# How soon do you fertilize seedlings?



## Hackerman (May 19, 2014)

My seedlings are up but they look a little pale.

I planted on the 9th. They popped up a few days later so the sprouts are about a week old. Working on their first set of pointy leaves.

I was going to wait another week but I may do a tiny bit of Fox Farms BIG in the next watering.

I am growing in a mix of Garden Magic top soil (peat and sand) with 50% soil, 25% vermiculite and 25% perlite. Not much nutrient in the grow medium.

Any thoughts? I'll post a pic if it helps.


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## Locked (May 19, 2014)

I use MG seed starter mix which has pretty much no nutrients in it and my seedlings go 2-3 weeks before they need a feeding. When they do I usually start out on 1/2 strength unless it is a light feeder like Satori. Those I started out on 1/4.  After only a week they shouldn't really need a feeding. You got pics of the seedlings?


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## Hackerman (May 19, 2014)

Here are some pics. There are 3 plants. 2 pics of each plant (under slightly different lighting settings). 

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## Locked (May 19, 2014)

Does look a little light green but I am always hesitant to even consider feeding seedlings that small.   jmo   Look healthy though.  Green Mojo.  &#9835;&#9835;&#9835;


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## P Jammers (May 19, 2014)

Looks a little wet m8. Let them dry a minute and see if they don't improve for ya a little.


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## Hackerman (May 19, 2014)

Thanks gang. Yeah, I just watered them right before the picture. They have been kept on a  wet/dry cycle.

I am going to skip the nutes next watering and see how it goes.

Thanks again.


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## JustAnotherAntMarching (May 20, 2014)

I agree with PJ....  they look drenched...  and also really small for food....


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## Hackerman (May 20, 2014)

Yeah, I just soaked them right before the pic.


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## Hackerman (May 23, 2014)

A week later they still don't look tip top. I raised the light to 24" above the plants. I think it was a little too close, before.

Just a light spritz of water yesterday so I watered them pretty good right before the shot.

Maybe I am just being impatient. LOL I'll say one thing, the seedlings from my single strain sativa sure are hardier than this hybrid (which makes sense, I guess).

Can I take clones from these, yet? :rofl: 

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## trillions of atoms (May 24, 2014)

If the medium has manure,  castings, compost etc in it- there is "food" already there.

I only feed my hydro seedlings b/c there is no nutrition in the mediums I use.

the plants look like they might be in hot soil or weak soil...idk what you added but the yellowing isnt normal.


ph the water you use next time to 6.5.
dont feed yet give them some time.

dont overwater!! 

Put a small fan on them and check them a few times a day.  I would transplant into their final container in a cpl weeks.

by then you will water them in and let new roots hit the fresh soil. You might not even need to feed even at that point.

it all depends on whats already in your mix.


did you use dolomite lime?

If not get some and water it in.


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## Hackerman (May 24, 2014)

My medium has almost no nutrients.

Sand, peat, vermiculite, perlite. So, a little nute in the peat but that's it.

I have been sprouting in this medium for decades. These seeds are just lame compared to what I am used to. I'm sure they'll catch up.

I may sprinkle a little MG seed starter medium on top. It has a tiny bit of nutes in it and has worked well for cloning, in the past.

I think the light was just too much. All these new lights and bulbs are killing me in both rooms. I backed the light off to 24" and the second set of leaves is a little greener.


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## Locked (May 24, 2014)

I am a big fan of MG Seed Starter.  It's all I use.


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## trillions of atoms (May 24, 2014)

No nutes and yellowing....hungry or ph is off.


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## Hackerman (May 24, 2014)

Hamster Lewis said:


> I am a big fan of MG Seed Starter.  It's all I use.



I sprinkled a small layer on the top just now and spritz a little water on it.

I used it for cloning a couple grows ago and it worked great. I was going to use it to germ these and I simply forgot. Hopefully, not a fatal error.


