Karen - King's Kush Auto [G2]

Transplanted to 40l container on week 4 day 1. Container has approx 30l in it. Also added a photo of the setup for size reference. Let me explain my thinking behind the repotting strategy. Firstly I should say that I am quite an old school kind of grower, although I've never grown cannabis before I have grown hundreds of other plants. Due to my experience with other plants, I understand the value of well planned and executed transplants, they can have an absolutely transformative effect upon root systems when done properly, as far as I know it's the main reason why they are done at all. It is fair to say I have never grown any auto-flowering plant indoors before, and I have read all about how you should not transplant autos, and all the good reasons why not. Ultimately though, as I am not called UnorthadoxDude for nothing, I believe that I can make it work with an auto, and get the benefit of improved root growth pattern, without delaying or interrupting the growth. I want to have my cake and eat it, as it were. So the strategy is to avoid transplant shock, which admittedly I have already failed in the first unplanned transplant, but in my hopeful naivety I still believe I can make the second one work! I'm using coco, and I have had the larger pot prepared and have been watering and feeding them as well as the plant. If I am careful not to disturb the plant at all, and move the entire contents of the pot gently into the larger pot (which is exactly the same medium in broadly the same state), then I may be able to avoid shocking the plant and just let it crack on. We will find out in a few days! If it stops growing or slows at all then I failed, otherwise it worked! A note about my use of organic nutes with coco. I have read a lot about coco and nutes and microbes and PH and TDS and what have you, and I know that the overwhelming majority of people believe that you can't or at least shouldn't use organic nutes with coco. The thing is, I like organic gardening, I prefer to cultivate a beneficial microbiota and keep it healthy. I recycle, and reuse all my compost except where a plant is diseased and this has worked well for me for a long time. I've never grown with coco before though, I always used soil. I wanted to gain the benefits of coco (better drainage, more air to roots, lighter, less inviting to pests, etc) - but I wanted to use a method of nutrition that I was already familiar with. I think I've mentioned that I am not called UnorthadoxDude for nothing, so I am using BioBizz and coco. By adding bacterial, mycorrhizal, and trichoderma inoculants and having the unplanted coco in the tent being fed and watered I hope to have cultivated a nice microbiota which will feed my plant. That's the theory. However just in case, I have a trick up my sleeve. Now, I do not know if you are aware of this, but there is a fiery debate raging on the internet about using BioBizz organic nutes with coco for cannabis. Some people try it, most people shout it down, and I have not found much in the way of solid evidence of it being a good idea. Except one! I found a commercial grower that has used biobizz nutes, and he said that as long as you are using "Acti-Vera" you can use anything from the BioBizz organic range. Apparently the enzymes in the mix break down nutes chemically in a similar way to what the theoretically missing microbes do. So I have ordered a bottle of that, and if my microbial cultivation attempts don't work out, I at least know I have a fallback that should work. Those are my thoughts on it, let's see how it pans out. Oh I should also probably point out that I am growing some companion plants, specifically alfalfa (nitrogen fixing), basil (improved flavour), and German Chamomile (increased essential oil production). Update week 4 day 2 dropped PH to 5.8 after advice from a grow question. Look! It's carried on growing... maybe there was no transplant shock? Update week 4 day 3: Growth continues, interveinal chlorosis lessening. Plant is pushing out node five at the moment. Update week 4 day 4: Growth continues, interveinal chlorosis further lessening. Apologies for the poor quality photos for the last few days, I was lazy and didn't want to move everything out to photograph. Today I have done that and the pic is better. I am declaring the second transplant a complete success. I do not believe that plant was in any way shocked. Update week 4 say 5: I think I've finally managed to overwater. Going to skip watering today. Update week 4 day 6: Photo taken just before lights on hence wilting. Growth continues to accelerate. I believe the alfalfa has been raising the PH so I've removed it. Today I will flush through with PH lowered water and then fertigate. The colour is still too pale but the growth and overall look and feel of the plant screams to me that it's happy and about to explode. Day 27.5 flushed with 30l of PH lowered water then fertigated with 5l. Day 28: Height 12cm Width: 28cm Nodes: 6 Weekly growth data: From 5cm Height to 12cm +140% From 12cm Width to 28cm +133% From 4 primary nodes to 6 +50% Summary: Wow, wow. Wow. What else can I say. What a crazy week, amazing and unexpected given the problems. I am really excited to see what happens over the next seven days!! It looks like it has quite severe chlorosis, but otherwise seems robust and is seriously stretching. Almost unbelievable growth. Pre-flowers appeared a few days ago, so I guess this was the final week of veg. Let's see how the first week of flowering stretch goes! Update 7/2/23: My instincts about this plant on week 4 day 6 were absolutely correct, she was happy and, she was about to explode. Since my early attempts at transplanting, I practiced multiple times with Citronella (a photoperiod plant) and then I did it again with an auto (Polly) - this one went flawlessly and further demonstrates that you can transplant an auto without shocking it. Time will tell, because I can compare Polly to both Misty and Nesia both of whom were sown directly in their final pots.