Help-dying seedlings, pics, and discriptions.

[minds_I]

Hello all,

I am at my wits end.

This is looking like the third consecutive time I have fried my beans.

First some info.

My Seedling chamber is 16"x20"x27" tall. It has 198 watts of cfl's:
2-45 GE Wally world lights I don't know the color
4-27 watt LoA 5-pack and I don't know hte color but I recall they are different from one another 27800K comes to mind.

I have a 6" fan that blows across the tops towards the exhaust.

The cab is ventilated with a 265 cfm dayton on a speed control-there is positive ventilation.

The desklamp is a ghetto heater (60 watt).

OK, the temps are between 68*F to 78*F.

Humidty is a high rh 70% at the moment due to the weather-not to worried its too soon for humidty issues.

I germed them in the glass of water.

The seeds were planted in a mix of:

1 part Kellogg Patio Plus-a chicken/bat and worm shit-somewhat hot.
4 parts peat
1 part perlite (large)

It was premoistened with pH'ed water, superthrive @ 8 drops/gallon.

They were dry last night and got about 2 ounces of pH'ed water with a pinch of epson salts (my tap water is striped (sequestering agents) of calcium and magnesium).

As a sidenote, the last seedlings I cooked used a mix of:

2 part Kelloggs
1 part peat
1 part perlite
1/2 part washed mason sand ( I had it available)

They sprouted the last 3-4 days.


This is what they look like last night:





This is what they look like tonight:





It looks like the soil is still too hot, so I flushed tonight. I used 4 times the container volume of water.

The water was @ pH 7.2 and the runoff is 6.6. No issues there.

The temps are beautiful-whats wrong?

minds_I

 

[Guest]

I don't have your answers, but a few things:

1. I've heard that the Patio Plus contains redwood and some people say redwood and cannabis don't mix well. I doubt with the mix you used that it's too hot. I don't think that's the problem.

2. I run 20-30% perlite in my seedling mix.

3. Why the Superthrive? It is supposed to be good for seedlings and I'm not opposed to using it, but if you're new to this, I'd recommend losing everything that isn't absolutely necessary. Keep it as simple as possible. 8 drops per gallon is a rather heavy dose, too. A little Superthrive goes a long way.

4. I'd pH your water to between 6.5 and 6.8. Doesn't have to be exact, but try to stay in that range if you can.

5. I don't understand what sequestering agents are, but I will say that having *some* minerals in your water can be helpful, as they buffer the pH. Distilled water, for instance, can be pH'ed perfectly but as soon as it touches something acidic, the pH plummets.

Hope some of those things help. Your cab looks pretty tight! Good tight, not cramped tight.

.canine.

 

[minds_I]

Hello canine,

The package just reads as "composted forest products".
I have had issues with Hyponex brand potting soil which is mostly wood and nearly killed the seedlings.

The kelloggs soil is a very rich soil and no large bits of wood. Feel good too. Buahahaha-never thought I would enjoy putting my hands in chicken/bat/and worm shit.

I am wondering-now with ordenary fluorescents you can get the plant and inch or two away. And with VHO fluoros you make it about 6 inches. I wonder if CFL's are closer to VHO. The hand test is just fine.
You can see how far from the lights the plant tops are.


Sequestering agents are injected in the water system at the well to remove most of the calcium and magnesium. My water report shows a hardness range from 47-96 mg/l.

I just add epsom salts.


minds_I

 

[BluEBLaZeS]

i think your soil is over done with excitement. the soil is fine didn't really need to be flushed. but u added all this other guano and stuff, it doesnt need it yet...
i did that my first grow too
to make it better i flushed out the miracle grow soil I used, added perlite and planted the seedlings. flush the soil, plant it, use some superthrive in watering. not 8 drops. start with 1 drop.

 

[minds_I]

Hello BB,

I did not add any guano - its in the Kellogg's already.

I hope the flush was of some good. Although I feel that no they will show signs of overwatering. My water is airated but still.

minds_I

 

[Guest]

Patio plus = garbage. I used it and it fucked up my first plants too. When I switched to ocean forest I had much less probs

 

[Guest]

I emailed Kellogg a few months ago about whether or not "composted forest products" included redwood (because a couple of their soil products do list redwood) and they said yes, it was. Now, I've not personally had probs w/ redwood, I've only heard of it. It's likely not your problem, but worth considering.

I don't think the soil mix is too rich since you mixed it 1:4 with the peat, but I do think it could use more perlite, especially for seedlings.

I also would rule out any lighting issues. Seedlings aren't as particular about light as they are about pH, moisture and temperature.

I'm still going with pH. Were those beans special? Do you have others? If you do, I'd go find some different soil, something tried and true, and increase the amount of perlite and decrease the peat (I would eliminate the peat, personally). I've done 30% perlite in Black Gold soil (which has compost/humus, worm castings and chicken poopie) for seedlings with good results. Usually carries them to week three at least.

Anyway... I'm rambling. If you can start over, I would. If you can't, just let that flush do its thing and be sure not to water again for a good week or so, cuz all that peat will hold water like a woman with PMS. They may pull through.

Good luck to ya and let us know how it goes.

.canine.

 

[minds_I]

Hello Canine,

No the beans were not really specail (nirvana Afghani and bagseed) but they were my last ones.

I will send out an order to gypsy tomorrow (AK48 & kc33xKush). If I am lucky I will get them in about 10days to two weeks. I have had them take 8 days round trip before.

I wonder what the freebie will be.

I have some SADPxSK#1 freebies-but they are even older now and will likely not germ.

Plus, they are prone to hermie.

Although its better than nothing.

minds_I

 

[MynameStitch]

wow usally hyponix didnt cause any problems for me but it didnt have bark or anything it was a very nice mixture

but with this kind its the soil brand that is messing it up

get a different brand but do not use FF ocean frrect for those seedlings you need a seed starter mixture to start out with or a diluted mixture of some kind of weak ferts brand and some kind of semi ferted brand soil mixture

adding dolomite lime and some perlite in is a good idea too

it all depends what route you go but if you keep those seedlings in there your going to cause them there death

 

[mace_ecam]

germination soil and seedling raising mix do wonders for raising seedlings and germinating seeds...