What's with days #42-#45 and Auto's?

[Weed Pharma]

Every single autoflower grow I have done- has a period of time (@ days #42-#45) where I think the plant won't make it.

The plant goes from drinking like crazy, growing well- full pot of roots, reaching for the light etc- then stops.

Are they drooping from lack of O2? and It's so dramatic-I begin to suspect root rot- pot stays saturated, requiring additional soil aeration etc.
The plants often look like they won't make it-but always do and then flourish after a few days.

My current grow ( https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...e-in-the-wings ) - I started 2 additional auto's. (only to end up- with little room for them)

Any ideas? I realize it's only for a few days- but that matters with an autoflower that only takes 60-70 days total.

[Potted]

Just a suggestion, airate your water with a fish tank bubbler before watering ( more o2 to the roots ) it can only help😁

[Weed Pharma]

Thank you- I've tried that and found no difference with soil.

[Weed Pharma]

I thought that too- but the plant goes from feeding daily with no issues - to not drinking during that timeframe and then resumes every other day.
Makes me think something happens @ week #7 from plant/germination that I am missing

[Nartak]

Do you perhaps switch from veg to flower nutes without flushing?

[Toker1]

Why not ditch the autos for something that yields better and give higher THC content? Never had this issue with photoperoid plants.

[Weed Pharma]

I grow both, but my experience has been just the opposite for the last 2 years.

[Toker1]

Maybe things have changed since they first can into the scene 10 years or so ago. The low riders were the first I remember. Potency and yields just were not there yet.
But you are saying the plants stall. Do your photoperoid plants stall? If not, then yes...the autos are yielding less with the slowed growth rates. If the photoperoid plants stall too...then this problem is not limited to autos and grow methods need to be considered.

[Weed Pharma]

Nartak, I never gave that a thought- so I just took a look at my nutrients, here is a brief description for current grow- with days attached.

Days 0-transplant, germ/seedling in 1 gallon of coco/perlite and gets nebula's trio schedule.
Day #17- Transplant into 5 gallons of Roots Organic Original (amended) and stop trio after one feeding.
Day #22- additional amendments for flower.
Day #27- white hairs
Day #37- drinking daily.
Day # 39- Droop - 400 ppm & 6.2 pH (I only check if I have a problem)
Day # 45- all is recovered and I am estimating the harvest date!

Basically it starts12 days from the first white hairs with no nutrient changes within a couple of weeks prior to the droop.

Separately, I have decided to include flower amendments at time of transplant for convenience- starting next grow as auto's flower in 7-10 days from transplant.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Weed Pharma, that is confusing, My autos are usually doing their very best, a week or so after pistils show.
I sure hope you get it figured out though.

[Nartak]

I would say the same as DAAS for all my autos but how about adding a flush prior to the amendments and moving them up to Day 25? Then till day 27 they wont need watering and on day 27 or 28 you start feeding nutes? Or even better try using last nutes closer to the white hair day so they don't run out with the transplant and amendments/watering...Maybe they put everything in flowering and you give them a gap too long?
Haven't watched your grows yet,i've not been on the site for a while...

Man my first witnessing of #Drinking Daily i was in awe,i couldn't believe the amount of water they drunk up and funny enough,the daily nutes!!They loved the lot of it!!

[Weed Pharma]

I grow a combined grow of synthetics-organics&mixed while adding what is needed based on the plant:
Synthetics until node #5- then organic with minerals throughout the grow (minerals at very low doses) and the only synthetic I add- is 1/4 dose of PK boosters after the 3rd week of flower increasing for only weeks #5&6.

The only time I rourtinely flush is after week #5 to get the large fans to be used up at ripening.

Generally, organics are not flushed and my soil is charged for at least 10 weeks of flower at transplant.

I appreciate the time and effort everyone has contributed to this!

[Mr.furley]

I call it cannabis puberty.
They get thickle, don't know what they need, and act out of emotion not logic.
Happens to photos if you're not paying attention in week 4 of flowering.

[Weed Pharma]

That's interesting you say flowering wk#4- as I have adjusted feed schedules by 1 week for auto's v photo's, as I found most schedules are not in sync with auto growth patterns-

Feed charts are written for photos in 5 gallon containers under 1000w HPS lights and very few growers adjust for their specific growing environment - to maintain balance.

That would make auto flowering wk#3- the same as photo flowering wk#4.

[Weed Pharma]

I just had 2 plants go through the timeframe and nothing- these plants are in coco/perlite - feeding CoCoTeK schedule.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Same here, except, im in soil.

[Nartak]

Maybe then it is the specific soil u had? It does something in those days that woops the plants? Flux ph? maybe you should check deep in the pot your ph or?

[Weed Pharma]

Update: I spoke too soon about the 2 coco/perlite - one was planted later and is at Day #46 and going through cannabis puberty-lol

[Mr.furley]

I did a couple of things this grow and had minimal to no problems in week 4 of my photo flower. I'm in 5 gal pots, drain to waste, 3 or 4 days, Alternating feed/water every other time, ph 6.3.

(day70) week #2 of 12/12 give kelp 5ml to a gallon.
Next watering, flushed with extra PH water Checked runoff pH.
Week #3 12/12 removed nitrogen base, doubled bloom base.
Next watering, flushed with extra PH water Checked runoff pH
Resumed my feeding schedule.

After the same problems at the same time has extended/slowed my flowering period multiple grows this was what I came up with. The kelp to aid with any stress, the extra flush to correct any PH problems, and the removal of nitrogen plus upping the avaliable P&K to easy the biological change over. I need to repeat this process to confirm it worked but for now with this grow I may hit the lighter side of the breeders time line for a change.

Don't know if it will help but there it is.

[Weed Pharma]

She was uncooperative for only 6 hours (usually lasts for days) and a review of my feeding schedule shows something in common to what you did.

Day #41 - usual grow feeding- (wk#2 flower)
Day #43 began bloom feeding *EARLY*- 2/3 strength going forward
Day #45 water-
Day #46 Bloom feeding.

They EARLY bloom feeding was because I was too lazy to mix 2 different solutions for plants that were only 1 week apart in age, 2 weeks difference in developement.

I think you may be on to something Mr.furley

[Weed Pharma]

In watching some video grows- I noticed and growers commented about a stall out in weeks #5&#6 for auto's which puts the timeframe squarely in the transition phase.
With auto's it's harder to foretell when that time is.