In need of some seedling advice

[Dalwyn]

Good day growers , I am in need of some help , I have ordered some autoflowers but right now I'm just doing a test run with regular Malawi landrace seeds so I can prevent any mistakes with my autos, I'm trying to veg them for a few weeks until I can put them in the ground outdoor, I'm using a 85w CFL 6400k, I used coco coir and vermiculite (its tarantula substrate , I will get a proper coco/perlite mix for the autos). The problem is some of the seedlings leaf tips are drying out , there not yellow or brown and I am struggling to find a possible cause, I don't think the light is too close as the seedlings are stretching quite a bit , I have not used any nutes, I will upload a few picture of some seedling, ones that seem healthy and ones with the leaf problem, I will also upload a pic of the grow box as I'm not too sure how to describe my setup it is very simple and basic I only intend to veg for 2 - 3 weeks depending on when they will be suitable for outdoor conditions. Not really concerned about the seeds I'm growing now but I'm using them to ensure that I can meet all condition to grow the autos without too many problems arriving , any advice on grow autos would also be highly appreciated

 

[Aqua Man]

Turn the fans off or 1 on lowest setting.

Shoot for 70-75% RH for the next week or so anything over 60% will do.

Temps of 75-80f closer to 80 would be good.

 

[BigCube]

You can spray them with water mist too, a few times a day should do.

 

[az2000]

What is the temperature? CFLs are little heat factories. Especially when not used with a reflector. (I.e., if you had a reflector, you could use about 1/2 the watt bulb).

If heat's a concern, you can use an ordinary household LED lightbulb. Cut the plastic globe off. It would point straight own at the plants. The diodes are flush mounted, so it's directional without a reflector. You're not going to believe this, but 20-30w of LED lightbulb would put the same amount of light on those plants as your 85w CFL. (That might be two 15w bulbs. Or, three 11w. How ever you wanted to do it.).

If you want to pursue that further, let me know. I can tell you more.

 

[Dalwyn]

What is the temperature? CFLs are little heat factories. Especially when not used with a reflector. (I.e., if you had a reflector, you could use about 1/2 the watt bulb).

If heat's a concern, you can use an ordinary household LED lightbulb. Cut the plastic globe off. It would point straight own at the plants. The diodes are flush mounted, so it's directional without a reflector. You're not going to believe this, but 20-30w of LED lightbulb would put the same amount of light on those plants as your 85w CFL. (That might be two 15w bulbs. Or, three 11w. How ever you wanted to do it.).

If you want to pursue that further, let me know. I can tell you more.

Thank you, will definitely look into it , what are those types of bulbs called ?

 

[Beachwalker]

Not enough light. probably too wet because of the vermiculite. and no pH control

 

[Beachwalker]

Too stretchy from low light. too wet from formica light no pH adjustment

Good day growers , I am in need of some help , I have ordered some autoflowers but right now I'm just doing a test run with regular Malawi landrace seeds so I can prevent any mistakes with my autos, I'm trying to veg them for a few weeks until I can put them in the ground outdoor, I'm using a 85w CFL 6400k, I used coco coir and vermiculite (its tarantula substrate , I will get a proper coco/perlite mix for the autos). The problem is some of the seedlings leaf tips are drying out , there not yellow or brown and I am struggling to find a possible cause, I don't think the light is too close as the seedlings are stretching quite a bit , I have not used any nutes, I will upload a few picture of some seedling, ones that seem healthy and ones with the leaf problem, I will also upload a pic of the grow box as I'm not too sure how to describe my setup it is very simple and basic I only intend to veg for 2 - 3 weeks depending on when they will be suitable for outdoor conditions. Not really concerned about the seeds I'm growing now but I'm using them to ensure that I can meet all condition to grow the autos without too many problems arriving , any advice on grow autos would also be highly appreciated

Move the light closer, but check the heat first using the back of your hand at the top of the plant

Use small shish kabob type skewers to support them cuz they may be falling soon

if those were the conditions I had I would consider moving them outside now for better results?

 

[Dalwyn]

I will also start to monitor the t

Too stretchy from low light. too wet from formica light no pH adjustment

Move the light closer, but check the heat first using the back of your hand at the top of the plant

Use small shish kabob type skewers to support them cuz they may be falling soon

if those were the conditions I had I would consider moving them outside now for better results?

Since I have a few I will put some outside so I can experience the difference

 

[Dalwyn]

Also what would be the best way to start off the autoflowers, I know transplanting is not recommended, should I just put the germinated seeds into the final pot and start it outdoors, it is very close to spring over here and its is getting quite windy these past few days

 

[Beachwalker]

I will also start to monitor the t

Since I have a few I will put some outside so I can experience the difference

I would still use some kind of support, just be gentle with them. My concern is the vermiculite I use that in my seed starter mix, it holds a ton of water, consider using perlite next time

Also pH is important I'm not positive but I suspect that's why your Leaf tips are dying, that and/or the wetness from the vermiculite

Can't help you on autoflowers but the handful of freebies that I've grown over the years I've transplanted and treated just like Photo Plants and they gave me just about the same yield as photos too, good luck!

