What's a girl to do?

[BakedCupcake]

Looking pretty good! Can-do attitude is great but patience is equally important in growing. Many a noob has loved her plants to death. Be sure to let the soil dry substantially before watering and don't let them sit in runoff water in their little trays there. You said it was cool in their location? How cool ? Seedlings seems to do best at 22-26C in my experience. Cold will slow them down considerably. As mentioned above they are mostly working on roots at this stage, hence the importance of proper watering. Best of luck with your grow!

Off the heat mat, they just registered at 15°C
They're back on the mat again now and I also checked for water runoff and they're fine (I had just watered when photos were taken earlier). Thanks for the tips! I've learned something!

 

[PE636]

Just to be clear I was referring to air temperature not the soil temperature. I think if not on the mat the soil would always be cooler than the air due to evaporative cooling like @Virgin ground mentioned.

 

[Virgin Ground]

Oops, I just tested soil temp with plants off the heat mat (just took them off 2 hours ago for the first time) and they're down to 59°F . They're back on the mat now for sure! I'm glad you said something! Thanks!

If the heat mat seems too hot and you can't adjust it, put some towels on it. It will insulate against the heat a little.

 

[TurboBucket]

Maybe we're rushing it. They've only been planted for about 2 weeks and they're certainly green and upright. Perhaps our pitfall was comparing our babies' growth rates to those of others' plants.

This is a growers worst enemy. Everything runs a little different from grower to grower. Don't get caught up comparing your grow to others. Some folks count their days funny and what they call a week old may have been planted for three weeks. Or they flipped the timer to flowering cycle three weeks ago so they call it week three of flower but the plant has actually only just started to set flowers.

Do your thing, if they're green and upright you're ok.

Sometimes keeping them on the mat too long will slow them down but it sounds like your getting that sorted out. Be careful not to love them to death it's easier than most folks realize.

 

[PE636]

I put a wire cookie cooling rack under my seedlings when on a heat mat for a little separation. Seems to work well.

 

[BakedCupcake]

I put a wire cookie cooling rack under my seedlings when on a heat mat for a little separation. Seems to work well.

Ooh, clever!

 

[zeroday]

Also, how often are you watering? I'd let them get pretty dry before watering them at this point. Not sure what other think.... Let those roots stretch out and search for water.

 

[BakedCupcake]

Also, how often are you watering? I'd let them get pretty dry before watering them at this point. Not sure what other think.... Let those roots stretch out and search for water.

We let them get dry and crumbly on top before watering, just once per day. I like how you worded that... "Let them search for water" really helps me wrap my brain around it being ok for them to get a littler drier

 

[Southerncough]

We let them get dry and crumbly on top before watering, just once per day. I like how you worded that... "Let them search for water" really helps me wrap my brain around it being ok for them to get a littler drier

Ideally wait till the little Cup starts to feel pretty light it doesn't have to be exactly bone dry but it when you pick it up if it feels like it's time to water it

 

[McRib]

Good luck with your grow!

 

[QA1142]

Hey everyone! I'm here for help! When my hubby decided to grow a few months ago, I was adamant that I wanted nothing to do with it, no responsibility for it, nothing. Since then, I've helped grow our little seedlings and helped set up our tent, engineered our mounting systems for fans, ventilation, etc... And now, due to unforseen circumstances, I'm taking over the grow 100%. What else could I do?

But now what??

Our seedlings' growth has stunted after reaching only a couple inches tall. I'll be over in The Grow Room poring over threads while I try to get these babies back on track.

A little about me: I'm a mom of 3 dogs. Married to integrationlabgod. I've used medical cannabis for about 6 months. I'm a self-proclaimed badass who always figures out a way to make it work and doesn't take failure as an option, and I'm all about doing something about it if you're not happy with your circumstances. Yet too sweet for my own good. Lol

I'm excited to be here, and super nervous. My daddy always said "it's just a weed" when it comes to growing, but what if I can't even grow a weed properly?!

Welcome Badass!

 

[Momma's Kitchen]

I put a wire cookie cooling rack under my seedlings when on a heat mat for a little separation. Seems to work well.

I use egg creates to create a buffer, air flow, heat flow between mat and plant

 

[BakedCupcake]

Welcome Badass!

Thanks!

 

[oldsmokey]

cupcake

 

[BakedCupcake]

Here's an update for anyone following!

The kids are doing fine and have definitely grown. I've cut back considerably on watering, and though I question whether it's enough, I know the plants will tell me if they are too thirsty!

I, with the help of @IntegrationLabGod, got our ventilation system set up the other day. Sucked all the air right out of the tent when I powered on the vent fan for the first time. I'd say it'll do. Lol. I also appreciate the heat/humidity sensor as part of the ventilation system. Digital display , mounted right inside the door to our grow room, tells me immediately what the conditions are inside the tent down near the plants, and I love it! Averaging around 70° when lights are on and around 65° with lights off

Beyond that, I'm just waiting (sometimes im-)patiently for them to grow up!

 

[zeroday]

I like the looks of the soil in the pic in the foreground. Nice and dry.

 

[BakedCupcake]

I like the looks of the soil in the pic in the foreground. Nice and dry.

Sweet!! It's good to hear it from someone with experience!

 

[zeroday]

Hey, quick question @BakedCupcake . How is your stuff situated in the tent? I see you have a heating mat under the plants. Is there anything between the heating mat and the tent floor? And, is there anything between the tent floor and the floor of the room? Lastly, is the tent in your basement?

Reason I ask is, I've found that insulating the plants from direct contact with a basement floor, or any kind of ground during the winter, really helps out with keeping the soil at the proper temp.

Just wondering....

EDIT: When I say "insulated from the ground", I don't mean like house insulation or anything like that. Insulated from the ground can simply be turning the water catch saucers up side down if they are rigid enough, and placing the plants on them, or anything that keeps the plants from direct contact with the ground.

 

[Southerncough]

Looking great! Pretty soon they'll be huge

 

[BakedCupcake]

Hey, quick question @BakedCupcake . How is your stuff situated in the tent? I see you have a heating mat under the plants. Is there anything between the heating mat and the tent floor? And, is there anything between the tent floor and the floor of the room? Lastly, is the tent in your basement?

Reason I ask is, I've found that insulating the plants from direct contact with a basement floor, or any kind of ground during the winter, really helps out with keeping the soil at the proper temp.

Just wondering....

The tent is directly on concrete basement floor. The heat mat is directly on reflective tray (same material as tent) which is directly on tent floor.

We've purchased some interlocking foam flooring squares that we were considering putting between tent floor and reflective tent tray to insulate some from the concrete floor. Thoughts?