seedlings (11 days) with crispy brown tips

[SensimillaWolf]

I've got 5 Satori from Mandala under CFLs, in a mix of 50% peat, 30% perlite and 20% EWC. Dolomite lime was added at 1.5 tbs/gal, as was kelp meal.

One is looking fantastic, two sets of fan leaves, wingspan and height of 2", dark green, generally look exactly how I hoped they would. The others are a little behind, about 1.5" wingspan/height, with brown crispy leaf tips (appeared 3-4 days ago). The brown tips started as a light yellowing, so I thought it was a matter of not having enough N.

I gave them a very light feeding of bio grow from bio bizz yesterday, and they all plumped up a bit, but I know they're being held back by whatever is ailing them.

Anyone have any ideas for how I can kick them into high gear? I was thinking of somehow making a tea with EWC and kelp meal for micros, but I dont have an airpump and it'll be at least a week before I have the money for one. I also have topmax from bio bizz, which is mainly humic acid and that coldwater kelp from canada (ascophyllum? I feel like I should know this).

Am I approaching this correctly, by looking for a light, balanced feed of micros?

edit: I just took a reeeally careful look at them all. The seedling I thought was doing well has burnt tips now as well, and they all have heavy purple coloration on the undersides of the leaves and on the stems of new growth.

 

[Suby]

Usually the soil at that stage has all it needs to make it without anything extra.
It sounds like they may be some lockout going on, maybe a little heavy on the dolomite as far as seedlings go, you can skip it for the seedling/rooting stage as compost and EWC have you covered yet again.
Purple stems can mean P def, or genetic, or lockout, I say lockout due to the array of problems, what your water starting ph, if it's high like over 7 then that combined with the dolomite could be your problem.
If this is the case then just repot in some fresh soil but also check your waters starting ph.

S

 

[Guest]

I personally don't fertilize seedlings or put them into rich soil until they show signs of neut def. The first feedings are sprayed and 50% at best. Ramping up the neuts as the plants can tolerate them.

 

[SensimillaWolf]

Unfortunately, I dont have an accurate way of measuring pH. I took a look at the utility company online and they dont say the pH, just a bunch of crap about how great they are. They had really explosive growth last night while I was at my gfs, and the dark purple faded to a light shade. The crispy-tip symptom isn't changing, but its only the last half mm of the first set of fan leaves.

Thanks for the advice.
I will repot them tomorrow or the day after if they dont continue to show strong growth. If you think I'm self-destructing by not repotting immediately please let me know and I'll do it pronto. I think they might be able to stick it out in their 5" sq pots. I'll be transplanting with Plant Success in a week or so, when I'll take a look at how the roots are doing.

"Usually the soil at that stage has all it needs to make it without anything extra."

I'm not really following this Suby, when you mention the extra anything, what are you referring to? the Bio grow or the dolomite/kelp meal?

Also, "all it needs to make it" is confusing me. In vonforne's grow he gave them teas as seedlings and they're growing very well... I want that vigor in my plants, and I dont think its possible just sticking seeds in peat/perlite/ewc and waiting for them to yellow for their first feeding. At the same time, Im quite aware of the less-is-more strategy and I'm trying to implement it.

I basically followed the recommended soilless mix in Organics for Beginners. AHHH! I may have just found my mistake. Composting is required for kelp meal? I thought skipping bone and blood would let me skip composting. the kelp meal might be composting now... does that mean my plants have a few days to live?

 

[Suby]

What I mean by extra is mainly dolomite lime, a good seedling mix is just plain EWC/compost, perlite and peat based soil mix.
Vman does feed them teas and that fine if you want to, teas don't do much for NPK they boost soil biology and lightly feed.
The main thing to remember is if they are young and something seems off it's probably not a def but mor of an imbalance of nutrients or ph, also timing with teas is essential.
Whatever is crispy won't grow back and it's not a major nono to skip composting with kelp meal, it doesn't give off any major heat like blood and bone do, it just won't be available for awhile is all.

I'm sorry if what i mean to say isn't always cleay or I make a ton of spelling or grammar mistakes...I'm french and I like to toke

Suby

 

[SensimillaWolf]

nah dude you've been a big help. constuctive criticism means big beautiful buds.

new plan: I'll keep them in their current 5" sq pots until another week or so (unless symptoms become worse), check the roots, then transplant with the plant success and the recommended soil mix into 2L sq pots. I'll get some soil composting with the meals for the flowering period, which will be the third transplant (mandala recommends flowering satori at 10-12", I believe. I will follow his instructions), probably into 12L+ pots, with more myco of course.

thanks for the help, I have high hopes for this grow, I'll keep it updated.

I'll probably get some liquid karma as well, it seems like a more pumped up version of biobizz topmax, which is mainly humic acid and kelp.

 

[Guest]

I have used a lot of ph testers and the best seems to be the ordinary chemical test capsules i also test NPK the same way its good just as a starting point not knowing much except what has changed.Maybe not exact 7.001 or 6.554 but it has gone up or down.I have seen really smart people burn all their plants up with a PH meter and a sack of lime.A seedling will grow off its own energy for a week. with nothing but h2o.Better to slowly bring neuts up than doctor a sick plant.

 

[Closet Funk]

Mix in some worm castings with your seedling starter mix and you won't have any yellowing issues for awhile.

 

[floppyfundanglr]

thats what the 20% ewc is