Hi there I have some autoflowering seeds on their way to me, should be here in a week or two. In the country i live in, we've recently just come in to Autumn, and the particular city i live in gets quite cold, for instance its Autumn but nights are under 10degrees C / 50 degrees F, already. I grow in my garage, and im worried about how im going to keep the little auto seedlings warm enough, I use 2 separate 100watt COB LED lights (really nice ones, excellent build quality) and while they're on (at 100%) they keep the tent at a pretty stead 22 degrees C / 71.6 degrees F, I'm planning on a 20/4 light schedule for my first 2 or 3 grows during the colder months to lessen the time the tent has to get cold. just fyi i'm only starting with 2 plants at the moment, realistically i can probably only fit 3-4 in my tent (3x3x5) but i'm still a total newbie, it'll be my 3rd grow and i don't want to overwhelm myself again. This is a list of my equipment, i'm not sure how much it applies to this question but i see a lot of threads asking for more info so though i may as well - 3x3x5 Grow tent - 2 x 100watt COB LED (two of these - https://4seasongrowlights.com/collections/led-grow-lights/products/4seasons-luma-400-led-grow-light) - 1 x 50watt cheap led panel that wasn't doing much so just added it for some side lighting (wouldn't fit comfortable up top and i know theres some debate about side lighting, i did it because it was just sitting in my closet doing nothing so why not) - centrifugal extractor fan with speed controller - carbon filter - oscillating fan Haven't decided on container size yet, i may try my 3ish gallon smart pots, either that or some 2.6 gallon square pots. I don't want to go huge, I rent and there's a possibility i may need to hide the plants, hiding a 3 gallon pot is gonna be easier than something twice the size lol. Plus i've read that autos don't reeeally need huge pots. And lastly i don't actually need huge yields. id be more than happy with 2oz per plant. I had a couple of ideas to keep the seedlings warm and happy: A - bring one of the cob leds up to my closet and grow them in their for the first week or 2 until they're strong enough to withstand getting a bit colder. The disadvantages of this idea is the light emitting from my closet for 20hours a day + fan noise, i've done it for seedlings before and yeah it gets pretty annoying hahah B - This idea i just though of, i though perhaps have both containers in the tent already, but with a humidity dome for both containers and cover that dome with a towel or something, to keep the light out until they breach the soil. And have the light schedule already going while they are germinating in darkness, to help keep them warm and it means light will be available as soon as they need it, no moving around. Does that 2nd idea sound like a good one? Thanks in advance for all your suggestions I hope all that made sense, please go easy on me as i'm still learning. This will only be my 3rd grow, and my first with autos/fems.
I put mine under light as soon as they go into medium. Too cold is around freezing temps. Get a seedling heating mat to help keep roots warm at seedling stage until first transplant. Always have caddies or elevators keeping roots off floor especially in colder months. Granted plants dont grow as big in colder than normal or hotter than normal temps. They'll still grow.
have they been germinated before they go into the medium? I’ll be growing autos so won’t be doing any transplanting (I thought about it but don’t want to mess anything up) Most of what I’ve read says to not transplant, I’m guessing answer B makes sense.
Yea, that's what those are 9 autos. Or 8 autos and whatever that little thing is lol slow growing Personally I think watering practices are harder than transplanting. They suggest autos to beginners because of short life span and less work. Light change etc. Due to beginners never transplanting anything and autos not needing much they recommend not transplanting autos. However if your watering practices aren't on point you can easily over water and stunt a small young plant with no roots in a big pot. Stunting a auto will be like a quarter ounce harvest every time
thanks yeah my water practices aren’t very on point. Originally I was going to germinate them in rockwool. In a humidity dome. and put them in the final container when they’re ready. Much like you’re suggesting. I think I will during winter. I also thought about getting a beginner set up of auto pots so I don’t have to worry too much about watering
You can auto pots are expensive and unnecessary starting in small starter pots is fine. As long as with any pot you dont keep watering it while its heavy. Get small pots you can water until runoff putting weight on the pot helping you get an idea sooner. Lifting it every day multiple times a day you'll dial it in. I dont even like cloth pots anymore and they dont have holes in them maybe for one or 2 small pots. But you have to water them too slow to keep water from pouring out the sides. I use a vivosun 2 gallon sprayer gotta fill it up 3 times for the flower tent. Makes my back hurt watering slow. Lol take 30 minutes to water 4 plants lol f.... that the outdoor autos with the water hose are done in a minute with double the plant count. Plastic pots you can fill it to the brim letting it drain then continue. If I'm not washing in top feed I water from the bottom most times. Give the roots something to grow I'm high thought you meant air pots for some reason lmao bet you were like wtf is he talking about holes in them. Sure if you think thatll help gotta have on point watering practices first tho so you know how much each plant gets. Cant go off what you read. Different amounts of perlite and different medium consistancy makes what they suggest online as to how much water such and such gallon of soil takes close but not always accurate