Need help. First time grower. Seedlings are pale green and yellow.

I’m a first time grower and trying to grow without spending a lot of money. I’m having some problems with my 2 week old seedlings.

They are looking pale green/yellow and one even looks a little purple. They haven’t shown much improvement over the last week and very little growth as well. I’m wondering if there is anything I should do or if I should give up on these plants and start fresh with some other seeds. I’ll try to give more info about what I’ve been doing and what I’m using. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I’m just using some free seeds that were given to me. They guy said he didn’t know what type they were but thought they were Sativa.

I germinated them by placing in a cup of water for 18 hrs and then in a wet paper towel in a ziplock bag for about 12-24 hours until they had1/4” - 1/2” tails. Then I planted and they popped up within a day or 2.

I’m trying to keep this grow cheap so I just have them in solo cups and I used some cheap potting soil (no nutes added) and about 20% perlite.

For the first 3-5 days they were looking really green and healthy but a little stretched. So I replanted them and buried the stem like I read on these forums.

I started to notice that they were turning a lighter green and when I looked into reasons why I saw that I was probably overwatering. Since then I bought a cheap moisture meter and let the plants dry out a bit and now only water when the dial is in the red (I’ll attach a pic). I don’t know the pH levels but I’ve just been using tap water that I keep out for a day or 2 before I use it
For the first week I had them in a 18”x30”x60” cabinet with cheap reflective material on the sides and I used 6 CFL bulbs for light. It got a little hot in there (28-30 C) and had like no air circulation/fresh air.

A week ago I got a good deal online and bought a 2x4x5 grow tent and a Meizhi 300W LED grow light that I’ve been using for almost a week now. I keep the lights about 18 away from the plants.

The temp is goes between 23-26 C and the humidity is goes between 54-60%.

Please let me know what you guys think I should do with them. I try to read as much as possible online but there’s a lot out there and for a first time grower I’m not sure what to listen to.

I don’t mind spending a little more money but would prefer not to spend too much more. If there’s anything that I need to get please let me know. Any help would be awesome. Thanks.

Start checking pH will probably fix it and if the ph is the problem starting over will do nothing as the new plants will have the same problem do u have decent drainage in the cups?

Ok I’ll have to get something to check the pH. Should I be checking the water I use or the soil, or both? I have 8 holes cut out of each solo cup bottom, do you think that’s enough? Thanks

Do you think the seedlings are too far gone though?

Bjm said:

Do you think the seedlings are too far gone though?

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Never!!!

Take them out of that bright light. its too much for them lil girls. or raise it to the ceiling.

Growing on the cheap is possible with great results but you do have to have certain things that cut alot of guesswork out.

A pH meter and/or pH testing kit
pH up/pH down
Amended soil - shit soil can be turned into good soil with a few cheap-ish additions, dolomitic lime, peat, Bloodmeal, bonemeal etc
A pH stable water source without chlorine/chloramine (distilled and RO water is not great) if you use tap water, let it sit in an open container for 24 hours before use
A nutrient line for soil from a trusted source
Lights
Temp control ability

These are the basics and can be done cheap or not, D.I.Y. is a grower best friend.

raise the lights. I'm not a fan of those meters, personally too inconsistent. Use your finger, seedling need very little water and need to look for it to build up the roots. I assume no nutrients in the soil, or added by you?

Also for veg you don't need you purple light, that's for bloom stage. Use the veg light for veg as it requires less light intensity in veg, then put both on for flower.

I owned that same light before older model. I don't want to trash it. But I had a terrible experience with mine. 3/4 of the lights died out within about a month. Sent it back, worked for 4 hours and same thing. This was a few years back, so hopefully they've improved, for your sake. Good luck friend.

Which “ cheap “ soil ?

Looks like it is frying those seedlings.

Kalebaiden said:

Growing on the cheap is possible with great results but you do have to have certain things that cut alot of guesswork out.

