Hi. I have one autoflowering Blueberry marijuana plant I'm growing from seed, currently in a Solo cup (with drainage holes in bottom of cup), using Espoma Organic Potting Mix. So, this is a totally noob question, but I don't even know if this mix contains any nutrients? Looking at the bag, it seems like it probably does not. The seedling popped out and showed the cotyledons just 9 days ago, so this baby is just over a week old. I'm currently using a single CFL light hung about 6 inches above the plant. It was a bit closer until last night, when I raised it a few inches. I have a small fan on the low setting just to add a little breeze and cool things off a bit. The RH in my house is around 45 - 50%. It is looking pretty good in terms of color, and there is no drooping, however, the leaves do seem to be very thin, almost paper thin. I'm not sure if that is normal or not, and at this point I'm thinking maybe I need to do the first feeding? I have some Fox Farms mix in a bottle that is specifically for vegetative growth. It says for "seedlings" do a 1/4 teaspoon mixed with 1 gallon of water. So, my questions are -- does this Espoma organic potting mix have any actual nutrients? Are the really thin (almost frail) leaves an issue (or is it just due to being a baby)? And should I do the first fertilizing/feeding yet? I did spray/mist the leaves a few times with just water, but while the lights were on, and I'm wondering if maybe that somehow burned it -- damaging the leaves, which feel thin, but like I said, don't (yet) show discoloration or curling. Thanks a bunch! -- Puff
That's good stuff, I used it many years. It has no fertilizer in it though. Spray it with dyna-gro foliage pro, use distilled water, let water drip off leaves. Start with just 1/2 to 1 ml per liter of distilled water and it will perk right up. I consider 1 ml per liter full strength. Neither distilled water or foliage pro will burn leaves and best time to spray both is after they have been in the light for a while. Wash off the leaves by spraying distilled water at least once every 24 hours. Usually when using Espoma ,growers add dry fertilzer mixed in before planting. but if you didn't, spraying will cover you. Even if you did, spraying is good.
Thanks for the replies! I will pick up some Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro and distilled water. Do you think the thin leaves have anything to do with the low humidity (45%) in the house? Thanks.
ah, plants in solo cups don't always look that great, I wouldn't worry, 45%rh is fine. These autos will get you stoned if you just keep them alive. Don't try to do anything cool, You'll see, they will appreciate a little fertilizer soon, foliar spraying is the best way to get a small plant with small roots growing. Also, if you use one of these hairspray misters, a gallon of distilled water and 8oz of foliage pro will last you a whole lifetime. Plus, the 300ml size is great for spraying the underside of the leaf.
Ok so I have an update on my plant. I've transplanted it to a larger (fabric) container, given it a larger light and grow tent, and it is now just over a month old. Here is my full grow log: ========= Begin Grow Log ======== Blueberry auto flower - Sprouted 7/9 Fed on 7/25 1/2 gallon of water nute solution 1/4 teaspoon Fox Farm per gallon Transplant on 7/30 to 2 gallon fabric pot. Using soil/coco mix from the "A Pot For Pot" kit. Fed on 7/31 About 1/4 to 1/3 gallon of water with: 1/4 teaspoon Fox Farm per gallon 1/4 teaspoon Foliage Pro per gallon pH of solution approx 6.7 Fed on Sunday August 4 About 1/3 gallon water with: 1-2 teaspoon per gallon - Fox Farm 1/2 teaspoon per gallon - Foliage Pro 5 ml / half capful of Myco chum pH 6.3, TDS 520 ppm August 6 Upgraded to GreenGro 1200 W LED grow light (using both blue and red spectrum lights) !! Previously using a single CFL and supplemental LED 3-bar yoyomax plant lamp, not nearly enough light Fed on August 6 Light foliar misting, dilute nutrient solution Fed on August 8, soil was very dry Similar to 8/4 feeding (same solution) About 1/3 to 1/2 gallon water/nutrient solution Saturday August 10 Had been noticing soil pH meters indicated high pH (7.5-7.8) so made pure water pH 6.35 solution, flushed soil with 3/4 gallon of water. Runoff water indicated improved pH of around 6.8 (still too high?) ========= END grow log ======== The vertical growth seems to have slowed significantly since adding the new light. I think it maight be showing early signs of flowering?? (little calyx/hair things at internodes). However it still seems to be stunted, the leaves are small and show some droopiness. Calyx growth seems to be very slow. Is it time to switch to flowering nutrients? This is my first autoflower and it just seems like the runt of the litter. The temperature has been monitored the whole time - it goes between 72 and 85 depending on lights. Was on 18/6 light schedule until Aug/10, then switched to 24 hour lights due to apparent slow growth. Humidity has been approximately 40-45% RH with dips to low-mid 30%s at times. