pH problem - MG kills my plants?

[Moto823]

Hello all, this is my first grow so other then what I read online, I'm winging it.

I'm using some good seed I bought from marijuana-seeds.nl, no nutes added as of yet. The two healthiest are about 3 weeks old, the others are 1 week.
They are planted in MG Organic Grow soil, and I learned that peat moss(this stuff is loaded with it) is incredibly acidic.
I'm still waiting on my pH meter(its in the mail) but as far as I have seen all the plants have calcium and magnesium deficiencies. I'm assuming is because my soil is too acidic?

What is the best method to raise my pH?

[Help_Needed]

MG soils are not known for causing deficiencies or pH problems. If anything, they tend to burn young plants, especially if their nute sensitive.

Can you post some pics?

[jEthereal]

Are you using HARD water?

Hard water contains EXCESS calcium, which LOCKS OUT magnesium from being absorbed by your plant, therefore causing a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency looks like the leaves are 'praying.' Each 'finger' on the leaves are usually 'folded' upward.

If you are watering/feeding with HARD WATER, you need to add epsom salts to the mix, so that the plants get the magnesium they need.

Pictures are CRUCIAL to diagnosing plant problems. Post some and you'll receive a better diagnosis.

Also - have your growth rates slowed?

[Moto823]

Yes I have hard water but about a week ago I started using bottled water.

Should I add epsom salt still, if so how much?

Heres the pics I have. The big plants are about 3 weeks, the seedlings are about a week.

Pic#1 - On the left is Big Bud, the right is an Unknown Strain
Pic#2 - Unknown Strain
Pic#3 - Big Bud

#2 the leaves are folding upwards from the center vein, and the edges of the leaves are burnt. Growth has slowed somewhat.

#3 is generally healthy minus some yellowing and brown spotted older leaves.

#1 on the left is very healthy, it didn't get alot of hard water. On the right got more, its first set of leaves is yellowed and crunchy, and almost dead.

[Help_Needed]

Moto, well, it looks like I was wrong. Despite the MG organic soil, you're plants are showing multiple difficiencies, which is usually a sign that your pH is screwed up. The first thing you need to do is a soil runoff test to figure out where you're at. There are instructions for doing that all over this forum.

I wouldn't add anything until you finish the test because you don't know which way you're going to need to adjust it.

[Moto823]

Alright, well so far they have been holding out pretty well. The pH meter should be here within a few days, and then I can fix it.

Would flushing help? They need to be watered today anyways.

[Help_Needed]

Originally Posted by Moto823

Alright, well so far they have been holding out pretty well. The pH meter should be here within a few days, and then I can fix it.

Would flushing help? They need to be watered today anyways.

Yes. Flushing with pH corrected water will help. It's what you'd do anyway if your pH was badly out of wack.

[harvester]

Originally Posted by Help_Needed

Yes. Flushing with pH corrected water will help. It's what you'd do anyway if your pH was badly out of wack.

...but surely if your pH is out of whack and the plants undernuted, all it would take would be a correctly pH'd feed the next time around?

It doesn't make sense to flush an undernuted plant.

[Help_Needed]

Originally Posted by harvester

...but surely if your pH is out of whack and the plants undernuted, all it would take would be a correctly pH'd feed the next time around?

It doesn't make sense to flush an undernuted plant.

The thing is that the plant isn't necessarily being underfed. Rather, the pH imbalance is making it impossible for the plant to absorb the nutrients that are present in the proper proportion - hence it's called pH lockout.

Flushing will usually correct the pH problem. It should then be followed up in a few days (once the soil has had a chance to dry out a bit) with a light, pH balanced feeding.

As far as OP's grow is concerned, MG soil has more than enough nutes for young plants. In fact in his particular case, I would probably NOT feed them after the flushing until they start showing signs of being hungry. But getting the pH corrected now is essential.

[harvester]

Originally Posted by Help_Needed

The thing is that the plant isn't necessarily being underfed. Rather, the pH imbalance is making it impossible for the plant to absorb the nutrients that are present in the proper proportion - hence it's called pH lockout.

Flushing will usually correct the pH problem. It should then be followed up in a few days (once the soil has had a chance to dry out a bit) with a light, pH balanced feeding.

