I'm new to growing and my plant seems to be doing great besides a few things. The top leaves are huge and very green, but are doing the 90 degree clawing thing which makes me think it's getting too much nitrogen. But, the bottom leaves are turning yellow, shriveling up and falling off which makes me think nitrogen deficiency. I'm using Dyna Gro Foliage pro 9-3-6 about half a table to a gallon of water, which I water it with about 3 times a week. The other days I give it Palin spring water. I'm using an organic soil I got at Wal-Mart, no perlite (which I know I should have) and a light that my uncle gave me that he says he grows with, and I'm not sure of the wattage. What am I doing wrong and what should I change??
Help Diagnosing my plant!
- Thread starter Medusa678
- Start date
OldMedUser
Formerly Known as LabRat
Re: Help Diagnosing my plant!!
High Medusa678
Sounds to me like you're over-feeding, over-watering and the light isn't reaching the bottom leaves so they are dying off.
The bottom leaves are no big deal if most of the top of the plant is lush and green as a lot of growers remove most of the lower growth on larger indoor plants anyway. Your ferts aren't a bad ratio but if that's all the plant gets to eat it's likely not getting a decent diet. Like eating at Mickey-Dees only.
More info would help like how big is this plant? Figure out what the light is and report back. And a decent picture would be a big help.
And no perlite? You naughty, naughty boy.
L8r
High Medusa678
Sounds to me like you're over-feeding, over-watering and the light isn't reaching the bottom leaves so they are dying off.
The bottom leaves are no big deal if most of the top of the plant is lush and green as a lot of growers remove most of the lower growth on larger indoor plants anyway. Your ferts aren't a bad ratio but if that's all the plant gets to eat it's likely not getting a decent diet. Like eating at Mickey-Dees only.
More info would help like how big is this plant? Figure out what the light is and report back. And a decent picture would be a big help.
And no perlite? You naughty, naughty boy.
L8r
- Thread starter
- #3
OldMedUser
Formerly Known as LabRat
Re: Help Diagnosing my plant!!
Considering that poor lighting that plant don't look so horrible. What you have there is the bare minimum to grow a plant and you're not doing all that bad. I don't see any signs of nute burn or leaf deformation in the top growth so like most nOObs you're freakin out a bit. We were all nOObs once.
Most of the light you do have is being wasted and it should be a lot closer to the plant. Like an inch or 2 away.
If that's all you can do for now I would suggest running some tinfoil down the wall in the corner of the room. Say 2 strips out from the corner with the shiny side to the wall. Stand the plant in the corner and hang the light vertically in front of the plant as close as possible so the light is beaming into the corner. Then get a hold of a mylar sheet to drape over the light and keep as much as possible in to shine on the plant. Camping supply places sell mylar survival blankets for a couple of dollars and that will do. Still not much over the bare minimum but better.
Here's some watering info I just posted for someone else yesterday and how I have done it for years.
There is no way to tell you when to water/feed. For potted plants I water when they need it. Every 4 or 5 days is about when I need to water my big ones. I know when to water by hefting the pots. They feel very light when it's time but the plants aren't drooping yet.
Allow your plants to dry out one time enough to just begin to droop then lift the pot up and really feel the weight. Jiggle it up and down so your brain gets the feel for it. Then use something that you can keep track of how much water it takes to saturate that pot until it can't take any more water. (I measured water into a 2L pop bottle and marked every 100ml with a felt pen and did the same to a 4L milk jug but marked it every 250ml.) Then hoist that pot up and feel it's weight. Wait until that pot feels almost as light as when it dried right out but the plants are still up and happy then it's time to water again. Three days is about perfect for watering as a general rule. If you have to water every day or every 2nd day it's time to repot to something bigger. I have catch pans under my pots so when it runs out I let it sit in it for a half hour or so then suck out the excess with a turkey baster. That way I know the root ball is saturated with no dry areas. I sometimes water from the bottom by filling the pan and letting it wick up so that I can let the stop 3" stay dry to help prevent gnats. Always seems to be a few buzzing around.
If you know how much water it takes to soak the plant then you can mix up your nutes more accurately or if in a hurry just dump 80% of that amount in and head out the door knowing they have adequate water.
I have to go out for a bit but will look in when I get back.
L8rz
Considering that poor lighting that plant don't look so horrible. What you have there is the bare minimum to grow a plant and you're not doing all that bad. I don't see any signs of nute burn or leaf deformation in the top growth so like most nOObs you're freakin out a bit. We were all nOObs once.
Most of the light you do have is being wasted and it should be a lot closer to the plant. Like an inch or 2 away.
If that's all you can do for now I would suggest running some tinfoil down the wall in the corner of the room. Say 2 strips out from the corner with the shiny side to the wall. Stand the plant in the corner and hang the light vertically in front of the plant as close as possible so the light is beaming into the corner. Then get a hold of a mylar sheet to drape over the light and keep as much as possible in to shine on the plant. Camping supply places sell mylar survival blankets for a couple of dollars and that will do. Still not much over the bare minimum but better.
Here's some watering info I just posted for someone else yesterday and how I have done it for years.
There is no way to tell you when to water/feed. For potted plants I water when they need it. Every 4 or 5 days is about when I need to water my big ones. I know when to water by hefting the pots. They feel very light when it's time but the plants aren't drooping yet.
Allow your plants to dry out one time enough to just begin to droop then lift the pot up and really feel the weight. Jiggle it up and down so your brain gets the feel for it. Then use something that you can keep track of how much water it takes to saturate that pot until it can't take any more water. (I measured water into a 2L pop bottle and marked every 100ml with a felt pen and did the same to a 4L milk jug but marked it every 250ml.) Then hoist that pot up and feel it's weight. Wait until that pot feels almost as light as when it dried right out but the plants are still up and happy then it's time to water again. Three days is about perfect for watering as a general rule. If you have to water every day or every 2nd day it's time to repot to something bigger. I have catch pans under my pots so when it runs out I let it sit in it for a half hour or so then suck out the excess with a turkey baster. That way I know the root ball is saturated with no dry areas. I sometimes water from the bottom by filling the pan and letting it wick up so that I can let the stop 3" stay dry to help prevent gnats. Always seems to be a few buzzing around.
If you know how much water it takes to soak the plant then you can mix up your nutes more accurately or if in a hurry just dump 80% of that amount in and head out the door knowing they have adequate water.
I have to go out for a bit but will look in when I get back.
L8rz
