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The setup is basic, lowest barrier to entry type, ordered through the world's largest on-line retailer. From order to set-up it took about 2 weeks, excluding genetics which came from Growerschoice Seeds.
3 x 3 Tent, "600" W LED (Phlizon product pulls closer to 110 W), in-line 6" variable speed fan & carbon filter, 6" 2 speed fan, four (4) 5 gal fabric pots w/coco & perlite, General Hydroponics base FloraGrow nutes and Cal-Magic.
Feeding Schedule: 2 days aggressive nutes/1 day H2O. Ensuring run-off.
Realistically I should only have 3 plants, but 1 tough seed pulled through unexpectedly, so four it is. Future grows will see a second light daisy chained to the Phlizon and possibly a switch to straight hydro.
Week 0 - Germination
2.17: Started germination. 3 seeds with seed mat, jiffy pods, RO H2O. Seeds 3” above mat.
2.18: Overnight tap root development.
2.19 – 2.20: Seedlings in starter tray with humidity dome and mat on.
2.21: Lost 1 seedling due to operator error & 1 w/stem dmg.
2.22: Started germinating last two seeds T3 & 4..
2.23: Transferred T1 & 2 to fabric pots w/coco & perlite. RO H2O only.
Note: Mat too hot for anything under 3” raised over it. 😤
Week 1
2.24: Reversed tent airflow. Ambient temperature +5 F. Fed ½ qt seedling nutes to T1 & 2. Both 2” - 3” high.
2.25: Re-rooted T3 & 4. RH 50%+.
2.26: Nutes fed to T3. Need to re-pot T3 & 4.
2.27: T4 overcooked. T1 & 2 fed ½ qt seedling nutes.
2.28: Left alone.
3.1: T4 made it. Re-potted T3. T4 placed with T2. Seedling nutes for all. Dialing in ambient room temperatures with sunshine.
3.2: All show growth. Switched light to full spectrum.
3.3: 1 qt H2O/each. Installed 6” fan. Will need 2 more w/oscillating heads.
Week 2
3.4: 1 qt seedling nutes for T3 & 4. 1 qt veg nutes for T1 & 2.
3.5: 1 qt veg nutes for all.
3.6: 1 qt H2O for all. Feeding schedule harmonized for all.
3.7: T4 re-potted. 1 qt veg nutes.
3.8: Light AM H2O. Switched light back to Veg only. Might have stressed seedlings with using full spectrum light too early.
3.9: 1 AM qt veg nutes. Good looking leaf growth on Veg only.
3.10: Light AM veg nutes and lite AM H2O. T4 is lagging maybe. All show growth. 6” fan dialed in.
Week 3
3.11: I qt AM veg nutes. 73 F and 33% RH.
3.12: 1 qt AM H2O. Leaves slightly floppy this AM. Perhaps too aggressive on the watering/nutes? 73 F and 32% RH. No PM H2O.
3.13: 1 qt AM veg nutes. AM temp too low. Have to keep hallway thermostat at 69 F.
3.14: Temp better overnight @ 71 F. 1 qt AM H2O for T 1 – 3 and 1 pt for 4. Need to build saucers. No PM H2oO.
3.15: AM temp 71 F. Cut nute dose to 1 pt veg AM. Significant run off, approx 15% – 20%. Leaning towards lighter doses AM/PM. Ran tent in PM without in-line fan running to cool tent when @ 77 F. No PM nutes. Turned on full spectrum for remainder.
3.16: AM temp 71 F. It is 4 weeks since 1 & 2 germinated. Good looking w/overnight growth. Start of new feeding schedule: 2 day nutes/1 day H2O. Use aggressive veg growth schedule from nute bottle. AM nute: 3 pt/1 – 3, 1 pt/4. PM nute: 2.5 qt/all until run off occurred.
3.17: AM temp 70 F. Overslept 1.45 hrs. Need timer. 1 qt/pot approx AM H2O until 20% run-off. Flushed color from stronger nute mix. Ensure run-off on H2O days to prevent nutrient burn. Warmer temps allow use of only 6” fan. Will need air conditioner for grow #2. 1 qt/pot approx PM H2O until 20% run-off.
General observations regarding growing with coco & perlite are most welcome. Specific comments and suggestions on DIY pots & saucers and drainage set-ups & solutions would be awesome. As I have never used coco and perlite with GenHydro nutrients before, any advice is welcome!
