First week problems - please help

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OldmanJoe

Active Member
I'm certain my problem is operator error, but I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

My seeds sprout great, 100% Then I gently place them root down in a 1" rockwool cube (pre-soaked in water and mild fertilizer) and set them in a tray with maybe 1/4 " of water which I allow to evaporate before adding new. The cubes never dry out though.

At about 1-2" they stop growing.

I swear there is mold inside the hole by the stem, but my wife says it's not.

The guy at the hydro store (on my first attempt I used a humidity dome, second try not per this guy) told me it could be mold that chokes off the nutrients and that's when the stem thins, and collapses. This has happened on one of the six, and I expect the others to do so as well.

The environment isn't really ideal since I can't keep the temperature where I would like, but the room temperature never falls below 60F and the tray is on a heat map set to the mid 70's.

The light I've been using is a 4' smaller tube, full spectrum light I got at the hardware store.

Any other details needed, I'd be happy to provide.

Thanks in advance!
 

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Dirtfree

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
your cubes look way too wet. They should be wet but able to drain easy. That pic does look like some kinda mold. Are they expensive seeds ????? If not trash them and start over
 
UKcyrus

UKcyrus

Well-Known Member
yep i agree dirt looks way to wet..
try not to drown them...
they need air to the roots so dont water everytime its low
 
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OldmanJoe

Active Member
Thanks.

Ideally I'd like to save them, but I understand. I do still have a few left.

So once I put the seeds in the rockwool, I shouldn't allow them to sit in any water.

Should I let the cubes dry until the outside appears mostly dry? Should I drip a little water on daily, just not let them sit in any?

I appreciate your input. Thanks again!
 
UKcyrus

UKcyrus

Well-Known Member
you should really be able to judge it.... really think about how much water you puttin in!! you dont wana drown them but u wana get it so its moist not like soakin wet the roots need to breath as i said..
wen ur plants need water they will start to wilt..
its very easy to notice when u need to water...
ya plant will show different signs wen there summin wrong n u should be able to tell!!
if ur that worried try different amount of water on each plant..
you ever watch any stuff on youtube on how to grow hydro style tells you eveythin u need to know:-P
 
NeoAnarchist

NeoAnarchist

Well-Known Member
u should just setup a watering schedule, but also those cubes are a ph of 7.5 so i hope ur soaking them in ph'd water. but its probably over watering, but ph contributes.
 
OregonMeds

OregonMeds

Well-Known Member
Even with a spray gun the cubes can end up too wet. What you do is take the cube in your hand with the seedling sort of in your palm (not touching the plant) and you flick your wrist a few times until water doesn't come flooding out of it.

Still moist, but not soaking.
 
Grade

Grade

Well-Known Member
OregonMeds said:
Even with a spray gun the cubes can end up too wet. What you do is take the cube in your hand with the seedling sort of in your palm (not touching the plant) and you flick your wrist a few times until water doesn't come flooding out of it.

Still moist, but not soaking.
Click to expand...
this but before the seed even goes anywhere near it! i give em a real good wrist flick being careful not to squash them (so there are still air pockets)

if your plants are already in do as omeds said and just do it REALLY carefully!
Best of luck..
 
tyke1973

tyke1973

Well-Known Member
Sorry to say it bro but forget about leaveing your seedlings in water.All you should have to do is pre soak the small cubes once thats all it takes they hold water realy good.Get some of the lineing for your propagation sytem you can pick 1 up from b nnd q in england for around £2.00 when seedlings first appear DON'T water the cube and if any excess water ever builds up get rid it will only cause week plants and even worse weed rot at least you can get alittle bud of a weak plant.Back to the propagation system spray the transparent top i do this sometimes 3 times aday remember light and warmth are all you realy need to worry about at this time if your cloneing in same area has you are veging then have a fan running just so your seedling don't overheat.if you can get hold of a sunblaster light you can have these nearly touching the plants.But i have just turned over to the economic lights i have 4 of these over a number of clones and they love it.Always take too many clones when your seedling become big enouth that way you can pick yhe healthyest and then you will notice a differance in ammount when dryed out and ready to bun.good luck.
 
tyke1973

tyke1973

Well-Known Member
diemdepyro said:
This might seem a silly question but Why the rock wool. Is this going to be hydro?
Click to expand...
I feel rock wool is the best way of getting plants off to a good start in life its never let me down even the greenhouse boys start plants off in rockwool.
 
tyke1973

tyke1973

Well-Known Member
tyke1973 said:
Sorry to say it bro but forget about leaveing your seedlings in water.All you should have to do is pre soak the small cubes once thats all it takes they hold water realy good.Get some of the lineing for your propagation sytem you can pick 1 up from b nnd q in england for around £2.00 when seedlings first appear DON'T water the cube and if any excess water ever builds up get rid it will only cause week plants and even worse weed rot at least you can get alittle bud of a weak plant.Back to the propagation system spray the transparent top i do this sometimes 3 times aday remember light and warmth are all you realy need to worry about at this time if your cloneing in same area has you are veging then have a fan running just so your seedling don't overheat.if you can get hold of a sunblaster light you can have these nearly touching the plants.But i have just turned over to the economic lights i have 4 of these over a number of clones and they love it.Always take too many clones when your seedling become big enouth that way you can pick yhe healthyest and then you will notice a differance in ammount when dryed out and ready to bun.good luck.
Click to expand...
The only time your plants should have come in contact with water is when they are pre soaked in a little superthrive but squeeze most of the water out never let them dry compleatly spray the top of your propagator and you will find that plants will draw in the water.This is the truth i only ever wwet my cubes at beginning.the wetter the cubes the less the plant has to do you want it to be drying out so roots have to search out water.good luck.........
 
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OldmanJoe

Active Member
Very helpful all! Thank You!

Ther fertilizer I was using was SUPERthrive. Is that OK to use or not? I mixed per instructions. 1/8tsp per gallon I believe. I have well water so I use the reverse ossmosis we have in the kitchen for my water.

Yes, this are hydro plants, hence the rockwoll preference.

So I presoak the cubes and shake the excess water out before I place the seedling in.
Set in the tray with no water in the tray. Now since we have such low humidity here I should probably use the dome to keep the rockwoll from drying out then?

Now I should just trst it's good, but keep an eye out for any wilting. Then add water sparingly to the cube, not the tray.

Am I on the right track?


I'll go check out the youtube stuff now. Thanks for that tip as well.

A friend is going to get me a sample of "good commercial" beaners to test with since I only have one more shot with my good ones.

Glad I stumbled across this resource.
gracias
 
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