3rd week in, soil issues, possible deficiencies

[LouixFrenchton]

17 days in and aside from pre soaking soil to plant germinated seeds, only given one true feed.

Soil staying moist and pots heavy but pulling from sides as if hungry???

Have been spraying several times a day and once after lights out so top soil is often moist.

Questions:
Was pre soaking 3 gallon bad idea?

Thinking to drill holes in pots to aid airing, can I drill in sides?

Is long drying soil common symptom of LED?

Soil is coming away from sides, suggesting feed, but still damp??

Any feedback welcome (see pics)

 

[kratos015]

I'm pretty sure you're just over-watering as those are all common symptoms of over-watering.

When your soil stays too moist, the roots have no access to oxygen as they're literally drowning. On top of this, your soil is getting more and more acidic because it's getting too wet. Spraying them multiple times a day is definitely too much. When my plants are this size I hit them with my sprayer once a day at lights on. Even when they're larger I still only hit them once a day, just with the hose instead of my pump sprayer.

Give your plants a bit to dry out before you hit them with more water, I'm pretty sure you're just over-watering and if you let them dry out a bit they'll grow as they should.

 

[LouixFrenchton]

I'm pretty sure you're just over-watering as those are all common symptoms of over-watering.

When your soil stays too moist, the roots have no access to oxygen as they're literally drowning. On top of this, your soil is getting more and more acidic because it's getting too wet. Spraying them multiple times a day is definitely too much. When my plants are this size I hit them with my sprayer once a day at lights on. Even when they're larger I still only hit them once a day, just with the hose instead of my pump sprayer.

Give your plants a bit to dry out before you hit them with more water, I'm pretty sure you're just over-watering and if you let them dry out a bit they'll grow as they should.

Thanks

Just bit surprised as remember watering more than once in space of 3 weeks in prior grows under hps. Although not sure I pre soaked soil before (was ten years ago) so that might be the difference.

I think pre soaking the soil made it more packed / dense and is contributing to the problem.

I am going to add a few more holes to the pots, get a fan in there for air circulation, which I don't have yet (altho have intake / out), and wait until they use up the excess moisture at the bottom of the pots before another feed.

Is it a good time to top my 2 wild seeds? I don't know the strain and believe might be from outdoor so concerned will get huge.

I am not topping my auto which is smaller than the other two despite being several days ahead and the other 2 being transplanted once.

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

They look fine. The soil looks fine. You can break up the surface at the top 1/2 inch or so with a fork. I always use the probes on a moisture meter. Poke around the shrunken edge to fill in the gap forming. And scratching the top up will help with drying.

I water when the pots are dry 3/4 the way down. Very light pot at that point but the plant still should not be wilting. A little droop in the lower leaves is a good indication of thirst as well.

And led has less radiant heat than hps so the soil will dry a bit slower until the roots are established.

 

[LouixFrenchton]

They look fine. The soil looks fine. You can break up the surface at the top 1/2 inch or so with a fork. I always use the probes on a moisture meter. Poke around the shrunken edge to fill in the gap forming. And scratching the top up will help with drying.

I water when the pots are dry 3/4 the way down. Very light pot at that point but the plant still should not be wilting. A little droop in the lower leaves is a good indication of thirst as well.

And led has less radiant heat than hps so the soil will dry a bit slower until the roots are established.

Thanks man.

Funnily enough, I intuitively did what you have suggested myself last night as seemed logical, and this morning I have added extra holes to the pots.

I need to get my humidity levels 10-20% up and a small fan and I think should be OK.

I think cramming my 2 bag seed wildlings into 3 gallon pots (was originally putting into 2 gallon not crammed) has impacted air movement around the bottom which isn't helping.

Roots are now visible at bottom of each pot so this is a positive, I think.

I'm not sure how much water should you give a 3 gallon pot, any suggestions?

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

Thanks man.

Funnily enough, I intuitively did what you have suggested myself last night as seemed logical, and this morning I have added extra holes to the pots.

I need to get my humidity levels 10-20% up and a small fan and I think should be OK.

I think cramming my 2 bag seed wildlings into 3 gallon pots (was originally putting into 2 gallon not crammed) has impacted air movement around the bottom which isn't helping.

Roots are now visible at bottom of each pot so this is a positive, I think.

I'm not sure how much water should you give a 3 gallon pot, any suggestions?

Of course roots showing at the bottom holes is good. They are growing.

I put through a gallon and get back about 15-20% runoff but the drainage of the soil is a factor.

I add about 20% large perlite to ocean forest. Promix HP was about the same for water amount.

 

[LouixFrenchton]

Yeah my drainage could definitely be better I think. I added about 30-40% perlite to biobizz lite soil (which has a little pre mixed already) but think I maybe packed it too dense / didn't break it up enough.

I see my auto is pre flowering, showing its first pistols. Haven't been able to give it any nutes yet due to the wet soil from the initial soak, that's bugging me, tho it looks great

 

[LouixFrenchton]

I went ahead and FIM'd my two wildling photoperiods today, am debating whether to do that to the auto?

Tempted it to leave it as hear least stress is best but know others have success with it. Any experience with autos? It's a skunk#1 so nothing too fancy

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

Yeah my drainage could definitely be better I think. I added about 30-40% perlite to biobizz lite soil (which has a little pre mixed already) but think I maybe packed it too dense / didn't break it up enough.

I see my auto is pre flowering, showing its first pistols. Haven't been able to give it any nutes yet due to the wet soil from the initial soak, that's bugging me, tho it looks great

As long as they are green and happy looking and growing (roots or leaves) there is no need to do anything.

