Need help plants look burnt

[JasonP2024]

Sorry if this is a little long. I started a few GSC & SSH 5 weeks ago. I made the initial mistake of starting them off in a solo cup cut to about 2 inches tall and I definitely over watered them. When I realized my mistake I transplanted them into a full size solo cup and would let them dry out completely before re watering. After that I germinated a few more to see if I had better results using a full size solo cup and making sure not to over water only watering every 5 days or so once dry. The first set of pics are the first ones that I are 5 weeks old now. I transplanted them into the full size solo 3 weeks ago hoping they would recover. The second set of pictures are the newer ones. They are 3 weeks old. I made sure not to over water only watering when dry every 5 days or so and misting with a small spray bottle morning and night. I'm using Bio 365 Bio start soil. Water is PH at 6.3 run off is 6.8. Temp is 77 60% humidity 700 co2 level im using an AC infinity 750 watt led light I had it at 40% and it was 18 inches above plants and thought maybe that was too much so this morning I raised it to 30 inches and lowered it to 20% since i didnt know what else could be causing the problem. I have plenty of drainage holes on sides and bottom of the cups. I know the initial mistake was over watering but figured they would have bounced back by now and the new ones would be good but they are starting to show brown spots on the tips and slowed growing and the older ones keep looking worse. I can't figure out what it is. Was the light to bright
and too close. Sorry if this post is a little scattered. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Phytoplankton]

They still look very overwatered to me. Do you have a cup sitting in a cup? You need to put drain holes in the bottom of the cup that the soil is in, then get them up out of the other cup and raise them up above the drip pan so they can completely drain, if they're sitting in runoff water the roots will starve for O2.

 

[SmokingWings]

I know the initial mistake was over watering

My very first impression was a set of seedlings that were not getting enough water on a regular schedule. Plus the plants are looking like they have not been getting anything like a food source or fertilizer.

I'm using Bio 365 Bio start soil.

I had suspicions of what was involved in this starter "soil" and looked it up to see what it contained.

This is a 'starter soil mix' but it does not contain any dirt, compost of any kind, or worm castings. The company's website says that they put a small amount of fertilizer in it as a plant starter. And the list of ingredients for the fertilizer they put in is not much either.

I do not read anywhere that they recommend growing anything in it after the first couple of days. It kinda looks like it is intended as a seed starter for hydroponic growing.

 

[SnoopingAsUsualI]

Either that is a strong potassium and zinc deficiency or a light burn. I would also check for water, which water do you use for that girl?

 

[JasonP2024]

They still look very overwatered to me. Do you have a cup sitting in a cup? You need to put drain holes in the bottom of the cup that the soil is in, then get them up out of the other cup and raise them up above the drip pan so they can completely drain, if they're sitting in runoff water the roots will starve for O2.

I have plenty of drainage holes. Its in a clear cup in a another cup. I did the clear cup so I could take it out and check to see if it need more water. There is about an inch of space between the 2 cups at the bottom and both have multiple drainage holes so drainage is definitely not an issue.

 

[JasonP2024]

Either that is a strong potassium and zinc deficiency or a light burn. I would also check for water, which water do you use for that girl?

I'm using tap water at 6.8ph

 

[SmokingWings]

...the plants are looking like they have not been getting anything like a food source or fertilizer.

Jason, what fertilizers are you using? What dose? How often?

I'm using tap water at 6.8ph

It is a decent pH for growing in a natural, mineral-based soil with compost, and dirt but not in a soil that is mostly peat, coir and perlite.

The company lists the ingredients as:
Sphagnum Peat Moss, Coconut Coir, Perlite, Fertilizer (see DERIVED FROM below), Softwood Biochar, Gypsum, and Yucca.
And the fertilizer they added was listed as being derived from:
Pasteurized Poultry Litter, Feather Meal, Dolomite, Bone Meal, Bone Char, and Sulfate of Potash.

The NPK of their fertilizer is listed as:
Total Nitrogen (N).................…… 0.20%
0.18% Water Soluble Nitrogen
0.02% Water Insoluble Nitrogen

Available Phosphate (P205)...... 0.06%
Soluble Potash (K2O)........…....... 0.26%
Magnesium (Mg).......………….........0.85%

I do not see these NPK ratios of 0.20 – 0.06 – 0.26 being enough for growing past the first week or so.

This might not mean anything to you but these ingredients and the NPK numbers are extremely important when growing in containers instead of directly in a decent garden dirt or soil.

 

[SmokingWings]

They still look very overwatered to me.

Only thing is that the mix of soil ingredients is designed for good movement of water through and out of the soil. I figure that the company built a seed starter mix for a hydro grow and not the typical compost style of soil mix.

 

[JasonP2024]

Jason, what fertilizers are you using? What dose? How often?


It is a decent pH for growing in a natural, mineral-based soil with compost, and dirt but not in a soil that is mostly peat, coir and perlite.

The company lists the ingredients as:
Sphagnum Peat Moss, Coconut Coir, Perlite, Fertilizer (see DERIVED FROM below), Softwood Biochar, Gypsum, and Yucca.
And the fertilizer they added was listed as being derived from:
Pasteurized Poultry Litter, Feather Meal, Dolomite, Bone Meal, Bone Char, and Sulfate of Potash.

The NPK of their fertilizer is listed as:
Total Nitrogen (N).................…… 0.20%
0.18% Water Soluble Nitrogen
0.02% Water Insoluble Nitrogen

Available Phosphate (P205)...... 0.06%
Soluble Potash (K2O)........…....... 0.26%
Magnesium (Mg).......………….........0.85%

I do not see these NPK ratios of 0.20 – 0.06 – 0.26 being enough for growing past the first week or so.

This might not mean anything to you but these ingredients and the NPK numbers are extremely important when growing in containers instead of directly in a decent garden dirt or soil.

The guy that sold me the mix said it would be good without any nutes for the first 6 weeks. After doing more research and reading responses on different forms I think your 100% right that mix is only good for the first week then it needs to be transplanted into a different mix or a feeding regiment needs to be added. Thanks for the info.

 

[SmokingWings]

The guy that sold me the mix said it would be good without any nutes for the first 6 weeks.

He might have been thinking it was similar to some of the soil mixes like the popular Fox Farm Happy Frog or their Ocean Forest. Those soils will be able to supply the plant naturally for several weeks after the added fertilizer is used up because of the use of composted material.

... that mix is only good for the first week then it needs to be transplanted into a different mix or a feeding regiment needs to be added.

That company does make other mixes using the same basic ingredients but I believe that the fertilizers change. Didn't really get that deep into looking over their website. Though I noticed that the company is in the state of New York.

You are in the lucky position of being able to decide if you want to go into a hydro/coco coir style of growing or if you want to get into a more organic compost style of growing using that sort of soil mix. Pick a line of good fertilizers that are popular with Cannabis growers and go for it.

If you have not studied the use of coco in a hydro method then it might be easier to transplant into a compost based soil mix instead.