Seedlings leaves curl down, discoloration...HELP

I have 3 seedlings in trouble. They are about a week and half old. Slow growth, leaves curling down, feel slightly crispy, slightly pale in color. I just noticed a small brown spots developing on the edge of the leaf on one of them. I started them in rock wool cubes and transplanted into soil when the roots started coming out of the bottom of the cube. Being seriously broke I had to use miracle grow organic potting mix. I plan on mixing up some good soil for them when I get paid (subcools super soil). I just bought a soil ph and moisture tester. The moisture is fine on all of them. The ph readings were a bit all over. The one in the worst condition has a ph between 6-7 depending on if u stick the probes in the cube or soil around it. The others are between 5.5-6.5. Im really at a loss here....I know its not over/under watering, Ph seems safe level to me, the organic soil has npk of .10-.05-.05. I used seeds out of 3 different kids of very good regs. I plan on getting better seeds when I have the funds. I am Thinking maybe the rock wool had something in it, maybe the seeds are just crap genetics? I started several others in small cups of soil and they just popped out of the ground, they look good now, we will see what happens. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT! I also put up pics below.

Light info...under a 24" 4 bulb sun system t5 cfl, 2 blue, 2 red bulbs.....Had great success with this light before. I transfer to 2-400w hps when I feel its time. right now the cycle is 16/8

86 views and no ideas cmon guys lol.....no one has come accross this before? Im seriously dumbfounded. I know seedlings of this age dont require much more than water and light. I cut off the leaves that were curling really bad because they were getting pretty crispy with the edges turning brown....hope they live. More so I hope to find out whats the problem to avoid it in the future. I have 6 others that are on day 2 out of the ground and they are from the same seeds(started in soil) They are doing great...growing very fast for the 2nd day out, some already have the first new set of leaves comming out of the center! I honestly think its got something to do with the rockwool cubes that i started the others in.

some one told me try removing the rockwool gently and cut it all away and replant it....might try by the end of the day if i dont get any ideas on this or dont see any progress

I would say over watering, you need to let the soil dry out.

Hi mate, sorry no real info for you. I do see crazy growth under cfl though?
Maybe that damn rockwool! Horrible in soil cos its so un-soil like.
Please can someone help ME?
Can I veg under 1 600w hps powerplant bulb n reflector? VEG??
Horticultural Lighting, Hydrogarden - Manufacturer/supplier of world beating hydroponic systems
Please? I've used cfl till now but its not giving me nice bushy (autos) and I've just germinated a sleestak x skunk non auto (big breath) sooo can I use 1 x 600w hps throughout plants life? Auto and photos? Ty

could be the small amount of nutes in the MG soil. Ive started in MG rganic before and ran into the same problem. I am currently using FoxFarm Light warrior seed starter which works, but i find that the seed starter light warrior soil dries out really fast so in my 3x3 starter pots the top inch and a half to 2 inches dries out to the point where i dont get root growth up top and the roots shoot to the bottom so i find that they get wrapped up and i have to transplant them sooner, which isnt really a bad thing. try some soil thats not MG. Ive heard of some people having really good luck with MG, but as a new grower (im assuming your new to this) you may want to try a less powerful soil. Marijuana seedlings are kinda gentle.

Your definetely overwating that and that alone is the problem. I can tell by the color of the rockwool and soil and just by how the plant looks. ROCKWOOL SUCKS ESPICIALLY IN SOIL I can't stand that stuff you need to stop using it or you will coninue to have problems like this. The best way is the seed towel method I have a near 100% success rate with it. Just put the seeds on a damp(not dripping wet) paper towel then cover with another towel and make sure it's nice and damp. Then wap it in tin foil just like you do some vegetables or something when your barbecuing. Pinch the edges shut leave it at room temperature and check a couple times a day to make sure it doesn't dry out. They should pop in 3 days or so the tin foil will keep the light out and moisture in. Then when they have a inch long tap root transplant to yor soil directly and forget the rockwool cubes. Dig a little hole with your finger and stick the seedling in to where the tap root points down and the shell is a 1/4 from the surface. Keep the soil damp(not wet) and you should be good. You can even leave the seedlings on the towel loong enough for them to shed they're shells and then bury them all they way up to the leaves with the leaves sitting above the surface.

