big problems with GH flora series in potting soil.....

[lozenge]

Hello.

I am having a very difficult time in nailing the fert amounts in my regular potting soil w/ 30% perlite (strain: White Rhino from GH)

Vegetative stage goes by completely successful (100% healthy plants) with a cheap fert i buy in a grocery store. Veg until 50 cm (18-20 inches?)

The problems come around 4 weeks into flowering stage... By then I have gradually switched to GH Flora Series nutes.

Anybody have a good gh flora series feeding schedule for soil? The Bunzboy’s Flora Feeding Schedule for Soil Growers seems way too strong?

I find it a bit confusing... Everywhere I read I see people recommending about half strength of instructions on the bottle, but despite of that the Bunzboy’s Flora Feeding Schedule for Soil Growers is at times twice the strength of the instructions on the bottles?

And if I were to follow Bunzboy’s Flora Feeding Schedule for Soil Growers, do I apply the nutes every other watering as it says on the bottles, or every watering?

Can someone please give a rough pointer to a good feeding schedule for soil using GH Flora series. Maybe a Lucas formula for soil?

That would be great! Because as it is now I am barely making it to harvest time.. I think maybe I'm overfeeding.. but as I said.. can someone please clear this up for me.. Should I use half strength of what it says on the bottle instructions (that would be for example 0.5 ml Flora Micro per 2 liters of water every other watering (in flowering)), or should I follow the Bunzboy’s Flora Feeding Schedule for Soil Growers (every watering? every other watering?) ?

It seems that now, whatever I do (give more, give less..), I am barely making it to harvest time! But flushing of the soil sometimes seems to help a bit, sometimes not..

By the way I know that this is a fert issue, the plants are not too close to the lights, the pots too small, or anything of that sort..



Thanks!!

[POTential]

Pics would help pinpoint the nutrient problem. You growing soil or hydro?

[lozenge]

Soil (w/ 30% perlite).

I really think that it is a lockout-issue. I was really just wondering what are the general recommendations for GH Flora Series when used in soil, half strength, Lucas formula or Bunzboy’s Flora Feeding Schedule for Soil Growers ? Every watering or every other watering?

Does anybody maybe have experience with using GH Flora series in soil?

You see I don't think that I am feeding the right amounts of GH to my plants. I've pretty much followed the instructions on the bottles, but that has gone wrong.. I'm going to try with half of the strength recommended in the bottles, unless I read some wise words from some wise person here anytime soon... :)

[Boss]

That's what I would do. Check pH and start 1/2 str feedings.

[Stix]

Some people say that you shouldn't use hydroponic nutes in soil. Hydroponic nutes have every nutrient the plant could want. when you add all that to soil (which has nutrients in it already) you run the risk of nute burn. Some people say using hydroponic nutrients in soil is ok, just make sure you use 1/2 strenght. I seem to remember that GH has flora bloom for soil specifically. I could be wrong though. Good Luck!

[lozenge]

Alright! Seems like it's definetely flushing time, and from here on out going with 1/2 strength.

God bless the day when I finally get this flowering ferting nailed :-)

[grandma]

It sounds like your roots could be too wet? Is this a possibility - overwatering can be a problem.

I use soil / perlite, and hydro nutrient supplement. I use a very low strength nute, and don't always use the nutrient water. Somedays I water and somedays I don't.

For budding, I only use seaweed concentrate. I stop fertilizing with nutrient a couple of weeks before budding, and start using a light seaweed fert up until 2 weeks before the end of budding.

Pics would help diagnose the problem.

Stay well,
Grandma.

[NAZZ]

I have heard that the plant can take large amounts of nutrients as long as you introduce it gradually? Is this true?

[grandma]

Plants can take a 'large' amount of nutrients. This amount is generally about the listed strength on a fertilizer packet. So, you shouldn't use more nutrients than it says on the (single) type of nutrients that you are using. And even then, this is presuming that you have enough light and CO2 to allow the plant to use the nutrients. HOWEVER, you have been using a lot of nutrients, so you have a lot of nutrient salts in your soil (probable too many and of the wrong type). Thus you need to flush you pots with lots of fresh water and start your nutrient regime again in a week.

I have seen a great post by ***** about how to measure the nutrient level of water you put into your soil, and how to measure the nutrient level of the run-off water to determine the correct level of nutrients needed.

To quote *****, talking about growing in soil, "When feeding your plants, you need to ensure efficiency of delivery of nutrients. First up you need to check the TDS (Total Dissolved Salts) of your tapwater, as well as the starting ph. Then, add your ferts to the desired dilution, then your additives. Check your TDS again so you have a suitable concentration, and adjust your ph as needed.
I usually do two waters with ferts and additives, to one of plain water. I use a wet/dry growing regimen. I also use a foliar feed using a half strength fert solution mixed with Sea Tea (seaweed tonic). I apply this every 5 days.
I flush my medium every 15 days to remove excess salts to prevent toxic salt build up.
Cannabis is a gross feeder, and organic growers have a hard time sustaining fert supply to plant demands. Hydro and aeroponic being the most efficient fert delivery methods. With organic, try and pump as many ferts in a you can, paying particular attention to your TDS input, and TDS outflow. I always check my outflow so I have an indication of what the plant is using.
Just watch inflow and outflow and you should be ok."


A suitable concentration of appropriate nutrient salts for a soil grow would be 800ppm (low) to 1400ppm (quite high).

[grandma]

"The problems come around 4 weeks into flowering stage... By then I have gradually switched to GH Flora Series nutes."

There is no need to "gradually" introduce the bud nutrients. Just flush the plants when you switch the lights over (because you don't need excess nitrogen at this stage) and switch to bloom formula.

[Racefan]

grandma the OP hasn't come back in almsots a month. Doubt they they are using the info you supplied.lol

[grandma]

No one ever reads the crosswords I do either. Oh well, thats what retirement is for.