I run a very similar set up to yourself. 20litre fabric pots on a drain to waste tray. If you dont have anywhere lower than the tent to run your drainage pipework too then I'd suggest you put all the bags in large trays and sit them on pan stands or similar. Easy/cheap DIY option meaning you can water them with run off. The water that collects in the trays can then just evaporate which will nicely lift the humidity too.
Week 4
3.18: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: .5 gal/all. PM nute: .5 gal/all.
3.19: AM temp 69 F. No AM nute. Sponged out basin with 1 plant looking a little droopy. An article I read suggested feeding less often with heavier soakings. PM nute: .5 gal/all. #4 has a very floppy stem. It is still younger and under developed. It may need a different schedule than the other 3.
3.20: FML, big temp drop, droopy leaves etc. AM temp 64 F. Reversed airflow, now steady 70 – 71 F. No AM H2O. PM H2O: Light, 1 pt approx/plant. Leaves appear droopy, can’t assess moisture easily.
3.21: AM temp 66F. Turned on duct fan, temp to 72 F and leaves perked up. Dry out day.
3.22:AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 2 qt/all. PM nute: 2 qt/all. PM droopy leaves again. Have decided that 1 gal/day is too heavy, cut back until root development catches up.
3.23: AM temp 72 F. Dry-out day #1. Perkier plants.
3.24: AM temp 71 F. All plants hardening up.Re-potted top left (#4). Coco still much too wet from initial potting, hence stunted growth. Mixed remaining dry with the pot. Gave light PM nute; 2 qt/all. Began daily plant rotation with ½ turn to correct leaning plants. Transition to ¼ turn/day as leans are corrected. Started LST on 1-3 with bending/tucking upper fan leaves to expose lower nodes.
Notes
1. Over watering is easy with coco. Less might be more.
2. Simple/cheap drainage solution: place sponges around fabric pots and squeeze periodically. Gathering 5 gal bucket lids to place under pots after perforating.
3. As previously whined, more light is needed (as is $ for light). I think pairing a 600W COB would be a significant improvement. Planned for grow #2.
3. All of the online blogs/posts mention veg/flower temp ranging between 68F – 78F during the day and slightly cooler at night. It seems that these plants respond best at the upper end of that range.
4. In early seedling stage, start nutrients. A lot of posts discourage this, but it seems that with the autos, an aggressive feeding schedule is best through early flower. I would have preferred more growth at this point (who doesn't).
5. Enough posts have convinced me to not top w/autos, but; I am going to top 1 plant to see the difference.
Week 5
3.25: AM temp 71 F. AM H2O: 1 qt/all. PM H2O: 1 qt/all. Repeated LST on #1 & 2, undergrowth is popping out. ¼ turn.
3.26: AM temp 71 F. AM nute: 1 qt/all. PM nute: 1 qt for 1-3. ¼ turn.
3.27: AM temp 72 F. No AM nute. ¼ turn. PM nute: 1+ pt/ 1-3. Tutorial on FIMing and fan leaf trimming. All plants cleaned up.
3.28: AM temp 69 F. No AM nute. PM nute 1+ pt/all. ¼ turn.
3.29: AM temp 69 F. AM H2O: 1+ qt/all, 4 lighter. No shock from pruning, strong growth in exposed areas. ¼ turn. Pulled out all 4 to get close look in natural light. Pruned top fans 1 & 2.
3.30: AM temp 68 F. AM nute: 1 qt/1-3; 1+ pt/4. ¼ turn. 1-3 were ready for a heavy soak.
3.31: AM temp 70 F. No AM nute: ¼ turn. Pistils?! Topped all 4.
Notes
1. Despite reading cautionary tales on the internet about pruning autos, so far the pruning looks good. (Thank you J.)
2. Pots a little too light @ 1 pt, trying 1 qt/feeding, except on 4.
3. Monster help from J. Thanks man!
4. Never topped an auto before ...
Week 6
4.1: AM temp 71 F. AM nute: 1 qt 1-3; 1+ pt 4. ¼ turn.
4.2: AM temp 70 F. AM H2O: 1 qt 1-3; 1+ pt 4. ¼ turn. PM H2O: 1 qt 1-3; 1+ pt 4. Definitely have pistils on 1, but not 3. Did topping trigger flower?
4.3: AM temp 69 F. AM H2O: 1 qt 1. PM nute: 1 qt/1-2; 1 pt/3-4. ¼ turn.
4.4: AM temp 67 F. AM H2O: 1 qt/all. ¼ turn. Over watered again. Also new vegetation got some wind burn. Fan off for a few days until things harden up.
4.5: AM temp 70 F. Dry out. ¼ turn.
