Young Seedling problems - Please Help

Hey all - first time grow. Have some visible issues. Leaf curl, and seems like browning. Three seedlings total.

White Widow Fems (not auto) growing in potting soil, using red party cups. The potting soil doesn't have added nutrients. Originally sprouted in jiffy plugs, which were transferred in their entirety to the cups. Watering every 2 - 3 days with RO water, about 1/2 cup each until run-off. Also spray with water just a couple sprays each (RO) when I think about it, no more than a couple times a day, sometimes not at all. Cups have some cut slits in the bottoms, each in a plastic tray for pots that has ridges for some raising out of run-off. Never added nutrients, waiting for if these ever get larger leaves and more of them. Up until a few days ago, was using 8 - 23 watt CFLs (all 6500k) about 2 inches from the leaves. At that time I added 4 CFLs of the same wattage, thinking it could be not enough light. After those past couple days of more light they don't seem any better. Also added the make-shift reflector for the larger hanging light. In essence, each seedling gets 4 lights directed toward it. Tonight I just moved the seedlings an inch or two away from the lights as well. So they were about 2 inches away, now they're about 4 - 5. Light schedule 18hr on 6 off.

Temps in my homemade grow box, a 4x4 area, have been 72 - 77 deg. Humidity 33 - 37%. Three computer fans in separate exhaust holes, two up top for out, 1 below for in. Two very small fans blowing across plants all the time, except for one that turns off when lights go out. They are very low air movement, but do jiggle the seedlings slightly.

Yesterday, at the last watering, one of the seedlings had a root that came up out of the top of the soil! For that seedling I put some additional potting soil on top and watered it slightly to mix in. I've generally waited until the soil has been dry, watering every 3 days, but just started every two to try and get the leaves in a better state.

The seed covers came off on 3/2. Today is 3/18. I assumed from all the examples everywhere online I'd get some faster growth than this.

I've been guessing at the culprit, which from what I've read would be: nutrient issue, light burn, watering issues. Nutrients doesn't seem to be it, none in the soil, none added. Light burn, possible, but I did the hand test for 30 seconds, no issues, with 8 or 12 lights. I have the slits and get run off so I don't believe it's too much water.

I don't have a PH meter, but one should arrive tomorrow with ph up / down. Didn't think PH would be an issue with my water filtering, but better safe than sorry.

Please help, what is the issue? Is it too much water or something else?

Thanks for any assistance -

Lion-O

My first thought was, "what ya feeding her" Then I saw you haven't feed them other then what's in the soil.
The thing that stood out for me: Watering every 2 - 3 days, generally waited until the soil has been dry. Make sure the soil is dry dry, almost to the point the top layer is dust like. I'd let them dry out, life the cups and when they feel super light, water.
Might also be a ph issue with the water.

Thank you dgthumb for the quick reply! Yes, I've been waiting until the soil is quite dry to water them. Finger inserted in soil down an inch or so and it's been dry, also the top looks dry / cracked. I wonder if that peak up of the root gives more toward some specific problem though?

Possibly overwatered,run-off puddle under the cup or not enough drainage.

I have bad luck with slits, they dont seem to drain good. Also, with seedlings you dont want to water when the top few inches is dry, weigh the cup instead. I water a shot glass every 3-4 days (dixie/solo cup) with healthy seedlings.

Thank you SPLFreak808. I'll increase the holes on the bottom of the cups and wait on watering looking extra careful at the soil.

Lion-O said:

Thank you SPLFreak808. I'll increase the holes on the bottom of the cups and wait on watering looking extra careful at the soil.

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don't let the cups sit in the run-off puddle and water when the cup feels light as shit. You want to stay on the dry side for the first 2 weeks or they will grow slow and deficient.

Lion-O said:

Thank you dgthumb for the quick reply! Yes, I've been waiting until the soil is quite dry to water them. Finger inserted in soil down an inch or so and it's been dry, also the top looks dry / cracked. I wonder if that peak up of the root gives more toward some specific problem though?

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Might sound like a silly question, but you're washing your hands thoroughly before putting your fingers in the soil right?
Like splfreak808 stated, make sure those cups feel super light, you'll probably find you're watering seedlings once a week at most.

