Hi all, I am in a real crisis - Help!

[Azimuth]

Thats where my mindset is going too.
What i cant get my head around is why do tthey stand up again when i water

Probably because you only have surface/feeder roots. @Sueet nailed it I think. Deeper water seeking roots either never developed or died off from overwatering.

Unfortunately, if you try to let it dry out too much you could fry the only roots you have working for you.

Do you use a mulch on top of the soil?

 

[grimlyman]

What happens is the lower roots sitting in water with no oxygen for too long begin to die off, and as the top dries up, the plant begins to droop because the only roots she has that can take up water, cannot reach the lake of water below them. So the plant perks up while she can reach the water with her top roots, after that because of gravity she gets into trouble.

Spot on, that's hit the nail on the head.
Also at around 1.5m or 4' there is a hard pan layer of shingle/ metal that traps the water in the soil.

 

[Stunger]

Hey @grimlyman, I'm in your vicinity too. Your plant looks great and appear to have good sized canopies. From my own personal experience, you want to be very careful that you don't overwater.

I'll tell you a story of a couple of my recent grows when I learnt this through hard experience. A couple of grows ago I had 4 nice plants all doing well, thinking with the hot weather that I should give extra water to the big girl (a lovely African Mulanje) because she was wilting each day. The other 3 plants were smaller and didn't wilt to the same extent. The result was after a week or two of this she started looking sick. And then I took advice to flush her with 3 times the pot volume of water, well fuck me after that she truly crapped herself and I had ruined a perfectly good plant. At the time the general consensus was that I had over fed her, but I had a suspicion at the back of my mind that maybe the watering had something to do with it.

Then last year, I grew 3 plants, which due to stealth concerns I trained out horizontally, 2 were in larger 50L containers, and these 2 seemed to go into wilt mode 2 or 3 times a day. I should say that all of this time I had a blown hernia and I didn't want to be lifting the heavy pots to judge their moisture levels, I erroneously thought that observing wilting was enough of a sign. So I started watering the 2 bigger pots 2 or even 3 times a day, and after a short while both plants suddenly collapsed and were buggered. It was now very clear that I had been overwatering them and they eventually couldn't cope with the constant wet feet I was giving them.

But I wondered why then did they wilt if they had enough water. The reason I think that this occurred, was that I had trained out the branches to be long and horizontal and in the hot sun, in spite of the roots having enough water, the branch length was being fully exposed to the harsh heat and was struggling to push water/sap all the way to the ends where they wilted.

Previously when I had grown plants with the same training approach but smaller, I didn't get the same wilting problem, only when the branches got past a certain size.

My feeling is that the plants are not wilting from lack of water, so from my perspective I would allow them to wilt knowing that when the sun drops back that they'll pick themselves up again. I don't think you've got anything to worry about, the plants are in the ground and surely will be finding all that they need.

Just be bloody careful about potentially overwatering! That's my 2 cents on this. All the best!

 

[grimlyman]

Probably because you only have surface/feeder roots. @Sueet nailed it I think. Deeper water seeking roots either never developed or died off from overwatering.

Unfortunately, if you try to let it dry out too much you could fry the only roots you have working for you.

Do you use a mulch on top of the soil?

 

[grimlyman]

Sure do

 

[Jungle Joseph]

My thoughts are along the same lines as everyone else. I'm also thinking that the harsh NZ sun (working overtime lately) is really hard on them at the moment. I'm in Hawkes Bay, we have a slightly different climate here. Apart from the drooping, they look really healthy. They'll be loving the seafood in the soil for sure.

 

[CaptainLucky]

I Hope that someone can help out there.
I have had to register because I couldn't remember my username, funny that.
So I am an experienced grower but a shithouse but one.

I am in New Zealand and it's mid summer, most days around 20-25 Celsius.
I have 5 Golden tiger plants growing outside in soil and predominantly they are reasonably healthy.
About 3 days ago I noticed that my largest and best plant was wilting in the heat of the midday sun. I live in rainforest area close to the coast 2km.
We get our share of rain and the soil retains moister through summer.
When I first spotted the wilt I immediately put the hose on trickle and it perked up a bit.
Yesterday which was another hot and sunny day, the entire half on the sunny side of the of the plants tips were really drooping or wilting if you like.
I quickly put a tarpaulin up to keep the direct sunlight of her and misted the plant and it stood back up again after a few hours.
Today I have been keeping a close eye on her,and as soon as the sun reached it around 10am I new it was going to do the same thing.
I have never witnessed this behavior in my 50years of growing.
The plant has not been under watered as I explained prior, I do still water in the evening if it has been a dry day.
I don't feel that it has been over watered either but i could be wrong on fhat, although my thoughts went to, if its over watered it wouldn't have revive when I put the hose on it,correct?.
So my other thoughts were a nutrient problem but the plant appears to be fine and growing well.
Which now takes me to a root issue yes or no.
Or is it a puusy plant that can't handle the rugged west coast.
The pictures i have Posted were taken today, the fist sees the plant healthy and strong. Photo 2 about an hour of being in the mid morning sun she started drooping and deteriorated quickly.
The last photo is from after I covered her up again and out of direct sunlight.
I couldn't tell you what the soil ph is, only that she is planted over some of my old fish carcasses.
Any discussion will be a welcoming relief.
Regards Graeme.

