Did I burn it with light and moisture? How to proceed?

[Black5now]

Hi, just for the record, this is my first grow box, and my first grow ever.

My plant is 7 days old(from the day it popped out of the soil), it has been under a 78W 4000K LED lamp 24 hours each of the 7 days(I was waiting for 125W CFL's to arrive), everything was looking good, till this morning.

I put a humidifier in my grow room yesterday, and because my package(thermometer/hydrometer) hasn't arrived yet, there was no way I could tell the RH currently in it. So I put it on a timer, on a 3 hour off-10min on period, thinking ''better a little humidity than none or an insufficient one''. I also put the lamp a bit lower, so the moisture and the light intensity combo might have burned my plant(I'll let you guys be the judge of it). After reading the sticky by MynameStitch, I am now also considering phosphorus deficiency, although at the same time I think that is highly unlikely in light of the circumstances(again, you be the judge)

18.1.2013


19.1.2013



Today I changed the LED light to 125W 6400K CFL and raised it a bit, just 1 lamp, since I only have 1 plant(I burned the others with fertilizer but 3 more seeds in germination), and I changed the light schedule to 20/4.

I'd like to know what you recommend how I should proceed.

 

[medmaker420]

the one thing I have noticed and remember as well in my earlier days is that newer growers mess with their girls way too much.

I remember worrying about humidity, I would check their roots daily, if they looked sad I would drench them for no reason or feed them nutes just because I thought that could help.

My suggestion is simple, get a bag of soil and put that little girl in a beer cup that has ALOT of drainage holes and give the girl PLAIN WATER once every OTHER day. Just enough so a little bit drips out the bottom.

don't mess with the plant, don't add anything to it, don't move lights around or change anything.

its a weed brother, they grow themselves practically IF you let them grow.

 

[Leathermonster]

Im a new grower, but Ive learned that if you just let them grow, and dont add nutes until they are a lot bigger, they will be fine. if the lights you are using got them to this point, i see no reason in changing things up

 

[medmaker420]

once they get rooted it is easier to kill them by continually fuckin with them versus just letting them try and survive on their own. Its crazy but if left alone in decent soil with moisture they can do GREAT just as long as a new grower gives them the chance to do so.

thats the cool thing with growing though, we can cut clones and keep trying and improving and working at getting better and growing better. It really is a ton of fun and worth the time investing because earning that green thumb really is a great feeling.

it took me years to get to where I am and I still make newbie mistakes all the damn time especially if I smoke before mixing nutes LOL

 

[Black5now]

I've decided I'm going to wait till tomorrow, or 2 days, see if the plant has improved in any way, or got worse for that matter. If it'll continue to go downhill like this, I'll put it in a cup with holes like you suggested medmaker.

I knew I was over thinking and over complicating everything as I was building the small room and getting ready to start it up, but I couldn't help it, it's in me just like in everybody else as a new grower to try and get it perfect the first time, expecting too much.

I changed the lamp because I have already ordered a 300€ worth of CFLs of the best possible spectrum(in theory, the 6400K for veg and 2700K for flower), I got them yesterday and was excited to finally put them in. I stated ''in theory'', simply because I do not have experience in anything, and they might practically grow just as well in a 4000K or whatever the cct.

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll post the pics when changes occur(for better or worse).

 

[Midnight Tokar]

Read, read and then read some more, scan through all of the grow forums here for threads where the poster is growing similar to your style.

I seriously doubt you can burn that plant with the LED's or CFL's you have or ordered, as a rule of thumb, if it's not uncomfortable for your hand it'll be fine for your plants. What are you growing in? I see other plants sprouting in your pots and to me that's not good. I'm thinking you are using soil from your yard and it's weeds coming up..........

You don't say if you fertilized them or not........don't! They should not need nutes for 10-14 days in a decent soil.

I don't think the humidifier is the problem but why did you get one before you got a hygrometer to see if it's even necessary?

As others have said put them in a beer cup, water every other day or so and in the mean time spend all your free time reading up on how to grow and you'll reap the rewards.

 

[Black5now]

Read, read and then read some more, scan through all of the grow forums here for threads where the poster is growing similar to your style.

I seriously doubt you can burn that plant with the LED's or CFL's you have or ordered, as a rule of thumb, if it's not uncomfortable for your hand it'll be fine for your plants. What are you growing in? I see other plants sprouting in your pots and to me that's not good. I'm thinking you are using soil from your yard and it's weeds coming up..........

You don't say if you fertilized them or not........don't! They should not need nutes for 10-14 days in a decent soil.

