EXPERTS HELP NEED!!! TAKE A LOOK!!

Hey guys I wanted to continue a grow log on here but I got lazy and just didn't keep up with it. I'm about 5-6 weeks in and my leaves look a little droopy. I also have to go buy some pest strips to get rid of the spider mites. I have one 100 Watt daylight bulb above the plant and 2 on each side. I plan on upgrading my lighting system when I have more money but for now this is all I have to work with.


Is it over watered? Under watered? Anything else?

Thanks in advance
The pics won't load on here so here is the image shack links

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if u have spider mites i would throw it away and bomb your grow area and start over

Really? Its inside my closet. I read a lot about how the strips really work at getting rid of the spider mites. Does my plant look bad or something? Thanks.

So many experts out there and no help? Please guys! I've been workin hard on this sucker!

why do u think u have spider mites? also pest strips are great for getting rid of gnats and flies but not spider mites

also if its 6 weeks old it should be alot bigger!

are you giving it nutes?

what are your temps..?

how close are your lights?

are you letting the soil dry between watering?

it doesnt look like it has spider mites :hippy:

plants are little. is this good quality potting soil?
the lights should be fine for now.

same questions as Bickeybammer.

Ya I just started giving it nutes vigoro or something. I started with a very deluted mix and the last time I watered I stepped it up.

My plant seems like it could take almost a week to dry...is that normal? I'm using mirical grow soil. My two lights on the side are about 3-4 inchs away from the plant. The over head light is about 6-7 inchs away.

When you look in the soil there are little bugs crawling around here and there. Also little flies. They could be the same thing.

What do you guys suggest I do?

don't scrap it as it will be an invaluble learning process. what kind of potting soil is that? get some better stuff. get some no pest strips. get more lights. get some nutes (or soil with nutes in there). read more.

what are the temps?


-shake

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Originally Posted by headshake

don't scrap it as it will be an invaluble learning process. what kind of potting soil is that? get some better stuff. get some no pest strips. get more lights. get some nutes (or soil with nutes in there). read more.

what are the temps?


-shake

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Mirical Grow soil is what I'm using. I don't kno the exact temp but I do have a fan right on it and its in my closet. Which is dark and cool for the most part.


Also my plant is more towards 4 & 1/2 to 5 weeks along vs 6.

Does my plant look about the right size for 4 and half weeks?
I'm using Vigoro nutes that I mix with my water.
You said to get better soil? Now or for my next plant? Can you switch soil's?

Thanks guys:rastasmoke:

you can switch soils. i grow in miracle grow soild and don't have problems. did you add any perlite to help with aeration/drainage? perhaps the water is not draining well. stick a pencil or something in the drainage hole of your pot and see what happens.


-shake

I stuck my pencil in and the soil felt really moist but solid and clumpy almost. Could it be my plant just isn't draining and being over watered? I didnt add any perlite since this is my first time doing this. What is that? How much is it? Where can I purchase?


Should I consider switching to a new pot of miracle grow with perlite in it?

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Originally Posted by TheGatorViking

I stuck my pencil in and the soil felt really moist but solid and clumpy almost. Could it be my plant just isn't draining and being over watered? I didnt add any perlite since this is my first time doing this. What is that? How much is it? Where can I purchase?


Should I consider switching to a new pot of miracle grow with perlite in it?

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perlite is that white volcanic rockis looking stuff found in every garden store in the world. should be huge bags of it everywhere. it's very cheap. my store has 4QTs for $5.

I'm not sure if you are up for this or not, but i'd suggest making a new soil mix (you can use miracle grow just add some perlite, maybe some vermiculite) and then repotting. But when you repot break up the soil, all the extra "old" soil will fall off and there should be a decent rootball that you can put in the new soil. The plant will experience some transplant shock for a bit but after that it should take off like a rocket (hopefully).

The plant is real tiny for 4.5 weeks, it is definitely struggling a bit in one way or another.

That just my opinion, good luck bro.

Gator Viking,

I can not tell much from the pictures you have posted due to the quality. However, my inclination is that perhaps you might be watering the entire pot and, because the plant is so small and it is in that large container, the water is not absorbed and evaporated through the plant at a rate that will avoid overwatering symptoms.

Also, a few things happen when the soil is very damp and not mixed up to allow proper drainage:

1.) The soil compacts around the roots and chokes them off
2.) Roots begin to rot due to inadequate aeration
3.) Mold problems within and on the surface of the soil

As far as the bugs go, I could not tell if you had a problem. If you think you may have a bug issue on your hands, get ahold of a spray bottle and fill with isopropyl alcohol and spray any infected areas. The alcohol practically dissolves the pests and will not harm the plant.

But, some things you SHOULD do right now is, listen to Shake. Re-transplant in some new soil, maybe a tad smaller pot, and really pay attention to your watering schedule. Bump up the nutes and watch it carefully!

Good Luck,

SMG

Thank you all for the help. Already I feel better about saving this little guys life.

I just saw your post SMG on the bug issue, thank you for that tidbit.

