Three weeks in and not enough growth.. Advice please

[Razz0r]

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. 

 

grab some perlite and mix it in with the potting mix - about 30-40% of it. 

and get ya self a temp sensor from bunnings and keep an eye on temps around the pot and above the light (So an outdoor\indoor one form bunning is like 10 bucks) 

 

For good growth you will want the temps about 27ish with lights on and down to about 20-19 with them off. 

[Frank Reynolds]

If you ahve a lot of mushroom compost in there, your potting mixture may have become too Alkaline. 

 

if you want to use, potting mixes i would suggest going to bunnings and picking up a premium potting mix that follows Australia standards, you really just to need to add some fertilliser and watch your watring can be used straight out of the bag.

[billroy]

Thanks Razz0r, I'll make a trip to Bunnings this weekend...

Haha, cheers Frank Reynolds! We didn't put too much mushroom compost in, but the compost was no ordinary shroomy compost - smelt veeery strong. It was originally far too alkaline and we attempted to balance it with some sand from the backyard (possibly a huge mistake, given the sand could potentially  hold some salt/too much water). Looks like we've  narrowed it down but.

[Frank Reynolds]

When you say sand from the backyard do you mean sandy soils? if so most sandy soils are generally alkaline themselves so that prob would not of helped.

 

But i would not be mixing your own potting mix if you don't have full information on all the components just in my opinion as there are a lot of problems that can form. Why i would recommend a bagged ready made potting mix if you wanna head down that route again.

[billroy]

I live a few houses back from coastline, and we dug a couple foot and reached the sandy layer, which was more acidic than the mix we made, so we added some of this sand. In the end the soil was around 8ph.

We knew it was a risk, and thought it could go one of two ways... which it did... But not the direction that I was hoping haha.

Interestingly, we put extra sand in one pot and that one was shown more growth. Don't think it can be linked to the sand though, many other factors at play possibly..

[wannagrowbuds]

More sand would improve drainage, which would make that pot less susceptible to over watering.

[billygoat]

Digging up dirt in the back yard for young plants ... Really ?

[billroy]

Yes, Billgoat, really. Thanks for the input.

 

Quick update guys, I didn't end up going through with the repot and kept them in the soil mixture. And I'm quite thankful for that. A few days later they 'came good' as someone suggested they might and are now showing inches of growth each day, with a healthy head of leafs popping up the top. They are also a nice, healthy dark green colour. I'll grab some pictures in the next few days. Pretty excited now! The only issue I'm currently still experiencing is a very minor gnat problem - all in all, not so bad. And I'm trying to rationalise whether or not it's worth putting another plant in - an auto fem N lights. Just trying to work out whether it'd still produce a decent yield once I reduce the photo period for the other plants in a month or so, or whether it'd be wiser to focus on these two. My head tells me the latter, and that my greed won't pay off.

[Naycha]

Glad they 'came good'. Inches a day sounds slightly exaggerated though

[billygoat]

Yes, Billgoat, really. Thanks for the input.

 

Quick update guys, I didn't end up going through with the repot and kept them in the soil mixture. And I'm quite thankful for that. A few days later they 'came good' as someone suggested they might and are now showing inches of growth each day, with a healthy head of leafs popping up the top. They are also a nice, healthy dark green colour. I'll grab some pictures in the next few days. Pretty excited now! The only issue I'm currently still experiencing is a very minor gnat problem - all in all, not so bad. And I'm trying to rationalise whether or not it's worth putting another plant in - an auto fem N lights. Just trying to work out whether it'd still produce a decent yield once I reduce the photo period for the other plants in a month or so, or whether it'd be wiser to focus on these two. My head tells me the latter, and that my greed won't pay off.

 

Sorry mate, that sounds a bit blunt doesnt it !!!

 

What I should have said is, you would need to be careful what you dig up and use, perhaps when they are larger, but nonetheless if it has started working then great !!