Overwatered me thinks?

Good day gents and lady folk, quick question. I got a 2 1/2 week old Trainwreck seedling that I have recently transplanted into a 1 gallon root pouch. As you can see she slowly started drooping indicating possible overwatering. At first she was just in a standard plastic seedling cup, she was watered a small amount daily because the humidity in the box at the time was very low, but all of my seedlings seem to have this issue. After she initially started to droop I transferred her to the root pouch with hp promix on top, a layer of coco and ffof on the bottom to grow into. After showing a Hydro owner yesterday, he suggested I give a light feed (only water before) which I did last night (Go Box bio thrive, superthrive, bioroot, Bio marine, diamond black)but as you can see from the later photos she doesn’t look any better today. Do you guys think the initial drooping was from just being watered small amounts daily even know she was dry and I should just let her dry out for three days or so? Thanks for any input, definitely hover parenting again

Lights: 4 (26w daylight cfl @ 2”)
Temp: 77-80 freedom degrees
Humidity: 25-40%
Light cycle: 24 hrs
Medium: Pro mix HP/Fox Farm OF
Water: bottled spring, PhD to 6.5

Let it dry, feel the weight of the dry plant, then water it. Then don't water it again until it feels the same weight as it did when it was dry
-good luck

Beachwalker said:

Let it dry, feel the weight of the dry plant, then water it. Then don't water it again until it feels the same weight as it did when it was dry
-good luck

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Thanks! Yeh I usually do that, was trying these in solid planters and they were getting dry from the low humidity on a daily basis, so I think the small daily waterings did it in. Waterboarded

"Overwatering" is something of a myth diagnosis. The core issue is your roots are not able to take up enough oxygen. This can be a poor aeration issue with your soil mix or a root disease. When soil is mixed up properly, watering becomes the primary delivery mechanism of oxygen as it pushes out old air and pulls in new air. Watering everyday is not a problem in a good mix, as long as you are not pushing water (and nutes) out of the bottom of the pot. Good luck figuring it out.

Imaginathan said:

Thanks! Yeh I usually do that, was trying these in solid planters and they were getting dry from the low humidity on a daily basis, so I think the small daily waterings did it in. Waterboarded

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Ive noticed over the years how easy it is to not put enough water in at each watering.. which means you're turning around the next day and looking at dry soil, and scratching your head.. In my experience it was always when I watered too lightly.

What helped me, was paying attention to how much I watered.. like was that a half gallon, or a liter.. etc. You'll get used to the age of the plants, size, and how much water they will need at each watering. Until then, just water the hell out of 'em at each watering. Water until you see some run off at least, and be sure the whole pot got soaked evenly.

Bugeye said:

"Overwatering" is something of a myth diagnosis. The core issue is your roots are not able to take up enough oxygen. This can be a poor aeration issue with your soil mix or a root disease. When soil is mixed up properly, watering becomes the primary delivery mechanism of oxygen as it pushes out old air and pulls in new air. Watering everyday is not a problem in a good mix, as long as you are not pushing water (and nutes) out of the bottom of the pot. Good luck figuring it out.

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You’re right. I think the seedling mix needs some fluff added next round. I add at least 25-30% perlite to my bigger potting mix but haven’t with the seedling stage mix (Promix seedling and cutting mix). So you think this is the diagnosis for her?

0321Marine said:

Ive noticed over the years how easy it is to not put enough water in at each watering.. which means you're turning around the next day and looking at dry soil, and scratching your head.. In my experience it was always when I watered too lightly.

What helped me, was paying attention to how much I watered.. like was that a half gallon, or a liter.. etc. You'll get used to the age of the plants, size, and how much water they will need at each watering. Until then, just water the hell out of 'em at each watering. Water until you see some run off at least, and be sure the whole pot got soaked evenly.

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That’s good advice. I usually do but I hover parent so hard sometimes lol. I’m ready for outdoor season so I can stop tinkering so much.

Imaginathan said:

You’re right. I think the seedling mix needs some fluff added next round. I add at least 25-30% perlite to my bigger potting mix but haven’t with the seedling stage mix (Promix seedling and cutting mix). So you think this is the diagnosis for her?

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I don't know for sure what your issue is, just that your roots are not able to take up enough O2. I do equal parts soil, coir, chunky perlite, and worm castings for my base mix and I never have an issue with the "overwatered" look.

Bugeye said:

I don't know for sure what your issue is, just that your roots are not able to take up enough O2. I do equal parts soil, coir, chunky perlite, and worm castings for my base mix and I never have an issue with the "overwatered" look.

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I keep hearing about this “chunky” perlite . I just roll with stuff from the hydro store right now

I'm going to go with bugeye. Definitely agree, it's a watering issue.
In my opinion-
It's a case of overwatering, and overfeeding, at the same time.
Light, and photosynthesis, is what drives osmosis, and translocation in a plant. 24watts of light, especially CFL, may as well be no light at all.
I'm gonna bet, you have the plant in the same size pot, and are watering and feeding like you're under a 400watt hid.

