Three weeks in and not enough growth.. Advice please

[billroy]

Hi guys,

First time indoor grower, long time forum lurker here.

I'm roughly three weeks into an indoor tent grow, and have been a little disappointed with the growth of my two little ones. My whole set up has been lent to me, as well as a really in-depth bible, so it's a learning curve - just looking for some advice.

 

So here's what I'm running:

The tent is like 6x3.

25L pots
The strain is delicious cotton candy.

The soil is a mixture of mushroom compost, fertilizer, soil - as recommended by my local nursery. (threw in a bit of local sand to balance PH, also)
The light is a 600w Metal-Halide running @ 24 hours

I've been watering them every couple days - basically when the top soil dries up I top 'em up.
We also have a little fan to circulate the air, and a big carbon filter/fan exhaust.

I originally had the lamp high up, around 4ft above the plants. I've now lowered it to about 2ft. A friend suggested it could go even lower.
I've also had a small amount of fungus gnats hangin' around, but have pretty much gotten rid of them. Currently not watering the plants until the entire soil is dry and the larvae have pissed off.

 

Any idea why they aren't that dark, healthy green colour, and a bit taller?

 

[thejudgefudge]

You should spend some time studying grow diary's of grows that impress you, then try to emulate what they have done.

that being said

Should start with small pots and work your way up to larger pots. That way when you water they will dry out faster and in turn not get bogged down in a large pot like that. 

 

I don't know if organic soil is your preference but i would suggest COCO preff Canna brand

 

I have been growing for a little while and soil is very touchy and i wouldn't consider it for a novice. 

 

It might sound bad but i would grow these out a little more take some cuttings as clones and do them in Coco 

 

judge

Edited May 20, 2015 by thejudgefudge

[merl1n]

Honestly it could be a number of things from your soil, to your fertilizer, to your feeds etc. The gnats can knock'em around and stunt them too and it will take time for the plant to recover from them. Also the top of your potting mix may be dry, but underneath could be soaked. My advice here would be to water and lift the pot, feel the weight. Then before you water them again weigh them again, see if they feel heavy. Is that water being retained below the surface?

In nature plants don't get 24hr of light, they need a break, a rest period

Some people think more light, more growth, but I'll ask you, how would you feel if I kept you awake for 3wks straight. I reckon you'd be pretty shithouse after that.

You've got some leaves growing, I'd recommend you get them into a cycle of lights on for 18hrs and off for 6. This will give them the rest period they need.

 

Any changes you make can take a couple of weeks to show, so don't be expecting any overnight miracles. They need time to recover then time to start growing again. But they aren't dead, so give them time.

 

Hope it helps

Merl1n

[billroy]

Cheers!
You are quite right there JudgeFudge. We just germinated them and banged 'em in. Sorta want to keep them going to see what happens as it's my first grow... and on a positive note, we have many many more seeds from a variety of strains. 

Merl1n... I began with a 18/6 but changed it to 24 the other day. I've always done the outdoors and used that same logic with giving them a rest. And the gnats... well, there wasn't a substantial amount, but the plants are younglins.

I'm suspicious on the soil now... The bloke (a trustworthy fella) from the nursery said that it was all good stuff, but did say it was a bit of an experiment (and the mushy compost was some very potent shit). I'll test that weight method. I have noticed that the soil holds a lot of water.

[billygoat]

Are they really 25L pots ?

[Razz0r]

Should have mixed in 40% perlite to help drainage and charcole at the bottom also.
Google for a hps / MH light height chart and get a lux/lum meter app for you phone. From memory for 600w MH I had mine as low as 12-14" so about a foot.

How's ya temps??

My first grow is soil and have good success with it. Have a look at my mix...

https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners.com/topic/74265-first-time-tenting-auto-northern-lights-white-widow/
Also go 20/4 plants need a rest plus many say over 20 hours of light is a waste.
Timer from bunnings will do :-)

Edited May 20, 2015 by Razz0r

[b4weed]

I'm a novice myself, but that soil looks like it has way too much bark in it, which can slow down growth in young seedlings.

[billroy]

Billy, they might be 20 - I don't know.

 

Razz0r, I don't have a temp gauge in there, but its certainly not too hot. The plants aren't under much heat where the light currently sits so it could go lower. And yeah, the soil is still holding a bit of moisture, and I haven't watered the suckers since Monday! (Been doing that to kill the gnat larvae). 

 

So I'm definitely thinking I'll grab a new potting mix and transfer them into said soil mix, same pots.. I have been creeping your diary a bit, very nice my friend. Might do a copycat job of it.

Also, I have a bunch of Northern Lights auto fems seeds... could be a rookie move but was thinking I could possibly fit another seedling in the tent. If they really have a quick grow cycle may have flowered and matured by the time these other two are reaching maturity...? Or is it dangerous business mixing autos with non-autos at this stage?

Cheers guys.

[Ozzy420]

To me looks like the medium u have them planted in is a lil to rich for em.

 

In time they will get use to it and kick on, from my experience not all potting mixers are good for canna.

 

If you dont mind wating in time they will kick on but if me i would tend to repot them in strait searles premium potting mix, may be mix some perlite in with it but nothing more for now...

[billroy]

For the sake of science I will repot the smaller plant on the left with some standard potting mix, and see how she goes against the one in the richer mix.