My pathetic organic grow

[dwig]

Been having trouble with my grow. I’m actually so embarrassed with myself I almost didnt post the photos in this thread but I really dont know what to do at this point: I made a post recently and made some changes from thise suggestions such as transplanting but not much has improved. Stupid slow growth and the stems are now a deep purple. I think its getting worse. Also I lied on my last post, these plants are two months old now.... not whatever I said before.

*The two super small ones are clones from a buddy I got recently.

Two months old.... I’m surprised they’re still alive and haven’t just died


- stepwell super soil
- watered with only water and stepwell em1 microbs once weekly at label dosage. Also used photosynthesis plus microbs two times at label dosage.
- I never ph’d the water until last week as I was told my multiple people not too but I l’ve recently been for the last week since ive had almost no growth and this has seem to help a bit
- hard well water (300-350ppm base ph 8.5)
- lights on temp 79f until recently when I upped it to 82f
- lights off temp is 68f (the low you see is when my heater was unplugged by mistake)

I’ve been using rain water for over a week instead to maybe help fix these girls. I used one drop of ph down to lower the ph of 40gals of water from 7 to 6.3 I’m not even exaggerating when I say one drop lol. Two drops would have ducked it. Anyways that had me thinkinng. Im going to assume general hydroponics ph down is harmful to microbes and I should probably switch to something organic now like lemon juice or vinegar?


Any suggestions of what to do? I dont think these girls are worth keeping for me if they are going to keep growing at this rate... I’m open to any last resort suggestions before I toss them. I know its not ideal to take clones from none healthy plants but I might do it and start with fresh water that is ph’d organically

 

[OrganicBudz]

Hey man. Shit happens lol. They just look overwatered. alao rain water has very little tds you're better off using dechlorinated tap (depending on location) or spring water since you're running organic. Let the soil dry out before next watering

 

[dwig]

Hey man. Shit happens lol. They just look overwatered. alao rain water has very little tds you're better off using dechlorinated tap (depending on location) or spring water since you're running organic. Let the soil dry out before next watering

Yeah its just been rough every grow at the start. I swicted to organics cause I was fed up with all the bottled nutes and wated something simpler lol. They were drying out every one-two days before in 2 gallons pots. Soil was drying out a little to fast for the microbs before. Transplanted them into damp soil. This photo is before lights on. 4/6 of them are praying right now

 

[OldMedUser]

Yeah its just been rough every grow at the start. I swicted to organics cause I was fed up with all the bottled nutes and wated something simpler lol. They were drying out every one-two days before in 2 gallons pots. Soil was drying out a little to fast for the microbs before. Transplanted them into damp soil. This photo is before lights on. 4/6 of them are praying right now

Praying is a good sign. How long since the transplant?

I'm not a dirt farmer and unfamiliar with the type of soil you are using so can't help a lot there. Sounds like it should have everything they need tho.

You don't mention what you are using for lights. To my eyes they look starved for light. Not all that bad at 2 months so I wouldn't toss them yet. Quite healthy looking.

What's your watering technique like?

 

[Richard Drysift]

Saw your other thread and wanted to help but was distracted and lost the post I started before. I think a lot of your problems stem from a lack of compost. I was looking at the stepwell "system" at their website and see it's just a bunch of confusing formulas. Em1 microbes can not be as active as those found in fresh worm castings. Many times if I have a plant that's just not doing well I transplant to a mix with lots of fresh ewc which always props them back up. Microbial activity is much more important than npk value. Another tip is to use granular mycorrhizae in your grow to assist with decomposition and absorption to the roots. I saw neither of these in the stepwell system but both are key to successful living soil grows.

 

[dwig]

Saw your other thread and wanted to help but was distracted and lost the post I started before. I think a lot of your problems stem from a lack of compost. I was looking at the stepwell "system" at their website and see it's just a bunch of confusing formulas. Em1 microbes can not be as active as those found in fresh worm castings. Many times if I have a plant that's just not doing well I transplant to a mix with lots of fresh ewc which always props them back up. Microbial activity is much more important than npk value. Another tip is to use granular mycorrhizae in your grow to assist with decomposition and absorption to the roots. I saw neither of these in the stepwell system but both are key to successful living soil grows.