Everything is gonna happen slower, and smaller with 26watts of anything.

Photosynthesis is plants 101. Light is plant food.
Not the nutrients you're putting in the soil.

Tim1987 said:

I'm going to go with bugeye. Definitely agree, it's a watering issue.
In my opinion-
It's a case of overwatering, and overfeeding, at the same time.
Light, and photosynthesis, is what drives osmosis, and translocation in a plant. 24watts of light, especially CFL, may as well be no light at all.
I'm gonna bet, you have the plant in the same size pot, and are watering and feeding like you're under a 400watt hid.

Everything is gonna happen slower, and smaller with 26watts of anything.

Photosynthesis is plants 101. Light is plant food.
Not the nutrients you're putting in the soil.

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It’s under 4x 26w cfl bulbs that I use when starting seedlings. I understand basic biology and have grown organically for years, just not with cannabis so it’s back to the basics. I don’t water them like the big girls under the 400w. I only fed them yesterday at the suggestion of a shop owner, before that I have given them only water as they don’t need food until the cotys fall off/soil is depleted. I’m just thinking I watered them too frequently and the solid pot didn’t let the roots dry fast enough (even though the container was light again each day)

Imaginathan said:

It’s under 4x 26w cfl bulbs that I use when starting seedlings. I understand basic biology and have grown organically for years, just not with cannabis so it’s back to the basics. I don’t water them like the big girls under the 400w. I only fed them yesterday at the suggestion of a shop owner, before that I have given them only water as they don’t need food until the cotys fall off/soil is depleted. I’m just thinking I watered them too frequently and the solid pot didn’t let the roots dry fast enough (even though the container was light again each day)

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Yep.
That'd do it.
Especially with only 100watts of light.
Dry it out, as you say.

Wouldn't surprise me if it's too many nutrients as well.

Tim1987 said:

Yep.
That'd do it.
Especially with only 100watts of light.

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So are you saying put it in the big tent under the 400w? Last batch I had stayed in the box for about a month til they went into the 3 gallon pots. How many watts should a 3 week from seed plant be under? Here is a different one the last round about the same age

If it's an oxygen problem. Right now more light will make it worse.
Once it dries. I think it'll love a bigger light.
It'll drink more, feed more, grow faster, thicker trunk etc etc

Imaginathan said:

So are you saying put it in the big tent under the 400w? Last batch I had stayed in the box for about a month til they went into the 3 gallon pots. How many watts should a 3 week from seed plant be under? Here is a different one the last round about the same age

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The plant in this pic.
If it was mine.
I'd be up potting it. It's outgrown that cup.
I'd up pot, to next size, then whack it under the 400watt. But hang the light a long distance away. Then lower it a little as the plant settles into its new pot.

Tim1987 said:

The plant in this pic.
If it was mine.
I'd be up potting it. It's outgrown that cup.
I'd up pot, to next size, then whack it under the 400watt. But hang the light a long distance away. Then lower it a little as the plant settles into its new pot.

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Oh that was a previous grow and it was transplanted that day

Tim1987 said:

If it's an oxygen problem. Right now more light will make it worse.
Once it dries. I think it'll love a bigger light.
It'll drink more, feed more, grow faster, thicker trunk etc etc

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I’ll move it when it’s dry

To answer the question about how many watts 3 weeks from seed. I'm sorry to be a bit of a dick. But it's more a question of how long is a piece of string?
How much light has it been getting. How much food. What size is it?? What's the pot size. Temperature, humidity. All these factors determine the answer.

My self. At three weeks from seed, mine are getting 400watts. At 4-6 weeks they're getting 600watts, and are in 12/12.

It's all about your preference as a grower

You'll get a lot of different answers on the topic.

Tim1987 said:

To answer the question about how many watts 3 weeks from seed. I'm sorry to be a bit of a dick. But it's more a question of how long is a piece of string?
How much light has it been getting. How much food. What size is it?? What's the pot size. Temperature, humidity. All these factors determine the answer.

My self. At three weeks from seed, mine are getting 400watts. At 4-6 weeks they're getting 600watts, and are in 12/12.

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You’re not being a dick at all. I just have the big girls in the 400 W high-pressure sodium tent about to flip to flower next week is all so I’m trying to let these babies coast on CFL for a month or so. Not a huge deal I can set up a new rig with the 400 Watt metal halide that I use for vegging. I just didn’t think the issue with this trainwreck seedling had anything to do with the light it was receiving, and more to do with watering but then again, this is the first time growing this type of plant and it is interesting for sure. I’ve just seen plenty of plants growing under CFL lighting for the first bit and thought it was more cost-effective to use instead of burning the 400 W at this age.