Very slow growth in soil

[mustacheRider]

howdy all,

i finished my room and started my first crop about five weeks ago. i was expecting to run into problems, and learn a lot this time around, but now i'm just getting frustrated.

unfortunately, when i started out, i didn't notice that i purchased GARDEN soil instead of POTTING soil, and it was only about a week ago that it occurred to me that this is most likely my main issue.

anyway, the plants are showing some growth, but not very much. the older fan leaves have all yellowed, so i removed them. some new leaves have yellowed, and all seem to have burnt-looking tips, though on some, they aren't really looking burnt now (also, at this point, new growth isn't yellowing right away). some of the leaves are showing weird brown/yellow spots . . . don't think it's pests, as i've thoroughly examined all plants and haven't found anything crawling around on them.

here's the low-down:

6 plants in 4-gallon containers (3 jack the ripper, 3 querkle)
soil: kellogg organic garden soil (recently read that THIS STUFF IS AWEFUL!!! pretty sure i agree . . .)
lights: HO florescent; 4', 8-tube (~40,000 lumens)
watering: about 32oz every three days (soil doesn't seem to dry that well, but it's mixed with about 35% perlite . . .)

PLEASE HELP ME! i'm thinking i might need to chuck the soil and move the babies to a hydro medium, and start usuing a passive reservoir system. if any of you agree/think this would help, please suggest an affordable medium!

much obliged!

[samiel]

grab a bag of either fox farms organic potting soil, or i went 50-50 MG and Jiffy Organic Seed Starter. changing the soil will stress the plants so no nutes. only water til you see new growth. alot of people dont like using MG but i havent had a single problem w/ this mixture... the seed starter is perlie and vermiculite which aid tons for aeration w/ the MG. you might be overwatering just a bit. or you could go w/ a hydro setup... a good hydro medium is rockwool.

[ibjamming]

I would top dress dolomite lime and feed them. He doesn't mention fertz. They probably need some at 5 weeks.

[mustacheRider]

okay, cool--thanks for the input ib and samiel. though i am a little bit annoyed at the slow start, i was thinking it might be worth leaving the girls in the current soil, since it seems like they're adapting a little, and i don't want to stress them even more . . .

dolomite lime from the top, huh? that might help, but my water pH is about 7, and my soil is around 6.8, so i figure it might not be the pH. do you think the soil could have been too nutrient rich, and maybe stunted them from the get? i originally purchased this stuff because it listed all sorts of allegedly great ingredients--humus, chichken manure, castings, etc., and it even said that it had dolomite lime mixed in to balance the pH. however, after realizing that I purchased garden soil and not potting soil, and after doing some reading, i am wondering if this soil is simply too rich?

anyway, thanks a lot, and keep it coming!

[GA FARMER]

Patience !!!!!!

[samiel]

alot of "garden soil" has typically more nutes ppm than potting soil... because of the extra rain from the typical "garden plant" being outdoors.. personally i'd hold off on the nutes. maybe give em a rooting booster.

[mustacheRider]

thanks, all! i think patience is the key . . . cut back my watering schedule since this soil apparently retains moisture very well, and up the humidity too, i suppose.