I have had several successful grows over the last two years but I am struggling mightily with my latest attempt. It started with multiple failed germination attempts across a wide range of seed types. Beginning in late January, I dropped 3 girls scout cookie auto flower seeds (from ILGM) using the ILGM recommended cup of water method, after 7 days nothing had popped so I tossed them and dropped my remaining 2 bruce banner autoflower seeds (from ILGM) and again waited and waited with no results. I reported this to ILGM and they did send replacement seeds but, in the meantime, I dropped 3 gold leaf feminized seeds (from ILGM) of which only one split and grew a tail. I planted that little gal, she grew above the soil line and died off.
I should say that all of the seeds mentioned above were about a year and a half old, while this is outside the recommended 12 month use, the seeds were kept in a cedar box and stored in the individual pouches they came in.
Next, I tried new seeds from ILGM, the blue dream feminized which came in the DREAM Mix (my most recent grow was from this mix pack with great success). I dropped three of these, all three split and grew tails, I then planted them carefully in seed starter trays, and after 4 days, two emerged, the last one emerged 3 days later but has stopped growing. The other two were moved to fabric pots and seemed to be ok until I looked this morning. Now I have one that seems to have died and one that is producing mangled and twisted leaves and I am afraid she will die off as well.
ARRGGHH what am I doing so wrong?! Has anyone else experienced this type of repeated failures?
Conditions:
5-gal fabric pot
6.0 pH water less than 100ppm runoff
AC Infinity indoor grow tent 4x4x80
AC Infinity 4X4 light-set to level 6
AC Infinity fans, inline and clip
18/6 light rotation
fresh Ocean Forest Soil
Fox farms nutrients-week 1 feeding dosage
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Best to start plants in something like straight coco as FFOF is considered a ‘hot’ soil and will cause germination issues. Adding nutes this early only makes the problem worse. I also believe overwatering is part of the problem.
Start in Solo cup with a gazillion holes drilled in it, coco/perlite and distilled water with a dome. 24/0 light schedule.
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I’ll bet Harris comes in here acting. Sorry he’s not acting being dumb! All because you said dome.
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Don’t worry, it happens to everyone. My first 5 grows i never had a single issue, NONE! Never had a seed not sprout and never lost a plant. Hell i never even had a sick plant.
Then this lady grow started, last October. 5 plants died and had 9 seeds not germinate. Then i had slime issues and root rot.
But finally got some plants going and i harvested the first one yesterday.
I figure i was just lucky cause i learned a ton of lessons with this grow.
You got this…
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If thats who i think it is, i dont think he’s around here anymore.
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Hes back at it on another thread.
He hid for a few days but seems just the same.
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Just noticed it as well. It just shows to go ya there’s always one in every crowd.
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Wont last with that attitude he posts with. Already being snide to others.
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I see the following as possible contributors.
Ocean forest alone
pH at 6.0 should be 6.2-6.8 for soil
Already feeding them when in 5 g of fresh soil
Watering practices - too often = overwatering
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Soil does appear a bit wet in those picts.
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I’ve got five plants going and had a hell of a time getting those. I attribute it to being winter, regardless of the conditions in my grow space.
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Congrats, you’ve stuck with this awesome hobby long enough to fail…that puts you light years beyond most people i see posting about Cannabis online!
Keep in mind you can do everything right on your end and still end up with a struggle…there are so many variables at play in a garden. I’ve been at this since '94 and i routinely have plants that just won’t get with the program…even if i grew for 100 years I’m sure i’d end up with issues here and there…also, if a sprout/seedling looks like crap…i will usually cull it…they just aren’t all winners.
I’d check your watering schedule and the ph (as suggested earlier). Also you shouldn’t be feeding them any nutes whatsoever at this early stage of life…
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Hi! I too have had a rough time with my seeds the past two months! I tossed 8!! Just planted three more today in the dirt once I let the tails pop. I saw that you are using FFOF soil and nutrients… you don’t use the nutrients right away do you? The soil has enough for the first 4 weeks or so. Then I start feeding them.
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I have had really good luck sprouting seeds in my aerogarden. Almost 100% germination rate.
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Thank you for the vote of confidence, I don’t take failure very well haha. Yes the soil is overly wet, I had fully watered the evening prior.
Thanks to everyone who has taken time to reply to my post. Y’all really know how to make a guy feel better!
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I used the nutes way too early for sure. Thanks for sharing your experience with seeds lately, I think that is the biggest challenge for me as I probably got way too anxious after so many duds.
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We learn something new from this hobby every grow and we’ll still die stupid.
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This is just my O2 
If you want the easiest way to start seedlings off. A nursery bag with promix can’t be beat. I feed to run off, drop the seed in with a tail. . And then forget about them for 4 days. I will feed again if needed. And then leave them alone for 4 more days. Feed, and then drop the nursery bag into the final pot. It makes it hard to over water. I lost my mojo for almost a year. Trying to figure out what I changed. I was drowning a lot. Finding this worked great for me. I now do every thing like this. I went 7 days here.
Day 1
Day 4
Day 7
Day 9
I started the Rainbow Road almsot a week behind the others.
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I got three in the dirt… and I’m losing hope. But, my humidifier took a dump, so new one arriving tomorrow… may have to drop 3 more. Ugh!!!
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I hope they all pop for you bro!
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