Ooops

[kinkyjinks]

Hello there, I'm a n00b so be gentle with me. I'm pretty certain I know what my problem is but haven't a clue how to sort it. Before I planted my seeds I read loads and loads of stuff, probably too much for my plants good. Because I've half successfully grown a plant before using soil I decided to try a variety of growing methods to see which worked best. I picked an easy to grow variety (White Widow) and used various germination techniques; rockwool (Only seeds which didn't germinate) wet tissue, soil and clay pebbles mixed with vermeculite. Out of 10 seeds, 8 germinated. Up until this point all was well. Then disaster struck, I was too busy to pot what needed potting up and sort out my grow room so left my precious seedlings in the hands of my black fingered husband. He assured me all was well and he had given them a feed I'd prepared which was phosphur rich. Foolishly I trusted him. 2 days later I ventured into my attic and found myself thinking of lawyers and divorce courts....he'd left them in the dark. Result:-8 seedlings with spindly stems I've now banned him from even looking at them and they are under a flourescent light at the moment, although I have got both MH and HPS bulbs for the next stages should they reach that far. 1 week on and they look worse every time I look. The only thing I've done so far (apart from huff at himself) is put an oscillating fan near them in the faint hope the stems will strengthen. Hopefully I've managed to attach a pic of one of the seedlings out of situ in the vain hope that someone; anyone, can save my potential crop from being a mere pipe(rs) dream, and help me like my husband again.

[glass_girl420]

They look like they are reaching for some light. The fan is good maybe try repotting them in deeper so you have less of a stem. My hubby grows most of the mj, I garden veggies, house plants and flowers. I use support as well, they need something. Lots of experience in this forum your gonna get good tips.

Welcome to GC

[Ganja Guerrilla]

transplant deeper to support the stalks, dont water as much, so you dont get stem rot till the plant acclamates to the soil on the stalk

add 1 part perilite to the soil, your soil looks like it will compact and hold too much water

clear & translucent containers make poor pots, roots dont like the light

do NOT feed that plant for 4 weeks

turn the fan on low & drop the flouresents to 3 " above the plants

keep us posted , & give hubby a reprieve, but restrict him from the kids, hes a lousy father

[GrowBot]

they're really stretching. you can put tubes right on top of those things, just not touching. as stated above, bury some of that stem and DON'T FEED. i'd start them on 1/4 strength in a couple weeks. i wouldn't put that fan on those spindly seedlings either. just ensure they get air circulating in the area. i wouldn't be too hard on the hubby either. you shouldn't have fed and the light was too far away. (that was you wasn't it???) be excellant to each other.
peace

[Ganja Guerrilla]

Growbot they are noobs, all noobs overwater and over fert, and were in trouble here already

YES put the fan on them (low, light breeze)) after you bury the stalks and they are supported, you want the top of that soil DRY to prevent stem rot untill they harden off

seedlings need no ferts for atleast 3 weeks (everything that seedling needs it has in the first set of leaves) and seems to be the biggest noob issue (too anxious to add ferts), I'd wait the 4 weeks for nutes till they are stronger and can take it for certain, ferts will cause a growth spurt (if the seedlings can take it without burning) next question is will the streched stems be able to support the weight of the growth yet?

Err on the side of caution when your a beginner, and you will be successfull

[Anony]

Yea, GG's right.

ventured into my attic and found myself thinking of lawyers and divorce courts....he'd left them in the dark.

[kinkyjinks]

Originally Posted by glass_girl420

My hubby grows most of the mj, I garden veggies, house plants and flowers. I use support as well, they need something. Lots of experience in this forum your gonna get good tips.

Welcome to GC

I'm pretty sure I'm going for a role reversal.
Thanks for the welcome, I guess I might be a regular round here, hopefully in a different forum though

[kinkyjinks]

Originally Posted by Ganja Guerrilla

transplant deeper to support the stalks, dont water as much, so you dont get stem rot till the plant acclamates to the soil on the stalk

add 1 part perilite to the soil, your soil looks like it will compact and hold too much water

clear & translucent containers make poor pots, roots dont like the light

do NOT feed that plant for 4 weeks

turn the fan on low & drop the flouresents to 3 " above the plants

keep us posted , & give hubby a reprieve, but restrict him from the kids, hes a lousy father

Himself told me to transplant them but after he mistook them for mushrooms there was no way I was listening to him alone. I was worried about the stems rotting but you've covered that for me.

I cheated slightly, the plant I photographed was one of the 3 hubby is looking after (not that I'm in any way shape or form competative) and only the top part is soil, underneath he's using vermeculite, for what reason I'm unsure.

