Kerala X Skunk #1 Late Flower Problems

Discussion in 'Sick Plants and Problems' started by RudimentaryPeni, Apr 22, 2014.

  1. #1 RudimentaryPeni, Apr 22, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 22, 2014
    Edit for Quick Read+ Two Pictures Added at bottom:
    What type of medium; soil or hydro? Soil
    What brand and type of soil? Organic
    Indoors or outdoors? Indoors
    What strain? Kerala x Skunk#1
    How old are the plants? 10 Wks Flower
    What type of lights and how many watts? CFL 184W
    How far from the lights? about 3-4 inches
    What is your watering frequency and source of water? Distilled, about every 3 days
    What, how much and when was it fed? NPK? All organic. Only top dressed with compost about 6 wks ago
    What is the medium/runoff pH and PPM if in hydro? Did not take PH reading (explained in paragraph 3)
    What are the temps and humidity in the room? 72 day 65 night. H:30%
    What size pots? 5 gal
    Any bugs? Look real close.- None whatsoever
    Any other pertinent info? Im leaning towards thinking its a phosphorus/magnesium deficiency; Along with heat stress. All detailed problems are explained below.
     
    I am having a few problems with this specific plant, Kerala x Skunk #1 or also known as Kerala Krush. It is in late flowering (week 10) At this point I dont feel it will be such a big issue as I harvest very soon, however I would like to know for future grows what caused these problems.
     
    Some specifics:
     
    This grow is Organic. Composed of Compost, EWC, Kelp, Alfalfa, Azomite, Bone/Blood Meal, Volcanic Ash, Dolomite Lime, Perlite, Organic Plant food and a few others I may or may not have left out. This soil is about a year old and has had 3 grows through it. (I give this info as I feel it may be possible some needed element/nutrient has been depleted?)
     
    The light source is 184w CFL about 3-4 inches from tops of plant
     
    The grow space is about 2 x 1.5 x 4
     
    The Ambient temperature is 72F Day, 65-68F Night
    Humidity around 30% constant
     
    Training SCROG
     
    Watered only with Distilled water, and every other week or so a basic ACT composed of Compost, EWC, Forest Humus and Molasses. Due to this grow being organic and using ph balanced distilled water, I have not been keeping any tabs on PH runoff or PH of compost teas as it is my understanding that the Dolomite Lime and micro heard of an organic soil will buffer the PH properly for what you put in it, however I dont feel the PH of the compost teas had much of a swing either way. I also water every 3 days or so, or when it is almost dry.
     
    The problems:
     
    Since the beginning of this grow, I have had what im almost positive is a heat stress issue. I know its generally said that CFLs wont burn a plant, but even with the relatively small wattage, the grow space is very narrow. Having said that, it does get hot in there, and I have soon realized that the lights themselves need more ventilation or air exchange. About 5 weeks ago, I had installed a second air flow source which is a fan located right under my Air conditioned air source to give more air flow.
     
    I feel that the swing between the air conditioner kicking on and off has stressed the fan leaves pretty badly as you can see in the pictures on the edges. I more so believe it is not a deficiency because the undergrowth is still perfectly green without the burnt tips (The leaves that dont get much light dont display the problem. Even though I understand deficiencies only affect newer growth, this "heat stress" issue has been a problem throughout, and the unaffected leaves only started appearing after the SCROG started, effectively blocking the lower leaves light source). The solution that seems to have stopped the heat stress was the second air source plus raising the CFLs just a bit.
     
    Another reason I believe heat stress is the problem is because I grew this exact same strain in the exact same conditions months ago that turned out to be male, but had no heat stress whatsoever. I could only conclude that if what i have now is heat stress, it didnt happen on the previous plant because it was grown in the winter with overall colder temps.
     
    Now, I have accepted the fact that heat stress was a big issue throughout my grow, the buds themselves seem fine, its just the smallest surface areas of the plant that was affected (the serrated edges/tips of fan leaves), however about a week ago, after watering with a compost tea, the next day or so I noticed a purple color starting to form on the sugar leaves, and on other sugar leaves an orange/rust color. I would have assumed it was a genetic thing due to it being so late in flower, or colder air temp swings, but there are definite brown spots/rust looking colors forming on the fan leaves separate from the prior heat stress marks. Plus the purpling leaves have just began. I feel if it was a temperature lockout, it would have been happening all throughout the flowering. The temps/humidity have stayed consistent the whole time.
     
    From this, I have been toying around with the idea of PH lockout of magnesium/phosphorus, which again for organics seems unlikely even though the symptoms heavily suggest that to me. I can only think that since the soil is old it may be time to re apply dolomite lime? Or it may have been the ACT for some reason causing this? If it was a deficiency, maybe time to re apply kelp or more Azomite for next time around?
     
    Any help would be much appreciated; I know this is a really detailed post. I just really want to be able to have an answer as a long term solution as I plan to grow in the future with the same soil. I realize that its not much to worry about this far in to flower, but for future plants Id rather know what happened. If people suggest PH as the most likely problem, I will check runoff, but for now I have to wait another day or so to re water.
     
