Everywhere I read, red stems, and lower fan leaves yellowing is a sign of npk deficiency, so I went and gave the plant some nutes, a day and a half and still no improvement. I was reading last night and I read something about 9 times out of 10 it isn't a nute deficiency it is a pH problem, so I ran up to Lowes and bought a pH meter. Still small time grower so I didn't have one yet, its the only one they had, Soil Master, it shows pH, Light, and Moisture. It was only 10 bucks, all I can get my hands on right now. So I followed the instructions and took a pH reading, it isn't digital and there is a little needle that just kind of moves around and your supposed to take a reading after 60 seconds, so I stuck it in the soil and then 60 seconds later I looked. I would guess it was somewhere between 6.5-6.0 so I guess it isn't too bad? But for all I know the accuracy could be off so. I donno I don't think it is a pH problem. Any ideas? I have lost two of the lower fan leaves, and now a 3rd one is loking pretty bad, I think it will fall off within the next few days, any ideas? Also I took clippings off the plant last night, they sagged, were laying on the dirt. I was hoping they would be standing back up this morning but no such luck... This kinda sucks... Here is a link to the thread I posted about how I did the clippings. Thanks in advance...
Well what I do know is that those PH meters are pretty much worthless. I had the same problem using the cheap ones also. Unless you spend at least around $50 min for a digital PH meter you are never going to get accurate results, therefore never really knowing what your PH levels really are.
I cant chime in much as im pushed for time this morning but I would say; Dont get the strips. Some people dont like my option, but I purchase the drops. Theres a kit for about $20.00 that comes with pH up and down, a small vile to test in, an eye dropper, and pH testing liquid. Not a bad deal, and fairly accurate that gives you the ability to test your feeding waters and your soil runoff. Good luck.
I went and bought drops, the pH of the tap water I was using to water them was blue wich is 7.6+ so.. wow... I used some white vinegar to bring the pH of some tap water (a 2 liter bottle full) down to about 6.4 or so, best estimate with color drop pH tester. I then watered my plant with the pH adjusted water today. The only problem is that my run off is yellow and therefore defeats the purpose of me testing the run off, as it is already yellow and will give me a false color reading. So I think my best bet is to water it every few days with some pH adjusted water and hope it works it self out until I can get a digital pH meter. Sound about right?
sounds like your best bet. i'll keep my eye on this thread .. i had red stems from sprouts that stopped at the first node but now at 24 days the red is slowly creeping up to the 2nd node! if i find anything out i'll be sure to share.
don't quote me but i'm 99% sure that once burned a leaf stays that way. new growth will still react good or bad to your nutes but the burned stuff stays. fyi .. I also have the creeping red stem probmem. Only .. I've been under LST for 4 days now and the red on my lower stem has broken off as the stem got thicker .. kinda like a root breaking it's seed open. My main stem is fuzzy and green where it once was red. There is still red in the deep parts of the leaves on the 2nd node and there is some trace red comming up the main stem as well but none of it looks worrysome.