Thanks for the voice of way more experience and if this lot survive I'll certainly let you know, if not, well lesson number 1 learnt and my next attempt will hopefully not be quite as painful. As for the lousy father, I'll let you know whose babe produces the better and healthier crop

[kinkyjinks]

Originally Posted by GrowBot

i wouldn't be too hard on the hubby either. you shouldn't have fed and the light was too far away. (that was you wasn't it???) be excellant to each other.
peace

Maybe. I might even have been told to lower the lights some. OK, I don't understand why I shouldn't be feeding them. I'm growing mine hydroponically so would that make a difference? I knew I'd read too much for my plants well-being. I had read that they should be fed with phosphur to promote healthy roots. Ha ha I certainly haven't promoted healthy stems.
So it's mostly because I had the light too far away and not because they were left in the dark for 2 days? I'm ashamed.

[GrowBot]

Originally Posted by kinkyjinks

Maybe. I might even have been told to lower the lights some. OK, I don't understand why I shouldn't be feeding them. I'm growing mine hydroponically so would that make a difference? I knew I'd read too much for my plants well-being. I had read that they should be fed with phosphur to promote healthy roots. Ha ha I certainly haven't promoted healthy stems.
So it's mostly because I had the light too far away and not because they were left in the dark for 2 days? I'm ashamed.

if you're growing in soil (like i read above) then you're not hydro. you should be using a stand alone type fert and not worry about phosphorous etc. when lights are too far away, you'll know it because your plants will tell you so. (in your case they're yelling it at you) i didn't read your whole post. you left the lights off for 2 days? if you continually upset your plants photoperiod, they'll hermie.

[kinkyjinks]

Originally Posted by Ganja Guerrilla

Growbot they are noobs, all noobs overwater and over fert, and were in trouble here already

seedlings need no ferts for atleast 3 weeks (everything that seedling needs it has in the first set of leaves) and seems to be the biggest noob issue (too anxious to add ferts), I'd wait the 4 weeks for nutes till they are stronger and can take it for certain, ferts will cause a growth spurt (if the seedlings can take it without burning) next question is will the streched stems be able to support the weight of the growth yet?

Err on the side of caution when your a beginner, and you will be successfull

You've scared me because you've just shown me how ignorant I am. I've realised I can read as much about it as I like but experience teaches way more than reading can. I never knew the seedling provides for itself in the first set of leaves for a start. I'm scared the stems won't be able to support what leaves it has now never mind it growing anymore. I'm also scared that I'm too inexperienced to even have attempted to use different methods when I haven't even mastered 1 method. I can see this attempt going up in smoke and certainly not the way I'd like. I'm going to learn to walk first next time instead of reading about different methods and imagining that my first crop will be near perfect. I've appreciated all the replies and hopefully with all the advice I've been given from everyone I'll be able to post a pic of a much recovered plant in a few weeks

[kinkyjinks]

Originally Posted by GrowBot

if you're growing in soil (like i read above) then you're not hydro. you should be using a stand alone type fert and not worry about phosphorous etc. when lights are too far away, you'll know it because your plants will tell you so. (in your case they're yelling it at you) i didn't read your whole post. you left the lights off for 2 days? if you continually upset your plants photoperiod, they'll hermie.

I personally have 1 plant growing in soil which I mixed with vermeculite. I also have 3 growing in a 4-1 mix of clay pebbles and vermeculite and 1 which I've started of in plain vermeculite which I now have no idea what I'm going to do with when it comes time to transplant it because I'm obviously way too inexperienced and should have started out with them all in soil.
When the seedlings sprouted I asked my other half to sort them because I was busy that day and he sorted them but never turned the light on which I didn't discover for 2 days. I instantly assumed it was because they were growing in the dark and never considered it was because the light was too far away.
No way am I going to upset their photoperiod again (if they survive) and have bought myself a timer to make sure I don't.
I think I might have to visit a seed shop and start at the beginning next time.

[Ganja Guerrilla]

you'll prolly get through this we all have done things like this

your best bet is to transplant now into soil,it will only be harder to deal with later

[DierWolf]

GG is correct.

Carefully transplant them into something a little larger and deep enough that you can add soil up the length of the stem.

They stretched like that in search of light... put your flourescent right above it almost touching. Also move it from the window Sill, the sunlight will be stronger than the flourescent and it will strech for the the sun, which in a window sill the light moves and the plant will stretch to floow it.

Good luck and keep us updated.

Oh yeah, welcome to the forum

[Burdbrain]

STOP........LOOK.................and LISTEN!

Calm yourself love, theres no point going in all guns blazng when you can even aim a peashooter straight.

Instead of Stressing about these, bite the bullet. Take a Step back and evelaute the situation. Think of them as a lame poney. It's gonna be a tough decision but one I think you will learn from.

Get rid and start again.

Get some more seeds, and if you can try and pick an easy plant to grow like White Widow or Skunk Number 1.

I would advise keeping a grow journal / diary. This will help keep track of what does what and will prove an invaluable tool in your learning process.

Remember. This shit is supposed to be fun not fucking chicken orientel mental. (stressful !)

Also, no matter how many books you read on the subject no matter who wrote it, you cant beat personal advice like you get here from people who have been through it before you. I dont think anyone here ever got their first grow 100% right.

Take care an good luck
Burdbrain