First Grow - Stunted Growth?

M

Mack Mittens

New Member
Hello,

I am 5 weeks in to my first grow and I’m wondering if my plant has stunted growth issues. I germinated my strawberry kush seed and planted it in to FFOF in a solo cup and then transplanted to a 1.9 gallon fabric air pot after week 3 because the solo cup had poor drainage. Currently it is only 4 inches tall. I’m using a 2’x2’x4’ grow tent with a 450W LED light (avg. 200 W power draw). The temp ranges between a low of 68* at night to a high of 82* when lights are on. I’m using a 18/6 light schedule with 2 fans running 24 hrs. I’ll provide some pictures of her and any helpful feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Mack Mittens

5 wk old side

5 wk old side

Dropping leaves

5 wk old top

5 wk old top

Stunted growth?

5 wk old pot

5 wk old pot

Stunted growth?
 
Hey man, yeah something is going on there. In 5 weeks I need to up pot to a gallon container, when cracking seeds.
I can not open your snaps, so I can not see them.
I do not use FFOF, myself, but some soils can be to hot for newly cracked open seeds, but usually clones will be ok in it.
Maybe cut some FFOF with perlite, to make the fertilizers in the FFOF to not be so potent.
Just my $.02 wish the best for you.

I just reread your post, if your using 2 fans in that small of a space, I would make sure the plants are not in a blowing wind stream, as that can help the leaf transpire moisture to soon, adding to the stunted growth.
 
Holy crap man, you just wrote my story I'm dealing with the same issue in the same grow tent just with blue dream. Same soil as well. I believe my stunt grothw was from the temps jumping all over when I had her in the attic she is now in my closet I'm hoping doing better but I do as well have 2 intake fans and one is blowing at her maybe I will take webeblzr advice and change direction of my fans
1521458213408676630694.jpg

1521458213408676630694.jpg

 
Thanks for the feedback webeblzr. I don’t think my picture is loading because I cannot figure out how to change my album privacy so that everyone can view my album pictures, but anyway, she started off well in FFOF, but ever since I noticed her leaves curling in the solo cup due to poor drainage, she hasn’t progressed like she was within the first week or two nor have her leaves stopped curling. So I wonder if the problem is at the roots. As for the fans, one is used solely as an exhaust and the other is a clip on 6” fan to allow air circulation inside the tent. I generally have it pointed only at the wall or ceiling of the tent and not directly on the plant.

I fed the plant Big Bloom last watering and she seemed to really like it, but the leaves are still slightly curled only at the tips. I thought it may have been a watering issue, but throughout the five weeks I’ve only given it roughly 3 quarts of distilled water with a pH around 6-6.5

I’ll try to work on the pictures so there can be a visual of the issue.
 
Mack Mittens said:
Hello,

I am 5 weeks in to my first grow and I’m wondering if my plant has stunted growth issues. I germinated my strawberry kush seed and planted it in to FFOF in a solo cup and then transplanted to a 1.9 gallon fabric air pot after week 3 because the solo cup had poor drainage. Currently it is only 4 inches tall. I’m using a 2’x2’x4’ grow tent with a 450W LED light (avg. 200 W power draw). The temp ranges between a low of 68* at night to a high of 82* when lights are on. I’m using a 18/6 light schedule with 2 fans running 24 hrs. I’ll provide some pictures of her and any helpful feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Mack Mittens

5 wk old side

5 wk old side

Dropping leaves

5 wk old top

5 wk old top

Stunted growth?

5 wk old pot

5 wk old pot

Stunted growth?
Click to expand...
When I click on your pics. I get message that states , that I don't have permission to view them? What's up with that ?
 
I wish mine looked like either one of those, Sam. My soil pH meter is reading at an 8. Lighting is reading at 800 lux. I have the plant in a fabric pot like the ones in your picture so I don’t think drainage is an issue anymore. However, I agree with you in thinking the roots are the culprit. Her leaves have been curled at the tips since about week 2 1/2 when I realized the solo cup was causing poor drainage.
 
Lower your PH and try a rooting supplement like great white and see if that helps. The plant doesnt look unhealthy just a little stunted.
 
Hey MM, IMHO, I've always prefered to (when working from seed) build a root base, with regular steps up potting a few times until I get into a 10 gallon pot, and I always use a saucer for the next size up, flower pot myself.

Some seeds I'll start in jello shooter cups, then into a 1oz plastic drinking cup, with 4 holes per cup, then into a 4" square nursery pot, then into a gallon pot, and then 3 weeks before flowering, into the 10 gallon where she will finish.

No one needs to do it this way, it's way I've found works best for me.
If your worried about breakage, save some tomato seeds from your next sandwich, germ and sprout them, then practice transplanting them. BFD if they break, as your fingers will learn to handle fragile roots structure.
Everything is in the root system.

