Newbie question and help requested - overwatering?

Beginner
#1

Greetings all. So appreciative already for your collective experience and wisdom.

First grow. Germinated on November 21 in jiffy pots under CFLS, good success with all seeds, moved into soil (black gold potting soil) on day 10. I had been watering every morning and growth was looking great. Then leaves began to droop and growth fell. Here’s a shot on December 14 right when leaves started to droop a little:

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Thought overwatering right away. Left them alone for the last two days making sure that soil was drier. Gave them a small drink this morning after pots were light and dry. These shots were today, December 18:

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Does this look like overwatering to you? Any help will be appreciated!

Thank you!!

INFORMATION:

  • Strain - auto flowering AK47 and Jack
  • Method: Soil (Black gold)
  • Vessels: Germinated in jiffy pods, moved to soil on day 10
  • PH of Water, Solution, runoff (if Applicable): within normal limits
  • PPM/TDS or EC of nutrient solution if applicable: using ILGM fertilizer
  • Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
  • Light system. Presently PhatSlim One LED Grow Light (gen6) 54w — Optic LED since yesterday. Was under Viparspectra VA1000 before then.
  • Temps; Day, Night: Highs of upper 70s, lows of upper 60s.
  • Humidity; Day, Night: keeping it around 45 - 60
  • Ventilation system; Yes, No, Size: large garage space, good ventilation
  • AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier: Humidifier as needed
4 Likes
#2

I’m in 3 gallon fabric pots and typically water once a week in that stage. To me it does look over watered. Just my two cents. Happy growing!

1 Like
#3

Once a week! Wow. So, to salvage at this point, just take it easy with watering? I’m trying to follow the general guidelines of mostly dry to the touch an inch or so below the surface before watering, and then watering until a little run off, but I do wonder if the jiffy starter pellets hold more water than the soil around them.

1 Like
#4

I would let them dry up and see if they perk back up. If you are indeed over watering this will show you

1 Like
#5

Got it. So, leave dry until/if they perk up (even if the soil gets bone dry), then water thereafter? Thanks again.

1 Like
#6

if you have extra soil and a pot fill it up and remember the weight. compare it to a pot you have

3 Likes
#7

Yeah I’m with breezy let those pots dry out a few days before you water again. See if you can get those leafs to stand out. Welcome to the community just my thoughts good luck.

3 Likes
#8

I agree with the others. Let them dry out for awhile. They don’t need much water at all at this stage.

Here’s one of mine that’s 12 days old and only been watered once since sprouting, just to give you an idea.

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3 Likes
#9

Yea let them dry out, and then they only need a little water too. I fill my pots 3/4 of the way up and soak them, then fill the rest of the way up and just top dress the seed, then only a tinny bit of water right on the seed, that way the roots stretch to the wet soil at the bottom. I use a spray bottle when they are little and just give them a few sprays each to keep the soil moist.

#10

I’m going to agree with the group let them dry out. The mushrooms in the front left plant indicate to me that they may be a little too wet. When mine are this small they get approximately 1/4 every second or third day and never to run off. When they are this little you drown the roots.

2 Likes
#11

Super helpful everyone. I did turn the pots over today and saw roots, so I am wondering if they are a bit root bound and ready to get a new living situation… could this be contributing to the issue? 3 gal final home for auto flower?

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#12

Helpful! Thank you!

#13

Not rootbound…
When plant is 1/3 bigger than the pot , then it’s time to pot up…
Your problem is overwatering as stated above… :wink:
:v::sunglasses:

2 Likes
#14

Got it. So ok that roots are coming out of the bottom for the moment? These guys still have a few weeks in this size pot? thank you!

1 Like
#15

Once your watering practices stabilize, the plants will outgrow those peat pots in a week or so. I would suggest you score the sides and bottoms of them before transplant as they can cause issues with roots getting through.

2 Likes
#16

Thanks so much. Gave them a very small drink today but basically go for every couple days? The soil is a lot dryer than my usual gardening… a few more shots attached.

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2 Likes
#17

What determines the time to give more space? Not liking the looks of this…

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#18

@gratefulredhead I’m with everyone else here, they look like they have wet feet. The whole watering thing is rough until you get it figured out. Here’s what I did… fill one of your cups with the same soil you used, leave it like that and weigh it (small food scale will work) right that down because well we all smoke :evergreen_tree: now water that pot to slight runoff, make sure not to water too fast as most soils are hydrophobic when dry and will just turn water off the top, now weight the ol cup again, right that down too lol now you will no what is dry and wet, you know when it gets to that dry number its time. As far as potting up let the plant get slightly bigger than the top of the pot as far as around, if you look down at it and the leaves are past the pot its time. Good luck and holler if I can help, I’m a newbie too, getting close to my first real indoor harvest so I just went through quite a few of my own issues (watering being one of them) . I feel like I can break down the way I water if you need me to, lol not sure how right it is or was but it seemed to work, didn’t kill these ladies like I did my first 11 beans lol oh well we live and we learn (hopefully)

3 Likes
#19

Thank you! Let me dry out completely between watering eh? Very helpful rule of thumb for moving them up a size in containers as well. Thank you, thank you! Such an emotional roller coaster! Lol

Any thoughts on the browning?

1 Like
#20

@gratefulredhead unfortunately dry is a relative term ugh lol as dry as it came out of the bag which should be semi moist. After you get Temps up, lights on, air flow, etc. dry is drier than out of the bag. Never too dry. The watering part and the waiting part are the two very hardest parts to this hobby IMHO. Does my method make sense to you? I don’t want to steer you wrong or a misunderstanding steer you wrong. I will be happy to break my way down step by step all the way to now if it will help you. I’m not positive on the browning but I feel like it is a symptom of having wet feet too long. Oh and them staying wet too long can bring a gnat problem and environment control issues too. Oh and are you ph testing your water?

1 Like