Greenpassion
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Thank you🙂
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HELP! New to this, and have many questions...
- Thread starter Greenpassion
- Start date
Greenpassion
New member
Question for camp. Earlier you posted the regime that you would follow which is start and Solo cups, move to 3 gallon transplant fabric pots, then move to 10 gallon fabric pots. My question is why wouldn't I go to a 5-gallon so I know pot for these auto flowering plants? I thought they were small but maybe I'm wrong.
Greenpassion
New member
Another another question to anyone actually, but maybe specifically D.a.a.s.69. My understanding is that when photo period plants are close to harvest people do a flush. Withholding nutrients for a certain period of time. How do I do that in kind soil if it is continually feeding the plants. Do I actually flush with distilled water to wash out whatever nutrients are left before I harvest?
Campesino
Banned
You could use 5 gallon final containers, I just like more room for roots than that in Soil. I use 7 gallon containers and I grow with Coco, so that is the equivalent of probably 15 or 20 gallons of soil in terms of root space.
If you go with 5 gallon finals (or 7 gallon) I would still do 3-step transplant - but second step would be 2 gallon.
Why the second step matters:
If you go from solo cups to large containers (or start in a large container) the roots will colonize primarily the edges and the bottom of the container. If you excavate the roots after harvest, you will find a lot of root mass around the edges and very little root ball mass in the center of the media. This type of root structure does not support strong healthy plants.
By moving gradually up in container size you ensure that the roots colonize the full volume of the media. This develops a strong root ball mass under the plant and supports strong healthy growth.
Furthermore, large containers that do not have roots drawing moisture tend to dry out very slowly. This affects your fertigation frequency and makes it difficult to get the water and o2 balance correct. In small containers this is much less of a problem and roots are drowned for much shorter periods of time.
If you go with 5 gallon finals (or 7 gallon) I would still do 3-step transplant - but second step would be 2 gallon.
Why the second step matters:
If you go from solo cups to large containers (or start in a large container) the roots will colonize primarily the edges and the bottom of the container. If you excavate the roots after harvest, you will find a lot of root mass around the edges and very little root ball mass in the center of the media. This type of root structure does not support strong healthy plants.
By moving gradually up in container size you ensure that the roots colonize the full volume of the media. This develops a strong root ball mass under the plant and supports strong healthy growth.
Furthermore, large containers that do not have roots drawing moisture tend to dry out very slowly. This affects your fertigation frequency and makes it difficult to get the water and o2 balance correct. In small containers this is much less of a problem and roots are drowned for much shorter periods of time.
Greenpassion
New member
Okay then I will go from Solo cups, with a small amount of pre flushed kind soil in the bottom, up to 2 gallon transplant fabric with 2 lb of kind soil in the bottom, then up to 5 gallon 24/7 pots with 5 lb of kind soil in the bottom. I plan on growing these under Galaxy Pro 300 watt LED lights. Two 300 watt lights on either side and a 600 watt LED in the center. I used these LED lights 2 years ago when I did my first grow with photo period plants. They did really well with these lights. I did not have a 600-watt hanging in the center at that time but I will now. How does that sound?
Campesino
Banned
Sounds Great!
I think D.A.A.S.69 suggests not using preflushed Kindsoil in the first step (solo cups). I think it would be fine, but I'd defer to his experience. Maybe your Promix only in the Solo cups (We were actually discussing FFOF, which is "Fox Farm Ocean Forest", as the media for solo cups) - and then straight Kind Soil for all steps after that.
I actually just saw D.A.A.S.69 comment on flushing on another thread and can confirm that we agree, flushing is not needed in Kind Soil. You are just giving her good stuff - nothing to flush away!
I think D.A.A.S.69 suggests not using preflushed Kindsoil in the first step (solo cups). I think it would be fine, but I'd defer to his experience. Maybe your Promix only in the Solo cups (We were actually discussing FFOF, which is "Fox Farm Ocean Forest", as the media for solo cups) - and then straight Kind Soil for all steps after that.
I actually just saw D.A.A.S.69 comment on flushing on another thread and can confirm that we agree, flushing is not needed in Kind Soil. You are just giving her good stuff - nothing to flush away!
Greenpassion
New member
Yeah I kind of figured there was nothing to flush away but I thought that the plants were supposed to go like a week or two without any nutrients before Harvest. Kind soil gives nutrients all the way through so how does that work? I've read that people withhold nutrients until the leaves start to turn yellowish, and then they harvest. But with auto plants in kind soil, they wouldn't go through a period of nutrient deprivation. Is that a necessary step - nutrient deprivation?
Campesino
Banned
No, It is not a necessary step. The flush is to try to remove the chemicals that have not been processed by the plant. And to force her to use up the chemicals that she has stored. You aren't feeding any nasty chemicals, so the flush is not needed. She can stay green through to harvest, no problem!
D.A.A.S.69
New member
Greenpassion, I use 3gallon smartpots, with 3lbs, or 21 cups of KindSoil on the bottom of the pot, then you use stuff like Coco-Loco, or Roots Organic or FFOF or Ffhf, or anything you like on top of the pot.
I don't transplant anymore, I can't tell the difference, except I'm not slowing my auto down, an I know you can transplant one without slowing it down, if your careful,
But Phil Kind has got his soil figured out , by using a pound of KindSoil for every gallon of pot size.
At the end your leaves will start turning yellow, just like they do naturally outdoors in the wild.
Thats why he says never water to runoff, or you will wash all of the good stuff that's in the KindSoil away, unless you put a saucer under your pot ,so it can wick it back up.
But I never water to runoff, I put my hand under the pot. And you can feel when the roots are wet-damp.
But if you water to runoff your leaves will get yellow. Much to soon.
Thats why I say, if you follow Phil's directions ,you can't go wrong. But with his soil you do have to make sure that your water is between 6.0-7.0 going in.
It grows some fine sticky weed, too.
ps- oh yeah, no need to flush, last week or two, mine just get molasses an water.
I don't transplant anymore, I can't tell the difference, except I'm not slowing my auto down, an I know you can transplant one without slowing it down, if your careful,
But Phil Kind has got his soil figured out , by using a pound of KindSoil for every gallon of pot size.
At the end your leaves will start turning yellow, just like they do naturally outdoors in the wild.
Thats why he says never water to runoff, or you will wash all of the good stuff that's in the KindSoil away, unless you put a saucer under your pot ,so it can wick it back up.
But I never water to runoff, I put my hand under the pot. And you can feel when the roots are wet-damp.
But if you water to runoff your leaves will get yellow. Much to soon.
Thats why I say, if you follow Phil's directions ,you can't go wrong. But with his soil you do have to make sure that your water is between 6.0-7.0 going in.
It grows some fine sticky weed, too.
ps- oh yeah, no need to flush, last week or two, mine just get molasses an water.
Greenpassion
New member
Are you saying you plant your seeds directly into 3 gallon pots?
Greenpassion
New member
Tell me about the molasses. You use that in the last week or so? I just ordered my seeds I ordered Northern Light and OG Kush, both Auto. They will be here in a few weeks so I'm sorry away from needing the Molasses I'm sure. When I get closer I'll check back in with you on that topic.