Plants wilting - Newbie problem

[Aigars]

Hello everyone!

I'll put everything straight forward!

First time grower, growing auto flowering plants. Onyx, Blue cheese and Lemon Haze.
Now it is 4 weeks in. The first 3 1/2 weeks I used only natural sun light. Now I have built small grow box with LED (see the pic).

Temp. - 22C-25C
Humidity: - 45%-57%
Light cycle - 18h light / 6h darkness

At the beginning I watered them every two days, now when I noticed that soil keeps wet I water them only in every 3-4 days.

Twice fed them with fertiliser - Complex NPK fertiliser with micro elements OEDF in chelate form. NPK 3,5-2,3-5,0 (Fe, Mn, Zn)

Problems:

- soil stays wet
- today I noticed that my girls are wilting (yesterday nothing did point out that they are unhappy)

Photos:

 

[Rentaldog]

Hmm, im still really new to this as well - working on my first grow at the moment. We have very similar setups though.

Those look like actual plant pots, but just to be sure, do they have drainage holes at the bottom? From what I have read (and experienced), wilting is usually an issue of overwatering or underwatering. It seems like you are probably leaning towards overwatering if the soil stays wet.

What I have been doing is watering enough to where a little drains out of the bottom of the pot. I leave the plant alone then until I can put my index finger into the soil along the edge of the container and feel that its pretty dry - no soil will stick to my finger really. That is when it is time to water.

Another thing might be the nutrients. Remember that im still really new to this, but I dont feed my young plants anymore. Every time I use a fert or any kind of feed before four or five nodes are formed, I burn my plants to death I figure if they get hungry before I start my feeding schedule ill notice the color fade/change.

tl;dr - possible over watering or under watering. also, less likely, possible issue with feeding them too much too early.

 

[Aigars]

Thanks for the reply!

It happened overnight (when was the dark cycle). Now they are in a little better shape.

Those pots have the drainage holes, but I noticed that when the water goes through the soil it stays at the bottom of the plate and the soil does not breath so well any more, so I turned over the plates and now they have more space to get the air from the bottom.

I put lights closer to the plants also.
And another thing I did, like literally just now - I put one plant in the sun, it is not so bright though right now.

After couple of hours I will now whether the lights are the case, overwatering or the lack of air.

Checking out other growers lighting setups, I'm thinking to get more LEDs.

 

[GreenthumbQC]

Do yourself a favour a get a proper led. Like a 180 w ufo. Or a grownorthern. I don't know your budget. But that.. chain of leds, is not going to grow your plant very well. Its completely stretched.

 

[Aigars]

Do yourself a favour a get a proper led. Like a 180 w ufo. Or a grownorthern. I don't know your budget. But that.. chain of leds, is not going to grow your plant very well. Its completely stretched.

Yeah, once I made it I figured out that this won't be enough.

 

[Rentaldog]

Thanks for the reply!

It happened overnight (when was the dark cycle). Now they are in a little better shape.

Those pots have the drainage holes, but I noticed that when the water goes through the soil it stays at the bottom of the plate and the soil does not breath so well any more, so I turned over the plates and now they have more space to get the air from the bottom.

I put lights closer to the plants also.
And another thing I did, like literally just now - I put one plant in the sun, it is not so bright though right now.

After couple of hours I will now whether the lights are the case, overwatering or the lack of air.

Checking out other growers lighting setups, I'm thinking to get more LEDs.

Hopefully you found out the problem! One bit of advice on the drainage - if the pots are sitting on a plate to catch the water, you might set something between the plate and the pot. For example, I have three mason jar rings between my pot and the tray its sitting over. This lets the water fall, and the soil drains easily from there.

Apart from that, just make sure the lights are close and that there is a little breeze going by them! Some people use an oscilating fan, but I just use a regular one facing to the side of my girl so she gets a bit of a crosswind now and then.

Your plants can get as close to a light as your hand can comfortably stay, and the closer they are the less they should stretch. Goodluck!

 

[Aigars]

Hopefully you found out the problem! One bit of advice on the drainage - if the pots are sitting on a plate to catch the water, you might set something between the plate and the pot. For example, I have three mason jar rings between my pot and the tray its sitting over. This lets the water fall, and the soil drains easily from there.

Apart from that, just make sure the lights are close and that there is a little breeze going by them! Some people use an oscilating fan, but I just use a regular one facing to the side of my girl so she gets a bit of a crosswind now and then.

Your plants can get as close to a light as your hand can comfortably stay, and the closer they are the less they should stretch. Goodluck!

I'm still on a mission

But I thought about that also (drainage and underplot plates). I am thinking that once the water goes through, it stays on the pot and I does not allow the soil to breath, as I mentioned it before, so I made a space before the plate and the drainage holes.

