Sick Plants

[-43]

Hey all, just thought I'd post this here since my ladies have been giving me a bit of trouble lately. Okay so here's the skinny, about a week ago I decided that I should do a good watering and check my run-off on both the Sagamatha StarRyder and the Sweetseeds Speed Devil #2 and what I found made me sad. Both plants had run-off pH in the 5.5 range which is fine if you're running hydro. Unfortunately I'm growing in soil and this is just unacceptable. So I immediately start flushing with 7.0 distilled water. 9 gallons on the StarRyder and 5 gallons on the Speed Demon. Both plants saw a rise in pH at about .4 putting them at 5.9ish when done flushing. Two days later I did the same thing only running about 2 gallons of distilled water for each plant. Fast forward to today the 5th and I'm still battling this pH problem, however I finally got the StarRyder's run-off to 6.3 and the SD to 6.45ish. So, I may be coming out of the woods. Anyways, here are the pics, please take a look and let me know whats up. I'm pretty sure they both are having Mag issues. I did give the SD a dose of MagiCal tonight, she looks like she could use some calcium/magnesium/iron.

StarRyder





Speed Devil #2

 

[JM]

Almost looks like you might have some kinda bug problem on the lower leaves as well... could be wrong tho... The tops look very healthy... one of the things that sticks out to me is the leaf droop there... that could be from overwatering from flushing

The more I look at the yellow on the bottom... I think that was a nitrogen def from the bad PH (See the Thread on Self Diagnose your plants)

J

 

[Harry Bald Sack]

So when do auto's start to become naturally N deficient leaving the larger older leaves to yellow and die? I estimate my biggest girl finishing in 2 and a half weeks. Her bottom leaves are beginning to die off and most of the medium sized leafs are beginning to turn. In a panic, I gave her some bone last night thinking she needs some N. Then I started to read JM's self diagnosis thread and read the thing about letting plants become naturally N def. towards the middle to the end of flowering. It also stated not to give them N at this point because it slows flower development. Now she looks worse off than before I gave her the bone. (leaves are starting to curl under) I am freaking out over her. Should I start to try flushing that bone out of there?

The reason I am posting this here is that I know -43's girls are older than mine. Could the problem with his girls just be a natural N deficiency and the bottom leaves dying off just as they should be at this stage?

 

[JM]

Sounds like you're on target... you say you gave her bone... as in bone meal? that will be hard to flush... but def try.. you dont wanna be adding stuff to your bowl at this point, ya know? my leaves started yllowing a while back... but part of that have been from the thrips infection... but two weeks of yellowing to the end is no big deal..

also, read the wiz's advice, I think he was more on target with this problem than me.

one of you other more exp gents wanna throw down on this?

JM

 

[Harry Bald Sack]

Yes I mean bone meal. I figured it would be hard to flush out. Maybe I will try to scrape off the top layer of dirt where I added the bone before I start flushing. It cant hurt right?

 

[JM]

thats the ticket... scrape and flush

 

[Harry Bald Sack]

Well here she is just after the flush. .

 

[Northern Grower]

@ HBS she looks like she is starting to use up her leaves in a natural way, it's an even yellow no brown spots or cripy bits in the middle of the leaves. Cal isn't some thing that NEEDS to be flushed. Since you have it seperate from the mag. as in no cal/mag product. You are in better shape, as mag late in flower is going to affect the end quality. Know that stuff you buy that never burns and the ash is pure black? thats a bad flush on mag.

You could probably get in one more dose of flower nutes (depending how fast she drys) then it's flush time. You'll loose more fans as she gets farther into the flush. Keep in mind your finish date is now going to be late than the breeders description since she has been stressed. Might want to add a week to your estimate. But read the trichs that'll tell you the true story.

@-43 i think you are spot on mate, you are def from the flushing. I still think you need some phos/mang and good posability your short of cal/mag too. But i remember you did give them some calmag. Your not going to get back the fans that are dieing but you should be able to stop the progression.
Late flower is typical time for phos def and manganese. You also said you see it at the same times, assuming late in flower?

 

[-43]

@ HBS she looks like she is starting to use up her leaves in a natural way, it's an even yellow no brown spots or cripy bits in the middle of the leaves. Cal isn't some thing that NEEDS to be flushed. Since you have it seperate from the mag. as in no cal/mag product. You are in better shape, as mag late in flower is going to affect the end quality. Know that stuff you buy that never burns and the ash is pure black? thats a bad flush on mag.

You could probably get in one more dose of flower nutes (depending how fast she drys) then it's flush time. You'll loose more fans as she gets farther into the flush. Keep in mind your finish date is now going to be late than the breeders description since she has been stressed. Might want to add a week to your estimate. But read the trichs that'll tell you the true story.

@-43 i think you are spot on mate, you are def from the flushing. I still think you need some phos/mang and good posability your short of cal/mag too. But i remember you did give them some calmag. Your not going to get back the fans that are dieing but you should be able to stop the progression.
Late flower is typical time for phos def and manganese. You also said you see it at the same times, assuming late in flower?

Yeah I mentioned that it happens at the same time as I had some what of an epiphany, I really think these def are coming from me not giving them what they need. I usually start having problems right around day 30 at this point I've only given my plants distilled water, no nutes at all. I think that may be my problem, meaning that I should be giving them a small amount of food before that 30 day mark and the def start setting in.

I gave the StarRyder some phos/mag/cal this morning so I'll keep a close eye on her over the next couple of days. I gave the SD just mag/cal last night and all the droopiness in her leaves are gone and she is looking like her old self again. I have the run-off on both plants now at the magic number 6.5. Its been a freaking chore, but I really think I've made a break through in my growing, but we'll see in the newest batch of seedlings I have going now.

 

[Harry Bald Sack]

Well that is good to know, and I figured I could get away with hitting her with one more shot of bloom. She is starting to dry out already so I definitely think can get away with it. Thanks for the diagnosis.. You Da Man Bailer!