HELP W FIRST GROW

[marcnh]

This is my first grow. I'm pretty sure the problem is overwatering, but I wanted to see what everyone thinks. I have no more seeds so I need to get this fixed if I can! My "grow room" is hot and doesnt have good ventalation, but its all I have for now. I know the conditions are far from adequate, but I'm trying to work with what I have.
So anyways, 3 of 13 plants are showing yellow leaf tips, it's funny that its only the ones that have fallen behind in growth compared to the others. This morning the soil was very dry so I gave them a good watering per instructions I've seen on grow videos - watered until it drains out the holes. I have been just spraying the top of the soil until today when i poured spring water on them from a bottle. Same water I've been using. Here are my grow conditions:

*4 26w cfl 6700k 3 inches away from plants with aluminum can reflectors
*miracle grow moisture control in styro cups with holes cut in the bottom, I also cut a lot off the top so they are only about 1.5 inches high so the soil on the bottom doesnt turn to mud.
*"room" (box) can get to 80-90 degrees, but its been 2-3 days since they came above the soil and this is the first time I've seen this problem.
*using 50-75% recommended superthrive. Only 1 drop per ten ounces.
* small fan in box blowing on plants and lights.
Thanks in advance for your help, I only need to get through 2 more weeks then they are going outside when I move. I know my conditions ****, but they have been growing like mad, seems by the hour sometimes. THE PIC http://www.geocities.com/marcnh//mj.html

By the way, I'm laying off on the superthrive for a while. I'm sure they have enough in the soil since the plants are so small. the soil does look and feel overwatered, but I'm learning and I can't narrow it down to too much nutes in the MG, heat, or overwatering......

 

[Guest]

Honestly I wouldnt worryabout em bro, just let them grow out and they should green back up with a little N. It may be that those particular plants cant handle the nutes that the miricle grow is giving them, just a guess though.

Best of luck

guerilla

 

[marcnh]

thanks guerilla, they're sleeping now and the soil looks good - not too wet. I'll see how they are in the am, cheers.

 

[Guest]

the mircle grow is nute burning them thats why they have yellow tips


get it in some other soil with 30% perlite in the soil

yes your overwatering dont water till its dry 3" down in the soil

also on the superthrive use one drop per gallon of water and stop using superthrive when you go into flowering just use it in veg

hope this helped

-h4l

 

[Sinfuldreams]

How old are they?
Could need a new home, root bound?
Superthrive can kill too.

Sin

 

[marcnh]

thanks, no theyre not rootbound. Here's what im thinking. These three (the yellowing ones) seem to be my weakest plants - they were last to come up and have been growing the slowest. Do you think they are just weak plants and can't handle the nutes? I mean the others are doing awesome IMO. Like I said, they seem to grow by the hour sometimes....THE PIC http://www.geocities.com/marcnh//mj.html

I germed 5 days ago, and planted 3 days ago. BTW What's your opinion on the growth in this time frame? How do these ones look? THANK YOU!

 

[marcnh]

Dont I sound like a freekin newbie lol. Thanks again people.... darn, got a test in two weeks - can't smoke!

 

[Sinfuldreams]

They look ok for this age.
Yes it very well could be those 3 are the weakest.
Try to feed them different than the others to see if you can bring them around.. just for practice if nothing else.
You will often find a few seeds that are weak or mutated.

Sin

 

[marcnh]

Also, as you can see in the picture, they are growing in pots about 1.5 inches tall with holes in the bottom. Is this adequate for the stage they are in?

 

[Guest]

those pots/cups are fine for this stage. I used to start all my seedlings in cups, but I would suggest you switch to about a 1qt. pot for your next grow. BOG gave me that advice after my second grow and it doubled my yield not to mention that it means less transplanting and less of a chance of the plants getting rootbound.

Just give those 3 girls (hopefully plain water with no superthrive and see if that straightens em out. Take verites advice as well, think of this grow as a learning experience.

Best of luck'

'guerilla

 

[marcnh]

Yeah Guerilla, thanks. Actually I have been doing just water and two of them grew a little! One is almost laying on the surface of the soil, but I'll see how that one does. I know what you mean about a learning experience. Next time I will use bigger pots since the soil dries out too quickly. Overall in my newbie opinion the plants are doing well. I germed 13 and all sprouted, then all grew leaves when I planted them. Is it ok to add more soil so it doesnt dry out so quickly? Should I pack the soil at all? I'm just worried about the roots not getting enough oxygen. 10 of 13 plants look great so far with constant growth...

 

[marcnh]

Also, what does "rootbound" mean and why is this (it seems) bad? btw i just think its so awesome that experienced growers are coming along helping the new guys out, then then we will pass it along...thanks so much.

 

[Guest]

No problem marcnh, Im just passing on the info that great growers passed onto me when I started. Thats what the community is all about

Stick with just water on those three girls especially, but really all of them should only need plain water for the first month or so because thwe miricle grow soil has enough nutes to last for at least that long. You would be fine to add some soil to the top of the cups if you have the room, but do not pack it down too much, just some very light pressure to get it even is enough. Your right on as to why you dont want to pack it in, the roots need air, packing the soil too tight will cause your plants to grow very slow and not look as good as they should. Dont worry about them drying out too quickly. Seedlings in cups like that need to be watered about 2-3 times a day. Some peoepl use a shot glass filled to water them, I personally use a spray bottle and sray the soil until the surface is saturated. Either way is fine, just keep up ith them.

