Training Autos.

[Nope]

I've done a fair amount of reading into training autos for MAX yield with these  short duration plants. There are loads of vids and documents covering this topic, but there seems to be conflicting opinion particularly in the newwer information when it comes to topping Autos. Some say topping shouldn't be used with autos, but others seem to think it is fine. Whats the deal?

What methods have you tried? What has worked for you?  

[Roasty]

Topping can be done but is stressfull, all depends on the actual genetics , most of the autos i have tried dinafem,advanced genetics, seedsman usually start preflower by week 3 doing anything thereafter will stunt, if veg could be stretched a week or two longer it should be ok with topping, LST is still best for autos personally, it must be adjusted every day and some light defoliation can do wonders in the long run, i feel topping an auto is a waste, rather do it for Photos the results speak for themselves with the plants i have grown.

Regards

[PsyCLown]

Ultimately it would come down to the plant - if its a fast grower and very healthy and takes time before it goes into flower, then you may be able to get away with topping it.

If not, then I would avoid it as that could just make matters worse and stunt the plant and decrease your yield.

 

Due to the uncertainly with autos, if I were to grow some (or when), I will likely just do LST and not topping or any HST.

[Nope]

Thanks for the replies dudes, @Roasty and @PsyCLown

I just read on the Royal Queen Seed page that Amnesia Haze automatic does lend itself to topping. 

https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/blog-can-topping-and-training-be-used-on-autoflowering-marijuana-n387

I just popped an AH from Victory seeds, I'll see how she develops over the next 10 days and make a decision based on how the seedling performs. These are the first automatic plants I've ever grown/seen. LOL!

 

Thanks again for the contributions. This forum has some solid members willing to share the knowledge. RESPECT!!

Edited September 21, 2020 by felix2000

[Ill_Evan]

Coincidentally I was asked the same in person by a new grower this week. I said to the kid that generally growers don't train autos. 

@AcidAlice did a fantastic job topping one of their autos in this thread. However notice how much that particular auto stretched in comparison to the others. Whether that is pure luck based on the phenotype or some divine voodoo, we don't know. The point is, what if the auto you top doesn't do that? I'm not sure how you would get out of that one if your auto starts to flower very shortly after you top.

 

1 hour ago, PsyCLown said:

Due to the uncertainly with autos, if I were to grow some (or when), I will likely just do LST and not topping or any HST.

Definitely this  I keep all my wacky training to my photoperiods. 

[PsyCLown]

@felix2000 if its your first auto, perhaps rather just do LST for now to avoid any disappointments and to help you gain a better understanding and idea as to how that specific auto grows over multiple seeds.

 

You can achieve great results with just LST from an auto and a nice flat canopy too.

[Nope]

Noted @PsyCLown

[afternoon blazer]

Howzit bro. Yeah in theres alot of back and forth with training Autos.

My first grow. I let her just grow. On the 2nd grow now. And decided to LST 1 auto and let the other 2 grow. So that i could compare the grows.

As mentioned above. Autos start pre flowering early.

However another member is growing some autos and doing some topping. 

@SoloKush. Im waiting to see how his plants turn out. To get an idea.

 

The 2 autos i started for the experiement were started the same time.

Normal grow is into flowering already. I only did a defoil.

The lst grow is barely starting pre-flower.

Same genetics. Not sure if the lst slowed it down.

 

Pics 1 and 2 is the LST

Pics 3 and 4 is the normal grow.

Started same time.

 

[Bakstein420]

@afternoon blazer where do you get your round fabric pots from? 

[afternoon blazer]

10 minutes ago, Bakstein420 said:

@afternoon blazer where do you get your round fabric pots from? 

What up bro. The black 1z were the first 1z i bought 8 liter. 

The grey 1z were bought for the next grow. 10 liter.

Got them from Green thumb hydro.

The grey 1z are freedom farms.

 

But i must point out. The black pots leak extremly less through the sides compared to the grey 1z. 

 

Green smoke room and growbuds have now gone into patnership with each other. Theres a store opening somewhere in JHB this weekend. 

Aparently big discounts on everything this weekend. 

 

Might be a good idea to stop by.

[Bakstein420]

26 minutes ago, afternoon blazer said:

What up bro. The black 1z were the first 1z i bought 8 liter. 

The grey 1z were bought for the next grow. 10 liter.

Got them from Green thumb hydro.

The grey 1z are freedom farms.

 

But i must point out. The black pots leak extremly less through the sides compared to the grey 1z. 

 

Green smoke room and growbuds have now gone into patnership with each other. Theres a store opening somewhere in JHB this weekend. 

Aparently big discounts on everything this weekend. 

 

Might be a good idea to stop by.

Ah man, im based in KZN so will miss that. Here the hydro store doesn't even open on the weekend  

[afternoon blazer]

1 hour ago, Bakstein420 said:

Ah man, im based in KZN so will miss that. Here the hydro store doesn't even open on the weekend  

Also if u want a good fast cheap solution. I heard great things about the fabric shopping bags. Specifically the woolies 1z. 

[Nope]

4 hours ago, afternoon blazer said:

Howzit bro. Yeah in theres alot of back and forth with training Autos.

My first grow. I let her just grow. On the 2nd grow now. And decided to LST 1 auto and let the other 2 grow. So that i could compare the grows.

As mentioned above. Autos start pre flowering early.

However another member is growing some autos and doing some topping. 

@SoloKush. Im waiting to see how his plants turn out. To get an idea.

 

The 2 autos i started for the experiement were started the same time.

Normal grow is into flowering already. I only did a defoil.

The lst grow is barely starting pre-flower.

Same genetics. Not sure if the lst slowed it down.

