New Grower First-time Grower - Nirvana Bubblelicious Feminized + Autoflower

[Muddy]

While too much water can certainly hurt seedlings, I think your temperatures are more the issue. Seeds like temps in the mid 80s to germinate well. Even established plants need higher temps that what you're currently got. I'd suggest a heat mat for germination and a space heater with a thermostat. Less than $20 at WalMart. Ideally you want your temps to be around 80.

 

[Peel Here]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the replies. Here's an update.

After germinated seed #2 died from rotting caused by overwatering, I was able to help germinated seedling #1 break the surface. I also sprayed it down with some nutrients a day or two before I helped it break the surface. #1 has been alive and maturing well, and this is what it looks like as of today:

I then germinated a replacement #2 in a paper towel in a sealed plastic container wrapped in a dark towel and placed on top of my water heater in the water heater closet. It germinated a nice sized root within 48 hours. I was impressed because it germinated much faster than the first two which were germinated the same method, but placed in a linen closet and not on top of the water heater. I learned that the top of the water heater is the better place to germinate.

I planted the germinated seed in a new 18oz party cup filled with pH balanced water moistened LW. The BIG differences between this seedling and the first two are:

1) This seedling was germinated with pH balanced water while the first two were germinated with non-balanced water

2) This seedling was planted in LW lightly misted with pH balanced water while the first two were planted in LW SOAKED in non-balanced water

3) The first two were planted deeper than the new #2, which was planted just barely under the top of the soil.

The difference is HUGE. The new #2 was germinated exactly a week after #1 and the original #2. Now the new #2 is surpassing #1 in height and leaf development.

Is there anything I can do to help #1 recover from my rookie mistakes or will #1 just be less productive plant with no remedy? #2 is a week younger than #1 and looks like it is a week older.

The NEW #2

I now have #1 and #2 moved from my Rubbermaid grow box to a PC grow box. I figured I don't need to use 12 26-watt CFLs for two seedlings. The PC grow box has 4 23-watt 5000K daylight balanced CFLs placed about 1"-2" above the seedlings.

After reading the thread that Alan Smithee linked in his reply (thanks Alan :thumbs, I went to Wal-Mart and got some Jiffy Pellets to try out. I got the one with 36 (or 32) pellets and a mini greenhouse. I decided the mini greenhouse is too big to germinate just one or two seeds at a time, so I got some small resealable Glad plastic storage containers that fit one Jiffy Pellet perfectly.

Introducing #3 (just a bun in the over now):

And here is #3 nice and cozy in an old black sock resting between a couple of warm pipes coming out of my water heater.

I look forward to sharing more soon!

 

[Peel Here]

Also, I've read that Jiffy Pellets are not sterile, which can lead to problems. Would it be reasonable to zap a Jiffy Pellet in the microwave oven for a few seconds before moistening it in order to sterilize it?

 

[The Squid]

Welcome to AFN man. Cool setup. Not sure about nuking the Jiffy Pellets, but that might work. I wouldn't say they're sterile either but if everything else your using is clean then you'll probably be fine. One thing though, you have got to lay off of using any nutrients at all for the first 3 weeks +/-. You're going to burn and stunt them and/or kill them if you don't. AFs don't like nutrients for a little while. Also, your lights are far too close. Back those bad boys up asap. Those cfls are cooking those little babies. Check other grow threads and check out this https://www.autoflower.org/f44/fds-guide-hefty-autos-2884.html. You will learn pretty much what you need to know for the most part if you read this thread, trust me. Good luck.

 

[Peel Here]

So TBM, what kind of user error can lead to mold and/or mildew with the pellets?

 

[Peel Here]

I moved the lights higher away from the seedlings to about 6" from the tops. #1 is a runt compared to #2 although it is one week more mature and it's leaves are drooping. I'm worried about it. Last night I found a green patch of growth on a small part of the top soil. I scooped it up and now it's gone. I'm going to abstain from watering it for a few days because I think these are symptoms of overwatering, right? Any other insight to help #1 keep up with her bigger younger sister?

#1 front:

#1 back

#2

 

[Muddy]

Yes, algae growing on top of the soil is a sign that the plant is being over watered. Learn to judge when to water by the weight of your pots. Get a feel for them when they are dry and only water again when they feel like that. Over watering, especially with seedlings doesn't promote good root growth. The soil stays too wet and no oxygen can reach the roots, so in effect, the roots suffocate. Also, pots usually dry out from the top down. So the roots will keep reaching toward the bottom of the pot for the moisture, promoting a bigger, healthier root system.

 

[GCase]

Peel Here--Howdy. Thank goodness I am Herbal C. free (90% of the time) when I am on the forum. Photo above "#1 back" reminded me of the movie I watched for about the 50th time a few days ago--Tremors--a baby one. Just goes to show what a photographer can do with a willing subject. Looks like things are off and running upward.

 

[Peel Here]

So here's an update:

#1 is still a runt but no more algae. I'm not watering her for the time being until she starts bouncing back from my overwatering her from the get go. Her soil is feeling pretty dry at top and I'm beginning to judge her moisture based on the feel of her cup's weight in my hand (that's what she said!). Her single pair of serrated leaves are about half the size of #2's and are still curled in, but they have good color. Her stalk seems to be getting slightly taller and slightly thicker than yesterday and she's developing a very, very small set of new leaves from the center.

#1

#2 is coming along nicely. She's also not getting water because I'm now becoming conservative with my watering from everything I've read and experienced first hand. Her cup feels lighter than #1's and I think she needs a few mists from the sprayer.

After two days in a Jiffy pellet on my water heater, I saw no signs of life from #3. I put her under the lights this morning and by this evening she peaked her head out to say hello.

Hello there #3:

For my next plant, I'm considering germinated in a paper towel and plastic container. I find I prefer that to the Jiffy pellet method. I want to then plant my germinated seed directly into it's final pot because I understand planting in the final pot is safer than having to transplant an autoflower. I'm considering planting in a mix of 50/50 LW and OF with a center hole dug out an filled with 100% LW (about the size of an 18 oz. party cup) to plant the seedling directly into. Is this a sound plan?

Here are the three sisters:

 

[Peel Here]

So today #2 looks like she nearly doubled in size since yesterday and #3 has already cracked her shell and has a bright green pair of healthy cotyledons wide open and a small pair of serrated leaves coming in the center. But poor little #1 is growing at a snail's pace.

What's the deal with #1? Is her growth stunted? Will she produce? Is she worth my time and effort? She hardly seems to grow and her leaves are still curved down. She was dry as a rock this morning so I gave her a few sprays of pH water.