Newbe - 2 wks into first - Help please!

[Mikepierce93]

2x2 tent, soil.

Strain - white widow
# of Plants - 2
Grow Type - Soil
Grow Stage - Vegetative
Bucket Size - 4"
Lights - (1) 300 Watt LED
Nutrients - soil only
Medium - potting soil.
PPM - ?
PH - 6.7
RH - 65% to 75%
Room Temperature -78 to 84
Solution Temperature -?
Room Square Footage - 2' x 2' x 30"
Pests - None Known

Problem: planted 2 sprouts in 1"x1" grow medium. Roots were coming out bottom @1wk. Planted in 4" plastic pots, in organic potting soil. I have some browning in leaves. i have a pic, if i can figure out how to share it. But, for more info: bottle water, 20% flow through, 3x per wk. That might be too much. 300wt LED, 2' away, 20/4 cycle, might be too much also.

 

[TheDankDuo]

Re: Newbe, 2 wks into first, Help please!

to share the picture, you have to upload onto the gallery for the website, then you can use it in your thread. How much are you watering it?

 

[Dwight Monk]

Re: Newbe, 2 wks into first, Help please!

Walks you thru how to post pics here:

Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

 

[newbiegrwer]

My first guess on the browning is the soil. Most of the soils available have a fertilizer mixed in that is too strong for cannabis seedlings. This may not he your case but if you'll tell us what brand and line of soil you have that would help.

 

[Mikepierce93]

Thanks for the quick responses.
I have uploaded 3 pics. 1 of the baby, and 2 of the soil bag.
I water every other day, i use the meter, to tell me when the soil hydration drops half way through the lowest range on the meter. I give them about a 1/4 cup, till a couple tbl spoons drain out the bottom.
I was having trouble getting the humidity up, because under the dome, the temp was too high +95 on the first day, so i took the dome off. I tried it again 2 days ago, With a cup of water with bubblers, controlled by a hydration controller. It is now 78-83f, and about 72%rh. Evaporation seems slower, so im on my 3rd day w/o watering, soil is stll moist.
Im thinking they are too moist, or maybe som better draining soil.

 

[newbiegrwer]

I still don't see any pics. I will hold off on speculating any more until I see all the puzzle pieces. See if you can post the pics you uploaded to this thread. There will be a tab in your comment box on the online version.

 

[Curly Beaver]

I agree with newbiegrwer but unless you are using a big container - I'll say that watering 3 times a week is too much and they are not drying out. If you let them dry out between waterings the plant will send out new roots searching for moisture and as you know... the more healthy roots you have the better the plant will do.

 

[Cultivator]

sounds like you are over watering but without pics its hard to say for sure. no need for a meter to check soil dampness. just water til wet then when pot is light to lift its ready again.

 

[Mikepierce93]

Ok i figured it out, pictures are here. I think the general consensus is correct. I am at 3 full days now, and with the higher humidity, its still wet. Should i shut off the bubbler, and let it dry a little? I do have 3" roots coming out the bottom. When might be a good time to go to a bigger pot?

 

[Curly Beaver]

I'd dig it out with a spoon (leaving as much wet soil behind as possible) and put it in a new cup of soil. Put no more that a tablespoonful of pH balanced water (6.5) around it and leave it alone for a few days...... see if it greens up. Don't add more water for 3-4 days. Lift the new cup of soil before you add anymore water and try to remember what it feels like as this is the weight you want to shoot for before watering again. Gotta give the roots a chance to dry out between waterings.

 

[Mikepierce93]

Ok, sounds like a plan.
Ill update by the weekend.
Thanks.

 

[Curly Beaver]

Ok, sounds like a plan.
Ill update by the weekend.
Thanks.

Great, IMHO, the sooner the better.

 

[Mikepierce93]

Its done, crossing my fingers.

 

[veinz]

i would start over:surrender::surrender:
sometimes its better that way

 

[Mikepierce93]

Ok, checked this morning, and they perked up quite a bit. I was able to lightly release the roots from about 2/3 of the soil. It was very wet at the bottom. So im sure this was the problem. The RH dropped to 30%, because of the changes i made. I put the bubbler back, with the dome. If they continue to improve, ill leave it that way. I am considering starting 2 more tonight either way. I think the growth was restricted also.
I hope i dont loose these 2, but it wont add any work at this stage. Its a work in progress now. Ill keep updating till im through the woods.
Thanks for the help!

 

[Curly Beaver]

I'm not to sure you should be using a dome and bubbler when you already have roots and the plant was nearly drowned. To me it would make more sense to spray them LIGHTLY twice a day "IF NEEDED" till they green up a bit. A dome is gonna keep them moist.

However.... all of this experience is good experience, I doubt there is anyone here who hasn't drowned at least one seedling, very easy to do.

By the way, do some reading on how to properly water a seedling that first week or two. You will be surprised how little water you should actually use.

Good luck with it, will look forward to an update.

Beav

 

[veinz]

its a learning curve, and inside growing is for sure a learning curve and that's why your here to learn and most of all read, read...
and

 

[MiOutdoorsman]

Get rid of the dome and get a bag of FFOF soil. Good soil imho

Sent from my XT1254 using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[newbiegrwer]

Ocean forest is top of the line stuff but you can get away with home mixed stuff, the standard store bought potting soil is horrible. A good mix will help you out tremendously. I just got done mixing 100 gal of soil a couple weeks ago. Used about 25% peat moss 25% manure 25% top soil and 25% mushroom compost with some perlite and vermiculite mixed in also. Hopefully it will work out alright. It looks like some good stuff though.

 

[Mikepierce93]

Ok, a much belated update.
I started 2 new seedlings as a backup.
They quickly caught up with the first 2.
Watching watering, i usually check the bottom of the pots now if wet/moist i dont water.
Another theory i had, i proved true. The light i was using was burning the plants. I switched to 2 60w eq cfls and 2 60w eq led bulbs in shoplight reflectors. Standard household bulbs. They have recovered completely. They are now in 8" pots, i replanted them burying them about 1/2" from the buttom branches. They are growing about 1/2" per day or so now. New growth is healthy. I think the light i had was more for flowering not veg. If that makes sense. Almost all of the leds in the 300w light were red, violet in color only 4 were white.