4.6: AM temp 71 F. Dry out. ¼ turn.
4.7: AM temp 69 F. Dry out. ¼ turn. New vegetation is recovering. 4 is looking great.
Notes:
1. Week of pruning.
2. Some nute toxicity in 2. Heavy flush and dry out period.
3. Do. Not. Like. Hand. Watering. Very likely to switch back to a full hydro set up if I can't learn to back off the fluids. Over fed then the flush was almost Mississippi-like.
BIG NOTE: These plants are weeds and hardy, but; best be gradual when implementing changes & transitions. I went too hard by using an aggressive veg feeding mix and a heavy fluid dosage while also pruning to shape the bushes. I almost drowned them. The plants could not exhale fast enough to keep up with the root intake. Adding insult to injury, with many older leaves removed, the usual fan setting wind-burned the newly exposed growth. FML. Diagnosed and caught (I think) in time. The stress is as bad on me as on the guinea pigs. Switching from a full hydro setup to hand watering is another change that has had unanticipated challenges.
Week 7
4.8: AM temp 71 F. AM H2O 1 qt/2-4; 1.5 qt/1. ¼ turn. No PM watering.
4.9: AM temp 71 F. Dry out. ¼ turn.
4.10: AM temp 72 F. AM H2O ½ gal/1&2 with double Cal-Mag dose; dry out/3&4. ¼ turn. PM H2O 1 qt/all with normal CalMag dose.
4.11: AM temp 71 F. Dry out. ¼ turn. Prepped last batch of veg nutes for 3 & 4 and first batch of transition for 1 & 2. Not happy with 2 & 4. Reverted to normal airflow. Cooler temps at low end of temp band resulted.
4.12: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 pt/all respective batches. ¼ turn. PM nute: 1 pt/3 only. Major pruning with canopy pretty set. Warm weekend will aid in evaporation with many fan leaves gone.
4.13: AM temp 71 F. AM nute: 1 pt/all respective batches. ¼ turn. No PM nute.
4.14: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 qt/all respective batches. ¼ turn. Switch to H2O next feeding. Topped 4 and FIMed 3.
Note: 1 gal of each nute batch lasted 3 days/pair
Week 8
4.15: AM temp 69 F. AM H2O: 1 qt/1&2. ¼ turn. PM H2O: 1 qt/1, 3 & 4. Final heavy pruning on 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 have responded immediately to topping and FIMing.
4.16: AM temp 70 F. Dry out. ¼ turn.
4.17: AM temp 69 F. AM nute: 1 qt/all respective batches. ¼ turn. PM nute: 1 qt/all respective batches. Took both center stalk fan leaves on 3 & 4 to expose new growth from topping/FIMing. Run riot girls.
4.18: AM temp 69 F. Dry out. ¼ turn.
4.19: AM temp 71 F. Dry out. ¼ turn.
4.20: AM temp 70 F. Dry out. ¼ turn. Switch to bloom nutes. Begin “X” pattern rotation to expose all plants to windy left side of tent.
4.21: AM temp 71 F. AM nute: 1 qt/1 & 4 of bloom nutes. Swapped out 600W Phlizon LED for 1000W Roleadro GalaxyHydro LED borrowed from a friend to finish the grow.
I am having a hard time getting a sense of the autoflower "timeline". Many breeders have these "seed to harvest" claims, such as 55 - 85 days seed to harvest etc. My grow is entering week 9, and the flowering stage is just getting started. Are these claims even worth noting?
As far as the Groowers choice seeds go, I was also confused when my Tangerine didnt finish in 65 days from seeds. That was my mis-reading what Growers choice was saying about its timeline. The time they give 55-65 days flowering is as the time from when it STARTS flowering and doesnt include vegitative growth stage, which has been averaging 4-5 weeks for me. So 95 days is the projected time line. My Tangerine went 101 days from seed. Its probably could have gone another week even. After doing some research Ive concluded that 12 weeks is a good target for auto's, but if it takes longer its probably because you have a good healthy plant.
4.22: AM temp 70 F. PM H2O: 1 qt/1 & 4. ¼ turn. New LED runs +2 degrees over the old.
4.23: AM temp 71 F. AM H2O: 1 qt/2&3. ¼ turn. PM nute: 1 qt/1 & 4. Ran cool today. New bloom mix is +1 tsp FloraGrow. Next batch go to normal dose.
4.24: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 pt/2 & 3. ¼ turn. PM nute: 1 qt/ 1 & 4.