Thank you for the input. You think if I go out and get myself an air stone, some kelp, castings and make myself some compost tea that just adding that might make a huge difference?

Also I used wow mycorrhizae yesterday (I know its not what you suggested) https://wallacewow.com/products/best-mycorrhizae-for-sale-5-10-20-pounds when transplanting yesterday from 2 gallons to 7.

 

[Richard Drysift]

They don't look as bad as you think. Looks like they've been transplanted since your last thread. Droopyness is almost always from either under or overwatering. Many times if they have been in too small container for too long you almost have to overwater just to keep them hydrated. Transplanting was the first right step you have made; give them some more time for the roots to begin filling out before doing anything too drastic.

Teas can help maintain microbial activity but don't expect the plants to react immediately. Teas don't feed they just maintain healthy soil. Kelp is great in a tea because it's full of probiotics and has a meager npk value but nothing is as active as fresh ewc. So yes a tea with worm castings and kelp would help but it's not going to be a total game changer. Simply top dressing with kelp, ewc, and some fish bone meal would do the same thing as a tea just maybe not as quickly.
Yes wow myco. That is what I'm talking about. I use myko xtreme brand myself but it's exactly the same shit. You just sprinkle that stuff in the hole at each transplant and place the root ball right on top. That will make a difference in how your plants absorb what is in the soil.
Honestly until you recycle and amend your mix a few times your mix won't reach supernatural status. Once it does you'll have no more problems like this. Takes a few grow cycles to get your mix there but once it is you'll know it.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Been having trouble with my grow. I’m actually so embarrassed with myself I almost didnt post the photos in this thread but I really dont know what to do at this point: I made a post recently and made some changes from thise suggestions such as transplanting but not much has improved. Stupid slow growth and the stems are now a deep purple. I think its getting worse. Also I lied on my last post, these plants are two months old now.... not whatever I said before.
View attachment 4463942
*The two super small ones are clones from a buddy I got recently.

Two months old.... I’m surprised they’re still alive and haven’t just died
View attachment 4463943
View attachment 4463944
- stepwell super soil
- watered with only water and stepwell em1 microbs once weekly at label dosage. Also used photosynthesis plus microbs two times at label dosage.
- I never ph’d the water until last week as I was told my multiple people not too but I l’ve recently been for the last week since ive had almost no growth and this has seem to help a bit
- hard well water (300-350ppm base ph 8.5)
- lights on temp 79f until recently when I upped it to 82f
- lights off temp is 68f (the low you see is when my heater was unplugged by mistake)

I’ve been using rain water for over a week instead to maybe help fix these girls. I used one drop of ph down to lower the ph of 40gals of water from 7 to 6.3 I’m not even exaggerating when I say one drop lol. Two drops would have ducked it. Anyways that had me thinkinng. Im going to assume general hydroponics ph down is harmful to microbes and I should probably switch to something organic now like lemon juice or vinegar?


Any suggestions of what to do? I dont think these girls are worth keeping for me if they are going to keep growing at this rate... I’m open to any last resort suggestions before I toss them. I know its not ideal to take clones from none healthy plants but I might do it and start with fresh water that is ph’d organically

If your well water is really hard which it is at 8.5, it's probably full of calcium and other shit that can raise the ph over time. My well water is slightly hard at 7.2-7.5 and has plenty of calcium, and I've noticed it seems to raise the ph in my soil over time. For a ph down occasionally, I have been using acidic organic nutes like Earth Juice Grow or Bloom, but any would do. I've also cut out a lot of the dry amendments that have a lot of calcium. I'm no pro, but that might help.

