tpbarisaxguy

I have some seedlings just over a week old. About half of them have reddish stems with droopy, lime greenish leaves. Any thoughts would be extremely helpful.

Soil Growers:
1. Are you growing from seed or clones?
seed
2. How old are your plants?
1 and a half weeks
3. How tall are your plants?
2 to 3 inches
4. What size containers are they planted in?
plastic party cups with holes
5. What is your soil mix?
Miracle Grow Organic Choice with about 15% perlite
6. How often do you water and what type of water do you use?
I try to water by weight, probably between 3-5 days between watering. I used tap water at first, but switched to distilled bottle water when I saw problems.
7. What is the pH of your water?
don't know exactly, I tested the tap once and it looked like it's low ph, but the color on the strip didn't match the legend on the box. It might have been an old test kit.
8. What kind of fertilizer do you use and what is its NPK ratio?
none yet
9. What kind of lights do you use and how many watts combined? (HPS, MH, fluorescent, halogen, incandescent "plant lights")
All CFLs for now 110w
10. How close are your lights to the plants?
2 or 3 inches
11. What size is your grow space in square feet?
2 sq ft
12. What is the temperature and humidity in your grow space?
mid 80s with light on and humidity between 33-38%
13. What is the pH of the soil?
don't know
14. Have you noticed any insect activity in your grow space?
2 individual insects that i smashed immediatley
15. How much experience do you have growing?
trying to make it to a second harvest

There is a ton of combined experience here, so I will be grateful for anyone willing to give me a little advice.

MrHydro

Hey Bro, wanted to chime in a bit - I found a shit ton of bugs in the MG Organics Choice potting soil. I ended up having to uproot my clones and microwave the mix. I ended up finding at least 20 bugs buried inside my plants.

If you are using the pure Organics Choice Potting Soil (I think they have a nutrient fed version also, you may want to chec/verify which Organics Choice you have) and perlite, the nutrients are almost 0. You may need to give a little taste of some nutes.

I have 3 sets of leaves on my plants, but they are in 60% Organics Choice/40% Perlite. I haven't added any nutes yet and they are doing fine. I'm about to add a light nute mix to them today.

A picture would be great - also of course the PH. How is your drainage?

Peace

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bluecheese

From the Plant Abuse Guide: Since it can be a co-symptom of so many deficiencies - I agree - feed them.

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tpbarisaxguy

Thanks for getting back MrHydro

This was my first time starting a thread so I wasn't sure how the response would be.

As for my soil, It does have the nutrients in it already. Being inexperienced, I didn't check until the seeds were planted. It has about 5% of that slowly available nitrogen, which I've heard is really bad. I met a very friendly owner of a garden/hydro shop, so I am definately going to transplant into some Fox Farm soil.

Half the plants have good looking stems and healthy looking leaves, so this is confusing to me. I'll try to find my digi cam to get some pics.

ALSO, do you think I should spray the leaves with bottled water between real waterings?
The leaves seem like they should have more moisture, but I don't want to overwater.

Much Thanks

MrHydro

you can't overwater the leaves, I tend to mist fresh plants quite often when they look dry. I mean you have to watch for mold, but it's not the same as drowning the roots.

As long as you have decent air movement.. You know what I mean, you don't want to keep them wet 24/7!

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tpbarisaxguy

I grabbed the miracle grow bag out of the trash to see exactly the nutes were, and it is actually a 10-5-5. With .097 of slow release nitrogen. What would be a good supplement for Mg? That's probably the main issue.

I couldn't find the camera, they are all growing their second set of pointed leaves. Some of the original leaves (embryonic might be the word?) are starting to fade quick and with little strips of color that look like veins. One of the taller plants even has red on the branch of the first spiked set.

And I forgot earlier.. the soil drainage isn't a problem.

MrHydro

I dunno, since it's the plant food soil and not the potting soil, you've got the nutes already. You are seeing deficiencies from bad PH, not from lack of nutrients. Adding anything is not a good idea until you figure out what the PH is.

I'm no expert in soil PH though, I've only been working with mothers in soil for about 2 weeks. I'm normally a hydro guy. Sorry I don't even know how to check the PH or what you need to do to adjust it in soil yet. =)

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Puffin Tuff

I must disgress Bluecheese, while red stems and petioles are quite often the result of a nutrient disorder, quite often, in seedlings the purpling is a result of temperature. In seedlings, most notably, excess heat.

I think it's too hot. Where and how are you gauging your temperature. The temp should be tested at the top of the canopy, essentially the hottest point at which there are plants....

johnny-0

Miricle Grow does not contain any magnesium and needs to be supplemented with epson salts.You can add a teaspoon per gallon and water or a 1/2 teaspoon per gallon and foliar spray them occassionally.All other conditions being right I think this is your culprit.Like Puffin Tuff said Bring down the temp.s as best you can.

Puffin Tuff

Again for all the people that think he needs nutes.

Those sprouts are 3 inches tall and 1.5 wks old. There's NO WAY they need nutes at this point, especially in preferted soil.

tbbarisaxguy, I'd strongly suggest you do not use nutrients at least until the cotyledons fall off (the first set of rounded leaves). Especially in preferted soil, you are setting yourself up for serious nutrient toxicity if you continue/begin fertilization now...