How to Read your Plants?

[Wolverine97]

who can say why the leaf edges are cupping up here?

Three possibilities I see: Heat, very low humidity and/or fan blowing directly on them, slight zinc def.
You?

 

[LordGreen]

Welcome to RIU. First, I gotta ask, have you ever grown a plant before? 2. Why did you start with NFT when soil is much more forgiving and many times much more effective regarding plant vigor and yields? 3. You didn't say what the NPK values of your foods are. You do understand NPK values and how they relate to photosynthesis, don't you? Or, are you taking the path of 90% of noobs and relying on cannabis charts, anecdotal evidence and cute product label names to direct your gardening efforts?

Good luck,
UB

Oooooh, my 1st reply, im quite excited lol
No this is the first time iv EVER attempted a grow, iv never even grew a house plant let alone a weed plant lol iv watched my uncle do it for the last decade n decided to av a crack at myself when he died( he always grew in soil except for the last 2 years of his life when he switched to DWC)
2. I went for NFT coz i saw an NFT set up at a friend of a friends n he got great yields off it and also i saw an improvement in yield n quality when my uncle went from soil to DWC, iv unfortunately lost touch wiv them now but im tryin 2 get hold of them for advice but no luck as of yet
3 im using Vita Link A+B, NPK values are 5/9.6/4.6, i think i understand these values in relation to photosynthesis but if sumone could explain it 2 me 2 make sure i do understand then ill b eternaly grateful
And yes im using the Vita link chart as a rough guide buyt i dont trust it therefore im tryin 2 go by how my plants look

 

[gilbert90605]

Here is an Indica I want to share in UB's honor... I just defoliated all secondary fan leaves from my Pineapple Express. I FIMed it about 8 days ago and I took off a couple leaves at the time to get some light in. I now have about 9-10 good looking branch stems, all getting light. I LST'ed some of the branches today to allow more light in, after cutting off most of the fan leaves. I do not remove any growth near the tips, only on the second node on back. I'm in a DR120 and using a 600W MH bulb, 24/7. PPM's were increased to 500 yesterday, and some slight tip burning was evident today. I backed off the ppm to the previous 400 and the plant seems happy. This is my first Pineapple grow, but i have read she is an aggressive feeder. I just jumped from 400 to 500 ppm a bit too soon. My plan is to monitor the ppm level closer and adjust depending on what the plant tells me.... Tying this all back in to the topic of the thread, see below for a plant reading tip for hydro growers...

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I'm hoping to pull at least 10 ounces of dry bud from this plant when she is done. I got 14 from my last two combined. Not bad for an indoor plant that had it's leaves molested... LOL...

View attachment 1489716

The clips work great on a Waterfarm's edge. They make great tie off anchors and are easily adjustable. The knot on the other end is a slip knot.

View attachment 1489717

This photo depicts the tips... All fan leaves were removed, except the ones on the growth nodes or tips. This allows ALL of the nodes to receive as equal light as possible. If I were growing outdoors, i would only remove the inner fan leaves to allow air to pass through easily.

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Hydro tip: Determining when to raise and lower the dissolved solids, or PPMs, can be like rocket science. When you adjust up, the plant burns, adjust too far down, and you have different problems all together. Wouldn't it be neat to never have to guess? Well guess what? If you learn to read what your plant is trying to tell you, it's actually quite easy! Once you master this concept, you'll rarely burn or kill a plant again.

As a plant encounters through various stages of growth in it's life cycle, it's needs for nutrients also may change. It goes without saying, a mature plant will drink up a lot more nutrients than a seedling. As the plant takes in nutrients, one of two things happen to the level of solids in the reservoir; they either go up, resulting in higher ppms because more water than nutrients were used, or the ppms go down, because the plant is taking in more nutrients than water.

The third possible outcome is the level, or ratio of nutrients to water doesn't change. This happens when the plant has found a perfect balance of nutrients and water. It is this perfect balance that we should all strive for.

How do I read my plants and determine the proper ratio of nutrients and water? Herein lies the answer, memory or good records. You see, in order to determine what the plant is trying to tell us today, we need to know where we set the ppm level from the day before. We can determine whether the plant took in more food or more water by comparing today's PPM reading with yesterday's reading.

