Sub-tropical winter experiment: Auto Number One

[xShivaspacetechnologyx]

Indoor/Outdoor: Outdoor

Growing Medium: Soil

Growing Style: El Naturale

Watering/Feeding Frequency: Daily

Nutrient Strength (PPM/EC): n/a

PH Levels: n/a

Temperature/Humidity Levels: At day in winter (20-25°C)

Air Flow/Fans etc.: n/a

Lighting Type (CFL/HPS/MH etc.): The sun!

Total Wattage: n/a

Growth Stage: Seedling

Plants Age: unknown (no more then 2 weeks)

Cannabis Strain: Auto Number One (Flash Auto Flowering Seeds/Flash Seeds)

 

 

 

Hey guys,

 

I was given a few "Auto Number One" seedlings (only around 3-4cm tall still with water leaves) about a week back and have temporarily put them in 5 litre pots with some high grade seedling soil mix. in the past week they have shot up around 2cm and starting to produce new leaves and look extremely healthy.

 

Okay now this is my first time working with an autoflowering strain and have heard great things about them so hoping to replicate those results. I have never tried a winter grow and the earliest i have sowed my seeds has been August, so this experiment will all be new to me (as well as the auto strain!). But luckily i live in the sub tropics and we have quite a dry and sunny winter so hoping this will work in my favour, though we still get the odd frost here and there. i will/have been taking the seedlings/plants inside at night to protect from the cold and frosts during their lifetime. But if they get to big then i will have to leave them outside.

 

So just wondering if anyone else has had any experience with this strain or growing at this time of year with an auto and could help me with some tips & advice.

 

Cheers!

xShiva

Edited May 19, 2012 by xShivaspacetechnologyx

[xShivaspacetechnologyx]

edit: combined with above post Edited May 19, 2012 by xShivaspacetechnologyx

[jarmon]

I've never grown an auto strain but I have grown over winter with other strains. We don't usually get frost at all where I am. The main difference is they grow much slower. With non auto strains the buds are usually much smaller and fluffier than summer grown plants and the plants over all much smaller- the only reason I would do it again is for seed production. I think the autoflowering type should do heaps better though. It sounds like you might be a bit further north than me also so some better growing conditions. I look forward to seeing how you go.

[xShivaspacetechnologyx]

I'm hoping that because the strain is a Indica x Ruderalis they should be somewhat cold tolerant, and also help avoid the problem of light airy flowers like the usual Sativa dominant strains grown in winter. So i've got my fingers crossed for some nice bud in the future. Plus this strain is apparently a "Super Auto" with a longer veg state and much larger then the usual autos. But in saying that i have absolutely no experience with auto strains so time will tell.

[xShivaspacetechnologyx]

Okay time for my first update on the grow, i am about to re-pot and also put a few of these babies in the ground sometime today (will post details later and possibly with some pics attached for your viewing pleasure). The growth has been amazing considering the weather and season, the plants are on average just under a foot high with vibrant growth and healthy leaves and stem (lucky the cold hasn't brought on the usuasl purple tinge in the plants...yet..fingers crossed!). Gave them a half strength feed of fish emulsion for the first fert of their life a few days ago and they seem to love it. Only problem so far was the plants seemed to become quite top heavy and bent over from the wind and rain, but stakes and a little bit of training and love has got them erect and wanting to pound the sun once again! Edited June 8, 2012 by xShivaspacetechnologyx

[D.R.S.D]

pictures??

[xShivaspacetechnologyx]

Well i have now moved a few out bush in a basic plot and am leaving them to their own devices but will check to see their sex in a month or so and then check again around harvest time. Other then that no immediate care will be taken with those babies. As for the two best looking plants i will be raising them here. One i have potted up in a 35L pot and the other went in a hole in the ground roughly around 450mm wide and 600mm deep, both went into a soil mix of dirt i had the chickens playing in (was absolutely beautiful soil), a touch of seedling mix and a 4:1 ratio of soil to Searles 5 IN 1® Plus - Organic Plant Food for the baby in the pot and 3:1 for the baby in the ground. Now heres the outcome....

 

 

[Allotropy]

Hey shiva , those temperature ranges are near perfect for growing cannabis. Apparently cannabis performs best at 26 degrees celcius. I would disagree with this and say the warmer the better ,, however.

 

I'm guessing your up in the Northern part of Australia at the moment like cairns latitude.

 

Anyway nice going man, will have to tag along on this one.

 

Just noticed sub tropical, temps around brissy aren't at those ranges. So i'm guessing somewhere more north then here, anyhow, be interesting to see how fast those take off

 

Edited June 10, 2012 by Anthesis

[Jesco]

Interesting thread. Just curious about the mention of 'purple tinge' on plants due to cold and/or frost. Is purple undesirable, if so, why? I ask, because I've had plants in the ground here in Tasmania as late as May, temps down to -4C or so... lotsa frost. These plants went purple all over but the end result was still good.

 

In my experience, cannabis is extremely cold hardy, seen seedlings still grow in snow!

[buzzo]

Pot size is way bigger than you need for Autos'.....This won't hurt of course but wasting money.

You are right about the longer veg time my Auto's are normally showing there sex big and even flowering by now.

They look pretty happy I wouldn't change anything right now.

 

Auto just fucking love root supplements like Seasol, Rhizotonic ETC...so kep that upto them at least until they finish the stretch.

You must have a well balanced soil mix cause they are some of the best soil operated Autos' I have seen considering the short days.

 

Be reading when they start flowering...you will need to feed them more than the soil has to offer for best results.

 

Both plants looking great!