I am having a problem getting my seedlings to grow and need some help here.

My grow room is a small spare room about 8' X 10', but i only use a small space in the closet for vegging. My vegging area is about 2' X 3' with plenty of height. I have a oscillating fan, a thermometer, hygrometer, all the stuff you need. I use 6500k cfl's for vegging and i am trying to grow in soil.

I have no problem germinating seeds, i use the wet paper towel method and have done probably over 50 seeds with almost 100% success rate. The problem is they always get off to a very slow start and get stunted or fucked up. Then i get mad and kill them.

My current try at growing:

(*these are all bag seed from different bags)

Dec.13 - I put 10 seeds to germinate.
Dec.15 - All 10 seeds cracked and were planted into moistened jiffy pellets.
Dec.16 - 3/10 sprouted.
Dec.17 - 8/10 now.
Dec.18 - 10/10 have sprouted and a couple had little roots emerging from the pellets. I transplanted them into 4" round pots and watered them so the soil was moist through out.
Dec.21 - The pots were light and the soil quite dry so i fed them about 200ml each or 2L all together.
Dec.25 - The pots were light and the soil quite dry so i fed them about 200ml each.
Dec.29 - They were growing real slow and starting to curl down (rams horns or clawing). The pots were light and the soil quite dry so i fed them 200ml each.
Jan.01 - They were growing real slow and still not looking too good. The pots were light and the soil quite dry so i fed them, but this time i added 0.5ml of superthrive to the 2L of water and then fed them 200ml each.

Today January 08, They still look like shit. I though maybe they need water because they are looking soo dry and i didn't water them for a week, the soil is almost like dust. I had a real hard time trying to water them because the soil was so dry and the water was running right through the pots without wetting the soil. I put 1ml of superthrive into 1 gallon of water and had to use almost all of it to water the plants, there was lots of run off.

*note I am using C-I-L all purpose potting soil with extra perlite that i added to it. I also have ph test strips and a ph meter and am phing to 6.5. I am watering with tap water that sits out for atleast 24 hours so the chlorine can dissipate. ( I have a PPM pen and my tap water is just over 200 ppm from the tap). My humidity is hanging around 50% and fairly stable. My temps are about 21c with the lights off and 23-24c with the lights on. I am doing 18/6 for vegg and have a timer of course.

I will add some pics in a moment so that you guys can see what i'm dealing with here. I am very disappointed with the results i keep getting and would appreciate some help.

Try getting a heating pad for your germination tray, if you have one. it helps promote root growth in the early seedling stages or early rooting stages for clones. Also if you soak your medium with some water with added B'cuzz root stimulator, or any other water soluble root stimulator it will help your plants get off to a healthy start.

if you feel your pots are drying out too fast you may want to add peat moss or vermiculite to retain water longer. how much perlite did you add, a good 30 to 40 percent should be perlite

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PS i am a pathological liar, and have illusions of grandeur. I post pictures of pot plants i found on the internet and i have never nor will i ever consider the cultivation of marijuana, as it is illegal.

me personally I water my plants everyday about 1 cup. i dont know why your going through so much water but your going WAAAAAAYYYY to long between waterings. Sounds like you have way too much drainage (along with your under watering problem). Pics would definately help

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yea i didnt see that untill you pointed it out, that is a while to go between waterings. just go by the top inch or 2, if it feels dry to the touch it needs water, if its damp your good.

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My Current Grow Journal...
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/hobo...-welcome-2641/


PS i am a pathological liar, and have illusions of grandeur. I post pictures of pot plants i found on the internet and i have never nor will i ever consider the cultivation of marijuana, as it is illegal.

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I'll try watering them a little more frequently and not let the soil dry out soooo much between waterings. I just didn't want to over do it and i thought i might be over watering them. HoboCabbage i can't remember how much perlite i added ( i should have recoreded that), but i remember now that i had a 5L bag of all purpose potting soil and a 5L bag of perlite. I added about 1L of perlite to the 5L of all purpose potting soil.

Here are the pics, they are 3 weeks from sprout and look like shit. Will they even recover?









Anymore help would be appreciated.

did you pack your soil or did you just fill the pots and drop in your pellets? Looks like your soil maybe a little compacted roots need room to breathe. What are you using for nutes? they look like they could use a meal soon.

__________________
I may say or do things to get you to like me, that includes lie, cheat and steal. So i'm going to appoligize now if somethings I say or do turns out to be a lie. I may lie, cheat, and steal..BUT I WOULD NEVER BREAK THE LAW!!!!

What are you feeding them? What's in your soil?? They really aren't looking good!!

Welcome to the site where dreams are grown.
I'm the SHAMAN (MOD), Iam here to help guide you, If you need anything just let me know and I will be glad to help the best I can..
Again Welcome to the site, And Happy Growing!!

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PEACE.
Never stop growing.
Seeds are the future.

Maybe from almost killing them,By not watering them. Don't miss treat them anymore and they should recover..
I read threw you posts twice and looks like your on the ball exept for the bad watering job..

__________________
PEACE.
Never stop growing.
Seeds are the future.

I just filled the pots, shook them a bit, then use 2 fingers to make a hole for the pellets, dropped in the pellets, and evened out the soil. I have General Hydroponics 3 part nutrients, but have yet to use them.

