Seedling Stunted Growth abd Discoloration

Hey all!
I have a 23 days old seedling that seems to be suffering here. I’m planting it under 5 32W CFL Bulbs. pH according to a color test is at around 6.5. However, it stopped growing and is showing discoloration as per the photo. No nutes has been used.

What do you think is the problem? To try and remediate I have transplanted it into a new different brand of soil mixed with perlites to see if things get better.

Any ideas? Thanks a lot!

Looks kind of small for 23 days. What soil did you have it in?

its growing roots at this size and its got discoloration cause you have never fed it.

Whats the medium?

Sorry u said.. Looks to be a lot of perlite and not much soil. I guess its just hungry.

Ah okay, let me give it nutes then if thats the case.

I used just dutch universal potting soul. However they felt like they had a lot of wood pieces instead of composted material.

I changed now to plantaflor. The reason I add so much perlites is because the soil tends to become clumpy. The roots are not growing properly, they’re still small too.

Will try to add nutes today. How much Perlite to Soil ratio should it usually be?

In this new potting mix I also added some red worm castings. I’ll add a bit more on top today as well.

Thanks a lot!

Usually its 70% soil to 30% perlite. But you can do as much as 50-50.

Aolelon said:

Usually its 70% soil to 30% perlite. But you can do as much as 50-50.

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Okay Excellent. Thanks a lot. So it definitely looks like a nutrient deficiency right? Are 5 x 32W CFL Bulbs Enough for her? How far should I put them from the plant. It’s an autoflowering strain, should I give her a 24hr light schedule or a 20/4.

Sorry for the multitude of questions, I’m just really worried and want her to pick up!

Thank you,

I haven't grown an autoflower but I've read 20/4 is a good schedule. Also CFL should be close enough to the plant to where if you stick your hand in between the light and the cfl it should not burn your hand after 30-60 seconds. 2-3 inches is best surrounding it.

As for it being nutrient deficiency I can not comment on that as I am not qualified to answer that question.

crispytriceps said:

Ah okay, let me give it nutes then if thats the case.

I used just dutch universal potting soul. However they felt like they had a lot of wood pieces instead of composted material.

I changed now to plantaflor. The reason I add so much perlites is because the soil tends to become clumpy. The roots are not growing properly, they’re still small too.

Will try to add nutes today. How much Perlite to Soil ratio should it usually be?

In this new potting mix I also added some red worm castings. I’ll add a bit more on top today as well.

Thanks a lot!

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Silly question, what was the NPK of the "potgrond"?

The reason I ask is because I had a similar problem with one plant, she was stunted and yellowing to hell, and she bounced back majestically after I repotted it in a weaker, "bio", potting soil (Using Agrofina Bio Nature, NPK 5-6-3, now, not nearly as hot as the stuff I bought without reading the effing label).

It's just a thought, thanks to a lesson I learned the hard way.

I threw the old soil bag so I cannot remember however here’s the composition of the new soil (SAB Plantaflor)

Nitrogen (N): 160 - 280 mg/l
Phosphate (P2O2): 190 - 320 mg/l
Potassium Oxide (K2O): 200 - 340 mg/l


Thanks!

And that's where the fun starts, because the German labels are different to the Belgian/Dutch ones so someone else will have to give an opinion on that stuff because that means nothing to me and I can't compare it to the labels on things here.

One of three things. Humidity is too low, overwatering and the roots are rotting, or it's too cold. Maybe all 3 of those things...

Just chuck it and start over

Fevs. said:

One of three things. Humidity is too low, overwatering and the roots are rotting, or it's too cold. Maybe all 3 of those things...

Just chuck it and start over

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I noticed something while transplanting it that the roots are not big at all, very minor root growth. It’s the second time this happens

I don’t want to waste another seed before trying to figure out what the problem could be..

Thank you

crispytriceps said:

View attachment 4125389 Hey all!
I have a 23 days old seedling that seems to be suffering here. I’m planting it under 5 32W CFL Bulbs. pH according to a color test is at around 6.5. However, it stopped growing and is showing discoloration as per the photo. No nutes has been used.

What do you think is the problem? To try and remediate I have transplanted it into a new different brand of soil mixed with perlites to see if things get better.

Any ideas? Thanks a lot!

