Hey guys. Anyone who knows me knows my first attempt at growing died as a two week old seedling. This next attempt is using seeds from a reliable seed bank, and I've done my research, read some books, etc. So I have two seedlings started from some seeds I got for free from the seed bank, one is perfectly fine while the other is browning at the leaf tips. Both watered with the same water (regular distilled water, not pH tested/adjusted), both in Burpee "seed starter pellets" (made of coconut fiber, I used distilled water to expand them as well), and both under the same lights. I started them under a 26watt CFL each (two total) and yesterday when I noticed the lightening of the tips I added Y-splitters and another 26watt CFL for the struggling seedling and a 20watt CFL for the one that's green and happy. Today the leaf tips are going brown, but it hasn't spread, which I suppose is a good sign? I'm not sure if it's a lack of light or something else. They haven't been given any nutrients, watering as needed, no water on the leaves to avoid light burn, etc. Anyone have any ideas? Pics: This is the seedling with issues- This is the setup, lights are labeled and the seedling with issues is circled in yellow. The two light hoods are just sitting there to reflect more light. - Thanks guys!
Clearbear, Your soil looks too wet to me. I had two white widow plants do the same thing last month. The strain itself couldnt tolerate the excess moisture and damping off occurred. Thats not the case with yours. Yours seem to be suffering nute burn. My guess is the soil you put your seedlings into is much too hot. Thats why growth has stagnated to a crawl and why the leaf tips turned brow, then causes necrosis outward in. In your shoes id wait for them to dry out almost completely, then id transplant into something like recipe 420 soil, which is specicifally made for cannabis, highly organic (smells like steer manure and has a plethora of bacteria/fungus added) and is stable. Its also cheap, being around 9 dollars for a bag. Your other option is to let it dry out and flush the nutes away away. They might benefit at this stage more from window light from the sun! They will double in size each day under sunlight and then can be moved back under cfls when theyre ready. The heat from the sun on the soil will stimulate growth, help dry out the soil and help heal roots, as well as provide oxygen to the suffocating babies, since drying out soil means roots breathe. If this doesnt work pm me and i will make sure you get to harvest with the next beans. I am a very patient person, so we'll go at your speed okay? ~ poke
You say nute burn, but they haven't been given nutrients. They are in coconut fiber pellets, not soil. The soil on top is dry in the pictures, sorry if they look misleading but I swear you can blow the top soil right off. The soil underneath is damp though, it's about the first 1/4" or even less than that that is dry. Any other thoughts? Thanks! Edit: I also have some FoxFarms Ocean Forest soil for transplanting, if you think that would be appropriate. I know even Jorge Cervantes likes that brand, I've heard the name all over grasscity as well, so it seemed to me like a good choice.
Jorge cervantes is not respected by the growing community much anymore. He doesnt give good advice and most of his practices have been abandoned. I hope it wasnt his textbook you read or that would explain a lot. I read jack herrers book and cervantees about 15 years ago. Then abandoned his knowledge due to the experience youre having now. He pushes fox farm because he gets a cut of their sales by repping them. Fox farm ocean forest i grew in for years when i didnt know better. It is full of nasty bugs since quality control has dropped. The company wont admit it, but they add hypoaspis miles which is a predator mite, to their soil to combat nasty fungus gnat infestations, so dont be surprised when your plants get brown blotches all over their leaves and you see a plethora of tiny white mites in your soil. I hope you have a budget to fight plant illness, i mean that sincerely if you choose to run that soil. Fair warning. I typically build my own organic soil, but due to recent sponsorships, i am using recipe 420 soil so that my results can be emulated easily (not sponsored by recipe 420 though, pay outta pocket for that brand) and because its bugs free after ten bags A coconut fiber "medium" can have an improper ph. Distilled water definitely does, usually above 7 which is not good for cannabis. Heres the ph chart i use in hydro In organic growing its unnecessary and not important, as ph is never an issue for most. You dont even have to flush plants in organics as toxic salts dont build up without synthetic nutes or with well aged compost medium. Ive never needed a ph meter in 11 years growing anything but hydroponics, which use chemical nutes. Do you have a ph pen?
I'm using distilled water I got in a gallon jug at Walmart. I believe the avg pH for distilled is ~6.8? Thanks for the tip! I had heard so many positive things about that soil, maybe it's not really the right choice for me though. I do have a pH meter, yes. I'm not sure if it can test soil but I know it can test water pH.