Let's use an example. Our hypothetical plant is 3 weeks into flower and we are getting excited. Anticipation is setting in as we witness the first developments of flowers. Yesterday, after topping the reservoir with fresh water and nutrients, the PPMs were 1100. Today, the water level is down some, as expected, because the plant's using water. Today's reading indicates that the ppm level is at 1300! What happened? How did it jump 200 points overnight?

If the plant is taking in more water than nutrients, it indicates that the nute level is too high and the roots and leaves could be damaged. Imagine a glass of salt water placed on the table in front of you. You can't see the salt, but you can taste it. Now imagine that very same glass of water after about half of it evaporated. The salt won't evaporate, as it is a dissolved solid, therefore the water will seem saltier, but in reality, it's just not as diluted; the same level of salt exists today that was in the glass yesterday.

Getting back to our hypothetical situation, overnight, we lost enough water to increase the 'saltiness' of our plant's water. In this case, we want to add fresh water and dilute the ppms down a level. Since we gained 200 ppm overnight, I want to get it down to about 950-1000 ppm and see what she does the following day. If I wake up and read a PPM reading of 1000, I hit my magic number for now, and can keep the ppms at 1000 until my plant tells me otherwise.

To imagine the opposite reaction, imagine that same glass of salt water mysteriously gaining an inch or two of fresh water. The water will be less salty, meaning lower PPMs. That would indicate the plant can use more food. this is the opportunity to increase yields and growth, if done correctly. Learn to read what your plant is trying to tell you, and you'll both benefit greatly.

(I did not proof read this, please feel free to point out any error or needed clarification)

i was wondering about the last part you said....
reading the ppm levels would you say there's any specific look that occurs on the plant during the consumption of just water or the nutes?
or is my understanding of this all wrong?
what i imagine is a good looking plant that just may show some slight health problems that are not seen by me the new guy.....

I THINK I HAVE A HERMI!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[irieie]

That is quite the hypothesis for why pants smell, I see where you are coming from, but I am a little skeptical about any actual facts that might back it up. I always thought that plants gave out smell to attract bugs and animals. Because plants are stationary, they need a carrier to help them pollinate (the birds and the bees). Through many years of human cultivation, cannabis no longer needs a carrier for its pollen but the genetic traits of smell which attracted carriers before remains. Smoking is not only about getting high, most people enjoy the smell and tastes which add to the sensory experience. Also I would be wary of extrapolating human emotions like happiness onto a plant. We tend to anthropomophosize (sp) biological organisms that don't have the structure or capacity to experience human traits or emotions. I can see how a plant may be "happy" in its own right, but wen using a word that carries such a connotation, it is hard to interpret the actual meaning of what you are trying to say.

 

[riddleme]

That is quite the hypothesis for why pants smell, I see where you are coming from, but I am a little skeptical about any actual facts that might back it up. I always thought that plants gave out smell to attract bugs and animals. Because plants are stationary, they need a carrier to help them pollinate (the birds and the bees). Through many years of human cultivation, cannabis no longer needs a carrier for its pollen but the genetic traits of smell which attracted carriers before remains. Smoking is not only about getting high, most people enjoy the smell and tastes which add to the sensory experience. Also I would be wary of extrapolating human emotions like happiness onto a plant. We tend to anthropomophosize (sp) biological organisms that don't have the structure or capacity to experience human traits or emotions. I can see how a plant may be "happy" in its own right, but wen using a word that carries such a connotation, it is hard to interpret the actual meaning of what you are trying to say.

I simply used the word "happy" so folks reading could understand the point I was trying to convey

I never said that plants have feelings, cause no one knows if they do or not???

 

[Wolverine97]

That is quite the hypothesis for why pants smell, I see where you are coming from, but I am a little skeptical about any actual facts that might back it up. I always thought that plants gave out smell to attract bugs and animals. Because plants are stationary, they need a carrier to help them pollinate (the birds and the bees). Through many years of human cultivation, cannabis no longer needs a carrier for its pollen but the genetic traits of smell which attracted carriers before remains. Smoking is not only about getting high, most people enjoy the smell and tastes which add to the sensory experience. Also I would be wary of extrapolating human emotions like happiness onto a plant. We tend to anthropomophosize (sp) biological organisms that don't have the structure or capacity to experience human traits or emotions. I can see how a plant may be "happy" in its own right, but wen using a word that carries such a connotation, it is hard to interpret the actual meaning of what you are trying to say.

