Drooping at end of the light on cycle

[KarlJay]

For the last several days, all the plants have looked great except at the end of the light on cycle. I'm running a bit over the 18/6 more like 19/5 or so. Just before lights off, I look at the plants and they are drooping.

This is a soil grow about 2 weeks in from 6" clones, using overdriven T5 X 8 6500K and several CFLs 9000Lumes.

The lights are VERY close 1-2 inches and the lights seem to like it (only 2 accidental burns).

Q. is it normal for the plants to droop at the end of the light on cycle?

 

[JB42]

Maybe they are too hot and as the day progresses they have had too much and cant take it anymore.

What are the temps at your canopy level?

Do the leaves curl up from the razor edges at the top of the plant? If so its too hot. move lights up and get a fan blowing across the top of your plants.

 

[KarlJay]

Thanks for the reply, they don't curl up at the top of the plant. I took 4 of the 11 (the only 4 that were drooping) and the pots were light weight and barely damp at about 1.5"... so I watered them with the run off from fresh soil prep (ph balanced and has fresh nutes from the fresh soil).
The temp is 77-80, and I can have my hand right up next to the lights without being too hot, I also have no more burnt leaves.

I'm looking for a second fan, sadly every store I've gone to, doesn't sell fans until spring

This might just be learning the watering schedule.

Most have said 3-5 days, depending on heat (light type), soil mix, pot size.

I'm just about to re-pot to larger. I'm running 10" plants in coffee cans.

 

[OG1969]

Maybe they are too hot and as the day progresses they have had too much and cant take it anymore.

What are the temps at your canopy level?

Do the leaves curl up from the razor edges at the top of the plant? If so its too hot. move lights up and get a fan blowing across the top of your plants.

Ditto that, need to know temps a fan and air flow is a must, they get it all day outside even when the air seems still. Put last summer's clones out late in July, 108 degrees here and over a 100 for almost 30 days, they would do fine until the later part of the day they would literally be laying on the ground, clones get use to their enviroment and once you place them into one that may be a little more intense than they have had, you may want to put them in for a few hours and take them out until they get use to the intense light and see how it goes, Peace OG

 

[The303Stoner]

Thanks for the reply, they don't curl up at the top of the plant. I took 4 of the 11 (the only 4 that were drooping) and the pots were light weight and barely damp at about 1.5"... so I watered them with the run off from fresh soil prep (ph balanced and has fresh nutes from the fresh soil).
The temp is 77-80, and I can have my hand right up next to the lights without being too hot, I also have no more burnt leaves.

I'm looking for a second fan, sadly every store I've gone to, doesn't sell fans until spring

This might just be learning the watering schedule.

Most have said 3-5 days, depending on heat (light type), soil mix, pot size.

I'm just about to re-pot to larger. I'm running 10" plants in coffee cans.

you can get a fan year round at thrift shops almost always

 

[KarlJay]

Update: I got 3 new badazz fans at the thrift store and put one at the door pushing air into the room. It looks like that might have been the problem, I was leaving a mylar sheet over 80% of the door and that probably killed the overall fresh air flow. They did droop a small amount today, but not nearly as much as before.

I also went from 1gal to 3 gal pots, but the drooping was the same for several days after that. I'll be keeping an eye on them, but looks like the problem is solved with more fresh air.

 

[bobulak]

HI Karl

I had the same problem with my purps plants. Turns out 18/6 was too much for them. I went to 16/8 for veg and the drooping stopped almost immediately. Some strains need more sleep =]

 

[KarlJay]

That'll be the next thing I'll check. I've actually been closer to 19 hours on, so maybe get back to strict 18 or 17 and see if that helps them. It can't be a good sign when they droop, they are basically asking for help... So much to learn...

 

[bioman]

HI Karl

I had the same problem with my purps plants. Turns out 18/6 was too much for them. I went to 16/8 for veg and the drooping stopped almost immediately. Some strains need more sleep =]

This thread is a bit old but the info is good. I had 4 drooping plants at end of cycle on 18/6, cut to 16/8... Problem gone and saving 2 hours of power!.
Regards

 

[BlueSkye]

Old thread but thought I'd add my 2 cents. This is totally normal in my experience. I've grown multiple variety of plants and they all seem to do this. I think it's called the plants circadian rhythm.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[Serpentz]

I've seen a lot of people that think this must be some problem. I have experienced the same thing with one of my Blueberry Autos. I'm growing two plants in 6-liter buckets that have the same exact soil combination that I use and both plants get the same light, air flow, water, etc. However, at night, about 15-20 minutes before the timer shuts things down, the Bluberry Autos top leaves droop down. The White Widow doesn't seem to be doing this as much. The next day without touching anything, both plants look perfect. I've looked all over to see if this was some problem. However, I think it would only be a problem if the leaves were still drooping after lights came back on. Old thread but I think it's worth mentioning.

 

[Ignotus]

Great thread and info.

I'd like to also throw a thought in the mix... i know a little bit about DLI and that a plant can only take so much light per day. Do you think that reducing the intensity of the light (either by dimming or raising) would have the same effect as reducing the daylight hours?

I have 3 autos where one of them is slightly bigger and looks great at any time of day, but the other two look horrible a few hours before lights off (look overwatered and droopy). They look great again after a rest.

Ive now reduced my 20/4 to 19/5 and also decresed the led output by 30 watts (from 170) to see if theres a difference in appearance. My thoughts are that they've soaked up all they can in the 24 hour period and are suffering because of it... but no hard evidence on that.

 

[Mayne]

man, they are just relaxing, set to go to sleep, pressure in the leaf is decreased, because now its night and the roots go to work.

 

[Serpentz]

I noticed that different strains react differently. Blueberry auto would get droopy but the Auto White Widow would not. The difference is a strain that likes more light than the other. Don't decrease your light. You will get smaller yeilds if you do this. It's not hurting your plants. They are just doing their thing. Just look at them the next day and make sure the leaves are back up again... And don't overwater. That's the best advice I can give.

 

[Mayne]

Great thread and info.

I'd like to also throw a thought in the mix... i know a little bit about DLI and that a plant can only take so much light per day. Do you think that reducing the intensity of the light (either by dimming or raising) would have the same effect as reducing the daylight hours?

I have 3 autos where one of them is slightly bigger and looks great at any time of day, but the other two look horrible a few hours before lights off (look overwatered and droopy). They look great again after a rest.

Ive now reduced my 20/4 to 19/5 and also decresed the led output by 30 watts (from 170) to see if theres a difference in appearance. My thoughts are that they've soaked up all they can in the 24 hour period and are suffering because of it... but no hard evidence on that.

speaking of DLI, You think bigger roots, bigger DLI limit?

Yeah, i know what you mean about the droop, mine look like a peace lilly before lights out,lol.

 

[Ignotus]

For sure, id assume that's why my bigger plant still looks the goods just before lights out.

I guess when using photo plants it isn't as much of an issue during flower as it should be harder to over do it with 12 hours of light. Would explain why my first grow went so poorly. Tiny autos getting 24 hours of intense light was probably detrimental to them.