Slow Growth - What Am I Doing Wrong?

[Ellz10]

In my new 4x4 tent I'm growing Boston Cream Pie and it's my 4th attempt to do so because the seeds just dont grow at their normal rate. Below is a picture of all 4 seeds grown under a Spider Farmer SF-4000 Full Spectrum LED, after germinating in solo cups in the Mother Keeper tent under a T5 with LEDs bloom and reg. This is 8 days from being planted.

The next pic is 2 plants being grown under 315w CMH after being germinated in the same Mother Keeper under T5 LEDs bloom and reg and also 8 days from being planted.

All plants are 8 days old, popped the same exact way and yet one is growing as it should, whilst the others are moving at a snail's pace. I seriously need advice or input on what's going on or what I'm doing wrong. I made sure PPFD on all plants was 180-190. I'm just starting to get irritated because I spent quite a bit of money on the new 4x4, light, induction fans, ect. and I've wasted 4 weeks and 6 seeds now trying to get it figured out. Any reasonable help would be appreciated.

 

[Aqua Man]

Knowing nothing about your watering I'm going to lean towards over watered.... Doesn't matter how well you maintain your environment if you over water or have poor soil drainage. Will stunt plants cold

 

[Nate_in_AK]

At that age, the light shouldn't matter much unless so close it is burning, or keeping them in the dark.

 

[growsince79]

The cmh plants look great. I don't hear about nearly as many problems as led. I tried led once and threw it away.

 

[Ellz10]

Knowing nothing about your watering I'm going to lean towards over watered.... Doesn't matter how well you maintain your environment if you over water or have poor soil drainage. Will stunt plants cold

Yep, 100% sure that was my problem. No clue why I was watering so much. I guess I always worry they dont have enough and then when I see they have too much(taking 5 days to dry), I dig up the soil cuz I think that will help them get more oxygen, fml.

 

[One drop]

In my new 4x4 tent I'm growing Boston Cream Pie and it's my 4th attempt to do so because the seeds just dont grow at their normal rate. Below is a picture of all 4 seeds grown under a Spider Farmer SF-4000 Full Spectrum LED, after germinating in solo cups in the Mother Keeper tent under a T5 with LEDs bloom and reg. This is 8 days from being planted.

The next pic is 2 plants being grown under 315w CMH after being germinated in the same Mother Keeper under T5 LEDs bloom and reg and also 8 days from being planted.

All plants are 8 days old, popped the same exact way and yet one is growing as it should, whilst the others are moving at a snail's pace. I seriously need advice or input on what's going on or what I'm doing wrong. I made sure PPFD on all plants was 180-190. I'm just starting to get irritated because I spent quite a bit of money on the new 4x4, light, induction fans, ect. and I've wasted 4 weeks and 6 seeds now trying to get it figured out. Any reasonable help would be appreciated.

Make a rack for them to sit on up off tent floor it's cold for them bad drainage as well

 

[chemistry]

Make bigger drainage holes in the bottom of your pot if your drainage is bad.

 

[Ellz10]

Make a rack for them to sit on up off tent floor it's cold for them bad drainage as well

Didnt even think of this! I even know the ground sucks the heat from things. Jeez I'm stupid lol. Thank you.

Make bigger drainage holes in the bottom of your pot if your drainage is bad.

Gunna do this as well and see if it helps.

 

[MIMedGrower]

It is totally normal growth for 8 days and week apart watering for seedlings in cups is normal too in my opinion.

Looks fine to me.

 

[Ellz10]

It is totally normal growth for 8 days and week apart watering for seedlings in cups is normal too in my opinion.

Looks fine to me.

You're saying the soil staying wet for about a week before needing watered again is normal? Because that's about what mine are at and I cant help but feel like that's not right. I made bigger holes and I have great air ventilation and circulation so I dont know why it takes so long for the soil to dry out. I'm using soil without wormcastings in the mix purposely for this particular strain.

 

[MIMedGrower]

You're saying the soil staying wet for about a week before needing watered again is normal? Because that's about what mine are at and I cant help but feel like that's not right. I made bigger holes and I have great air ventilation and circulation so I dont know why it takes so long for the soil to dry out. I'm using soil without wormcastings in the mix purposely for this particular strain.

