I'm a noobie grower, help me get my first harvest please ily!

lime73

Weed Modifier
I read that too, glad to know its safe then... U should change ur name to vinegar73 >:-)
Lime is in my soil. ;)

Your soil is hot, not best for seedlings. Let dry before watering again. Lift pot, if it feels light to lift, as apposed to wet it will feel heavy. stick finger in to soil to test if its wet or damp, if its wet or damp leave it another day, then Test it the next day and when its dry , then give it a good watering.
 
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Driver733

Well-Known Member
To the OP:

When I first started growing, my biggest mistake was overwatering and using pots too big for the plant.

To prevent this, I now have 4 different size pots I use from seedling/clone first rooting to final either 3 or 5 gallon fabric pots. See here the first 3 size pots I use:
20200815_094504.jpg

And I use a scale to weigh each pot before I water:

20200815_094355.jpg

Also note the numerous extra holes I drilled into the sides and bottom of these plastic pots, to allow more air in and more water out.

The reason overwatering leads to so many problems is because cannabis plant roots need oxygen as much as the leaves need carbon dioxide. The roots need to dry out (in dirt) to allow sufficient oxygen to the roots, otherwise they will rot.

I can't tell you how many times I would've watered too soon without weighing the pots first. It is hard for me to tell the difference between 1550 grams and 1400 grams just by picking them up, but that is the difference between watering too soon and waiting another day. It makes all the difference.

Do this properly and you will be rewarded.

20200815_094121.jpg
 

NastyNug

Active Member
Hang the light up as high as possible, move the plants to the opposite corner, and stop over watering. Do not transplant until the plants are bigger than the pot they are in.

Hey ya'll. Have done about a hundred hours of reading online now across everything I can find, and need some super noobie help.

I have never been able to get past the seedling / early veg stages of growing. I started with 25 feminized seeds from ilovegrowingmarijuana, and I'm about to be all out of them with no bud :( lol. maaaaan I did all the research before I jumped in and some people are like "its a weed bro it just needs light and water and air and you'll be good".

Anyways long story short, sorry I know this is a question that ya'll get all the time and yes I saw the stickied post in the forums about it, but I still don't feel confident on how to diagnose my issues. It seems like everything I read is like, if you have yellowing leaves on the bottom of your plant your best bet is nitrogen deficiency, but it could also be pH lockout, light issues, temperature issues, or it could be genetic and just leave it, and I'm like wtf maaaaaan which one is it, and where do I start. I'm on like seedling 23 over the course of 3 months and I thought I would be harvesting by now lol.

It seems like the seedling grows beautifully for the first 2.5 or 3 weeks and then they start to pale a little and start turning lime green and yellow, when it hits its 2nd or 3rd node it just starts rotting from the bottom up, I've seen all the colors, yellow, purple, brown, dark brown almost black. (Not the cotyledons i know its normal for those to wither and die). Then the growth pretty much completely halts, so I start over.

For my first 2 rounds of seedlings (R.I.P.) I was using Espoma potting mix which I know isnt the best. I also got espoma plant-tone as an organic nutrient topfeed during veg. I read online that some people had amazing results with these, although not the go-to. And at the time these were the only available at my gardening store, so I tried them. I'm now on my 3rd round. Rounds 1 and 2, I ran into heat issues (got up to 95f some days during a heatwave inside the tent) and also I'm assuming the soil & nutrients aren't ideal causing nutrient deficiencies, N and P i'm guessing are the biggest candidates because my leaves turned yellow and purplish for the most part. Also I was overwatering, which I believed I fixed this time around.

For the 3rd and current round I'm hoping ya'll can help me so my new seedlings don't end up like the last. The first bottom leaves are starting to turn lime green and yellow so I'm trying to act quick! (pictures attached) here are my specs:

Indoor grow
New soil: Fox Farm Ocean Forest (I read online I should be good with no added nutes until flower with this soil?)
Light : Viparspectra 450W LED light I have hanging from a curtain rod 25" above 18/6, also natural sunlight coming through a window right next to the table I have the plants on.
Tent: No tent, moved into a room that's A/C'd will move back into tent once New England cools off.
Temps: Between 66 and 77 degrees
Humidity: Fluctuates in New England from 30-80% is this a huge factor?
Water: Bottled spring water only. pH tested with electronic meter around 6.8 always.
Strains: Sour D, Bubblegum, Granddaddy Purp, and AK-47

Attached in the pictures are the current seedlings. Since the FF soil I'm using should have enough nutrients, do you think it's time to transplant into fresh soil thats why I'm seeing these deficiencies (maybe deficiencies)? Also, a friend of mine suggested clipping the leaves that are starting to yellow. I don't know if I should trust that, I've read you can do that further into veg but is it too early now?

Thanks to anybody that can help!
 

Bigbryantn

Active Member
When I was learning to water correctly I had two plants I "sacrificed" to learn with. I would water and watch. Let the medium become dry and watch the plants. A thirsty plant will show itself and is easily recognized once you know what your looking at. I harvested both of those experiment plants even though they had run excessively dry many times.
 

lime73

Weed Modifier
When I was learning to water correctly I had two plants I "sacrificed" to learn with. I would water and watch. Let the medium become dry and watch the plants. A thirsty plant will show itself and is easily recognized once you know what your looking at. I harvested both of those experiment plants even though they had run excessively dry many times.
Yes learning to read plants is the key to understanding them...and also benifits by helping us to keep them healthy and green...if you know the signs , you will be able to adapt and will be able to prevent major issues, down the road.
 

