My first attempt at growing is going rough……slow and sickly looking plants……..

[Randallroni]

I have bought some soil that is supposed to be primo for growing. Thats what all 3 are in now. I am using Advanced Nutrients in pretty small amounts as per their instructions. None of these seem to be taking off. I am using some led grow lights that are on for about 16 or so hours a day. The soil seems to be holding a lot of water, as I have barely watered them since re- planting. They just seem so sad considering I have tried to do everything right from the start. The single pictured one is quite a few weeks old and is not getting better. It was from a seed from some stuff I had( white widow) The other 2 started at the same time with seeds I bought on line. ( Girl scout cookies). Any ideas?.. thanks for any help!

[Farmbuck]

Firstly what is your PH level ? And I'm guessing here they are just a few weeks right ? If so don't feed them yet with nutrients.

[Randallroni]

Yeah, just a few weeks. I thinked I halved the amount of nutrients because they were just getting started. It just seems like they are growing soooo slow. PH Is normal, I bought a meter because I thought that might be the cause. Thanks for the help!

[PeterMatanzas]

They appear to be drowning. They're not showing any growth because the roots have plenty of water, the roots don't need to grow out.

Also, like Farmbuck writes, what's the pH?

When I've flooded a seedling, when it sits in a pot and looks like your's look - I put that grow bag on a heated mat, on a seedling mat. That heats up the soil and stimulates the roots. Plants do often recover, not always, but often.

[PeterMatanzas]

I really let my plants dry out before I water them. Seedlings are little bit of challenge because it is so easy to give them too much water. EDIT: in the comment above, I'm talking about those heat matts sold for seedlings. MATT not MAT like I wrote above.

EDIT: well dammit I looked that up and MAT *is* the correct spelling

[PeterMatanzas]

Good advice above - don't fertilize, if the pH is off the nutrients are probably in the soil but the plant can't use them

[Randallroni]

I will them to a warmer place and see if that helps. And stop with the nutrients until they perk up. Thanks for the help!

[DeadlyFruit]

Do the plant pots have a number of holes in the bottom? If not then that is likely why they seem overwatered. I think you will eventually need larger pots so when you transplant you might consider a fabric pot. It is almost impossible to overwater when you are in one. You want to water enough that 10 or 20% comes out of the bottom and is disposed of (don’t let the pot sit in the runoff water). The plant will also have water evaporate from the sides (along with the air pruning benefit). Water it and then don’t water again until the top feels a bit dry and the pot is noticeably lighter.

[Randallroni]

Cool, I will try the coco, and plan on moving them just one time…..how big would you say is a good estimate before you move them? Again, I super appriciate the help!

[DeadlyFruit]

From a solo cup they say when the leaves meet the edge of the cup is the right time to transplant. For pots the size of yours I would say go ahead any time, but make sure to water for the size of the plant rather than soaking the medium each time. This is not because of overwatering so much because a fabric pot with coco really sheds water quickly and overwatering is less a concern, it is because it will reduce the frequency of watering while you wait for the water to be shed and the plants do best with fresh water on a regular basis as that is how they breath. In addition if the nute water keeps going in at volumes where it is evaporating more than being taken up by the plant your soil/coco can become hot with too many nutes and the pH can get harder to control in the soil (one of the reasons why we intersperse plain waterings with nute waterings is to flush out mineral buildup).

[DeadlyFruit]

One more comment if you’ve never used coco before - make sure you determine if it needs to be washed and buffered before use. Also note that adding cal-mag in addition to your normal nutes is more important in coco because coco it has very few nutrients to start.

[homegrown]

I'd say poor drainage and lights are too far away. What is your primo soil? Does it have nutes already added? Plants are stretching way too much, move your lights closer.

[PeterMatanzas]

I always use coco coir for seedlings, doesn't matter whether the transplant pot is soil or coco, the seedlings are started in coco coir. Not saying this is the best, this is what I do and it works for me. Maybe it's me but I found that Blueberry strains are particularly sensitive to hot soil and that's my goto grow. When I've started Blueberry strains in Fox Farm soils they don't like it, they show unusual, twisted leaves in early growth.

[Randallroni]

Well, that’s 2 for coco for the seedlings. Learning from the experts. 🙏

[Randallroni]

Should I add any nutrients to the coco? Or when would I start that process?

[homegrown]

I’m also a coco user, they start in coco and stay in coco. I just find it easier to manage watering and nutes. For the first week my seedlings get nothing but ph’d water and not very much. Solo cup to start and once their stable enough, straight to 5-10 gal fibre pots.