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## Locked (May 24, 2014)

It almost seems like they are having ph issues. Which I find strange since I water my plants with tap water that has not been ph'd at all and they are fine. I only ph my water to 6.5 after I begin feeding.   My water comes out the tap at 7.8-8.2 . jmo


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## trillions of atoms (May 24, 2014)

When im running rockwool/ hydro etc..I notice a huge dif if I dont ph. But my promix not so much.

if your light was to intense it could compound your nutrient issue.

if it was hungry all along and you Back the light off already and it was to low...and feed, it will come around.
Could possibly be seed stock. But if youve grown forever you would have known if the light was low or not already.

the soil mix is inconsistant alot of times....you could buy 10 dif bags at 10 dif stores and it will all be dif.

hope that helps.


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## Hackerman (May 24, 2014)

I have been using the same water for years.... tap water. I let it sit in gallon jugs to dissipate the chlorine. I never checked the PH. Never felt I had to. I have a brand new tester. Maybe it's time to get it out. LOL

Still, I don't think it's the water. I think the light was just too much. I usually germ and clone under floro, not HID. And, this is a brand new one so it's nice and bright. I backed it off and the newer leaves look greener.

They got off to a slow start but I think they'll be OK. In another week, if they don't show a noticeable improvement, I'll give them a tiny bit of nutes


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## trillions of atoms (May 24, 2014)

Do you let the feed run without phing?


I would bet if you do ph all the way though ( or at least TEST AND CHECK ph)  you will end up with more yield. 


If you stick with one strain and learn it a while- your yield will go up.

if you run quality genetics- same...

if you focus on the little things and tweak them for your methods...it will go up.

let us know after you calibrate your meter properly...test ph and fix issue how it works out.

I can assure you one thing. I have learned you can do something for years but that doesnt mean its the right way.


test and adjust for ph!!!

 Use a quality digital ph meter with calibration solution and use dolomite lime when mixing soil.

ph is more important in dro than if you use a soil w a buffer like dol. Lime.


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## 8planets8 (May 27, 2014)

*:beatnik:* ILEARNED ALOT ON THIS ARTICULE THE LIME???????????YES SHOULD I TRANSPLANT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME??? 6 DAYS 2 INCHES TALL???


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## Hackerman (May 31, 2014)

I just couldn't take it any more.........

I was sitting with my plants and reading them a story (Jack and the Beanstalk. That's their favorite story) and I could just hear that poor little yellow girl crying. I dumped her out and transplanted her into some MG Organic potting soil I had. Not a real fan of MG but I had it and the bag said the nutrients came from natural ingredients in the mix (Yeah, sure LOL). Anyway, I screened out the bigger pieces and mixed in a little perlite. She is doing a little better this week. I was amazed at the size of her root structure for such a small and weak plant. The main root went almost all the way to the bottom of the 4" pot and the cluster was quite large for this size plant. Hopefully she will catch up. I sing to her sometimes and she really responds well.

The other 2 are coming along. One is fair and the other seems pretty strong. I started with 1/2 dose of nutes (Fox Farms Grow Big) every other watering.

In the reality of thinking I may loose a seedling, I put a Chronic Thunder seed into some seed starter mix (MG again. LOL)

These things better start growing at super speed if I am going to clone from them and have a full harvest of the clones by December (going on vacation in Jan).

I haven't tried it yet but perhaps if I dance for them, they might grow faster. They really like my singing and they love to be read to.

I wonder if they like tap, waltz or modern dance?

:banana: 

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## 8planets8 (Jun 1, 2014)

So it means if they are a light green that could be alot of differant problems correct,but my m grow has everything in it so should i be worried?8888888:vapleaf::vap-Bong_smoker:


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## Hackerman (Jun 6, 2014)

Well, it's been almost a month since I put the seeds in the ground and I am finally off and running. 2 of them look OK for a month old. The runt is still way behind. And it looks like the leaves she is producing are a little retarded.

We'll see what happens later.

Correct me if I am wrong (keeping in mind that I am growing these for mother plants).... I do not want to clone the runt, correct? 

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## orangesunshine (Jun 7, 2014)

if you got more beans and all things are equal such as strain medium location etc---i would compost the runt


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## Hackerman (Jun 7, 2014)

:shocked: WHAT!!!! I could never do that to one of my little girls.

