Questions for my first Outdoor Auto Adventure.

[Kalyx]

Kalyx's First Outdoor Auto Adventure and I have Questions

Hi all,

I have been growing awhile but have always been an indoor photoperiod grower. I have the experience of growing 2 Auto strains both indoors and one by mistake.

This will be my first true experience running autos and is my first experience running outdoors. Im going with autos mainly cause they will stay small and finish quick. I would like to get 2 cycles maybe 3 if able through the season. The plan is to run from 4-6 plants for each cycle.

I live in the burbs and with neighbors and light poison everywhere normal photos probably wont work, will get too big and take longer than I want.

The plants will be in pots so I can move them around, using a soil, coco, perlite mix. Plants will be out of sight from neighbors, it will be a legal grow and my neighbors are aware and fine with my plans. In fact both have larger indoor grows and could careless lol.

They will be started indoors and I was planning to use 5gal pots for flowering.

The questions I have and would love some suggestions or insight from those with experience growing autos outdoors even indoors. With my previous indoor autos flowering seemed to start within 2-3 weeks from sprouting.

Transplanting and any sort of topping seems out of the question to avoid causing stress if flower starts that soon. Now I have heard of some varieties vegging longer before starting to flower and Im hoping for that with the girls I start.

Starting germinated seeds in 5gal pots that they will finish their cycle in sounds like a really bad idea in my opinion. Transplanting autos also sounds like a bad idea.

My question is what recommendations would those with experience say to start the seedlings in and how to go about up potting?

The best idea I have had so far would be starting in Jiffy Pots or something similar. Sounds easy enough once the plant grows some just plant the jiffy pot in a bigger container and no need to stress by transplanting. I just have no idea if jiffy pots or similar peat starter pots are a good idea and how well they work. I don't want to use something that could makes matters worse.

Are Jiffy Pots a good idea or any better suggestions?

Also Im thinking for my autos 5gal pots should be more than large enough to support their root mass.

Are using 5gal containers a good size or should I go larger/smaller?

There are many things I have considered and planned out for this outdoor auto adventure. I will probably just keep posting questions as they come. Any help and any insight from anyone will be greatly appreciated.

This has nothing to do with autos or anything of the sort but its just not my style to make a long post without pictures. Besides everyone loves pretty pictures to help balance out all this babble I just spewed out.

Pictures posted above are Karma Og and GG#4 right before harvest.

 

[jaytoker]

My question is what recommendations would those with experience say to start the seedlings in and how to go about up potting?

The best idea I have had so far would be starting in Jiffy Pots or something similar. Sounds easy enough once the plant grows some just plant the jiffy pot in a bigger container and no need to stress by transplanting. I just have no idea if jiffy pots or similar peat starter pots are a good idea and how well they work. I don't want to use something that could makes matters worse.

Are Jiffy Pots a good idea or any better suggestions?

Jiffy pots will restricts the roots and possibly kill your plants. Unfortunately, they really don't work as advertised. Do NOT use them unless you intend to transplant as normal. IMO Use regular potss

Also Im thinking for my autos 5gal pots should be more than large enough to support their root mass.

Are using 5gal containers a good size or should I go larger/smaller?

With outdoor guerrilla style how fast the pot will dry out is of more concern than if the volume is enough. Personally I prefer 20-30 gallon totes planted SOG with 6 autos per tote. Or 1-3 regular/photo/semi-auto strains.

However for your backyard plants 5 gallon buckets will be perfect.

Also you may want to try Guerilla Gold #3 or Oregon Greens (From UDG/RCMC and OGS respectively) it stays fairly small (under 3-4 foot without training especially when grown in pots) if planted end of may you'll harvest end of august/early september. Roughly as much time as it would take to grow an auto. 2-4 oz in 3 months pretty decent smoke but not kill deff worth growing though imo.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Start them in beer cups and transplant into 2-3 gallon pots at first signs of sex. At this time the roots usually aren't root bound yet and will just continue to grow.

