FFOF is moist srtaight from the bag

[dean1963]

should i still water to run off?
i just started some sprouted seeds into 3 gallon pots.
their autos so this time i went str8 to final pot.
and 1 more question, i watered my photos to run off and now the top half or so reads moist but the bottom reads wet on my moisture meter.
do i wait for the bottom to dry out more before i water again?
it seems the more i read here the more confused i get. lol
photos look really good, not drooping at all

 

[Shaded_One]

Most watering advice typically assumes you are in a correct pot size for your stage of growth. In your case you are in a MUCH larger pot than your seed really needs at this stage - so you would start off by watering a small circle and then slowly spread out and water more and more of the pot as the seed grows and the roots fill out the container.

 

[dean1963]

Most watering advice typically assumes you are in a correct pot size for your stage of growth. In your case you are in a MUCH larger pot than your seed really needs at this stage - so you would start off by watering a small circle and then slowly spread out and water more and more of the pot as the seed grows and the roots fill out the container.

ok thanks. but i was told to plant autos str8 into final pot

 

[CookiesLikeWhoa]

That usually because auto's have a set vegetative phase and will flower whenever they decide. This reduced veg phase means you need to maximize what time you have and reduce anything that would disrupt a strong vegetative phase.

I was told the same thing when I started growing and would pop my auto's in 5 gal fabric pots of FFOF soil. What I found is trying to water correctly in a pot that big with a plant that small is very much outside my skill range right now and I end up stunting them for sometime while I sort out how to water them in such a big pot.

My last grow I switched to starting them in 1gal plastic pots, which made watering much much easier, and then transplanting them into 3gal plastic pots after about 2 weeks.

I'm sure transplanting them stressed them out and reduced their growth a bit, but it was far less stress then me trying to figure out how to water the plants for 4 weeks.

TLDR: If you don't know how to water well, transplanting is probably less stress on the plant than trying to figure out how to water it in a big pot.

 

[mysticepipedon]

ok thanks. but i was told to plant autos str8 into final pot

That seems to be what all the auto growers say. Most of us old timers don't grow autos, so when it comes to pot size, putting a seedling into its final pot seems absurd.

So when I give you this next piece of advice, remember that it's from some old-timer who never grew an auto:

Unless the plant looks like it's wilting and will die without a drink, let its root system find the water. If the upper few inches of soil are moist, DON'T water. Roots grow toward water, so if there is no moisture differential in your soil, the roots will be satisfied where they are.

 

[dean1963]

awesome. thanks for the advice.
i guess with all the info that i read here i tend to over think shit

 

[quirk]

Auto grower here. I will saturate my five gallon fabric or airpot to runoff and let sit in my grow environment while my seed is germinating in a peat pellet. The day after sprout I transfer the pellet and will not need to water for 5-7 days and then only 16 oz. or so just to keep the top inch or two moist. I don't water to runoff until I start training around day 17-20. My medium is very porous (40% perlite) and will begin to runoff after absorbing less than 64 oz. I have to water more often but my roots are never in wet, saturated soil as there are plenty of air pockets for them to breathe. If I hold your head under water for 5 minutes, the water doesn't kill you the lack of oxygen does. Same with roots. If they can't breathe the problems start to mount and the plant will never reach it's full potential. Until I get the feel for the weight of the pot I leave moisture meters in to make sure I don't water TOO OFTEN. You can't overwater a well draining medium, the kiss of death comes in when you water TOO OFTEN. On your photo, I would let the bottom third of your medium get to the lower end of moist on your meter. Good luck.

 

[mysticepipedon]

awesome. thanks for the advice.
i guess with all the info that i read here i tend to over think shit

Do what I do: think like a vegetable.

 

[2Bad]

That usually because auto's have a set vegetative phase and will flower whenever they decide. This reduced veg phase means you need to maximize what time you have and reduce anything that would disrupt a strong vegetative phase.

I was told the same thing when I started growing and would pop my auto's in 5 gal fabric pots of FFOF soil. What I found is trying to water correctly in a pot that big with a plant that small is very much outside my skill range right now and I end up stunting them for sometime while I sort out how to water them in such a big pot.

My last grow I switched to starting them in 1gal plastic pots, which made watering much much easier, and then transplanting them into 3gal plastic pots after about 2 weeks.

I'm sure transplanting them stressed them out and reduced their growth a bit, but it was far less stress then me trying to figure out how to water the plants for 4 weeks.

TLDR: If you don't know how to water well, transplanting is probably less stress on the plant than trying to figure out how to water it in a big pot.

Good advice. transplanting isn't really stressful. if anything it's just like LST

 

[Mikedin]

I think I will be transplanting autos in my 2nd run my first one went very well but I believe if you transplant early enough before the plant gets rootbound at all I don’t think the plant would notice, I ran 5 gallon fabric pots with 100% FFHF, the bottom defenitly stays wetter longer at the bottom I just pick up the pots daily when they feel light I water them, I have a moisture meter but stopped using it the weight method worked just fine and never had a over or under watering issue I think I’ll start with a 1/2 gallon pot for at least the first 2-3 weeks then up pot to a 5 gallon fabric pot with fresh FFHF, if they run about 11 weeks like my current grow did the roots will grow into the fresh Soil and possibly never need to be neuted just PH’d water and mabye some cal mag

This was FFHF and FF trio plus cal mag and microbe brew, 2nd plant finished yesterday at about 11 weeks this was just after the wet trim yesterday this is a GCS candy kush auto

 

[steamroller]

Started my autos in solo cups and moved to 3 g in 7 days.
Seems to be working alright for me .
I thought and still do like @mysticepipedon.
Watering seedlings is where most fail.
I have seen some of the pros here with 3-4 inch tall plants without first serrated blade even.
IMO all seedlings need special care and that don't happen in pots like 3g and up, skeptical on 1 g even. If it worked you would be up potting too late IMO ?

Steamrollers little hide away pt 1

Sunday check in . Went to a cannabis event in Whitehall NY. It was all FB people and vendors ,which I don't do. But I knew the owner of the property so ... Lots of good stuuf smoke wise ,no plants,clones or seeds ?? One dude said some one showed up the night before with clones [ $40 each !] Bud...

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