Im fairly new on my 4th grow in soil and seem to have common issues everytime.....I can't find the right info to correct anything. not sure how to water soil when first planting the germinated seed do I premoisten it then put in seed? How do you guys do it? Usually I premoisten then a couple drops around taproot ( not sure if neccessary) Also was having problems with seed starting mix and getting kind of muddy so I started adding perlite but maybe too much? I do about 1/3 perlite to seed mix. When you water seedlings first week do you do a couple ounces of water or get the whole substrate wet like you do later on? Also I've noticed my 6 week old plants (In ocean forest) a couple of them have been droopy when they are about a day from needing water and when I finally do they don't perk back up which results in me freaking out and flushing or doing something stupid like transplanting with happy frog mixed in to lessen the nutes. I always ph my solution to 6.5 Wondering if the ocean forest is doing it.....they were having trouble with ocean forest I think until I switched to 12/12 but still 1 or 2 are droopy. Maybe I'm not waiting long enough to see if they perk up after watering? I wouldn't know because I always flush when that happens thinking it's too many nutes in the soil. I'm please someone answer these for me or tell me how you water seedlings and what ratio perlite/ what kind of soil for every stage I should be using.
Also is 1/2 gallon of water too much for 2 gal fabric pots? What I always do and I get runoff but do it because it gets every bit of the media.
Here is my technique: Take seeds and soak them in pure water for 12 to 18 hours Take a paper towel and wet it the squeeze out the excess water and place seeds on towel. Fold up towel so seeds are wrapped in towel and place in a zip lock baggie put baggie in a warm area around 80F In 24 to 72 hours seeds will sprout Put seed in 1/2 inch deep hole in soil made by poking soil with a pencil. Take a spray bottle and spray the soil until it is saturated well to about 1 or 2 inches deep. Place a clear plastic cup upside down over the area where the seed was planted and leave lights on it 24hours. This acts like a mini humidor. Spray soil as soil under cup dries out. Once seedlings emerge from soil, remove clear plastic cup. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I place my seeds into the container I plan to grow to completion in. I use a SIP for this. (Sub Irrigation Planter) I water with a bottle sprayer for 7 or 10 days and then let the SIP take over the watering for me. This way I never under or over water. I have planted seed in Fox Farm Ocean forest without a problem BTW. I hope this helps you.
Also, make sure your plants stay between 74F to 82F and use a quality grow light. You should be fine.
I have had a couple seeds barely grow after sprouting for like a week....think Im watering with too much water at that stage Im soaking the whole cup of soil. How do you tell if it's wet 2" deep? Finger?
yes, use your finger. You can get a moisture meter for soil at any nursery. I have had ok results from them but you might want to give them a try. Or, as I said, go with SIP containers to take the watering out of the equation.
I have that 3 way meter....This is my 4th grow Ive actually had some nice plants and usually 1 or 2 out of 10 will have issues....I just get all ocd when something is wrong and take it personally for some reason....literally ruins my day sometimes. I have hlg hyphotinflux and viparapectra lights all quality stuff and have done my due diligence but there's so much out there and so many different opinions. I want to try sip containers. Ive bottom fed seedlings just to try a couple times and seemed fine....do you ever do it with seedlings?
All I'm trying to figure out is why 1 out of ten of my plants all first week of 12/12 will be droopy even after watered.....it is actually the biggest and the leaves are huge like a hand already...am I jumping the gun too soon instead of waiting longer after watering to see if it perks up? Lastnight it was droopy and was dry so I figured it was from being thirsty...but 2 hours after I watered it was still droopy.....I just remember my plants in late flower peeking up instantly. I ph'd everything and the other plants got the same solution and are fine......is it me being impatient and worrying too much? Sorry guys newbie here
And update on that droopy guy I panicked lanstnight (should have just let it be) and flushed out the soil thinking was the ph maybe....then transplanted to 1 gallon bigger fabric pot with happyfrog and whatever I had left for seedling mix and perlite to fill it. Left the new soil dry to hopefully soak up the wet rootball.
I feel you are making things waaaaaaaaay more complicated than they need to be. Stop flushing your plants, stop watering until runoff (runoff is only needed for salt based nutrients). I use a fairly simple method that NEVER fails. I grow in pro mix HP, using only GHP maxi bloom as the only nutrient....no cal mag usually, no bloom boosters, no nothing. See for yourself: Blueberry Cheese from seed | Grasscity Forums - The #1 Marijuana Community Online I run 3 gallon fabric pots, which is the minimum size one should use. With 200 watts worth of grow light I get at least 4 oz per plant, flipping to flower 5-6 weeks after germination. This method works for my needs, check it out, see how you feel. Peace.
I can't stress enough how much of a waste of money seed starting mixes are. They're never good, and they always have a weird water repellent nature to them. I hate "seed starting mix" from the store. Regular 100% peat moss is a perfect seed starting medium. I really, really like growing in a simple 50% peat moss 50% perlite mix. Of course this is naturally pretty close to a soilless medium without a lot of activity so you do have to supplement with nutrients early in the water.
If you oversaturated and killed roots, a lot of times the plant actually needs time to recover and re-establish the root system. It takes days to bounce back from, not hours. Impatience and too much water... That's my conclusion.
Ill use less water when watering.....this always happens towards end of the grow I get used to it more they drink every couple days...that's why....by the time I start a new grow Ive been used to monsters gulping down whatever I give them....then right to tiny seedlings....it's more of the fast pace to slow pace that gets me really.....I will be more patient give them another day when I think they need water....less water at a time....people keep saying you can't water too much in one watering its the frequency that gets you overwatered but I disagree....it really depends on the medium you have I even have happy frog with more perlite added to it and its water logged from todays watering...I drilled holes in the container like an air pot.......crazy to me. Probably 3/4 gallon pot and gave it 16oz water which is way too much considering it's logged in the soil/perlite.....next time will do 10 oz water.
When my plants need water and are droopy they perk back up after watering once the lights been on a few hours after watering Sent from my LGL322DL using Grasscity Forum mobile app