Edited by jinn420, 04 May 2012 - 07:26 PM.

OK...gonna cover several replies in one....to clear things up...Im new, but not that new. I've used rockwool in the past no prob and put it in soil. I do think the problem lies in the rockwool. I soak my seeds till they sink then i put them in a wet paper towel. Soon as the tip comes out I place in rockwool or soil. I started 6 others in just soil and they are doing really well. The problem was not over watering....I did not water for 2 days because i suspected that as well. The pic was right after I watered. I also started misting them at night because the leaves were crispy. Being that the water and soil were the same in both the good seedlings and bad and the only difference being the rockwool. Im gonna have to say the problem was the rockwool...I suspect not enough gas exchange at the roots making nitrogen unavailable to the plant. Im not the best fan on MG soil, but just to start it off I had to go cheap. When I get paid next week I will be mixing up a scaled down version of subcools super soil recipe.

OK...gonna cover several replies in one....to clear things up...Im new, but not that new. I've used rockwool in the past no prob and put it in soil. I do think the problem lies in the rockwool. I soak my seeds till they sink then i put them in a wet paper towel. Soon as the tip comes out I place in rockwool or soil. I started 6 others in just soil and they are doing really well. The problem was not over watering....I did not water for 2 days because i suspected that as well. The pic was right after I watered. I also started misting them at night because the leaves were crispy. Being that the water and soil were the same in both the good seedlings and bad and the only difference being the rockwool. Im gonna have to say the problem was the rockwool...I suspect not enough gas exchange at the roots making nitrogen unavailable to the plant. Im not the best fan on MG soil, but just to start it off I had to go cheap. When I get paid next week I will be mixing up a scaled down version of subcools super soil recipe.

how are the seedlings doing now. Sounds to me if the others in soil were ok prob lye's in the rockwool. Im very new so dont take my advice as I have none,lol. I was told by my hydro guy to keep rockwool out of soil. something to do with the roots being use to one medium then trying to survive in a different one as well as the wool. kinda makes sense but I hope they came through for you.

2 out of 3 are recovering.....the 3rd might make it maaayyybe. It has lost virually all pigmantation except in the center where the leaves meet the stem.

STOP WATERING so often, and as u now know the miracle grow was a bad choice(dump it, if you can, you must), every time u water you feed the sensitive seedlings which caused your damaged leaves, the damage is done, so only thing you can and should do now is leave them alone and let them repair, that means NO watering until dry, no misting because its not necessary , and transplant to a better soil when you can.

Also here's a thread you can check out;

http://forum.grassci...agged-soil.html

STOP WATERING so often, and as u now know the miracle grow was a bad choice(dump it, if you can, you must), every time u water you feed the sensitive seedlings which caused your damaged leaves, the damage is done, so only thing you can and should do now is leave them alone and let them repair, that means NO watering until dry, no misting because its not necessary , and transplant to a better soil when you can.

Also here's a thread you can check out;

http://forum.grassci...agged-soil.html

Solid info. Its sooo hard to gauge watering using rockwool in soil. Ppl use rockwool in other medium because it dosent mess with things, dont hold water etc (lol I think) so in soil it probably feels quite restricted bless em, Like a straight jacket! Paper towels as you say are cool but imho if using soil use soil throughout and making your own is best cos you cant overfert em as easily.

Solid info. Its sooo hard to gauge watering using rockwool in soil. Ppl use rockwool in other medium because it dosent mess with things, dont hold water etc (lol I think) so in soil it probably feels quite restricted bless em, Like a straight jacket! Paper towels as you say are cool but imho if using soil use soil throughout and making your own is best cos you cant overfert em as easily.

I mean by paper towels are cool is to start seed after a dunk to soak they are cool but then into soil as soon as they germ.....obviously lol

all miracle grow soil products contain composted human sewage.


so not only is your plant getting it's nutrients from our poop and pee, but it is also sitting in everything that goes down the drain including (but not limited to) bleach, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, shampoo, hair dying solution, and the list goes on......


using composted human sewage is a good idea and it is environmentally friendly to re-use our waste, but only for ornamental crops. not for vegetables or any other plant we will consume.


besides, miracle grow is owned by a terrible terrible company whom i would never support.





-OSUB