Hey guys, im starting my first Auto grow after growing my last fem for the past 6 months! I think ive learned a ton since i started but i have a few questions. Im moving towards 100% organic growing, and this time around im using living soil. Im using FFOF mixed with 1lb of Super soil concentrate and nothing else. From what i understand, i dont need to add extra nutes at all. Im growing in 5 gallon pots and currently germinating. My questions are is it true that i dont need to add anything and is there anything i should know about autos or living soils that i might not be aware of? Thanks guys!
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Depending on what type water your using, Tap, RO, Distilled, you may want to use some CalMag or Epsom salt but I’m not experienced using super soils but that is the rumor no nutrients needed just pH your water but I would watch the leafs for deficiencies as your grow progresses 
It depends on how you want to grow, as it stands your going to have some issues.
The first issue is you need a top layer/center plug of lighter soil because they will be stunted or get nute burn early on if they are planted in to hot of soil, happy frog is suggested or some sort of seedling soil.
If your growing an auto in a 5 gallon fabric pot don’t water to 20% Run off like you would if you were feeding nutrients it drains nutes out of your soil and your trying to keep them in.
Also 5 gallons won’t be enough, your going to want 7g maybe at a min ideally 10g min.
I grow until flower and then generally need to feed bloom and cal mag 3 times before harvesting autos that are done in the 3 month range. Again it depends on the strain you grow.
Be sure to make your soil 30% perlite or the plants roots will struggle.
Also add Mykos to your soil.
Organic can be grown with no treatments and just large pots and quality soil layers or it can be supplemented with organic fertilizers, you could look at doing teas and other things.
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Ok first i am using a center plug of lighter soil. Second im not using a 5 gallon plant pot, im using a modified 5 gallon bucket which holds double that of a 5 gallon flower pot because for whatever reason a 5 gallon flower pot only holds 3 gallons of soil while my 5 gallon bucket holds closer to 6.5 gallons of soil (even a 7 gallon flower pot only holds 5 gallons of actual soil). My soil is 30% perlite mixed with 60% FFOF and 10% or 1lb of super soil. This is the super soil im using Amazon.com.
Just looked up the 10 gallons pots also, and my buckets still hold more soil and are larger lol. Its pretty dumb. @Nicky
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At far as pot size goes, the best way to know if you’re providing adequate volume is trial and analysis. After cutting down the finished plant, dissect the root mass to actually see how well the plant filled it out.
I’m gonna put out there that there’s no reason you can’t go plug to solo cup to 1 gal to 3 gal to 5 gal to 10 gal with an autoflower, even after it begins to flower. Some people may not agree with this, but I question whether cynicism is based on experience or lore.
I’m interested in that as well… I’ve watched and read alot on autos and all say to plant right into whatever pot you’ll finish in because of time restraint you stress as little as possible.
I grew some autos outside this year and toped them once…it definitely slowed them way down and hurt yield. Just not enough time to come back I wonder if the transplant will do the same?
In my experience, transplanting to a larger container isn’t a traumatic process; I think maybe the idea comes from greenhouse seedling production, where you do need to harden tender plants off before they go into full sun.
Especially with the solo cup.
As far as pot sizes go I’ll be honest my 5gallon pot doesn’t seem nearly as big as a 5 gallon bucket lol.
Transplanting can stunt them, I’ve seen it, it can also not stunt them but the chances of gaining vs loss if not very carefully monitored and transplanted are not worth the risk involved.
As for topping and FIM’ing you need to do it to a thriving plant, if it’s not thriving then you can definitely negatively effect yeild.