Hey, so i cant for the life of me get my autoflowers to start growing. This would be first time grow. Have a 36×36×72 grow tent, a humidifier running at 50% humidity, a mars hydro tsw 2000 @ 75%, a carbon, inline (out to in) and rotating fan inside. The temp is 75. Humidity 50-60%, plenty of moving air. I used strawberry fields at bottom, happy frog mix in middle and a bit of ocean forest at top all mixed with perlite and coco in 3 gallon grow bags. I soaked 5 different seeds in light peroxide mixture at for few days (until sprouts were showing). Put in paper towel and grew to about 3/4 inch. Then planted straight into pots (all at different times) with some mycorrhizae. Sprayed lightly and left. Every single time i tried they die off the next day or so. They just wither away. What could i be doing wrong? Any help would be appreciated and any more info can be given. Thanks.
Welcome to the forum.
The most common cause of seedling loss is overwatering. A seedling should only get a couple ml of water per day and the soil should be nearly dry. Overwatering will cause root rot in a seedling.
Seedlings need less water to the soil so the roots stretch out
Definitely more humidity 65-70%
I sprayed lightly 48 hrs in advance to planting. Then after planting, lightly misted. You think that was too much? Is my light not enough for the size of tent?
They would donbetter with higher humidity and if u mist do it every other day
I would also consider cutting your light intensity. To around 50% for seedlings.
Or to a 30%
Put them close to light and more humidity…
You can also root them in rockwool and a solo cup. Drop them in the pot when roots fill the rockwool. I use a touch of calmag in the water soaked in when phing the rockwool.
I wouldn’t soak seeds for more then 12 hour
Than stick in damp paper towels dark warm place…
Not sure if the peroxide on the tap root hurts them or not…
I wouldn’t want them sprouting in the soak.
FFOF on top? Scoop out a couple inches on top to start them in Happy Frog. I use a CFL a few inches from the sprout for the first week or two. Seedlings like blue light.
Would caution growing autos in pure Ocean Forest which is what you did. The seedling has enough built in food for the first set of pot leaves. Mix your HF/OF at 50-50 then perlite for drainage like 2 cups in soil for each 3 gallon pot.
Water the soil like the plant is in the 5th week. Then hatch your beans. new soil does not take water very well and they can puddle and then sink under running for your seedling. By starting the soil you activate the biological furnace of the organic nutes. At this point I take a solo cup and press it into the wet soil making a solo cup divot to put a low strenght seedling mix as the actual seedling starter. Water the seedling starter well and let drain. this will compact the soil and give them something to grab onto.
LET THE POT DRY !
Do not put a sprouted seedling into wet soil. very slightly damp. If you can not manipulate humidity to 80% than put a dome over them. Set lights to seedling at appropriate distance and power by using a light meter. they are $30 338bt lux tool but forget the app it is too spectrum specific to work well.
You can do this. I think starting in OF was perhaps tolo hot and humidity was low. ensure you can measure lights.
Let us know how it goes.
I am having a similar type of issue. At first I thought maybe there was a root problem but now I wonder if it’s just a light and humidity type of thing. Also, I do not know if I have an autoflower or not, which makes it a little more confusing when looking for answers.
What seedling mix would you suggest?
Any low power high drainage seedling mix. The prep is the key for any soil grow. I used miriclegrow in my garden for 30 years without a problem and thats what I had. Almost everyone makes a seedling potting soil mix and with the low nutritional needs of a seedling any will really do.
Lots of guys also do not want to subject autos to transplant shock and yet some have always started in a solo cup and move up. Cannabis plants are tough. The range of ideas you will get and you will use will work as long as you are patient with watering. From growing food outside I made all my watering mistakes 30 years ago. Overwatering is the number 1 killer of seedlings and veg. There are lots of videos and growweedeasy.com and the ilgm bible that can help you get the basics down
Thank you for the resource suggestion.
You are backwards with this, put the OF on bottom, HF in middle and SF on top, that way the roots start in cooler soil and grow down into the hotter mix. You plant in mild soil, let the roots grow to the hotter mix. Autos are more nute sensitive in the first place….
I thought they needed more nitrogen at first, and more potassium n phosphate at the end. Reason why I did that.
I think you’re right. My humidity wont get past 60%. I purchased some humidity domes… see if that wont help.
The nute ratios are balanced in each one of those soils, Ocean Forest is highest. One doesn’t have more nitrogen and less P and K, nor does any have more P and K and less nitrogen.Higher ppm of nutes when young will burn them, they need more as they grow, lots more in flower.
It will definitely help…
Mine sprout in the water/ peroxide soak every time, the peroxide doesn’t hurt them, only takes a few drops to sterilize the water. Then to towels for 24 hrs where they usually have a 5/8 to 3/4 inch tail.