Grow #2 - Mike Tyson "Corkscrew" Autoflower

[PianoStan]

So, today, June 23, 2024 I began germinating a Mike Tyson Corkscrew Autoflower. This is my second grow, having just finished my first grow (a Northern Lights Autoflower) one week ago. That plant was a resounding success delivering 223grams total at the start of curing. However, there was a LOT of room for improvement. I didn't train it, and subsequently the top half of the plant became light burned. I wasn't aware of just how many different nutrient bottles from Advanced Nutrients were required for a proper grow, and the result was small sized buds due to the nutrient deficiency that occurred.

For the reasons stated above, I have some goals for this grow:

1. Learn LST training techniques
2. Avoid causing light burn to the plant
3. Yield at least 12 ounces when dry

Without trying to drag this initial post out too long, I am also interested in testing the life span of this autoflower. My first plant was harvested after 14 weeks growing, the last two in flush. And that plant was sill trying to push out fan leaves, and new bud sites. Had I not started the flush, I have no doubt that it would have gone 16 or more weeks. To that end, I am going to NOT flush this time around. And, when the time comes, the plant will be harvested in stages when the trichomes are a creamy amber.

 

[PianoStan]

WEEK ZERO:

• Advanced Nutrients Week 1 nutrients @ 1/2 strength
• Advanced Nutrients Cal/Mag @ full strength
• Planting Medium: coco coir, mycorrhizal, and expanded clay pebbles
• Light Setting: "Veg" mode @ 20"

6/23/24:
Not much to say yet, but...

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

It looks like you're ready to grow! How many plants will you be growing?

 

[PianoStan]

It looks like you're ready to grow! How many plants will you be growing?

Just the one. I want to focus on the training techniques in an attempt to cover most, or all, of my 3x3 tent with a single plant. After this grow, I plant to move on to photo-periods. I want to understand the LST techniques before I start to tackle topping, and more advanced scrog techniques. I planned out my first few grows so that I could learn the various techniques in chunks rather than getting overwhelmed trying to learn it all at once.

 

[Galgrows]

Ya really think your gonna get 12oz off 1 autoflower? Good luck fella i'm lucky to get 3oz LOL.

 

[PianoStan]

Ya really think your gonna get 12oz off 1 autoflower? Good luck fella i'm lucky to get 3oz LOL.

My ONE Northern Lights Autoflower delivered 223 grams (that's 7.96oz) And it missed out on the phosphorous/Potassium boost for 2/3 of the way through its flower phase when it needed it the most. If I can't boost my yield by 50% delivering a proper dose of nutrients throughout the entire grow, I won't ever use Advanced Nutrient products ever again.

Here's the NL 1 day before the top 1/3 was harvested in step 1 of a staged harvest.

It says "week 10" but it was actually the 12th week of the grow. The whole nutrient deficiency thing and trying to reconcile the 2 different grow guides I needed ended up with me having 3 versions of week 7 in my grow journal. lol

Below that are the jars of curing weed

 

[PianoStan]

W00-D1 (6/24/24):
0400 - Lights on for the first time. Timer set to 18/6
1130 - Storm induced power outage. Lasted 3.5 hours. Hopefully doesn't mess with plant since it hasn't even sprouted yet.

Nothing else of note today.

 

[organicsaregreen]

nice nl! if you want to skip adding ph up/down you can try flora nova grow/bloom, its ph buffered.

just add 1tsp/gal and it sets ph at 7.0 and it replaces your main nutrients, I personally add a guesstimate to my 22gal Rez of flora nova along with guesstimates of other nutes, I also dont change my Rez water until I flush, and sometimes I flush for a month

 

[PianoStan]

nice nl! if you want to skip adding ph up/down you can try flora nova grow/bloom, its ph buffered.

just add 1tsp/gal and it sets ph at 7.0 and it replaces your main nutrients, I personally add a guesstimate to my 22gal Rez of flora nova along with guesstimates of other nutes, I also dont change my Rez water until I flush, and sometimes I flush for a month

Cool. Thanks for the advice. I will look into that. For this grow, I am using Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect Micro-Grow-Bloom. It is also supposed to auto-buffer your water. Provided that your water starts out at pH 8.0 or less. (mine doesn't, so I'm using pH down too)

I feel somewhat obligated to stick to the AN official recipe through this grow. Not least of all because I spent over $300 on the 12 bottles of nutrients that it calls for. But also because even without the full regimen of nutrients, and my complete inexperience at growing, my first plant was a bit of a monster!

I was shocked at just how little life flushing seemed to take away from my plant. I figured that it would put the plant on the ropes fairly quickly. But the Northern Lights that I just finished harvesting just kept on pushing out fan leaves and new pistils until the end.

So...I'm guesing by your screen name that you grow organically. Soil or hydro? Is an organic hydro grow actually a thing that exists? What kind of yield per plant do you obtain?

 

[PianoStan]

W00-D2 6/25/24:
0800 - Rereading user manual for light. Manufacturer suggests light best at 12". Lowered accordingly.
1700 -

It's ALIVE!!!

 

[PianoStan]

W00-D3 6/26/24:
0400 - Morning check on plant found the following:

It's only my second grow, but I was rather surprised to see that one of its cotyledons had simply failed to function. The seedling popped out between 0300-1700 6/25/24. And within 11 hours one cotyledon worked perfectly, including the appearance of embryonic fan leaves. The other failed to function from the start.

1700 - The tip of the yellow cotyledon has started turning brown and dying off. Embryonic fan leaves have tripled in size throughout the day.

If anybody has any input on how often, or even why this happens, I would be interested in hearing your anecdotes/opinions.

 

[Galgrows]

It happens to all of us on occasion, but i don't ever grow in pure coco.

 

[PianoStan]

It happens to all of us on occasion, but i don't ever grow in pure coco.

Cool, thanks. I assumed that it had to happen from time to time.
Ultimately the coco will be the least of this plant's concerns. It will go to DWC once the roots break through the coco. If this plant goes like the NL, it will be about 8" of coco, but then miles and miles of roots in the bucket. I water over the coco so that it remains moist and fresh. But most nutrients will come from the water in the bucket.

 

[PianoStan]

W00-D4 6/27/24:

Not much change today. The plant has grown some. Otherwise, the yellow cotyledon has lifted up a little and has a few pale green stripes forming on its back. Interesting to see the plant trying to get it working.

 

[PianoStan]

W00-D5 6/28/24:

Nothing much changed today. Yellow cotyledon struggling to get photosynthesis going. Embryonic second set of fan leaves can be seen at top of plant.
200ml nutrient water poured over coco.

 

[PianoStan]

W00-D6 6/29/24:

Plant continues establishing itself. Second set of true fan leaves approx. 1/3" long.
The yellow cotyledon appears to have given up all attempts at photosynthesis. No more pale green color can be seen on it anywhere.

Will continue monitoring.