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do next? Has it received enough nutrients? The upper leaves look pretty healthy, but some of the lower leaves have spots and I've even snipped a few of them off since they were dead for the most part. I'm wondering if the lights are just too much, maybe burning it. It's extremely bright, and I have the LED approx 6 inches above top of plant. I can place my hand where the top of the plant is, and it does not get hot, only warm (I could keep my hand there for an hour w/o it getting too hot). Am I not feeding it enough and/or not the right things (have yet to feed it any flowering-specific fertilizers)... I mean, it's only really had 4 feedings in a 32 days. The plant is just over 21 inches tall (stretched no doubt from the crappy CFL it started on) with smallish leaves. The leaves at the 2nd node down from the top are only 2 inches, stretched out. Wimpy!! I dunno, I've just seen so many pictures of plants doing wayyy better at 1 month (much more foliage, thicker/bigger leaves, etc). What am I doing wrong ?! Thanks in advance. I've attached pictures from today. Edit : added some pictures in white light.
omg, I would discontinue the foliage pro for one. I don't think that was a good mix with whatever the other one had. I see mag def and P def. Makes sense. Anyway, consider yourself in full flower now. There are probably other issues, but from a nute standpoint, something with more P and Mag. A purist can run that Foliage pro and Magpro all the way through, but I have never figured it out. But it looks like that is where you are at. I usually just use Maxibloom to get through from day 30 to final harvest. Any attention you can give to the roots while you are getting your flowering formula worked out will be beneficial. Make sure they have all the drainage, and proper air, and good hydration. The danger is always good nutes but bad roots. The nutes need good roots to work.
Thanks for the response, Talkative. I have some Fox Farms Tiger Bloom on the way. Maybe I could use that along with some Cal-Mag Plus in a water nutrient solution? (Should I use half the recommended dosage for both, or is the plant old enough to take the full dosage??) As far as I know, the plant has good drainage. I'm using a fabric pot, and every time I feed it, I wait for some runoff, which just comes right out of the bottom of the pot after a bit of watering. I've also heard that the fabric pots improve oxygen to the roots. Also, the soil + coco-coir mix seems to drain pretty well (I'm using the "A Pot for Pot" kit). That being said, maybe I should be simply watering it more. I definitely shake up the solution to try to mix in some O2 whenever I water or feed. Thanks! Puff
IDK, I'm not a doctor. I do know Foliage pro pretty well, and that plant will not benefit from foliage pro at this point. But hang on to it. If you use nothing but folage pro and protekt on a seedling you will have a perfect auto ready to flower at 30 days. You could continue with that indefinately on a photo, but autos have about had all the nitrogen they can process at that point and really, sometimes I think they could live on just water for the rest of their life. But whatever you do, stay low ppm. I run 300ppm in distilled water. I would consider your plant serious and I don't know what to do. Coco requires special attention to calcium, and you have a magnesium deficiency, so any calmag supplement could help. Be mindful the cal mag has more Nitrogen and it looks like at some point you went Nitrogen toxic. It also looks like your plant is not getting enough phosphorous. I always suspect lock out first since most of us give our plants more than they ever need.
ok so my plan is to flush it, then do a feeding with a small amount of Fox Farm Big Bloom and a little Cal-Mag. Wish me luck!
To follow up on this plant, just in case anyone is interested... it finally started looking healthier once I flushed it a bit and got the nutrients right. I let it flower for a full 8 weeks and then, based on trichome color (mostly milky, a few amber), I harvested it. It's still drying at this moment. The yield was less than stellar, but I'm just glad I got anything from this plant. I really learned a lot with this grow. I'm going to stay away from auto's for a while, as they're not as easy as I thought. Next is some "normal" NL ... and to apply what I learned from this grow. Cheers.