Newbie grower needs help: 1st Grow not going well

@xPat you are in cali. Not sure where in cali but look for toolotsdotcom and check out led grow lights there. Beat prices around so far ive seen and lights seem to work great so far. 240w qb boards for 149 bucks cant beat it buddy.

I’m several thousand miles from Cali, unfortunately.

I don’t know about any good books but I do see a marijuana “grow bible” mentioned frequently. I would recommend you read a few grow journals that start with seedlings. Read how they treat them then go to the next when the material ceases to be relevant. You can find all sorts of amazing info around these parts.

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When you germinate the seed is when you want to keep it moisture and humid but once the seed pop above ground there no need for the dome and instead of watering try misting the soil along with the seedlings with a spray bottle especially if there still in the cup also do you have a fan that might help with them growing straight up and falling over

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I have to disagree, seedlings don’t take water from soil. They don’t have roots established. They take their moisture intake through the leaves. That’s the point of the dome. Mist the inside, a couple of times a day. About a week they should be producing root and be able to take moisture from the soil. Not saying they won’t make it without a dome, but it increases odds of success. My opinion

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Thanks guys!

UPDATE: I’ve switched from drenching the pots once a day to just misting them to keep the media modestly moist and already I can see the improvement.

My 2nd batch of 4 plantings from seeds AFTER getting this advice just popped up thru the media today and already look healthier than the 1st batch I was over-watering.

I’ll end up with too many plants and not enough pots, but that’s OK. Come transplant time I’ll just pick the healthiest looking plants and discard the rest. Price of education…

Toss an update and let us hear your progress. Here to help. :sunglasses:

I did post a short update just 20 mins before your post encouraging one. I’ll take more photos tomorrow and most a more detailed update.

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions! What a great community!!!

As requested, here’s a photo update:

These plants are now 3 weeks old and still seem very small to my untrained eye, but I guess that’s to be expected growing in natural light as opposed to a proper grow light. Even so, only the bottom left 2 plants on the top photo look healthy to me. The rest look deformed.

Adding more media to top off the pots helped stabilize the long-stem plants that were falling over. When I transplant I’ll add more.

The plants still look deformed and not too impressive for 3 weeks old. I’m guessing that I drowned the roots with over-watering and that plus trying to grow under LEDs intended for photography for the 1st 2 weeks caused them to look so small and deformed.

These plants are permanently OUT of the dome now. I also have 6 more just-planted seedlings still under the dome (not shown here) to replace any of these that die before or during transplant.

So what is a tap root :laughing: and before it has leaves and its germinating how is it soaking in water to bring life to the seed that makes it grow ?
I’m not saying the dome don’t work when your cloning and the plant dont have roots but after the seed pop the dome should be removed when you have +90% humidity how does your seedling breath co2 does not suffocate from the moisture and make the top just fall off because it’s so wet :thinking:

Tell me if seedling only drink water with leaves from the moisture in the air because there root haven’t developed
I don’t use a dome how do mine plants survive there first couple days
I’m not saying you can’t just saying it’s not necessary or even a you probably should
It more of a preference not a rule

First question, tap root; that is the little white root that emerges from your seed. The whole root system developes from the tap. As for dome; I agree that 90% humidity doesn’t require to be domed. Most don’t have that kind of humidity, especially at this time of year. It is common practice for a lot of growers to dome because of humidity concerns.

Sorry if I ruffled your feathers

@nicky @Caligurl @imSICKkid could you give some insight on this

Actually its quite the opposite from this. A dome IS recommended for keeping the humidity up for brand new seedlings. And you absolutely do not spray the seedling directly.

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You didn’t ruffle my feather I know what I’m doing you have your way I have mine I’m just saying a dome is a preference not a have too and if your having problems with your plant dropping like your over watering try to take dome off as well and it not necessary after it’s above ground

Exactly what @Myfriendis410 said.
Spraying is more often hurting then helping.

A dome is ideal at first unless you can keep your tent at 80+% humidty

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No dome that was takin on the firsr

Takin just now two days later still no dome

I read some of your journals and I know you use a dome while germinate but seems to me once they go in the solo cup you don’t use a dome ?
How long do you keep yours in dome before you transplant to cup ?

I don’t use solo cups.

I used to germinate in jiffy pucks with a jiffy starter dome.

Since then I’ve upgraded my method as follows;

Soak seeds for 20hr in hydrogen peroxide mix,
Place. In Tupperware with damp paper towel.
Once Seed has tail I plant into a rapid rooter with a light soaked nutrient mix. Once seed pops up I ensure shell is removed and will plant into nursery bags or final pot.