Always takes that long under the t-5 flourescents first and maybe second watering. Seedlings have no big root system yet.

And it always happens again when i transplant up to the next size pot. 1 gallon then 3 gallon.

If i grow under the 600 w mh or hps or my 315 cmh it takes a couple less days.

This is all at 73-77 degrees and around 50% humidity with plenty of air flow.

 

[MIMedGrower]

^^^
And in ocean forest with 25% added perlite or pro mix hp as is.

Hope this all helped. :-)

 

[Madbud]

You're saying the soil staying wet for about a week before needing watered again is normal? Because that's about what mine are at and I cant help but feel like that's not right. I made bigger holes and I have great air ventilation and circulation so I dont know why it takes so long for the soil to dry out. I'm using soil without wormcastings in the mix purposely for this particular strain.

After a few grows you get use to the weight of a cup of fresh, dry soil in your hand, around 150g. meanwhile if you have a small scale its a lot easier to water seedlings properly. You’ll want one to weigh those big beautiful buds soon anyway.

 

[mancorn]

All plants are 8 days old, popped the same exact way and yet one is growing as it should, whilst the others are moving at a snail's pace.

If you can get plants to the Magoo size in 8 days I'd say you're doing a hell of a job. I grow outdoors, so susceptible to the whims of nature. it's my experience that it takes 5 days just for my plant to clear dirt, then another day or two to open up.

Here is 10 days from dropping the seed in dirt.

Yes it's going to be quicker indoors with 18 hours of light as opposed to outdoors in April, but your plants look fairly typical IMO.

These two in the blue cups were exactly at 8 days

 

[MIMedGrower]

After a few grows you get use to the weight of a cup of fresh, dry soil in your hand, around 150g. meanwhile if you have a small scale its a lot easier to water seedlings properly. You’ll want one to weigh those big beautiful buds soon anyway.

I have learned to just pick them up and when they are so light i feel alarmed I water. Alarmingly light. Not still not quite sure.

Lol :-)

 

[dire wolf]

I keep telling new growers this , but maybe not taken seriously , get a pint sized mister at home depot , mist / spray the soil in your seedling cups , that way you wont overwater with a "pour" insted you will gently mist till you feel the desired weight of the pot , you will better controll your waterings and not over or under water plants , been growing for a long time and i still hand mist soil in seedling cups .....
Drowing seedlings is a common problem

 

[Ellz10]

After a few grows you get use to the weight of a cup of fresh, dry soil in your hand, around 150g. meanwhile if you have a small scale its a lot easier to water seedlings properly. You’ll want one to weigh those big beautiful buds soon anyway.

I'm starting to get used to the feel of the cups!

Always takes that long under the t-5 flourescents first and maybe second watering. Seedlings have no big root system yet.

And it always happens again when i transplant up to the next size pot. 1 gallon then 3 gallon.

If i grow under the 600 w mh or hps or my 315 cmh it takes a couple less days.

This is all at 73-77 degrees and around 50% humidity with plenty of air flow.

I germinated under a T5 with veg and bloom LEDs (instead of standard CFLs that come with it), and then transferred to my 5x5 under a SpiderFarmer SF-4000

If you can get plants to the Magoo size in 8 days I'd say you're doing a hell of a job. I grow outdoors, so susceptible to the whims of nature. it's my experience that it takes 5 days just for my plant to clear dirt, then another day or two to open up.

Here is 10 days from dropping the seed in dirt.
View attachment 974722

Yes it's going to be quicker indoors with 18 hours of light as opposed to outdoors in April, but your plants look fairly typical IMO.

These two in the blue cups were exactly at 8 days
View attachment 974723

Oh see I had no idea how drastic the changes were from outdoor to indoor. And those seedlings look super happy! I guess I got lucky on my Magoos. Here's where they are now!

I keep telling new growers this , but maybe not taken seriously , get a pint sized mister at home depot , mist / spray the soil in your seedling cups , that way you wont overwater with a "pour" insted you will gently mist till you feel the desired weight of the pot , you will better controll your waterings and not over or under water plants , been growing for a long time and i still hand mist soil in seedling cups .....
Drowing seedlings is a common problem

I actually have a nice mister spray bottle but never thought of approaching watering my seedlings this way. I'm definitely going to give it a try next cycle! Thanks!