retarded growth

[BudgetBud]

Well this is my first real grow and i've been reading alot on the subject over the last few weeks.
Growing indoor/outdoor, so when the sun's out they cop it, if not they stay inside under lights and go under the lights at night aswell. Using a couple of cfl's that work suprisingly well. The soil is from the back yard, very dirt like with little organic matter and a bit of sand, overall it seems pretty good.
approx 3 weeks into grow with bagseeds.
So the problem is stunted/retarded leaf grow which only appered within the last week, also got a few white dots on the lower leaves but thats from insects. Don't know the soil ph and if money permits i will get a tester.
So what's going on?

 

[BudgetBud]

Side note

Side note

also thought i'd mention i've been using a combination of lst and topping.
Some may notice there are four branches coming out, I only topped once, so there should only be two. I belive this is because i topped to early which delayed the top growth and caused the lower branches to sprout, also making 2 sets of 3 leaves, after which the plant recovered and then grew it's two top branches like it was suposed to.

 

[Pimp Aurora]

The soil is from the back yard

I think thats your problem, probably too compact and stunting root growth.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

^^Yeah...getcha a quality soil mix with some perlite and they'll be much happier.

 

[elevate]

if you can press your soil together with your fingers and it sticks together like a clay.... its bad soil. good soil mixes are spongy in texture, light, and "fluffy" if you will.
add perlite or vermiculite as well, simple things like these work well.

 

[rebel.]

personally i'd say there isn't much reason to top or train it yet, as long as heigth isn't an issue let it get a bit bigger before you start tyin it down.

 

[Diego]

im gonna guess its the soil or the seed, prob the soil, I actually have a bunch of 3 week olds in some coco stuff mixed with pro soil and the talles is about a foot and the average is about 8 inches. All from seed some good some bad, also the smallest out of the whole is about 3 inches (prob) about as big as yours, and I know for fact its an older seed. Not sure if thats why its so small, but just letting you know. Before a tester id spend 5 dollars on a little better soil.

 

[Brian1975]

Save that dirt for covering up bodies and get yourself some real soil for that baby.

 

[BudgetBud]

Cheers people, I'll get a big bag of soil and perlite.
That should cover my 3 pots and we'll see how they respond.
"rebel": It's never to early to top. But yes height will be an issue because i will be movng the grow to the roof very soon.
Also the four stem thing happened on another plant. Topped it after the 2nd internode, the trick is to make a small cut down the stem, in the middle.
Again this tecnique worked by delaying the top two new shoots, producing two new lower shoots, totalling four new main stems from one topping.
updated photo

 

[mid-east-stone]

just be careful not to harm the small roots when you transplant.
the hard soil will make it posibly hard.
when i do it - i water the soil a lot- as if bathing the plant and then the root goes out qwite easy.
donno if it is correct but it works.
be well.
p.s.
i laso jave 5 (!!!!!) months plant i have been keepimg just for the fun of it- soil, sun+cfl's= about 20 cm.
maybe it is the genetics as onother one from the same sourse is about 1.3 metters already.
m.

 

[Pimp Aurora]

I do mine when they are moist.. can't go wrong that way, some say dry some say wet I like it moist myself

 

[rebel.]

its cool thought i'd throw in my personally i don't like to work to much on them till i know the sex and just focus on keepin em healthy

 

[BudgetBud]

ok so i got a big bag of soil and repotted 4 of 5 plants. I probably didn't take as much care with the roots as i should of because 2 of them have started to droop with crisp leaves but they should recover soon. The main plant of concern is now flourishing so it was obviously my poor garden variety soil.
Thanks for all the help guys.