I don't think the humidifier is the problem but why did you get one before you got a hygrometer to see if it's even necessary?

As others have said put them in a beer cup, water every other day or so and in the mean time spend all your free time reading up on how to grow and you'll reap the rewards.

I got most of the soil from original bag, and because there was not enough, I went ahead and scraped some more off the dead plants lying on the ground(along with their dead roots) that my mom threw away(they were in pots).

I originally planted 4 seeds. 3 buckets were fertilized(I knew I shouldn't have, but I found an organic fertilizer called BIOGRENA in my mom's flower cabinet, and I thought ''well...maybe just a bit'', turned out even that A BIT was TOO MUCH), 1 wasn't, and this is the plant that was in the unfertilized one. I'm not giving it any nutes, just 100-150ml of plain water per day.

I bought the humidifier because I though I would need one sooner or later.


I just checked the state of the plant, and it's getting worse, I'm not planing on watering it today, and the humidifier is off.

Here it is:


It looks like it's about to

 

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

medmaker420 is right, my diagnosis is the same you are over loving the plant to death, just let the poor little thing be. The first 14-21 days is easy breezy. Plant seed in a mix that has nothing or very little if you know what you are doing. When the round cotleydon (sp.) leaves start to yellow you can begin VERY light feedings or transplant to your amended mix at this time. You shouldn't ever "plan" on watering based off time passed. You need to lift the pot, and check that it is dry or pretty close. Overwatering, over fertilizing, and to much light are common noob mistakes with seedlings. It all comes down to LOVE of the plant. Just relax a bit, have some patience, which I know is hard, and let the plant tell you what it needs. I know I killed hundreds of seedlings as an adolescent.

 

[ozzieAI]

personally i suck at getting seeds going a seem to kill more that i get to survive... that's why i use clones 99% of the time...

advice given above is sound...but treating the cutting as a clone has worked for me the past mainly keeping it in a humidity dome till the 3rd set of leaves are out...

 

[yerboyblue]

Ya, really just mist them with water from a spray bottle when they are that small, and keep the lights far off them! like at least a foot and a half. Even small lights.

 

[illicit-007]

It's going down hill fast

It's going down hill fast

Pop another seed brother, that little seedling is going downhill fast.

I never manage to kill my seeds. I used to kill clones A LOT when I first started cus I fecked around with them too much.

Pop your seed, put it in some good soil (preferably soil specifically for pot) with good drainage (perlite added is a bonus).

Water it very lightly every couple of days.

Don't add any nutrients for the first 4-6 weeks (most soil bags say on them when to start adding fertilizers).

Like everyone else is saying, just leave it be

 

[Black5now]

Well, to keep you up to date...

This is how it looks, worse as expected...




I got the Thermometer/hygrometer from England today, and the measurements read 60%RH +-5%, and a good 28%°C +-1°C next to the stem(I know this doesn't mean anything right now since it's too late, but at least I know now, and I can share the info).

I've got 4 seeds germinating(hopefully) in water in a closet, and 3 seeds in buckets with fresh out of bag soil, but I doubt 2 are going to germinate since I already had to peal away a bit of their ''armor''(I was careful not damaging the root).

The worst thing would be to not figure out how I'm screwing up in the grow room. I've invested a good 500€ into it, and it'd pretty much suck if I couldn't get anything to grow in it...how incompetent am I?!

Thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate your input

 

[medmaker420]

ok they are over watered now

I think the roots are probably soaked with moisture right now.

you need to downpot them as in put it in a beer cup AND if possible remove some of the really wet soil mix and replace with a drier portion ( some in the bag that might be dry etc, to help sop up the excess moisture near the main roots ).

then leave it alone.

if it lives, do not feed it anything but rather UP POT it into a larger pot which will allow you to let the soil mix do the feeding and just allow you to WATCH the plant do its thing.

I think people focus on the nutes when all they really need is to up pot with nutrient rich mix and toss some regular ph'd water on it especially when you are a first time grower. This method gives you a far better shot than liquid nute regiment and ph up down fluctuations etc.

Even if you decide to start feeding them in flower, they will be large enough to deal with anything you throw at them far better than the seedlings.

Small container ( beer cup )
do not water until the soil mix is LIGHT when picking up the beer cup.
when the plant starts to yellow up pot into a 1/2 or 1 gallon container ( nothing bigger yet )
then give them water every other day and once the girl starts to yellow up pot to a 2 or 3 gallon ( your finishing container size ).

there is more work this way BUT the plant has a solid chance at showing you how it grows with the right nutes given to it versus you trying to fight to keep her alive while scratching your head wondering wtf happened.

seedlings are hard especially when new to growing

 

[illicit-007]

I've got 4 seeds germinating(hopefully) in water in a closet, and 3 seeds in buckets with fresh out of bag soil, but I doubt 2 are going to germinate since I already had to peal away a bit of their ''armor''(I was careful not damaging the root).

