So, upon the advice of a master grower who lives local to me, I discovered I wasn't watering nearly enough in terms of amount per watering. I gave my seedlings about 4-5 ounces each and I can notice a significant improvement. They're definitely perking up, but I was wondering about this particular seedling. Would the leaves on this guy be considered drooping, or is it just that the leaves are really large?
Would these be considered droopy leaves?
- Thread starter DLL333
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My opinion is, "No." Is that soil pretty hot in terms of initial nitrogen content?
By the way, why didn't you come closer to filling that cup? Run out?
By the way, why didn't you come closer to filling that cup? Run out?
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Stunned
Well-Known Member
didn't ya punch holes in the bottom of the cup to allow it to drain?
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- #5
Yep, there are holes in the bottom. I just read a smaller amount of soil at first is more manageable. It's my first grow, so I'm 100% sure what I'm doing.
Stunned
Well-Known Member
I'v never mixed coco and soil.... seems like mixing oil and water
coco, you water constantly, soil not so much so I'd never know how to gauge it
forget that!
I'm reading too many threads, I'm mixing up someone else's comment lol
coco, you water constantly, soil not so much so I'd never know how to gauge it
forget that!
I'm reading too many threads, I'm mixing up someone else's comment lol
If I'm gonna use Solo cups I'll cut drainage holes in the bottom so I don't have to worry about water build up in the bottom and root rot.
pontiacman
Well-Known Member
I've ran a 50/50 soil/coco blend with extra pearlite. Outstanding results. Good drainage and the roots get more oxygen. Holds water a little longer than straight coco. Stays fluffy and doesn't compact as bad as straight soil.
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- #9
It's a better soil additive than peat moss, IMHO. At least if it's well-rinsed (and maybe pre-treated with something like calcium nitrate with a little magnesium to exchange Ca and Mg ions for the relatively high amount of potassium and sodium salts that it naturally contains).
coco, you water constantly, soil not so much so I'd never know how to gauge it
The problem with that is that your seedling's taproot probably hit the bottom of the cup about the same time that the two cotyledons were emerging from the seed case, lol.
If you are worried about "stagnant water," perlite works great for improving drainage (and helping to allow for air in the root zone). I typically run about 25% perlite to 75% soil, occasionally more perlite than that. But if I go much higher, I might as well pour the liquid straight into my shoes, because it'll run out the bottom of the container pretty rapidly. Unless I'm just digging soil up out of the yard to grow a pepper plant in a container or something; there's so much red clay in the ground here that if a person doesn't add a LOT of soil lightener, he might as well plan on this for a watering routine: Pour an ounce of water on top of the soil, go make a sandwich, pour another ounce of water on top of the soil, go eat the sandwich, pour another ounce of water on top of the soil, go sort and start a load of laundry, pour another ounce of water... Etc.
Realistically, though, I'd be surprised if you ended up with an issue like you mentioned when your plant - even just a seedling - is in a Solo cup. I'd be far more concerned about such things if you were trying to start/grow a seedling in a five-gallon bucket and are pouring in a couple gallons at a time. Soil loses moisture in three ways: Plant consumes water as part of its internal biological processes, plant transpires water through the stomata on its leaves on a hot day in order to "self-cool." And... evaporation. With a seedling or very small plant, the plant isn't physically capable of accounting for a great deal of moisture in a short period of time, which means that a higher percentage of the soil's moisture might end up being lost by evaporation. And, with something like a five-gallon bucket (which actually has a higher total capacity than five US gallons), that could end up causing a gardener some issues. Again, though, with a little cup... They just don't hold a great deal of water to begin with. Which means that evaporation directly from the soil can account for a significant percentage of that soil's initial moisture content. If a few to several ounces evaporate within three to five days, well, that's probably roughly comparable to what you might be adding back when you water the plant, anyway. But if you soak a five gallon bucket full of soil, and it only loses several ounces of moisture... That soil is still "soaked."
EDIT: It's not really a big deal (unless you're growing from non-feminized seed and are really, really hoping to get females, since issues during the first few weeks of development can increase the percentage of males in a "natural" (non-feminized) population. It's just, well, sub-optimum, that's all. If nothing else, when one has a tiny seedling in a cup that's only half-full of growing medium, the seedling tends to not sit higher than the top of the cup - which can cause less light to reach the plant's leaves, and might block airflow from your fan from reaching the seedling (which, ironically, decreases transpiration - and also might leave the plant with weaker stems than might otherwise be the case, since the tissue isn't getting "exercised" (so to speak)).
In a perfect world, one in which cannabis seedlings receive an adequate amount of light - and airflow - one should never have to support their seedlings' stems.
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my non educated coco opinion is that that droop looks more like overwatering than underwatering. with underwatering, the whole leaf, stem and all, sags,, not just the leaf tip,,
cheers
cheers
Transplant
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- #14
U can work with them at a young age just always n careful
Roots get big fast
jodyhighrollr
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't go with a small amount of soil. I like to put them in solo cups. I put the soil in a clear solo cup with drainage holes inside of a red or blue solo cup also with drainage holes so when I'm getting ready to transplant I can pull the clear cup out to see the root ball. The roots need to be able to grow with the plant. I also think it would help with watering correctly. Take it easy - jodyhighrollr
cheers,, that's actually not a bad idea, tho with experience it is a step not really necessary
i use soil,, fill the solo cup, red one, plant the popped seed, it breaks ground in three or four days,, two weeks later or a bit more, if watered properly, not too much, it will be ready to be put in its final pot,, roots will be nice and white and perhaps just beginning to wrap around the bottom of the cup
same every time,, mostly,, everything hickups occasionally
cheers
