I used paper towel method to pop the seeds then these went into straight coco on 1/31. This is five days in, I watered once. The pics below are right after the watering (this morning). Are these girls about the right size for five days in? I know the one is fucked up, the cotyledon leaves didn't open up all the way so I think that one could be on its way out. I washed the coco before putting the popped seeds in, the room is ~77F and the RH is around 50. The water I used was day old tap water pHed to 5.8 with 1mL of CalMag+. I have them under 2 23W 6500k CFLs.
Correct growth rate (pics)
- Thread starter tokm
- Start date
![IMG_0141[1].JPG](/data/attachments/2700/2700282-c3c14b2d2af0e103ffc31523233e9ab4.jpg)
Skunk Baxter
Well-Known Member
Looks good to me. Once thy pop, they go really fast for a couple of days, and then they'll often slow down or even stop completely for a few more days while they "catch their breath" and start developing roots for the next phase. Sounds like you're doing everything right; just be careful not to overwater. That coco will hold the moisture if they're not under hot lights and you don't have larger plants sucking it dry.
Ok thanks for your help
I try not to, but the top drys out so damn fast in the solo cup. How do you handle that for a seedling?
Skunk Baxter
Well-Known Member
Stick your finger in an inch or so; the top layer dries fast. but you should find that an inch down, you still have a moist medium - and that's all it should be anyway, moist not wet. If your seedlings are that tall, your roots are a lot longer than that already. I've got clones in cups full of coco right now, and haven't watered them in almost a week. I use clear cups myself; that way I can see how much moisture is in the coco.
I have them in clear (green translucent) cups too. I just have them in a red solo cup to block the light.
Skunk Baxter
Well-Known Member
Ah, that's useful then. I find that with the clear cups, I can easily monitor the moisture profile through the entire depth of the cup. If there's a dry pocket, I can spot it immediately. Since I'm watering very lightly anyway, it gives me a little bit of peace of mind. And by the time the roots have grown out to the side of the cup, it's time to pot them anyway, so it all works out fine.
Do you agree w/Thumper that I should water a tiny bit several times a day at this point? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get this right.
Skunk Baxter
Well-Known Member
Well, I wouldn't. I don't see the need. I would just get it moist, and leave it.
Best way to water coco is give it enough water to moisten the entire pot, and then leave it until it needs more water. One of the great things about coco is that it usually maintains a very uniform moisture profile throughout the entire pot. If you're only giving it a little water, you'll often find that you're only moistening the top layer, and then re-moistening that top layer several times a day as it dries out. That's not going to do your roots any good at all. And it's important that the plant "learns" that there is more moisture down deep than at the surface. That's what encourages root development.
I'd just water it completely, and leave it until it starts to dry, then water it again. No sense in making things any more complicated that they have to be. It's just a weed.
Best way to water coco is give it enough water to moisten the entire pot, and then leave it until it needs more water. One of the great things about coco is that it usually maintains a very uniform moisture profile throughout the entire pot. If you're only giving it a little water, you'll often find that you're only moistening the top layer, and then re-moistening that top layer several times a day as it dries out. That's not going to do your roots any good at all. And it's important that the plant "learns" that there is more moisture down deep than at the surface. That's what encourages root development.
I'd just water it completely, and leave it until it starts to dry, then water it again. No sense in making things any more complicated that they have to be. It's just a weed.
Perfect, thanks again.