You're not incompetent. I'd repeat what everyone has said and what I've said before too.

Leave them alone.

Don't peel away the armor.

Right now I have 24 seeds germinating in my living room Only 1 didn't germinate. I didn't peel anything, or fiddle or anything.

This is how I did it. 1) I got some small plates and put some paper towel. (tissue paper will do) down, about 3-4 paper towels or about 6 sheets or toilet paper, ya know, just a nice wee base, then pour like... half a shot glass of tap water, so the paper is moist. Then put your seeds on them, about an inch apart. Then layer 2 more paper towels on top and lightly moisten them.
2) Then I put another plate on top to keep the moisture in and keep it dark
3) LEAVE IT ALONE
4) check it two days later, slowly peel the top paper towel as side if the sides didn't spout DONT TOUCH THEM.. put the towel back, put the plate on top back. leave it till the next day and check again, they should spout usually in two days if you keep the plates in a nice warm room, just sitting on a table or something, a room that's nice enough for you to sit in. Don't put them on a radiator or put hot lamps on them, just sit them down and leave them alone!
5) once they sprouted I use tweezers and put them up by the seed, the root should be about a centimetre (half inch long) in the one day you didn't check them (only check them ONCE a day, then leave them alone.
pick em up with the tweezers by the seed with the tap root facing down into 1 inch hole in some soil, lightly put some soil on top.
6) put your light (if it's CFL) a good foot or two away, really gentle light until the first set or jagged leaves come out, then put your CFL light down about 8-10 inches away
7) water it extremely flipping lighting every 2-3 days - don't over water it!
8) apart from the occasional light watering LEAVE IT THE FLIP ALONE

If you do that man... I don't see how you can kill a seedling unless it's in terribly crap soil.

If you buy soil get some 'light soil' for seedlings. You don't need to feed it anything, I mean it, nothing for weeks. Just leave it alone

 

[illicit-007]

After the seedling sprouts (because you've been a good boy and been leaving it the flipping flip alone and not killing it with love)...

Then what medmaker says is absolutely right...

Plants grow outside in soil without any nutrients, because they have enough soil!

Do what he says and you'll be golden... once you manage to get a pot plant into a 2 or 3 gallon container, then you can start worrying about the next stage

This part of growing is the easy part. All you gotta do is let it grow on it's own

 

[Black5now]

Not been watering for 3 days now.

Does it seem like it's fighting/getting better? I think the drying up has slowed down, at least on the 2nd set of leaves...

Should I cut off the 2 dried up leaves or will just be plain stress on the plant?

23.1.2013

 

[yortbogey]

leave it alone...
next problem...U'r medium looks overly compact...
the soil/dirt needs to be loose and fluffy

 

[illicit-007]

leave it alone mate

yorts on to something there, what kind of soil are you using? You're best to buy one from a 'grow shop' / 'hydro shop' that's commonly used to grow pot. Usually these types of soil have perlite mixed in with them and have the right PH and EC. If you can't get that soil, at least buy a soil for seedlings and add some perlite to it yourself.

 

[Black5now]

leave it alone...
next problem...U'r medium looks overly compact...
the soil/dirt needs to be loose and fluffy

I am leaving it be. Not touching the thing.
The soil just looks like it's stuck together, but It's actually very soft, the picture messes it up I guess.

leave it alone mate

yorts on to something there, what kind of soil are you using? You're best to buy one from a 'grow shop' / 'hydro shop' that's commonly used to grow pot. Usually these types of soil have perlite mixed in with them and have the right PH and EC. If you can't get that soil, at least buy a soil for seedlings and add some perlite to it yourself.

I threw away the bag already, but my mom said it's expensive, she uses it for her flowers(trust me, she's obsessed with flowers so It must be good). I do know the PH is from 6-7, that's what it said on the bag, and I remember it's got N and P(don't know the %), doesn't have perlite though.

Anyways, I'm keeping this thread alive till my plant's dead. I'll post pictures every day, even if everybody's opinion is ''just grow a new one''. I started it, I'm gonna finish it, for better or worse, thanks for reading and helping

24.1.2013
RH=60% +-5%
T=29°C +-1°C
(External probe is placed on the soil, next to the plant)

 

[forkup]

Looks like it's slowly burning up from over fert to me. It's prolly a lost cause but you may can flush it and have it live.