Help: Plant been sick for over a month

[parrajara]

I am just reaching out because I have ran out of ideas. I have tried several different things with this plant, but nothing seems to help her.

The issue started when the plant was rootbound. I waited to long to transplant it, which affected my plant. I don't think this would persist for a month though? I mean, the plant recovered fairly well after transplant, but eventually continued to deteriorate. About 2-3 weeks into being in the soil, I experimented with top feeding it a little bit. I honestly can't tell if it helped or not, but I don't think so. I also don't think it made the situation worse.

Every time I water my plant it takes it about a day to actually perk up... it perks up for a day and than droops again, well before the next watering is required. The leaves have severe discoloration going on, and it continues to spread.

Things I have tried/considered:
- I have been pHing my water for 3 cycles now, as the buffer in the FFOF was over. Don't think it is pH from the soil/nutrients because my other plant is doing well, and that one I actually amended part of the FFOF soil to experiment.
- It is not environmental (humidity, temperature, etc), I have 2 other plants thriving in that environment (one same strain).
- I have been watering until there is a decent amount of run-off. I haven't done a full flush because in my small carpeted condo that will be a lot of work, but this I suspect this may help - so if others confirm I will go ahead and put in the work.

My best guess is that the roots are damaged, and never fully recovered, so there is a nutrient lockout from their inability to absorb nutrients? I have had some full on yellow leaves come out of this plant, which is a clear sign of nitrogen deficiency. But the weird colors going on, and the pattern.... I just have no idea. Please help me save this plant, it's over 70 days old... can't afford to buy weed 2 more months lol...this grow set up cost a lot more than I initially anticipated.

I posted a side by side picture of the healthy and sick plant. You can see the sick one has a "whiter" looking green, not even lime green anymore. Also posted a couple of pictures of it inside the tent. All others I took in natural light.

 

[Pepperhead]

Might have some root rot at the base of the fabric pot
In fabric pots I recommend getting a grating that fits into a saucer to allow full watering with drainage of 10 % minimum
70 days is a long time
When are u going to flip to 12 12 ?
PS looks like u live in a big city in Canada!
East or west ?
Also it could be just normal for this pheno and yellow leaves at bottom of plant is normal too

 

[parrajara]

Might have some root rot at the base of the fabric pot
In fabric pots I recommend getting a grating that fits into a saucer to allow full watering with drainage of 10 % minimum
70 days is a long time
When are u going to flip to 12 12 ?
PS looks like u live in a big city in Canada!
East or west ?
Also it could be just normal for this pheno and yellow leaves at bottom of plant is normal too

Thank you for the insight Pepperhead! Do you know how you would go about fixing existing root rott? I do have my fabric pot elevated, so there is constant airflow on beneath the plant. I also make sure to get rid of all run-off water.
I'm planning on switching to 12/12 in about 2 weeks... these two plants are photoperiods and I put in an auto in there, once the auto enters pre-flower, I will switch them. I just learned autos like longer light times, so my auto is gonna suffer from the 12-12 lights, but that's okay. I actually started the auto just to get a hang of it, for my next grow which will be all autos. This auto is as healthy as ever, I nailed the germination and seedling stage and have it all written down mathematically, looking to replicate this next grow and see if it's successful.

Also, I'm in Vancouver Just those buildings gave it away? lol

BTW, definitely not normal for this plant. Other plant is much healthier, and it's same strain.

 

[Pepperhead]

So maybe it is not root rot if there is air flow underneath
How are you watering ? Are you letting the soil dry right out? You need the soil to dry almost completely
Test the fabric pot by lifting it. This will help you determine if it needs watering compared to your other plant
I have grown two of the same plants in fabric pots and each one I had to water at different times as they used the water differently but looked they same
You may be over watering and also over fertilizing for this particular plant
How often are you fertilizing and what r u using ?
When growing in fabric pots root rot less likely but over watering may be a cause .
There is a real good post on watering your plant on 420 mag i think it was by Emilya
Just do a search on watering in pots by Emilya , I think
This post should help you with watering

Also i thought you were in Van by the looks of the buildings.
Lived there briefly years ago and have friends and family that lived there
Is my favorite place to visit and also dreamed of living there permanently there but decided not to because of the big city
Also went to 420 Van a few times and experienced the smoke cloud , too funny with all the Cops around doing nothing
Good luck with the grow
Peace On !