The brownish leaves are dry and crispy. One of the seedling leaves that was like that fell off today... Removed it from the top of the soil as I read that's bad to leave dead stuff there. Lightly touched other leaves and they also feel dry. Poked my finger down in the soil a little further than usual, and it's still moist, this will be day 4 with no water (RO water, no nutrients). The smaller new growth leaves on the inside are not brown, look green/light green, but it's just the center of the plant, hardly anything there. I added even more drainage holes in the cups, and added gravel to the bottom to raise them a little when it IS ready for water. The tops of the soil in all containers looks like dust, but as stated, going a bit down in it, still moist.

I just hope these seedlings recover. They're only seedlings, and don't have much leaf area that looks good. Would hate to start over. Three weeks today since started from seed. Hate to find those days wasted, need this to work for pain management.

Lion-O said:

The brownish leaves are dry and crispy. One of the seedling leaves that was like that fell off today... Removed it from the top of the soil as I read that's bad to leave dead stuff there. Lightly touched other leaves and they also feel dry. Poked my finger down in the soil a little further than usual, and it's still moist, this will be day 4 with no water (RO water, no nutrients). The smaller new growth leaves on the inside are not brown, look green/light green, but it's just the center of the plant, hardly anything there. I added even more drainage holes in the cups, and added gravel to the bottom to raise them a little when it IS ready for water. The tops of the soil in all containers looks like dust, but as stated, going a bit down in it, still moist.

I just hope these seedlings recover. They're only seedlings, and don't have much leaf area that looks good. Would hate to start over. Three weeks today since started from seed. Hate to find those days wasted, need this to work for pain management.

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What's going to happen, the roots will seek out the remaining moisture and thus you have root development, once they do that you'll notice more growth and drier soil and lighter cups.
Just keep monitoring, and let them do their thing. To much love to early is a bad thing. It's going to take some time for the new growth to develop.
Think of it like a human. As an infant we don't grow much in the few weeks of life, then boom we hit a growth spurt... Then we steady out, then we hit puberty (flowering cycle) and shazam again a growth spurt.

Thank you dgthumb! Should I decrease the amount of bulbs until more leaves develop? I have 12 - 23 watt cfl lights right now, each seedling basically has 4 near it.

Might be to heavy on the lights this early in

I was having huge issues with my seedlings with supposedly inert soiless. I tested it at 550ppm Put some soil in empty cup do a run off test of ph and ppm

I need help!!! The cotyledons are dying and my plant is 8 days old. should I start with a small dosage of nuts or is still to early?

Do you have any pictures?

jusjd23 said:

I need help!!! The cotyledons are dying and my plant is 8 days old. should I start with a small dosage of nuts or is still to early?

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No nutes, too early. How did you germinate, what media is it in, can you give us some environmental details? Any new leaves? We need more information to be able to help.

A few possibilities: too much light or heat, over watering, soil had nutrients added or has the incorrect ph.
But also possibly not enough ventilation / air exchange.

I wouldn't add nutrients - and when you you water 2-3, it seems you're overwatering. remember, dry means not even moist - if you insert your finger and the soil seems slightly damp or cooler, then it is still moist. I would press the edges of the cup together to loosen the soil.

FInally, watch out for heat in the root zone - the soil/cup should be coolish.

It's in the fox farm soil. Could it be to much light? I have a led 90 watt. It's not giving off much heat.

Another question I have is how do you check if the soil is dry because it seems like the fox farm soil stays pretty damp not wet. It's hard to describe haha.

Hope y'all can help me with these pics. Let me know if y'all need anymore info. Appreciate y'all!!!!

jusjd23 said:

It's in the fox farm soil. Could it be to much light? I have a led 90 watt. It's not giving off much heat.

Another question I have is how do you check if the soil is dry because it seems like the fox farm soil stays pretty damp not wet. It's hard to describe haha.

Hope y'all can help me with these pics. Let me know if y'all need anymore info. Appreciate y'all!!!!

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Jusjd23, please create your own thread for questions on your issues.

Just tested my ph, water was 8.4 or so. Soil was finally dry so watered with 6.5, tested soil ph today with new meter, showed 6.5 - 7. Also turned a couple bulbs off the other day.

In the meantime I'm germinating 3 more ww seeds in better potting soil, jiffy brand with no nutes, states for seed germination. Mixed in a bit of perlite as well. Watered already and waiting to put seeds in once they show root from paper towel method. Figure this way soil will be moist when ready but not too wet. New soil also measures 6.5 - 7 ph.