy one the ubiquitous $15 Ebay/Amazon pH meters; they're wildly inaccurate.
Either get a reliable pH meter or simply use pH drops which are both consistent and accurate.
I agree with this 100%. If you cant spring for a good meter like a Bluelabs or similar, your better off with drops or litmus strips. Its fine if your not dead on 5.8, you have some tolerance there.
 

Gentlemencorpse

Well-Known Member
So the first time I used a mixture of Coco, perlite and organic soil because I read that's what was best for autoflowers
Theres really no "best for autoflowers", its whatever method works for you. Ive done DWC, coco, super soil, soil with salts, ammended peat ... they all work. But they do all require slightly different methods of feeding and watering.

Based off what youve said it definitely sounds like youve been underfeeding. Up your nutes, get your pH right and you should be good to go.
 

skinnys

Member
Thankyou for the chart, this is telling me I definitely need a digital pH pen to get it exactly right at 5.8.
"The Professor" recommends 5.5-6.4. Your nitrogen seems low so I would go higher rather than lower, if you want a darker green color on your leaves. Assuming your EC is somewhat normal.
 
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deepshizzol

Active Member
Also, not for nothing, new growers often worry about doing things the "best" way possible right off the bat, but honestly, I believe its better to just get a successful grow under your belt. Dont over complicate things in the pursuit of perfection right away, keep it simple and get some bud in some jars and build on that solid foundation.

Autos are actually kind of a pain for new growers because you have no leeway to correct mistakes. For example, with photos if you burn your plants in veg you just veg longer so they have time to recover. Thats not an option with autos. Right now your plants look healthy and happy so just keep doing what your doing.
Great advice... Thank you x
 

BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
Theres really no "best for autoflowers", its whatever method works for you. Ive done DWC, coco, super soil, soil with salts, ammended peat ... they all work. But they do all require slightly different methods of feeding and watering.

Based off what youve said it definitely sounds like youve been underfeeding. Up your nutes, get your pH right and you should be good to go.
I have upped the nutes I am giving them and I've also added bio diesel marine calmag just incase it's a magnesium deficiency. I think I got the wrong advice at first about giving autoflowers half the recommended dose. It also occurred to me that it could possibly be light stress? I've taken the light up to the recommended height by the manufacturer just incase. Hopefully all goes well from now. Thanks very much for your advice:)
 

BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
"The Professor" recommends 5.5-6.4. Your nitrogen seems low so I would go higher rather than lower, if you want a darker green color on your leaves. Assuming your EC is somewhat normal.
Thanks. I have been keeping all the nutes going in at 6 or at least very close to as I'm using the drops pH tester. I have read about EC, how do I check that? Do I need a special meter?
 

BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
This is how they are looking now. Could it possibly be light stress or definitely a deficiency? I've treated for both just incase and I have been watering with nutes everyday with the calmag also at pH 6. The bigger one with less yellowing is 4 and a half weeks and the one with more yellowing is 3 weeks. Thanks to everyone for your input I appreciate you all ❤
 

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skinnys

Member
Thanks. I have been keeping all the nutes going in at 6 or at least very close to as I'm using the drops pH tester. I have read about EC, how do I check that? Do I need a special meter?
Buy a TDS-meter, they're very cheap and functional. If you're growing in coco you deffinitely need one.
They look hungry to me, maybe your feed is a bit weak. Only way to know is with a TDS/EC-meter.
 
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BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
Buy a TDS-meter, they're very cheap and functional. If you're growing in coco you deffinitely need one.
They look hungry to me, maybe your feed is a bit weak. Only way to know is with a TDS/EC-meter.
Okay I will do that as soon as I can. If you get a chance take a look at the pictures I took just before of them that I posted and see what you think. Thanks again, much appreciated ☺
 

skinnys

Member
Okay I will do that as soon as I can. If you get a chance take a look at the pictures I took just before of them that I posted and see what you think. Thanks again, much appreciated ☺
Like I said in the last post they look underfed.
As soon as you get an EC-meter you can post the measurement here and we'll be glad to help you.
They otherwise look good, just more feed and I think they will take on a greener color.

How much of the Professor's are you giving atm?
 

Gentlemencorpse

Well-Known Member
I have upped the nutes I am giving them and I've also added bio diesel marine calmag just incase it's a magnesium deficiency. I think I got the wrong advice at first about giving autoflowers half the recommended dose. It also occurred to me that it could possibly be light stress? I've taken the light up to the recommended height by the manufacturer just incase. Hopefully all goes well from now. Thanks very much for your advice:)
Doesnt look like light stress to me and based off the info provided they were definitely underfed. It will take a little bit to see the results of upping the nutrients to be patient and dont make too many changes at once. That makes it harder to dial in. Change one thing and wait a few days to see the results.

And like Budzbuddha said, autos dont really need special treatment. All the half nutes advice and stuff is nonsense. Nutrient uptake is more individual strain dependent and even phenotype dependent than decided by whether its an auto or not. You'll get a better handle on it with more experience.
 