 

[Kalyx]

Jiffy pots will restricts the roots and possibly kill your plants. Unfortunately, they really don't work as advertised. Do NOT use them unless you intend to transplant as normal. IMO Use regular potss





With outdoor guerrilla style how fast the pot will dry out is of more concern than if the volume is enough. Personally I prefer 20-30 gallon totes planted SOG with 6 autos per tote. Or 1-3 regular/photo/semi-auto strains.

However for your backyard plants 5 gallon buckets will be perfect.

Also you may want to try Guerilla Gold #3 or Oregon Greens (From UDG/RCMC and OGS respectively) it stays fairly small (under 3-4 foot without training especially when grown in pots) if planted end of may you'll harvest end of august/early september. Roughly as much time as it would take to grow an auto. 2-4 oz in 3 months pretty decent smoke but not kill deff worth growing though imo.

Thanks for the reply and advice,

Will def stay away from jiffy pots that was exactly that types of issues I would be worried with. I will just stick with the regular pots on that end.

It would be best to have them in a much larger container/tote like that. I do want to keep them very mobile though. I live in a very dry arid climate with crazy weather. Can be sunny and 80 one minute and 40 with hail the next. Keeping them in 5 gal will allow me to move them to safety when needed and inside if it ever gets to cold with some freak weather.

I assume with the climate I live in and the containers I will have them in they will probably require daily waterings if not 2x a day, which wont be an issue.

I do appreciate the advice on other strain options, I have heard some great things about gg3 for fast finishing varieties. The problem is that I have a massive HPS streetlight and all kinds of light pollution from house lights I think I might run risk of photos herming on me.

Thanks really do appreciate the advice.
-Kalyx

 

[Kalyx]

Start them in beer cups and transplant into 2-3 gallon pots at first signs of sex. At this time the roots usually aren't root bound yet and will just continue to grow.

Thanks,

I can probably give that a go, I have a pretty gentle hand with my girls I dont usually stress them too much from transplanting and such. I always start in beer cups and I think I would much prefer doing that then starting straight off in a much larger sized pot. Starting a plant in a 3gal or 5gal pot just seems like it will create all kinds of problems.

Question do you think 2-3 gal pot will be a much better option over using a 5 gal?

Will autos just not typically get large enough to take full advantage of space in a 5gal pot?

thanks,
-Kalyx

 

[aridbud]

Jiffy Pots are notoriously "hot" from compacted peat. Jiffy 7's, etc. Like Smokey says, stay away from them. Unless planting 'super auto' or growing several in a pot...5 gallon can be used, but find 3 gallon pots quite adequate.

Have used 7 gallon pots but had 3-4 autos (same strain) in each.

 

[Kalyx]

Jiffy Pots are notoriously "hot" from compacted peat. Jiffy 7's, etc. Like Smokey says, stay away from them. Unless planting 'super auto' or growing several in a pot...5 gallon can be used, but find 3 gallon pots quite adequate.

Have used 7 gallon pots but had 3-4 autos (same strain) in each.

Thanks for popping in aridbud,

Really appreciate it yep I will just throw the idea of jiffy pots completely out the window not going to ruin a perfectly good seed before it even has a chance to really get started.

Thanks for the info on pots, might require a little more watering moving down to a 3gal but thats no issues. Would much rather use a smaller pot and save soil if a 5gal would be overkill for one plant. I just plan on running one plant per pot so I will go with the 3gal.

Thank you for your input,
-Kalyx

 

[aridbud]

Good luck. Sounds doable what you plan to accomplish, Kalyx.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Are you going to be nearby to water when needed as often as needed?

 

[S_a_H]

Anything properly prepared is never usually a problem. I use distilled water to puff them up and carefully squeeze out all the excess water and rewater once seed has been placed in it.

I have used 100's of peat pellets to start seeds without problems and have 11 Northern Hindu seeds that I just started using peat pellets without any problems.