:rofl:

There's plenty of room so I'll let her go for now. I plan to top one of them and not the other. I know I'll get more cloning spots if I top but this is my first time with hybrid seeds and I want to see as many different characteristics as I can (see if it's really any different than what I am used to).

So, I'll let one go au natural and one I'll top. I'll just watch the runt and see what she does.

Again, I ask, would I clone the runt? Just because it got off to a slower start doesn't necessarily mean the genetics are bad (does it)? Would the clones likely be runts as well or would they revert to the original genetics?

My guess is to clone the strongest plant but, like I said, it's a hobby for me and I like to learn new stuff.

TIA


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## ozzy-plant-eater (Jun 8, 2014)

you dont feed your seeds at ALL ffs. if your using a none nut soil then yes feed them 1 time a week. but if your soil has feed then you will not need to feed for atleast 5-6weeks due to soil havin feed feed in it all ready. no fking wonder poeple lose plants coz yall tell h


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## orangesunshine (Jun 8, 2014)

Hackerman said:


> :shocked: WHAT!!!! I could never do that to one of my little girls.
> 
> :rofl:
> 
> ...



clones are an identical genetic copies of their mom---runts/slow growers get culled in my world---dont want to take a prime seat away from a vigorous plant to seat a runt as my space is in high demand---if shes a runt based on growing conditions a cut from her will grow completely different but still never revert back to original genetics---runt plants will produce runt clones


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## Hackerman (Jun 8, 2014)

Cool, thanks.


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## Hackerman (Jun 13, 2014)

Well, a month and 4 days and they look fair. I still have those spots on 2 bottom leaves. Nothing major, I guess (yet).

The runt is getting worse. I transplanted her again and I'll give her one last chance to recover.

The chronic Thunder freebe seed never germed so it looks like it will be 2 plants in this tent.

I need to top one of them since these are going to be clone donors. I should top both but I want to see the growth pattern without topping so I know what to expect from the clones.

Given any unforeseen circumstances, it's just a matter of waiting now. 

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## MR1 (Jun 13, 2014)

Plants look good, except the runt, oh well.


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## Hackerman (Jun 21, 2014)

Other than the leaf problem I posted in the other thread, they don't look bad for 6 weeks from planting the seed.

I topped the best pheno today. Just took a tiny little tip off. I stuck it in a pot that has a Chronic Thunder seed in it that won't germinate. I doubt it will take root but, I just never toss anything out. LOL

Hopefully the mother I topped will split properly.

The runt is still all spazzed out. LOL 

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## 8planets8 (Jun 22, 2014)

tha last one dont look that good i wonder what is a matter?


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## 8planets8 (Jun 22, 2014)

im a newbie and i learn from you guys thank you 8


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## Hackerman (Jun 24, 2014)

I am still having some evidence of nute build-up. The yellow leaf got more yellow. I have some minor yellowing on a couple other leaves and a tiny bit of tip burn. I have not been feeding but if there's a root build-up or a build-up in the soil, I am thinking about transplanting them a little early into their final 7 gallon homes.

I don't really want to but I suppose I could knock off the current dirt and wash the roots as I transplant but that's a terrible shock to them. And, you have to be really really careful not to break too many roots. Overall, not really something I want to do.

I think simply transplanting them into the bigger pots and going to a lighter nute program is a plan. Maybe none at first and then 1/2 dose for a while.

Sound like a good plan?


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## Hackerman (Jun 27, 2014)

I am still not real happy with these. I transplanted into 7 gal pots in hopes of flushing out any nute buildup. I have been using the Deer Park water with no nutes. Still getting some yellow on a bottom leaf on one plant. A little yellowing throughout both plants. Some tip burn (guess I fertilized too early).

I'll leave them off nutes for a while longer and see what happens. They are 7 weeks old (from seed planting). 

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## trillions of atoms (Jun 28, 2014)

When the first set of leaves try and start to yellow.

if you nail it the baby leaves will still be on when you chop.


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