1st grow, indoor tent in soil. Few beginner questions

[Its_Always_420]

The seed bank I used was low on stock (they all seem to be) so ended up with a Sativa dominant strain Hawaiian Snow. Will be fun learning LST and super topping.

 

I got 6 seeds and only 2 sprouted (planted 30th April), using peat pellets. Used a propagation container on a heat mat, so I'm a bit pissed so many didn't pop.

 

The two that have started seem to love the LED - they have been put into small pots with 'seedling' mix from bunnings https://www.bunnings.com.au/osmocote-10l-seed-cutting-potting-mix_p3020058

 

Will two Sativas fill out my tent in time or should I try and source more seed?

[nici]

The seed bank I used was low on stock (they all seem to be) so ended up with a Sativa dominant strain Hawaiian Snow. Will be fun learning LST and super topping.

 

I got 6 seeds and only 2 sprouted (planted 30th April), using peat pellets. Used a propagation container on a heat mat, so I'm a bit pissed so many didn't pop.

 

The two that have started seem to love the LED - they have been put into small pots with 'seedling' mix from bunnings https://www.bunnings.com.au/osmocote-10l-seed-cutting-potting-mix_p3020058

 

Will two Sativas fill out my tent in time or should I try and source more seed?

Is your "seed raising mix" filled with bark bits? If so that's horrible stuff, once they're strong enough transfer them to a good soil mix and you fair much better.

[Frank Reynolds]

I have to disagree, aged pine bark in my opinion is one of the best general potting mix ingredients, there is a reason why it is so commonly used.

[micmac]

The reason Frank is that it fills up their bags quicker

Pine is useless in indoor weed plants that are done in less than 6 months

Less of the things u actually need

They restrict root growth also

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app

[Frank Reynolds]

While aged pine bark wouldn't be my first medium to use indoors it's still possible. 

 

Why is it useless for plants that are done in 6 weeks? 

 

As in nutrients? 

 

Pine bark does not restrict root growth, one of the best things about pinebark is the roots are able to penetrate the chips, allowing for high water holding capactiy as there is more surface area for water to be held while also being able to retain air filled porosity with the large chips forming air pockets. 

 

I want to make this clear I am talking about aged pine bark found not chipped up hardwood you find in cheaper mixes. 

[nici]

Aged pine is great Frank, it has already started to decompose so starts to release all sorts of beneficials back to the soil.

[Frank Reynolds]

A lot of the commercial seed raising mixes at bunnings are sieved pine bark and sand. It makes up a few of the premium potting mixes as well at bunnings.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Frank Reynolds

[Its_Always_420]

Yeah the seedling mix has bits  of bark all through it. It is just a temp medium until I get a bag of organic soil.

 

Still 4 non popped seeds so I got them out of the peat pellets and am soaking them overnight.

 

The two that have started seem OK, some of the leaves seem a little mutant but early days?

 

1st to sprout looking normalish

 

 

Other one looks mutant

 

[Its_Always_420]

3 months in and I just can't get any decent growth in soil in my tent until this last week.
On to my 3rd round of seedlings, but they all kept dying at about 5cm high. Yellow leaves, then they dry out and wilt. Tried more watering, less watering, letting them go without for periods, Tried LED, Tried MH. MH is a bit better as I think the heat helps (none of the pro LED people tell you lack of heat may actually be a PROBLEM).. the extra heat and adding more air flow in the last week has seen my best results but it still so damn slow and uninspiring. My mate has the same strain, tent, lights and soil (except he mixed through his compost whereas all I could do was put it on top of the seedling potting mix I used) and he has amazing plants he just put to flower, I started a month before him and I got nothing but climbing power bills to show for it.
The soil seems crap but my mate says 'it's a living soil, its fine' he gave me some home made compost to put on the top of my potted soils but it's still not doing anything except now I seem to have a lot of creatures in my soil..
I dunno do I just keep going, with just water? Doesn't feel right to not be giving the plants anything but water. Do I add nutes at some point, is that why they keep dying? My mate just watered and later on used 'thrive' powder and his compost, thats it.
All I am trying to do now is get the fundamentals right, and I'm slowly starting to see some growth more like what I've read it should be when I worry about these

Keep the temp between 20-25 degree Celsius (SF2000 LED wasn't warm enough so got a 400W batwing MH) - TICK
Keep the air flow and fresh air into tent constant (wasn't doing this before, just had a internal blow fan that wasn't getting new air in / old air old) - TICK
Keep the Humidity above 70% - seem to struggle with this, so have just got a humidifier with hygrometer for the tent, coming in a few days

Apart from that, how much do I need to worry about the ph of my water going in to the soil? Half people say check it, but I don't know if I got a crap ph meter but everything I test (tank water or tap) seems high - tank water 8.5 and tap water high 7's - I think I probably need some ph down.

If after ph and humidity is ticked and it's still struggling, I'm thinking of trying a coco attempt.. but thankfully this latest soil attempt has been improving.

[gazza308]

You should try a mini green house to get your seedlings started with a good quality seed raising mix in future.

 

6.5 - 7.0 ph is fine for soil.

 

Avoid the cheap ph meters of eBay they are cheap because they are crap. A good quality ph meter will come with a calibration fluid so it can be recalibrated.