I am a first time grower and I currently have an indoor tent set up–2.3ftx2.3ftx5ishft. I have a Mars Hydro TS 1000W light currently hung about 28 inches above my plants. The temperature has fluctuated between 23.5C-26C, and the humidity has ranged from 70%-80% rh. I’m growing in FF Happy Frog with 20% perlite. The soil’s pH is 6.5 and I’ve been watering them with a pH around 6.2. I also have a 4in inline fan, a small fan on the bottom of the tent near the plants, and a large fan up near the top. I am growing Amnesia Haze auto, Blueberry auto, and Northern Lights Auto all from ILGM. I planted a bunch because I highly doubt all of them will make it to maturity (already had two fatalities rip).
Three of my plants are 13 days old, and I think I have stunted their growth–I only recently have turned the light up to its full power (it was functioning at around 20% capacity because I didn’t want to shock the seedlings), so I think that could be part of the issue.
My questions are: are these little guys healthy? Should I transplant them into their final 5 gallon pot? How often should I be watering them, especially with a light as intense as the one I’m
using (they seem to dry up quickly but I don’t want to overwater). I just feel like they’re not growing!!
Thank you so much for the advice and direction, I really appreciate it!!!
It would be nice to have a root ball when repotting, but your peat pots will make that hard so you might have to cut the bottoms off. It’s true that the peat pots will eventually rot away, but it takes WAY TOO LONG for that to occur when growing autoflowers. Those peat pots will constrict root growth for at least a month and by then your plants should be flowering.
consider using looped pipe cleaners to support the spindly babies. they are fine…sign of good growth.
always best to move to final home…5 gallon min for photo, 3 for auto one time.
suggest you consider using clear cups next time, root progress can be monitored and another can be used a dome. be sure to have drain holes.
Peat pots will be no more in this grow tent, thank you for the advice!! When you say cut the bottoms, would you suggest doing that now or before I transplant? Sorry, that might be a silly question
Cut the bottom of the peat pots when you transplant them.
It’s suggested to transplant when leaves overhang the edge of the pot. You won’t be able to remove the plant from the peat pot, because hopefully, the roots will grow into it. Cutting off the bottom will tear a few roots as well, so cut all the way through when cutting it off. With the bottom removed the roots will have room to grow.
Everyone uses solo cups with soil. Cheap and easy. Oh, baby.
I got a tip from an old hippy. Retired Marine. So I claim no ownership and give this to you.
Solo cups are so cheap, why not make it easy. Start with a clear cup, Use 2 per plant. Poke holes in the bottom of one, for drainage- I use a soldering iron. Then cut the second- cut the bottom out and slice it up the side. When the time comes for transplanting, just drop the inner into your new pot and the cut cup come out without a fight.
It a delight to use and you won’t through another one away.
Clear cups are not recommended. Everyone uses solo cups because they block out the lights to the roots. Roots don’t like light, and you will slow your root development with the clear cups. @forcedinduction
Not too sure where you keep your lights but dirt is dark.T5 lights are not very bright and the clear sides are in the shade. I use the clear cup to see when the root ball is full. These plants are in the cups for less than a month. I’ve used this method for years without issues. I’m trying to help a brother get away from an over-watering issue with a tip.
See, that’s the thing. If you’ve been doing it for years and it hasn’t presented an obvious problem so why change? The clear plastic, carries light straight thru it. Roots not only dont like the light, it kills them…dead. But by all means if it isn’t affecting you keep doing your thing and there’s no harm in experimenting. Have you seen some of these “Solo Cup Challenge” plants? Holy Cow!
The clear cup allows you to see the roots. Never Never Ever have I experienced a root issue, dead or otherwise. The root ball develops well and you can actually watch the root growth. I think the thing everyone is missing is the T5 lights. They don’t have the ability to penetrate the canopy. 5 or 6 inches of penetration is all the T5 can do. And that doesn’t make it past the surface of the dirt. I understand your point, but in practice it does not appear to cause any concerns. And I got this advise from another who had great luck with it. Give it a try. You know its just one more clone to cut. Worth a try, for sure. I feel the advantages of being able to watch root development is worth the risk.
What is great is the way he has two of them stacked. the root ball would take very little shock like that when you wanted to get it in a bigger container, just the very bottom I’d guess sticking to the outer cups bottom but no biggie
the root ball would take very little shock like that when you wanted to get it in a bigger container, just the very bottom I’d guess sticking to the outer cups bottom but no biggie