My Bottom Leaves are dieing??

helloo.. ive been growin for about 2 weeks and ive noticed that my 2 bottom leaves are dieing. also my 3rd and 4th leaf are starting to turn yellow/brown.

Im using miracle grow potting soil

3 cfls.

Also i want to know if i need to repot[2nd picture]

This is something to expect when you use miracle grow potting soil.

wrap the container in tinfoil. The roots hate light, so you can't your transparent pots. The light actually kills off the roots that get exposed to it. I know the container is green so you can't tell, but the roots, if you pull them out will actually be green. As for dying leaves, they die sometimes. If you arnt using any nutes, you gotta deal with it, they will make it, you will get but, but with that size container and no nutes, your looking at maybe a decent sized 8th. Your welcome to do whatever you want in life, but growing pot is one of those things you shouldn't do unless you can do it right. My recommendation would be to get some nutes, do some research on which, there are PLENTY of threads on it, I use the chemical ones that everybody hates, but mine do just fine. I used nutes after about 2 weeks from seed, right when I started seeing just a little bit of yellowing, and they shot up 2 inches that night, no joke, was crazy. Don't use a full does, especially on a plant already having issues, start off with the first 2 times, watering with a 25% solution, then the next 2 after that go 50, then go to 75% and stay at that. Don't use the full dose like ever, or at least until you are a master of the nutes. I am not nearly a master, so I lowball everything. The key to not getting a noob harvest is to let the plant do the work for you and just help, don't try and make your plant do anything, it will do it no matter what you do (unless you super fuck it). Also, more lights never hurt, but 3 cfl's, depending on reflection and other things can make a decent plant, have seen it happen, but more often than not, its not enough. Adding more can only help.

In short: fix the container, your killing the roots and by killing the roots your killing your plant.

Get nutes, but work them into it slowly.

More light if you can, but as you are set, the first two things are waaaay more important.

bird mcbride said:

This is something to expect when you use miracle grow potting soil.

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so thats the best u can come up with really ?

The two small round leaves that are seen in your picture and are dying are not actually leaves, they are the cotyledon. They die soon on everyone's plants. As for any other leaves that may be dying there could be any number of causes. Miracle Grow soils and fertilizers are the worst choice someone can make, so that could be part of it. It could be because you are growing with three CFLs, that maybe I missed it but I did not see a wattage or a Kelvin rating, the light spectrum they put off, and it is due to inadequate lighting. It could be light striking roots, though with that little lighting and as small as your plants still are I doubt there are enough roots along the sides of your containers to be suffering root hair damage due to light, though it is possible.

in the second picture there are definite roots showing.

Jankedyjoe said:

in the second picture there are definite roots showing.

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I saw that but that does not mean there are enough root near the edge of the containers for any significant damage to be done, especially given the weak lighting of the small number of CFLs. Plants grown in pots set in full sunlight can have roots growing out through the drain holes and be exposed to the full sun and while those roots sill die there are still more than enough roots in soil where they are not being hit by sunlight for the plants to remain healthy.

If he were using a 400-watt HID or higher wattage HID light I would consider it more likely to be part or even all of the problem, but the minimal amount of weak light put off by a few CFLs is less likely to be of much, if any, cause for concern at the present time.

I would still suggest covering the containers with something, black plastic garbage bags cut into pieces would be a good option, but there is likely some other factor at play other than weak light on a few roots.

Ya, I don't think its the full issue, but even if it isn't now, It will be before long. I would recommend tinfoil, and black garbage bags. Either one could help, but together they WILL get the job done. But if you are only going to do one, use tinfoil, its an amazing material. It doesn't let infrared waves through it, if you stick a piece of tinfoil in the oven at max temp for a few hours, you can walk in and grab it by hand while its still in the oven (you need to open the door first though (didn't want anyone catching me on it and flaming me for not mentioning that part XD, not you brick, but just anyone lol). Unfortunately, its reflective and can still make issues for roots if not done really well. Lining that with the black trash bags inside of it thought would cover all of the bases. Don't put the trash bags on the outside of the foil though, that will just waste your time.

Either way, if you only get one thing (hopefully two) out of this thread, get the sides covered and protect your roots. The second is soil matters. Try and get the most innert soild you can nute wise, until you know a bunch about it. I don't know enough about this part to even tell you about it. I just use the stuff the people at the hydro store tell me works for them (I'm blessed to be in a legal state ).

Also! The gravel thing is very helpful also, so three. But avoid straight gravel. Inert clay pelets work great for it, a bunch of people use them for hyrdo grows, but they also make great drainage. Good drainage and you can't really over water (it's your own damn fault if you f' them up trying to prove me wrong though so don't go overboard, it just helps a lot). Lots of even holes are also your best friend. Walmart carries these shitty 1.5 gallon ones with a bottom that looks like a drainage table, but it actually is just there for support maybe? There are no actual holes going anywhere. Unless you rip them out really quick, they pop off and have a few holes made nicely just for it. Widen them, lots of hole, add holes, use a good drill if you can. Or else use a a pair of scissors and carve them. It takes some time, but you will be paid back in the end.

Tl:dr; Cover with tinfoil, lined on the inside with black trash bags.

more inert soil, add what you want, not what the manufacture wants.

More drainage.

Happy Hollidays.

bird mcbride said:

Straight mg potting soil might be a bit rich after your plant starts to get a bigger rootbase. I would reccomend a layer of gravel in the bottom, to ensure good drainage and cut something into the potting soil not only to increase the drainage properties but to reduce the available amount of nutrients in the pot. With all growing mediums be sure to sterilize, preferably by heat and ph balance before planting. Your plantpot needs drain/airholes.​

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what do you mean cut something into the soil? Also whats the best way to sterilize soil?

take it out and flush it in sink under tap to weaken soil a bit.