 

Pics 1 and 2 is the LST

Pics 3 and 4 is the normal grow.

Started same time.

 

Thanks for the response. I'v e got another week to do the research. i am leaning toward LST for 3 of the 4 and topping one, just to see what happens. I have topped photos in the past with good results .

[afternoon blazer]

Never know unless u try bro.✌

[Nope]

Small update here. I've decided to use LST for this grow, maybe a little earlier than the vast majority of the info online recommends. Let us see how this pans out.

Stardawg - Day 17

 

Amnesia Haze - Day 17 ( i think this will need to be redone, there are issues with direction here)

[Nope]

Auto's, what a strange game. Some respond well to the manipulation, while others are really slow out of the gates.  

Amnesia Haze - Day 25. Responds well to the manipulation.

 

Stardawg - Day 25. Not liking the manipulation that much. 

 

Do-si-Doh - day 25 also not liking the yoga to much.

Opinion/Crit/Advice always welcome.

Personal opinion: I started the LST to soon, and was probably to aggressive on the laaities.

[Nope]

Amnesia Haze - Day 32. This lady is a real mover and shaker. I've ordered more of these beans I can do AH only run.

Seemango - Day32. Starting to Bloom! Looks like the beginnings chemical burn though?

 

As always, opinions, crit and advise always welcome. Thanks for creating such a rad learning environment.

[Nope]

Day 39 - Amnesia Haze has stretched uncontrollably. I'm not experienced enough, but I think the Nitrogen content of the formulation I've been applying may have contributed to this. 

The below pic shows the stretch(far right plant). The nodes are all stretched out as a result, so not expecting much.

 

Day 39 - The LST on StarDawg worked nicely, i am hopeful here, but she isn't in full bloom yet.

 

Canopy.

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by felix2000
potato

[PsyCLown]

The stretch is not a bad thing on an auto, happens often when they start flowering and can lead to a larger plant.

[Bakstein420]

From the fastbuds website:

Plant Appearance

Some plants can grow as tall as 150cm meaning Original Auto Amnesia Haze is one of the taller autoflowering strains available. She will grow with large spacing between her internodes, and over the flowering period will develop a bushy, yet tall growth structure typical of a sativa dominant strain.

The stretch is totally natural bro, don't stress it.

[Nope]

8 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

The stretch is not a bad thing on an auto, happens often when they start flowering and can lead to a larger plant.

Then i will continue to give her the love she needs. Maybe you can help me with a question? I'm running a 240W QB in a 1m² tent. Is this  lamp enough to cover the floor space? Ideally, I'd like to have 1 pot per 1/4m²  so there is some space between them, but my mind says the plants need to be directly under the lamp... 

[Nope]

11 minutes ago, Bakstein420 said:

From the fastbuds website:

Plant Appearance

Some plants can grow as tall as 150cm meaning Original Auto Amnesia Haze is one of the taller autoflowering strains available. She will grow with large spacing between her internodes, and over the flowering period will develop a bushy, yet tall growth structure typical of a sativa dominant strain.

The stretch is totally natural bro, don't stress it.

Sweet. I've dropped the Nitrogen component in the formulation. Will see how she responds. 

[PsyCLown]

6 minutes ago, felix2000 said:

Then i will continue to give her the love she needs. Maybe you can help me with a question? I'm running a 240W QB in a 1m² tent. Is this  lamp enough to cover the floor space? Ideally, I'd like to have 1 pot per 1/4m²  so there is some space between them, but my mind says the plants need to be directly under the lamp... 

So Coco for cannabis have a nice calculator on their site:

https://www.cocoforcannabis.com/grow-light-calculator/

 

Below is the size of your tent and what they recommend in terms of usable PPF:

 

Then below is your Quantum Board, provided it has Samsung LM301B diodes and you are running it at 240W:

 

The umol/w figure I got from MiGro from back when he tested it - keep in mind the environment was simulating a tent.

Also I doubt you would be running it at the full 240w.

 

Regardless, there is a bit of a shortfall compared to the recommended PPF. 2x 240w QB's will be perfect can have them dimmed a bit then too.

Although majority of people do not want to spend the money to spec out their grow area with lights - you can still get good results, I'd say put your plants as close together as possible and as directly under the light as possible and results should be good.

 

I managed to fit 6x 20L pots inside a 1.2 x 0.6 tent - it was a tight fit. So your 1 x 1 tent should be quite spacious in comparison with just 4 plants inside.

[Nope]

19 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

So Coco for cannabis have a nice calculator on their site:

https://www.cocoforcannabis.com/grow-light-calculator/

 

Below is the size of your tent and what they recommend in terms of usable PPF:

 

Then below is your Quantum Board, provided it has Samsung LM301B diodes and you are running it at 240W:

 

The umol/w figure I got from MiGro from back when he tested it - keep in mind the environment was simulating a tent.

Also I doubt you would be running it at the full 240w.

 

Regardless, there is a bit of a shortfall compared to the recommended PPF. 2x 240w QB's will be perfect can have them dimmed a bit then too.

Although majority of people do not want to spend the money to spec out their grow area with lights - you can still get good results, I'd say put your plants as close together as possible and as directly under the light as possible and results should be good.

 

I managed to fit 6x 20L pots inside a 1.2 x 0.6 tent - it was a tight fit. So your 1 x 1 tent should be quite spacious in comparison with just 4 plants inside.

Thank you for your reply. I'll look at this in depth shortly! 

[Nope]

9 hours ago, felix2000 said:

Thank you for your reply. I'll look at this in depth shortly! 

@PsyCLown thanks for taking the time to share this info. Guess I'll keep at it until I can get another one then. Any thing worth doing Yada yada.