Yes you typically test run off. Tap> distilled for soil Distilled>tap for hydro Tap contains calcium and minerals. Distilled does not. To remove chlorine from tap simply let it sit out for 24 hours or 8-12 hours with a bubbling air stone.
So, run some water through my soil, then test pH? And try out watering with tap as opposed to distilled? The other seedling is getting bigger every day, it just blows me away that in the same conditions one thrives and the other wilts. It's already bigger than my first attempt at growing, so proud!
Test runoff.... I dont believe you want to be over 6.2. In my hydro system if I even slightly go above 6.2 things go south quick.
You can run distilled through your soil and do some math. You have to consider the ph that goes in and the ph that comes out though. Or you can go organic and grow easily without meters. If everyone knew what 11 years has shown me, youd go organic and live 5 years longer lol Stress kills. I provided a ph chart above as hydro and soil require different phs, big time lol
I agree my bad... I seen that after I posted. I definitely don't want to confuse her. Same chart I use.
So, as far as the browning leaf tips go, I stuck with getting some tap water and letting it sit 24hrs and otherwise LITFA. Just now watered with the tap water, but as strange as it is, the rest of the leaf (obviously not the dead part) is getting its color back and returning to a deep green as the other seedling looks. When the tip started to brown the rest of the leaves yellowed a bit, but it seems to be bouncing back. It is also putting out it's second set of true leaves! Not really sure what was wrong or what changed but I'm glad it's [seemingly] getting better. I'll still try running distilled water through and checking out the pH of the runoff, but it will be a few days since I just watered. Also, maybe I need to do some research on organic growing, because I've heard nothing but positive things about organics! I'll have to figure out some decent organic soil to put together for transplant. Two quick questions to the both of you, if you don't mind: 1. I'm currently keeping my seedlings' light at 24/0. When, in your experience, seems to be the best time to switch to 18/6? 2. When do you like to transplant/give them their first nutes? I've heard once it has a few sets of leaves, but I'm curious what the pros think. Thanks guys!
Certainly not a pro but if you seen the state of which I brought my lil one back from..... Anyhow I started on 24/0. I quickly realized what a waste it was. I think Poke would agree. They need some rest. In fact I seen a more growth with 18/6. Also I made the mistake of feeding too early. Good tip is with the catyldons fall off or start to yellow/die. Start 1/4 strength nutes working your way up. For me that varied from 3-5 nodes. As a beginner its all about keeping it simple. Try to focus on the keys light, h2o, airflow to canopy and just as important to the root zone. You'll have plenty of chances to experiment and try new things even this go around. I really didn't need to transplant as I have deep water culture setup. Poke can help you out there for sure. I'd only transplant one time if it was me though trot o avoid shock. This is a modest pic of the start of my grow. PH was jacked. It lost those bigger leaves and only had those yellow spindly growth.
I agree that 18/6 is better than 24/0 but i remember reading somewhere that they will grow faster under 24/0 and ive experienced this myself, however i never thought it justified the extra 6 hours of electricity and i have always agreed with a dark period. I always feed when the first true set of leaves start to turn yellowish from hunger. Feeding a plant that isnt hungry is detrimental in my experience and is the leading cause of nute burn, in my humble opinion. ~ poke
Thanks to the both of you! My seedlings have been growing pretty quickly under 24/0, I think once my smallest starts to really develop its first set of true leaves I'll take it down to 18/6. Thanks again!
Either of you know what's going on now? Exact same everything as before, same lights, last watering was with old tap water, still 24/0, and haven't done anything else. Here they are now: Brown/orangish spots on leaves, yellowing leaves, the largest has the second set of true leaves curling really hard, the smallest is my fem white rhino ($6 a seed!) and she's the darkest green but one of her cotyledons is browning at the edge, and the two largest look like their stems are messed up at the bottom now. I have nooo idea what this is Please help!
Oh, I also checked the pH. Water was 5.7 going in and runoff was 6.4, not sure what that translates to.
I think you should start your next beans in some jiffy pellets. Something is wrong with that medium. One of your plants, the large burnt part looks like the light was placed a bit too close, the end of the cotyledon looks nut burned. Is there any perlite in that medium? Looks heavy! roots need air.
I agree, this medium is causing way more problems than it should. There's nothing in the medium like perlite, I don't think they're getting air and I'm not sure how to help them out I'll move the lights further, I just flushed distilled water through and I'm leaving the lights off tonight to give them a break, rather than 24/0. I just went out and bought new CFL bulbs, 42 watts each, but for whatever reason they won't work in my clamp lights. I really need new lights and when I finally found some they don't work! Not sure what I'm going to do if my plants recover.