I am thinking that the overwatering was the problem and the lack of lights. Because, once I put them on my window sill, the plants were striking for the light.

Thanks to everyone who tried to help and gave information! I really appreciate it

 

[Rentaldog]

No problem. On a final note, since you are also using LEDs, id suggest checking out (http://www.advancedledlights.com/3w-led-grow-lights/new-diamond-series-leds-extreme-3w-led-technology/) if you have the cash.

Im sure others have better recommendations, but this is the only panel I have used so far and its doing great!

**edit** I have the DS100 100w Diamond Series panel. Doing great for veg, but I can tell that the plant could use more light. Im LST'ing my plant into a bush shape though, so hopefully it will suffice for flowering xD time will tell!

 

[Aigars]

No problem. On a final note, since you are also using LEDs, id suggest checking out (http://www.advancedledlights.com/3w-led-grow-lights/new-diamond-series-leds-extreme-3w-led-technology/) if you have the cash.

Im sure others have better recommendations, but this is the only panel I have used so far and its doing great!

**edit** I have the DS100 100w Diamond Series panel. Doing great for veg, but I can tell that the plant could use more light. Im LST'ing my plant into a bush shape though, so hopefully it will suffice for flowering xD time will tell!

Thanks! After reading that the text about my lights I modified them a bit today, tomorrow I will add a lot more LEDs. This is how they look right now, it is like 3/5 done. Oh, and it is not dark. Just my phone did something.

 

[Rentaldog]

Thats badass that you're making your own panel! Did you find a guide somewhere on how to do it, or is it something you just figured out?

 

[Aigars]

Thats badass that you're making your own panel! Did you find a guide somewhere on how to do it, or is it something you just figured out?

Huh, thanks! I just looked up what kind of color is needed. I am making by myself, because I don't understand why I should pay 300$ for something, that costs max. 100$ . And I like to make things by my self.

EDIT:

I just saw your grow light, seems high end gear. Does your LEDs really heat up? Mine are cold even though they are on for 18h. And how many LEDs are there?

 

[Rentaldog]

Im not sure on the number of LED's but its been on 24 hours a day for the past 40ish days and I can put my hand anywhere on it and its barely even warm. I have no prior experience, but it seems like a quality product to me - girls thriving!

 

[Aigars]

Im not sure on the number of LED's but its been on 24 hours a day for the past 40ish days and I can put my hand anywhere on it and its barely even warm. I have no prior experience, but it seems like a quality product to me - girls thriving!

Ohhh, nice! The the cooling is for transformators, I guess.

 

[GreenthumbQC]

Yeah, once I made it I figured out that this won't be enough.

Whatever dude no worries, you gotta work with whatcha got. Theirs some seriously skilled growers on this forum and ive already seen a lot of great responses. Just HUG your plant with those cfls, their SERIOUSLY bell curved in their ability to sustain life vs their effective distance. Yeh dig?

 

[Nuikala]

Your overwatering, those little seedling need hardly no water. Also your PH is off. Too high, you can tell by the twisted leaves its an overwatering/ph problem.
Let them get nice and dry, then water with 0ppm bottled water or PH'd water to 6.8ph.
Next week,1/4 dose of grow fertilizer.
Oh ya,ditch the LED,unless they are WAY expensive, they are probably not gonna work. LED is OK but VERY pricey and NOT WORTH IT AT ALL. The only upside is the low heat, thats about it.
Get some cfl, or better yet a HPS kit off ebay for 100 bucks.
peace

 

[Rentaldog]

Oh ya,ditch the LED,unless they are WAY expensive, they are probably not gonna work. LED is OK but VERY pricey and NOT WORTH IT AT ALL. The only upside is the low heat, thats about it.
Get some cfl, or better yet a HPS kit off ebay for 100 bucks.
peace

I agree that they are more expensive, but I also see that they consume less energy and are more efficient. Virtually no heat, really easy setup, very light overall. I can dig the LEDs, guess it just comes down to the pricing issue. If you have the cash, id say go for it - may save you some hassle in the long run.

 

[Aigars]

Thank you everybody for not ditching me - I really do appreciate your help!!!

My plants are not wilting anymore and I finished my LED panel, everything is f-ing bright, much better as it was and 1000x better as it was at the first time.

 

[Rentaldog]

Lookin good bud, keep it going! Should post some pics here as your ladies grow so we can see how your light does

 

[BeastGrow]

looks like you are growing under christmas lights

 

[Aigars]

UPDATE:

It was the light + overwatering problem. These LEDs does not work alone (yes, I know you told already that). But I added 3 CFL 15w each + LEDs, they are good now. Not wilting anymore, soul does not keep wet for a long time. And plants are growing.

Thanks ya'll for help!!