Plants Stopped Growing - Now Growing Moss!

Humboldt · #1 09-24-2007, 12:24 AM

Ok here's the deal, I had to transplant a handful of starts but I used some cheap organic soil and perlite (see attached images) about a week later or so I noticed that the plants were not growing, I'm sittin here thinking WTF! then some time after I go check on them and now they are growing what looks to be moss, My question is now, why, and is this killing my plants?

Side Notes: Plants are under two standard shop lights with four tubes, feeding straight water, I ph the water by putting it in 5 gallon buckets and let sit, used a hot tub ph testing strip (tested ok)

I'm thinking it has something to do with the soil as I have other plants with different soil in same room and they are doing fine, please help me diagnose this problem, I need to Know if I should dump the plants and remove the pots with moss in them?

Help would be greatly appreciated!

Humboldt · #2 09-24-2007, 12:31 AM

LMAO! I read the bag again I think I found the problem (Canadian) j/k it says peat moss, could this be what is growing around my plants and is it killing them?

Humboldt · #3 09-24-2007, 10:44 PM

Any suggestion? I would like to know if I should dispose of the plants that are growing moss, is this moss killing my plants? also what could be causing this ? as not all my plants are growing moss.

bongo · #4 09-25-2007, 03:28 PM

Your lights sound shit and if you have moss growing on your plants then they must be wet, let it dry out and try get some serious light at least a cfl or sodium

natmoon · #5 09-25-2007, 03:30 PM

To wet to humid and not enough light

VictorVIcious · #6 09-25-2007, 08:41 PM

Is the moss kinda slimy. Chances are its algea not moss. Treat with h202. If yo get the 3% common at local drug stores and mix one tablespoon / gal in your water. VV

Humboldt · #7 09-26-2007, 04:48 PM

Thanks guys, I replanted the ones that were growing moss with better soil and I will let them dry out before adding anymore water, also I got a bunch of CFL's over them now and put the old lighting on the side, hopefully this will help.

Again thanks for the advise!

gst1147 · #8 09-27-2007, 02:18 AM

Do you have a moister meter? If not it might be a good investment they are only like 5 bux. Until then you can test the soil with your finger, make sure it dry and not just on the surface bc too much water will sufficate them bc when the soil is soaked constantly the roots cant get air. I think youll see and improvement with the cfl, you'd be surprised what one can do, heres a pic of my mother plant b4 i decided to flower her and put it under the hps. She was vegged with only one cfl that was only 24watts

Humboldt · #9 09-27-2007, 05:35 PM

Nice! yeah I can only afford cfl's this time around, this is the practice round, I hope to get at least a 400w hps system for the next go around.

What exactly is a moister meter, how does it work, do you stick a prong in the soil (what's the moister level supposed to be at) if so I want one, could I get something like that at any major hardware store?.

gst1147 · #10 09-28-2007, 12:44 AM

If you are able to dosome small wiring i recommend just buying a 400 watt hps kit off of ebay, I think that they are 55 bux and thats whether you go with a 250, 400,600 or i think even 1000 watter it comes with the ballast, capacitor, and the ignitor. you have to get your onw power cord, but mine has worked for at least 7months no problems and i think with my bulb i have 72 dollars in mine and that includes the shipping.

As for the moister meter, walmart sells them for 5 bux, and it is just a prong you stick in the soil and it tells you if its dry, I just wait until the meter says that its on like 2-3 which reads dry, then water them.

Also are you vegging them with 2700k cfl bc they looked like they were yellow which is on the red side of the spectrum which is better for flowering, I think you should have 6500K which is for vegging.

And think about that kit it super easy to wire and comes with everything but the bulb and cord for 55 bucks and they even have adding on options so you can add the cord and bulb.

Heres the link I guess they are a liitle more than when i got mine but still not bad about 75 shipped but you can still get a 1000 watter, I know that im getting another 1000watt bc this 400 has performed great.

400 watt HPS Grow Light BALLAST KIT MH 175 250 600 1000 - (eBay item 180157057252 end time Sep-30-07 18:30:00 PDT)