what's wrong with my seedlings?

[jdubz206]

i have 4 seedlings in rapid rooters and soil that are turning light green and haven't grown in several days. i have another 4 seedlings that are in the same soil mix that are growing very fast and much darker green. the only difference between the healthy and the ones that are light green is that the healthier ones are not in rapid rooters. they were looking a bit wilty a couple of days ago and I thought I overwatered them. i transplanted them to new containers with fresh soil that was straight from the bag with no extra water added. the soil i'm using is peat based organic and contains earthworm castings and about 30% pumice. i've only fed plain water with no nutes. i normally don't feed nutes to seedlings until they are a bit more developed than these. i have only grown from seed a few times so i am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to this. i don't want to lose these seedlings, they are a strain i've been trying to get a hold of for a long time. if anyone could help, it would be much appreciated.

light green seedlings that are lacking vigor:





healthy seedling not in rapid rooter:


both seedlings were planted after being germinated on the same day in the same soil and have both had no nutes.

 

[DontBanMe]

I would say that the roots arent getting enough oxygen weather that be that the rapid rooter retained to much moister or the soil you have them in is packed down to much or somthing, somthing isnt allowing the little roots to get enough oxygen...
that is what usually the death of seedlings...imo
good luck!

 

[jdubz206]

so are they completely fucked and going to die? i think the rapid rooters were absorbing too much water. i was just spraying the top of the soil down once or twice a day very lightly. is there anything i can do to save them? i haven't watered them in about 3 or 4 days and they're in fresh soil that's well aerated....

 

[DontBanMe]

I wouldnt say they are completely fucked, i would just hold off on watering them for sometime, because of the tiny root system the soil takes some time to dry out, they dont look that bad in those pics anyways...
When i grow from seed i never water until they start to flag, and i water with caution at that time too, because it is so easy to give to much water to such a small plant especially if they are in a big pot.
Just hold off on any watering and they should start to grow faster and faster once the root system gets bigger, if they still have the color they have in your photos i wouldnt be to worried.
good luck bro

 

[Hazeseeker]

Hi Jdubz,
they will be fine, i think it's just because they're in pretty big containers which makes it easy to over water them and alot easier from probs to show especially on young seedlings (notice the 1 in the small container is looking alot better), once those seedlings start getting a bigger root system you'll see them improving day by day

Peace
Hazeseeker

 

[jdubz206]

thanks guys that makes me feel much better that they'll probably pull through. i'm not watering at all for the moment...you're right about the bigger containers, it will probably be two weeks before i can water again. i had them in dixie cups all before but when they started yellowing i put them in bigger containers so the water in their soil could dissipate. anyways thanks again.

 

[jdubz206]

they've definitely grown a little bit today. i'm going to give them a light dosage of fish emulsion when they're thirsty. how do you guys gauge when your seedlings need water?

 

[Pseudo]

when the cup feels light in wieght completely soak it, FEEL the difference, dont wait till it wilts

 

[Nomanishere]

Another tip with the rooters is to water away from the plug in the container. Pouring water right down the stem will cause the rooter to soak up all the water...depending on the density/consistency of the soil surrounding the plug it might hold that water in for a number of days and choke out much of the available oxygen. By watering away from the plug you force the roots to have to go looking for moisture. Big roots = big plants, but wet roots with no oxygen = death (gasp).

 

[stasis]

Never did like those rapid rooters..... Pseudo has it.... Pick it up, get used to the weight of a dry pot. Size does not matter, it becomes natural to discern the difference. It is also easy to overwater. We want to give ;em love, but sometimes we get too excited. At least I occasionally do, lol...

Probably they do not need any food at all. If the soil has any goodies in it, it should be good for 2-3 weeks, without any N.

Good luck....!

 

[jdubz206]

i judge by weight with everything else, not sure why i've been so paranoid with the seedlings. the ones i worried the most about and tried to take the best care of ended up off the worst

2 of the seedlings look like they will pull through. one of them has developed a greyish brown spot that is dry and dead. it almost looks like a burn or ph flux but i haven't given them any nutes and the soil is very basic (peat, pumice, castings). the other seedling in question is very very yellow. no spots or anything but definitely sick looking.

should i put the 2 that are still messed up into smaller containers? can i foliar feed them anything that might help? i really want these to all pull through, i could just see my best phenos dying and me never even knowing...

 

[Guest]

It looks like your pots are too big so your overwatering

Pots that size would last a week or so between waterings due to the size of the seedling

Dont water, let them dry out and see how they go dude

 

[devilgoob]

the soil looks dry to me.

 

[jdubz206]

It looks like your pots are too big so your overwatering

Pots that size would last a week or so between waterings due to the size of the seedling

Dont water, let them dry out and see how they go dude

i haven't watered them 1 time since they turned light green. also, they were in 16 oz dixie cups until they started looking really fucked up. i thought that if i transplanted to them to larger containers with fresh soil, the overwatered soil would dry faster. i realize that they're now in big containers and i haven't watered them since 3 days before my 1st post....

 

[jdubz206]

the soil looks dry to me.

the top layer is dry but there is still a good amount of water in the soil below...