I'm growing multiple strains still in seedling stage, they are 16 days from germination. I'm growing in 8oz. Styrofoam cups, grow medium is HP promix. I've started them on Nutes (blue planet nutrients) at 1/4 strength 4 days ago. I water them using "the first knuckle finger method". They are under a 600watt MH light in a 5x5 tent, humidity is 20-30% on average, temp. Is 60f-80f on average... I'm having some drooping. Pretty sure I'm not over watering, could be under watering, or maybe need to pot-up. Any advice from a senior gardener would be much appreciated, thanks.
I've always gone by weight.. Simply lifting the pot should tell you if it needs watering.. When it does don't mince around about it give it a good enough drink that some drains out and leave it standing in a bit of water for up to a half hour to see what it may wick back up.. I start off in a 3x3x3 square cup and they stay in that till they hit almost 12 inches tall.. I like to put off transplanting until I'm sure the roots have packed the container tight enough no soil fall out when I slide the plant out of the old pot.. Square pots get better root branching IMO.. They really don't need that much soil and putting a small plant in to big a pot to soon is a sure recipe for stalling.. BNW
Brassnwood, thank you for weighing in, much appreciated. As to my drooping problem, any idea? It's clear that you don't think pot size is my problem.
Your RH is pretty low for a plant that age. I would suggest raising that. Looking at those leafs, your lacking something. Since your using bottle nutes, what is your PPM? Also, do those cups have holes on the bottom. Stupid question, but double checking...
I put a plastic dome on top of my plant tray, and it raised the RH by 10%. I did punch holes in the bottoms of the cups. And, I'm not sure what the PPM is on the Nutes, how do I find out?
I would transplant it in to a proper pot of a decent size as soon as possible. Its really low on nutrients so if you pot up in more pro-mix use half strength nutrient solution on every watering. If you pot up in nutrient rich soil, you can leave out the nutrients for a few weeks
Up-potted from 8oz. Cups to 1 gal smart pots. During the process I observed root binding on all of the seedlings.
Very normal for a round pot.. Even clones do the coil of roots at the lower rim in rounds.. Now square pots on the other hand look like this at transplant.. Just my 2 cents.. I like them filled with roots at transplant and I never get shocked plants.. They always explode with new growth a couple of days after TP BNW
Brassnwood, thks for your input! Well received. 12/1 - 1 day after up-potting, and I've observed some immediate improvement in the three humbolt seeds blue dream seedlings. But not much visible improvement in the rest of the seedlings, some yellowing starting to set in on new growth... Feed them at 1/2 strength after transplanting. (Root shock? Nute burn? Over/under watering?