My girl needs some help….and so do I.

[bullmark]

Ok….I’m miffed on this one. I have a XXXL Auto strain from Homegrown Cannabis co.
She is 28 days from sprout. Was started in a solo cup and moved into a 3 gal plastic pot around day 13.
Growing in Happy Frog amended w/ Gaia Green 4-4-4, Kelp meal, bat guano and myco.
They are under a HLG 320w R-spec LED, about 80% intensity and 25-26” above the tips.
The plant was doing great until I gently administered some LST. From that day forward, roughly 7-8 days ago, the new growth has been weak and frail looking with tiny little leaves that claw and just look sickly.
i realize it’s preflowering right now and perhaps all that Nitrogen is doing a number on her….at least that’s my guess.
i haven’t watered for well over a week as the bottom of the pot just won’t dry out. The top 3-4” is dry as a bone…..but I’ve held off in an effort to let the bottom get dry.
I don’t know what to do…..and really need some guidance.
i should let it be known that the breeder suggested no LST or topping with this strain. Naturally I find this out after I did the training….but could this condition be from stress??
I pray someone will help me here…..thanks to all that take the time to chime in.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

@bullmark Welcome to AFN Yes you have been over feeding them. You are starting to get lock-outs.

Never let soil get dry. The microbes that convert the raw nutrients into the IONs the plant can uptake must remain moist to live. If the botttom is too wet add more perlite to the next batch, Use Fabric Pots or air pots, make more holes in the bottom of the pot, have an air gap under the pot and don't let them sit in run-off. If you are getting root rot (really sour smell at the bottom) use some Botinicare HydroGuard.

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. Slowly wet ALL of the soil until run-off begins. There is an art to watering.

 

[nizmoKush]

May I recommend (since manogreen suggested some other pots) some grassroots living soil pots I love them it’s all I’ve been using.

 

[bullmark]

@bullmark Welcome to AFN Yes you have been over feeding them. You are starting to get lock-outs.

Never let soil get dry. The microbes that convert the raw nutrients into the IONs the plant can uptake must remain moist to live. If the botttom is too wet add more perlite to the next batch, Use Fabric Pots or air pots, make more holes in the bottom of the pot, have an air gap under the pot and don't let them sit in run-off. If you are getting root rot (really sour smell at the bottom) use some Botinicare HydroGuard.

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. Slowly wet ALL of the soil until run-off begins. There is an art to watering.

I understand and thank u for sharing.
In the short term, it’s been well over a week since I’ve watered as I did water the entire pot.
Basically the top half of the soil is bone dry but the bottom is still holding quite a bit of moisture.
Should I absolutely wait for the bottom to dry out before watering again??
I know you just explained things but when half of the roots (maybe more) are in such bone dry soil I wanted to make sure it was OK to withhold water until the bottom half dries out…?
For the record, I went overboard with air/drainage holes in the bottom and sides of the plastic pot.
Thank u again

 

[bullmark]

@bullmark Welcome to AFN Yes you have been over feeding them. You are starting to get lock-outs.

Never let soil get dry. The microbes that convert the raw nutrients into the IONs the plant can uptake must remain moist to live. If the botttom is too wet add more perlite to the next batch, Use Fabric Pots or air pots, make more holes in the bottom of the pot, have an air gap under the pot and don't let them sit in run-off. If you are getting root rot (really sour smell at the bottom) use some Botinicare HydroGuard.

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. Slowly wet ALL of the soil until run-off begins. There is an art to watering.