If the smell is a defense mechanism, then how would you explain Blueberry? Bubblegum? Purps? That would mean they want to be eaten...

 

[gilbert90605]

That is quite the hypothesis for why pants smell, I see where you are coming from, but I am a little skeptical about any actual facts that might back it up. I always thought that plants gave out smell to attract bugs and animals. Because plants are stationary, they need a carrier to help them pollinate (the birds and the bees). Through many years of human cultivation, cannabis no longer needs a carrier for its pollen but the genetic traits of smell which attracted carriers before remains. Smoking is not only about getting high, most people enjoy the smell and tastes which add to the sensory experience. Also I would be wary of extrapolating human emotions like happiness onto a plant. We tend to anthropomophosize (sp) biological organisms that don't have the structure or capacity to experience human traits or emotions. I can see how a plant may be "happy" in its own right, but wen using a word that carries such a connotation, it is hard to interpret the actual meaning of what you are trying to say.

its genetic drift.. a plant doesnt just give off a smell because it says i want to attract people or animals to carrry me around the world.. it just so happens that animals learn to associate the smell with food.. so i dont see how you can be so anal about associating the word happy with a plant.. its simple it means in good health

 

[Danielsgb]

That is quite the hypothesis for why pants smell, I see where you are coming from, but I am a little skeptical about any actual facts that might back it up. I always thought that plants gave out smell to attract bugs and animals. Because plants are stationary, they need a carrier to help them pollinate (the birds and the bees). Through many years of human cultivation, cannabis no longer needs a carrier for its pollen but the genetic traits of smell which attracted carriers before remains.

Some plants give out scents to attract an animal to spread it's pollen, but others give off a scent as a defense against foragers. Cannabis needs wind and bees to spread its pollen. Human cultivation hasn't changed its way of pollinating in the wild.

If the smell is a defense mechanism, then how would you explain Blueberry? Bubblegum? Purps? That would mean they want to be eaten...

Those scents may smell like blueberries or bubblegum to a human, but I doubt a deer would feel the same. Those were chosen by breeders over tons of crosses.

 

[xivex]

I personally find it completely fascinating that cannabis might just be the most cultivaed plant in the world and is also the only annual diecious (fuck i cant spell!) plant known in the botanical world. Crazy huh? It truly is an amazing plant.

 

[Wolverine97]

Some plants give out scents to attract an animal to spread it's pollen, but others give off a scent as a defense against foragers. Cannabis needs wind and bees to spread its pollen. Human cultivation hasn't changed its way of pollinating in the wild.
Those scents may smell like blueberries or bubblegum to a human, but I doubt a deer would feel the same. Those were chosen by breeders over tons of crosses.

Totally tounge-in-cheek my friend.

 

[Illumination]

I personally find it completely fascinating that cannabis might just be the most cultivaed plant in the world and is also the only annual diecious (fuck i cant spell!) plant known in the botanical world. Crazy huh? It truly is an amazing plant.

That isn't accurate my friend.. I can think of one right off the top of my head :
amaranth palmeri

But it is a wondrous and unique plant...but botanically you grow it like most others...a big part of most people's problems, myself included is mystifying this species and making ourselves so certain that it is so different that the marketers can play upon it...the truth is it is a plant and from what I have been reading botanically it is one of the EASIER plants to grow!!!


Namaste'

 

[Danielsgb]

Totally tongue-in-cheek my friend.

Gotcha, I assumed it was.
It's been a long day. Plants sleeping, No nutes causing a burn. Stuff like that.

