[zack991]

I think i am going to try and experiment with a 23 gallon pot for my auto grow this fall. The upstairs gets cooler in the fall and I am thinking the exta soil will protect the roots better. Plan to pick up a heater to better keep the space warm

I will be using purple cow water only organic soil again, I wont need any nutes other maybe a top dress in late bloom. Made a poor mans autowater like the vivosun auto water pots. I normally do three plants in my 4x4 but room is always tight. I want to see how well one plant will do. Kinda curious if I do some type of gorilla strain and see how big it could get.

 

[GrowSense]

Your plan works, but I'd change the reasoning. A big pot doesn't protect roots from cold. 23 gallons of damp soil is a lot of mass to warm back up, so if the room stays chilly the root zone stays chilly. The heater is the right call. Aim for 65 to 75F in the soil, not just the air.

My bigger worry is the wicks. They keep feeding the bottom of a huge soil column, and an auto won't drink enough early on to use it. That's how you end up with a soggy, low-oxygen base. I'd keep the reservoir low and let it run dry between fills for the first few weeks. Pot weight is a good check, and a probe pushed deep into the soil works too.

As for size, autos run on a clock, so the pot gives her room but won't turn a gorilla auto into a tree. Genetics set the ceiling. Top her early and spread the branches with LST so one plant fills the 4x4.

What's the upstairs dropping to at night?

 

[zack991]

Maybe i would be better to hand water, i i know it would be 2-3 weeks before the roots would get close to bottom. Winter months it gets about 60-65 upstairs. Last year i had one of my heating runs from the upstairs piped into the tent to provide extra heat.

 

[zack991]

After thibking it over I will save this set uo for the summer run outside. I will just do a run in my 7 gallon pots this winter.

 

[GrowSense]

Sounds like a solid plan. 7 gallons is a good size for an auto, and it's much easier to keep warm and not soggy than a 23. Summer outdoors is where that big pot makes sense, since the heat and sun will pull water through it fast. Just put a cover over the reservoir if rain can get at it.

For the winter run, get the pots off the floor. Your tent is sitting on carpet in a 60 to 65F room, and cold air under the pot pulls the root zone down fast. A board, pallet or foam under it helps a lot. With that heat run piped in, you should be fine.

Hand watering a 7 gallon is easy to dial in. Lift the pot after you water and again when it's dry so you learn what each feels like, then water when it's light. Pour slowly in a ring and stop at a little runoff.

What's the tent sitting at when the lights are off?

 

[zack991]

Yea this is my 6 grow I normally use 5-7 gallon pots, i do use vivosun self watering bases. Purple cow soil will be here sunday. Popped my two Northern Lights instead so i dont have to wait till the other seeds arive. Plus i need to rotate my stock.

 

[WinJr63]

I think i am going to try and experiment with a 23 gallon pot for my auto grow this fall. The upstairs gets cooler in the fall and I am thinking the exta soil will protect the roots better. Plan to pick up a heater to better keep the space warm

I will be using purple cow water only organic soil again, I wont need any nutes other maybe a top dress in late bloom. Made a poor mans autowater like the vivosun auto water pots. I normally do three plants in my 4x4 but room is always tight. I want to see how well one plant will do. Kinda curious if I do some type of gorilla strain and see how big it could get.

My current grow was using a wick system earlier on in veg stayed to damp got bottom soggy leaves also bottom watering pushes salts upwards so you do half to top water to push the salts back down and out just alittle. To much work anyway growing organic no need for runoff just a little dribbling the wicks will suck up the dribbling, I say ur good for the big pot experimenting.