Do you guys really believe I can save this fella? Its some decent bud, ice I believe. So I really don't want to give up on it.

Also how do I plant the soil and perlite? How much soil vs perlite, where each should be layed. etc

mix 2/3 parts soild with 1/3 parts perlite. mix it together. fill in your pot leaving a hole for the plant to go into. backfill the remaing area with your new soil mix. remember, this is gonna have ferts in it so you won't need to add any for a bit.

also, you are hoping for a lady, and not a fella. all a fella is gonna do is drop his nuts in your face. you want the female flowers. that's the booty!

good growing!


-shake

lol She's a lady, I got feminized Ice seeds. My bad.


Anyways I really think what you covered is my problem. I knew from the get go this could happen but I wasn't sure what to do about it.
How should I go about taking the plant out of the pot? Let it dry out and dig around and down it how far?

Does any kind of rubbing alcohol kill those bugs? thanx

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Originally Posted by TheGatorViking

Does any kind of rubbing alcohol kill those bugs? thanx

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Originally Posted by SauceeMcGee

As far as the bugs go, I could not tell if you had a problem. If you think you may have a bug issue on your hands, get ahold of a spray bottle and fill with isopropyl alcohol and spray any infected areas. The alcohol practically dissolves the pests and will not harm the plant.
SMG

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try to read the responses you get. that usually helps. read the ingredients on the rubbing alcohol bottle. hmmm, does it say 3% isopropyl alcohol?

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Originally Posted by TheGatorViking

How should I go about taking the plant out of the pot? Let it dry out and dig around and down it how far?

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let it dry out. then place the stem in between your index finger and middle finger and flip it upside down. you might have to tap on the bottom of the pot a few times. now place it in the whole you made in the new pot and backfill as needed.

water with pH'd water to help the new and old soil "mesh". do this before your dark cycle to let her recover.


-shake

your getting some good advice. i know its hard to let go but...THE PLANT MUST BE SCRAPPED.WAY TOO SMALL,TOO MANY INSECT PROBLEMS.dissenfect your area and start again in smaller pots.getting a good soil is a must even if its your own mix

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Originally Posted by fourkicks

your getting some good advice. i know its hard to let go but...THE PLANT MUST BE SCRAPPED.WAY TOO SMALL,TOO MANY INSECT PROBLEMS.dissenfect your area and start again in smaller pots.getting a good soil is a must even if its your own mix

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Why? First off I don't have the money and or time to restart my first grow. If nothing else its a learning exprience. My plant has been taken care off, there are FAR worse plants out there then mine that have pulled through, I'm sure of it. My plant looks small, but its in a 5 gallon pot which ofcourse would make a month old plant look tiny. Add on the fact its not draining right.

I really think no matter what I do I CAN'T avoid these bugs. From the first 2 seeds I planted in dixie cups, till now. I found little bugs in every batch from a bag of mirical grow.

Just throwing my plant away is a slap to the face for shake and smg. They have taken their time out to help a newbie. I appreciate that guys.

To be honest it seems like the bugs on the plant are little flys more so then spider mites. Is that more of a common problem?

See if you can identify what pest you have using this site: Insect Identification : Guide to Identifying Bugs

I thought I knew a better field guide to pest identification but I can't find it. If anyone else has a great website for pest ID please post it. I want to bookmark it!

SMG

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Originally Posted by SauceeMcGee

See if you can identify what pest you have using this site: Insect Identification : Guide to Identifying Bugs

I thought I knew a better field guide to pest identification but I can't find it. If anyone else has a great website for pest ID please post it. I want to bookmark it!

SMG

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Try this one out Saucee

^^^^ is good for specific bugs commonly found on cannabis.

Another one!

And One More!













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After looking at that site I really don't think they are spider mites. I believe they are fungas nats. They are super tiny and black. They hop and fly around.

Take 'em out. Do you have the right materials for controlling pests? What do you plan on using?

SMG

how much do you water your plant a day? the plant will absorb all of the water you provide it which is why its important to be careful and not drown it. make sure the soil you are using is not very acidic you want the ph level around 6. the acidic soil could poison the water the plant is getting and shock its growth. also make sure the water your giving it is room temperature or look warm, cold water will also shock it. the tips of some of the leaves are drooping possibly for a lack of water circulation throughout the plant. try misting water directly onto the plant leaves, the leaves will obsorb the water and is a more direct watering system. also you said the light above the head of the plant is about 4 inches away. you want it no taller than 2 inches.

I bought a no pest strip to hang and I have the alcohol mixed with water mixture that I use. I just switched my plant to a new pot of soil today. So far its looking pretty good.

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Originally Posted by grow4life

how much do you water your plant a day? the plant will absorb all of the water you provide it which is why its important to be careful and not drown it.

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Not true, the plant will NOT absorb ALL of the water that you give it. If you water a plant that is incapable of absorbing a significant amount of the water given between each dosage than the water begins to constrict the roots. This leads to severe drooping (not just the tips) and can lead to root rot.

