Wilting leaves with small CFL grow - First grow

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RonSwanson

New Member
my problem is the leaves are wilting and its early on, only 4 leaves. I probably it them in too big of pots to early from what I've read here but it was what the grow bible book told me to avoid transplant shock. I then mistakenley added a very small amount of nutes 6 days ago after reading a few post suggesting it. Mistake number 2 as I read sown post from emilya the God of water right after and realized the error of my ways. I watered them with straight water 3 days ago 1 cup and again today 1 cup and realized they were wilting. Asking for advice from anyone to keep these guys alive to the end to use a learning experience before I try a new approach next time.
 
RonSwanson said:
my problem is the leaves are wilting and its early on, only 4 leaves. I probably it them in too big of pots to early from what I've read here but it was what the grow bible book told me to avoid transplant shock. I then mistakenley added a very small amount of nutes 6 days ago after reading a few post suggesting it. Mistake number 2 as I read sown post from emilya the God of water right after and realized the error of my ways. I watered them with straight water 3 days ago 1 cup and again today 1 cup and realized they were wilting. Asking for advice from anyone to keep these guys alive to the end to use a learning experience before I try a new approach next time.
Click to expand...

Hi Ron... since you mentioned me... I better see what I can do to help, although it does sound like you are self diagnosing pretty well without me. :)

As you progress in your knowledge, realize that the state of the art has gone forward since the grow bible was published... for instance we now recognize that there are sound methods for transplanting that NEVER induce shock. You are right about the nutes, that was probably a mistake... new plants don't need them.

The watering methods you are using concern me though, specifically your mention of watering exactly 1 cup of water. Since we don't know what sized containers you are in, it is impossible to say if that was correct or not... but it doesn't sound right that a human being decided exactly how much water was needed in such an exact and rounded off way.

When you water, water slowly, trying to get the soil in your container to absorb as much water as possible. Treat the soil like a sponge, slowly taking all you can give it, until any extra drops simply come out the bottom as run off. I suspect that this will be much more than one cup. After that, you need to wait for the container to dry out before you water again. This method of course is impossible if you are in way too big of a container, but I am hoping that it isnt that bad. I have week old seedlings that already have 4 leaves... so it does sound like you may be stunted. I would suggest starting at the solo/beer cup size, eventually transplanting into 1 gallon... and then 3 or 5 and eventually 7 or 10 gallon. That is what I do... you have to ask yourself why with all my experience I go to such trouble.

Try to send us a picture of your plants so we can see the damage and the scope of the problem. Better advice will come after that.
 
Add a picture?
In the mean time, stop giving it water and nute's.
 
Thanks Emilya and major pita sorry I wrote the details of the grow in the wrong box they are in 5 litre pots ( Canadian) so about 2.5 - 3 gal to big they have 4 leaves in promix organic seed starting and then in promix potting we don't get fox farms out here I appreciate the advice I am definitely gonna start testing moisture through the pot instead of water and for pictures this is my first post and I'm computer so I'll Abe a picture up as soon as I can
 
5L is about 1.3 gallons... so that is not so bad. at 10L I would be recommending downpotting to solo cups... but you will probably be ok in what you are using, although it is not going to be optimal for a new seedling. Promix is pretty good stuff as long as you use it correctly too... and you starting in their seed starting mix was a good choice and shows us that you have already uppotted at least once. You are doing a lot of things right... let's not ruin things by watering incorrectly.
 
I'd let her ride. I bet she sorts things out PDQ. Just don't lover her to death. Let her dry out completely ... then drench completely. Repeat.
 
here
plants.1058510
plants.1058509


here a couple pics of my plants as of today sorry for the delay new to this forum
 
As you've already diagnosed, it looks over watered. I'd leave her alone and keep an eye on her. With good light and dryer soil, she should bounce back.
 
thanks Dean.. the middle piece is just a biodegradable small pot that was put into the soil of the larger pot. the grow rooms is consistent around 75 f or 24 celsius and I have a little 6" fan circulating the air and the cabinet I built is about 32" wide by about 16.5" long and around 5' high. CFL bulb and right now its about 8" above the plants.
 
You could pull that middle pot out to help get air to the sides of it until she's bigger, then drop her back into the larger one. I like my cfl's between 2-3" at canopy. That's what I've found works best for me, you can get her pretty close to the cfl's without burning. I prefer a higher temp, like around 80 deg. Harder to maintain in the winter without a heater in the room. lol.
 
DeanB said:
You could pull that middle pot out to help get air to the sides of it until she's bigger, then drop her back into the larger one. I like my cfl's between 2-3" at canopy. That's what I've found works best for me, you can get her pretty close to the cfl's without burning. I prefer a higher temp, like around 80 deg. Harder to maintain in the winter without a heater in the room. lol.
Click to expand...

That's a great idea! That smaller container will let you get to a normal wet/dry cycle, and when the roots start demanding to be let out and are flying this way and that... then you can put her in the big pot and start watering normally.
 
So I took the seedling pots out and put them about 2 - 3 " from light. Emilya would I be watering it like you mention at the beginning of the thread for the smaller pots or is there something different I should be doing?


 
RonSwanson said:
Emilya would I be watering it like you mention at the beginning of the thread for the smaller pots or is there something different I should be doing?
Click to expand...
yes, once they dry out again to feather light, soak those jiffy pots. Go slow, but you should be able to get a couple of cups of water in there before they just start gushing out of the bottom. Go slow so it doesnt start running off from the sides before you get to that point, but yes, make it a game to see how much water you can get in there. Measure it, and I guarantee you that you will be able to get more in the next time. Then the trick is to let them dry out, way past the point that most newbies can handle. It literally will be feather light, and you will wonder why the plant can look so happy in such a desert like environment. When you are to the point just before they would wilt due to lack of water, then soak them. I doubt you will get through 2 of these cycles before roots are exploding out everywhere.
 
Emilya said:
That's a great idea! That smaller container will let you get to a normal wet/dry cycle, and when the roots start demanding to be let out and are flying this way and that... then you can put her in the big pot and start watering normally.
Click to expand...

Emilya said:
yes, once they dry out again to feather light, soak those jiffy pots. Go slow, but you should be able to get a couple of cups of water in there before they just start gushing out of the bottom. Go slow so it doesnt start running off from the sides before you get to that point, but yes, make it a game to see how much water you can get in there. Measure it, and I guarantee you that you will be able to get more in the next time. Then the trick is to let them dry out, way past the point that most newbies can handle. It literally will be feather light, and you will wonder why the plant can look so happy in such a desert like environment. When you are to the point just before they would wilt due to lack of water, then soak them. I doubt you will get through 2 of these cycles before roots are exploding out everywhere.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much Emilya will send updates when at that point
 

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