Hi folks,
Complete beginner here, getting frustrated with trying to grow something that should grow like a weed!
My seeds (Royal Queen Seeds automatics) all germinate well (damp tissue method), and when their taproots are 1-2 cm long I plant them out in small pots, approx 0.5-1 cm deep. Compost is mgc24 “bio-hanf” peat-free brand. They grow, possibly a bit stringy, but maintain a nice green colour, on the windowsill. When they have another couple of pairs of leaves, after their cotyledons, I move them outside, to a SW facing patio with a wall behind them. It’s been warm, but rarely >30 C, and I’d say it’s been sunny enough - the rest of the garden is fine….
Then the plants stall - they get a few more leaves, never show any interest in e.g. the stalk branching, and turn a uniform paler green. They do not grow taller than approx. 10 cm, with my oldest plant from late May having started to grow a single tiny bud (is bonsai cannabis valuable :-) ).
The water here (Berlin) is quite hard, but still tests as having a pH of ~7. I’ve also tried watering with rain water and acidified (citric acid - it’s what’s in the Biobizz pH down) water.
I’ve tried Root Juice, Fish Mix and Alg-a-mic fertilisers from Biobizz, nothing seems to make any difference, and with such small plants it’s difficult to not overwater. I’d also expect the compost itself to still be providing enough nutrition for such young plants?
All help/suggestions gratefully received - thanks! Sorry for lack of a picture - for some reason it’s not letting me upload anything.
Those leaves look too light green, the plant is stressed. How often do you water the plant and how much do you give it? What is your metric for 'enough'? Do you let water sit in that tray? I would just start by watering it 1/3 as much as you currently do and see how it goes, the leaves will wilt if you are stressing it due to lack of water but in my experience cannabis can handle serious drought stress, they're champs.
Thank you again :-) I have been watering when the pot is light, and the top cm or so is dry, not letting it sit in water but watering enough that the water runs through. I’ve spare compost and perlite, so I’ll try quickly repotting, in case the soil’s now too compressed/waterlogged, then follow your suggestion re the watering frequency and try and forget about the plant a little!
Healthy plants need to be ignored just the right amount in order to thrive. Over watering is harder to recover from than under watering, for what that's worth. The leaves still look good, albeit a little light on nitrogen, so a full recovery is totally possible. My current grow experienced complete root loss at about the same age due to an equipment oversight, and you would never be able to tell with how lush and green it is now.
You got this!
Learning to ignore my plants just enough was the turning point in my weed growing career. Excellent advice.
Great, thank you! Just have to hope I can rescue them before the “auto” part kicks in - it would be a shame to have to start again.