RDWC v. Coco Coir

 Autoflower plants are a different plant v. Photo Period plants and require different growing techniques. Because Auto plants are on a genetic grow schedule any deviation from perfect conditions adversely effect final outcome. Where with photo period plants less than perfect conditions can be made up to some extent  by adding time to the vegetation stage. 

This is not a perfect comparison because the side tent conditions are not the same as in tent conditions but they are close. The side tent DLI is the same as that in the tent, the big difference is RDWC v. Coco. With RDWC you have near perfect control of EC and pH, with soil or Coco not so much and it really shows with Autoflower plants. I have grown in tent and side tent Autoflower plants, both in soil, with little difference in size or production.

The side tent plants are one week behind the in tent RDWC plants. 

The side tent plants:

     The RDWC in tent plants:

 The Bio Mass of the RDWC plants is at least twice maybe even three times that of the Coco plants. The real story will be told once the harvest is completed and the amount of flower and THC level can be measured per plant. Stay around, in a month or so I will know the answer. 

BTW click 'em to big 'em.

California Lightworks

 California Lightworks is offering a free Solarxtreme 820 light to the winner of a drawing. To enter they want a short video testimonial (30sec to 1min) about how your California Lightworks LED lights has improved your growing experience.

The offer made me think of what I would say if I made a video. First would be a description of my grow system: A 5'X5'X8' Gorilla Grow Tent with a Solar System 1100 with UVB outriggers and a Solar System 550 parked at 7'. The lights controlled by a single Solarsystem Controller. The plants are grown in a 4 bucket RDWC system with the recirculating water temp set to 67F and maintained by a water cooler.

The Solarsystem Controller allows control of DLI and light spectrum to optimum levels for the stage of plant development. This is important when growing Auto Period Cannabis because unlike Photo Period Cannabis where small less than optimum conditions can be made up with extra time in whatever stage of growth your plants are in. Auto Cannabis is on a strict genetic time line. If any conditions or stage of growth is less than optimum the end product will be less than optimum. 

There is lots of misinformation out there about procedures to optimize Auto Flower production, most of it applies to Photo Period plants and will decrees final flower weight and/or THC level of Auto Period plants. The best advise for Autoflower Weed is to set up optimum lighting, Nutrients, and pH for each week of growth and then just leave it the fuck alone and let the genetics work.

  Click it to big it:

Plant #4 at 7 ½ weeks, over a cubic meter of LSD-Auto bio-mass.

 

Te20 –

Mid Week Seven

Click it to big it:

 Mid week seven, plant #1 (dwarf plant) sugar leaf trichromes. Best guess, ready to harvest late week eight.

Plant #2 is a couple of weeks behind, plants #3 and #4 need another week or two after plant #2. This year's grow should be finished by the first week or two of April. Just an aside: Plant #4 is a monster for an autoflower, it fills over a cubic meter of space and is still growing. I'm thankful for Gorilla tents 8' height extension. 

Things can still go south but if it doesn't this could be the most productive grow yet with high yield and a predicted mid 20'% THC. Pretty much the best of all worlds.

You have to love autoflower Cannabis. The less you fuck with 'em the better they do. Get 'em started, keep the nutrients and DLI dialed in (not too much or too little for stage of growth), water temp 67F to 68F and pH around 6.0, then set back and watch 'em grow. BTW, a RDWC system with a water chiller and California Lightworks lights and controller makes all that easy.

eBay

 Long story that for everyone's sake I'll cut short. I've used and collected tools from the mid 1970's to almost the present. I've a shop you can barely work in for all the tools. For the last couple of years I've looked for a buyer with no joy. I finally decided to go the eBay route, turns into a near full time job but the tools move and the money ain't too bad. 

Anyway this is a plug: If you are looking to buy high quality tools at a fair price for both seller and buyer look for "Deserttools". My listings today include a Lie-Nielsen #51 and a Evenfall shooting board.