The AutoToka grow....first auto... 2nd grow!

[TOKABIGONE]

The girls are 22 days now and they got a good haircut and a little lst. I hope i didn't go to crazy on defol. They were real thick! I think they look pretty good for a newbie who didn't listen to what others said. N
ever did, why start now, lol

[PLreef]

Not too shabby for 22 day old plants! Well done my friend. I couldn't take it anymore! Now that I'm growing photos I miss autos and their speedy growth! So I started one in a dwc set up tonight. Really don't know what I'm doing but I've done a metric ass ton of research on DWC. Hopefully I can have a good outcome.

[SoOrbudgal]

I don't think you did any harm. But i would not do anything more for awhile. They look healthy an strong, few weeks they'll be in flower.

[TOKABIGONE]

Man these girls are out of control! 24 days and I'm having to restrain them for their own good, lol! I see preflower stipules at many nodes. They never missed a beat when I fimmed and defoled. Starting to really stretch now hense the stakes I'm not doing a true manifold on these for several reasons, mostly I don't think they will need it. Minor lst should do it. My lights are 300w true at 15 inches. I might try to lower a bit to see how they react. There are a couple leaves with yellowing tips and edges which I attribute to trim stress as it appeared the am after I did defol on them. Just one plant.

[TOKABIGONE]

Yessir, last Thursday of the month. Probably my favorite holiday. Tables heaping with lovely heart attack food but hey it's a holiday, right! The gals just got a top dressing of and watering in of casting tea. After they flower I will add some fish emulsion and kelp to my tea. I'm trying to stay away from liquid nutes if at all possible. I think I'm familiar enough now with nute issues so I can identify on sight and correct.

[BU2B]

YEARS ago I asked my wife about Canadian Thanksgiving - she being Canadian by birth and citizenship. I told her I knew all about the American Thanksgiving Holiday, but; I had to admit, I was a little unsure of the history of Canadian Thanksgiving and what exactly they were 'thankful' for. I'll always remember her reply with a smile when I recall her answer... "We're Thankful we're not American!"

[Puglover1]

BU2B Hysterical!

[TOKABIGONE]

Day 30 today. I removed 6 fans that were shading bud sites. They are still stretching and I hope they will grow maybe another 6 inches. For an auto newb I think they look pretty good for 29 days yesterday. Pic 1 the main cola was getting friskie with the lights so I bent it over and staked it down. A tiny bit of light stress in it's tips with minor burn. Today they get worm cast tea and a little more top dress. They're drinking 2 to 3 qts each watering now. I have not pHed the last 2 waterings with no issue so I believe my created soil is now self correcting pH as it should. That was the goal to make it like regular soil in that respect. No more chasing pH and no chemical nutes. Next watering I will give casting tea with kelp and Alaska salmon emulsion. My soil recipe is in an earlier post on this thread if you're interested. Coco Loco base with natural amendments. If all holds true, this will be my soil choice going forward as I go back to photos next grow. pH has been my biggest bugaboo in my previous grow so natural correction by the soil is a huge advance for me. Of course the final results will tell the whole story. I think these results are more exciting to me than what ever yield I get in terms of quantity and potency. Although those factors remain a big part of the equation. Will the concept that soil grown surpasses any other for taste and strength hold true for created soil? I'll know in a couple months.

[Farmbuck]

TOKABIGONE They are fast little ones aren't they ? Soon you will see some nice buds in your girls mon ami !!

