Literally stumped! please help!

Borderryan22 · July 16, 2021, 2:42pm

This is my first grow and what we’re looking at here is a GSCE auto at 19 days from sprout. She’s in Fox Farm Ocean Forest, in a 5gal bucket and has been outside since planting. She has received only rain and tap water. No nutes, yet.

Her first three days we’re spent with the seed membrane (not shell) stuck to the cotyledons, holding them shut. I had to cut it open carefully with fine trimmers. You could see where the first leaves were bent a little funny and actually made indentions from their points on the cotyledons.

Next three days, horrrrrrrible rain. She stayed on the covered porch and first break of sun was out in it. First six days of her life the leaves got no real sun. I’m a bad parent, I’m sorry! But it gets worse!

Then on day 7, with gorgeous sun, I notice a small hole on the cotyledon that turned to 3 in just a couple hours. It was an incredibly small caterpillar which I got immediately.

So, on day 7, she came in for a week and sat under a 65w light until she really started new growth again. I brought her outside for a couple hours, here and there, and after 4 days, at day 14, she came back out full time.

We’ve had decent sun since, but this is where I’m at a wall. She’s an auto on day 19. I’ve read many articles on this forum of autos going into flower early and I can’t tell what stage she’s in because of her stunted growth. I held off watering for 2 days, and gave her a drink last night.

Do I need to start giving her nutes? I have the Fox Farm trio.
Is there anything I can do to her or give her other than the FF to give her stretch or speed up the veg before she goes into flower?

This is her, right now. Not even 3" tall, 5 pointers barely even forming. Finger for reference since I don’t need a ruler. She is staying outdoor for reasons. Thanks everybody!!!

Budz · July 16, 2021, 2:47pm

She’ll be fine. The rain has her a little swollen, signs of over watering. 5 gals of OF is gonna feed for at least 6 weeks or more. So just let her dry out before watering again and she’ll be fine. Want her to chase the moisture with her roots. Since she has a lot of nutrients to get to in that soil. Good luck and happy growing!

Don’t expect to water for like a week. Or close to it. When you don’t feel moisture in the soil with your finger 2" in, water. Not before. She is close to damping off. And when theyre that small water in a ring around the plant. Not near her, about 3-4" away.
(I never monitor cotyledons, their job is to feed the plant while roots form, them dying and falling off is a good thing)

Borderryan22 · July 16, 2021, 3:00pm

Thanks! Will definitely hold off again on the water. We’ve had a lot more rain than avgerage, but ample sun in between. The rh has been through the roof too so I guess when the dirt looks dry on top, it’s still holding a lot under.

Budz · July 16, 2021, 3:02pm

That’s why you gotta stick your finger or swing it. Swinging only works when the roots take up most of the container though. My plants 3x that size in pots that size get watered once every 4-7 days depending. Thankfully I’m switching to coco. So no more watering worries. Once established in coco you water/feed everyday. Inert medium.

oldmarine · July 16, 2021, 3:24pm

Nice size home to start.

She’s putting down roots in that nice sized home.

Borderryan22 · July 16, 2021, 3:44pm

I’m doing the trial and error first timer thing, admittedly. I have an indoor girl at 12 days, under 65watt, 24hrs, that I will be moving into a 2’x2’x4’ tent setup on Sunday. New 5 gal fabric pot, new Viparspectra p600 since she’ll be alone. That’s granted the rest of my stuff gets here today. Can’t go bust, but should have a comfortable end of run. I will start her on a lower setting closer to the light I’m using now and bring it up in height and power over a week, then change the cycle to veg, since she will be 21 days sprout and can hopefully start with lst. This is her currently…