 

[madvillian420]

worm casting tea or topdressing is always good, as well as kelp. Ive also been using dr. earth all purpose organic in my soil mixes this grow and all my plants look healthy. nice and cheap yet definitely effective

 

[HobbyGrowArtist]

organic is hard to pull off. lots of factors to consider, soil microbiome and soil composition on top of what a plant actually needs. i never really grew organic crop. is this the kind of organic that is pure compost and nothing as far as nutrients?

plants look fine, nothing major, usually the stock isnt purple but god knows these days with genetics. anything major comes up dont be scared throwing some USP grade nutes on them.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

organic is hard to pull off. lots of factors to consider, soil microbiome and soil composition on top of what a plant actually needs. i never really grew organic crop. is this the kind of organic that is pure compost and nothing as far as nutrients?

plants look fine, nothing major, usually the stock isnt purple but god knows these days with genetics. anything major comes up dont be scared throwing some USP grade nutes on them.

I think it's a little soon for you to be giving advice man. No offense.

 

[f series]

You think those are bad?
Look at these bitches

 

[HobbyGrowArtist]

I think it's a little soon for you to be giving advice man. No offense.

just because im a new member? i was on this site nearly a decade ago. back then i never had any fancy gear, nothing to check soil ph. corrected all my problems with common sense, flush and give new nutes. kinda sad to see a guy asking whats wrong with his plants when there is clearly nothing wrong with them.

You think those are bad?
Look at these bitches

this guy had problems.. id give that poor guy some calcium. the curling may be something else. and some magnesium to be on safe side. dolomite for the win

 

[HobbyGrowArtist]

You think those are bad?
Look at these bitches

magnesium deficiency most definite if the very tips are dead and curled upward. the whole leaf twisting could be a couple things. blotches and yellowing along the edges is usually calcium, but magnesium also does that, just a bit differently.

 

[xtraLRG420]

just because im a new member? i was on this site nearly a decade ago. back then i never had any fancy gear, nothing to check soil ph. corrected all my problems with common sense, flush and give new nutes. kinda sad to see a guy asking whats wrong with his plants when there is clearly nothing wrong with them.

this guy had problems.. id give that poor guy some calcium. the curling may be something else. and some magnesium to be on safe side. dolomite for the win

I don't understand the police state that the users on this site want to enforce. If you aren't on the same page with them about something they try to shut you up. Tell em to fuck off man. I'll support you. No one takes my freedom to say stupid shit when it's the listeners job to distinguish between fact and faction and apply what they think makes sense.

 

[f series]

magnesium deficiency most definite if the very tips are dead and curled upward. the whole leaf twisting could be a couple things. blotches and yellowing along the edges is usually calcium, but magnesium also does that, just a bit differently.

It's probably everything, I didn't pH the water, and it's 50% aerated soil been on water only in 1 gal pot for a month or so.
I'm gonna start feeding megacrop, if It dies, it dies. When shit looks that bad lol, idc anymore

 

[HobbyGrowArtist]

I don't understand the police state that the users on this site want to enforce. If you aren't on the same page with them about something they try to shut you up. Tell em to fuck off man. I'll support you. No one takes my freedom to say stupid shit when it's the listeners job to distinguish between fact and faction and apply what they think makes sense.

it was mostly the reason why i left the site, zero respect. and the fact that some blow hard comes along with a BS thread talking about 15,000 or 50,000 watt HPS light system and hydro tables with 99 plants and everyone just follows his ass.

 

[xtraLRG420]

it was mostly the reason why i left the site, zero respect. and the fact that some blow hard comes along with a BS thread talking about 15,000 or 50,000 watt HPS light system and hydro tables with 99 plants and everyone just follows his ass.

Well, if you actually want their respect that would be a different story. Every group of people gathers around an idea that they begin to worship over time. We are outsiders to the group by appearing different. I don't want respect from these people so much as I want information and help but they won't help unless they respect you. Real catch 22 there... they can only help their own kind.

 

[Sunbiz1]

That well water is your most likely culprit.
A PH of 8.5 is not good, you should be watering more than once/week in those fabric containers.
Even when I transplant larger, it doesn't take a week for them to be needing a second watering.
Also, you didn't mention lighting being used?.

 

[Growitpondifarm]

Were these plants just up potted?