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
When I was learning to water correctly I had two plants I "sacrificed" to learn with. I would water and watch. Let the medium become dry and watch the plants. A thirsty plant will show itself and is easily recognized once you know what your looking at. I harvested both of those experiment plants even though they had run excessively dry many times.
I have a 2 to 3' tall sativa on my patio in a small 1 qt pot. It needs watering twice a day.
When i get home from work it is bent over and sad, less than 5 min after watering she is standing up tall again.
 

lime73

Weed Modifier
treat em all differently is what i do! ....only give each one water / feed when needed, not all at same time and schedule ;)
 

lime73

Weed Modifier
Here's a tip , have a logg of everything you do to them or environment. That way you can look back a few days or week, and have the info , which we can now use, to be able to properly correct anything we did, if needed. ;)

This has drastically helped me , more than a few times now...

This is why i treat em all differently. I read the plants and they let me know when they are thirsty or if they want more food and are really hungry.

Plus it benefits me cuz now if I have different strains or even different phenos of same strain, I'm adjusting to each one independent of each other.

Atm I have 4 same strain , but all look different from each other which is Way more noticeable now in Full Bloom!

Umm OK lime....nice ramble?.....:lol:
 
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Bigbryantn

Active Member
Here's a tip , have a logg of everything you do to them or environment. That way you can look back a few days or week, and have the info , which we can now use, to be able to properly correct anything we did, if needed. ;)

This has drastically helped me , more than a few times now...

This is why i treat em all differently. I read the plants and they let me know when they are thirsty or if they want more food and are really hungry.

Plus it benefits me cuz now if I have different strains or even different phenos of same strain, I'm adjusting to each one independent of each other.

Atm I have 4 same strain , but all look different from each other which is Way more noticeable now in Full Bloom!

Umm OK lime....nice ramble?.....:lol:
Someone mentioned you might have some vids to watch? On here?
 

Silky T

Well-Known Member
Hey ya'll. Have done about a hundred hours of reading online now across everything I can find, and need some super noobie help.

I have never been able to get past the seedling / early veg stages of growing. I started with 25 feminized seeds from ilovegrowingmarijuana, and I'm about to be all out of them with no bud :( lol. maaaaan I did all the research before I jumped in and some people are like "its a weed bro it just needs light and water and air and you'll be good".

Anyways long story short, sorry I know this is a question that ya'll get all the time and yes I saw the stickied post in the forums about it, but I still don't feel confident on how to diagnose my issues. It seems like everything I read is like, if you have yellowing leaves on the bottom of your plant your best bet is nitrogen deficiency, but it could also be pH lockout, light issues, temperature issues, or it could be genetic and just leave it, and I'm like wtf maaaaaan which one is it, and where do I start. I'm on like seedling 23 over the course of 3 months and I thought I would be harvesting by now lol.

It seems like the seedling grows beautifully for the first 2.5 or 3 weeks and then they start to pale a little and start turning lime green and yellow, when it hits its 2nd or 3rd node it just starts rotting from the bottom up, I've seen all the colors, yellow, purple, brown, dark brown almost black. (Not the cotyledons i know its normal for those to wither and die). Then the growth pretty much completely halts, so I start over.

For my first 2 rounds of seedlings (R.I.P.) I was using Espoma potting mix which I know isnt the best. I also got espoma plant-tone as an organic nutrient topfeed during veg. I read online that some people had amazing results with these, although not the go-to. And at the time these were the only available at my gardening store, so I tried them. I'm now on my 3rd round. Rounds 1 and 2, I ran into heat issues (got up to 95f some days during a heatwave inside the tent) and also I'm assuming the soil & nutrients aren't ideal causing nutrient deficiencies, N and P i'm guessing are the biggest candidates because my leaves turned yellow and purplish for the most part. Also I was overwatering, which I believed I fixed this time around.

For the 3rd and current round I'm hoping ya'll can help me so my new seedlings don't end up like the last. The first bottom leaves are starting to turn lime green and yellow so I'm trying to act quick! (pictures attached) here are my specs:

Indoor grow
New soil: Fox Farm Ocean Forest (I read online I should be good with no added nutes until flower with this soil?)
Light : Viparspectra 450W LED light I have hanging from a curtain rod 25" above 18/6, also natural sunlight coming through a window right next to the table I have the plants on.
Tent: No tent, moved into a room that's A/C'd will move back into tent once New England cools off.
Temps: Between 66 and 77 degrees
Humidity: Fluctuates in New England from 30-80% is this a huge factor?
Water: Bottled spring water only. pH tested with electronic meter around 6.8 always.
Strains: Sour D, Bubblegum, Granddaddy Purp, and AK-47

Attached in the pictures are the current seedlings. Since the FF soil I'm using should have enough nutrients, do you think it's time to transplant into fresh soil thats why I'm seeing these deficiencies (maybe deficiencies)? Also, a friend of mine suggested clipping the leaves that are starting to yellow. I don't know if I should trust that, I've read you can do that further into veg but is it too early now?

Thanks to anybody that can help!
IMO, you are giving them nutes waaay too early. In the beginning, like your friend said, just air, soil and water. Don't mix a bunch of crazy stuff in your soil, just MG Potting soil to get it started. Once, the plant has gotten over the hump, then transplant it into a larger pot with some good, treated soil and give 1/4 nutes the bottle calls for to start. I use Fox Farm myself and although it's great stuff, plants can OD on it if you give it too early or too much.
 

Silky T

Well-Known Member
Someone mentioned you might have some vids to watch? On here?
Same here, all the same strain, but all the plants look different. I "experiment" with nutes on the ugliest one of the bunch for testers and doing this has saved the rest of the plants.
 

Johiem

Well-Known Member
I say try a new growing method. My experience in soil sucked. I didn't have your problems, it just didn't produce. I switched to DWC and haven't looked back. This is one of my girls, about 4 weeks in flower. She is about 3 1/2 ft tall.
 

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