What´s Wrong With These Plants? Help Please

Discussion in 'Sick Plants and Problems' started by neutro85, Jun 19, 2013.

  1. [SIZE=10pt]1. Are you growing from seed or clones? [/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]From bag seeds.
    2. How old are your plants?
    About 4 to 5 weeks, vegging.
    3. How tall are your plants?
    From 10 to 12 inches.
    4. What size containers are they planted in?
    They´re now in 2 gallon containers, but were in a quarter gallon pot till their 3<sup>rd</sup> week. They didn´t look rootbound when I transplanted.
    5. What is your soil mix?
    A good quality soil that I bought which has some humus, compost, 40-45% ashes, about 15-30% organic matter, pH = 6,2, C/N relationship of 7.7 (data in the bag)
    6. How often do you water and what type of water do you use?
    I use tap water and I have been watering following the rule of waiting for the 2 first inches of soil to become dry before doing it, although I may have skipped it once or twice while attempting to solve problems by feeding/flushing , as I explain later.
    7. What is the pH of your water?
    Between 6.0 and 6.5, measured with pH paper. I will however measure it tomorrow with a calibrated pH meter. The water that comes out right after watering from the holes of the pots has the same pH, maybe closer to 6.5 than to 6.0.
    8. What kind of lights do you use and how many watts combined?
    I started with 2 40 watts CFLs (one 6500k and the other 2700k) and 1 65 watt CFL (6500k). Since the last three days I´ve added some lamps more, so now I have 6 40 watt CFLS (1 6500k and 5 2700k) and 1 65 watt CFL (6500k). That´s 6*40 + 1*65 = 305 watt of CFLs on top of and surrounding the plants in a space of about 2.5 sq ft. I´m under 24/0.
    [/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]11. How close are your lights to the plants?  [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]About 1 to 4 inches, using the “back of the hand rule” and without feeling too hot.[/SIZE]

    [SIZE=10pt]12. What size is your grow space in square feet?
    1,5x1,5 ft
    [/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]13. What is the temperature and humidity in your grow space? [/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]Between 75 and 90F at most, and about 30-50% humidity.[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]14. What is the pH of the soil?[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10pt]Haven´t measured it, but I water with tap water at about 6.5 pH and run off comes out at the same pH.
    15. Have you noticed any insect activity in your grow space?
    No.
    16. How much experience do you have growing?
    This is my first indoor grow, so almost none.
    [/SIZE]
     
    [SIZE=10pt]OK, so this is my first grow, and these 3 plants have had problems (of the same kind) since their 3<sup>rd</sup> week of life. It started off as yellowing and drying of the cotyledons, which I found out later that is common, but it progressed with the lower leaves, on an on, yellowing from the tip till the entire leaf died. Being the plants so young and in good soil it was hard for me to think that the problem was a deficiency, so I watched out watering (although they didn´t  look like overwatered, but I read that it could cause the yellowing), but the problem kept advancing. I thought then that the problem was a N deficiency, so I tried using an organic algae fertilizer (NPK = 8.4%-1.4%-4.8%) which has also microelements (Mn, B, Cl, Co, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mo) in trace amounts. I waited for 3 days (not much, I know) seeing no results and continuing yellowing/drying. As I have access to a laboratory and inorganic compounds, I decided to try watering with a very diluted chemical mix of KNO3, KH2PO4, MgSO4 (Epsom salts), Ca(OH)2/MgO, (NH4)2CO3, in order to quickly fix a possible N or even Mg deficiency, as some of the lower leaves started to dry on the tips and curl upwards too. The mix had between 50-150 ppm of N, K, P, Ca and Mg, and was adjusted to pH 6.5. It didn´t work either, and in addition 2 of the plants showed what looks like burned tips, and one of them purple tips/spots. Thinking that I did some fert burning, I flushed out the 3 pots with plenty of water and watered with the organic algae fertilizer plus a very little bit of MgSO4. 7 days have passed since and it still doesn´t look very well, I mean I think there´s more yellowing starting, the growth has somewhat stunted (although it might just be my opinion), leaves are bright green (even new growth).. And I have also purple stems, I´ve always had them anyway.. So I don´t know what else to try. I just watered them today and took some pictures. I appreciate any suggestion! Thank you very much. [/SIZE]
     
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  2. First up: ...Big thank you for completing "the form"
     
    Why go for 2 gall pots...? most jump from the germing (4") pot to 3 gallon, if going for longer than 3 months to 5 or 10 gallon, working on 1 gallon of soil per month the plant is with you...?
     
