Genetic issue??

I am growing 4 plants, in pots, outdoors, west SF. I use seeds from a set I also used last year. Last year, I planted 12, and got 12 females. So I figured these seeds must be from a hermi.

Everything about the 4 plants is identical: soil, pots, sunlight, water. Identical. (I'm using some kind of weed oriented high quality potting soil, sorry I forget the brand).

I've fertilized twice since the plants went into the dirt the last week of April, both times extremely lightly (1/8th the recommended amount), using Fox Farms Grow Big. So basically after 1 month, and just recently again after the 2nd month.

The plants get direct light (when it's clear) from about 11am until as late as 8pm. I use a moisture meter and do not water until it reads in the dry zone. I'm definitely not overwatering.

So here's the deal: one of the plants is perfectly normal. The other 3 suffer from...???. See pictures! Given all I know, I have to wonder if it's something genetic related to their probably being hermi seeds. While I would suspect some deficiency issue, I can say that these have shown this weirdness from the absolute earliest growth, and it ranges across the 4 plants from "none" to "severe". One normal, one slightly odd, one clearly odd, and one completely twisted.

Any ideas?

Are you feeding Micros? Looks like a zinc deficiency in the striped ones. I see Magnesium deficiency in the top pic.

hotrodharley said:

Are you feeding Micros? Looks like a zinc deficiency in the striped ones. I see Magnesium deficiency in the top pic.

Click to expand...

I'm seeing this lots with FF.... I'm starting to think coiinsedence not. I even switched myself after years of great success then not being able to pull off a Grow without a bottle of Cal/Mag and some DTE products thrown in the soil. The only thing I found different is they opened another facility about the time I started having issues. As soon as I switched my soil and nutes all was great again.

Indacouch said:

I'm seeing this lots with FF.... I'm starting to think coiinsedence not. I even switched myself after years of great success then not being able to pull off a Grow without a bottle of Cal/Mag and some DTE products thrown in the soil. The only thing I found different is they opened another facility about the time I started having issues. As soon as I switched my soil and nutes all was great again.

Click to expand...

I'm always suspect of cost cutting measures that affect quality. Hydrofarm is pretty big.

Indacouch said:

not being able to pull off a Grow without a bottle of Cal/Mag

Click to expand...

I've been having this problem this year with FFOF myself... I had to add a teaspoon of dolomite to each pot.

Miyagismokes said:

I've been having this problem this year with FFOF myself... I had to add a teaspoon of dolomite to each pot.

Click to expand...

FFOF is all I use to use. I ran it for years with great results. Then all the sudden I started getting weird Def issues. Keep in mind I ran things exactly the same forever. So at first I thought it was something I did. I did a little bit of my own research and found out that FF opened up another facility where they make soil. The new facility uses a slightly different mix and depending on location you receive from it. My issues started at the same time as this second plant. I also noticed tons of huge rocks and stick in my soil as well. I'm talking rocks you could use to skip on a lake. I ordered some RO707 to try and the problem never showed up again. I went from die hard FFOF to never recommending it again. We shouldn't have to ammend brand new soil we pay top dollar for.

hotrodharley said:

Are you feeding Micros? Looks like a zinc deficiency in the striped ones. I see Magnesium deficiency in the top pic.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Making certain my water ph adjustment is correct (my tap water is highly alkaline), and adding a little magnesium to the current watering. What's odd to me is that I've got plants than are just fine, and others that are not, yet every aspect of the environment is identical, and the differences were from "birth" (odd coloration and deformity in the initial plant out of the ground).

Indacouch said:

FFOF is all I use to use. I ran it for years with great results. Then all the sudden I started getting weird Def issues. Keep in mind I ran things exactly the same forever. So at first I thought it was something I did. I did a little bit of my own research and found out that FF opened up another facility where they make soil. The new facility uses a slightly different mix and depending on location you receive from it. My issues started at the same time as this second plant. I also noticed tons of huge rocks and stick in my soil as well. I'm talking rocks you could use to skip on a lake. I ordered some RO707 to try and the problem never showed up again. I went from die hard FFOF to never recommending it again. We shouldn't have to ammend brand new soil we pay top dollar for.

Click to expand...

Ive quit ocean forest also, not because of issues just got better deal (and better soil) buying bulk. But ive seen all the sticks(logs) and rocks in the FFOF and thought it was strange,just my 2 cents

zinc said:

Thanks. Making certain my water ph adjustment is correct (my tap water is highly alkaline), and adding a little magnesium to the current watering. What's odd to me is that I've got plants than are just fine, and others that are not, yet every aspect of the environment is identical, and the differences were from "birth" (odd coloration and deformity in the initial plant out of the ground).

Click to expand...

If it was just one plant I would not be as convinced but it's more than one. I was just running down blogs on this issue and it's well known. I have not used a commercial soil in quite some time

The commercial soil I'm using is "Big Rootz".