4.25: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 qt/2 & 3. ¼ turn. Foliar sprayed all 4.
4.26: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 qt/1 & 2. ¼ turn. Foliar sprayed all 4.
4.27: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 qt/2 & 3. ¼ turn. Foliar sprayed all 4. Added 600W light back in.
4.28: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 qt/1, light refresh others. ¼ turn. Foliar sprayed all 4.
Week 10 - Flowering & Gradual Defoliation
4.29: AM temp 69 F. AM nute heavy qt/all. Am finally recognizing the structure of the colas started back in week 5.
4.30: AM temp 70 F. AM nute by weight now/pot. Finally have a feel for weight after feeds. Foliar sprayed.
5.1: AM temp 69 F. No AM nute. PM H2O flush. Foliar sprayed.
5.2: AM temp 69 F. Dry out.
5.3: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1.25 gal shared out. Foliar sprayed.
5.4: AM temp 72 F. AM nute: light feed/all. Foliar sprayed. Added 1 hr light; 19/5.
5.5: AM temp 69 F. AM nute: 1.5 gal/shared. Foliar sprayed. Major haircut.
Week 11 – Flowering
5.6: AM temp 71 F. Dry out. Foliar sprayed.
5.7: AM temp 71 F. AM H2O: 1 gal/shared. Foliar sprayed.
5.8: AM temp 71 F. PM nute: 1.75 gal/shared. Foliar sprayed.
5.9: AM temp 69 F. Dry out. Foliar sprayed. PM nute: 1 qt/1, 2, 4. 3 is just F’d.
5.10: AM temp 71 F. Foliar sprayed. PM nute: until heavy/all.
5.11: AM temp 71 F. Foliar sprayed. Cleaned tent. Dry out.
5.12: AM temp 70 F. AM nute: 1 qt/1, 2, 4. Trimmed fans on 3 heavily again; she’s still veggin’. Took suckers off 2. 1 has set up in full flower, leaf production has slowed visibly. 2 & 4 are in early bloom and need trimming still.
Week 12 – Flowering
5.13: AM temp 70 F. PM nute: 1 qt/2 - 4; PM H2O: 1 qt/1. Foliar sprayed.
5.14: AM temp 70 F. AM H2O: 1 qt/all. PM H2O: 1 qt/all. Foliar sprayed.
5.15: AM temp 72 F. PM nute: 1+ qt/all. Foliar sprayed. Trimmed back 3 & 4, realizing that with both, I had FIMMed and topped too late in veg growth. Buds on older branches are 10 days more developed. 4 was the seedling that almost wasn't to start, so here’s to a late, late harvest.
5.16: AM temp 72 F. PM nute: 1+ qt/all. Foliar sprayed. The three ladies are starting to look GOOD.
5.17: AM temp 70 F. Heatwave day. PM nute: 1+ qt/all. Foliar sprayed. 4 is transitioning to flower.
5.18: AM temp 69 F. PM H2O: 1+ qt/all. Foliar sprayed.
5.19: AM temp 69 F.
Week 13 – Flowering
5.20: AM temp 70 F. PM nute: 1 qt/all. Weathered heat well. 1 & 2 have put on growth spurts on main colas. Lights up 2”.
5.21: AM temp 68 F. PM H2O: 1 qt/all.
5.22: AM temp 70 F. PM H2O: 1 qt/all. Foliar sprayed.
5.23: AM temp 68 F. PM nute: 1+ qt/all. Foliar sprayed.
5.24: AM temp 68 F. PM nute: 1+ qt/all.
5.25: AM temp 69 F. PM nute: 1 qt/1, 3, 4.
5.26: AM temp 68 F. AM nute: ½ gal shared out. Foliar sprayed. All ladies are well saturated finally. Sugary sugar leaves!
I am using Liquid KoolBloom as a foliar spray. Liking what I am seeing, but being new to foliar spraying I want to hear what you use and how often. Thanks! 😎
Brave man ! I also made foliar sprays that I used well into flower, but never this late into flower, and I would stop spraying two weeks before harvest at the very least - just in case ! I used kelp and cal mag as a spray as well as co2 and sprayed beneficials like B.S. and Trychodermas too, also sprayed mag sulfur... Anyway, hope this helps ! 🚀
Week 14 – Flowering
5.27: AM temp 69 F. PM diluted nute: 1+ qt/all.
5.28: AM temp 68 F. PM H2O: 1+ qt/all. Ladies almost too big for the tent. 3 is exploding, 1 riser removed.
