Hello folks, Hope everyone is having a great day. I'm writing because I have a problem with my organic grow. I'm growing a blackjack that is having problems. At first, I popped the seed and neglected it for some time. I popped it after a big harvest, and I just didn't really care if the seedling lived or died, and I was traveling at the time. Anyway, it took a backseat. Lo and behold, the thing lived (although it was stunted, stretchy, and necrotic). My wife rolled her eyes, and I ultimately transplanted to my 15 gallon tote after I took care of it and got it back to health. The main stem, though, had become woody. It's been in the tote for a while. Since transplant, it's having problems...getting necrotic spots (middle of plant, some upper leaves, and lower leaves as well), and leaves ultimately dying off. Some new growth is coming in slightly twisted. Probably 25% of the plant has necrotic spots, so I have been holding off on throwing it into flower, so she's just getting bigger and bigger. The soil in the tote previously went through an 18 week grow and has been top dressed with kelp meal, earthworm castings, and some fish bone meal (already in the soil when initially mixed up). I thought, "this is a ph problem". Yesterday, I took a reasonably large sample of soil and mixed it with RO water to measure pH. It's measuring 6.4, so pretty ideal. ANYWAY, at this point, I'm chalking the problems up to either 1) the plant is just f*cked because it took so much abuse as a seedling, or 2) I overdid the top dress, and I'm especially worried about the fish bone meal maybe locking up nutrients - not sure. What do you blades think? Good thing my last harvest was large. If I have to cull this thing, not a huge deal. Thanks for reading my post! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
By the way, I've been using the LITFA method for about a month. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Thanks, Sc00b. I'll send some pics. I checked with the naked eye for pests, but I'll take a scope to it this weekend. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Alright, checked leaves with a scope for any infestation. I don't see anything suspect. Hopefully nothing in the root zone. Not sure what to check further. Attached are some photos. I'm going to keep holding off from flowering for now. I'm no longer giving tap water (which is alkaline and somewhat hard), and am instead going back to RO water - something I used to use when I used to rely on bottled nutrients. Perhaps the plant is sensitive to the tap water. If you have any ideas, that would be great! Apart from that, if it continues, I think my options will be 1) cull and start over, possibly starting with some fresh soil, or 2) pay for a soil analysis. No idea how much that costs or if it would be worth it! I'm still thinking maybe it is too phosphorus-rich from the top dressing, which perhaps it didn't need, and maybe the fish bone meal was too much/ too strong. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
I have gone pretty crazy with fishbone meal in the past, I have never seen a reaction like that. It just breaks down too slow to be an overdose issue. I bet you are on the right track with going back to RO. Do you know if you have lots of carbonates in the other water source. cheers os
I don't know too much about the composition of the water, but the unfiltered tap is around 200ppm, so it's pretty hard. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
It sounds like you are describing the TDS of your water and not the hardness. I started a thread called Water Quality that gives some basic definitions and charts to compare your water supply with. Do a Google search or call your local water department and you will likely find a water report for free. RD
