White Widow Auto First Grow, please Advise

Grow Cycle Preparations
1

I’ve done a ton of research leading up to this grow, my first time. We decided to go with White Widow autoflowers for the first go around.

I’m using a 3x3x6 tent indoors and have three plants we just planted from seed today. We soaked them in water pH’ed to 6.5 for the first 18-24 hours until they sank to the bottom, then put them on a damp paper towel for about two days as the tails grew. All three of our seeds showed tails although only two were at the 3/4-1" mark when we decided to plant all three.

Our setup includes a humidifier, Mars Hydro TS1000 grow light, and we are using a sub-irrigated planter method (made from this video: How to Build a Sub-Irrigated Planter to Grow Hemp - YouTube ). Growing in five gallon buckets and are using 3-gallon fabric pots within the buckets with coco coir and perlite mix as the medium. There’s a thin layer of coco coir and perlite at the bottom with a 2" net cup in the bottom. There’s a layer of weed cloth in the bottom and into the net cup with a layer of perlite covering it.

We are going to be using nutrients purchased with the seeds for the first few grows although I would prefer to go fully organic afterwards using compost, worm castings, etc.

My questions are:

  • What height should my lights be at from the planters at each phase? I’ve seen people suggest keeping the same height and changing the intensity vs raising or lowering the lights.

  • when is there enough root structure to start watering from the bottom vs top watering? I want to reduce the risk of pests as much as possible.

  • when do you start adding nutrients and/or watering? I have the hydro feeding schedule that mentions seedlings in week one but I’ve also seen people say not to water or feed for the first four weeks so I’m a bit confused on this.

I will post a picture soon of my setup. Thank you in advance for all your help! I’m excited to get to know the people in this community.

Thanks,
Scurry

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2

Refer to the manufacturer’s manual for light height. If you moistened the soil before you planted, then don’t do anything before they break soil. What nutrients are you going to use?

3

Your light In the pic looks like it’s 4 ft from the plants! Too far. Lower the light. I use 600 watt MH and am only 18 inches . Digital lights can be even closer. Refer to the guidelines set by the light manufacturer as the other poster suggested to get a general idea.

Use the hand test if in doubt, if your hand at plant canopy level is too hot or cold, your plant is to. I use a standard wall thermometer stuck in my pot and lower my light till after 5 minutes my temp reads 80 then I back my light up till it reads 77. My digital Lights are a mere 6 inches from plant tops. Excessive light distance will cause stretching and leggy plants.

Generally about week 4 to 5 I can bottom feed. Use Domesticius earth one cup per pot mixed in soil controls most insects. Keep your grow room clean as possible and properly sealed will help in bug control.

Here’s a good Tip, a spoonful of cayenne pepper in water strained into a spray bottle will stop almost all insects I have ever encountered.

I have 5 WW Autos and 4 Bruce Banner Autos going now. Tip 2, WW can take over watering, over feeding and higher ph than many other plants I’ve grown so you made an excellent choice as its a forgiving plant to a degree.

4

I make my own soil and it’s probably hotter than most would use but at 600 to 800 ppm my WW took off planted straight into pots no germination in water or paper towels in a 5 gallon pot straight under a 600 watt MH 18 inches and they loved it. My BB auto does not like high nutrients or ph.

Overwatering in those bigger pots or buckets isn’t hard to do. I use a 5 5 5 organic dry fertilizer every 3 weeks, 1 tablespoon and mist daily with Advanced Nutrients . 3 drops of each. Grow, micro bloom and nirvana. I tuck my leaves and do no lst on this run as im trying to get an idea of WW Auto height for summer outdoor grows. I will install my net screen but mostly to keep plants at a level that won’t get light burn.

I only used about a pint of water every two or 3 days for two weeks. Now they are 3 weeks old and I am adding more water.

Take a pot the size u are using and fill it with your soil mix and pick it up. Then fill it with water till it runs out. Set it out of the saucer on the ground preferably or a drain and once u see no water is coming out pick it back up.

Now you have the parameters of what your pot weighs empty and full. Don’t water till it feels almost light and empty. Mist the top of your soil between waterings and the leaves about twice a day.

Here’s a few watering tips bro.

  1. Use spring or rain water

  2. Water around the outside edge of large pots with small seedlings

  3. Always PH your water

  4. I use oyster shell and lime but if you don’t, you need to add some cal mag in your water at week 4.

  5. Soak your pot and let it halfway dry " by weight" before planting seeds and plant em straight into dirt under a hot light " 80ish degrees at soil level" Digital lights don’t produce enough of a heat signature and I suspect that digital Lights set at 4 feet is why so many have germination issues. All of my ilgm seeds sprouted using this method. No water no paper towels and were up on day 3.

  6. Measure water don’t guess and keep up with the amounts in a journal.