    Don't forget your utility tap water's Ph will bounce around like mad in mid summer due to water restrictions and local water companies buying water in from ....WHO KNOWS WHERE, just this time of year, double check your Ph and even store some water volume on your property, for this hassle
     
    Your light? ...Time to move from the noobies cfl array to the more correct 
     http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-Dimmable-Detachable-Reflector/dp/B00547I5I8/ref=pd_sbs_lg_6
     
    The Issue:
    Obvious Nute burn/poisoning, the process by which the roots become so clogged with fertilizer, that they actually starve,
     
    FLUSH the plants with 3 times the volume of the pot, with air temperate, Ph neutral water, allow to recover in dim light 24 hours, then NO food for 2-3 weeks, BUT this one is tricky.... as neutro85 has recently transplanted to larger pots, the plants will  be severally nute burnt, for this I'd recommend that you do this once, allow 1 day to recover, then repeat , wait 2 days if still no color returns do again, wait 1 week and repeat if necessary.
     
    UNDERSTAND: There is no correct method of removing toxic ferts from plants roots zone, other than washing it away, and is perfectly 'normal' in nature, I do this to my plants 1x time per month, just to avoid this, and yes I hate doing it as I get soaked
     
    Red Stems is due to room temps going up and down or most likely is strain specific
     
    You went wrong with your selection of 'quality ' soil mix ....no biggy!
     
  3. First up: ...Big thank you for completing "the form"
    Thanks for your help!!!
     
    Why go for 2 gall pots...? most jump from the germing (4") pot to 3 gallon, if going for longer than 3 months to 5 or 10 gallon, working on 1 gallon of soil per month the plant is with you...?
    I don´t have much space and want plants no taller than 2-3 feet final height.
     
    Don't forget your utility tap water's Ph will bounce around like mad in mid summer due to water restrictions and local water companies buying water in from ....WHO KNOWS WHERE, just this time of year, double check your Ph and even store some water volume on your property, for this hassle
    Thanks for the advice. I checked today with a pH meter the water and the runoffs. Both were between 7.1-7.2. I also measured TDS: water 150 ppm, runoff 350 ppm. Isn´t that a bit low (the runoff) for a severe nut burn? I´ve been told on other forums that the cause of my problem is overwatering, as my soil hasn´t any perlite and doesn´t dry out easily. I have right now the idea of making several holes on the pot (it has already 4 in the bottom) to help it dry out, as well as trying to add some perlite. I´ve read that overwatering for a long time shows the same symptoms I´m having, as the roots are not able to absorb any nutrient and the plant is taking nutrients from the bottom leaves. What do you think? In addition, I had already tried about 10 days ago to flush out with a lot of water and waited for about 4 or 5 days without any good result..
     
    Your light? ...Time to move from the noobies cfl array to the more correct
    http://www.amazon.co...ref=pd_sbs_lg_6
     
    I already bought the CFL´s and for my limited grow space I think they may work out (or at least I want to try), as I´ve seen others have good results with them. I don´t need a huge yield anyway.
     
    The Issue:
    Obvious Nute burn/poisoning, the process by which the roots become so clogged with fertilizer, that they actually starve,
     
    FLUSH the plants with 3 times the volume of the pot, with air temperate, Ph neutral water, allow to recover in dim light 24 hours, then NO food for 2-3 weeks, BUT this one is tricky.... as neutro85 has recently transplanted to larger pots, the plants will be severally nute burnt, for this I'd recommend that you do this once, allow 1 day to recover, then repeat , wait 2 days if still no color returns do again, wait 1 week and repeat if necessary.
     
    UNDERSTAND: There is no correct method of removing toxic ferts from plants roots zone, other than washing it away, and is perfectly 'normal' in nature, I do this to my plants 1x time per month, just to avoid this, and yes I hate doing it as I get soaked
     
    Red Stems is due to room temps going up and down or most likely is strain specific
     
    You went wrong with your selection of 'quality ' soil mix ....no biggy!
    Again thank you very much!!
     

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