First grow: Lots of problems and in need of guidance

[freedom8976]

Hello guys, this is my first grow and i am having many problems. after feeding biobizz veg two days ago, today i noticed a browning on the tip of one leaf. I also did LST and cut off one of the big leaves to let the light hit the bud sites. I also added 50g cal/mag to my soil because my water is Ro filtered.

One problem that slowly develops, is that my soil is turning green over time.
Another problem is that the leaves have some light white spots on them, they are not fully dark green.
Last problem is can see little bugs like flies on the soil.

This is my soil BIOCANNA Bio Terra Plus | CANNA UK, supposedly its fertilized with both veg and bloom nutes, is my plant suffering from nute burn? Can i get by without ever feeding ?

Temp and Rh around 23C/50% most of the time. I am using an air heater inside the tent, can the browning of the leaf be caused by the hot air?
The plant is 17 days old, Northern Lights auto, Pyramid seeds.
Apart from those problems it seems fine and new growth start to happen.

Pics below. Pls help

 

[Listersmeghead]

I don't see anything wrong with your plant, it actually looks good.
The soil says it's got food in it, so I doubt you need any added nutes yet.

As for the soil going green, that's algae growing on top. Usually means the soil is staying wet to long, let the soil dry between watering.

Relax, the plants doing well.

 

[SmokingWings]

A couple of problems that you see are related to each other. The slow greening of the soil mix surface is almost always caused by watering to often. NOT a case of to much water at one time but adding water before the water from the previous watering has had a chance to dry out. Watering to often like that keeps the soil surface from drying out. This allows some algae or moss to start to grow there. No need to panic, as both moss and algae are small plants but let the surface dry out.

The little bugs that look like flies on the soil mix surface most likely are Fungus Gnats. They live in the soil as small larvae and eat bits of organic material and will often eat very young roots on the plant. A plant the size of the one you have will survive even if the roots are eaten but it will slow down the growth. Once the larvae matures it will turn into a small flying insect and fly around the area looking for moist soil to lay its eggs in. Allow the soil surface to dry out. Look up Fungus Gnats on this message board and do a google style search. The insects are easy to control, often without having to do much more than cut back on the water.

No point in chopping off leaves at this time. They are absorbing light and using photosynthesis to create the plant sugars for growth and development. The plant is way to small to be worried about bud sites near the bottom. Wait until the plant is larger before taking those leaves off.

The small brown tip most likely is not a problem; some people feel that a small bit like you have is a sign that the nutrient program is adding just the right amount. However, if it spreads to other tips, or the brown area gets larger, it could then be a sign that to much fertilizing is being done.

The lighter colored areas on the leaves are a different thing. Hopefully some of the people that are more experienced will be able to help out with that.

All in all, the plant looks healthy.

So, what is the soil mix you are using?

 

[Listersmeghead]

The lighter colored areas on the leaves are a different thing.

They could be from the leaves sitting on the soil, or just what i call stretch marks.
If they get worse, then yeah, it's a possibility of bugs/gnats.

 

[BigD13]

@SmokingWings gave a spot on analysis. The light colored spots looks like some sort of bug damage to me. I’ve had spider mites before and that kind of looks like the damage they do. You need to get a loupe type magnifier (if you don’t already have one) to be able to see them clearly. Look on the bottom of the leaves because that’s where they like to hang out. I use a 30X/60X magnifier with built in lights.

 

[SmokingWings]

@SmokingWings gave a spot on analysis. The light colored spots looks like some sort of bug damage to me. I’ve had spider mites before and that kind of looks like the damage they do. You need to get a loupe type magnifier (if you don’t already have one) to be able to see them clearly. Look on the bottom of the leaves because that’s where they like to hang out. I use a 30X/60X magnifier with built in lights.

Even if no bugs of any kind are found under the leaves keep checking, maybe every 2-3 days. If there is an insect problem starting on the plant then the bugs will show up one day.

 

[freedom8976]

that's algae growing on top

Do you think i can replace the green soil with new fresh soil, should i even bother?

let the surface dry out

I was watering about every fourth day, the outer part of the soil was going dry so i thought that i should water it. Should i let the surface to go completely dry before watering again?

