newborns laying down on the job

Discussion in 'Sick Plants and Problems' started by angrysniper, Aug 16, 2008.

  1. My 7 day old seedlings are doing well apart from one problem.. their stems don't seem to be very strong. They keep flopping over and appear to be more vine-like than plant like. I'm currently growing them in miracle gro organic (yes, organic, no time release nutes) amd water. Right now they're below a 100 watt full spectrum incandescent bulb from whole foods on a 24/0 cycle. I have a 400 watt equiv. CFL grow light that arrived yesterday and I tested it, its so bright I was temporarily blinded for a minute after turning it on. I'm waiting to get a reflective tent from ebay or building one on my own if I can find stuff suitable in the basement. (haven't been down there in months)

    So, any ideas as to why they're laying down on the job like this? Otherwise they seem very healthy. I talk to them daily. The one plant that has a splint was a result of the stem snapping (but not breaking off) so I think it'll be alright after a week or two more. That wasn't due to its own weight, I tried propping it up with a straw and twisties and the twisty cut into it so when I removed it, it fell over. It seems to be doing well now.
     

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  2. You've got some hardcore stretching going on there and your light bulb is to blame. Ditch it and at least get a daylight spectrum 6500k CFL, or hook up that bad boy you got. The sooner the better, stretching will do you no good.
     

  3. Are they salvagable, or would I be better off starting over?
     
  4. Like Kamel said, correct the lightng issue first.

    Give them 1/4 strentgh superthrive and get and fan on them blowing a gentle breeze to harden them... they'll perk up.
    Peace
     
  5. once you fix the lighting you could repot them deeper than they are now.
    Put them in the new pot so the soil level is just below the cotyledons
     
  6. They'll be fine, you just might wind up with some funny kinks in your stems once they get thick and woody.
    Yes, repotting will be a great idea. Careful not to damage your roots though.
     
  7. They've already got a fan on them 24/7.

    But yeah. I may put them in the hanging portion of one of my cabinet/closets and line it with tinfoil and hang that CFL in there. This is until I can get a growing tent.
     
  8. Don't use tinfoil, as they cause hotspots on your plant leaves an d burn them, either paint the walls flat white or use mylar. DON'T US TIN FOIL!
     
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  9. #9 angrysniper, Aug 18, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 18, 2008
    Update on my plants, I've moved them into a small closet with a 400watt equiv 100watt cfl grow light, which you can't really tell by the pictures, but it is extremely bright. Puts out 8000 lumens. I'm still worried because I've been looking at pictures of plants that are 1 week old and they all have much more leaf growth than mine do. I'm considering pulling these up and sprouting some more seeds (just using bagseed) and just starting over under this light because of the stretching. As I was taking these pictures one plant's stem snapped bent in two places. It didn't completely break off though.. so I'm just going to leave it like that and hope it heals. I was thinking maybe these would do well for LST since their stems are already bent, they're already lying on their sides.

    (ignore the smaller 4th pot, that has a gigantic seed I found in a nick bag last night germinating.. usually I do a water germination but this time I decided to put it straight into the pot)

    This is what my plants should be looking like at around this time, right?:

    [​IMG]
     

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  10. Put something in there to support the stalks. Can you tie them upright to something, maybe toothpicks until they can stand on their own?
     
  11. I had one of them supported with tape and twisties stuck in the soil but wouldn't the stems be less strong if they're being assisted? When I took it off they just fell over.
     
  12. #12 noober, Aug 19, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 19, 2008
    I would support them until they can stand on their own. If they continue to develop and look healthy supporting them can do no harm.

    You could add a little more soil on top too. Looks like there's room in some of the pots.
    Peace.
     
  13. Those plants are asking to be LST'd, do it!!!
     
  14. I'd like to. I'd really like to know why they aren't producing more leaves though, is it normally this slow? I have them under 24/0 and I decided today I'd give them total darkness to see if that helps them grow more.. but I thought they'd grow constantly with the light. Doesn't seem that way. If I don't see more growth over the next two days I'm considering pulling them up and starting over.
     
  15. #15 Knee Deep, Aug 19, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 19, 2008
    Its only been four days since you started this thread, right????? Have you not seen any growth at all? Patience is defiantly a virtue in cannabis growing. Give them more time before you decide to do anything drastic. And if you haven't stood them up yet with support, i would do so. the wind against them standing up will help them strengthen in time, things don't happen overnight(well sometimes they do). Good luck with your growing bro.

    And you said you put them in the dark????? i wouldn't do any more than an 18/6 schedule, to much fluctuation of light cycles can stress the plant even more and cause hermies or males.

    Heres a theory on why they arent growing leaf sets very fast....The stretching, maybe they are putting all of there efforts into strengthening there stems....
     
  16. rong lights switch to HID ligths dont be cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep spend some money bro.
    don't lory for the electrisity bill it's worted
     
  17. Don't listen to this (IMHO) bad advice. An HID on them now would probably toast them.

    Many growers use CFLs from start to harvest with great results and yields.
     


  18. I remember using a toothpick to support a flagging stem - 6 months later I was looking for a power saw to cut the stem which was as thick as my wrist.

    Alternatively I have found that piling up the compost to support the stem works OK.
     

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