Sillysally's First Grow - Strawberry Blue & Blue Widow

[sillysally]

Yeah she's got a ton of side shoots going on. I was thinking of trying to do a little lst with her but I decided against it. I wanna see what this little lady does all on her own.
I think the next watering I might do a light feeding but I'll just feel her out!

 

[sillysally]

Got a little Friday update going on! Things are going well here overall but I have noticed some rust colored spots on all of my plants. Nothing too crazy but I'm thinking maybe a calcium deficiency? I was thinking of trying to pick up some cal-mag if you all agree it's looking like a Ca issue. You can see the spots the best on the photo of the SB

The SMR is starting to flower and growing like crazy. I'm excited to see what I get outta this girl considering she is just a freebie.

The BW just keeps on taking the beatings that I throw at her. I said last week was the last defoliation and then I'm going to switch to flower, but I think I wanna just do it once more... Idk what do you all think?

The SB keeps getting frostier and the main cola is getting super dense too. I took some neat little photos with a microscope app and I think they turned out pretty well!

 

[Dan Ultra]

What app is that??

Also, do you have a close up of the rust spots you are talking about.

 

[sillysally]

The app is the cozy magnifier and microscope. It really works pretty darn well!

Here are some photos of what I'm talking about. The SB definitely has it the worst. The SMR has a few teeny spots here and there, and the last picture is the BW's one funky leaf.

 

[Dan Ultra]

It does look like Ca deficiency. Are you using RO water?

 

[Triggle]

It does look like Ca deficiency. Are you using RO water?

I've yet to disagree with UltraDan but in this case I do. A Calcium deficiency is nearly impossible at this point. With that much soil and young plants like that I would find it very hard to believe. Furthermore, you are using FFOF soil....that stuff has plenty of calcium and nutes to get you by for quite a while with water only feedings...

I think you more likely have some pH issues and possibly just a simple nute burn depending on your feedings...Run some pH 7 water through it and check your runoff after it drips steady for about 5-10 seconds....FF says they balance that stuff between 6.3 and 6.8...it's always been around 6.4 for me...a couple feedings and your sitting at 5.7 before you know it.

You could have salt buildup/high pH but that is also unlikely at this stage. If your pH is above 6.7 then you are probably seeing a Mn deficiency. (it's in there but pH locked)

As long as you don't have bugs or rot, there's not many things a neutral pH flush can't fix.

Good Luck Sally!

Trig

 

[Dan Ultra]

Well, I agree with you Trig that this would be weird timing for a Ca defieciency to present itself, but this SB is a crazy one. To me, it looks just like Ca, and you're right in that it's probably due to a pH issue. if the pH swings too low, it misses Ca completely and while this girl is small, she is still flowering and probably has a small root structure so cant absorb the majority of the nutrients in that big pot of soil.

 

[sillysally]

I went ahead and did a flush on both of the big girls with 7.0 water and it was around the 5.7ish range so it does appear that the pH was a bit low. Gahh, I swear I'm never going to get away from my pH issues! First it was way too high and now I'm too low.
What should I be pH-ing my water to?
Thanks for your help guys!

 

[NuttyProfessor]

have to say ph wrecks my head also, i just dont bother with it any more , i cant understand how to balance it so i let my soil do its thing and hope for the best lol

good luck

 

[sillysally]

have to say ph wrecks my head also, i just dont bother with it any more , i cant understand how to balance it so i let my soil do its thing and hope for the best lol

good luck

I'd love to say screw it, but that was my issue in the first place. My local tap water is super hard so I don't really have a choice, and I don't want to spend the money on RO water.

 

[ClosedCircuit]

An old but never useless guide. Looks like could be a potassium or manganese deficiency?

What spectrum bulbs are using by chance and what is your light schedule at the moment?

 

[Dan Ultra]

Sally, check your local grocery store for water, you don't have a huge garden, so water shouldn't cost a lot. I pick up a few gallons of Spring water (7.5pH) or RO water (6.5pH) for ¢79 a gallon. Makes it a lot easier than having to leave out tap water for the chlorine to evaporate and then still having to deal with hardness

 

[NuttyProfessor]

what about rain water , would it be ok, ? are you getting much rain , could you be able to catch and store ?

 

[ClosedCircuit]

rain water should be fine unless you live in a highly industrialized area with alot of factories...then I would still test the PH.

 

[ClosedCircuit]

Sally, check your local grocery store for water, you don't have a huge garden, so water shouldn't cost a lot. I pick up a few gallons of Spring water (7.5pH) or RO water (6.5pH) for ¢79 a gallon. Makes it a lot easier than having to leave out tap water for the chlorine to evaporate and then still having to deal with hardness

That's what I do, except I have a local grocery store that sells bulk RO and distilled water PH 6.3. You just bring your own container and fill it up. I get 5 gallons for a few bucks.

 

[sillysally]

There isn't any rain in the midwest right now. Everything is frozen!

 

[ClosedCircuit]

Are you using just Metal Halide right now or a mix? What is your light schedule?

I am curious do to the size of your plants after around 2 months of veg.

 

[Dan Ultra]

That's what I do, except I have a local grocery store that sells bulk RO and distilled water PH 6.3. You just bring your own container and fill it up. I get 5 gallons for a few bucks.

Yeah, they offer that too at ¢25/gal but it's RO water. I prefer Spring water so I don't have to supplement Cal/Mag later.

 

[Dan Ultra]

Are you using just Metal Halide right now or a mix? What is your light schedule?

I am curious do to the size of your plants after around 2 months of veg.

If she hasn't switched them then it's a 400MH on 20/4 schedule.

 

[ClosedCircuit]

OK thank you. I wonder if that schedule has anything to do with it.