Ps. You must Harden those plants off don't just put them into straight sunlight start them in the shade for a whole day and then give them a couple hours sun and then a couple hours more the next day excetera, search how to harden off a plant

 

[Dalwyn]

I would still use some kind of support, just be gentle with them. My concern is the vermiculite I use that in my seed starter mix, it holds a ton of water, consider using perlite next time

Also pH is important I'm not positive but I suspect that's why your Leaf tips are dying, that and/or the wetness from the vermiculite

Can't help you on autoflowers but the handful of freebies that I've grown over the years I've transplanted and treated just like Photo Plants and they gave me just about the same yield as photos too, good luck!

Ps. You must Harden those plants off don't just put them into straight sunlight start them in the shade for a whole day and then give them a couple hours sun and then a couple hours more the next day excetera, search how to harden off a plant

Prior to reading this I was on YouTube just now and and found a video with somebody having the same issues, because he re used his soil and it had a salt build up so the roots were not taking in nutes, I suspect an imbalance of ph which is causing nutrient lockout or bad root development , I've just purchase some coco with the correct ph, going to get a ph kit and some perlite and thank you for the advice, I highly appreciate it.

 

[az2000]

Thank you, will definitely look into it , what are those types of bulbs called ?

See this thread. (<<link) He just added some LED lightbulbs to his grow which had been under-lit for a few weeks. I just posted there with some info about LED floodlights that work well.

I wrote some "blog" articles 4-5 years ago. I ended up just keeping them on a Google Drive here. (<<link). The first article shows my comparison measuring lumens (where I compare free-hanging CFL versus reflected, and how that compares to using a reflector. Then I compare that to household LED lightbulbs (globed, globeless, reflector).

Those household LED lightbulbs aren't available today (I think you can buy them online). I've been recently measuring what's currently available at the local stores. I'm using a PAR meter this time. So far the GE "Basic"[1] lightbulb (8.5w 60w-equiv) at Lowes is the best performer (amount of light for the money). Eight bulbs cost $1.25 USD each. That's like 15 cents per watt.

I think the 60w-equiv bulbs are a better value (light per watt, an per dollar). I don't care for the 100w-equiv bulbs as much. But, there's something to be said about mounting fewer bulbs (less effort, less tedious). I gravitate toward the 18w floodlights for that. I haven't looked too closely at them yet. I used to grow using a glass CREE PAR38 47-degree floodlight. I'm just starting to look at what's available today. (They all seem to be 40-degree. I don't think that's as good. But, the new ones are plastic instead of glass. That makes it possible to remove the lenses and have even better light, I think.).

In veg you want 4:1 cool to warm (at least 3:1. I've used 1:1 and the seedling definitely stretches toward the cool light. It may not be necessary or useful to use any warm. I just think having some is better than none.). In flower, 1:1 warm to cool. In late flower, 2:1. Maybe finish 3:1. (But, this fine tuning may not make much difference either.). I keep the veg ratio until stretch is over (maybe 10-14 days after changing the light to 12/12). Stretch will be worse if you cut blue too soon.

[1] PC: 46239
Desc: LED9A19-7LT8
Res. #1593468
SKU: 0 43168 46239 6

 

[Dalwyn]

See this thread. (<<link) He just added some LED lightbulbs to his grow which had been under-lit for a few weeks. I just posted there with some info about LED floodlights that work well.

I wrote some "blog" articles 4-5 years ago. I ended up just keeping them on a Google Drive here. (<<link). The first article shows my comparison measuring lumens (where I compare free-hanging CFL versus reflected, and how that compares to using a reflector. Then I compare that to household LED lightbulbs (globed, globeless, reflector).

Those household LED lightbulbs aren't available today (I think you can buy them online). I've been recently measuring what's currently available at the local stores. I'm using a PAR meter this time. So far the GE "Basic"[1] lightbulb (8.5w 60w-equiv) at Lowes is the best performer (amount of light for the money). Eight bulbs cost $1.25 USD each. That's like 15 cents per watt.

I think the 60w-equiv bulbs are a better value (light per watt, an per dollar). I don't care for the 100w-equiv bulbs as much. But, there's something to be said about mounting fewer bulbs (less effort, less tedious). I gravitate toward the 18w floodlights for that. I haven't looked too closely at them yet. I used to grow using a glass CREE PAR38 47-degree floodlight. I'm just starting to look at what's available today. (They all seem to be 40-degree. I don't think that's as good. But, the new ones are plastic instead of glass. That makes it possible to remove the lenses and have even better light, I think.).

In veg you want 4:1 cool to warm (at least 3:1. I've used 1:1 and the seedling definitely stretches toward the cool light. It may not be necessary or useful to use any warm. I just think having some is better than none.). In flower, 1:1 warm to cool. In late flower, 2:1. Maybe finish 3:1. (But, this fine tuning may not make much difference either.). I keep the veg ratio until stretch is over (maybe 10-14 days after changing the light to 12/12). Stretch will be worse if you cut blue too soon.

[1] PC: 46239
Desc: LED9A19-7LT8
Res. #1593468
SKU: 0 43168 46239 6

Thank you, this was very informative, I have seen those Phillips lights in a few stores , will probably pick up a few and maybe a reflector for the cfl