[TOKABIGONE]

Yessir they are! I'm a bit amazed at how tight the nodes are for Sativas! Buds are gonna stack in there like cordwood! Should be fat colas especially if they keep stretching too

[BU2B]

Nice to see the girls happy and healthy

[TOKABIGONE]

Update: Day 37 from sprout. The ladies continue to look healthy altho maybe a little hungry for nutrition. No frosting as yet! They have evidently finished their stretch and I believe my created soil has run out of nutes they need. Alaska Salmon will be in my mailbox shortly a day early. Thx Amazon!
They were pretty dry this morning so they each got a half gallon of plain water with some unsulfered molasses. Later they will get two more each with the fish goo. I'm hoping this might spur them into one final grow spurt then finish filling the buds. I'm also going to top dress with Recharge mycorarzie (sp). This is a really fun grow with all going swimmingly so far! I'm very impressed and super pleased with the results of my new soil and most especially because it is self correcting pH. To start with an amended coco base with organics rather than chemicals and have great results without pH correction is amazing to me. (pause)

I hit pause because my fish sh** is here...Mixed up an oz to a gallon of filtered tap water, no pH! Officially recorded 1/2 inch growth last 24 hrs. 2 qts to each lady so that's a gallon each today. They will be bone dry in 2 days (I never let that happen!). Reviews all say the fish really stinks. I can't say as I lost my sense of smell last year. It wouldn't bother me anyway, I've been an avid salmon fisher all my life in Oregon! C'mon people, look at the bottle, it;s a 1% emulsion for pity sake! I'd drink some if the stakes were high enough, lol!!

I read somewhere that adding fish during bloom will intensify sugar coating. Anyone confirm or deny? Have a great weekend everyone!


Shot from the edge of the pot up into the jungle!

[Farmbuck]

Well done sir TOKABIGONE !! I would start with half the strength of the fish poo and do the wait and see game. Sometime less is best. I never fished salmon in my life just northern walleye. I'm more of a big game hunter than a fisherman.

I don't know much about autos and at day 57 and in full bloom I'm thinking of really reducing the 5-1-1 Alaskan fish and just giving them molasses and bloom nutrients. .

So far I'm impressed. Not with the girls... me lolllll

[TOKABIGONE]

Oops, day late and a dollar short Farmbuck! It's a done deal. I poured a fat oz into the jug and dumped it in. I'm using Bloom City Alaska Salmon from big A and it says 4/1/0.5 so I hope I didn't burn them. I personally think they look a little short of nitro, they've been living on cast tea so far so a boost might help IMO. They're strong girls, I think they can take it! All that fish protein and amino acids from the fat and blood should certainly do something! One more shot in two weeks at 1/2 strength should get them to the finish line with just water thereafter. Thanks!

[SoOrbudgal]

Well guess you'll see in a couple days how they liked the diet of fish I don't use it indoor anymore have you smelled why yet??

[TOKABIGONE]

Haha Girl as I said above the fish smell or any smell including pot is lost to me as my sense of smell vanished last year after a serious ear, nose infection. Hell of it is I don't have any idea if I'm stinking up the neighborhood in bloom or not. Can't smell the flowers if I stuff them in my nose. I hate it!

[PLreef]

Looks like your doing great over there TOKABIGONE. Autos can be real enjoyable to grow. Seeing pics like these make me miss growing them.

[SoOrbudgal]

Well just tell whomever comes over you enjoy cooking fish LOL

[TOKABIGONE]

Yeah I'll just serve them a steaming cup of fish goo! Just check them no burn no problem this morning! This grow is going so well I'm holding my breath waiting for the gremlins to pop out!

[TOKABIGONE]

Here we go... 2 days after feeding Alaska salmon 1 oz to a gallon, each got 2 qts. Their color has brightened and they are perky looking! I put a stake beside the two tallest colas to mark growth. The hook top even with the flower top. Over 1 1/2 inches in the last 2 days with an inch just since yesterday. I was really hoping for this reaction from them. Any bets on how much more stretch? Now check out the comparison pics...

yesterday today

yesterday today

I'm impressed, the red stake is 1/2 inch in 24 hrs! They are 5 weeks and 4 days from sprout in the pot. If all these calyxs swell very much my buds will be fat!

These are real fun but I'm more excited to get to my landrace seed runs next up!

