So I’m 6 days into my 1st grow and low and behold I’m having some issues. I’ve read a ton and watched so many YouTube videos but you really don’t get the experience until you try. Here is my setup below and how I started things off…
2x2x4 tent with mars hydro ts600 lights.
I’m using fox farm ocean forest in a 5 gallon fabric pot. I plan on using the fox farm trio for nutrients and also molasses instead of cal mag. Temp and humidity are in range of where they should be. Temp is between 74-77 when lights are on and 71 when off. Humidity is between 45 and 55% depending on if the mini humidifier I have is working. I have 2 fans circulating the tent and a Vivosun carbon filter and inline fan. The 203 cfm version with the speed controller currently running on medium. I germinated the seed for 48 hours in distilled water(not sure if that was smart) until I saw the root come through slightly and the seed crack. I then filled a 5 gallon fabric pot with fox farm ocean forest soil. I didn’t water it at all( not sure if that was smart) and then I put the seed in after making around a 1 in hole in the middle of the soil. Slightly covered and then watered slightly just around the seed with ph dust tiled water 6.5 and misted the top soil around the rest of the fabric pot. I put a clear dome over the soil to keep the humidity up which it stayed in the 80s and 90s while it turned into a seedling (Took dome off after the end of day 3). I started with the lights 24 inches from the soil and kept them on 24/7. On day 6 (today) I moved the light 18 inches away and started 18 hours on and 6 hours off.
At the moment I am growing autoflower zskittles from ILGM and I am only growing 1 plant at the moment. So after going over my notes, I have watered the plant everyday. On my notes day 1 and 2 I watered “just a little” and also misting the top soil. Day 1 I watered twice just a little. Day 2 a little. Day 3 and 4 I watered 2 cups of ph water 6.6 and 6.4 respectively. Also misting the top soil numerous times a day. So even though it was very little, could that be causing me issues or issues that lead to other issues? Root rot or not enough oxygen for the roots? Anyway here goes my issue.
So the problem…when the seedling came out of the soil it had the seed still attached. I gently removed it and no issues. But the other leaf seemed dwarfed. It was dark underneath and ever since breaking the soil that one particular leaf hasn’t grown at all. Could it just be a bad seed? Everything seems to be growing except that one particular leaf. I am watering at 6.3-6.6 ph with distilled water since fox farm soil should be good for now. Also I noticed the tips of the leaves turning slightly brown do not sure if that’s due to the lights burning or the soil being too much for the seedling. Any input would be helpful. I know there are a ton of different ways to do things but some advice would be great. Also some ideas on what seeds to purchase. For now I have zskittles autoflower, Maui wowie both from this site and found a couple G6 seeds in my flower from the local dispensary I would like to give a shot at growing. Thanks in advance. Hoping to find some answers and learn how to continue to do this. A better tent is definitely in the works. All the pics are everything I have taken. Some at some funky angles. I was planning a daily pic from an angle to show growth but that’s too hard to take. Haha.
Also wanna say the pics in the beginning are before I dialed in my temp n humidity while it was under the dome. I increased both fans to high and turned the online duct fan to med and temp dropped to mid to high 70s. Also opened bottom corner of Velcro to allow air in and placed fan near that to blow new air into the tent.
Looks like my Girl scout cookies when they started. If so it’s fine
you’re alright, maybe a little water on the left or something but nothing to worry about, slow down on the watering
Yea I think I’m gonna let it go and not water today at all. The soil is still moist underneath. I’ve read everyone seems to over water and I was determined not to do it. That’s why I only watered 2 cups each day but should prolly do every other day. Should I still mist the top soil or does it not matter?
i would only water about ever 3 days about a cup of water around the perimeter of the plant, you want your soil to dry out before watering
Welcome to the forum! Plants look good, tag anyone if you need more suggestions along the way.
Ok, thanks. I will let it go for a few days before watering again. I have a Vivosun soil tester. Do u think those are accurate to go by as far as their readings on dry, moist and wet soil? And if so do you put in all the way in the soil or half way? It says to the roots but the roots could be all over and I don’t want to damage them with the probe.
yeah that probe would probably work for moisture reading, not for ph if it also reads that. you need to take something like a scotchgaurd pad and clean the probe every time. for that size plant i would just put it in about half way maybe 4’’ away from plant. if it goes to long dry the leaves will droop a little and like a tomato plant and hour after you water it it is just like new
Sounds good. It does read ph and the ph was over 8 from the reading but I thought no way with the water I was using and testing it and using ph up and ph down. So I just ignored that reading. Haha. I just wasn’t sure how much to water at 1st since I’m doing the small plant in big pot method. I searched all over and couldn’t find a solid answer. I guess each case is different depending on lights and heat and grow space. But I will follow your suggestion and go to 1 cup every 2-3 days and see what the plant tells me.
your plant will stay about like that for a week or to with not much growth, it is developing a root system now and then all of a sudden it just kind of takes off and starts growing pretty quick, when it does do a little lst to it to spreed the branch out away from each other, when it starts the grow spurt i water the whole pot with about a half gallon of water ever 3 4 or 5 day, start picking the grow bag up when dry and when watered and you can feel the weight difference. i use ocean forest and usually only use bloom nutes, ocean forest will carry you for 4 or 5 weeks of just water only
That looks good. I want my plant about that size when I harvest. I planned on lst it a bit and see how it goes. Good idea with the pvc to be able to hang stuff and attach fans.
Update: Day 15 today. Looking ok? Was gonna increase watering to follow the veg cycle with about 1/2 gallon every 3-4 days depending on how dry the soil gets. Also is it to early to do some LST and begin feeding nutrient water? I have the water mixes already. 1/2 of what is recommended by Fox Farm.
Not sure how to tag folks but I’m 20 days into the grow. Did some LST and just watered the plant. This was a water in between nute feedings. PH distilled water 1/2 gallon of 6.4-6.5. My problem is my run off PH read 5.7? I use the cheap yellow ph tester but I also have the general hydroponics ph test kit. The color of the ph test seems to be around 6.5 for the runoff. When I tested the water with both the ph probe and the test kit, they were very similar. The test kit said around 6.4-6.5 and then the ph probe read 6.4. I’ve read the general hydroponics test kit is more accurate and I always seem to get a yellow color and it doesn’t match up with any of the colors. But my main problem is the run off water being only 5.7. Is that a sign of nutrition lockout in the soil? I have only fed fox farm 1 time and 1/2 the recommended dose. And today was just normal water and I added 1/2 ml of organic cal mag for 1/2 gallon. Any ideas?