Lovely work SS.
 
SamSmith said:
Lower your PH and try a rooting supplement like great white and see if that helps. The plant doesnt look unhealthy just a little stunted.
Click to expand...

I looked online and found a product called Great White Mycorrhizae if that’s what you’re referring to. If it is, would the 4 oz bottle be sufficient for my one plant? Also, would it be safe to mix it with other nutes such as the Flora Trio or Big Bloom?


webeblzr said:
Hey MM, IMHO, I've always prefered to (when working from seed) build a root base, with regular steps up potting a few times until I get into a 10 gallon pot, and I always use a saucer for the next size up, flower pot myself.

Some seeds I'll start in jello shooter cups, then into a 1oz plastic drinking cup, with 4 holes per cup, then into a 4" square nursery pot, then into a gallon pot, and then 3 weeks before flowering, into the 10 gallon where she will finish.

No one needs to do it this way, it's way I've found works best for me.
If your worried about breakage, save some tomato seeds from your next sandwich, germ and sprout them, then practice transplanting them. BFD if they break, as your fingers will learn to handle fragile roots structure.
Everything is in the root system.

Lovely work SS.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the adivice webeblzr. I’ll definitely look into easier transplanting containers after this grow. I had two plants to start and transplanting them out of the solo cup wasn’t the easiest thing to do and probably traumatic for the plants considering the best of the two plants died soon after. Although the one that died also had a digital thermostat fall directly on to it a day after transplant when the magnetic strips on the back of the thermostat decided to fail :rip:, so I’m sure that didn’t help but now I know better and won’t put my thermostat on my LED casing anymore. For now, I’ll try to boost this plants root system and hopefully she’ll start growing more.
 
Up that is the great white that I am refering to and yes the small jar is enough. It is compatable with all nutrients and it is a powder not a liquid. You can stir it up with the nutes or place in on top of the medium and water it in. It's a good product to use when transplanting and planting seeds that have been germinated in paper towels. You can use it several times durring veg and into flower when they are stretching the first few weeks. Much after that it wont do much for you. I use it every other week or so. Just a light application.

A trick for transplanting from the solos is the 2 cup method. Van Stank on here showed me and others this trick. Get some clear and the standard red solo cups. put drain holes in both but take the clear one and cut completely down the side and across the bottom of it. Slide the clear one into the red one and fill with your medium. What this does is allows you to slide the clear one up to check on your root development and when its time to transplant the clear cup being slit makes it easier to get the plant out and into it's new home with minimum mess and stress. I hope that helps.
 
Hey MM,
I'm using a product called Buffalo Loam right now.
I top dress or put some into a tea ball strainer, and attach an aquarium pump line to underneath it, so the bubbles agitate the ball strainer.
Beneficial Organisms are your very best gardening friends ever!!
If your into reading, I lust for it myself. Microbe Organics

When you transplant, always make sure you just watered or feed them. The fluid, lubricates and helps the rootmass to dump out better or easier, IMHO.
 
Being lazy and not reading everything. "Sorry" Just wanted to mention it is to early for Bloom nutrients. The extra P and K are probably messing with the plants.
 
I took Sam’s advice and should be receiving some Great White next week. I’m looking forward to using it and hope it will help with whatever is going on beneath the soil. The reviews for it are all pretty good.

The Buffalo Loam sounds like a good organic product, but I don’t have an aquarium pump line.

Jackalope said:
Being lazy and not reading everything. "Sorry" Just wanted to mention it is to early for Bloom nutrients. The extra P and K are probably messing with the plants.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that it is safe to start nutrients at half strength around the 5th week point of your plant’s life. She seemed to respond well the next day after the Big Bloom feeding. Today, soil moisture was low so I tried the FloraGro Trio for the first time at half strength in hopes that it may provide whatever the plant is lacking. I’ll check tomorrow night to see how it reacts.

Also, I want to thank everyone for giving me advice on the issue; it’s been very helpful.
 
As you feed plants they take what they need. The rest stays there with bloom nuits you might be getting a build up of P and K. They may be responding to the nitrogen but the extra P and K are still in the soil. Which might cause problems. I don't start Bloom nuits tell a couple weeks into flower. best t go with high Nitrogen and low P and K nuits for Veg stage.
 
Jackalope said:
Being lazy and not reading everything. "Sorry" Just wanted to mention it is to early for Bloom nutrients. The extra P and K are probably messing with the plants.
Click to expand...

Unless I am mistaken he is using Fox Farm products. Big Bloom is a base nutrient. The name throws you off. Along with Big bloom you mix in Grow Big for vegetative state (high nitrogen) or Tiger bloom for flowering (higher P &K). He should also be using grow big at this time.

This is their feed schedule.
Feeding Schedules - Language Sorted - FoxFarm Soil & Fertilizer Company
 

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