Maybe my brother @Hombre del Monte could offer some advice. He has a lot of experience with GT and grows outdoors. CL

 

[Hombre del Monte]

I've grown Golden Tiger several times outdoors in direct sunlight with temperatures of up to 42c in the shade. GT loves the sun and provided the roots are well mulched, she'll cope with stupidly high temperature.

My first thoughts would be over water. My plants would only get watered every 2nd or 3rd day, even in the middle of summer.

Also, perhaps dig down a little and have a look at the roots.

 

[grimlyman]

Hi guys and gals, not sure if all yo

u guys ate still tuned in but I'm tempted to take her out and transplant to a pot
She's wilting very quickly and we have just had 3 days rain
Transplant yes or no.

 

[grimlyman]

I've grown Golden Tiger several times outdoors in direct sunlight with temperatures of up to 42c in the shade. GT loves the sun and provided the roots are well mulched, she'll cope with stupidly high temperature.

My first thoughts would be over water. My plants would only get watered every 2nd or 3rd day, even in the middle of summer.

Also, perhaps dig down a little and have a look at the roots.

Thanks Hombre, I reckon the deeper roots are effed, she is only a week or two from beginning to flower. Would you transplant her,?. She is healthy, my plan would be to transplant her after sundown, gently remove and wash most of the soil from the roots, repot and pinch out the some of the larger tips.

 

[grimlyman]

Hey @grimlyman, I'm in your vicinity too. Your plant looks great and appear to have good sized canopies. From my own personal experience, you want to be very careful that you don't overwater.

I'll tell you a story of a couple of my recent grows when I learnt this through hard experience. A couple of grows ago I had 4 nice plants all doing well, thinking with the hot weather that I should give extra water to the big girl (a lovely African Mulanje) because she was wilting each day. The other 3 plants were smaller and didn't wilt to the same extent. The result was after a week or two of this she started looking sick. And then I took advice to flush her with 3 times the pot volume of water, well fuck me after that she truly crapped herself and I had ruined a perfectly good plant. At the time the general consensus was that I had over fed her, but I had a suspicion at the back of my mind that maybe the watering had something to do with it.

Then last year, I grew 3 plants, which due to stealth concerns I trained out horizontally, 2 were in larger 50L containers, and these 2 seemed to go into wilt mode 2 or 3 times a day. I should say that all of this time I had a blown hernia and I didn't want to be lifting the heavy pots to judge their moisture levels, I erroneously thought that observing wilting was enough of a sign. So I started watering the 2 bigger pots 2 or even 3 times a day, and after a short while both plants suddenly collapsed and were buggered. It was now very clear that I had been overwatering them and they eventually couldn't cope with the constant wet feet I was giving them.

But I wondered why then did they wilt if they had enough water. The reason I think that this occurred, was that I had trained out the branches to be long and horizontal and in the hot sun, in spite of the roots having enough water, the branch length was being fully exposed to the harsh heat and was struggling to push water/sap all the way to the ends where they wilted.

Previously when I had grown plants with the same training approach but smaller, I didn't get the same wilting problem, only when the branches got past a certain size.

My feeling is that the plants are not wilting from lack of water, so from my perspective I would allow them to wilt knowing that when the sun drops back that they'll pick themselves up again. I don't think you've got anything to worry about, the plants are in the ground and surely will be finding all that they need.

Just be bloody careful about potentially overwatering! That's my 2 cents on this. All the best!

Cheers Stunger. I have transplanted her just now into a 50lt pots
My reasons being, pretty much from now on the ground below the plant will start getting more saturated due to the nature of the soil and that is out of my control
Also when I planted her our after cloning I put down 2 bags of potting mix and one of compost.
So she had a good start, but when she had grown through that and into the ground proper is when the wilting began, also the soil is low on calcium and iron which has affected most of the plants in the ground, luckily it was diagnosed quickly and I have now righted them, but still a little pale.
The transplant went well and she will stay in the nursery for a week before putting in the sun.. at least I now have control over moisture and food.
Hope your season is going well.
Cheers.

 

[Stunger]

Cheers Stunger. I have transplanted her just now into a 50lt pots
My reasons being, pretty much from now on the ground below the plant will start getting more saturated due to the nature of the soil and that is out of my control
Also when I planted her our after cloning I put down 2 bags of potting mix and one of compost.
So she had a good start, but when she had grown through that and into the ground proper is when the wilting began, also the soil is low on calcium and iron which has affected most of the plants in the ground, luckily it was diagnosed quickly and I have now righted them, but still a little pale.
The transplant went well and she will stay in the nursery for a week before putting in the sun.. at least I now have control over moisture and food.
Hope your season is going well.
Cheers.

Hey Grims, good luck with the transplant, 50L pots are fairly decent, hopefully they all cope fine. I have some beans of Golden Tiger but I have not grown any yet. You certainly don't want to lose 5 of them as it sounds like a top strain. It's currently blowing like snot where I am. All the best!

 

[grimlyman]

Bugger about the wind, How did you find the white widow went, I found it to be overated,, I grew white widow and white rhino one season and the rhino was far better than the widow.
Good luck with that wind