5.29: AM temp 68 F. PM nute: 1+ qt/all. 3 is now ridiculous. No room in the tent.
5.30: AM temp 70 F. PM H2O: 1+ qt/all. Pruned 3 to expose colas. 12!
5.31: AM temp 69 F. PM nute: 1 qt/all. Cleaned fan leaves on the rest, trichomes starting to cloud up on 4, pistil coloration accelerating on all except 3.
6.1: AM temp 68 F. AM nute: <1 qt/all. Took 1 3rd tier bud site from 1. Trichomes sparkly clear on 1, behind 4.
6.2: AM temp 71 F. Dry out day.
Week 15 – Flowering/Ripening
6.3: AM temp 69 F. PM diluted nute: <1 - 2 qt/all. Expect similar with hotter days coming.
6.4: AM temp 71 F. PM diluted nute: <1 qt/all.
6.5: AM temp 69 F. PM H2O: <1 qt/all.
6.6: AM temp 69 F. PM H2O: 1> qt/all.
6.7: AM temp 68 F. PM diluted nutes: 1 qt/all.
6.8: AM temp 70 F. AM diluted nutes: 1 qt/all.
6.9: AM temp
Week 16 – Flowering/Ripening
6.10: AM temp 76 F. AM H2O: 1 qt/all. PM H2O: <1 qt/all.
6.11: AM temp 71 F. AM nutes: <1 qt/all.
6.12: AM temp 72 F. PM H2O: <1 qt/all. There is serious bud weight developing over the past 4 – 5 days. Trichomes are all some degree of cloudy on 1. She will go first I think.
6.13: AM temp 70 F. Dry out day.
6.14: AM temp 70 F. PM nutes: <1 qt/all.
6.15: AM temp 68 F. AM nute: 1 qt/2-4. Dry out 1. First amber trichomes showing on 1. Taking her off nutes; replacing w/unsulphured molasses H2O. Her colas are all sugar white with orange highlights. 2 & 4 right behind. 3 is stacking quickly.
6.16: AM temp 71 F. AM sugar H2O: <1 qt/1, 2 & 4. Dry out for 3. Beginning H2O flushing with 1. I will take her in a week or so. 2 & 4 are right behind so I am giving them a longer flush time before harvest, about 10 days.
Any hints on finishing off plants in the final stages of blooming/ripening to ensure max deliciousness? Bud fattening, terpene and flavor strengthening etc. Thanks! 😎
Hey there ! Great question : basically trichomes take an average of two weeks to make THC, so there's very little you can do it increase potency in the final days. What you can do is encourage the production of terpenes , that's that flavour as you know ! so to do that what you can do is decrease the light in the last few days (like three days or so) before the chop. because the terpenes are volitile, even light damages them. Careful too giving a too long dark period before the chop, anything more than 24hrs and it will mess with the trychomes! Other things you do are start watering with some mollasses diluted in water (for a sweet, aniseed flavour) or flush with a chelation agent like humic or amino acids for the last week of flush. beyond that it's just boulderdask more or less. In otherwords more terpenes more flavor, so anything you can do to reduce their deterioration or increase their production is what you're looking for. Hope this helps ! 🚀
Week 17 – Flowering/Ripening/Flushing
6.17: AM temp 70 F. AM H2O: <1 qt/1, 2 & 4. PM nute: <1 qt/3.
8.18: AM temp 72 F. AM H2O: <1 qt/1, 2 & 4. Dry out 3.
6.19: AM temp 73 F. PM H2O: <1 qt/all.
6.20: AM temp 73 F. PM H2O: <1 qt/1, 2 & 4. PM nute: <1 qt/3.
6.21: AM temp 70 F. PM H2O: topped off all.
6.22: AM temp 71 F. PM H2O: topped off 1, 2 & 4. PM nute: <1 qt/3.
6.23: AM temp 70 F. PM H2O: topped off 1, 2 & 4. PM nute: <1 qt/3.
*Apologies for the pics. The IPhone died, so the Kindle has taken over. Not as good.
This is officially the world's longest Tangerine Dream Auto grow. I am pretty sure that the trichomes on these ladies will never completely turn milky. I've read on a few different site's posts and threads that it is not uncommon for Auto trichomes to not finish by the time the pistils are all curled and darkened up. #3's flowering stretch has been beastly; 13 inches in 2 weeks. Where she was FIM'ed, the colas have tripled in diameter. What an exciting finisher for this grow! With 1, 2 & 4 I will finish flushing and go to dark and ice water in the next few days, depending on the reluctant trichomes.
dweemyss
