Seedlings won't stand up! (HELP!)

I've got 2 AK-48's and 1 Thai. They're directly under 26W 6500k CFL, surrounded by reflective material. I've got a small PC fan to ventilate. Temp is good, I've got them on an 18/6 lighting schedule now. They wilted previously and became extremly thin so I reburied in coco up to just below the first leaves. Now they're wilting again. I just can't figure out what is going wrong. I tried moving the lights closer and tested to make sure it wasn't too hot. Changed up watering; was watering every 3 days, then tried every other day. Now I'm not sure.

The CFL's are about 1.5-2" away from the plants. Are they too close? Not enough light (3x26w 6500k cfls and 1x10 300k CFL)?

Do I need to change up the watering?

My only other idea is maybe the containters they're in are too shallow to develop a decent root system?

Any help is appreciated! Attached is a pick of the AK-48's. I can take more pics as needed. I desperately need some advice on this. I've scoured the web and can't really get this right. My goal is to move to a bucket DWC soon.

spraying , just to get growing medium moist all the time , works pretty well with seedlings

So I should start spraying water in there? I was using a small syringe to apply the water around the base of the plant.

use wooden sticks to support small plants, don't tie them to it, just drive couple sticks in soil and let the plant lean on it. it's not unseen, small plants are like this sometimes, the stem will get harder in a week or two.

give them more light

dude you need to keep that coco wet at all times until it gets stable enough to do it own thing..only water.. and untie that string from around it.. it will stand up on its own .

They are very thirsty. Water every other day for now, but you have to keep them moist until a root system is developed. Peat pots are good to start seeds but not after that, they are meant for direct transfer into the next pot. You will not be able to remove those seedling from those containers as the root system will grow into and through it. Back you light off to 6" also, it will be too hot for a plant that small. Peace

use toothpics so u dont disturb the lil roots that are there.. when your seed is healthy it will start heading to the light unless you bent or snapped the stalk when transplanting

Give them light.

I used to use half soil in the cup then when they got bigger I added more soil.
Look into dampening off its when a seedling gets bacteria and dies.

It will look like its pinched.

Happened to lots of my veggies last year.

Not quite enough light for three plants, and for the time being back it off to about 6 inches ,and for now water every other day, w/plain water , if the top of the coco is a bit dry on the off day, use a spray bottle lightly.jimadick and popcorn got it right. Peace & be kind.

Update:
I splinted the plants with toothpicks, watered them with a spray bottle as well. I'm going to be installing a 400w MH light tonight and I backed the CFLs off about 5-6". Fingers crossed! Any suggestions on safe distance for a 400w MH?

Thanks!

400w MH is HUGE. Don't you have a "lamp" or anything with a floro? I might be wrong but you dont need "Energy" to get seeds going.
and not a 400w MH.

I messed with seeds last grow, 4 males that were 6 foot tall big as volkeswagons before they got balls and two hermies.
Ill never do that again!

Good luck!

leels said:

Any suggestions on safe distance for a 400w MH?

Click to expand...

Maybe 20 feet away if it is turned off. You can grow to a couple weeks with a handful of CFLs correctly positioned..

That type of cup dries the soil out really quickly, used to use them when I first started growing and found they did not help to keep the soil moist at all. I'd bet the seedlings root system has been starved of water. Change to a plastic type cup, they are much better. I do not think you will be able to save them but water is what they need, just do not drown them.

the more you mess with them the more you will screw them up.. they are seedlings they need water and light.. use a few cfls during seedling and go to your 400 when they are atleast 6-8 inches and a few layers of limbs..the cardboard cup will suck the moisture out of the coco.. so take the cup and cut that square out and put the whole thing in new soil and carefully cut the bottom out so roots can go out instead of through the cup..it will eventually become part of the root ball.coco will dy out faster then soil.. take a water bottle and cut off the top and sit it over the seedling for moisture..

Get that 400 MH up and running as soon as possible ditch those shitty cfl's. 12 to 16 inch from plant is a good distance.

When I get floppy seedlings I water from the bottom.....get a bowl and put a couple of inches of water in it..then place your container in the water. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and your seedling is watered without knocking it over.

Just brace them up like you already are. Next time you can soak your medium with a seaweed extract I prefer Rhizotonic which is a brown marine algae. Most companies use ascophyllum nodosum which is acceptable as well. Seaweed and marine algaes contain hormones from the cytokinin family and will keep your plants from stretching so much. It's also useful to use during the first part of flower to prevent excess stretching and will drastically increase your root development.

You mentioned they got thinner... Like the stem got thinner? That sounds like damping off (fungus) to me. Really no way to save a seedling that's damping off.

i hope for your sake that's not what it is, but I have a bad feeling...