Acapulco Gold Seedlings Wilting... I dont think it is overwatering... 2nd grow

[oldcoder]

Help Please!

I transplanted four very happy seedlings into the 2 gal fabric pots, two days after transplanting they all wilted. They have been like this for a week.

I let dry out for 6 days utilizing one exhaust fan and two interior oscillation fans. I weighed the pots and determined that they were dry, then gave about 3 oz spring water to each. Two days after that, they are all still wilted. Perhaps more...

So, could it be the soil mix? something else?.
I am about to cull all four and start again. Perhaps with a different soil mix.

Even if i get these girls healthy again, will the genetics be all messed up...yield...other problems?

Here is the deets of the grow:

• 2.3x2.3x5 grow tent
• Mars Hydro TS-1000 lamp
• Temp 72 F 47% humidity
• 18/6 light schedule
• Seed supreme seeds Acapulco Gold and Purple haze (2 of each)
• Seedlings grown in solo cups with only Happy Frog
• After two weeks I transplanted (very strong roots) into 2 Gal cloth pots filled with a base of FFOF and a little Happy frog to help the seedlings adapt.
• No nutrients,
• Right after re-potting, I gave each plant 1/2 liter of spring water
• Two days later major wilting!

Thanks to any of you experts that can point me in the right direction.

[golfnrl]

PH. What's the PH of your spring water? BTW, what exactly is spring water? Go over to the web site and search for how to transplant. There are several good articles there that may help you determine why your girls are wilted. How high above your plants is your grow light? Don't cull them they can recover just fine. Let's figure this out.

[oldcoder]

Hi Golfnrl!
Thanks so much for your response. I wasn't sure about my well water so I started them off with Deer Park spring bottled drinking water. I got a ppm tester and my well water tests to 32 PPM TDS. So I will be using that from here on on in. (I forgot to say that the seeds were feminized auto-period)

My lights were at 18" / 75%. I lowered them down, to help dry them out. But I never had wilting on my first grow, the only different is the soil and the "spring" water. Spring water is 8.0! I dint thing that natuarl spring water would cause a problem. Also the solo cups only got spring water in the Happy frog, and they looked healthy as health could be.

I was super gentle with the transplanting. I filled pots with FFOF, pushed down a empty solo cup to make room for the seedling, spread a little Happy frog to buffer the higher nutrient FFOF. I then cut off the solo cup and carefully lowered the seedling (without touching the roots) and gently tamped down the surrounding soil.

I have LOTS and LOTS of articles on here and other sites. I am a man without a plan right now.

(thanks for your encouragement)

[golfnrl]

I wondered about the bottled water. I've seen that brand around. I like the way you prep the transplant. That's the way that I do it. Your roots look good. Am I seeing 70+% RH on that hygrometer, your notes say 47? I'm sure you know that the PH range for soil is 6.0 to 7.0. FFOF is good for veg but it may be too hot for your plants. It is usually good for a plant through veg but that's about it. Is that soil aerated?

[oldcoder]

Yes, there was at 71% when I opened the tent after being dark and quiet all night. With lights and fans on it is about 47%. The PH of the soil is about 6.8.

I started paying more attention to RH, after it being really low for the first two weeks (like about 35% RH). I first figured I screwed up by putting about a half liter in the trays below the plants (the plants are raised up from the water with a rack). It brought up the RH but then started drooping. I wonder if the hot nature of FFOF may have caused this. I see both schools of thought on forums.

My first grow (seed supreme auto flowers) went really well, and I used FoxFarm Cultivation Nation 70:30, I added the FoxFarm liquid nutrients. Yield wasn't great but I was happy to have weed that I Grew!

Its risky, I know but I am tempted to transplant all to a more neutral growing medium.

Aerated? I didn't specifically do that. Yesterday I read that poking a pencil pretty deep in and around the plant would help give the plants oxygen. How would you normally aerate the soil?

Thanks so much for your help and insight!

[golfnrl]

Aerate a medium by mixing in some perlite, clay balls, etc. 70/30, 60/40, 50/50. Just make sure to wash and rinse before use and use PH'd water to do it. I prefer perlite. In veg humidity isn't as important as it is in flower. RH at 50% or less is OK for Veg. If it gets higher than the 50's in flower you're at risk for mold issues. My current grow the RH is in the 30's day and night. That's unusual for where I live. Low RH should make dense buds and reduce risk of mold. Do you exhaust your tent during the dark period? I'd recommend that you do, but you wouldn't need the circulating fans during that time. I use the exhaust fan to help control the RH in the dark period if I can. Check out the grow guide for your seeds to see if they recommend higher RH.

After one grow with FFOF I switched to a 50/50 blend of coco and perlite and changed nutrients to CX Horticulture. Coco has little to zero nutritional value for plant growth. I like the fact that the plants rely on me and I know exactly how much nutrients they are receiving. Coco is very forgiving. It's almost impossible to overwater with it.

Also, you've probably already looked at the plant problems tab at the top of this page, but if you haven't is def worth a look. If you do transplant again that may stunt your plant just because of the timing. But, my experience is a stunted plant may not be that bad. I grew a stunted auto plant recently that is some potent smoke, totally surprising. I have a photo-fem sativa growing that had some major PH issues, was stunted but is now in flower and growing some great looking buds, so a stunted plant ain't the end of the world.

My first grow the yield was terrible, but I didn't care, I'm like you, the fact that I was smoking what I grew made up for the all the problems. And you know what? We get to do it again! Kudos on the PPM meter. It'll help ya.

[oldcoder]

This is some seriously good information and well thought out response. I really appreciate the thought you put into it. I don't feel so alone in this now that I have really nice people pointing me in the right direction. Next transplant, I will add some more perlite. Also, I am switching to well water and am trying to grow some more patience!

FYI, I had zero issues with the first grow, and I use my well water.
Thank you so much!

[Smallgrow]

All that info is on point, make sure to PH your well water so you know.
I would additionally suggest higher temps and humidity in veg, especially early.
Seedlings could go like 80% 80f, early to mid veg I usually run 65-70% and 77f , start to pull the RH back starting into flower

[Bluey]

It's important not to stress these plants for best results, especially autos as the clocks ticking.

Some can transplant without stress but I just germinate them in their final pot avoiding any possibility of transplant shock.

2gal is a small final pot. Try 5gal next time for autos if you have the space.

Edit. They actually look pretty good in those pics.

[oldcoder]

Thanks so much for having a look at my problem! These are feminized, so I plan on going to 5 gal a few weeks before switching the light schedule. I like the idea of germinating in the final pot!