I have gone back and forth over auto vs photo for my indoor grow. I am mostly an inground outdoor grower. I am 20 days into a white widow auto indoor grow. I chose auto because of the smaller size and simple light cycle. I am looking to buy more seeds.
But if I can control the size and shape of a photo I am thinking it might be a better option for me. I could use the same seeds indoors and out. Also the possibility of clones. The strains are more stable.
I have a small grow space.
If I grow a photo in a five gallon pot at 18-6 and it gets to about half the size I want it to be can I switch to 12-12 to start the flowering stage and the plant will stop getting bigger when about doubled in size? It seems to me that would give me better control over the size than with autos.
I would have to setup a separate grow space for starting the replacement plant which would need a different light cycle. A bit of an inconvenience but might be worth the effort.
Trying to find autos or photos that naturally grow to my needs is proving difficult.
Double stretch is unlikely, unless it’s flipped to 12/12 very young, in which case 10" could become 20" but a 2.5’ plant won’t stretch to 5’… it does depend on what strain. Mine are 90% indica I think, they went from 1.5’ tall to a little over 2 feet. So I got around half a foot of stretch. I don’t even know if that’s typical.
If you time it right you can grow them together for a while. Can somebody else confirm that autos can be done on 18/6 or `12/12?
Indicas are fun and a good learning tool, they like being hacked up and many of them grow shorter and more dense.
@Jaysittinback What variety are you growing? Two feet might be a good size for me. If I wanted a little bigger I could flip at 2 feet for a 2 1/2 foot plant? That is what I want to do…control the size of the final plant.
I do believe I can grow the autos 12/12. I am guessing the final plant would be smaller probably with a lower yield. However my thought was I can’t grow photos together if one is in the flowering stage and I want to start the replacement under the same setup. My understanding is I need 12/12 for the flowering photo and a light cycle with fewer dark hours for the replacement photo. The intention is to have a replacement of substantial size ready to take the place of the flowering plant.
Grape Ape. I can’t find them here anymore, just looked… thats funny. Anyway I would attempt it the same with any Indica dominant hybrid. I’m starting a grow with Candy Kush now (75% indica) and I expect the same.
But I gotta say it was my first time topping a plant to fit indoors. I could have gotten another foot, or four more limbs. I decided to start smaller and I will work my way up to a full tent.
ohhhh I see youre gonna grow photos continually. I dunno, besides another space. I start babies in my home made grow room which will take them to around three weeks old
You topped at something smaller than 1 1/2 and then flipped at 1 1/2? I don’t have much horizontal space. I am not sure topping is best for me. It is going to take a little experimentation. I am thinking a 2 1/2 foot tall plant with a single big fat cola right up the middle might fit my growing space nicely.
I am leaning Indica dominant based on descriptions. But I can’t tell the difference yet. To me it is1, 2, 3 or 4 toke pot.
Ive had indicas rated at under 20% that kicked me right in the brain and knocked out half the cells for a good while. No its different than just strength, it’s the type of buzz, how much is enough vs too much, do you wanna sit there numb and silent or walk around in circles like you need to do something… man there are so many varied effects. I spend too much time reading about the strains on the list here too
I see zkittlez is available and one of it’s parents is Grape Ape, maybe the ape is now just a stud and a mare used for better things. Zittlez’ specs look even better
You can grow autos at 12/12. Lots of people grow an auto and a photo together.
The tallest auto I grew was about 30 inches. It was an ILGM GG4 and yielded 8 oz of very potent smoke. The buds got super thick and she was budded from practically the ground up. Only thing was, she went 129 days which might defeat the purpose. I think she might have been unusually slow for the strain though.
That’s the day she came down. I name my plants, and she was named Slowpoke because it took her forever to sprout. Then she literally LSTed herself, laying her stem down parallel to, but not touching the soil. It was the darndest thing.
She looked like a shrubbery! She is the most potent strain I have grown. In that grow I had GG, GSCE, LSD, and Blueberry Glue, all very good smoke, but Slowpoke is the best.
And what I grow is better than what I was buying. I smoke it and make capsules for my husband who struggled with insomnia. He is sleeping great now.
Thats great. Just this summer passed, I finally outgrew the dispensary. And an autoflower, I couldnt believe it.
The dispensary here has excellent buds and good prices. I’m just learning that’s not everywhere the case
Photo are VERY controllable in both height and girth. Topping/fim. Lst or stake open. Grow 12/12 from start can be done. I have 1 photo I have had on 12/12 from start flowering nicely. I do both types but tend to do photo for meds. This winter grow will be mostly auto. Spring ill do some big photo. Last big gg4 in a 3x3 netted 2lbs plus. 20 gallon pot. Looong veg. Lots of fim.
Dispensary beats the street prices here now. And always (99%) good. And tons of variety. They even have sales and specials and clearances. Then there’s the “reservation” just outside town where an ounce of good buds is wayyyy under 200 bucks; they sell to everybody. No band card needed.
As of October, I celebrate one year not buying weed once, not anywhere, for the first time. All last years crop, I have about 1 oz left