It is good to breakup bagged soil real good. I mash the chunks with my hands when mixing in perlite.

Sounds like you have more than enough perlite.

I like to start seeds and cuttings in plastic 16oz solo cups. About 2 weeks later up to a 1 gallon. Then 2-3 weeks to a 3.

As the watering frequency goes from about 5 days down to 2 i transplant up. This is under t-5 fluorescents. Hid or led may grow them faster than fluorescents.

I like to see 3 days between watering/feeding in peak flower in soil mix. Some go 2 days though.

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

I went ahead and FIM'd my two wildling photoperiods today, am debating whether to do that to the auto?

Tempted it to leave it as hear least stress is best but know others have success with it. Any experience with autos? It's a skunk#1 so nothing too fancy

I recommend not doing anything like that. You are suffering from over caring for your plants. They do better left alone as much as possible.

I bend mine down and tie them to the pot by week 2 in flower to promote branching into a bush. Then stake and tie as needed through flower.

I like a nice fast smooth eventless veg period to ensure a stress free healthy plant going into the flower room.

I only top or lst in veg if they get too tall for my system.

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

And training an auto in veg makes no sense. It has a predetermined life cycle so you want it to grow as much as possible before it buds up.

Autos is where I learned to only train as needed. I only bent them when they got too close to the light. They can yield well if grown uninhibited.

 

[LouixFrenchton]

As long as they are green and happy looking and growing (roots or leaves) there is no need to do anything.

It is good to breakup bagged soil real good. I mash the chunks with my hands when mixing in perlite.

Sounds like you have more than enough perlite.

I like to start seeds and cuttings in plastic 16oz solo cups. About 2 weeks later up to a 1 gallon. Then 2-3 weeks to a 3.

As the watering frequency goes from about 5 days down to 2 i transplant up. This is under t-5 fluorescents. Hid or led may grow them faster than fluorescents.

I like to see 3 days between watering/feeding in peak flower in soil mix. Some go 2 days though.

Thanks that's useful info.

I was reluctant to transplant auto and heard 3 gallon was good size so popped germinated seed straight in.

Two other auto seeds didn't germinate, so introduced two photo periods. I did start them in much smaller pots (maybe a liter) and transplanted to 3 gallon towards end of week 2.

I only have the led at the moment and limited room so had to start under that but has seedling setting. Looking for the perfect little germination / clone box

 

[LouixFrenchton]

I recommend not doing anything like that. You are suffering from over caring for your plants. They do better left alone as much as possible.

I bend mine down and tie them to the pot by week 2 in flower to promote branching into a bush. Then stake and tie as needed through flower.

I like a nice fast smooth eventless veg period to ensure a stress free healthy plant going into the flower room.

I only top or lst in veg if they get too tall for my system.

You're spot on there I am over caring a bit. I did have a light stress wobble and the non drying soil was throwing me. But they've recovered after raising the light and looked better and better this week.

I am not sure on my height restriction entirely. I can get my light up another 2-3 foot. But plants were suffering at 2ft (maybe just because young tho).

My photos are from outdoor genes I believe so topped now cause don't want them to get huge (already outgrowing auto despite younger) I can veg for as long as I want really.

I do want to practice maybe cloning and lst on the photos whilst my auto does its thing, but I'll heed your advice and leave the auto alone for now.

 

[Dabber68]

Nice plants and I understand the over caring LOL. I to am on my 1st Auto grow the one thing I've been told is Cal Mag may be need a little more often

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

Nice plants and I understand the over caring LOL. I to am on my 1st Auto grow the one thing I've been told is Cal Mag may be need a little more often

Cal mag is only needed if the medium holds on to certain ions like coco or to re introduce minerals to ro water.

In a potting mix with buffers like oyster shell or lime there should be no need for calmag with tap water as there is calcium in the water, soil and maybe nutes. And most nutes include magnesium.

If a calcium deficiency shows and plants are otherwise healthy a general fertilizer with calcium is a better course of action as all the nutes are in balance from the manufacturer.

Or it is a sign of salt buildup or other gardening mishaps.

And autos tend to need less nutes as they are smaller plants in general.

 

[Dabber68]

Cal mag is only needed if the medium holds on to certain ions like coco or to re introduce minerals to ro water.

In a potting mix with buffers like oyster shell or lime there should be no need for calmag with tap water as there is calcium in the water, soil and maybe nutes. And most nutes include magnesium.

If a calcium deficiency shows and plants are otherwise healthy a general fertilizer with calcium is a better course of action as all the nutes are in balance from the manufacturer.

Or it is a sign of salt buildup or other gardening mishaps.

And autos tend to need less nutes as they are smaller plants in general.

Thx for info. I think most of my issues are genetics ( Crop King seeds). I still have all beans I ordered from them these were freebies that they through in LOL

 

[LouixFrenchton]

What's going on here? I fimmed these two days ago.

One has equal nodes shooting up either side at the top and the other has one shooting node and some weird leaf growth?

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

What's going on here? I fimmed these two days ago.

One has equal nodes shooting up either side at the top and the other has one shooting node and some weird leaf growth?

Tearing the top off that way gives unpredictable results.

 

[LouixFrenchton]

I think I have a male

Fimmed on Saturday and now seeing this at the top? Plants have stalled a bit since fimmimg, as expected but saw this today.

Or am I being paranoid? We're into week 4 from seed, so perhaps too early to tell sex, but this does look weird. And with my feminised auto pre flowering I don't want any males pollinating her.

 

[Dabber68]

looks like pollen sacks to me