A pH meter and/or pH testing kit
pH up/pH down
Amended soil - shit soil can be turned into good soil with a few cheap-ish additions, dolomitic lime, peat, Bloodmeal, bonemeal etc
A pH stable water source without chlorine/chloramine (distilled and RO water is not great) if you use tap water, let it sit in an open container for 24 hours before use
A nutrient line for soil from a trusted source
Lights
Temp control ability

These are the basics and can be done cheap or not, D.I.Y. is a grower best friend.

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Thanks, I’m going to look into some things that I can add to the soil. I was also considering buying an organic soil for later when I move these plants to bigger pots. What are you thoughts.

Skewbong said:

raise the lights. I'm not a fan of those meters, personally too inconsistent. Use your finger, seedling need very little water and need to look for it to build up the roots. I assume no nutrients in the soil, or added by you?

Also for veg you don't need you purple light, that's for bloom stage. Use the veg light for veg as it requires less light intensity in veg, then put both on for flower.

I owned that same light before older model. I don't want to trash it. But I had a terrible experience with mine. 3/4 of the lights died out within about a month. Sent it back, worked for 4 hours and same thing. This was a few years back, so hopefully they've improved, for your sake. Good luck friend.

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Thansk for replying. How high do you think I should raise the lights? They’re currently at 18” above the plants.

I haven’t added anything to the soil besides perlite. I was trying the finger method but I always thought it was dry and I think that led to overwatering. I guess I can’t trust my fingers.

I doubled checked my lights and the purple light comes on with the veg switch. The bloom lights are a different colour as well. I’ll try to attach pics if you can let me know if it’s how it should be. Thanks.

This is with the veg light on:

This is with the flower/bloom switch on:

This is with both switches on:

Wow, I think they may have changed the diodes a bit. I thought there was more white light than that for veg. If you only have one light seitch on 18" should be fine. What type of soil? Sometimes there is time release nutes which are hard to regulate. And are very toxic to seedlings. Checking by finger takes time to learn

Budzbuddha said:

Which “ cheap “ soil ?

Looks like it is frying those seedlings.

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Hey. This is what I used. I was told there was nothing else added to it. I just added perlite.

Skewbong said:

Wow, I think they may have changed the diodes a bit. I thought there was more white light than that for veg. If you only have one light seitch on 18" should be fine. What type of soil? Sometimes there is time release nutes which are hard to regulate. And are very toxic to seedlings. Checking by finger takes time to learn

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This is what I have now:

I was thinking about switching to an organic soil that a friend of mine uses. I’m trying to not spend to much. What are your thoughts on this

Thanks again.

I dont grow organic, so I can't say. But I use cheap soil all of the time without issue. It doesn't have any nutes in it, so I can't help you on this one, but im guessing overwatered and or maybe bad ph. Wait for others opinions.

Raise that light to the ceiling and only use the veg light. They are just tiny seeds , they dont need much light at all. a single light bulb would work. 18" is only a couple inches higher then what you want for flower. (or bigger healthy girls) I suspect the medium and/or overwatering is the main issue but there is such thing as too much light. SPECIALLY on tiny seedlings. No matter what you do , you need to raise that light to 36" or more till they grow a lil more.

The mix you have is almost the same thing as the promix organic. (yours is organic too)

getogrow said:

Raise that light to the ceiling and only use the veg light. They are just tiny seeds , they dont need much light at all. a single light bulb would work. 18" is only a couple inches higher then what you want for flower. (or bigger healthy girls) I suspect the medium and/or overwatering is the main issue but there is such thing as too much light. SPECIALLY on tiny seedlings. No matter what you do , you need to raise that light to 36" or more till they grow a lil more.

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Ok thanks. I’ll raise the light up and watch the overwatering.

thanks everyone for your advice.

on them little solo cups , weight is the easiest way to check moisture levels. Pick up a bone dry one , then pick up a fresh watered one an go by that. once they dry out real good they will hit a growth spurt!

Looks like heat stress