Why am I retarded

VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
Right. There's all this rage about starting in small pots. I hear this "feed a shot glass to seedlings when the top is dry", "you can't water seedlings much", "don't start in big pots, you drown seedlings", "start in solos"

Why am I completely incapable of starting in small pots? One was started in a 250mm pot (8L) and watered to runoff day one. It has been watered to runoff every second day regardless. It is fine and not showing issues of saturation.
IMG_20220109_121409.jpg
However, every single time I've started in anything small, I get massive stunting. This one was started in a 100mm pot (600ml) has copped the "only water when it's dry, seedlings only need a splash every few days" method, and it's been trash since day one. I've been putting around 150ml in every second day when the top dries out.
IMG_20220109_121453.jpg

This has happened every single time I have started in a small pot. How can I be so bad at running small pots? God forbid I ever participate in a solo cup challenge. Both are at day 13 now.

I can't figure it out. Every auto I've started in 2-3 gallon pots and watered to saturation from day one have pulled between 5-7 ounces and never dealt with stunting or over/under watering, but every plant I've started in small pots hasn't even been worth growing due to stunting and watering issues.

What the hell is wrong with me lol. Both were watered last night. The small pot gets left until the top is dry, the large one gets watered regardless. The small pots just never work for me. This has repeated about four or five times over the last year.

Why am I retarded. Same medium, same tent, same light, same water.

Same with my Peppers. The ones started in rooters and solos ended up stunting and not growing, the ones I started in 5-8L pots were all fine.
 
Herb & Suds

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
If I were to ask my wife
She would likely mention your gender and I’m not too sure she is far off :lol:

I start all my seeds in much smaller pots than yours but” I’m a man and I can change if I have to “
Let ‘em dry a bit I think your definition of dry may be skewed
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
I water my 1.7 liter starter pots by weight like I do the final container. Just transplanted 9 yesterday and the differences in moisture between them was really different. But I've given up Solos after this last run. Once there's a problem like stretch there's not enough room or medium to work with.
 
VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
I wanted to take the solo cup challenge this year, but after my last few runs it was straight obvious I'm useless at small pots lol. The difference after two week every time is astounding. I've usually got roots coming out the bottom of the big containers after 15-20 days, but the small pots don't have any root growth. It's just bizarre.

Everyone here makes it look so easy . I keep trying as it's pretty much general consensus that starting in final pots is far harder when it comes to maintaining water levels.

I bet $100 that I'll transplant and within two days of drowning it by usual standards, it'll fix right up. I must be in an alternate universe..
 
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VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
Wizzlebiz said:
You had mentioned that you are using the same medium for both.

What medium are you using?
Click to expand...
It's 40% peat, 30% compost, 30% perlite amended with 1tbsp per gallon of dolomite, 1tbsp per gallon volcanic rock dust, half a cup each of Neem, kelp, alfalfa and coconut meal per 30L, as well as 20g ground phosphate/30L (0-9-0-11).

Was cooked for four weeks, and perlite added at the end. There's proba a few slow release prills somewhere in there as there was 8L of all purpose potting mix left in my bin when I mixed the rest into it.
 
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xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
hotrodharley said:
I water my 1.7 liter starter pots by weight like I do the final container. Just transplanted 9 yesterday and the differences in moisture between them was really different. But I've given up Solos after this last run. Once there's a problem like stretch there's not enough room or medium to work with.
Click to expand...
What kind of scale do you use?
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
xtsho said:
The correct terminology is "intellectual disability".

"Advocates for individuals with intellectual disability have rightfully asserted that the term “mental retardation” has negative connotations, has become offensive to many people, and often results in misunderstandings about the nature of the disorder and those who have it."
Click to expand...
They can smoke a rod.
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
xtsho said:
The correct terminology is "intellectual disability".

"Advocates for individuals with intellectual disability have rightfully asserted that the term “mental retardation” has negative connotations, has become offensive to many people, and often results in misunderstandings about the nature of the disorder and those who have it."
Click to expand...
I admit when I was a kid I would throw that name around, but didn't realize. I try not to use those kinds of terms to describe people anymore.

Our coolest bagger at Safeway is a special needs guy. He's probably the friendliest guy there too.
 
twentyeight.threefive

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
VincenzioVonHook said:
Right. There's all this rage about starting in small pots. I hear this "feed a shot glass to seedlings when the top is dry", "you can't water seedlings much", "don't start in big pots, you drown seedlings", "start in solos"

Why am I completely incapable of starting in small pots? One was started in a 250mm pot (8L) and watered to runoff day one. It has been watered to runoff every second day regardless. It is fine and not showing issues of saturation.
View attachment 5063118
However, every single time I've started in anything small, I get massive stunting. This one was started in a 100mm pot (600ml) has copped the "only water when it's dry, seedlings only need a splash every few days" method, and it's been trash since day one. I've been putting around 150ml in every second day when the top dries out.
View attachment 5063120

This has happened every single time I have started in a small pot. How can I be so bad at running small pots? God forbid I ever participate in a solo cup challenge. Both are at day 13 now.

I can't figure it out. Every auto I've started in 2-3 gallon pots and watered to saturation from day one have pulled between 5-7 ounces and never dealt with stunting or over/under watering, but every plant I've started in small pots hasn't even been worth growing due to stunting and watering issues.

What the hell is wrong with me lol. Both were watered last night. The small pot gets left until the top is dry, the large one gets watered regardless. The small pots just never work for me. This has repeated about four or five times over the last year.

Why am I retarded. Same medium, same tent, same light, same water.

Same with my Peppers. The ones started in rooters and solos ended up stunting and not growing, the ones I started in 5-8L pots were all fine.
Click to expand...
Medium looks soaked. Watering when the top is dry is part of the issue. Water it when the pot is light.
 
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Hollatchaboy

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
VincenzioVonHook said:
It's 40% peat, 30% compost, 30% perlite amended with 1tbsp per gallon of dolomite, 1tbsp per gallon volcanic rock dust, half a cup each of Neem, kelp, alfalfa and coconut meal per 30L, as well as 20g ground phosphate/30L (0-9-0-11).

Was cooked for four weeks, and perlite added at the end. There's proba a few slow release prills somewhere in there as there was 8L of all purpose potting mix left in my bin when I mixed the rest into it.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a living soil. Why are you watering to runoff?
 
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