[Farmbuck]

Yep they are growing alright !! They are starting to look like golf ball sir. I'm looking forward to see the transformation. This is my last grow for 2021. Well here anyway loll A few of my expat gringos are getting ready for their next grow over in Yucatan so I'm looking forward to participate with them with their gringo's grow.

[SoOrbudgal]

They look alittle thirsty for a good big drink of just water. How's the humidity do you have any?

[TOKABIGONE]

Ha ha SoOrbudgal sharp eye still huh! I noted it at 8 when I shot the pics. Over 3 qts each in 5 gal did not run off at all. Bone dry after 2 days when they had 6 each at that time to slight run off.

[TOKABIGONE]

Day 45 or 6 1/2 weeks from sprout. Stretch growth continues. i know these are redundant pics but I'm still awed and amazed! I pulled the stakes up even yesterday at 4pm. By 4 today there will be another inch. Looks like buds are preparing to stack and fatten! The one on the left was shorter 5 days ago now is tallest It grows an inch and her sister grows 1/2 inch every day! I expect another 2 or 3 days of this then they will slow and concentrate on fattening up. They drink a gallon a day now. I put a Tbs of molasses per gallon to feed the root microbe colony which helps them get fat. That's all they will get for 10 more days when I give a final feed of fish poo at 1/2 strength then just water/molasses until harvest. I have not used any chemical nutes at all and do not pH my input or runoff. The soil is taking care of it fine!

An inch in 24 hours?!!

[TOKABIGONE]

I see I was right, A little less stretch last nite so i think that is close to over. Now it's fatten and ripen time!

[Farmbuck]

Yep !! Time for your girls to be whole lotta rosie... Fat and happy !!

[TOKABIGONE]

BUGS! I never woulda thunk it!? My cabinet is pretty bug proof except for a 4x6 inch bottom intake vent with a grill covering it but not screen. The yellow sticky sheets are great! They capture very large or very very small. When i first hung them i quickly had a collection going, lol! I'm talking critters here so small they're next to invisible w/o magnification. Black specs smaller than dust! And they can fly!? Then this morning OMG! i had a few moths on them too but this morning I found 3 new ones, then i saw one on a leaf so I grabbed it, threw it violently to the floor and smashed it! Now I can have my morning toke and coffee while I peep at the ladies, right? Uh oh, my gaze wanders up to the corner of the cabinet and finds this monster! I don't know what it is called other than freaky! Just looks evil! Another damn Halloween demon looking for trouble! I grabbed a sticky sheet with a handle and stuck it on him. Gotcha...damn thing starts to flutter so hard it's shaking my hand! He gets a wing stuck on either side of the trap. Ha, now you're mine! One wing rips free and then the second but he falls to the floor still fluttering. I try to stick him again but no he crawls away behind stuff. OK I'm sitting on high alert status when he makes a break into the open. Alright I'm just gonna smash you then. Sure!! He springs into the air straight at my face so I duck while he circles me once and heads for the deck where I lose him in the junk pile. I'm hoping that's the last I see of him!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

[Puglover1]

I have to kill the moths here - summer, dogs, patio, nighttime - the dang cat's no help. I keep a sticky over my kitchen sink to catch bugs in the room they enter, variety.

[TOKABIGONE]

Just a quick update this morning...
The stretch has slowed to 1/4 inch or less a day now but the buds are filling and stacking very nicely! Tichomes are just getting started so if you enlarge they are there.

As they are now becoming sweet now and even more attractive to bugs I had concerns over plant defence so I formed an armed security force and it's my pleasure to introduce Capt. Itsy Bitsy as commander of the Tokadom Armed Forces! Passive defence is not enough anymore!



And now the news....
Today is the ladies 7 week birthday so they're looking pretty for the camera! Many colas close to 8 inch now and fatter every day! Pistils are just starting to curl at the tips with slight browning. I'm thinking about 5 to maybe 7 more weeks tops. Early Dec anyway. I wouldn't mind if I had to support the branches due to weight!





