First time. Started two huckleberry fem and ten valley girl reg in roots organic with a plan to transplant into natures living soil when big enough. They are just over three weeks now. In a sealed room with mini split and dehumidifier under one electric sky 300. I’m positive the lights were too far away for the first week or more because they stretched so bad, so I moved the light closer. Then at about that time I noticed brown spots forming on all the lower leaves. I started calmag at a week (should have sooner) since I’m using ro water. Moved the lights back and upped the calmag and the spots seem to be slowing. I’m pretty sure they are super small for their age and with the yellowing I assume a nitrogen deficiency. After talking with someone from NLS (roots isn’t adequate) I decided to do a weaker compost tea with their method. What else should I be doing to move these girls along while keeping it organic?
They do not need anything added at the stage they are at, soil should have enough! What is your PH of soil and water going in? Welcome to ILGM forum
That’s what I thought too but I talked to the guy at NLS and he said roots wasn’t adequate to get them through to transplant. The brown spots on the leaves, small growth and yellowing leaves lead me to think deficiency. I didn’t check ph for the first week or so but now have been and it’s about 6.5-6.8. Not sure on soil ph but I plan to get a tester soon.
Take some of the soil and do a slurry test! How old are they?
I’ll have to look into a slurry test. 3w3d since I popped the seeds.
Tell me about your watering practices, how much and how often?
I was giving about 30-40ml of calmag ro water at a ph of about 6.5 give or take pretty much daily. I thought they were over watered so I backed off to every other but they were too dry so I started giving them more quantity less often. Then I had brilliant idea to water them last night when I should have skipped a night and they are drowning now.
Yeah, your plants have the chronic over watering look which comes from the practice of a little water every day routine. Really need to let the pots dry up before watering again, and then water fully til you get some runoff, then let pots get dry and light and repeat as needed. Wet/dry cycles is the way to healthy plants.
Pick up a pot and feel the weight, that’s all water weight, when it’s dry, the pot will feel really light, that’s when you water again. After a full watering, your plants could go many days before needing water again. Over watering is stunting your plants and causing the calmag issues as well.
That totally makes sense now that I can actually see them wilting. Man idk what I was thinking. Went against my instincts. Now that they look worse than ever with all of them wilted they are still saveable right? Just let them dry out almost completely before watering again? For a 3x3 pot just water until saturated and then wait a couple days until they are dry again? Do you think the brown spots and yellowing are all from over watering? Such a rookie mistake 
Yes they can be saved, just let the soil dry up before resuming watering, just lost some time and they will take more time to recover. The brown spots and yellowing are results from over watering, when the soil stays too wet, it goes acidic and starts to lock out nutrients.
@Joe44
We all make mistakes. There are a lot of experienced and kind growers here that will help you.
I was overwatering in the beginning. I was told to wait until the pot was light and it was dry down to the second knuckle - pretty much the get watered about once a week.
I bought these clones cheap and they were two months old, root bound in Solo cups and nute-burned. I transplanted to 3-gallon bags two weeks ago.
I have had them for a month and they have improved greatly thanks to all the advice I have received here.
Hang in there!
Just to set your mind in the right direction… whdn I started growing bag seed 35 years ago, there was very little information about cannabis and where it originated. I assumed because Thailand was a jungle and good thai was awesome! That cannabis must be a jungle plant? Well its really not. In fact the Laos and Thai people have a heck of a time beating the monsoons each year, timing is critical. The plant thrives in a semi arid climate… thats why Northern California is sorta North Americas sweet spot. Afghanistan and West India are also ideal. Both places have lots of sun and require irrigation to supplement the low annual rainfall. A small cannabis plant such as those would require perhaps 15 ml of water with no nutrients ( yet ) every couple or few days, ideally squirted from a syringe in a circle an inch or so away from the plant. As the plant grows water further away and simply add a few extra ml of water until it eequires enough water to force roots from the bottom of the container. In the future, before you plant your seedling / seed, pre moisten all of the soil to a humid consistency prior to planting / sewing, that ensures there is enough moisture that the roots have something ro search into instead of dry pockets. It also helps to reduce the need to overwater. Good luck and have fun
Please help. I’m not sure what is going on. I backed off on watering as you guys said but they are dying even faster now. I went to ~30ml every three days with ro with calmag at ph 6.3-6.8. I’m thinking it started as an overwatering problem that turned into an under watering problem. My partner showed some pics to the local hydro shop and they said too small containers and lights are too close. I had the two es300 at about 29in (manufacturer says 36in or higher) so I moved the lights up to 36in two days ago. The plants are so small so I don’t think container size is the problem. I’m keeping a close eye on them for stretching because they did so fast last time the lights were so far away. I’ve lost at least the first node on all of my plants and some two or three. They are so small and just look like death. Any and all recs are welcomed.
