Bad Soil Stunted Growth

[Smurf]

Should grow some 'catnip' for the little buggers, that might keep them happy for a while, they seem to love the stuff, also good as an insect repellant to.

 

[Dan42nepa]

i would.. wouldnt that attract them? I already have tomatoes, peppers, basil, thyme and eggplant in there.. lol.

 

[Smurf]

I can see the ingredients for a voluptuous salad there Dan.
The catnip seems to be the drug of choice for felines, makes me laugh watching them go for it. It's likely the cats will not disturb surrounding plants once they've had their dose of catnip, possible keep it slightly separated from your others to divert their attention.

 

[Maj.PotHead]

The super soil had soluble ferts in it. So after just a few waterings, they are leached/removed from the soil. They are in there to give transplants a little boost not to depend on for a month. They also lacked magnesium so a little epsom salts at planting might have been good.

this i would have to agree on ive used supersoil and had n/p

 

[hardhat22]

Derived from potasium nitrate, triple superphosphate, calcium nitrate, UREAform ferrous sulfate, dried poultry waste, feathermeal, alfalfa meal, kelp meal

If all of the ferts in your original soil were only water soluble,your plants should have been ready to make the 12/12 switch after a months growth. Urea can be too hot and,unless I'm sadly mistaken,is a slow feed form of nitrogen,which only becomes available as it breaks down.The dried poultry waste ( chicken crap ) can kill a tomato plant if applied too close.If we feed a plant while this stuff is slowly releasing nitrates,we are burning our plants and causing stunted growth.Seedlings are best grown in a soil with zero ( 0 ) nutients.They have enough nutes in their cotyledons to grow for a while.Also,your current soils have alot of wood which can cause acidity in soil.Keep a check on your PH.If you are like me and can't afford a ph meter you can get strips on ebay at this link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...tToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

I got 300 strips for 15 bucks,including shipping.I don't know how to test their accuracy yet but I'm just tickled that I beat wal-marts price of 10 bucks for 50 pool and spa strips.My soil is currently testing at 7 so I'm searching for some cheap wettable sulfer to bring'er down a little.

I'm currently recovering from the exact same problems and have seen marked improvements by transplanting into soil that I mixed from wal-mart stuff.I only added a tablespoon of epsoms salts to relieve a magnesium deficiency.The purple stems are starting to green up now.
I started my seedlings in a scotts mix that was too hot and too acidic.I made the transplant decision by reading these links:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=42555&highlight=urea Scroll down to the date of 11-22 by sproutco.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=42352&highlight=urea Yet another post by sproutco.Cudos to sproutco.

Just go to search and type in urea and you'll find what I found.

Aged and processed softwood bark and sawdust, sphagnum peat moss, perlite, pumice, composted animal manuers, bat guano, worm castings, dried poultry waste, blood meal, feather meal, bone meal, sulfate of potash, kelp meal, dolmite lime may be added as a ph adjuster.

Softwood bark is not as acidic as hardwood but is slightly acidic nontheless.The rest sounds great for a maturing plant but sounds a little hot for one recovering from a nute/acid prob.Watch'em carefully

I have two plants, one already transplanted in the organic soil. I kept the roots in tact by keeping the old soil around the roots. its been 4 days since i transplanted and there is no change. i have the patience but i wondering what to expect and how long before i see a pick me up in the transplanted sapling.

so im going to transplant the second tonight. should i remove as much of the old soil as possible and if so how to do this without killing the plant? also what, if anything, can i add that will perk up these plants and expedite the growing process? all organic from now so all help and advice will be appreciated.

The method I just used and have used before in emergency situations where almost all of the old soil needs to be removed;Carefully squeeze the side of the 6 pack or plastic pot to loosen the rootball.Remove the rootball and place in a bowl-full of warm water that equals growroom temps.Gently manipulate the rootball to make as much of the old soil as possible fall away from the root system.Try not to allow the root system to touch air untill the soil has fallen away.This will cut or prevent transplant shock.You should have the new soil and pot prepared by filling halfway and making a small mound in the center.Place the plant in the pot and quickly arrange the roots around the mound evenly.Backfill as deep as possible,creating more rootsites up the stem as possible.I also mix some rootone (or any rooting hormone) in the area around the stem that is being covered.It works wonders for my plants and their rootballs.I do not feed at this point.

Good luck and don't feel bad.I have a plant that is 42 days old from seed that is only 6-3/4" tall that is just now starting to alternate nodes at the 8th node.Another that is the same size and not even alternating.They are only about 7" wide at the widest point. But they come from such great genetics I'm not willing to give up on 'em.All because I didn't plan ahead and buy the soils and nutes I'm used to before the stores stopped selling them.So I was forced to make my own,which is usually the best way to go. Peace

 

[JackTheGrower]

I've read that redwood in a soil mix causes stunting as well?

Anyone else believe that?

 

[CaptJamesTKirk]

I don't like any wood product in my soil mixes, every post mortum I do - there is wood chips with no roots around them.

I remove all woodchips.

Foxfarms soil - with a big ol bag of pearlite - mix em about 50-50, that will get you running right.

I choked when they first said $24 for a bag of dirt - now I go back regurarly

 

[Dan42nepa]

Emmy which soil are you using? the FF or OG? Just curious.