What I tend to notice is that when the seeds come up there are more shells and that interior membrane if gets dried out can be a bitch to get off sometimes.

Anyways good luck.

 

[Kalyx]

Are you going to be nearby to water when needed as often as needed?

Yes very nearby to a water source will have a hose with tap water about 20 feet away if needed in emergency.

I will typically fill big jugs and let them sit out for a couple of days before using to water. I will them add any nutes if needed.

I'm expecting them needing lots of water on a daily basis and have been planning accordingly.

thanks for stopping by I appreciate the questions and input. Outdoor and autos are both new to me so I'm positive I haven't thought about and planned for everything yet.

-Kalyx

 

[Kalyx]

Anything properly prepared is never usually a problem. I use distilled water to puff them up and carefully squeeze out all the excess water and rewater once seed has been placed in it.

I have used 100's of peat pellets to start seeds without problems and have 11 Northern Hindu seeds that I just started using peat pellets without any problems.

What I tend to notice is that when the seeds come up there are more shells and that interior membrane if gets dried out can be a bitch to get off sometimes.

Anyways good luck.

Hey thanks for stopping by, love the idea of peat pellets that's an option I hadn't even considered yet. I am going to look into those as a possibility for starting them out. Like that much much better than the horrible jiffy pot idea. They would make up potting very easy and stress free.

I bet seeing more seeds pop up with shells and membranes still attached is due to lack of medium to help pull it off the seedling in the peat pellets. Some tweezers and or razor blade tend to fix that problem in most cases if you get to then I time.

Thank you for the suggestion its much appreciated.
-Kalyx

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

If you can water them as often as needed I would use 3 gallon pots with pro-mix potting soil. I don't know how the vegetation is where you live but autos don't like to be eaten by slugs/bugs. Best results will be in an area where slugs will have a hard time crawling on them. I've had autos about 8 inches tall put outside in a well blended areas to come back in a week and have only two halves of fan leaves at the top left over. I just pulled the plants and brought the dirt back to reuse. What strain/s are you growing?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

The bug issues is why I only grow autos outdoors in cornfields that have had been sprayed for weeds early on. No weeds = less or no bugs. Photos have time to come back from being eaten. Autos don't.

 

[aridbud]

Anything properly prepared is never usually a problem. I use distilled water to puff them up and carefully squeeze out all the excess water and rewater once seed has been placed in it.

I have used 100's of peat pellets to start seeds without problems and have 11 Northern Hindu seeds that I just started using peat pellets without any problems.

What I tend to notice is that when the seeds come up there are more shells and that interior membrane if gets dried out can be a bitch to get off sometimes.

Anyways good luck.

Glad to hear. After working a extensively large commercial greenhouse 3 grow seasons, peat devices (pellets/pots, etc.) were frowned upon, showing what they can do.

Happy yours are thriving.

 

[aridbud]

@Kalyx-
thanks for stopping by I appreciate the questions and input. Outdoor and autos are both new to me so I'm positive I haven't thought about and planned for everything yet.

Just think through the process. You'll find the best method that suits your project.

 

[Kalyx]

@Kalyx-
thanks for stopping by I appreciate the questions and input. Outdoor and autos are both new to me so I'm positive I haven't thought about and planned for everything yet.

Just think through the process. You'll find the best method that suits your project.

Yep I think you are correct, sometimes I just think to much or over think something I shouldn't. I just need to keep reminding myself of the KISS "keep it simple stupid" method.

Your input is appreciated thank you.

-Kalyx

 

[Kalyx]

The bug issues is why I only grow autos outdoors in cornfields that have had been sprayed for weeds early on. No weeds = less or no bugs. Photos have time to come back from being eaten. Autos don't.

Honestly bugs are one of my biggest of concerns, there are plenty of rabbits, squirrels and birds around that might cause problems but cages and netting easily solves those issues.