I'm pleased with this grow in a big way as I violated a lot of 'rules' with great results so far! I got real tired of pH this or pH that so I set about to create my own easy peasy soil so after a lot of study and field testing I'm pretty sure I'm on a good track by the looks of them. NO pH adjustment at all. The soil is self correcting and nourishing with out the use of chemical nutrients even with a coco base. Worm castings, guano, perlite, crab meal, kelp, basalt for minerals, completely organic mix. They're drinking pretty heavy so 2 to 3 qts of plain water a day alternated with compost tea and casting top dressing. At about 5 weeks I gave them 1 oz to a gallon of Wild Salmon fish emulsion. the results were amazing! From slow growth at start of flower to explosive within 2 days! They added another 6-8 in. in as many days and tripled their girth!
I did not originate this recipe but really haven;t heard much about growing this way so I picked and chose from a few different ones with success. There are commercial mixes on the market pretty much the same thing but I see none that claim to correct pH this way. If anyone has I would love to hear about it...
Have a great week!

[TOKABIGONE]

Really you think so?? Nice of you to say but I see comparison pics that say different, lol! Yes Capt. Itsy Bitsy is a spider. Hard core, mean as they come, (spider) Bitch!

[Farmbuck]

Well 8 inches in 7 weeks !! Some of mine were 6 inches at 7wks. So I say yes sir. A Spider ? You mean a real one ????? ARGGGGG a White Widow !!

[TOKABIGONE]

Yessir a real one! I love having her on duty, lol. i just saw one of her troops walking her post around the rim of the pot. Tiny but mighty!

BTW have you heard of anyone growing in soil w/o manually correcting pH?

[SoOrbudgal]

Looking really good for your first time with autos do you have 4 growing? Not sure about the buggy tent though?

[TOKABIGONE]

SoOrbudgal, Hi Gal, Nope just 2, 1 died at sprout and 4 more seeds followed suit so 2 it is. The other 2 pots are to help with RH as it has been in the 20's the entire grow. The girls are doing fine with it anyway. The bug stories were all in fun. i had never used sticky traps and was surprised at the
variety of critters I was catching, especially the teeny tiny ones. The issue would go away if I weren't too lazy to find a piece of screen to cover the bottom vent. It's in a difficult place to bend my old body down to. I know your soil is similar to what I'm doing, have you ever tried not pHing your input or are you doing it because you're still using chemical nutes? I am still surprised how simple it is If you have confidence and watch with an eagle eye. It will be interesting to find out if photos respond this way as well.

Have you ever heard of anyone trying this in a grow?

[TOKABIGONE]

Quicky update:
Bro BU2B suggested a shot w/o lights on, just flash. Makes them a bit more impressive I think, thanks Bro! Pic is this am flash only.
Even tho they are both Maui autos from the same pack, I'm pretty sure diff linage. The tallest colas are approx 8-9 inches on the left. Structure is diff. Note also the coloring, Left is darker verging on nute burn and a few tips yellowing so I flushed it with a gallon of plain tap water. It looks better today. Not an issue as the plant is healthy just genetics. Explosive growth on both plants after a feed of fish emulsion but I may have been a little too aggressive when I added casting tea and top dress 6 days later. This whole grow is an experiment as I didn't follow the 'rules' about any aspect of it. I am having fun! Always good when an experiment goes well! Am I a maverick?

Sorry Puglover1 but no dwarfs in these autos!

[Farmbuck]

Now I'm jealous !! Yes you are!!

[Puglover1]

I wouldn't wish miniatures on anyone.

[TOKABIGONE]

As I believe healthy leaves need to remain as long as possible unless they are blocking light, I opened them to the breaking point w/o harm. Now all bud sites are getting good light and left girl no longer threatened by the light. This may be a long flowering auto! No yellowing or browning leaves at all, just healthy green growth!

Sorry about the knee porn!