Not sure how well your nutes will work in soil..might want to get some nutes for soil. I'd stick to water for a few days since your plants arent even used to that yet nutes right now might just send them over the top..keep them watered..NOT WET for a few days and work on getting nutes for soil

__________________
I may say or do things to get you to like me, that includes lie, cheat and steal. So i'm going to appoligize now if somethings I say or do turns out to be a lie. I may lie, cheat, and steal..BUT I WOULD NEVER BREAK THE LAW!!!!

I am only feeding them ph'd water (6.5) and a drop of superthrive last couple waterings. My soil is just C-I-L all purpose potting soil from rona and i added some perlite. Yes i know they look bad. :(

Thanks for the warm welcome SHAMAN at to you others as well. SHAMAN if i need anything i will let you know. You guys seem cool.

Okay i'll try watering them every second or third day. Does that sound about right? If the soil gets dry at the bottom of the pot is that bad? It probably is eh. Cuz i took a plant out of it's pot about 12 hours ago and it was bone dry all the way to the bottom. There was roots and they were still white, but the soil was bone dry all the way to the bootom. I put the plant back in the pot and watered them all. The water kept running right through the pots because they were so dry, so i let them suck up the rest of the water through the bottom.

whats the humidity like where they are?

according to your numbers thats 20 percent perlite. My first hydro attempt before i got the right supplys, ended up looking EXACTLY like yours. It was because it wasnt getting enough micronutrients because of the lack of soil. however you have soil, and added micronutes so i dont think its that. and the growth that bottom is dying while the new growth remains healthy, perhaps it has suffered and is trying to move on, see if they recover from more frequent watering (not excess), and hope they older growth doesnt continue to die.

If i were you i would clip off the seedling leaf and the first true leaves, the plant will spend more energy trying to repair dead or dying parts than it needs to when it could be applied to new growth.... thats just what i would do, some would disagree with that and say let it green back up.

and GH 3 part will work fine in soil or soiless mix gardens as well as hydroponics.

__________________

MEDICATE \m/ >¿< \m/

www.greenlightnin.com - The best in Hydroponic Nutrients.

My Current Grow Journal...
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/hobo...-welcome-2641/


PS i am a pathological liar, and have illusions of grandeur. I post pictures of pot plants i found on the internet and i have never nor will i ever consider the cultivation of marijuana, as it is illegal.

if the soil is dry at the bottom, that means the soil is dead dry on top, or it means you could have some dry pockets in your container. its important to fullly soak your containers the first time you use them so dry pockets dont build up, roots cant grow in there.

__________________

MEDICATE \m/ >¿< \m/

www.greenlightnin.com - The best in Hydroponic Nutrients.

My Current Grow Journal...
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/hobo...-welcome-2641/


PS i am a pathological liar, and have illusions of grandeur. I post pictures of pot plants i found on the internet and i have never nor will i ever consider the cultivation of marijuana, as it is illegal.

Okay funny story, don't laugh too hard. This is not my first grow, i have done 3 or 4 maybe 5 grows in the last couple years. The problem is i have a bad memory and didn't keep good records. From now on i will be keep records much better. I have used these nutes before hydro and soil.

Here are some pics of some of my better work.

my last 'successful' grow at 3 weeks after sprout, i did have a little help from a friend though. It's in a 6" pot, just water no nutes yet.





my last 'successful' grow in the 4th week of flower.

It hangs around 50%.

I'm not kidding around here.

oh never mind, i thought little sprouts were from your really old unsuccessful grows and the other pics are were your current ones. I thought it seamed like you knew quite a bit about ph and this and that for a first timer. in that case, what are you doing different this time around than all the other times?

__________________

MEDICATE \m/ >¿< \m/

www.greenlightnin.com - The best in Hydroponic Nutrients.

My Current Grow Journal...
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/hobo...-welcome-2641/


PS i am a pathological liar, and have illusions of grandeur. I post pictures of pot plants i found on the internet and i have never nor will i ever consider the cultivation of marijuana, as it is illegal.

My first 2 grows turned out petty good. As far as i can remember they were also started in 4" pots and watered every 3 or 4 days. I had less cfl's and didn't have the fancy cfl hood, i also used 2700k cfl's.

After that i was cloning into hydo and soil and had a million things on the go, i think because i was cloning i was able to get a better read on the plants and i just did what i though needed to be done.

I wont talk about the hydo too much cuz it's another story, but i did some DWC it went real good, the flood table not so good.

For my last grow i had some help starting the plants because i was working long hours also in and out of town. My partner did a hell of a job and they were our best looking plants so far. They were also started in jiffy pellets and then then transplanted into larger 6" pots. Our grow medium consisted of a different type of potting soil, sand, perlite, and triple mix. Looking back i see that they may have gotten watered everyday for the first 8 days after sprout (how much water i don't know?), and then they went 3 days without any water and were watered with 500ml's every 4th day..., then every 3rd day.., then every 2nd day., then i knew it was time for transplant into larger pots. Edit: For this one we also use rain water not tap water.

So i guess i am being too stingy with the water uh?

The lights just came on and i went to check on them, it's been about 18 hours since i watered them and they still look like shit.