From a fellow grower: Please see the attached seedling pictures. I’m sorry to keep reaching out for help, but I just cannot seem to get seedlings to grow. I have tried more water, less water, no fertilizer, light fertilizer, light at full power’ light at 60% power, etc.
I have no problems getting seeds to germinate and sprout. Once they sprout it all goes downhill from there.
I have attached pictures of the soil I am using as well as the nutrient information. In addition, since I have been struggling getting seedlings to grow, I have tried a variety of watering amounts. Anything from a little bit daily, to a little bit every other day, to a medium amount every couple days
I think possibly you’re too ‘hands on.’
Growing weed is basically a ‘hands off’ experience.
From what I see, your humidity is way too low, even for flower. Those seedlings want to be in 70% humidity your temps are fine though.
Have these been fed anything? Because they look a little burned. Seedlings wont need feeding for a few weeks. If you havent fed, the soil is too ‘hot’ and youll need to find a different brand.
Also, I dont use fox farm but someone else may confirm… that looks like food for flowering not veg growth???
I use a spray bottle to water seedlings. They only need a couple mist sprays I usually spray 5 times daily.
You might find 60% light is still too much light it may need to come down some still.
I think the main problems are humidity and over fert though..
Hmm seedlings dont need water much at all especially autoflowersand you dont need nutrrients with soil at first soil has its own nutrients thatll last weeks. I see your hydrometer says 36%rh seedling like it humid so if you can raise that up if you cant get a dome or cut a water bottle in half over them that holds moisture and they dont need much light at all as well. Im sorry youre going through this i hope you fogure it out
The good news though, the seedling stage is the hardest stage to master. Once you’ve cracked it, youll sail through veg and flower.
I was wrong on the feed, big bloom is a suplimental additive made of worm castings and guano. Its NPK is 0-0.5-0.7 and says its suitable for young plants.
Personally, i still wouldn’t use it until the 4th week. Everything you need should be in the soil and coyteldon leaves
They look a little leggy aswell. So, lights probably are ok but need moving closer.
And the downward curl looks like they are overwatered.
Thats what I would check:
Light distance
Humidity
Levels of fert in the soil
And air flow to strengthen the stems
It may be dampened off so let them dry out a bit.
I believe 100% this is the problem. Others have mentioned they do not need much water or food at this age. They have all they need in the coty’s. Babies get all the moisture they need from the air which is why we need to keep the humidity as close to 80% as we can. Temps need to stay right around 80ºF as well for the first 2 weeks. If you moisten the solo or small starter pot and keep em in a dome at the targets mentioned, you will not need to give them any water. When she is tapping, she isn’t drinking from the soil.
Here is a link to a germinating thread and I did a step by step process through 3 weeks with pics. Hope it helps, Less is more at this stage. I saw someone say hands off…this is true. The first 2 weeks, I do nothing but give her the enviro she needs to start her journey.
All targets I can think of
Light - 250-300 ppfd or 15-20 DLI
Heat - 80ºF
RH - 80%
Watering - None to very little
Food - None for 4 weeks or so if in cannabis friendly soil
I just looked up the soil. Ingredients are very similar to Ocean Forest which is on the hot side for seedlings. Did you do a slurry test? Do you know what the starting PPM’s and pH were outta the bag?
Were you the OP the forum posted up on? Glad to have you. If you have any other issues you need help with you can create a thread, name it what you want and that thread could be your journal so to speak. We can then mark it as following and any time there is a new post to that thread it will ping us. You can also tag a specific person by throwing the @ infront of there ID like @Highthere and we will see the notice when we log in. I will tag you in my journal so you see how easy it is.
I went ahead and bought a seedling starter kit with a dome and heat mat. Please see attached pics. In an effort to try to save these seedlings, and now that they are already unhealthy, is there any additional advice you have? They probably have not been watered for about three days Per the advice of my ILGM advisor. How much and how often should they be watered moving forward? And I know it doesn’t look like it, but these ceilings are already almost 3
weeks old.
If the soil feels supeerrrrr dry then just get a sprayer and lightly mist the top dont douse it. They can be without they dont rely on much water. Trust me i was worried about mine they wouldnt grow then out of nowhere the roots take hold and then they start jumping! Patience is the key you have plenty time and theyre still alive so that makes all the difference my friend
Spray the inside of the dome. I usually do not have to water the soil during the dome stage which is 2-3 weeks depending on growth speed.
If you pour a bit of water in the bottom tray the heat mat will produce the humidity you see in my pics.
I just realized you do not have a towel between your mat and tray. I would recommend this as without, it really can get warm and dry out the bottom of your soil and the small roots trying to do their job will die back and stunt growth or kill them.
Yup and my bottom tray is not small compartments. Small containers dry out much faster. I start in solos 12 or 16 oz and then when the coty’s are shriveled, I transplant.
Most times when I see someone struggling with some phase of growing I just wished I could be there, standing with them and helping. Words are good but first hand experience is so much easier.
