Plant Droops Every Time I Put It In This Soil...

[BCSparky]

Hi, I've been struggling for a couple months on my first grow. I germinate the seed and growth is normal while the seedling is in starter soil, but but every time I try to put it into my main soil mix, which is organic super soil from Bluesky Organics, the plant droops within a day or two and then stunts. I've been trying different things to get it to work. I don't think its a watering problem as I've tried letting the soil get totally dry, and I've also tried heavier watering. I don't think its PH, because I've used compost tea to try to correct PH. I just tried flushing the soil in case the soil is too hot. The water was coming out yellowish-brown and seemed loaded with nutes so I thought I solved it, but its been about 2 days and she hasn't perked up.

I'm growing it in a 3'x3' tent. Using a 600w LED (something like 230 actual watts... can't really remember). Air circulation and exhaust is fine. It grew in the tent as long as it was in the smaller pot of starter soil. I'm also growing some basils in the tent and they do fine, so it's not the lighting or air. Come to think of it, the basils are in the same soil, but they do fine, making it even harder to figure out. It's driving me crazy. Any ideas?

 

[jguit]

Looks a bit like over-watering but the obvious would be to try a different soil. Also, just use plain water for a seedling. No need to complicate it with teas and whatnot.

 

[BCSparky]

Yeah, in this pic it has just been flushed, but up until recently I have been mostly just using regular water in moderate amounts. I guess the I should just get some different soil, but I'd still like to know what the hell is wrong with this soil...

 

[jguit]

I tried going the organic route using a small setup and to be honest, it was more of a pain in the ass than anything. Between mixing the soil, 'cooking' the soil, making teas, worm shit, kelp.. blah blah blah. It just wasn't worth the hassle, at least to me. Super soil/organic soil, makes more sense if you're growing outside and have the room to dick around with it. At least that's my take.. lol

Maybe try your starter soil and see if the plants perks up? Don't drench the soil. Does your starter soil have any nutrients in it?

Also, if the soil itself is 'hot', flushing is not going to make a difference and will probably stress your plants even more.

 

[BCSparky]

Yeah it really is turning out to be a pain in the ass, atleast for a tent grow. Or maybe I'm just unlucky and got a weird batch of soil with some killer fungus in it or something. I got a different soil and did the transplant. We'll see if she wakes up.

By "hot" I meant too many nutes in the soil. I was seeing if I could flush them out with water. I think it worked to some extent because the runoff water was dark yellow at first, then as I flushed it, it got more clear. Still didn't fix the problem tho.

Just gonna hope for the best now and see if that new soil does the trick.

 

[jguit]

Did you add nutrients to the soil? i'm not sure if i'm following.

 

[dirkdaddy]

There are clear signs of nitrogen deficiency. The lower fan leaves should not be yellowing like that on a plant so young. Take the super soil out the equation and put it into your neutral seedling soil and begin feeding a light dose of fish fertilizer. Something like alaska fish fert can be purchased at lowes/home depot. Start with half the rec dose.

There also looks like there is an awful lot of bark in that soil, indicative that's probably cheapo crap not good for MJ. Just my two cents.

 

[BCSparky]

I actually did give it some fish fertilizer before. This is the second plant I've tried. The first one did exactly the same thing as this one when it was put into this soil. It drooped down, stunted then eventually turned yellow and grey and the leaves got all twisty and dry. I aborted that one, and tried a new seed. It was going good until I put it in this soil

The soil costed about 30 bucks for a bag. If anything, I thought it was too rich. I dunno tho, I'm just a beginner.

 

[Toaster79]

Yeah, in this pic it has just been flushed, but up until recently I have been mostly just using regular water in moderate amounts. I guess the I should just get some different soil, but I'd still like to know what the hell is wrong with this soil...

Why are you flushing at transplant? That doesn't make any sense. Let them plants populate that pot with some roots and go from there. The transplant alone can be shocking for some plants, drenching them isn't gonna make things any better. Give them time to settle in.