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Originally Posted by grow4life

make sure the soil you are using is not very acidic you want the ph level around 6.

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Also not true, you want your pH to hover anywhere from 6.6 - 6.8. Many nutrients are not absorbed in soil that is close to a pH of 6.

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Originally Posted by grow4life

the acidic soil could poison the water the plant is getting and shock its growth. also make sure the water your giving it is room temperature or look warm, cold water will also shock it.

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True, very true. Watch this carefully

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Originally Posted by grow4life

try misting water directly onto the plant leaves, the leaves will obsorb the water and is a more direct watering system.

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I would suggest doing this very cautiously because when leaves are wet and the lights are going the water condensation on the leaves will magnify the light waves from the light and will sometimes burn the leaves.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by grow4life

also you said the light above the head of the plant is about 4 inches away. you want it no taller than 2 inches.

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If you can put your hand in between the light and the plant without having to pull it away for a while, you're just fine and can attempt to move them closer, just be careful that the plant doesn't grow onto the bulbs as that will lead to frying.

I hope this cleared some things up!

SMG

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Originally Posted by SauceeMcGee

Also not true, you want your pH to hover anywhere from 6.6 - 6.8. Many nutrients are not absorbed in soil that is close to a pH of 6.SMG

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It is actually 6.3 - 6.8 for soil, my apologies

I lowered my top light to about 2 or 3 inchs. I think that could have been causing a delay.

Well its been about 5 days since I transplanted the plant. It went through a mild shock and the leaves where drooping. However now they are perking up and looking pretty green. I went ahead and mixed some vigoro (half a teaspoon) with some room temp water in a squirt bottle. I sprayed and and coated all the leaves with a little of it.


I read that you shouldn't give it leaf nutes after being transplanted. But its been 5 days and its perking up.I figured jump starting the leafs wouldn't hurt.:rastasmoke:

yeah bomb the room and start over man

I appreciate your opinion but there is no reason to bomb it.

A: its my first plant, ever, so its a learning exprience
B: since I repotted my plant the knats have gone away.
C: Even if the knats come back, alcohol and pest strips will take care of it.



Thanks to all the guys on here I've saved my plant. When I'm blowin on some ICE i'll be happy I didn't toss it.

If they are gnats I wouldn't be too worried. Here's a few simple tricks to keeping their numbers stunted and/or eliminate them.

Water the soil with hydrogen peroxide. Not a lot, maybe a capful per gallon. Only do this when they seem to be getting out of control

Get some yellow sticky traps and position them around your pot. This should catch the majority of them

Cover the top 2-3 inches of your pot in perlite. They will have a very hard time surviving with a dry surface. This also means that the drier the soil, the better chance you have at ridding them.

If you want to rid them completely do all 3 of these at the same time. If this still doesn't seem to work (unlikely), next step would be a product like Gnatrol or Mosquito dunks

As far as everything else, the advice you have gotten is spot on. Except for chucking your plant. The soil should have great drainage with the added perlite. Now that the roots are breathing, growth should explode. You didn't mention what you used for the new transplant. What soil? Did you add perlite?

No pest strips are great but they won't work unless the room/box is sealed for a period of time. Whenever I pick up new clones I let them marinate in a small box with a no pest strip for 12 hours. It will kill everything if there is no ventilation (mites included)

Foliar feeding should be done at 1/8th strength or less

Well, thats everything I can think of, I hope your plant gives you some massive buds :D

Well damn...looks like you guys got this one covered. :thumbsup:

Thanks Greenatik! I appreciate all the info. It covers any questions I had or have.
Here is a link to my plants before I transfered them.
(I transfered them to the same soil they where in before, miracle grow. I did 1/3 Perlite and 2/3's Miracle Grow.)

ImageShack Gallery



Now here is my plants after the transfer, in shock.

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Now heres my plants today, 6 days after transfer. Looking perky!

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Bump*

Well its been a full week since I transfered my plant to new, fresh soil. Just like stated before in this thread the plant is taking off.


Taking some time to ask questions was well worth it. If I would have listened to the very FIRST post. I'd be back at the drawing board!



I want to thank everyone again. I will continue to ask questions and post updates as much as I can.



Happy Smoking!

There is something to be said for just doing it yourself at first. Mistakes are never a bad thing as long as you learn something from them. GL in the future :cool:

well, to be perfectly honest. if I only had one plant (in my flower chamber) and it had spider mites I would probably chuck it. They are a real pest and can ruin a crop very quickly. The key with mites is prevention. So if you had an infestation, scrapping the plant and bombing the room would be the best idea. But since this is your only plant and your first time (and we know they are gnats now) there is nothing wrong with seeing it through to harvest; there is plenty more to learn about the whole process. Next time you'll be able come out the gates runnin' :thumbsup:

oh.. one more thing. what are your temps? you need to know, go buy a cheapy thermometer. the temps need to be 75-85 for optimum growth. my veg box was getting too cold at night (65) and my plants were growing slower then hell. just a thought

peace,

greenz