Click to expand...

I saw this exact problem yesterday and I'm watching the thread I'll try to find it

One thing I see is your over-watering

Looks like over watering to me too. Poor little plants roots were too wet and likely too cold and have rotted.

The perlite looks very tan. Also a sign of watering too often. Soil needs to dry way out between watering. Pretty much the pot should feel as light as it did when originally filled with dry soil.

I did this to some seedlings when I started growing. I was sure I wasn’t overwatering. A wise grower told me to wait another day at least and all became well once the dry cycle was right.

Also to be gently and slow when watering fragile seedlings with new roots.

MichiganMedGrower said:

Looks like over watering to me too. Poor little plants roots were too wet and likely too cold and have rotted.

The perlite looks very tan. Also a sign of watering too often. Soil needs to dry way out between watering. Pretty much the pot should feel as light as it did when originally filled with dry soil.

I did this to some seedlings when I started growing. I was sure I wasn’t overwatering. A wise grower told me to wait another day at least and all became well once the dry cycle was right.

Also to be gently and slow when watering fragile seedlings with new roots.

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Okay I see. Thanks a lot!
So you think its better to hold off adding any water with nutes now and wait until the soil is completely dry. Do you think it will recover?

Germinate another autoflower right next to that seed in that pot if you won't start again. Don't water it, just put a plastic cup for a humidity dome over the new seed. You are wasting time, money and effort if you don't start over, or at least start another seed in that pot.

You've been told what the problem is... overwatering and cold roots.

What is the rh? What temps are you running at? That is far more important that this auto. Just get the environment correct and your new seeds will not suffer the same fate as that dead loss.

Fevs. said:

Germinate another autoflower right next to that seed in that pot if you won't start again. Don't water it, just put a plastic cup for a humidity dome over the new seed. You are wasting time, money and effort if you don't start over, or at least start another seed in that pot.

You've been told what the problem is... overwatering and cold roots.

What is the rh? What temps are you running at? That is far more important that this auto. Just get the environment correct and your new seeds will not suffer the same fate as that dead loss.

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Thank you for your reply. Is there any added value to starting in the same pot? Because I was thinking to change to another pot that’s smaller and with better drainage holes / aeration.

If you think it would be more beneficial to plant another seed in the same pot I could do that.

Thanks

Beachwalker said:

I saw yesterday somebody had about a half dozen or so plants look like that, was that your post maybe in a different forum?

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Noo that wasn’t me. I just posted one other picture in another forum but I didin’t get many replies.

crispytriceps said:

Okay I see. Thanks a lot!
So you think its better to hold off adding any water with nutes now and wait until the soil is completely dry. Do you think it will recover?

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You transplanted a sick plant that isn’t very established and re overwatered? Not the right thing to do.

Probably faster and healthier to start over.

Always let plants in potting soil dry out and show recovery before doing anything is best.

Don’t know what’s in new or old soil to advise further. But I sure wouldn’t add nutes to that plant. If left alone and the soil is decent and correct it might recover.

Best to learn the basics of gardening and have much more patience to succeed at growing.

crispytriceps said:

Thank you for your reply. Is there any added value to starting in the same pot? Because I was thinking to change to another pot that’s smaller and with better drainage holes / aeration.

If you think it would be more beneficial to plant another seed in the same pot I could do that.

Thanks

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It certainly wouldn't do any harm changing it for better drainage. It would surely decrease the chances of you overwatering.

If it was a photoperiod I'd say fix it, but you have missed a massively important part of the growth stage for an autoflower. Even if you did pull it round, you will probably get 1/4 oz yield from that little plant.

Believe or not your plant 'was' very important, mainly because you are gaining knowledge. But it's over, just start over. Make sure you get the environment perfect, don't over feed, don't overwater and it's tough to go wrong.

Why don't you just grow a feminised photoperiod? That way you can get dialled in in the veg/growth period. If you make a big mistake, you can fix it by just keeping it in veg until it's happy, strong and mature.

Do another auto and make a similar mistake and you are just pissing more time away.

Maybe do an auto, but keep a journal so we can help you from go. Experienced growers see things coming early, sometimes so early that they haven't happened yet, but from experience we just know that the wrong environment can cause future problems, or slow growth.