MrTHeadies
Active Member
Situation:
I'm in Week 7 of flowering and my girls are showing (what I assume to be) major nutrient lockout issues. I'm worried that if I don't figure this out ASAP that I'll have to harvest way too early or lose part of the crop. Neither of which I'm excited about. I've scoured the different "Diagnose" and "Nutrient issue" threads and FAQs across multiple forums and books but I just don't have the personal experience to pin-point the issue and I'm hoping someone here can help. I'm going to attempt to provide as many pictures and details as needed so let me know any questions you have and I can provide more.
Grow Details
Background:
My mantra for this grow has been K.I.S.S., Keep It Simple Stupid, just like the physics professor used to say. In line with this idea I decided to do a large-pot organic soil grow of strains that are not too high maintenance and especially with the Mandala strains, very efficient when it comes to nutrient up take. Instead of prepping all sorts of fertilizer/enzyme concoctions I'll let the nutrient rich soil take them most of the way and then fertilize during flowering as necessary. I went the organic route due to my preference for taste and quality over yields. Up until now this has been going quite well and they've had vigorous healthy growth throughout.
Note on Water Ph - my tap comes out at approx. 8.2 so I've always brought it down to 6.2 with apple cider vinegar. I realize ideal for soil is 6.5-6.8. My thinking with 6.2 was that after setting the ph to 6.2 and testing my water again 24 hours later the Ph often rises back up to 7.0+. So I figure water with 6.2 and it will go through the whole range of nutrient availability while the roots soak it up. This has worked fine for the majority of their lives.
Here are some veg-cycle shots of healthy growth:
View attachment 2764497View attachment 2764498
It started about a couple weeks ago (week 4-5 flowering) with some of the older leaves drooping, yellowing, developing necrosis and then dying. It was slow though so I figured the plants were using their nitrogen up during flowering like is to be expected. What started out this way has now snowballed into almost all of the leaves showing yellowing, dead leaf tips, and just unhealthy symptoms throughout.
Yellowing of the largest and oldest fan leaves began on the Mandala's, especially the big girls but is now affecting them all it seems.
07/25 - Yellowing Begins - and no I'm not talking about the HPS-light soaked shots, I have since figured out the white balance on my camera for the later pictures.
View attachment 2764505
View attachment 2764507
My initial thoughts were "OK so nitrogen deficiency." Easy to fix but I'm sketched about too much nitrogen during flowering and over-fertilizing in general. So I gave them a 50/50 mix of Roots Organic Buddha Bloom and Grow tested at .55mS EC.
It seemed to me the buds plumped up some but the yellowing continued and leaves kept dying. This prompted me to start researching the Ocean Forest soil I was using. From what I've read OF tends to lose it's Ph buffer later in flowering and it can drop dramatically. So (despite all of read on organics) I test my soil runoff and sure enough it is around 5.0. To me this was a eureka moment, it's the low Ph locking out nutrients. The fix? Top dressing each with 1/4-1/2 cup pelletized dolomite lime and watering with 6.8 Ph water. This should raise the soil Ph enough to make nutrients more available. Or so I thought.
08/05 - Here we are today and the problem is only getting worse and fast.
Kalichakra's:
What I see happening is yellowing, drooping, leaf ends curl downward until they go necrotic and then leaf tip curls upwards.
Satori:
This Satori is the only one that I also see purpling mid-leaf as it yellows.
Black Russian:
Up until now the BR was the most healthy but she's having trouble now too. Dead/burnt tips and edges and lower growth is drooping. Purple stems.
I'm not sure if I made things worse with the dolomite or it's a deficiency continuing or multiple things rolled into one. I believe the Black Russian will make it to harvest but I'm doubting my Satori or Kalichakra's will be able to make it three more weeks with how quickly this is progressing.
Any help/thoughts would be appreciated.
MrTHeadies
I'm in Week 7 of flowering and my girls are showing (what I assume to be) major nutrient lockout issues. I'm worried that if I don't figure this out ASAP that I'll have to harvest way too early or lose part of the crop. Neither of which I'm excited about. I've scoured the different "Diagnose" and "Nutrient issue" threads and FAQs across multiple forums and books but I just don't have the personal experience to pin-point the issue and I'm hoping someone here can help. I'm going to attempt to provide as many pictures and details as needed so let me know any questions you have and I can provide more.