The insects are easy to control

Regarding the insects, i bought some powder called diatomite to kill them. Im reading that it even helps the plants in many ways and that it naturally kills insects. the grow is completely organic btw.

The small brown tip most likely is not a problem

Its the only one on the entire plant, the rest of the leaves look great with noticeable daily growth at this point. i have only fed the plant twice, once with 1ml/3lt of biobizz veg and two days ago since it developed its first five-leafed leaves, i went with 4ml/5lt of water. the recommended dose by biobizz is 2ml/lt + 2ml/lt of fish mix + 4ml of two other ferts that they offer. i guess i will stay with 1ml/lt of veg every other watering just to be safe.

Wait until the plant is larger before taking those leaves off

i just took one of four off as it was blocking the light and the training seemed useless, at first i was worried but it bounced back pretty well in a matter of hours and starts to get pretty bushy at that point.

what is the soil mix you are using

Its the BIOCANNA Bio Terra Plus

If they get worse, then yeah, it's a possibility of bugs/gnats

The new growth looks healthier and more vibrant without marks. The spotted ones are the first four leaves.

Thank you all for the replies guys, as this is my first grow it is a learning experience for me and hopefully my independence from the black market. I have to make this work !!!

 

[freedom8976]

I have another question for you guys. I bought some bat guano and palm tree ash to use alongside my bloom fert on the flowering period. I am not able to find any info on dosages and timing. My thinking is to get the P from the guano and the K from the ash, top dressing the plant at the start of flowering. What do you think, how much should i use? Im leaning towards 50g of guano with 20g of ash +1ml/lt of biobizz bloom on every watering.

I would also like to know how much cal/mag should i use, is the 50g that i planted enough for the whole grow or not and how would i know if the plant is need of nutrients?

 

[SmokingWings]

Do you think i can replace the green soil with new fresh soil, should i even bother?

I don't bother. I will just take a spoon and use it to turn over the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of soil.

I was watering about every fourth day, the outer part of the soil was going dry so i thought that i should water it. Should i let the surface to go completely dry before watering again?

Regarding the insects, i bought some powder called diatomite to kill them. Im reading that it even helps the plants in many ways and that it naturally kills insects. the grow is completely organic btw.

As for the wet soil, yes, let it dry out across the entire surface. There is a good thread going on how to water a potted plant. One thing the thread stresses is to get used to using the weight of the pot of soil to tell when it is time to water. Hopefully someone else will provide a link to it. The basic part of telling when to water is covered early in the thread but read it all the way through, at least once, since the methods discussed are refined in later messages.

The 'diatomaceous earth' does help the problem. If you stir up the soil surface keep in mind that putting another layer on might be needed.

Thank you all for the replies guys, as this is my first grow it is a learning experience for me and hopefully my independence from the black market. I have to make this work !!!

You are on the way. It is all part of learning. For most of us the first grow or two or three might have something go wrong or be a disappointment. Before we know it, though, things start to fall into place and our harvests get better and bigger.

 

[BigD13]

things start to fall into place and our harvests get better and bigger.

Amen to that brother!

 

[freedom8976]

If you stir up the soil surface keep in mind that putting another layer on might be needed.

Could you explain further please? I am planning to "top dress" a little bit like using a fertilizer and then sprinkle some on top. The bugs are not many, but they exist so i am looking to manage them before they become too many.

 

[SmokingWings]

Could you explain further please? I am planning to "top dress" a little bit like using a fertilizer and then sprinkle some on top. The bugs are not many, but they exist so i am looking to manage them before they become too many.

Stirring up the soil surface is like culitivating around the plants in an outdoor garden. With a pot or container it would be turning the top 1/2 inch or so over so it becomes exposed to the air. I occasionally do it by using a small spoon, about the size of a spoon most of us stir a cup of coffee with.

If you were to do this then the layer of diatomaceous earth gets turned over or mixed into the soil. It will still be effective in slowly killing the insects but it is slower. It is easy to replace the layer by adding some more of the diatomite to the surface.

 

[BigD13]

I grow outside in pots, so I’m always on the lookout for bugs. I usually mix in up to 20% by volume of diatomaceous earth in my soil before planting or transplanting. Not only for the bugs but also because it adds silica. I also use a pesticide type poofer/duster to apply it to the soil surface after watering. Just before the next time I water, I rake it in using a small rake that’s made for potted plants. That not only amends the DE in the soil, it also breaks up the top of the soil, which allows the water/nute mixture to soak in better.

