Help a new dreadlocks man!
Dread Maintenance
if i was you id just leave them alone from now on and let them do their own thing its alot less trouble, your roots will dread on their own if you let them it just takes a while
natural dreads don't need to be gross, random sizes or whatever you can control that without crocheting the crap out of your hair, just keep separating them (pull them apart if they start to stick to each-other) and wash them (I wash mine at least once a week some times more) if anyone tells you not to get your hair wet for 4 months in my opinion they are an idiot.
most dreadlocks that look like grime on your head are full of wax.