Please help, seedlings not growing (pics)

[tokm]

These seedlings are two weeks old, they were germinated using paper towel method. I'm growing in 70/30 coco/perlite via hempy buckets. My first mistake was that after they popped and their tap root grew between .5 and 1 inch I put them directly in a 5 gallon coco-hempy bucket. I realize this was a mistake. My coco was pre-washed and I have given only distilled water with CalMag+ pHed to 5.6. I let they stay in there for a week and there was zero growth, so I recently (3 days ago) moved them into small versions of coco-hempy which are made of 1 liter bottles. I have given one dose of half strength Lucas formula for coco, other than that I just distilled water with calmag+ (again, pHed to 5.6). I have CFL's over them and I think the temps have been okay (between 70F at night at 80F during the day). My humidity varies, but for the most part it has been over 40rH. I have the lights on a timer giving them 18/6. The first sets of leaves (true leaves?) have twisted and curled down, but otherwise they are pretty green. When I transplanted from 5 gallon to 1 liter hempys I was able to see the root and it was still just one long tap root. Please help, these babies are not growing at all.

BTW they are CK White Widow Fem.

I have never grown in hempy before so it's hard for me to tell if the coco is too saturated, the top dries out a little but if I pick up a handful that is a few inches below the surface and squeeze it, water comes out.

The 1 liter bottles are sitting in the bigger coco buckets only because I didn't want to duct tape the 1 liters, so i put them under the coco to prevent light hitting the root.

 

[tropicalcannabispatient]

These seedlings are two weeks old, they were germinated using paper towel method. I'm growing in 70/30 coco/perlite via hempy buckets. My first mistake was that after they popped and their tap root grew between .5 and 1 inch I put them directly in a 5 gallon coco-hempy bucket. I realize this was a mistake. My coco was pre-washed and I have given only distilled water with CalMag+ pHed to 5.6. I let they stay in there for a week and there was zero growth, so I recently (3 days ago) moved them into small versions of coco-hempy which are made of 1 liter bottles. I have given one dose of half strength Lucas formula for coco, other than that I just distilled water with calmag+ (again, pHed to 5.6). I have CFL's over them and I think the temps have been okay (between 70F at night at 80F during the day). My humidity varies, but for the most part it has been over 40rH. I have the lights on a timer giving them 18/6. The first sets of leaves (true leaves?) have twisted and curled down, but otherwise they are pretty green. When I transplanted from 5 gallon to 1 liter hempys I was able to see the root and it was still just one long tap root. Please help, these babies are not growing at all.

BTW they are CK White Widow Fem.

I have never grown in hempy before so it's hard for me to tell if the coco is too saturated, the top dries out a little but if I pick up a handful that is a few inches below the surface and squeeze it, water comes out.

The 1 liter bottles are sitting in the bigger coco buckets only because I didn't want to duct tape the 1 liters, so i put them under the coco to prevent light hitting the root.

How to Hydrate Coco Coir Bricks (makes 9-10 gallons) - plus a tutorial on how to grow cannabis in coco coir | Grow Weed Easy http://www.growweedeasy.com/coco-coir

 

[Bdoggg]

My 2 cents.. Get one or two more lights over them and let the medium dry. When it dries the roots will expand looking for moisture, you're roots are not developed so the plant cannot develop. Also they don't need nutes for a couple more weeks, the energy inside the plant should be doing the work right now. I'd water once more slightly with plain water to dilute the nutes a bit.. then let her dry and transplant in a few weeks

 

[tokm]

How to Hydrate Coco Coir Bricks (makes 9-10 gallons) - plus a tutorial on how to grow cannabis in coco coir | Grow Weed Easy http://www.growweedeasy.com/coco-coir

Thanks, I followed the method to hydrate and wash by using two 5 gallon buckets, one with holes in the bottom. Coco texture seems okay, it does seem to retain water for a long time thought.

My 2 cents.. Get one or two more lights over them and let the medium dry. When it dries the roots will expand looking for moisture, you're roots are not developed so the plant cannot develop. Also they don't need nutes for a couple more weeks, the energy inside the plant should be doing the work right now. I'd water once more slightly with plain water to dilute the nutes a bit.. then let her dry and transplant in a few weeks

The CFLs I have are 200W, and I have two of them over the three plants. I will let them dry out. Thanks.

 

[johnsmokesalot]

In addition to what Bdoggg said and if you still have issues, maybe try mixing in some more perlite...Since you started in the 2 liter (I usually start with 16oz party cups for seedlings with Hempy), I feel it will help distribute the saturated moisture from the seedling's root system in the bucket and will help pull up water from the bottom which should thus provide some more oxygen to the seedling (making the bucket more "airy"). Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but from experience I think at least 50% perlite is good, although my current grow in my sig is 100% perlite. I still consider myself a beginner but I've done a few Hempy grows so if you have any questions, feel free to ask whatever. Good luck!

 

[tokm]

In addition to what Bdoggg said and if you still have issues, maybe try mixing in some more perlite...Since you started in the 2 liter (I usually start with 16oz party cups for seedlings with Hempy), I feel it will help distribute the saturated moisture from the seedling's root system in the bucket and will help pull up water from the bottom which should thus provide some more oxygen to the seedling (making the bucket more "airy"). Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but from experience I think at least 50% perlite is good, although my current grow in my sig is 100% perlite. I still consider myself a beginner but I've done a few Hempy grows so if you have any questions, feel free to ask whatever. Good luck!

Yes they still aren't growing. I actually put them in 1 liter bottles (seltzer bottles) not 2 liter ones. Two of them showed tiny signs of growth, so I'm just trying to keep the coco moist and holding my breath. For 10 day old seedlings things aren't looking good though. Thanks for your input.

 

[rkymtnman]

i'd try a 100%perlite hempy in a solo cup. skip the coco.

 

[tokm]

i'd try a 100%perlite hempy in a solo cup. skip the coco.

Thanks for the suggestion. I would like to try to save these girls if possible, these damn seeds aren't cheap!

 

[rkymtnman]

i do hempys. i start my seeds in rapid rooters in a little aero unit. when the roots get long, they get transferred into the hempy.

 

[johnsmokesalot]

...yep Rapid rooters is the way to go.

 

[tokm]

i do hempys. i start my seeds in rapid rooters in a little aero unit. when the roots get long, they get transferred into the hempy.

...yep Rapid rooters is the way to go.

Oh yah, next time i'm definitely going to use rapid rooters. I think that common misconception for new growers (me) is that coco can't be over-watered. I think that is generally true, but only AFTER a good root system is established. I figured that I would put the seedlings in a 5 gallon hempy then just water daily until the roots got to the res. This just wasn't working, which is why I moved them to the 1 liter bottles. Now I'm finding that the coco is almost always pretty moist (too moist). One of the seedlings is dampening off, the other two could be growing (very very slowly) or my eyes could be playing tricks on me. I have a oscillating fan going over them in the hope they coco will dry more quickly. I think I'll let them go for another week, and if I don't see improvement I'm going to scrap this and germ some new seeds for a soil grow. It's difficult to find good info out there on coco, some people say water every single day with nuts, some say the opposite, some say to do wet/dry cycle, others say keep moist all the time.

 

[johnsmokesalot]

Yea it does get confusing with everyone being an "expert" at growing and everybody's giving different advice and theories...We all grow differently so it's just trial and error at the end of the day. Personally, I do the wet/dry cycle because I feel it's always better to underwater than overwater. I water every 2-3 days in 3.5 gallon pots.