    Thank You in advance. The pictures are uploaded as follows
     
    1. Close up of Purpling leaves
    2. Close up of brown/rust spots
    3-4. Heat stressed fan leaves
    5-6. Regular pic of brown spots/purpling
    7. Grow Cab
    8. Overall View of plant
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     

    Attached Files:

  2. #2 KouchLoch, Apr 22, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 22, 2014
    I think pics of the grow area and the whole plant will help more. I'd also suggest filling out the form in the sticky with all your grow info such as media, nutes, lights, etc. It's a little difficult to help you without all the information. I can answer the question you have, but I can't be sure the question was the correct one going by your description, sorry.
     
    EDIT: I'm a bit blazed bud, I see you answered some of the info, but not all of it in this list:
     
    What type of medium; soil or hydro?
    What brand and type of soil?
    Indoors or outdoors?
    What strain?
    How old are the plants?
    What type of lights and how many watts?
    How far from the lights?
    What is your watering frequency and source of water?
    What, how much and when was it fed? NPK?
    What is the medium/runoff pH and PPM if in hydro?
    What are the temps and humidity in the room?
    What size pots?
    Any bugs? Look real close.
    Any other pertinent info?

    If any of these questions have already been answered please disregard as I cut and paste this for everyone.

    If there is leaf discoloration please TAKE PICTURES WITH ALL GROW LIGHTS OFF, ESPECIALLY HPS & LED's. Taking pictures and taking them with lights off, allows us to see what the leaf discoloration looks like.
     
    I'm getting better... :smoking:  :hello:
     
  3. And you're thinking that this isn't just natural senescence at this far into flower? How much longer do they have to go?

    It's pretty hard to diagnose much at this stage of the game. Are you sure there even is a problem?

    J
     
  4. Hey, thanks for the reply. Yeah, I mean the purple/orange I can assume are just natural responces to the end of the flower, but the brown decaying on the serrated edges and tips have been happening all throughout the grow.
     
    I was really set on thinking it was a heat issue, even though the temps never went past 77F, but since the purpling started, It made me take a step back and feel it was some sort of phosphorous/mag deficiency only because ive read that late stage of P/mag deficiency goes into a purple spotted leaf, and early stage deficiency would be the brown decaying of the serrated edges and browned tips.
     
    That takes me to yet another question about how much longer I have till harvest. Anywhere I looked, this strain says it can go to about 11 weeks, because of the almost 90% sativa genetics. Im on week 10, and while a good majority of the bud has its orange hairs curled in, and the trichs look about half way cloudy (as ive read with sativas they dont get much amber), theres still a good majority of white hairs still showing on alot of the buds, and a good amount of immature clear thichs to go along with it.
     
    Why I point this out, is I dont want to overlook a problem im having with some sort of deficiency halting my plants ability to mature or slowing down growth somehow. If its only supposed to go to about 11 weeks, I have a hard time believing it will be done next week when i figured it would be. I know I could be overthinking this, but ive never grown a strain with this much sativa genetics in it, so im kinda at all loss as to what to expect.
     
    I guess in short what im asking, is im pretty sure topdressing with anything at this point is discouraged, but is there anything I can do besides keep watering and wait it out? How much longer can I go about like this into future weeks past its projected harvest week till I can confirm that it simply isnt growing anymore and I have to chop?
     
    Heres a picture of what I mean with the still immature buds.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. I guess in short what im asking, is im pretty sure topdressing with anything at this point is discouraged, but is there anything I can do besides keep watering and wait it out?
     
    Chances are that everything needed is already in the soil mix but may simply not be available for whatever reason. As you probably already know, everything in an organic soil must be broken down into its most basic (elemental) form before being able to be made useful by soil microbes - ie: fungi and bacteria. 
     
    To help speed things along as quick as possible without having to actually fertilize, but to instead make available whats already there, I would topdress each plant with a vermicompost (worm castings) "slurry" to add a mess of microbes into the soil quickly. Just take a fistful or two of worm castings and put them into a jar that you can cover with water and shake vigorously a number of times, letting them soak for an hour or so, shaking them up here and there to "activate" the  microbes.
     
    water this slurry in, leaving the worm compost on top of the soil to act as a mulch. IMO this is a much gentler, better way at this point of the game vs trying to fertilize.
     
    j
     
  6. Hey Jerry, thanks alot for your help in the matter. It has me more at ease about things. For the extended flowering period though is it ok to just let it go for a few more weeks? Never really had a plant stray much from its projected finish week...Do you agree that those white hairs seem to be on the immature side?
     
  7. Re: immature - it certainly looks like it can go another week and maybe two. I recently cut a girl at 16 weeks and I know she could have gone 20 easy.

    J
     
  8. Again, thanks for the insight. Im gonna just let her go as long as she needs
     

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