 

[BCSparky]

Yeah I mean, I didn't flush it right after transplant. I gave it a light watering at first and a few days to settle, but I noticed it was doing the same thing as the first plant I tried. The transplant was gentle and I didn't even break up the soil from the smaller pot it was in. I flushed it as a kind of desperate measure to fix this problem, just in case there somehow were too many nutes preloaded in the soil + the tea and fish fertilizer I gave it. I just wanted to clear it out. Maybe that was a bad move.

Just today I have taken it out of that soil that I suspect is problematic, and put it into a new soil. I can see that the roots are healthy white and had been growing after the first transplant. It's like they grow into that bad soil and eat it up, the plant gets sick.

 

[dirkdaddy]

Good soil should not be $30 a bag. Did you buy it at a hydro store?

I would call around to local nurseries and greenhouses. Places that grow plants for a living. They buy soil in bulk (pallets of bags) and should be more than happy to sell you a few of what they use.

 

[BCSparky]

Yeah Dirk. Picked it up at the hydro store. Next time I'll check the local nurseries.

So, I'm happy to say that she's perking back up, despite me accidentally harming a few roots. She went a bit yellow, but is back on her way to good health now. I guess I won't know what exactly was wrong with that other soil. Thanks for the replies all.

 

[dorjewright]

Hi, I've been struggling for a couple months on my first grow. I germinate the seed and growth is normal while the seedling is in starter soil, but but every time I try to put it into my main soil mix, which is organic super soil from Bluesky Organics, the plant droops within a day or two and then stunts. I've been trying different things to get it to work. I don't think its a watering problem as I've tried letting the soil get totally dry, and I've also tried heavier watering. I don't think its PH, because I've used compost tea to try to correct PH. I just tried flushing the soil in case the soil is too hot. The water was coming out yellowish-brown and seemed loaded with nutes so I thought I solved it, but its been about 2 days and she hasn't perked up.

I'm growing it in a 3'x3' tent. Using a 600w LED (something like 230 actual watts... can't really remember). Air circulation and exhaust is fine. It grew in the tent as long as it was in the smaller pot of starter soil. I'm also growing some basils in the tent and they do fine, so it's not the lighting or air. Come to think of it, the basils are in the same soil, but they do fine, making it even harder to figure out. It's driving me crazy. Any ideas?

 

[dorjewright]

over watering IMO. Technically a lack of oxygen. Some strains are more sensitive than others and if you have one that is it can be very frustrating to manage. try this: keep the pots small; don't go from a seedling to anything over 1 gal for first transplant. Measure the amount of water and reduce until problem goes away. Or let the pot draw water from the bottom up; just sprinkle water onto the top of the pot ; but dont let pot sit in water add just enough so its all absorbed in a hour or so.

 

[BCSparky]

over watering IMO. Technically a lack of oxygen. Some strains are more sensitive than others and if you have one that is it can be very frustrating to manage. try this: keep the pots small; don't go from a seedling to anything over 1 gal for first transplant. Measure the amount of water and reduce until problem goes away. Or let the pot draw water from the bottom up; just sprinkle water onto the top of the pot ; but dont let pot sit in water add just enough so its all absorbed in a hour or so.

That's what I thought too. I was messing with the watering amounts for weeks. Turns out it had nothing to do with it . She's doing fine now that she's in new soil. I'd still be interested to know what might have been wrong with that soil, if anyone has any other ideas.

 

[dorjewright]

That's what I thought too. I was messing with the watering amounts for weeks. Turns out it had nothing to do with it . She's doing fine now that she's in new soil. I'd still be interested to know what might have been wrong with that soil, if anyone has any other ideas.

Probably insufficient drainage. I usually add extra rice hulls to any premixed soil.

 

[BCSparky]

I'd be suprised if it was a watering issue. I let the pot dry right out with no effect on the drooping. When I put it in new soil it was pretty moist, and there was improvement anyway. I think that old soil was contaminated with something.

 

[Polar510]

That soil looks like it has way to much bark and prob not enough of the good stuff worm castings etc.. Prob a good call to ditch it early on.
Get Your tea brewing..... Its not hard to do. Not brewing tea especially in a soil grow IMO would be a mistake.

 

[BCSparky]

Yeah for sure she'll be getting some after I let her destress a bit. I'm all about that tea.