Dr.Memory

Hi all, new to the board and need a little assist.
Been trying this for years and always ends the same.
The main stalk does not seem to grow thick enough to support the rest of the plant. I am using an 18-18-21 fert in distilled water. Soil is a potting mix from miracle grow. I keep a fan blowing 24X7. light is 24X7 right now.
Plants get to about 6 inches, get alternate stems...falls over over night.
Anything I can do to promote stornger main stalk?
Thanks in advance.

"The" Doctor

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Dr. Memory

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Captain Bowlpiece

Dr M~ I would get rid of the potting soil from MG and the nutes you are using are for flowering. Do some DD in the grow guide. For vegging, you need a higher N number. Plus seedlings don't really require much in the way of food as they don't really have the foliage yet to process it.

In addition, you don't say what type of lighting you are using. If you're growing with fluoros, they need to be within an inch of the plants. If you are using HD lighting, then it depends on the wattage, but for the most part about 15-18" for seedlings is a good height (unless you are using a 1000W, then raise it up another foot.

You didn't mention your plants genetics, but if you are using bagseed, the strain you are trying to grow might be one that does best outdoors. Genetics really matter, so it pays to invest in quality indoor seeds.

Last, it would help to know the size of your pots. However, if your plants are falling over at 6", then the pot probably isn't the culprit. Do you water them too much perhaps?

I hope this helps. Without the missing info and some pictures, it is hard to help you. The Grow Guide has most of the answers you need. Follow the advice there, and you should be able to grow some nice weed. Good luck!

Cap'n

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Dr.Memory

Cap'n,
Pot used is a 12" round tappers to 8" at bottom. I have been smacking my hand when watering the soil in attempt to NOT overwater...but it sometimes gets the better of me. I have placeed a funnel into the pot so that the water goes to the bottom of the pot (effort to get the roots to grow down and stonger) I have just a couple of small wattage grow bulbs at 6-8 inches above the seedlings. One plant has made it to 6.5 inches and is still standing!

As I have never been successful at this, I just used the seeds on hand.
The fan seems to be the difference (at least to me) since this is first time I used a fan.

I read the guide before even starting this time and found tons of useful information there, thanks to the folks that wrote that puppy!

I'll start another pot - using blood meal and worm castings (?) but I am going to keep this little girl going too. I'll post a photo later today of the one that is actually growing.

Thanks !

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InaMinute419

Go easy on any nutes this early. Soil has plenty to give your plant for the first few weeks. I would be hesitant to even do the blood meal and worm castings. If you feel you have to fert, use some seaweed emulsion at a very weak strength. Lighting is going to be an issue for you when you flower, Home Depot has 150W security lights (High Pressure Sodium) for about 60 bucks where I live... Make sure you vent the heat out that the light generates because the ballast is built in the light. I have had a couple successful grows with that light. Once you get some notches in your belt, I bet your gonna wanna 400w light to get those really dense nugs..

Good luck

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Dr.Memory

Too cool, thanks for the assistance with this.
I see I'm going to have to go brighter to get some good buddage so I'll shop this weekend for lighting. My closet is kinda small so I'm a little afraid of going too high in wattage, is there a "cool" light that you folks might recommend?
Any advice on unattended operations? I have to make a business trip to the north at the end of this month - I expect to be away for 5 days...
If I am being a pain...just shoo me away...doh!

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buzzmobile

The way to get roots to grow downward is to let the soil dry out to the bottom of the container. Snap on some handcuffs if you have to, but you must allow the soil to dru out. The roots are drowning because there are no air spaces in the soil. Those pores are filled with water. Roots need to take in as much air as water.

If you have a large amount of MG soil on hand you can make it better by adding a lot of perlite to it. Captain B is correct in his advice. There are better soils than MG available.

buzzmobile

pfrtheotherside

Hi Dr. and welcome.

Couple questions, what size is your grow box? Do you know what your temps and humidity are. That may also effect their grow.

Good luck

TOS

choader

You could use a cool tube. That will allow you to get more light into a smaller space, assuming you can vent somewhere.

Choader

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cecil_b

Yep, you need some brigher light. The plants you have can be resurrected, tho. Consider the fact that they fall over right now an easy way to start training them for branching. Don't even bother trying to prop them up - once you get some good light on them, you'll probably see them start to branch. After you brighten up the lights, you might even have to tie down the tip to force it to branch.

Most soil (even MG) doesn't even need ferts for a couple of weeks. Even heavy feeders like tomatoes can thrive for a while before needing food. MG soil can be dense - buzz's advice for perlite is good... mix at perlite into soil 3:1 (mostly soil). In my area, perlite can be hard to source, and the only kind available is MG. I soak off the nutes in a pail overnight & toss 'em in the yard.

-c-

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