Grow Details
- Strains:
- Satori and Kalichakra (Mandala) - approx. 10 week flowering period
- Black Russian (Delicious) - 8 week flowering period
- Green Love Potion (Samsara) - 8 week flowering period
- Medium: Soil, 3-5 gallon pots, 3/1 mix of FF Ocean Forest and FF Light Warrior
- Water: tap water, aerated for 24 hrs before watering, ph adjusted to 6.2 with apple cider vinegar, EC .35mS
- Air: 400 CFM fan pulling air in through carbon filter, pushing through lamp hood and then outside. Passive intake. Temp. 65-75
- Light: 600 watt air cooled reflector
Background:
My mantra for this grow has been K.I.S.S., Keep It Simple Stupid, just like the physics professor used to say. In line with this idea I decided to do a large-pot organic soil grow of strains that are not too high maintenance and especially with the Mandala strains, very efficient when it comes to nutrient up take. Instead of prepping all sorts of fertilizer/enzyme concoctions I'll let the nutrient rich soil take them most of the way and then fertilize during flowering as necessary. I went the organic route due to my preference for taste and quality over yields. Up until now this has been going quite well and they've had vigorous healthy growth throughout.
Note on Water Ph - my tap comes out at approx. 8.2 so I've always brought it down to 6.2 with apple cider vinegar. I realize ideal for soil is 6.5-6.8. My thinking with 6.2 was that after setting the ph to 6.2 and testing my water again 24 hours later the Ph often rises back up to 7.0+. So I figure water with 6.2 and it will go through the whole range of nutrient availability while the roots soak it up. This has worked fine for the majority of their lives.
Here are some veg-cycle shots of healthy growth:
View attachment 2764497View attachment 2764498
It started about a couple weeks ago (week 4-5 flowering) with some of the older leaves drooping, yellowing, developing necrosis and then dying. It was slow though so I figured the plants were using their nitrogen up during flowering like is to be expected. What started out this way has now snowballed into almost all of the leaves showing yellowing, dead leaf tips, and just unhealthy symptoms throughout.
Yellowing of the largest and oldest fan leaves began on the Mandala's, especially the big girls but is now affecting them all it seems.
07/25 - Yellowing Begins - and no I'm not talking about the HPS-light soaked shots, I have since figured out the white balance on my camera for the later pictures.
View attachment 2764505
View attachment 2764507
My initial thoughts were "OK so nitrogen deficiency." Easy to fix but I'm sketched about too much nitrogen during flowering and over-fertilizing in general. So I gave them a 50/50 mix of Roots Organic Buddha Bloom and Grow tested at .55mS EC.
It seemed to me the buds plumped up some but the yellowing continued and leaves kept dying. This prompted me to start researching the Ocean Forest soil I was using. From what I've read OF tends to lose it's Ph buffer later in flowering and it can drop dramatically. So (despite all of read on organics) I test my soil runoff and sure enough it is around 5.0. To me this was a eureka moment, it's the low Ph locking out nutrients. The fix? Top dressing each with 1/4-1/2 cup pelletized dolomite lime and watering with 6.8 Ph water. This should raise the soil Ph enough to make nutrients more available. Or so I thought.
08/05 - Here we are today and the problem is only getting worse and fast.
Kalichakra's:
What I see happening is yellowing, drooping, leaf ends curl downward until they go necrotic and then leaf tip curls upwards.
Satori:
This Satori is the only one that I also see purpling mid-leaf as it yellows.
Black Russian:
Up until now the BR was the most healthy but she's having trouble now too. Dead/burnt tips and edges and lower growth is drooping. Purple stems.
I'm not sure if I made things worse with the dolomite or it's a deficiency continuing or multiple things rolled into one. I believe the Black Russian will make it to harvest but I'm doubting my Satori or Kalichakra's will be able to make it three more weeks with how quickly this is progressing.
Any help/thoughts would be appreciated.
MrTHeadies