As far as OP's grow is concerned, MG soil has more than enough nutes for young plants. In fact in his particular case, I would probably NOT feed them after the flushing until they start showing signs of being hungry. But getting the pH corrected now is essential.

Apologies... was thinking about hydro.

I just can't see where the pH imbalance has come from. He's been feeding pH balanced water.

Are you saying that the soil is too hot for the plant causing toxicity in one or more nutrients, which in turn locks out other nutrients which in turn stop the uptake of other nutes?

I can't see the signs of undernute. I can only see signs of overnute... atm

[harvester]

I also see some signs of heat stress you might want to think about better ventilation.

[Moto823]

I run a fan on them in a decent size closet(door open as many hours as possible).
It runs between 75-80 usually, and I just moved the lights up a bit.

I transplanted the seedlings into bigger pots and I'm using a different soil, it has Dolomite lime in it.
Im still gonna have to wait on the pH meter to do anything to significant though.

Any other tips on how i could fix this?
Im hoping this wont stress them into becoming males or hermies.

[Help_Needed]

Originally Posted by harvester

Apologies... was thinking about hydro.

I just can't see where the pH imbalance has come from. He's been feeding pH balanced water.

My immediate guess is it's from the hard water he was using for the first couple of weeks. Depending on exactly what's in the water, that could shift his pH.

Are you saying that the soil is too hot for the plant causing toxicity in one or more nutrients, which in turn locks out other nutrients which in turn stop the uptake of other nutes?

I can't see the signs of undernute. I can only see signs of overnute... atm

If you look at the big plant in his second pic the large leaves between noon and 2 o'clock, as well as the cluster between 6 and 8, show some bright yellow bleaching that's a sign of potassium deficiency. The "burning" around the edges occurs both with nute burn and K deficits. Without the yellowing, this would be much more likely a case of nute burn.

In the first picture, the small plant on the right has what appears to be nute burn, but if you look close there are some dark, gray-rust colored patches in the center of the leaf. That's a sign of magnesium deficiency. You can see the same patches on the large leaves in his third picture.

So basically we're seeing two different deficiencies in plants which are basically growing under identical conditions, which usually indicates a pH problem.

[Moto823]

Originally Posted by Help_Needed

My immediate guess is it's from the hard water he was using for the first couple of weeks. Depending on exactly what's in the water, that could shift his pH.



If you look at the big plant in his second pic the large leaves between noon and 2 o'clock, as well as the cluster between 6 and 8, show some bright yellow bleaching that's a sign of potassium deficiency. The "burning" around the edges occurs both with nute burn and K deficits. Without the yellowing, this would be much more likely a case of nute burn.

In the first picture, the small plant on the right has what appears to be nute burn, but if you look close there are some dark, gray-rust colored patches in the center of the leaf. That's a sign of magnesium deficiency. You can see the same patches on the large leaves in his third picture.

So basically we're seeing two different deficiencies in plants which are basically growing under identical conditions, which usually indicates a pH problem.

Every plant is has deficiencies that get worse with age, and I know the hard water probabley killed my ph. Fedex says my pH meter will be here next tuesday so the plants will just have to wait until then.
I ordered the Pure Blend Pro grow pack liquid nutes, along with cloning setup and some super-thrive. The super-thrive will be here in a few days, will adding that to my vegging plants help them come back to good health?

Thanks for the help.

[Help_Needed]

Originally Posted by Moto823

Every plant is has deficiencies that get worse with age,

This isn't really true. With a little experience your plants will stay green and healthy all the way through your grow. It takes a little work, and a little practice, but you'll get there.

and I know the hard water probabley killed my ph. Fedex says my pH meter will be here next tuesday so the plants will just have to wait until then.
I ordered the Pure Blend Pro grow pack liquid nutes, along with cloning setup and some super-thrive. The super-thrive will be here in a few days, will adding that to my vegging plants help them come back to good health?

Thanks for the help.

Like I said, I'd really hold off on adding *anything* until you get your pH measured, or you could end up making things worse. Right now your plants aren't in too bad of shape yet. Just be patient until your meter gets here .