@Joe44 PH about 6 ounces of water, now check PPMs and write down ph and PPM numbers! Now put a couple ounces of your soil in a clean glass pour your ph’d water into glass. Slosh or stir for a few seconds, now strain water into another clean glass, and check ph and ppm’s of that water and you have done a crude but somewhat effective soil slurry test! Then post those numbers!
Did I read correctly that you used a compost tea on your seedlings already? I made that mistake once. I ended up transplanting them Into their forever homes and eventually came out of it. I am using NLS also I start my seedlings in happy frog, then move them into soil mixed with NLS mixed as a living soil. I am currently doing indoor grow with and
NLS I will tag you in when I get home. My eyes are not good enough to read this Accurately on my phone but I was in the same boat you are in, Took a few weeks After believing they were dead and finally transplanted them into a living soil. Mine looked much worse and came out of it
Thanks. I’ll try that today and lyk. I meant to do that before then it got past me. I’ll just be using the bagged soil that wasn’t used for these initial seedlings not stuff that’s been used with the plants.
Please detail all the environmental conditions: light model, light distance, temperature, humidity, etc.
I did actually twice. A weak one.i talked to the guy from NLS and he said roots wasn’t good enough to get the seedlings through to transplant and said a tea should help. My plan was to transplant them once their leaves extended past the edge of the pot but they are over four weeks and not even close and dying. I also plan to do the living soil mix. I’m not sure they’re strong enough to transplant yet.
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- What strain, Seed bank, or bag seed
- Method: Soil w/salt, Organic soil, Hydroponics, Aquaponics, KNF
- Vessels: Pots, Grow beds, Buckets, Troths
- PH of Water, Solution, runoff (if Applicable)
- PPM/TDS or EC of nutrient solution if applicable
- Indoor or Outdoor
- Light system
- Temps; Day, Night
- Humidity; Day, Night
- Ventilation system; Yes, No, Size
- AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier,
- Co2; Yes, No
Always try to upload a clear picture of any issues you may have to allow the community to assist you.
Add anything else you feel would help us give you a most informed answer should be included. Feel free to elaborate, but short and to the point questions and facts will help us help you in a more efficient manner 
- What strain, Seed bank, or bag seed - 2 huckleberry fem, 10 valley girl reg planted 10/31
- Method: Soil w/salt, Organic soil, Hydroponics, Aquaponics, KNF - roots original soil with intention to use NLS when transplanted
- Vessels: Pots, Grow beds, Buckets, Troths - 3x3 plastic pots (have 3g fabric to transplant to)
- PH of Water, Solution, runoff (if Applicable) - ro water with calmag ph 6.3-6.8
- PPM/TDS or EC of nutrient solution if applicable -na
- Indoor or Outdoor - indoor
- Light system - 2 es300 at 36in (raised from 28in three days ago now)
- Temps; Day, Night - 73°
- Humidity; Day, Night - 50%
- Ventilation system; Yes, No, Size - no sealed room. Room is 16x8 but just starting so not filled
- AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier, - mini split and ideal air 120p dehumidifier
- Co2; Yes, No - haven’t supplemented yet but room is pretty high with 1000-1200ppm when I go in going up to 2000ppm when I leave. Not always the case and I have to start logging that to see why it’s so high.
Important info - lights were too dimmed and too far away so they stretched bad in the beginning. I set them to full power then slowly started to lower them where I got no more stretch but probably too close. The guy NLS said roots wasn’t good enough to get the seedlings through to transplant. I gave a weak compost tea twice about a week apart. Was watering every morning about 25ml and think that’s where problems started. Then I asked you guys and went to every three days about 30ml. I think thats too long between because the pots were dry and light with only very little moisture at two knuckles deep. If those pics aren’t good enough lmk and I’ll try to get more today. Lmk if there’s anything else I missed. Thanks a mil!