 

[SmokingWings]

I grow outside in pots, so I’m always on the lookout for bugs. I usually mix in up to 20% by volume of diatomaceous earth in my soil before planting or transplanting. Not only for the bugs but also because it adds silica. I also use a pesticide type poofer/duster to apply it to the soil surface after watering. Just before the next time I water, I rake it in using a small rake that’s made for potted plants. That not only amends the DE in the soil, it also breaks up the top of the soil, which allows the water/nute mixture to soak in better.

In outdoor growing or gardening the raking up or cultivating of the soil like that is sometimes called a "dust mulch". The loose layer of fluffed up soil slows down how fast the moisture evaporates from the soil below it.

 

[BigD13]

The loose layer of fluffed up soil slows down how fast the moisture evaporates from the soil below it.

Thanks! I didn’t know that.

 

[SmokingWings]

Thanks! I didn’t know that.

I don't think that the moisture savings in a nursery pot is a big point. Different story in an outdoor garden of any kind. Then the layer of loose soil does seem to make a difference in how fast the soil below that layer dries out.

 

[SmokingWings]

I have another question for you guys. I bought some bat guano and palm tree ash to use alongside my bloom fert on the flowering period. I am not able to find any info on dosages and timing. My thinking is to get the P from the guano and the K from the ash, top dressing the plant at the start of flowering. What do you think, how much should i use? Im leaning towards 50g of guano with 20g of ash +1ml/lt of biobizz bloom on every watering.

I would also like to know how much cal/mag should i use, is the 50g that i planted enough for the whole grow or not and how would i know if the plant is need of nutrients?

Forgot that you had these questions. Maybe some of the other soil growers might know.

Is there an instruction area on the back that lists how much bat guano, or the palm tree ash, to mix with a gallon of water? Or how much to use as a top dressing?

 

[BigD13]

You’re growing in BioCanna Plus. Looks to me like you should be treating that as a soilless/hydro grow. It’s got peat, bark & coco, so it’s not a soil. Look around and see how others are doing using the same stuff. I don’t think bat guano or palm ash (potash really) is really made for soilless. I grow in soil, so my knowledge of soilless growing is limited.

I see that BioCanna makes a line nutes also: Bio Veg & Bio Flores. You might want to check into those.

 

[freedom8976]

Here is what they recommend,

"For use in pots and/or planters: before planting, mix 100 grams of Guanokalong® Powder into 15 litres of potting soil or earth. At a later stage, scatter Guanokalong® Powder over the soil as needed and water thoroughly".

"For use in pots and/or planters: during the flowering stage, mix 1 part of 50 ml Guanokalong® Palm Tree Ash into 15 litres of potting soil or earth. At a later stage, scatter GK-Organics® Palm Tree Ash over the soil as required and water thoroughly".

The problem is that my plant is allreaqdy suffering from nutrient burn, very minor but it happened. So i dont want to mess it up again. The other problem is that i dont know how much fertilizer is in my soil and how long it will last. I do know though that it contains both 9/3/3 and 7/7/10.

Another question that i have in order to achieve proper application is, how long do they take to absorb, (guano and ash).
Do i have to top dress once at the start of flowering or wait till later?
My plan now is to keep feeding biobizz grow 1ml per watering, top dress 50g guano and 20g of ash at the start of flowering, and add 1ml per watering of biobizz bloom.
After all we are talking about an 8 week flowering period tops, maybe i will have to increase the bloom fert to 2ml at week 4, then stop feeding for week 9 flush and harvest.

does this schedule and amounts of nutes sound ok?

 

[freedom8976]

You’re growing in BioCanna Plus. Looks to me like you should be treating that as a soilless/hydro grow. It’s got peat, bark & coco, so it’s not a soil. Look around and see how others are doing using the same stuff. I don’t think bat guano or palm ash (potash really) is really made for soilless. I grow in soil, so my knowledge of soilless growing is limited.

I see that BioCanna makes a line nutes also: Bio Veg & Bio Flores. You might want to check into those.

Its mostly peat though with added coco. I allready have those fertilizers at hand and don't want to buy more really