Few issues.

[Sauce]

Set up:

T5 8 bulbs, 5 6400k, 3 2700k
Soil: OF and perlite
Nutes: Trio
PH: Water happen yesterday, Run off of between 5.9-6.3. I am thinking it was more around 6.3, I checked the run off very quick let them sit came back when it was done, run off was 6.3
I am currently using this for feeding: https://www.autoflower.org/f26/ff-trio-question-30274.html

Rh 40-53 today
Temp: 64-79 today
Lights are about 2-4 inches away. Can keep my hand under it for ever.

I could be over reacting. I have 2 issues I have noticed. One is on the leaf here:





These other ones, and this is where I could be over reacting, I don't know. Just thought it would be best to get ideas. They feel like they are cupping on multi plants. This is my first grow so still much to learn from every one.



This is my grow log if maybe more information is needed. : https://www.autoflower.org/f44/not-so-green-thumb-first-grow-journal-32445.html

 

[az2000]

I think they look great.

The droppy ends (which accentuate the appearance of cupping?) might be from the watering. Your journal says you water every 4-5 days. That sounds like they may stay too wet too long? I don't know what's "normal" for wet/dry cycles. I thought it should be more frequent, like 2-3 days. But, I'm relatively inexperienced. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will respond.

 

[Sauce]

There is no real drooping in the plant, but for that tip. It also doesn't come out to a point, its just flat out odd to me.

I will need to change the watering. I now do about every 3-4 days. if I see the top is starting to look a bit dry and the bought is starting to feel light, I will give a watering with nutes.

I will do some more research on cupping though, thank you for that. Always good to learn that stuff. And thank you for your input as well

 

[Sauce]

I think (not sure) it may be due to some ph issues. I did a watering today of just ph watering of a 6.5. run offs mostly came out at 6.0. I want to raise the soil to around a 6.5. I read before that you can use Dolomite lime. Does any one know how much? Or other ways to raise the soils ph.

Also something odd. I have a new seeding in some OF with perlite. When I started soil run off was about a 6.3-6.4. The seedling is now about a week old, but the run off was of 5.3.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[az2000]

run offs mostly came out at 6.0. I want to raise the soil to around a 6.5. I read before that you can use Dolomite lime. Does any one know how much? Or other ways to raise the soils ph.

I would say 1 tsp per gallon of container size, but do it in 2-3 phases. Cultivate it into the top 1/2" of soil using a kitchen fork (avoid tearing up roots though). Water it in with your next watering. Dolomite takes time to act in the soil. If your plant isn't showing signs of nutrient lockout you can afford to take it slowly like this.

However, something to consider is whether you've gotten adequate runoff from your waterings the past few weeks? Is it possible the acidity is from salt build up? In other words, do you need to flush or amend the soil with lime? The dolomite will take awhile. You could do a modest flush to get 100% runoff and see if that produces immediate results. (If you have a 3 gallon container, cultivate 1 tsp into the soil first. Do a 1.5 to 2 gallon flush to get 50-75% runoff. Let the flush wash the dolomite into the soil. But, it will still take time to breakdown and react.).

I just did something like this. Wasn't sure if it was salt or just ph drift. Did 3 1.5-gal flushes (two within 6 hours of each other, the next 2 days later). Also cultivated 2.5 tsp into the top soil during that time. And (I don't recommend you do this), used 1/2, 1 and 1/2 tsp hydrated lime with those flushes (respectively[1]) for a faster ph change in a 3-gal container. Hydrated lime is risky to use. My plant was fading fast, so I felt the risk was worth it. You don't want to do that. But, you could do some incremental flushing and dolomite cultivating like I did, betting on two horses in the race. If it's salt build up, you'll see more immediate improvement. Otherwise, you'll get a fair amount of dolomite washed into the soil in phases, but quickly. Won't be as traumatic as a traditional 9 gallon flush.

Fortunately for you, you've been watching your runoff ph. If you hadn't, you'd probably get hit hard in early flower like I did.