AScrilla

Member
Hi all, I'm growing two White Widow Autoflowers in a 60x60x140cm grow tent with a mars hydro ts600 led light. My girls are currently in 3.8 litre (1 gallon) grow bags in Coco & perlite mix. This is my second attempt, my first attempt was embarrassingly bad. I had real trouble with my first attempt because I planted the germinated seedlings straight into the final pot which was way too big for them so they were stunted terribly plus the soil wasn't right so this time I put the germinated seedlings into a small peat pot then into the 3.8 litre grow bags but now I'm worried the pot is too small as they are growing much quicker now. One of my girls is about 9 days older than the other and her leaves are twisting up against the pot, she's exactly 4 weeks old and the other is about 2 and a half weeks old. I dont think I planted them high enough in the pot unfortunately so now I am unsure whether I should put them into the 18 litre (5 gallon) grow bags that I have or get slightly smaller ones like 11 litre (3 gallon) to put them in as their final pot or should they stay in the pots they are in. I have read that transplanting autos isnt possible without stressing them right out and I've also read that it can be done if done correctly. I am very new to autoflowers and also new to growing indoors, I live in Melbourne so growing outside really isn't an option unless we get a perfect summer which we haven't had for a while now. If anyone can help with any kind of advice that would be great, thanks very much :)
Hey, get at least a 3 gallon pot for your autos. You can transplant them, but I switched recently to the starter pots that dissolve. As such I start them and plant the entire starter pot into a 5 gallon. I used to grow indoors, but now strictly outdoors (due to the Mrs. complaining). Weed is weed. Seriously. Autos are on a short lifespan, so a mishap can result in much lower yields. But genetics play a big part in yields and resiliency. That being said, your plant will grow as much as you feed it, regardless of pot size - check out a solo cup challenge. As such, whatever pot you choose, water and feed the plant appropriately for its size, and you will be fine.
 

BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
Like I said in the last post they look underfed.
As soon as you get an EC-meter you can post the measurement here and we'll be glad to help you.
They otherwise look good, just more feed and I think they will take on a greener color.

How much of the Professor's are you giving atm?
Thanks heaps. I have started giving them full strength plus calmag just incase of deficiency and feeding everyday with about 10% runoff. No improvements infact the smaller one is getting worse. It occured to me that it could be overwatering and I know the Coco did look dry but I noticed watering them literally just then that some roots had grown out of the stem just above the soil level and the leaves were sending the water straight to the serated edges of all the leaves as soon as I watered and the leaves instantly started to droop. Could it be overwatered Coco in mesh pots? The pots were already quite heavy too even though the top soil didn't seem super wet. I have no idea what's going on now lol. I'm getting the ec meter in a week, wish I had enough to get it now but will do my best till I get one. Thanks again, very much appreciated
 

BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
Hey, get at least a 3 gallon pot for your autos. You can transplant them, but I switched recently to the starter pots that dissolve. As such I start them and plant the entire starter pot into a 5 gallon. I used to grow indoors, but now strictly outdoors (due to the Mrs. complaining). Weed is weed. Seriously. Autos are on a short lifespan, so a mishap can result in much lower yields. But genetics play a big part in yields and resiliency. That being said, your plant will grow as much as you feed it, regardless of pot size - check out a solo cup challenge. As such, whatever pot you choose, water and feed the plant appropriately for its size, and you will be fine.
Yeah that's what I did the first grow with the starter pots, I failed miserably in the end though. Think I will do the starter pots next grow. I did decide to go up in pot size but that was because my main fan leaves just kept growing more and more into the side of the pot so it wasn't getting much light. I feel like if I planted it higher in the pot it may not have happened as quick but think 1.8 litre was way too small anyway. They are now in 5 gallon because I didn't have any 3 gallon at the time. They have grown much more with the bigger pot. Still have yellowing but will figure it out eventually fingers crossed. Thanks heaps :)
 

BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
Doesnt look like light stress to me and based off the info provided they were definitely underfed. It will take a little bit to see the results of upping the nutrients to be patient and dont make too many changes at once. That makes it harder to dial in. Change one thing and wait a few days to see the results.

And like Budzbuddha said, autos dont really need special treatment. All the half nutes advice and stuff is nonsense. Nutrient uptake is more individual strain dependent and even phenotype dependent than decided by whether its an auto or not. You'll get a better handle on it with more experience.
Your right it's not light stress I'm sure of it now. It got in my head that it could be light stress so I freaked thinking that's what I was missing but it's not. Like I said to Skinnys could I possibly be overwatering even though the Coco did look dry at the time. I have been watering everyday with full nutrients plus calmag with about 10% runoff to make sure all the salts and stuff are being washed out since you guys first said it looked dry. Keeping in mind they are getting worse. I just watered them then and noticed that the roots have grown out from the stem on-top of the Coco and the plant straight away sent the water up it's stem and to the edges of the leaves creating little droplets on every little edge of every leaf and also the plants almost instantly started dropping again. Could the yellowing be due to over watering? The Coco hasn't felt dry at any point when I've watered and the pot stays really heavy which means it's still full of water. Could it be over watered Coco?
 

BibbyMcBuds

Active Member
It even looks dry in these pics but the Coco is mega wet. Check out the drooping and worsening of the yellow, how is this still worsening when I've been giving exact recommended dose of nutes everyday plus calmag . The drooping got much worse as soon as I finished watering and even the yellow bits got more yellow. The water droplets going to all the tips actually is pretty cool looking but I feel like it's because the plant is water clogged possibly?
 

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