That isn't accurate my friend.. I can think of one right off the top of my head :
amaranth palmeri

But it is a wondrous and unique plant...but botanically you grow it like most others...a big part of most people's problems, myself included is mystifying this species and making ourselves so certain that it so different that the marketers can play upon it...the truth is it is a plant and from what I have been reading botanically it is one of the EASIER plants to grow!!!
Namaste'

One was mentioned in my Master Gardener class, but I forgot. It took everything I had NOT to reply "so is Cannabis".
Compared to Orchids it is a walk in the Park. Forgive my corny pun.
X, there are a couple others. But they are rare.
Daniels

 

[TheLastWood]

That is quite the hypothesis for why pants smell, I see where you are coming from, but I am a little skeptical about any actual facts that might back it up. I always thought that plants gave out smell to attract bugs and animals. Because plants are stationary, they need a carrier to help them pollinate (the birds and the bees). Through many years of human cultivation, cannabis no longer needs a carrier for its pollen but the genetic traits of smell which attracted carriers before remains. Smoking is not only about getting high, most people enjoy the smell and tastes which add to the sensory experience. Also I would be wary of extrapolating human emotions like happiness onto a plant. We tend to anthropomophosize (sp) biological organisms that don't have the structure or capacity to experience human traits or emotions. I can see how a plant may be "happy" in its own right, but wen using a word that carries such a connotation, it is hard to interpret the actual meaning of what you are trying to say.

Using big words doesn't make you smart. You really can't understand what someone means by happy plants? I think you know exactly what it means.

Besides happy meaning healthy, I like to belive my plants are happy. not only as in healthy, but as in emotionally. Sometimes I look at them, after they take a nice drink, basking in the "sun" and I know they are happy.

 

[rastadred22]

this is an interesting read...and im sure u will change ur skeptical mind as these are actual facts! and u need to reasearch as everything u have told us was thought up by u as thats the way you think the reason cannabis stinks....these are reasons ppl on this site need to research be4 being so quick to tell someone they are wrong! and we do understand than cannabis is a plant and not a human and in noway do we think they operate the same!...there are words in the english language, put there to communicate, to get a point across, and to help others to understand. as the word 'happy' was used so that a all round sense of understanding was not an issue.

plz enjoy this read, as these are nothing short of facts!

Cannabis-Science recognizes that many terpenes in the botanical world exhibit medicinal properties and that a great number of modern pharmaceuticals were derived from this fact. Many cannabinoids are considered terpenes since they contain 'terpene-pieces' (moieties) assembled by the plant. Often, terpenes in the plant kingdom serve as evolutionary defense mechanisms to ward off predators and pathogenic microbes such as fungi and bacteria.

TERPENES

Terpenes (isoprenoids) are small molecules that consist of repeating units of a compound called isoprene. Terpenes play many important roles in the plant kingdom from deterring insect predation, protection from environmental stresses and as chemical raw materials for more complex molecules, like cannabinoids. Many plant terpenes act synergistically with other terpenes and some serve to either catalyze or inhibit formation of other compounds within a plant. Understanding the role of certain terpenes will allow scientists to manipulate cannabinoids to desired ratios, for example.

http://www.cannabis-science.com/aroma_flavor.html

 

[Boonierat]

Hell RM3, just makes me want to sit around hitting pipe after pipe and have story time!

 

[riddleme]

Hell RM3, just makes me want to sit around hitting pipe after pipe and have story time!

I hear ya, at least this thread hasn't gone crazy like a few others in the last few days LOL

 

[Kottonmouth king15]

Way to put it down rasta! rikit rikit....microphone check! Lmao!

 

[Boonierat]

Man, I ain't ever gonna judge any o yall old timers ( no offense, but I am a youngin comparatively, lol! I kid I kid! ) for anything you have had to do in the past. I've got way less years on me but I've already had to make some hard choices, so I got no room to judge anyone, ya know? Keep em green man!

 

[riddleme]

Time to moderate, irieie has contributed positively in this thread and has simply asked questions, I believe his responce is with regard to Jberrys thread about how plants communicate (I could be wrong but that was how I took it) thus far this is not a troll ridden thread please keep the discussion flowing postive

Thankyou

 

[rastadred22]

i apologize if that was a bit to blunt! i didnt mean to start stirring things i just figured that by the way things have been goin recently i would just quit beatin round the bush and throw out fact right off the bat... sorry was simply trying to just inform that most good ppl that follow riddleme and riddlme himself post factual info based on research and experience and not just oppinon, i will apologize if i offended him...was just sayin