[1] the ph of the flush water was 10.2, 11.2 and 7.2 respectively. The last one included 1/3 strength nutrients which caused the 1/2 tsp hydrated lime to drop to 7.2, instead of 10.2 like the first flush without nutrients. Runoff was 6.1, 6.5 and 6.3 respectively. Best I can tell, my soil was around 4.5-5.0 when I started this drastic recovery.

Also, I did a brief test in a 1/2 gal container using with 3/4 tsp per gallon soil hydrated lime (.375 tsp actual, measured by weight) before doing the real-life application to the plant. I've continued watering that test container with ph 6.5 water, recording the runoff and soil ph. I hope to see the effect over time (absent nutrients, etc.).

I only mention this in case someone considering the drastic step of hydrated lime finds this thread in the future and needs some parameters.

 

[Sauce]

O my. Did your plants make it? From that high of a PH to drop so drastic, was wondering if it put them in shock at all?

So far I am not seeing a nute lock out. Plants are still growing normally from what I can tell.

The other odd thing is, I mixed in like 2 handfuls of lime in the mix before starting the seeds in there. So weird to see the soil drop like it has for me. I will try that with the lime and a tsp in there. 6.0 isnt extreme but its not where it should be for sure.

As for flushing, I really don't want to do that yet. But I know I am going to get close to flowering heh.. I will see what the run off is like next time before I consider that. I know I want to fix this before it gets to flowering.

 

[steelrat]

Gardeners recommend you put the dolomite lime in the soil 3 months before planting, apparently it needs that long to integrate.

I didn't know this and did my soil mix a few days before planting. The three plants in that soil mix got calmagdef so i had to introduce chemical beneficials into my organic grow (lazy!).

My fourth plant was planted two weeks later due to seed failures, so her soil mix was sitting for two weeks longer and she is experiencing very, very little calmag def.

I don't see a problem with your girls, autos leaves are always weird and crinkly here and there at first (just like human babies!) and it's nothing to worry out, they will firm out and normalise as they grow.


All the best,

steely

 

[Sauce]

Hey thanks Sorry for the long read, most is rant

I did the same thing lol, im going to mix a month ahead hope I get a true balance next grow And yeah, the cal/mag thing and ph issues seems to be the most common besides low N. I bought http://www.plantlightinghydroponics...um-and-calcium-supplement-1-liter-p-2916.html incase I run into any issues with that. No shops near me, so good to have things on hand. Ill send you a PM for that info

Thanks!

 

[steelrat]

Cool

Stop apologising for ranting, it's not ranting, it's all good !


steely

 

[az2000]

As for flushing, I really don't want to do that yet.

I agree. I lost track of how your plants are only 3 weeks old. I don't think much salt could have accumulated yet. But, you haven't said whether you produced much runoff when you water. If I were you, I'd shoot for 20% runoff of what you pour in. Maybe go 30-40% at some time.

My plant is looking great now (see attached, buds have begun growing again). Just watered with regular strength nutes this morning. Ph in: 6.6, ph out is 6.3-6.5. Much better. Doing 2 gallons for another semi-flush (about 50% runoff). Now I'm concerned if it will drift higher due to everything I did. Whatever happens it was a great learning experience.

Something I wanted to mention: If you did have whacked soil ph and feared a deficiency due to lockout, you can foliar feed as an alternate route of nutrients while you work on correcting the ph. That's what I did and I think it helped her stop losing leaves (which was happening at an exponential pace). You'd want to check whether your nutrients are suitable for foliar application.

In a pint, I did Epsom salt: 1/2 tsp (for what appeared to be magnesium deficiency), 3/4 tsp AK Fish emulsion (during the lockout/leaf loss I wasn't sure if it was lack of nitrogen, so I used this product. Smells bad. I hope there's enough time that it won't cause the buds to taste fishy). 3/4 tsp AK Kelp (just because I've heard good things). At that time it was a severe problem. I might go only half those amounts if the problem were minor.

Note: I live in a dry (20% RH) climate. I don't have to worry about mold too much. In areas with higher humidity, a fan should be used to help the plant (buds) dry. Ask around whether it would be advisable for your climate (if you ever have to make that choice due to a problem).