Can you OVER WATER in perlite?

[STONEDAJ69]

Well... Bit of a problem. Got some auto beans going in a bit o perlite, wondering if I've overwatered em, or if I need to step it up and water more often... Last pic is a bit o Hash I got given... Not bad, not great. Low grade, but better than no smoke 2nite.

[Brazen]

Can droop when overwatered or overfertilised from my experience. I used to use a 50/50 mix of perlite/vermiculite with good results or expanded clay pebbles better still. You could try covering the surface to slow down evaporation like mulching and let it dry out for a couple of days depending on your light system as you probably know.

[ConvexConepiece]

Have you got good drainage at the bottom of those cups AJ? If you let water sit at the bottom it will glug up and stunt the roots.

 

No you can't overwater in perlite short of soaking it. Those little cups i'd be watering 3 times a day if possible. I've been there done perlite in small cups, plants survive only watered once a day but don't thrive. Wasn't bad for a mother plant hand fed once every 2 days... she survived real well.

[shirty]

Well... Bit of a problem. Got some auto beans going in a bit o perlite, wondering if I've overwatered em, or if I need to step it up and water more often...

 

Hey AJ

 

Coarse perlite is rough on seedlings & fresh cuts imo.. I get better results with coco or rockwool, at least for first few weeks.

 

& any holes in those cups ?? I put 2 holes about 1 cm from bottom

 

then wrap the cups with reflective tape , roots dont like exposure

 

take care

 

Edited May 27, 2011 by shirty

[ConvexConepiece]

Oh, did you flush the perlite REAL well before using?

 

It's dusty stuff and seedlings wouldn't like it.

 

Now ya outta soil have you dropped your PH?

[STONEDAJ69]

Yeah, there are holes in the bottoms of the cups, and all water drains out - the cups stay wet enough on the inside to have a constant level of condensation -

 

 

Anyhow, on Anthesis' recommendation, I've put em into a slightly bigger pot and they're being fed with 1.2 ml R/E and 1.5mL of H&G A+B in 4 ltrs water (not per litre, that's total)

 

sitting on the sink in a makeshift recirc pot for a while - at least until lights out time, then they'll go in the cab for lights out and see how they look in the morning.if they sag, they'll be left for 48 to dry out, if they like it, they'll be put onto a proper timed feeding regimen ASAP

 

[ConvexConepiece]

Ah there's your problem. Feeding em nutes too early. I thought you woulda learnt that last grow

 

Nothing but water for another week or two champ.

[STONEDAJ69]

hm. Figures.

[Pleb Scrubber]

Ive done the same thing AJ, and just flushed them with ph'd water...

 

I tried to give baby seedlings some rooting hormone and superthrive, they droop like yours.

 

 

I find the rock wool sucks up too much water and stays too wet.

I might try perlite next time

[TheTreeBoundRat]

Ah there's your problem. Feeding em nutes too early. I thought you woulda learnt that last grow

 

Nothing but water for another week or two champ.

 

I tottally disagree they need something to feed on at this stage and cant feed on thin air . Its definietly not the problem imo . My recomendation is 1/4 strength nuts as a miminum . Go for around .4 ec.

 

Coco , seed raising mix, or a less coarse grade of perliute is prefererable for small seedlings also. If though they are in the coarse grade then theyd want a good 3 feeds a day to adress the high air content of the medium.

 

In a weeks time theyl be happy as mate.

 

My 2c

 

 

TBR