New here and my auto needs help

[StickyGig]

Hello everyone. Just signed up but i've based my entire grow process off of the information provided here at 420. If you do search for grow info 9 times out of ten I end up here anyway lol. Ive gone with black gold organic with about 20 -25% more perlite and a few handfuls of castings. FFOF or any FF items aren't available around here. I went with a 4 gallon planter that I drilled extra holes in for breathing and drainage. I have this girl under 2 6500k cfls just to get her started while I set up my overhead cfl panel. This is one of ten C.O.T.C. cash crop feminized autos that I purchased recently. I wanted to try just one auto at first to see how it goes and this is why.

Never had a seedling do this whether it was bagseed or bought strains. It germed in less than 12 hours and popped its head out the dirt after another 12 hours. But, its really short and close the medium and now the leaves are doing this. Help!

 

[StickyGig]

Well nvm lol. I drilled a few more holes up the sides and put a fan in the closet blowing over and at the pot and the soil is starting to dry out a bit and the seedling has actually perked up. I kept digging around the forums and the general consensus was soil was too wet. I did a pre soak of the soil 36 hours before germed seed went in. Its been five days and there was still a lot of water so i figured more holes for breathing and draining.

 

[Light Addict]

Lol in my experience your baby looked fine. Yes over watering is a big problem that most face in the beginning
Glad you are seeming happier with her!

 

[Antics]

Easy way to tell when they want water:

Wait until the top soil is dry. Totally 100% bone dry. Not a speck of moisture.

Then wait a few more days after that. When the top of my soil is dry, that's when I start lifting the pots to see how heavy they are. When they feel real light, that's when I water.

This is also easier if you're familiar with how light the pot feels when its full of your dry soil, so you have a reference point.

 

[Surf420This]

looks perfectly normal to me. Its just a baby still...she just shook off her shell so it will take a day or so to be fully perked. Mine stayed looking like that the entire time! They eventually fall off anyways. Your good.

One piece of advice for watering: Remember you want the roots to chase the water, not the other way around. Letting it dry up by telling when you lift will allow just that, the roots to chase the water, thus getting stronger and growing the way they should!

 

[StickyGig]

Thanks all for the watering info. Im now worried about mold and fungus due to the soil mix still being so damp at the bottom of the container. Im definitely going with a different growing container for the rest of these. I put her in the final pot because ive read everywhere to stress them as little as possible but im really thinking of getting it out of there before the roots reach the old water.

 

[Antics]

You can use the soil you have, but mix in a bit of perlite, and that will improve drainage, as well as increase the oxygen level at the roots.

I usually mix my soilerlite at about a 4:1 ratio, but each grower has their own recipe that works for them.

 

[StickyGig]

All seems well after working on drying the soil although it still feels fairly heavy and the soil still feels damp. My question now is if the curling on the tips is due to the soil still not being dry enough.

I feel like im kinda freaking out too much but I need this to work. Its the only thing that makes me hungry enough to eat during treatment.

 

[NateToke]

Relax. Let it dry out then re water. You're growing a plant. Just let it do its thing.

 

[Antics]

Cotelydons are usually curled.

Make sure you have a quality PH meter (avoid buying those multi test units that test PH, light, moisture, fertility, etc..) They're usually not very accurate, and will fail when you least expect it. (Happened to me, and a plant died because of it)

Make sure you have nutrients available to use later. Whether you choose Organic, or synthetic, you will more than likely need them. Very few soils can provide enough nutrients on their own from start to finish.

And of course, you want to have enough light, ventilation, and keep temps and RH under control.

As she grows, she'll let you know what she needs. Then you give it to her. It's pretty easy, but you do have to be vigilant. At the same time you don't want to worry or panic, that can lead to decisions made without thinking them through, and can often have a detrimental effect on the plant.