 

[parrajara]

So maybe it is not root rot if there is air flow underneath
How are you watering ? Are you letting the soil dry right out? You need the soil to dry almost completely
Test the fabric pot by lifting it. This will help you determine if it needs watering compared to your other plant
I have grown two of the same plants in fabric pots and each one I had to water at different times as they used the water differently but looked they same
You may be over watering and also over fertilizing for this particular plant
How often are you fertilizing and what r u using ?
When growing in fabric pots root rot less likely but over watering may be a cause .
There is a real good post on watering your plant on 420 mag i think it was by Emilya
Just do a search on watering in pots by Emilya , I think
This post should help you with watering

Also i thought you were in Van by the looks of the buildings.
Lived there briefly years ago and have friends and family that lived there
Is my favorite place to visit and also dreamed of living there permanently there but decided not to because of the big city
Also went to 420 Van a few times and experienced the smoke cloud , too funny with all the Cops around doing nothing
Good luck with the grow
Peace On !

I don't think it's my watering either. I have been weighing it, and following Emilya's watering guide. My other plant is doing quite fine doing just the same. This is why I am so perplexed.

When I transplanted this plant into Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil, it had no added fertilizers. The healthier plant was in a hotter soil (amended FFOF), so that's another thing I ruled out. I am using Gaia green all purpose organic fertilizer (4-4-4), Power Bloom (2-8-4), and EWC.

I really hope someone has experienced this before, and can tell by the looks of my plant what it is. Only a really trained eye. You sure as heck do have a good eye to be able to pin point my whereabouts with those pictures. Vancouver is a fantastic city, I love it here.

Cheers, and thanks for your help!

 

[Ghostwriter31]

Your tips of some leaves look like LED light burn

 

[Ghostwriter31]

I should clarify so I don’t sound like I’m just chomping at the mouth. I had light burn and it looked like this

 

[parrajara]

I should clarify so I don’t sound like I’m just chomping at the mouth. I had light burn and it looked like this

It's quite possible, but I don't think it's the LED that made them the way the are. Perhaps they have contributed, but no way that was the whole reason. Both plants are the same height, and I have been rotating them between the 2 LEDs.

 

[MrSauga]

I'd be getting some Magnesium in her. She's missing that for sure. It's starting at the bottom and working up from what I can tell, so that rules out anything immobile. If you feel your ratios are fine then get some calmag or other magnesium supplement into her.

Outside of that she's a great looking plant.

 

[parrajara]

I'd be getting some Magnesium in her. She's missing that for sure. It's starting at the bottom and working up from what I can tell, so that rules out anything immobile. If you feel your ratios are fine then get some calmag or other magnesium supplement into her.

Outside of that she's a great looking plant.

Thank you Mr. Sauga! I have this chart that I look at, and some of the characteristics I notice are micronutrient deficiencies... so I looked into it and I found a lot of people saying that this is extremely rare with soil. The fact that it had been like this for a month now (since I transplanted her to fresh soil), I figured it could be something else... but that thought still remained in my head. I do water with tap water as well.

Why would this one be so much different than the other plant that has the same soil and receives the same water?

 

[MrSauga]

Thank you Mr. Sauga! I have this chart that I look at, and some of the characteristics I notice are micronutrient deficiencies... so I looked into it and I found a lot of people saying that this is extremely rare with soil. The fact that it had been like this for a month now (since I transplanted her to fresh soil), I figured it could be something else... but that thought still remained in my head. I do water with tap water as well.

Why would this one be so much different than the other plant that has the same soil and receives the same water?

There's no one reason really. It could be the type of pheno to a slight imbalance in the soil. The important part is to recognize the problem and address it.

The plant imho does not need a flushing. I would start with some sort of Mg supplement and see where it takes you. The yellowing you see does not look like an N def, but more like excessive Mg def.

 

[parrajara]

There's no one reason really. It could be the type of pheno to a slight imbalance in the soil. The important part is to recognize the problem and address it.

The plant imho does not need a flushing. I would start with some sort of Mg supplement and see where it takes you. The yellowing you see does not look like an N def, but more like excessive Mg def.

I'll give it a try Mr. Sauga. At this point I am out ideas, so willing to try anything. Thank you!

I will provide an update in a week or so She is getting watered tonight, so good timing.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I did give it dolomite lime about a week and a half ago, which has calcium and magnesium... but I guess this is released much more slower ? would you recommend Epsom salts for more immediate effect?

 

[MrSauga]

would you recommend Epsom salts for more immediate effect?

