Autoflower Pruning... Yay or Nay?

[D.A.A.S.69]

Hey AFN Yes pictures are on 46DayoldNLauto on this site. And I expect to get at least 3 maybe more ozs, and I was using an 89 buck GH300 LED.

[anotherfrigginnewbie]

Wow! Thanks for the follow up. I'm using a Roleadro 400W COB, and I'm pretty happy with it so far. I've been kinda worried about it, since I haven't taken any plant to flower yet (until this AF) with this light... Since this light only cost me $100, I was wondering if it would be loose-nug-generating or if it would be able to perform similar to higher priced lights... Would you mind posting a link to your grow journals or your pics? I've been looking and I haven't been able to find out how to find other people's stuff... I just find where you have commented on different threads... I'm usually high when I'm on here, and I can't figure most stuff out... I've only been able to look at grows that people have added to their signatures, so you see the links underneath every post they make.

[Gears]

I pray at the the alter of the #automechanics. When some of them have pruned, you'd swear a swarm of locusts of Biblical proportion had feasted on their plants.

I haven't seen any ill effects of defoliation. In fact, it is my morning ritual to sit with my babies with a coffee and scissors in hand. I remove anything that might interfere with growth sites.

Here's a White Widow Auto that seems perfectly content to be trimmed. She's a bit small. But that had nothing to do with her regular haircuts. I had to abandon the garden for a while due to pressing issues out of town. She is also seriously tied down.



Similarily, this N. Lights Auto is doing just fine. I hadn't intended to top this one. But, a slip of the hand while doing LST decided otherwise.

[anotherfrigginnewbie]

Hey Gears, thanks for your info and for posting pics! I really appreciate your help, and you showing me your girls.
My morning ritual includes changing out the bottles of ice in my reservoir, so I keep my water temp below 70 degrees...
I'm actually changing from DWC/Hydroponics to Coco from here on out, so I will have much MUCH better choices when it comes to tie-down points. I'm trying to tie the main stem down in a spiral, but since I'm growing in a 5 gallon pail, I can't tie it down to anything but the lid... And the water changes are too difficult in this setup, plus I don't have anyone I can trust to ask them to care for my plants if I have to leave town for any reason...
Anyways, thanks again for your help. On what you said, you said that you trim anything that is in shade or is getting in the way of your bud sites... But with my plant, I'm still vegging at the moment. So I don't actually know when/where the buds will start growing, so I don't want to trim something that I'll really want to be there later! LOL
Any idea as to what spots I should be trimming or keeping? Again, thanks a LOT for your help. Have a good one!

[anotherfrigginnewbie]

Also, why does it appear that all of your leaves are either 3 or 5 point? I've been getting 7, 8, and 9 point leaves, and I think (REALLY HOPE!!!) that I have a set of 11 point leaves coming in right now! From my last grow, I only got 7 point leaves... So I'm excited just to see the 9 or 11 point leaves... Just the dork in me I guess.

[Aloner]

Wait until you get some even-numbered ones, that'll really flip your lid! I got a few on one of my plants after I topped it--I freaked until I read that it's normal.

[Gears]

@anotherfrigginnewbie

To answer your 2nd question first, genetics. All of my plants so far have been 5 point. If you see a 3 pointer in one of my pics, it's either that 2 of the smaller ones aren't obvious or I have cut a couple of them off.

I do try to leave at least one decent sized fan leaf wherever I'm getting new growth. At least until the new growth is big enough to get by on it's own. I'm just guessing when that is. If it isn't blocking light, I leave it be. So far, I don't think I've hurt anything doing this. I may remove just a portion of a leaf if that let's light into the new growth site beside it. New growth = new bud sites. Or at least, potential bud sites.

I'm always looking to let air and light into the plant. As I'm very new to this, I take my lead from people like Green75 LuckyAcres Sonnyhad - The Automechanics. Check out Lucky's video here or Green's video here to see some seriously defoliated plants

[LuckyAcres]

You should find some answers here. Green and I are agressive pruners so use at your own risk!

[LuckyAcres]

Also, epic auto battle going on here, lots to learn.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Hey AFN sorry but I don't know how to post a link like your talking about I'm a dumb a-s at that kind of tech stuff. But it is on page 2 of the growing community, this one we are on now. Called 46dayoldNLauto, it's with a cheap led light. Hope this helps some ,and good luck with yours.

[DW2]

berrypilot The best thing that I have done in the battle of the root rot was to cover ALL of the net pots with aluminum foil, even if they are full of the Hydrotron pebbles (I cut a small hole for the seedlings in the foil) and made an access port for the ice bottles and to add the nutrient mix and water. Before I would raise the lid to 'fish' out the bottles, letting in enough light to cause the algae to grow.
Here's a couple of photos to show what I mean.

[berrypilot]

🌱 That's great! Thanks for the pics, a picture speaks a thousand words! And so since you made those changes, you haven't had any trouble with root rot? All the hints from the great hydro growers on here are making me want to start one again even though it's the middle of summer and I have outdoor plants! 🌱

[DW2]

This is my sixth grow and is the only one where the root are almost white (there is some 'staining' from the Floralicious Plus that I am using) and smells nice. I never realized just how much light was getting in and where! The reservoirs (10 gallon Sterilite) are also wrap with bubble wrap for heat insulation.

[berrypilot]

🌱 That is such great info! I have grown DWC 5 times successfully, but I've had at least a little root rot every time in the beginning. It only happens with some plants, and seems to get triggered if I move or otherwise disturb them. But it is always is completely gone by around week 4. I kept trying to figure out why. Now I think perhaps it stops when the plants get big enough to fully cover the reservoir so it's completely shaded from the grow light. If shading the roots from the beginning works, that would be wonderful! 🌱