Quick Soil Question/Help

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 13, 2011

Hello, I am new to the realm of growing. I just recently got 4 plants that I was told were ready to go into flower, but they have problems. (the guy who gave them to me thinks they are excellent) Anywho, I don't much care for the growing medium because it holds a lot of moisture and the leaves seem to be showing signs of over watering. Do you think it would be worth it now (considering they started 12/12 two days ago) to switch out the soil for something that drains better. The current stuff is like straight coco fiber. Or would this cause too much stress? Or perhaps am I calling it wrong? Also he told me to treat with Azamax due to bugs.

400 W HPS light (Current) He had them under four 1000W lights. (Don't know distance)
Temps: 73 and 81
Nutes: Don't know what the other guy was using, but my soil meter says the nutrients are low.
PH: They seem to be between 7.1 and 6.8
Distance: roughly 12"

Please if you need to know anything else let me know. Thank you

Legal medical grow

abberation · Aug 13, 2011

if they in straight coco drainage should be problem. PH is to high mate, bring it down to 5.8.

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 13, 2011

Thanks for the reply, do you think i should switch the soil? I've got a top soil/perlite/compost/coco mix. What would you advise for Ph reduction?

abberation · Aug 13, 2011

Keep it in coco mate, just amend your growing style to growing in coco. Use ph down to drop your ph. Those plants don't look happy. Start with adjusting the ph, and look out for new growth. If you haven't been feeding them, give them some nutes, coco don't retain nutrients the way soil does. Don't keep the medium too wet, but as I said coco drain pretty well.

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 13, 2011

Thank you for the input. I'll go pick up a bottle of ph down then. Curse being absolutely broke... I'll try that tomorrow (well technically, later today) and see what happens over the next week.

abberation · Aug 13, 2011

Sorry didn't read your post that well. I see you growing in a mix of soil, coco and perlite. You should stick to soil growing techniques. But drop your ph to about 6.5. I wouldn't stir the roots too much and transplant. You say the nutrients are low. Feed them and see if things improve. But let them dry after the feed.

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 13, 2011

abberation said:
Sorry didn't read your post that well. I see you growing in a mix of soil, coco and perlite. You should stick to soil growing techniques. But drop your ph to about 6.5. I wouldn't stir the roots too much and transplant. You say the nutrients are low. Feed them and see if things improve. But let them dry after the feed.

I'm sorry, they are in what appears to be straight coco... however I have the other soil mix available. I just watered them like 24 hours ago and I've seen minimal improvement... if any at all. I just checked the growing medium and it is still pretty wet, but their condition is deterioriating, so should I go ahead and water them with the ph amendments and some nutes... just the ph or wait another 24 - 48 hrs?

On a side note I find it amusing that I can spot an unhealthy plan and my (experienced) friend can't. Oh well.

Kingrow1 · Aug 13, 2011

Coco is a hard medium to learn on, id prefer soil with perlite for good drainage and a dash of dolomite lime powder for pH.

He had them under 4 x 1000w lights and they look like that with mite problems as well! I would not take too much advice of this guy but start again with some fresh seedling, probably get a bigger yeild in the long run, badly stretched, mites and other problems, this dose not keep things very simple. Peace and good luck.

Wetdog · Aug 13, 2011

^^^^^^THAT^^^^^^

Those poor things look like they were under a 13w CFL, 2' away. 4-1k lights or no, that guy doesn't have a clue about growing.

I have to agree with Kingrow1. Toss those plants and start fresh. They look so bad, I wonder if they would even survive treatment for the spider mites.

Sorry, just being straight with you.

Wet

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 14, 2011

Update: I transplanted one of them (Yeah, I took a risk... ) But so far so good. Dare I say an improovement has been made? Thank you for your help.

Kingrow1 · Aug 14, 2011

Yer sorry to condemn them dude, obviously your gona keep em its just they are far from ideal and a lot of work to get a decent yeild from, still it is all good practice. If you can get some seeds though it would be good to start some more off, that way it wont be so long till the next harvest. Keep us updated man, will be intresting anyway and loose the mites once and for all, check grow room and everywhere with a fine tooth comb, weed indoors seems to get battered by the smallest of pests. Getting pot is just a bonus, plants chill me out watching them grow, i spend three months growing each one and the weed is gone in 2 weeks!lol! i wouldnt do it if growing plants weren't so pleasurable. Peace and enjoy it, your breaking the law now.

