Outdoor grow plant problems

[michael49]

Outdoor grow, New England. Plants are about 3 months old from seed. In soil, two in 5 gallon containers (Blueberry X C99), one in 1 gallon (Neville's Haze). Watering every other day. Plants seem very thin/spindly with many yellow leaves recently. Feeding compost tea.
Photos below. Obviously some beetle damage in the last 2 photos, but I don't think that accounts for the overall issues with my plants.
Thanks for your input!

 

[indicas4me]

Root bound I would say and under fertilized.

 

[hotrodharley]

Last pic shows developing magnesium deficiency. Actually they don’t look too bad. Cultivate the top of your medium well. Penetrate the medium to the bottom with something thin. You need to make sure that water and feeding get all the way to the center and very bottom of the container.

 

[michael49]

Last pic shows developing magnesium deficiency. Actually they don’t look too bad. Cultivate the top of your medium well. Penetrate the medium to the bottom with something thin. You need to make sure that water and feeding get all the way to the center and very bottom of the container.

Thanks.

I do have some CalMag - should I give them a bit of this?

My soil is a mix of store bought (Coast of Maine Stonington Blend) and home soil from where we dump vegetation (compost) - the soil is a bit heavy - I did add quite a bit of Perlite but I don't think it's draining well - anything I can do to remedy this now?

 

[michael49]

Root bound I would say and under fertilized.

The fertilizer I can take care of, but in terms of being root bound you don't think I should transplant at this stage do you?

 

[hotrodharley]

Thanks.

I do have some CalMag - should I give them a bit of this?

My soil is a mix of store bought (Coast of Maine Stonington Blend) and home soil from where we dump vegetation (compost) - the soil is a bit heavy - I did add quite a bit of Perlite but I don't think it's draining well - anything I can do to remedy this now?

Like I said penetrate all the way through it. You can’t do it too much. I do this before each watering or feeding. I would give cal mag or foliar spray the magnesium.

 

[michael49]

Like I said penetrate all the way through it. You can’t do it too much. I do this before each watering or feeding. I would give cal mag or foliar spray the magnesium.

When you say "penetrate all the way through" do you mean to water/feed until drainage or something else?

 

[hotrodharley]

When you say "penetrate all the way through" do you mean to water/feed until drainage or something else?

I mean take a skinny bamboo bbq skewer and stab the grow medium everywhere including under the hardened mass directly under the stem. It might make your butt pucker the first time but watch the plants respond immediately over the next couple of days. Oxygen is reaching new areas of the roots and water and feed are reaching the absolute lowest point of the container.

I’ll post pics of my current plants in veg and in the tent for anyone thinking this will harm the roots. In fact with older plants in veg you’ll smell it as you do this. Don’t ask me why but all of a sudden you’ll get a good whiff of what your finished bud will smell like.

 

[michael49]

I mean take a skinny bamboo bbq skewer and stab the grow medium everywhere including under the hardened mass directly under the stem. It might make your butt pucker the first time but watch the plants respond immediately over the next couple of days. Oxygen is reaching new areas of the roots and water and feed are reaching the absolute lowest point of the container.

I’ll post pics of my current plants in veg and in the tent for anyone thinking this will harm the roots. In fact with older plants in veg you’ll smell it as you do this. Don’t ask me why but all of a sudden you’ll get a good whiff of what your finished bud will smell like.

Got it - thanks so much for this suggestion - the soil seems very compacted and this might help.

 

[hotrodharley]

Got it - thanks so much for this suggestion - the soil seems very compacted and this might help.

I’ll guarantee it. Good luck. Do this regularly by the way. If I’m not ready to water yet but the top is hardening I’ll break it up. The first few inches. The roots need to get some actual oxygen.

 

[michael49]

I’ll guarantee it. Good luck. Do this regularly by the way. If I’m not ready to water yet but the top is hardening I’ll break it up. The first few inches. The roots need to get some actual oxygen.

I just used a thin wooden dowel and penetrated the soil in multiple places in all my containers. Because my containers are fabric I also used my hands to bang on the sides of the containers to break things up a bit. I'll also feed a bit more next feeding and I'll give them a bit of CalMag and let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

 

[michael49]

I’ll guarantee it. Good luck. Do this regularly by the way. If I’m not ready to water yet but the top is hardening I’ll break it up. The first few inches. The roots need to get some actual oxygen.

I think they are already looking a bit better - thanks again for the input.