We do work every year at keeping the weeds killed and grass cut low, that seems to really help keeping lots of bugs from being around the house. There is no eradicating all of them though. Overall, not a whole lot of vegetation outside of a couple of trees and some grass.

Such an arid climate out here Im not sure if I have ever seen a slug around, caterpillar and grasshoppers are my biggest concern bug wise.

Thank you for the tips I will make sure to focus even harder and eradicating all the weeds more than has already been done. Already sprayed around the house to help keep bugs out of the inside.

The plants will have a space cleared out on a terrace in the backyard that will be sealed off. I might even look at using something to keep pots propped up off the ground.

They will be started off inside and brought indoors during nasty weather, don't want a freak hail storm we often get in these parts destroying them. The girls will be under daily tending and watching so they will be able to get plenty of love.

The strains I will be growing are really going to be a mix of a few varieties and breeders. For this outdoor adventure I will mainly be running some Sweet Seeds varieties;
-Sweet Special Auto
-Sweet Cheese Auto
-Cream Mandarine Auto

Just waiting for those to arrive, wont be long now. My other autos are a mix, mostly just freebies I have gotten with other orders. Probably going to pick a few of those to get started this weekend, then mainly focus on running the Sweet Seeds when they come in.

These first ones popped will be more of a test round before getting to the main autos Im looking to focus on.

Autos Im considering starting with are;
-Auto Triangle Kush (Mephisto)
-Kush n' Cheese (Dinafem)
-Cheese Candy (Delicious)
-Ultraviolet Auto (Samsara)
-Afghan Kush Ryder (World of Seeds)
-Cream Auto (Blimburn)

I will probably just pick 4 to start with Im thinking, then focus on the Sweet Seeds strains..

Thank you for dropping in I really appreciate the input.

-Kalyx

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Honestly bugs are one of my biggest of concerns, there are plenty of rabbits, squirrels and birds around that might cause problems but cages and netting easily solves those issues.

We do work every year at keeping the weeds killed and grass cut low, that seems to really help keeping lots of bugs from being around the house. There is no eradicating all of them though. Overall, not a whole lot of vegetation outside of a couple of trees and some grass.

Such an arid climate out here Im not sure if I have ever seen a slug around, caterpillar and grasshoppers are my biggest concern bug wise.

Thank you for the tips I will make sure to focus even harder and eradicating all the weeds more than has already been done. Already sprayed around the house to help keep bugs out of the inside.

The plants will have a space cleared out on a terrace in the backyard that will be sealed off. I might even look at using something to keep pots propped up off the ground.

They will be started off inside and brought indoors during nasty weather, don't want a freak hail storm we often get in these parts destroying them. The girls will be under daily tending and watching so they will be able to get plenty of love.

The strains I will be growing are really going to be a mix of a few varieties and breeders. For this outdoor adventure I will mainly be running some Sweet Seeds varieties;
-Sweet Special Auto
-Sweet Cheese Auto
-Cream Mandarine Auto

Just waiting for those to arrive, wont be long now. My other autos are a mix, mostly just freebies I have gotten with other orders. Probably going to pick a few of those to get started this weekend, then mainly focus on running the Sweet Seeds when they come in.

These first ones popped will be more of a test round before getting to the main autos Im looking to focus on.

Autos Im considering starting with are;
-Auto Triangle Kush (Mephisto)
-Kush n' Cheese (Dinafem)
-Cheese Candy (Delicious)
-Ultraviolet Auto (Samsara)
-Afghan Kush Ryder (World of Seeds)
-Cream Auto (Blimburn)

I will probably just pick 4 to start with Im thinking, then focus on the Sweet Seeds strains..

Thank you for dropping in I really appreciate the input.

-Kalyx

If you're planting them near your residential area you will be fine. The autos in my story were in 2-3' tall weeds and grass in a hayfield. Bugs ate them right up. They will be fine in a yard or garden with the vegetation trimmed down.