R ootbound is when a plants roots outgrow the container they are in. The roots begin to grow in the shape of the container encompassing the entire soil mass. Once you see roots popping out of the holes in the bottom of your cups, its time to transplant. I would suggest going to 1 gallon pots next, from there transplant into either a 3 gallon or 5 gallon, depending on how much space you have and how long you veg them. Knowing when to transplant is crucial to a good soil grow, if your plants become rootbound, they will never reach their potential.

btw i just think its so awesome that experienced growers are coming along helping the new guys out, then then we will pass it along...thanks so much.

Thats what its all about my freind Im happy to help

Best of luck, Take care and stay safe If you need any further help, feel free to pm me

guerilla

 

[marcnh]

ok. btw im only starting them indoors then will plant them outside. thanks a lot on the info about the watering. I was confused because ive learned its better to not water too often to let the roots grow since they will stretch out looking for water. Now I know itsw ok to spray them often! Seriously this info helped me a lot because I saw the yellow and im like wtf? Am I watering too much? so I backed off, but I noticed they're not growing as fast and this is since I backed off on the watering a little thinking I drowned them when I watered them and let the water flow out the bottom. Sweet. I'll give them a healthy watering tomorrow morning after they wake up from darkness.
I was so confused because im like why did 3 turn yellow and the others look great? thanks!

 

[Guest]

No problem marc, I must missed that you were putting them outside, good stuff You should not have water coming out the bottom holes this early IMO, I just get about the top inch or so moist.I dont think you were overwatering them at all, miricle grow soil is actually kinda harsh if not mixed. Spring for the foxfarm or similar, unless you plan on making your own soil mixture with the MG.

keep it green

guerilla

 

[marcnh]

Hey man, theyre looking a lot better and really taking off. Only one has a little bit of yellow left and even the ones with the yellow are growing well! I'm also going to get some lowryder 2 or simaler autoflowering strain to plant, then plant them per joint docters instructions. He recommends you do not start them inside, only germ them and plant directly outside - pretty convenient actually because I can go and start my holes with nothing illegal on me, then go back and throw the sprouts in.
As far as soil, it can get really dry and hot where I'll be at, also its 4000-6000 feet elevation, so I'm thinking the miracle grow will work well? I also won't have to water as much. What do you think? Also what about the crystals that swell and hold water so you dont have to water as much, then I could combine this with some perlite or vermic for more airation?

 

[Guest]

Good to hear theyre doing well I apologize but Im not very familiar with just about all the features of our plan. I have veryy little outdoor experience, and absolutely no experience with autoflower strains, MG soil, or high elevation grows. Try to get in touch with a member named redrider, he grows outdoors at about the same altitude in columbia, so he could give you much better advice than I can. If you cant gtet in touch with him, try the outdoor forum. Sorry bro, I wish I could be more help, I just dont want to give you the wrong info.

Good luck

guerilla

 

[marcnh]

Not at all man, you've been really nice, I feel the love! Yeah, so what I'm afraid of is the rainy season in my area, once september hits there will be a 25% chance of rain every day, and it can rain for 5-7 days straight easily. I'm new, but seems this will cause bud rot. So they're on 12-12 right now - yikes, I hope thats ok. I'm trying to get the flower hormones going to get them to finish early - hope I don't get too many hermies. This is bagseed I'm using now, so with those two factors (12-12 then putting them outside for up to 15-16 hours of light a day/bagseed) it seems I will get some hermies, but this is for fun, a learning experience, and just to enjoy smoking my own bud more than anything. I have easy access to bud so good I'd be stoked if I can grow the same quality, so there's my backup lol. I may order some early girl along with the lowryder to see what happens. Funny I assumed you did grow outdoors because of the Guerilla name lol.

 

[Guest]

LOL, sorry for the misleading name marc I knew that would happen one day, on OG I even put in my sig that Im a freedom fighter, not a guerilla grower

I would reccomend that you switch your lighting to coincide with the hours of light outside, I dont know for sure but putting them in 12/12 then outdoors for 16 or more hours of light per day will probably stess em out. Depending on what the indica/sativa ratio is on the beans, they may finsish before the budrot is a problem. Its notvery likely theyll finsih that early but you never know, the lowryders would have been better for the outdoors IMO, they would hva eifnished right around when the rain start to come maybe even earlier.

I am glad to see you have suh a great attitude about this, with an attitude like that you'll be dialing strains in in no time Best of luck to you, def. try the outdoors forums for some better advice. Take care

guerilla

 

[gladysvjubb]

Do NOTHING!!!!!!

Do NOTHING!!!!!!

Using MG Moisture Control DO NOT ADD ANY NUTES!!!!! Use distilled water and that's it. There is enough food in the mix for 3 months. I use it and have fantastic results from seed to finish by doing absolutely nothing but distilled water. GROW ON!!!