Loki13 · Aug 14, 2011

I wouldn't waste electricity on that :eyesmoke:

It's really stretched and some type of
root issues over watering, possible
ph or root bound problems :eyesmoke:

Kingrow1 · Aug 14, 2011

But still problems that give good experience solving, repot up if root bound, add powdered dolomite lime to topsoil if pH and flush good, if stretched support and raise light, start some seedlings and grow the lot. Peace

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 14, 2011

Thank you for your input. I'm taking this as a challenge for problem solving. However the one I repotted has recovered quite a bit in one night... So I am going to repot them all into bigger pots, the water retention issue has been solved by getting rid of that evil coco stuff. This was a live an learn situation. If I get an ounce out of it it was worth the effort to me. Also since I repotted the one the PH issue seems to have corrected itself. Now I just need to start feeding my babies. I am planning on ordering some seeds in the not to distant future so I can start at square one. (I am a perfectionist and will tolerate nothing less than, if I control the entire process)

So again, tonight I will be swapping out old grow media for my soil mix and larger pots because they seemed rootbound to me. i'll keep everyone updated as to the results of my experiment.

Additionally, this is a legal medical grow so as long as I play by the rules I'm not breaking the law.

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 14, 2011

The transplant is now complete. I watered them a few days ago and even now if i squeezed it... water ran out. That was a bad situation and I feel good about the changes. I'll keep ya all posted on how things go. (and later perhaps some pictures, but the new growth overnight was impressive)

Kingrow1 · Aug 15, 2011

xxnerdzillaxx said:
The transplant is now complete. I watered them a few days ago and even now if i squeezed it... water ran out. That was a bad situation and I feel good about the changes. I'll keep ya all posted on how things go. (and later perhaps some pictures, but the new growth overnight was impressive)

Any luck with getting some seeds to start off to?

I would tie the plant down so it is as short as it can get, train growth down as much as possible, looks fragile though so be carefull. It was probably not so much of a pH issue, more built up crap in the soil. Soil is easier to grow in, add perlite and amend with a little dolomite lime to keep pH sweet, thats all there is too it, want pots to need watering every 4/5 days if possible, i feel any longer than a week and my plants are starting to feel overwatered.

If the soil contains ferts then you wont need them for a couple of weeks and even then at quater/half strength to begin with. Peace

Oh yer, post some pics please dude.

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 15, 2011

I'm working on getting some seeds, but I am going to let my bro do that purchase... (He is the patient, I am his provider) As far as fragile goes... one of them now supports itself. I have also trained them down already. The smell has definately gotten better. I agree with the built up crap analysis. I am seeing new growth now, so perhaps this will turn out to be good troubleshooting experience.

I will certainly update with some pictures tomorrow. I'm about to go to bed and don't feel much like dealing with that at the moment. I think I will need to water them in a day or two, but we'll see. Thanks for the interest king.

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 16, 2011

So I went and bought some distilled water today after taking these pictures and flushed 2 gallons of water through all 4 plants. There was still a lot of that coco in there holding onto stuff near the roots. Before the flush the PH was at 7 to 7.1 and after 6.8 across the board. My nutrient meter showed almost no nutrients and after it was perfectly in the middle. So we will see what happens. Now I play the waiting game. Slowly returnng these ladies back to health.

(Also am I seeing female bits?)
Various shots of all four plants.

alotaball · Aug 16, 2011

No offense but if you want to continue to grow.. I would kill those plants and treat the grow area.... It looks like they have SEVERE spider mite damage.. ontop of being stretched beyond belief .. also their are nearly NO budsites... all the foilage is missing .. the infestation those plants are gonna leave will make it alot of work before you can start new plants...

IMO i wouldnt waste my electricity or time on those and I would go get some new clones ...

Not trying to be a dick.. just hate to see you devote time and money to such a bad stat with those plants.. I will assure you that you will not be happy even if you do EVERYTHING right.. they are just too far gone ! (imo)

xxnerdzillaxx · Aug 16, 2011

alotaball said:
No offense but if you want to continue to grow.. I would kill those plants and treat the grow area.... It looks like they have SEVERE spider mite damage.. ontop of being stretched beyond belief .. also their are nearly NO budsites... all the foilage is missing .. the infestation those plants are gonna leave will make it alot of work before you can start new plants...

IMO i wouldnt waste my electricity or time on those and I would go get some new clones ...

Not trying to be a dick.. just hate to see you devote time and money to such a bad stat with those plants.. I will assure you that you will not be happy even if you do EVERYTHING right.. they are just too far gone ! (imo)

There is nothing wrong with stating your opinion, duely noted. I understand it will probably be lame, but oh well. To me its fun. If it gets really bad into the coming weeks then I may choose to pull it.

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