Overfert x N-def x Underlight

[groweng]

Hi everybody,

I'm relatively new to growing indoor, so I built myself a gr and I'm taking the risks. I'd like some help with one main problem (that eventually evolves to the second):

1 - How can I differentiate from overfert, N-def and underlight in plants P1, P2, P3 and P4?
From what I've googled, this seems more like a Nitrogen deficiency on all the plants (I'm still waiting for the pH meter arrival), but I'm afraid of putting humus and killing them with overfert.

2 - Is it possible to determine any male/female among P1, P2, P3 e P4?
My growing objective is having just one female in a bigger pot there (that's why I haven't transplanted yet). If I could identity the best female to choose, or the males to kill, I think it would help.


Watering:
Once a day, right before starting light period. A portion enough to let about 10% flow off from the bottom holes (which is being usually 70~100ml for this pot size).

Soil:
50% Vegetable Soil (turf, vermicompost, pine bark e carbonized rice husk)
50% Earthworm Humus (N total: 0,5%; PH: 6; C/N: 14; C total: 10%)

GR Specs:
30W (10x3W) Leds Full Spectrum 400-840nm
30W (10x3W) Leds Uv 395nm
30W (10x3W) Leds IR 940nm

Inner Size: H=80cm, W=50cm, D=50cm (200L / 0,2m³)

I'm considering adding 100W more lights with incandescent bulbs (I have a few car bulbs hanging around here) closest to the middle of the GR height to illuminate lower leafs. Another upgrade would be adding another 100W in LED lights (white/blue/red) to help during the vegetative/flowering phase. I also intend to improve ventilation and finally automatize everything with an Arduino/RaspBerry.

Any help/tip/complaint/suggestion is welcomed! Thank you!

==========================

Grow Pics:

 

[Emilya Green]

Hi everybody,

I'm relatively new to growing indoor, so I built myself a gr and I'm taking the risks. I'd like some help with one main problem (that eventually evolves to the second):

1 - How can I differentiate from overfert, N-def and underlight in plants P1, P2, P3 and P4?
From what I've googled, this seems more like a Nitrogen deficiency on all the plants (I'm still waiting for the pH meter arrival), but I'm afraid of putting humus and killing them with overfert.

2 - Is it possible to determine any male/female among P1, P2, P3 e P4?
My growing objective is having just one female in a bigger vessel there (that's why I haven't transplanted yet). If I could identity the best female to choose, or the males to kill, I think it would help.

Hi @groweng and welcome to the forum!
Since you are new, I commend you for coming here for help, but so far all I see are some wonderful shots of your containers, and with a bare cannabis stalk with some dead leaves laying on the surface of the soil. This is not telling me anything about how this situation came to be.
I need some pictures of the rest of the plant, not the bottom of the stalk where all the lower sets of leaves seem to have died off and then we can start getting a better idea what is going on here.
Also, tell us a bit more about this grow... the type of soil you are using, and most importantly to me, how often you are watering and what for you makes the decision as to when it is time to water and how much you give each time.
Over my years as a plant problem diagnostician, the most common reason for the dropping of so many lower leaves this early, is improper watering... so lets start that conversation, and I am confident that we will get to the bottom of this.

 

[groweng]

Hi @groweng and welcome to the forum!
Since you are new, I commend you for coming here for help, but so far all I see are some wonderful shots of your containers, and with a bare cannabis stalk with some dead leaves laying on the surface of the soil. This is not telling me anything about how this situation came to be.
I need some pictures of the rest of the plant, not the bottom of the stalk where all the lower sets of leaves seem to have died off and then we can start getting a better idea what is going on here.
Also, tell us a bit more about this grow... the type of soil you are using, and most importantly to me, how often you are watering and what for you makes the decision as to when it is time to water and how much you give each time.
Over my years as a plant problem diagnostician, the most common reason for the dropping of so many lower leaves this early, is improper watering... so lets start that conversation, and I am confident that we will get to the bottom of this.

Thank you very much Emilya!

About the photos, I think it's the way this forum shows the ImgUr albums. I've separed them in 5 packs (the GR and each of the plants), each one having a set of photos. Try clicking on a photo to check if it opens the whole album. If not, let me know and I'll append them on another way

About the soil and watering, I updated the original post (if anyone else arrives here later)

 

[Emilya Green]

Alright... got it now, and yes, I have now been able to see all of your pictures.
First a word on the editing ...
Later on in time someone reading this thread might wonder why I asked such a detailed question about your watering methods when there it is, right there in your top message, and they would wonder why I had such trouble reading your original words.
It is usually best, especially if someone might quote you, to not edit your original words, but to add to them or correct them in another post. No biggie though... we got this all sorted.

The problem you are having lies in your watering method. This is a weed, and it is not used to the same treatment you would give a tomato vine, by watering it every day. A weed works completely differently, and it actually needs a little bit of adversity to thrive.
By watering as you do, you have created a permanent lake in that container of soil, and your roots from the middle of the container on down have been permanently under water all of this time. It is imperative to let the soil dry out, all the way down to the bottom of the container, in between waterings, when growing a weed. This pulls oxygen down deep into the soil, and those lower roots need to see oxygen periodically as much as they need water. Without that, those roots shut down, trying to protect themselves until the flood waters recede. Since the plant now is unable to use its most powerful feeder roots at the bottom of the container, it has has to cut things way back... the prime directive of the plant is to develop the buds, the seeds, so that the species continues and must override everything else. It is sacrificing everything, just to supply that struggling new growth at the top with what it needs... so the species will survive through its efforts. One by one, to get what it needs, it has had to cannibalize each of those lower roots in turn.
Sadly, there is only so much that the plant can do, and eventually if the flood waters do not recede, the plant will die. We have to change your watering methods, dramatically, and immediately.
Look up the lift the pot method, which will help you determine when to water. You got the amount of water correct... the goal is to saturate the soil when you do water, but you have simply been doing it way way too often.

So how do we get you out of this mess? RIght now your lower roots are practically useless, and the plant is surviving only because of its top set of spreader roots that are unique to a weed. You can take advantage of there being two sets of roots, to get this situation sorted.
From today forward, stop giving so much water. Wait 3 full days before you even think about watering again. When you do, instead of watering to runoff, I want you to water just the surface spreader roots... Maybe a cup of water.... you only want enough water to soak into the first 2-3 inches. Nothing should come out of the bottom. Then, sit on your hands for at least 3 more days and use the lift method to determine when the lower roots have finally been able to use up the water down below so as to draw the oxygen down to them. As damaged as these roots are, this could take a week-10 days. While you wait, water the top roots every 3 days, 3 inches deep, not adding to the water table of stagnant water sitting down below.

The first time you force the plant to dry out it may take a week to 10 days, but every time after that the roots will get stronger and soon you will find that the plant is looking a lot better and that it is able to drain the entire container in 5 days, 3 days... and eventually it will be able to drain all the water you can get that container to hold, in only one day. This is when it is time to uppot, and start this cycle again.

I invite you to read my signature work, that should explain a bit more about the concepts I have outlined here for you and your special method of fixing the mess you've gotten your plants in. The link is down below, The Proper Way to Water A Potted Plant.