Yes, absolutely! Dolomite as you said is a slower to show it's benefits. Typically you amend your soil first with that, which also helps bring the soils buffering capabilities back up.
One thing you don't want to do is add too much. The more things you throw into the soil the more of chance it has to cause a nutrient lockout, once those additions start to work. Before you know it you have an excess amount of Ca and Mg creating other problems.
A soil test from a lab goes a long way when preparing your own soil.

 

[NuttyProfessor]

I should clarify so I don’t sound like I’m just chomping at the mouth. I had light burn and it looked like this

(k) def also looks very like this , starts tips then the leaf edges , always worth thinking of this too the light burn would be on top unless you had side lighting

 

[MrSauga]

(k) def also looks very like this

True, however they don't turn yellow as you see the worst ones that have. I would have like to have seen more of the margins turning color and pointing up too at this point if it was a K def, which I don't. JMHO .

 

[NuttyProfessor]

Not the OP
the one that is saying led burn its very like (k) it wouldnt be a kick in the ass off it


the pure yellow is getting no light

 

[Pat Puffer]

You said it looked like this before the transplant and that it was root bound before transplant.

People recommend scoring the sides of root balls with a razor to encourage new root growth out of the "ball". Or even gentle squeezing of the ball with gloved hands.

If the roots were too tangled before transplant, there may be a chance they never got out of that ball and are still suffering the same effects.

...just a thought.

 

[NuttyProfessor]

I'll give it a try Mr. Sauga. At this point I am out ideas, so willing to try anything. Thank you!

I will provide an update in a week or so She is getting watered tonight, so good timing.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I did give it dolomite lime about a week and a half ago, which has calcium and magnesium... but I guess this is released much more slower ? would you recommend Epsom salts for more immediate effect?

just be super careful what inputs you add like Mr sauga has stated , it becomes a big overwhelming mess then your completely on the ropes
Potassium deficiency can be caused by soil pH, extreme liming or calcium rich areas of fields, lack of soil oxygen or true soil deficiency.
Next can be (p) excess it can cause a zinc, iron then mag def
if you use a ph down to ph your water , with your soil amendments, and with the (p) boosts the plant it will take up the ph down also (phosphoric acid) depending on how much it takes to get in range it can cause problems in excess ,they take up more cal than (P) so never over do it

the best thing to do is water to 20 percent run off at a ph o 6.4 let dry out almost completely and water again
, what is your tap water sitting at , and is it hard or soft water ?.
get some seaweed extract and look up foliar feeding leaves , it will put the nutes straight into the leaves and your roots can have plain water for a while to see if they perk back up, and the leaves colour up again ,
if the plant still looks hungry after a few watering's then hit it with a good base water soluble nutrients
Any ways that's my little part done

 

[MrSauga]

Great close up shot too @NuttyProfessor . I'd have to agree that it looks more like K def now. Hopefully @parrajara sees your posts and makes adjustments for that. No harm in the extra calmag, but if it's a lockout then it won't help.

 

[parrajara]

Yes, absolutely! Dolomite as you said is a slower to show it's benefits. Typically you amend your soil first with that, which also helps bring the soils buffering capabilities back up.
One thing you don't want to do is add too much. The more things you throw into the soil the more of chance it has to cause a nutrient lockout, once those additions start to work. Before you know it you have an excess amount of Ca and Mg creating other problems.
A soil test from a lab goes a long way when preparing your own soil.

I was reading into it last night, and there are reports of dolomite lime creating a thick layer on the top of the soil. I feel like this happened with my plant, i can feel the top layer of the soil much thicker and it has the greyish look of dolomite lime whenever I poke the soil a little.

(k) def also looks very like this , starts tips then the leaf edges , always worth thinking of this too the light burn would be on top unless you had side lighting

Thank you Nutty! I considered macro deficiencies, but since it has been happening so early on, I figured it has to be something else as well. That is why about a week and a half ago when I gave it dolomite lime, I top dressed it with a VERY mild dose of fertilizer to see if it would react. I hasn't yet, not sure if it should take a bit longer?

You said it looked like this before the transplant and that it was root bound before transplant.

People recommend scoring the sides of root balls with a razor to encourage new root growth out of the "ball". Or even gentle squeezing of the ball with gloved hands.

If the roots were too tangled before transplant, there may be a chance they never got out of that ball and are still suffering the same effects.

...just a thought.

Thank you Puffer! So I ended up pulling the roots when I transplanted it, to avoid this "ball" from occurring. The plant did continue to grow after transplant, but the color never fixed itself. Could I have damaged the roots too much when I pulled them, and they still haven't recovered?