Plant problems, need guidance

MadMel

MadMel

Well-Known Member
Okay I have white widow and AK47. Fan leaves on young plants tips are slightly curled upward, tips and margins are browning.

I have no way to check PH. Might be too acidic from knowing what the soil is made of, and fertilizer used (Fox Farms Grow Big).

I am thinking about adding a water solution with lime added, or possibly Epsom salts, assuming that it is a nutritent deficiency.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Soil is a mixture of Kellogg's organic soil, composed horse manure, and sand. Potted in "cow cups" peat pot type of pot, made from composted cow manure. Holes in bottom and side, and planted in 30 gallon containers with same soil mixture.
 
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GreenThumby

GreenThumby

Well-Known Member
Sound like you're using a lot of nutrients. I wouldn't worry about pH as much as js the fact you're running a hot soil mixture with ferts on top. I'd just keep them well watered and not worry much,as the plants grow it should like those nutes. If it becomes worse however I'd start trying to adjust things but water pH is likely not an big deal especially outdoors
 
MadMel

MadMel

Well-Known Member
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chemphlegm said:
cow manure and soil is plenty hot by itself, fox farms puts you over the top depending on age of plants? lights? temps? humidity? or outdoors?
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The cow manure is in the pressed peat type pots. I am using composted horse manure in the soil, but I don't think that the horse manure is that hot.

I sowed some grass seeds over some composted horse manure which is on top of clay, and nothing else. Here's a picture of the grass seed plot.....

Outdoors in 30 gallon buckets. Temps here have been in the '90's for the high 70's for the lows, humidity has been a bit up there with little rain until yesterday. However the dew has been pretty heavy.

Could algae in my water barrel be the culprit?
 
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MadMel

MadMel

Well-Known Member
AEB424 said:
Too hot... you asked for help so why turn down the advice given to you. To each their own though, good luck man.
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Not turning it down. I think/thought that there was a misunderstanding about cow/horse manure. The peat pots being made from composted cow manure. The soil has composted horse manure.

I thought that there might be a difference in the richness between the two. So I tried correcting my miscommunication. That's all.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
MadMel said:
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The cow manure is in the pressed peat type pots. I am using composted horse manure in the soil, but I don't think that the horse manure is that hot.

I sowed some grass seeds over some composted horse manure which is on top of clay, and nothing else. Here's a picture of the grass seed plot.....

Outdoors in 30 gallon buckets. Temps here have been in the '90's for the high 70's for the lows, humidity has been a bit up there with little rain until yesterday. However the dew has been pretty heavy.

Could algae in my water barrel be the culprit?
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A pic of the plants would be better.

Edit: never mind. I see the pics.


Its a combo of over watering and ph issue. The ph could very well just be watering habit. They need to dry some before watering again. Soil ph actually swings as the soil dries. Allows proper nutrient uptake.

Doesn't look hot. If anything the bigger one looks hungry. That could be from lock out if feeding too much.
 
Tangerine_

Tangerine_

Well-Known Member
I'd also like to add that "indoor/outdoor" makes no difference with regard to your soil. Its whether or not they're in containers or in the ground that matters. In containers they don't have the same natural buffering that happens in the ground.

Also, that FF Grow Big will need to be pH'd. Actually, I'd ditch it. Either go with salts or go with organics. Its takes a bit of skill to use bottled chelated/salts/nutes in an "organic mix".

You were on the right to track so don't be so quick to second-guess yourself. Your soil is probably acidic and too much water will cause it to dive even lower.
Follow whitebbs advice. Check your pH and get your watering under control. When the soil starts to dry your pH will climb.

There are a few things you can add to help buffer. Oyster shell flour, Lime (not hydrated) even some Gypsum.
Try the Organic section. You'll get tons of ideas that will work amazing with that soil you already have going. That soil is probably fine. Just needs some added amendments/adjustments. If anything, they look hungry and in need of some micros.
GL
 
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MadMel

MadMel

Well-Known Member
Hey!! Just want to thank everyone for all the help.

One more question. Should I flush it with a good drenching watering and then back off, or let it dry out thouroughly and then flush it out? Or just not flush it at all?
 
Tangerine_

Tangerine_

Well-Known Member
I don't think leeching or "flushing" is going to help. It can cause the ph to dive really low and you're in organic anyway right? Why not just add some dolomite lime at next watering to help stabilize the pH? I'd also re-inoculate with an ACT or something similar. Its not necessary but it could help re-balance things.
 
MadMel

MadMel

Well-Known Member
Tangerine_ said:
I don't think leeching or "flushing" is going to help. It can cause the ph to dive really low and you're in organic anyway right? Why not just add some dolomite lime at next watering to help stabilize the pH? I'd also re-inoculate with an ACT or something similar. Its not necessary but it could help re-balance things.
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Thanks man! I really appreciate all the help.

Last time I grew pot Carter was just elected president. Then I was about the only one who mixed up their soil. Most people just threw a seed in some dirt and waited for it to sprout. That was about all they did. Water, maybe some miracle grow every now and then. That's all.
 
jbcCT

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
I'm growing outdoors in direct sun, 85-92 degree temps and I water maybe once a week and the plants love it dry. I'm very careful with nutrients as well. I don't waste money on funnyfarms or any other crap, NPK is NPK any way you cut it.

From what I can gather from the pics, might be doing just too much of everything. Over the years I've learned the less you do the better. You can always add more water you can always add more nutrients, but its hard to correct too much water & nutrients once the damage is done.

I would let those plants be for a while. Don't give them anything for two weeks, if new growth is crispy
 
MadMel

MadMel

Well-Known Member
jbcCT said:
I'm growing outdoors in direct sun, 85-92 degree temps and I water maybe once a week and the plants love it dry. I'm very careful with nutrients as well. I don't waste money on funnyfarms or any other crap, NPK is NPK any way you cut it.

From what I can gather from the pics, might be doing just too much of everything. Over the years I've learned the less you do the better. You can always add more water you can always add more nutrients, but its hard to correct too much water & nutrients once the damage is done.

I would let those plants be for a while. Don't give them anything for two weeks, if new growth is crispy
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Going to be difficult. TS Cindy's remnants are supposed to drop about 5" of rain today and tomorrow. The new growth was looking better just yesterday afternoon.
 
sandhill larry

sandhill larry

Well-Known Member
MadMel said:
Going to be difficult. TS Cindy's remnants are supposed to drop about 5" of rain today and tomorrow. The new growth was looking better just yesterday afternoon.
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Hate she is going your way, but I'm glad she left me. It's rained everyday here for over two weeks. I've had enough.
 
MadMel

MadMel

Well-Known Member
It seems that Cindy just might have helped me out. Plants new growth looks better than it has. Maybe it just needed a good flush? Got about 3&1/2" of rain from it.

At least I think I can skip watering them this week.

With the kind of soil that I am using, I cannot rely on sticking my finger in the soil. I have to dig down about 2 inches on the outside of the pot to see if the soil is dry enough to water it. Soil is still damp at that depth today 2 days after the storm.
 
Enigma

Enigma

Well-Known Member
It sounds like your medium is in need of aeration.

Perlite and vermiculite are great additives to soil for making a spongy medium.

:leaf:
 
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