3rd Grow (Same Problems)

M

MedicatedGrower

New Member
I'll start off by saying this is my third grow and I obviously have no idea what I'm doing. This same situation has come up on all three of my grows so far and all at about the same time. I'll give some details about my grow first:

Soil: FFOF
Nutes: FF Trio (didn't feed any nutrients until about a week before flower)
Schedule: FF recommended schedule at 1/4 strength
Size of Pots: Started in 1gal pots and transplanted to 5gal smart pots after about 3 weeks in veg
Strain: Strawberry Cough
Stage of Growth: Just started week 5 of flower
Water pH: 6.5 going in but when I checked the runoff at this last watering it was at 5
Temp/Humidity: Daytime 78-80/30-40 Nighttime 72-74/30-40


So this problem has come up on every grow I've had so far (also, I was in a 2x4 tent before this one and that is part of the reason this plant is so small in this tent but doesn't explain the fact that it looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree). Everything seems to go really well until I get a few weeks in to flower. Then my leaves start turning slightly yellow and getting some brown spots. Seems like a potassium deficiency at first but yet I already have what seems to me like nute burn on the tips. I don't know even if it is a potassium deficiency, then will my regular nutrients be enough to get me back on track or would I need a K booster to help get it back on track?

Not knowing I went ahead and fed at 1/2 strength of what was recommended (I'm thinking bad idea now). Now this morning more leaves show even further advanced stages of the problem which makes me think maybe theres too much build up of something in the soil and maybe I need to flush? But I'm not completely positive what I need to do to flush either (is it just watering with plain pH'd water a few times?).

Sorry for the rant and thanks in advance for any help. If there's anymore information that I can provide I will do my best.
 

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CrvenaZvezda

CrvenaZvezda

Well-Known Member
I’m a newbie myself but to me one thing stands out, your runoff PH. This explains the deficiency symptoms since if your soil PH is out of wack you are in essence creating an eviorment where plants will not uptake nutes no matter their presence or not.

Have you monitored PH runoff throughout the grow? If so when did it go so acidic?

Have you tried flushing to stabilize soil PH?

I have Potassium Bicarbonate on hand to help stabilize soil in case it goes acidic. I have yet to use it so I can’t really chime in on its effectiveness or how to use it but I’m sure some reasearch may lead you to those answers.
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
CrvenaZvezda said:
I’m a newbie myself but to me one thing stands out, your runoff PH. This explains the deficiency symptoms since if your soil PH is out of wack you are in essence creating an eviorment where plants will not uptake nutes no matter their presence or not.

Have you monitored PH runoff throughout the grow? If so when did it go so acidic?

Have you tried flushing to stabilize soil PH?

I have Potassium Bicarbonate on hand to help stabilize soil in case it goes acidic. I have yet to use it so I can’t really chime in on its effectiveness or how to use it but I’m sure some reasearch may lead you to those answers.
Click to expand...
Runoff pH is useless. Flushing is never recommended.
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
More information on how you fed and when. You started way late and fed too light to explain all this. Runoff pH is a waste of time. Runoff EC is not. Can you measure your EC/PPM?
 
Therrion

Therrion

Well-Known Member
MedicatedGrower said:
I'll start off by saying this is my third grow and I obviously have no idea what I'm doing. This same situation has come up on all three of my grows so far and all at about the same time. I'll give some details about my grow first:

Soil: FFOF
Nutes: FF Trio (didn't feed any nutrients until about a week before flower)
Schedule: FF recommended schedule at 1/4 strength
Size of Pots: Started in 1gal pots and transplanted to 5gal smart pots after about 3 weeks in veg
Strain: Strawberry Cough
Stage of Growth: Just started week 5 of flower
Water pH: 6.5 going in but when I checked the runoff at this last watering it was at 5
Temp/Humidity: Daytime 78-80/30-40 Nighttime 72-74/30-40


So this problem has come up on every grow I've had so far (also, I was in a 2x4 tent before this one and that is part of the reason this plant is so small in this tent but doesn't explain the fact that it looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree). Everything seems to go really well until I get a few weeks in to flower. Then my leaves start turning slightly yellow and getting some brown spots. Seems like a potassium deficiency at first but yet I already have what seems to me like nute burn on the tips. I don't know even if it is a potassium deficiency, then will my regular nutrients be enough to get me back on track or would I need a K booster to help get it back on track?

Not knowing I went ahead and fed at 1/2 strength of what was recommended (I'm thinking bad idea now). Now this morning more leaves show even further advanced stages of the problem which makes me think maybe theres too much build up of something in the soil and maybe I need to flush? But I'm not completely positive what I need to do to flush either (is it just watering with plain pH'd water a few times?).

