I'm growing six seedlings in a hand-watered hydroponic system. All the seeds sprouted at various different times. My oldest, when it hit 2 weeks, just flopped over at the base. I had read that this happens sometimes so I just wrote it off to it growing too top heavy for the stem to support and propped it up on a home-made stilt to hold it up strait. But now, almost a week later not only is the oldest still weak-in-the-stem but then next oldest started doing the same thing! Right now I've got both of them propped up but I was wondering if that's the right thing to do and what might be causing this pattern. Not sure if any of this is pertinent but here's more info on what I'm using: Started in rapid rooter then put in gro\dan delta rockwhool. Using Pure Grow Plus nutes Using tap water ph 5-6. (I'm using one of those liquid dropper test kits so I can't get an exact read). Germinating under florescent lights.
Usually seedlings fall over due to stress. It could be too much heat, or cold, too much water, or to little, etc. I watched a seedling fall over one time. I was checking on it and a horsefly that had got in landed on it. The weight of the horsefly was too much for the poor seedling and I watched it bend down. I just moved the CFL about 3" above it and slowly over the next week it rose back up towards it. I've also seen them fall over because they stretched out super long then couldn't support their own weight, especially when started on a windowsill. Are you keeping the fluorescent lights with an inch or so above the seedlings? I have never started seedlings under a fluorescent, but I do know without intense enough light they will stretch like mad, and the light for the old tube style fluorescent bulbs is pretty diffuse compared to that from a CFL. GL!
Thanks man. I think it may have been the light being too far away. I had them like 6-10 in. away from the plants and they do look a little stretched. I lowered them to about 3 in. from the tallest plant and put the fan up to a level where it's blowing lightly on them. A poster on another forum said the fan would help strengthen the stems.
Hey man, First time grower here. I had the exact same problem. I have a closet grow and my seedling was bent over. When it got to have 4 leaves, it was practically touching the "ground" it was so bent over. So I took the advice of someone and bought a little fan. Within 2 days it straightened up. Now its tall and strong. You already got the fan, so you should be good pretty soon.
definite light issue. My first problem i had as well. I found light was the easiest thing to control. Hydro for a first grow is tough as well. If you fail try and try again..... A 5 gallon pot with two bags of dirt, will really train your eye and hands to grow. My first grow was an attempted hydro too. i spent a decent amount of money that went down the tubes. Went to a soil grow and was amazed at the cost effiency and results.... have fun man
What were some of the problems you ran into with hydro? I tried soil before this but ran into all sorts of newbie problems with that plus it was really slow. Only two of my soil plants survived and they both turned out to be male. So this time I looked to hydro. It seemed like the solution to most of the problems I had with the soil grow.