Pot size and light cycle

TheRipperstarted grow question 3mo ago

Never grown an autoflower. What size pot is the best? What light cycle is optimal?

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Setup. Strain - Autoflowering

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wolfvbanswered grow question 3mo ago

Salam TheRipper! 👋 Welcome to the fast lane of growing autos, Habibi! 🏎️ To answer your questions straight to the point: 1. The Engine Block (Pot Size): As @00110001001001111O mentioned, a 3-gallon (11-12L) pot is the absolute sweet spot for autoflowers. Because autos run on a strict genetic timer (they usually start flowering around day 25-30 no matter what), their roots don't have enough time to fill out anything larger. If you put an auto in a massive 5 or 7-gallon pot, the excess soil stays permanently wet, suffocating the roots and stunting the plant! 2. The Solar Cycle (Light Schedule): ☀️ For autoflowers, the optimal schedule to maximize photosynthesis without burning out your equipment is 18/6 (18 hours ON, 6 hours OFF). Some growers run them 20/4 or even 24/0, but biologically, roots actually expand and do a lot of their heavy metabolic lifting during that dark period. Giving them 6 hours of rest prevents light stress, saves you electricity, and perfectly mimics a peak summer day! Get some 3-gallon fabric pots, set your timer to 18/6, and watch them rip! 🚀 Happy Growing! 💚

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ohcibianswered grow question 3mo ago

You don’t Need giant pots since you can’t really train autos. The light cycle depends on what they can take. I had mine run on 20/4 until harvest. I was on 24/0 for a week but then they showed light stress. I started at normal 18/6 and increased once flower started by one or two hours a week. Just observe them plants.

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HinduGodanswered grow question 3mo ago

DAT ALL DEPENDS ON DA GENETICS!!!! SOME ARE VERY VIGOROUS AND CAN PRODUCE A LARGE ROOT SYSTEM!!!! DAT CULTIVAR YOU ARE GROWING IS KNOWN FOR A DENSE BUSHY STRUCTURE!!! IT IS ALSO A HEAVY FEEDER IN DA FLOWER STAGE!!!! IT SHOULD PRODUCE HEAVY DENSE BUDS!!! I WOULD SUGGEST A 15L/4GAL POT FOR DAT CULTIVAR!!! DA LIGHT CYCLE 18/6 IS WHAT I FIND WORKS BEST FOR ME!!! OTHERS SAY 20/4 WORKS BEST FOR THEM!!!!!

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HandsomeTerpzanswered grow question 3mo ago

For pot size, I personally recommend going with around 8–12 liters. That’s a really good balance for autos. It gives the roots enough space to develop properly without wasting too much medium. Autos don’t like being transplanted, so it’s best to plant them directly into their final pot. For the light cycle, 18/6 is a great choice. It gives the plant plenty of energy while still allowing a short rest period. Some people run 20/4 or even 24/0, but 18/6 is a very safe and proven setup that works well in most cases. So overall 8–12L pots and an 18/6 light cycle is a solid and reliable way to run autos. Hope I can help 👊

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MrMaabraanswered grow question 3mo ago

Hey buddy, I’d like to add to wolfvb's answer. There’s a good reason to use larger pots for autoflowers too. If you’re working with living soil as your medium, you’ll need at least a 15-liter pot, though a 30-liter one is even better. For the living soil to independently produce all the nutrients throughout the entire run, the microorganisms need enough volume for the system to sustain itself. I grow autoflowers in living soil myself using 15- and 30-liter pots, and the results in the 30-liter one were sensational. Therefore, I’d definitely take the type of medium into account. Either way – have fun and good luck with your grow!👍

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SundancerSanswered grow question 3mo ago

18 liter + and 20/4 light

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tsf_homegrowanswered grow question 3mo ago

Hey, In my last automatic grow, I used 20L pots and ran an 18/6 cycle continuously. If your electricity costs are low, you could go up to 20 hours if you like. In my opinion, things happen at night too, and the plant also needs to rest, even if only briefly. That's why I would advise against 24 hours. Regarding pot size, it depends on how much space you have. Generally, a slightly larger pot is better; 15-30 liters is probably a good size for a 2-meter tent height. And even though it's said you shouldn't repot them, last time I started them in fairly deep 0.7-liter pots and then transplanted them into 20-liter pots. I still find it difficult to accurately estimate the water requirements of small plants in large pots.💛✌️ happy growing

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Organomananswered grow question 3mo ago

18/6. Never grow at 24/0.............all cannabis plants need "sleep"! 15-20 litres is about right.

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Nocone_Purpleanswered grow question 3mo ago

For autoflowers, most growers get the best results with 11–15L (3–5 gallon) pots, because autos don’t like transplanting and need enough space for the roots from the start. As for lighting, many people run 18/6 or 20/4, but 24/0 can also work well if your environment and light intensity are properly managed.

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squalinoanswered grow question 3mo ago

salut. on dit que l'idéal c'est un pot d'environ 20 litres mais même avec des 11 litres tu peux avoir de très beau résultat. après depend la place que tu as dans la tente. bon week-end

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00110001001001111Oanswered grow question 3mo ago

3gal is usually fine. in a soilless medium you could get away with less, but unless you have a large number of plants, probably worth it to stick to 3gal with soiless, too. 'trade gallons' - in case of different standards

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