Need Help With First Grow

NewGrowerUSA

420 Member
Hi...7 1/2 weeks ago, I planted my first grow. I have learned alot since then. Here are some of the mistakes I made back then and have resently corrected: Poor lighting...I was using 48 inch flourescent shop lights; Poor soil....I used cheap WalMart soil that had NO perlite in it and resembled mulch; I was not checking the pH of my water. These seedlings grew slowly for the first 2-3 weeks of their lives and then just quit. They didn't all die, but they DID just quit doing anything for several weeks. I did some strenuous research and came up with a REAL grow plan...

Ten days ago, I made a mixture of potting soil and transplanted my plants into 8 inch pots: 3 parts FoxFarm Ocean Forest/2 parts FoxFarm HappyFrog/30% course Perlite (my local FoxFarm supplier said this is the way the "local growers" are mixing their soil with great success).

I also bought 42w 6500K and 23w 6500K twist bulbs and made my own grow lights, and began giving the plants 24/0 light. Then, I bought a pH tester/kit and began pHing their water to 6.0. It has vastly improved their stunted growth and they are growing well, compared to what they WERE doing...

I will ATTEMPT to post a BEFORE and AFTER pic of what the plants looked like just over a week ago at age 6 weeks, and what they look like now at 7 1/2 weeks.....

In this first BEFORE pic, this seedling is over a month old and obviously has problems.....You can see the poor mulchy-looking soil I WAS using....Won't make THAT mistake again.....

And in this second AFTER photo, you can see what those changes did just 10 days later....

Not what you would think a 7 1/2 week old plant would look like, but, hey, at least they are growing now......

I will buy more seeds in a few weeks and will see where they are at in growth by then to determine what to do next. Now I am wondering: Will they now be DWARFED/STUNTED in size when they begin to flower?

This particular strain (KC Brains Afghani) has a grow cycle of 8 - 14 weeks: Can I still go by that since they basically didn't grow for 2 - 3 weeks?

Any and all help is very much appreciated!

:tokin:
 
Hello am really in need of sum help I'm looking to set something up starting with canna a and b using cuttings, could anyone send me a step by step process please ,it wud b much appreciated!
 
SOIL GROW

Strain - Indica KC Brains Afghani feminized & regular
# of Plants - 8
Grow Type - Soil
Grow Stage - Vegetative
Bucket Size - 8 inch
Lights - (4) 42 Watt CFL Twist / (4) 23 Watt CFL Twist
Nutrients – FoxFarm Grow Big
Medium – 3 parts FF Ocean Forest / 2 parts FF HappyFrog / 30% Perlite
PPM - unknown
PH - 6.0
RH - unknown
Room Temperature - 78 to 84
Solution Temperature - 65 to 69
Room Square Footage - 3' x 10'
Pests – small gnats

Problem: When I started this FIRST grow, I thought it was as simple as buying cheap soil from Walmart, but the spouted seeds in it, water well and that’s it. WRONG......Well, the seedlings grew SLOWLY for about 3 weeks and then totally quit growing.....I knew I had problems and began to feverishly search the internet for answers. I learned that the soil that I was using was poor for marijuana (if you get to see the BEFORE photo, you can see the mulch-looking soil I was using). I also learned the 48 inch flourescent tube shop lights I was wasn’t going to work. And, I read about pHing the wather. I will include a BEFORE and AFTER photo of these seedlings. The BEFORE photo was taken at age 6 weeks......They were tiny, for sure. At that stage is when I implemented the changes in soil mixture/proper lighting/proper pH for the water. This was 10 days ago and the AFTER photo shows that they again are growing well, even though they are no where as big as they should be for almost 8 weeks old! I have searched feverishly for answers to certain question without success......Hopefully, you can tell me: Did this stunted growth I put them through actually cause them to be DWARFED? Also, the life cycle for this strain is 8 – 14 weeks: How do I know what stage (age) to consider them? They only look a week or two old to my untrained eye, so, what should I do now? I am going to order new seeds in a few weeks, and another few weeks for the seeds to arrive in the mail. I will know more about their situation by then, but, how will I know when to put them through 12/12 light? They are getting 24/0 light right now. Your help is much appreciated. Any ideas?
 
