Worried first grower

Grow Cycle Seedling
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New grower with week old seedlings auto. Stems are thin and too flimsy to support leaves. Need help!!

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Need pics with lights on to be able to respond. Seedlings are typically thin, small, and fragile.

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Can you post some photos?

“Stretch” isn’t unusual.

Let me help you start off on the right foot so we can help you now and more as you continue in your grow journey. Copy and paste the post below, fill out as much as you can.

Post photos. We will be here to help. :v:

Welcome to the forum.

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Welcome to the forum! Get that support tic filled out, and some pics. But in the mean time, you can add some dirt around the stem to help them stand.

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Unbend some paper clips except for the small bend in the center. Bend a 90 in what’s left use them to cradle around the stem until strong enough to stand on their own.

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Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I can’t do photos.
autoflower indoor in seedling soil right now in pots
LED system 18/6
70-80 degrees day/ 55-65 night
humidity 60-70
venting with a small fan
pH n/a
nutrients 10-40-10 just started
humidifier n/a
I have 10 seedlings one week old. Hoping to get a couple of plants to harvest
Right now, they look like palm trees with 3" stems and 4 leaves on top. Stems are thin and weak. two leaves serrated two leaves darker and non-serrated
patience/confidence fading
rk

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Can you explain the LED system a little more?
Also maybe put a little dirt around the bases, hard to say without pics but I understand.

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Don’t be fading! Great folks here will getcha straight🤘

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Welcome to the community ! After you add backfill to stem. Use a small fan to create a little jiggle will help strengthen stem. Yeah photo would be nice. Good luck

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A light breeze will help strengthen and thicken your stems. You don’t want a fan close enough to completely knock them over, but it should cause the leaves and stems to move a bit. I added a pic of my last bunch of seedlings as a reference for you. They were 12 days above ground in this pic. You can see the ones that I needed to prop up with the soft green plant ties.

Screenshot_20211103-090638_Gallery
Screenshot_20211103-090638_Gallery1080×2220 265 KB

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Thanks!
Will embrace any suggestions. Already doing some.
LED is 1200 watts 16x12 hung at 18" I usually start at 60% for 4hours then raise to 80% for 14. I spray hydrate plants are never dry
CO2 n/a

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Check the tag on the LED for its actual power draw. Or if you can find your light on Amazon and share it with us here. Chances are your light is the culprit - probably much weaker than it claims to be.

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power draw 250 watts

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14

Gotcha.

Okay - my advice is to do what @StonedCold13 says and fill the pots up as full of soil as you can - you want to bury the long stem as close to the first set of (round) leaves.

If your plants are not already in their “final homes” aka the biggest pot you’re planning to put them in, do it now. Autoflowers don’t really like to be transplanted so if you need to Do it, try to do it only once. Transplanting is a good way to have more room in your pot for enough soil to bury the stems.

Turn up the power on your light a bit. An actual wattage of 250w will be good, but be careful about it because it likely won’t flower out 10 plants (well, it will, but the plants on the outer fringes of the light will be less potent, airy buds more than likely). If you’re at 25% power, bump it up to 30-40%.

Otherwise keep doing what you’re doing and as @Cap_Ron and @kellydans also suggested, a breeze helps with what part of the stems you can’t backfill. :v:

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Thanks
I did the dirt and the fan and will transplant today.
All good suggestions that have helped the plants and my frame of mind.
hope springs
rk

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thanks
did the dirt and it helped

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Remember as a new grower that patience means a lot. You received great advice and i would add that auto do not need a ton of worry. They are tough. Basics basics. Letem do their thing and in a few weeks they will explode. Actual light power? They are absolutely correct. All are different a bit. I use qboards with 301 diodes. 3 diff brands. All rated 1k with 110 draw. They are not the same. An offbrand just KILLS the others. Meanwell driver and dimmable seperate boards. I play till happy on height and power. I spent too much piecing together my lighting. I REALLY suggest just a friggin great light to start. Thinking of upgrading to some commercial quality. I will be asking on that after i decide my budget.

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Yeah you’ve gotten good advice. Sounds to me like they weren’t receiving enough light and became “leggy” while searching for more light. Btw, the non serated leaves are called cotyledons, and they are the leaves the plant comes out of the seed with.

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not sure if this is relevant because i dont see your grow environment or any pics but if you are growing in a tent weak stems can also be caused by poor airflow…if the exchange rate isnt good enough they will fall over. might want to look at your CFM. just a thought…as far as putting a fan on yur seedling i wouldnt …simply use your finger and tap the cots every once in a while

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Welcome to the forum! I don’t know what soil you’re using, but giving nutes this early is not recommended. Also, I saw PH n/a? PH is very important to maintain. Apera 20 is a good one. Amazon- $50. If your watering without checking PH, your babies will suffer!

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