Might need alittle help.

[BlueBerryMango]

Alittle new with TON of questions I know there are answers right in front of me, but I do find answers pulling you one way then another way! So if anyone is interested to message me to help me along the way, that would be great help & new friendship

For some time now I've been managing to keep this plant alive and I'm thinking if the problems isn't solved it's the end of her life!

All starting from a seed I grew it in a pot, did LST making the main stem 12-14 inches, the nodes were very tight together, Aprox 1/2-3/4 apart. Sprouting out the side of the nodes which when the problem seemed to start I cut what could off the plant and made clones, as well as saved the drooping top (topped the plant) and now I'm kinda running back into the same problem it seems.

I believe slow growth or something along the lines some kind of nutrient deficiency (N deficiency) or even lock out of the N-P-K, Cal/Mag?.... could it be a ph problem or how I'm mixing the nutrients and PHing?
Could it really be the environment they're growing in?

Alittle bit about the problem.
Other than I think there could be maybe a problem down in the roots the bottom old leaves turn yellow while the new ones keep coming to grow, these are small plants that I moved to soil after they took root.
It starts slow then eventually the whole leaf is almost yellow and then I pull it off.
Eventually the whole plant is starting to wilt away and I don't believe it's over watered, over feed (maybe alittle to strong but still learning) maybe it's a drainage problem?
They have alittle nutrient burn but it's not to bad I believe.

About what I'm using:
-Distilled water (PPM 005) but was using tap water and was doing just fine but the tap water shouldn't contain chlorine according to city reports, but I did use a conditioner anyways.
-potting soil from a store, the basic 10$ bags with no plant feeding
-general hydroponic flora tri-series micro/grow/bloom as instructed on the back
-cal/mag
-PH down/up
-PH pen & Strips to confirm the metre once in awhile even though I keep it calibrated!
-PPM /EC/ Temp pen (according factory calibrated and no calibration required) so I got 2 kinda to confirm each other.
No air scrubber/carbon filter even though I got one on standby.
No inline fans even though I got one with the filter, no strong ouders yet cause they're small!
Fans, computer fans.
10-12 23W CLFs depending how cool I can keep my room. I know I should just upgrade to MH/HPS or get LED, I'm saving up !!! But it's to be equivalent to 230Watts or 280watts (actual drawing power) kept 4-5 inches above the tops.
2x4x5 feet tent. No way to exhaust hot air or pull it in as it perfectly fit inside my closet and keeps it kinda stealthy. I don't wanna break into my dry wall as I'm thinking of moving out into a larger house which then will be properly set up for ventilation, pulling cool air in, pulling hot air out.
Until then I'm working with 30% humidity, I do have a humidifier, but I red up with my heat levels I want low humidity. My heat in the tent is 25-30oC depending the day outside. But with all fans on there is no stail hot air. Most times my heat is within the range of 21 at night without lights and 25-29 with lights during the day.
The PH I feed them at and water them at is 6.5 (+\- 0.1) IN SOIL. I could do hydro which I'd feed them at 5.8, but with the heat I'd have bacteria and fungus problems fast!
I'm growing CrownRoyale

Because it's soil I heard it doesn't matter what the ph comes out as but it's way lower than 5.8, I think it's 5.6 but goes in as 6.5

Ppm is 400-700 when I mix the nutrient depending how strong I want to make it
In this order to make nutrients:
I get fresh water, condition it, add the micro first, mix, add the grow, mix, add the bloom, mix, cal/mag, mix, any other additives, mix, PH down usually to get to 6.5, wait and check it again, The ph starts as 7.2 and does drop but not to the range I need it without adding PH down to it

Feed 1 time, water 2-3 times, repeat.
Not sure what else I need to add here so I'll add more info according to replying!

 

[Bugeye]

It's your soil ph that matters in a soil grow, not your nute ph. So if your ph readings are decent, you are likely getting some lockout from low ph. I would add a little wood ash, but you also may be a touch overwatered, or maybe just watered, so let her dry for now. Lesson, test your dirt ph before you start next grow. Cheers!

 

[BlueBerryMango]

Does adding these things to soil generally usually help right away that these will recover or stop showing deficiencies?

 

[Bugeye]

Does adding these things to soil generally usually help right away that these will recover or stop showing deficiencies?

It will be a slower process than you like, no real good ways to change soil ph quickly, it tends to be a process and the more it is off, the longer it takes to fix.

 

[BlueBerryMango]

It will be a slower process than you like, no real good ways to change soil ph quickly, it tends to be a process and the more it is off, the longer it takes to fix.

