Is this damage from it being too hot?

This is so pathetic I'm embarrassed. I haven't grown in over 10 years, which was outdoor and I was going to try my hand at a small indoor grow. Here's the embarrassing part. I thought I wouldn't have a successful first grow so to get my feet wet I bought some seeds from a cannabisseeds dot com. I knew they weren't the best but they were cheap and good to practice with. They had a sale a while back and after some initial reviews them seemed ok and the deal seemed good. After ordering the seeds I found more reviews and things didn't look so good. Turned out the genetics were very poor, poor plant growth and poor germination rates. I ended up getting a refund and the seeds so this attempt turns out to be free. I haven't set up anything indoor so I germinated these seeds 16 days ago, 10 Himalayan Gold, 10 Super Silver Haze, and 15 White Widow, all feminized. They were healthy a few days ago, now they're dying and the leaves are curling and at first I though something ate bits off one or more plants. Then I saw another plant leaf with a chunk missing from it and the chunk was on the soil.

I could have done so much better with this but I had read and read and read this forum and others and I just had to do it and time was running out and I started it before a long weekend of work so I know how bad my setup is to begin with. I had read so many different ways to start but in the future I think I will use the method here that uses what looks like a modified cloner.

Thanks for everyone's help.

What is your experience level? Novice

Your Equipment:
.1) Type and wattage of lights. Sunlight, 14 hours 30 minutes in the South.
.2)
.3)
.4)
.5)
.6)

Your medium:
.7) Specific brand and type of soil Miracle Gro Seed starting pro mix (It was recommened by one of the better seed banks but I don't think people here like it!)
.8) Size of container.- 10 ounce cups.
.9) Did you use peat pucks (or similar) to root clones or germinate seedlings? No

Your nutrients and water:
10) Source of water? (tap, bottled or filtered) What's it's ph before adjusting? Distilled water, I didn't check the pH!
11) Method of checking water ph. (ph pen, test strips, aquarium test kit...) N/A
12) Method of adjusting water ph. (phosphoric acid, white vinegar, hydrated lime, PH Up...) N/A
13) Specific brand and N-P-K ratio for each bottle. List dosages (quantity per gallon) and current feeding schedule. N/A
14) How often are you watering between feedings, and how much per watering? Almost when the soil on top looks dry when I would spray water.
15) Any additives or tea's? (Superthrive, CalMag, molasses, Mother's Earth...) No.
16) Are your ph levels stable, or do they fluctuate? I don't know.
17) What is your ingoing water's ph? ...your runoff ph? N/A
18) Do you foliar feed? If so, with what, how often, and at what time do you spray? N/A

Your growroom:
19) Indoors or outdoors? Outdoors
20) What size of closet, room or hut?
21) What are the temps and humidity levels while lights are on? ...With lights off? It's about 77 -95 right now and it get's hot quick once the sun comes up. Very humid
22) Have you seen signs of insects in the growroom? N/A

Your strain:
23) What strain are you growing? (Indica dominate or Sativa dom?) 3 different kinds as listed above, Himalayan Gold, Super Silver Haze, White Widow
24) From seeds or clones? seeds
25) Is this an autoflower strain? no.


Pic 1--Group shot.

Pic 2-- A close up of two of the white widows. These were two of the first plants to look like they had be eaten. As you can see I have another problem with their placement as the seeds got too close. The leaves that were eaten were quite large and these 2 were much healthier just 3 days ago. Below them is a slow growing midget Himalayan Gold. I think the experienced growers can see the effects of poor genetics in play but the ends have some damage.

Pic 3--More ailing widows. The cup containing the 2 seedlings also had signs of what looked like something ate them, especially the one on the left side of the cup. The widow in the upper right has the chunk I was talking about earlier but the leaf part was in the cup. End of leaf damage visable too.

Pic 4-- Close up of the chunk from the widow in the upper right as mentioned in pic 3.

If something was to eat them it could have only been insects or birds from where I had them and not small animals.

Don't let the cups totally dry-out, and do they have drainage holes? Indoors under a couple of CFL's would keep the insects and other predators away till hearty enough to fend for themselves outdoors.

Doubtful it's from the heat.

Let the roots provide the moisture and nutrients to the plant. That's what they're there for. Do you have something ready for their first transplant? Too early now, but the seedling mix is unacceptable for anything but seedlings and fresh clones. (no perlite, and particle size is too small)

Cannabis needs a water ph of between 6.3 and 6.8ish. The Miracle Grow is buffered to near neutral, but will eventually the buffering will dissipate. An aquarium test kit will get you by for the first few months, but if serious you'll want a decent ph pen.

With proper care even a strain considered crappy by some, can show promise. Should give you a good glimpse at the varying strain charachteristics.

I had the same thing happen to some WW seedling/sprouts. Mice got them...:(..and they were inside. Plus, the little bastards ate my papaya seeds, too.

That meant, war....and I fired the cat....:D...peanut butter + spring traps...:thumbsup:

Thanks for the responses.

Well I started with them on a balcony, taking them out right as the sun was coming up and taking them in after sunset, leaving them in the room and walking out in the dark. Then I discovered that there was a small amount of shade on the balcony for like 2 hours so I was putting them on a roof overhang, which you can imagine gets hot. I had all intentions of putting them in the yard once they are slightly bigger but I have rabbits running around in the yard eating the grass. I thought for sure they would eat these so that's why I have been using a balcony.

Do roaches eat cannabis? I did have one running around one of the cups but I didn't think plant material was something they like to eat.

I'm trying to take advantage of the sun and growing some small plants that will flower soon instead of using indoor lighting right now. Rusty, are you saying to switch completely to lights or even sticking them in a window and augmenting them with light or just helping them with lights for now and then take them back outside or what? Also, what kind of light schedule are you recommending if they will eventually see the sun again?

Yeah, I have drain holes. As far as supplies for the next step, I'm a little lacking. I was planning on buying some things on line this weekend but that might have to wait till Monday as I'm about to go to work for the rest of the weekend.

A chicken wire fence around 'em might help with the rabbits, but there's a bunch of other things that can and will eat the plants. Perhaps a little greenhouse, lol?

I was just pointing out that if something is eating you kids when outside, there are alternatives. CFL's are readily available at WalMart, and are cheap and effective, when on a timer. (variable schedules grow variable plants) Plus, CFL's are a tad nicer on the kids than direct sun, early in development.

Some go for an indoor schedule of 24/0 or 18/6. (18 on, 6 off) I use 18/6 because I believe it better imitates a plant's natural enviornment. Regardless, you'll want to acclimate them when you make the change to full sun, but keep 'em under the CFL's when not in the sun. A few hours of sun a day to start, increasing daily. (or partial shade) The folks in the outdoor growing forum could likely give you a better idea on strategy, though.

Roaches eat anything, which brings up another point. If you are moving your ladies back-n-forth from outside, you will likely bring assorted bugs in with 'em. They crawl up the drain holes and hide under leaves and leaf-litter.