Don't know why you're using fertilizer additives of any kind that you a) don't measure ppms in the solution or b) in the soil. I always use nutrient additives when I water, but I know that there are near zero nutrients in the fresh & rinsed coco coir that I start with, then flood with low ppm nutrient solution to overflow every time - approx 15% overflow - flooding - flush out. 5 mls/gal part A Blue Max, and 5 mils/gal part B. This is Blue Planet Nutrients 2-part, and that is all I put in there. That with tap water that is about 240 ppm. Plenty of light & air and you're good to go.
You have really big containers :hmmmm: My 25 day babies are in "sq one" 2-liter pots and are about 6" bushes that can be used tomorrow for cutting donations. Feed them lightly my friend, but do give them plenty of light and air. Water too, but especially the air.
 
Ya, at 7 1/2 weeks old, I thought 8 inch pots would be alright.....I really don't want to have to transplant them but one more time.....They have already been transplanted from 3 inch jiffy pots to 5 gallon buckets and then back to these 8 inch pots when I changed all of their soil and everything else.....It's a wonder they made it this far, I know......There's a learning curve and I hope to salvage SOME of this FIRST grow.....Not worried about the quantity.....Just want to see them do good is all....Still learning about ppm.....Thanks :thumb:
 
Leave them in the 8" pots, that's a good size. Takes a bit more water to flood them but you won't have to do it so often. If they perk up speed, two or three weeks then you put them on 12s. Get some lights on them ladies and blow them with a fan until you get some movement on all of them.
Try flushing them first then measure the ppms of the overflow after it slows down. Yep, you need a ppm meter. pHs are cheap and easy with the color dye unless you're color blind as are 15% of men.

Save your new seeds, these are going to do just fine ;)
 
Thanks so much for the confidence.....They certainly have perked up since I made changes 10 days ago....They now have: 3 parts FoxFarm Ocean Forest/2 parts FoxFarm HappyFrog/30% course Perlite soil mixture.....local garden supplier said they locals found this to be the best mixture for growing weed.....Trying it to see what happens.....Also got rid of the 48 inch fluorescent tubes and started using 42w and 23w CFL twist bulbs.....Then I started pHing their water to 6.0......Have had a circulating fan on them from the start.....Got an indoor humidity monitor coming in the mail soon, so, things are looking better than they were......plants are reacting positive to the changes to.....What would be the difference in using either 12 inch pots or 5 gallon buckets? The 5 gallon buckets are 12 inches in diameter also........:thumb:
 
Sure....that means there would be more space for the roots to grow, right? The reason I'm asking is because I have MANY 5 gallon buckets.....If they are suitable to transplant UP to from 8 inch pots, that would be cool......:thumb:
 
Bigger pots are fine la de dah, but more light is what you need. You haven't mentioned enough light for even half your available 3x10 grow space. Four times the light for your spot, then you can think about a transplant but you really won't have to. If one watering a day is needed, you'll be nearly through the flowering stage.
More light, plenty air & water :cheer:
 
Thanks for your reply and let me more specific.....the room I am growing in is 10' x 10'.....I have partitioned off a section that is 32 inches by 10', BUT, am only use half that length, e.g., 32 inches by 5 feet.....the other end of this partitioned off section is where I have positioned a stand up oscillating fan which is moving all of the vegetation on these plants.....I am watering twice a week with nutes every other watering.....What do you think? :thumb:
 
Eight is what I think is just right for a 4x4 area w/ 600 watt HPS horizontal. A bit more complicated for a 2.6 x 5'. Rule of thumb is 50w/ft2 horizontal. Equal spacing from each plant top to light is best. If you can't afford LEDs, HPSs give the best bang for the buck. Digi 600s can run HPSs or MHs no problem. I have a JD Lightings Hydroponics 600, and it's a good one ;)

Oh yes, internal circulation is necessary, but air exchange too is vital. Use a carbon canister filter?
 
No, don't use a carbon canister filter yet....This is my FIRST grow and I'm doing the OJT (on the job training)....lmmfao....but it's the truth.....Will check into it....thanks again for the help, and Happy Smokin'......:tokin:
 
Sure....that means there would be more space for the roots to grow, right? The reason I'm asking is because I have MANY 5 gallon buckets.....If they are suitable to transplant UP to from 8 inch pots, that would be cool......:thumb:

5 gal buckets could be an issue...you have to take in the consideration of the distance between the highes position of the light and the floor minus 12 inches...you don't want her getting into the lights in final stretch...:thumb:
 
Thanks for the heads up.....Ya, the 5 gallon buckets NOW don't look so right for these plants.....maybe 12 inch FLOWER pots would be bettter? Not even ready to transplant yet....just thinking about the future tough.....will leave them in the 8 inch pots for awhile.....transplant them only when I have to......:thumb:
 
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