Where can i get a good soil with the ph of around 6.5; I tried the coco coir but it was mulch and not soil like, so I couldn't stick with it and I moved these to 100% soil and they been kinda living sense.
This is definitely what I've thought it's been the whole time and like you said low soil ph, I'll have wood ashes tomorrow sense it's coming from outta town lol...
but it should be lots, hopefully it can raise it in about a week while keeping them alive to recover fully and start to grow like a weed

 

[Bugeye]

There are plenty of good soil recipes so do some research. Most folks will work some lime into the mix to stabilize ph. But you have to use careful ratios,don't overdo it.

 

[BlueBerryMango]

There are plenty of good soil recipes so do some research. Most folks will work some lime into the mix to stabilize ph. But you have to use careful ratios,don't overdo it.

Well as they do mention the lime is increasing the cal/mag in the soil.

So in theory, if I add 2x the recommended cal/mag in my fertilizer or even just Cal/Mag watering would that help with the N lockout, or whatever Ph problem temporarily; or whatever the problem is?

 

[Bugeye]

Well as they do mention the lime is increasing the cal/mag in the soil.

So in theory, if I add 2x the recommended cal/mag in my fertilizer or even just Cal/Mag watering would that help with the N lockout, or whatever Ph problem temporarily; or whatever the problem is?

Research nutrient antagonism before you start winging it with amendments. Too much is often worse than too little.

 

[Matty22g]

Hes right its deffinately ph issues i had the same problem with my first grow and the first plant has almost fully recovered added lime and mykos fed compost tea and it pretty much did the trick but it took a couple weeks. I was growing with pro mix so there should have been no problem with the soil supposedly its a good mix but ive went organic since and with the bacteria that lives in my soil it balances the ph i guess from what ive understood still learning but no problems with the new plants at all. But if you add lime i think your plant should look fine before you flower mine was but it started alot worse with dozens of leaves wilting. Good luck

 

[Johnei]

Amazing detail in your post!

Ok, about the pH, the acidic value can be because there is a build up of nutrient in the soil driving the pH down as salts have risen, accumilated, and is a sign you could soon have issues of nutrient deficiencies and also is showing low microbial activity of the soil unable to buffer anything. They dont process already processed nutrients in their smallest already broken down form. Also, low enzymatic digestion action in the soil, because there is nothing for the majority of enzymes to break apart. I just deleted a paragraph I wrote about enzymes..lol.. I'm a llittle ripped..lol

As best you can without doing damage I would not only sprinkle, but dig in around the sides staying away from the main stalk and get some powdered dolomite lime in there, If I were to mix up a soil starting with acidic peat for example, I use 2 Tablespoons per gallon of soil, powderdered dolomite/dolomitic limestone, not the pellets. This will help buffer the soil pH from extreme acidity and help to raise it over time with consistant pH 6.5 waterings.

Fungus likes acidic, Bacteria get dominant in higher pH, fill 2 gallons of water in a 4-5gal bucket, you dont have to pH the water as long as it is somewhere around ph6-7 and you want to bubble some worm castings in a bucket with an air pump and airstone make a compost tea with unsulfured molasses which is good food to grow the bacteria out, why only 2 gallons? so you have the most air per amount of water possible while brewing and can use a smaller cheaper air pump, and you can cut this 2gal with more water when done brewing if need be no problem. Hang the worm castings in a ladies nylon or bag, bag must not be super tightly bound fibers/strands restrictive for the microbes. Brew for only 24hrs. Give each plant a good watering of this brew. 3-4 Tablespoons of Worm Castings per gallon of water brew formula, so half a cup. You cannot over do it. This is not bottled nutrients. They will probably take longer to dry out then you're used to so be aware of this and dont overwater too soon the next watering. This is normal, salts dry things out, this is low salt microbe inoculation. The microbes and the dolomite lime will buffer the pH to whatever is needed for the uptake of minerals in no time and they will help to break shit down farting out enzymes balancing the pH working in symbiosis with the plant as the plant sends sugars down(exudes) through the roots to the microbes to feed them and trigger their responses. Keep sythetics low dose only sometimes with fresh water and compost tea doses and you'll be golden.

phew, sorry, This crazy Banana Fire erb has got me writing fuckin novels I don't even know what I wrote and I'm not gonna check it. lol

I wish you an amazing grow.

 

[BlueBerryMango]

Thanks everyone, this problem is exactly what've thought it was even before posting on here.