Sorry for the rant and thanks in advance for any help. If there's anymore information that I can provide I will do my best.
Click to expand...
If I were to guess, it's your VPD. 5 weeks into flower at 78F, you should raise your RH to about 52% at least. 30 to 40 is too low. They may be transpiring too much, so it mimics a nutrient issues. I wouldn't drop the RH that low until the last week or two
 
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M

MedicatedGrower

New Member
CrvenaZvezda said:
Have you monitored PH runoff throughout the grow? If so when did it go so acidic?

Have you tried flushing to stabilize soil PH?
Click to expand...
I haven't monitored PH runoff throughout the entire grow. Just happened to check it this last time when I noticed some leaves start yellowing.

Schwagg#12 said:
Too much Fox Farm.
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I've thought this as well but there seem to be a lot of people use it with success so I feel like it has to be me.

hotrodharley said:
More information on how you fed and when. You started way late and fed too light to explain all this. Runoff pH is a waste of time. Runoff EC is not. Can you measure your EC/PPM?
Click to expand...
I don't have a way to measure PPM right now (one is in the near future as I'd like to try a DWC setup but with the way soil is going I'm thinking it's a ways off for me). Since I've started feeding I only feed every other watering. I usually water every 2-3 days trying to let the soil dry out well before I water again but I think I may overwater a bit as well. Usually until theres about 15% runoff out the bottom of the smart pot.

Therrion said:
If I were to guess, it's your VPD. Two weeks into flower at 78F, you should raise your RH to about 52% at least. 30 to 40 is too low. They may be transpiring too much, so it mimics a nutrient issues.
Click to expand...
I apologize I'm not sure what VPD is(Vapor Pressure Deficit? just looked it up)? I'm guessing what your saying is I'm sucking my plants dry?

Sparky123 said:
Got bugs? Fungus gnats? If you zoom in closely on a few of a leafs it is spotted brown kind of made me go that route
Click to expand...
Nope.
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
MedicatedGrower said:
I haven't monitored PH runoff throughout the entire grow. Just happened to check it this last time when I noticed some leaves start yellowing.


I've thought this as well but there seem to be a lot of people use it with success so I feel like it has to be me.


I don't have a way to measure PPM right now (one is in the near future as I'd like to try a DWC setup but with the way soil is going I'm thinking it's a ways off for me). Since I've started feeding I only feed every other watering. I usually water every 2-3 days trying to let the soil dry out well before I water again but I think I may overwater a bit as well. Usually until theres about 15% runoff out the bottom of the smart pot.



I apologize I'm not sure what VPD is(Vapor Pressure Deficit? just looked it up)? I'm guessing what your saying is I'm sucking my plants dry?


Nope.
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Suggest a full strength bloom feeding after you let the medium dry out. Also recommend deep aeration and some cultivation of the top of the medium. You’ve got deficits. Not burn in my opinion.
 
Go go n chill

Go go n chill

Well-Known Member
So you are having issues.
Let it dry out really well.
Re calibrate your ph meter
Trim those fucked up leaves off
Ph your water to 7 and water with about 16oz of water.
 
M

MedicatedGrower

New Member
I also wondered if I should be using any Cal-Mag?
Go go n chill said:
So you are having issues.
Let it dry out really well.
Re calibrate your ph meter
Trim those fucked up leaves off
Ph your water to 7 and water with about 16oz of water.
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Thank you for the reply. This may be a dumb question but I think it may answer my problem. I know there's no hard and fast answer but would you normally only give around 16oz of water to a plant in a 5gal pot? The reason I ask is because I've been giving around like 1.5gal of water which would explain a huge overwatering issue if thats the case.
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
Go go n chill said:
No runoff ph is not useless, especially when someone is having a problem. And flushing may help in some instances.... not his but flushing can be of some use.
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Yes it is useless. Totally useless information. A pH slurry test is different and applicable. Runoff is useless. Flushing is for idiots who really overdo it and can’t read label instructions. Otherwise I’ll guarantee it hurts more than helps.
 
Jimdamick

Jimdamick

Well-Known Member
MedicatedGrower said:
I also wondered if I should be using any Cal-Mag?


Thank you for the reply. This may be a dumb question but I think it may answer my problem. I know there's no hard and fast answer but would you normally only give around 16oz of water to a plant in a 5gal pot? The reason I ask is because I've been giving around like 1.5gal of water which would explain a huge overwatering issue if thats the case.
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You should add Calmag at around 4 weeks, just before your bloom cycle.
Also, you cut off too many fan leaves, so you have no storage units left.
Don't do that again.
Also, always feed your plants during their entire grow, not just at bloom.
Just water until the soil is moist, and keep it that way, do not let it dry out.
Good luck
 
Go go n chill

Go go n chill

Well-Known Member
hotrodharley said:
Yes it is useless. Totally useless information. A pH slurry test is different and applicable. Runoff is useless. Flushing is for idiots who really overdo it and can’t read label instructions. Otherwise I’ll guarantee it hurts more than helps.
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Come on really? I do not agree
Not everyone is an idiot. And if you overdid something and flushing could help damn it is not worthless
 
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