Stunted growth?

[Skybound]

I have this plant derived from unknown bag seed source. I guestimate that it's 2 weeks out of the dirt. It's first week (+ a few more days) were spent out on the back deck with a maximum of 5 hours direct sunlight per day with a pretty high jet stream RH level. It stretched very long, but the true leaves showed that it wasn't ready to throw in the towel so I took it in to try and give it a better chance. I added more of the same dirt to cover the stretched stem all the way up to an inch below the cotyledons. Since then I got a single CFL (unknown wattage or lumen) (18/6) and a 110 CFM PC fan to cool and draw passive ventilation from the bottom and out the top. This all takes place inside a cardboard box with the walls lined with white bristol board. I am told that the dirt is a potting soil mixed with compost. I don't yet have any meters to determine pH, RH, EC or anything. I also have no idea exactly what is in the dirt. it looks like it's stretching again and the CFL is about 1" away from the top (3 nodes out, 4th trying to come out).

I am in the process of building a pretty sophisticated grow box for an 18 gallon aero-bucket, but am still a couple weeks away from being at the point where I'd want to begin. This plant was a bean my room mate dropped. after watching beans sprout and fail for about the last 2 months,I figured I'd see if I can get a better result than he did, but it aint looking so good for the home team.

Are there any cheap fixes here? I'm not really looking to deviate from my spending plan as it was fashioned for a hydro grow, not soil. plus this weekend will be the biggest of all my purchasing at one time and any overages will really put a hurting on me for a long week.

I hope this forum can either help me find a solution or tell me it's time to throw in the towel on this one. TYIA

 

[GigaGrew]

what country you buying in? plant is probaly not stunded btw, they go through phases, a growth spurt followed normally by a bit of a stall while it concentrates on the roots a bit more, then it will get back to veg growth.

you need cfl on there and if your using yellow (2700k) then your gonna get some stretch anyway as thats not veg lights you need blue (6500k).

in the uk i can get a 10l bag of john innes no2 for £2.50 and perlite to mix is dirt cheap and i know plants grow well in it and it washes off roots easily (must be pure john innes, not a compost with john innes in it)

 

[Skybound]

My skull is in the northern usa. I will go get a timer today and maybe a ph tester (if cheap). I'll also look into perlite prices.

 

[GigaGrew]

fantastic, check out our sponsors like perfect gardens. we get a 420 discount with most, may save you a few quid on future investments and the owner is a forum member also and can help with all sorts of questions =)

 

[Skybound]

k, I got some perlite, added maybe a sandwich baggie full into a 6" pot. Watered it and the water did not subside. That tells me there is too much clay in the mix. I skewered the mix to drain off the visible puddles and will leave it outside for the day with hopes that the wide spectrum of sun rays will ease past the transplant shock. I looked for the 65k spectrum CFLs but found none. they did have the 27k, but I didn't want to feed her the wrong spectrum and sh aint ready for the warm spectrum yet. Also picked up some timers for the light and fan. The light is set for 18/6 and the fan to kick on for an hour/off for 1/2 hour during the daylight hours, and on/off 30/30 for the night hours.

I will check the sponsors anyway cuz I'm in the market for a 400 watt HID kit and I'd like to see if they can at least match the price of HPS Grow Lights. I spend locally whenever I can afford the added costs and I do consider our sponsors into the 'local" category.