Late flowering problems

[SeanOChuinn]

Hey guys, complete newbies here, looking for some help hopefully.

We're growing an AK47 Royal Queen Sativa/Inca Mix autoflower in standard soil. We've been very careful with pH levels, soil = 6.5 water = 5.8 we've added a little bit of nutrient (General Hydroponics), but along recommended guidelines. For the last 11 days it's been under an Lumni Sunblaster 400W HPS light (originally under a 65W 6400K CFL during vegetative stage) we're keeping watering under close control as in not too much or too little and on the last watering we did a day ago we got a 2000 PPM run off, which I know is a little high, but didn't think was too bad given it's flowering now.

We're 42 days in and all appeared to be going great. But then this happened:

Today i see the leaves have gotten even more yellowed and I'm panicking a bit! Don't want to lose her now after coming so far.

Would anyone have any ideas what might be happening. Would really appreciate some feedback.

 

[Buzzzxx]

It looks like a possible copper deficiency. Yellowing like that is usually copper deficiency or could be potassium deficiency.

 

[SeanOChuinn]

Thanks Buzzz. Just did a quick google seems banana skins under the surface of the soil might be way to increase potassium. Any ideas about increasing copper? This is what it looks like now...

 

[Buzzzxx]

Generally a copper deficiency is caused by ph lockout. You dont need to supplement with more copper but have the right ph level so the plants will uptake what they need.

 

[Buzzzxx]

Also copper deficiency is more common when using ro water since everything has been removed. Try using ph'd tap water or a jug of spring water and see if that helps. Good luck brother

 

[bluenoserjoe]

My concern would be all the little white dots i'm seeing on the leaves. A real close look would be in order.

 

[SeanOChuinn]

The white dots appear to be the start of the yellow leaves Blue. At this point we really don't know what to do. We're thinking there's about another 10 days of growth needed for the buds to be near harvesting and if she's fit to survive it we'll just have to wait and see. And if she does then there's no telling what the quality might be like. But we'll flush it in a few days and hopefully see it getting close to ready for harvesting and basically let her be lucky I guess.

 

[bluenoserjoe]

Ok, so then a calcium deficiency looks a lot like this. Try a teaspoon of dolomite lime in a gallon of water, see if this helps, won't repair any damage but should help growth in the next week or so until ready.Best of luck.

 

[SmokingWings]

We're 42 days in and all appeared to be going great.

Just out of curiousity, does this mean 42 days from the seed sprouting? Or 42 days since flowering started?

I am thinking that it is 42 days from the seed sprouting. You mention in msg #7:

"At this point we really don't know what to do. We're thinking there's about another 10 days of growth needed for the buds to be near harvesting and if she's fit to survive it we'll just have to wait and see."

I thought that auto-flowers still need about 8 weeks of flowering time and that plant looks like it has been flowering for about 2 weeks. There could be 6 more weeks to go and not 10 days.

Let the group know if you mean a mineral soil or a hydroponic type of soil-less mix when you mention "standard soil". Reason I am bringing this up is that a coco coir based soil or a hydro style soil is very different than the natural mineral soils. The best ways to head off this problem and give you a healthy plant that will make it till the flowers are ripe is to know some more details about what the plant is growing in.

Looks to me like the plant can be saved and a decent stash could be waiting for you in several weeks.

 

[SeanOChuinn]

Hi Smoking,

We're 42 days from first planting. We think about 25 days into flowering we just never copped that it was flowering...amateurs

But now i think we've worked out what was wrong...fools!!

The temperature was 36° C so that is DEFINITELY an issue!!

We've raised the light a little and have moved the fan to try create more air circulation. The heat in the area is currently down to 29° so hopefully we can stay getting it down another few degrees more.

In relation to the soil Smoking, its just a potting plant "soil" mix, not hydroponic. There are supposedly some nutrients mixed in. The other factors such as pH for soil is good:

We flushed it earlier as it was showing way too high ppm at 4,000+ and have it down to 1,500+ now so hopefully that improves that situation.

From anyone's experience do you guys think we were just too hot in there? Is she salvageable do you think??

Thanks!

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

Welcome. A soil pH meter is not accurate. Testing the soil pH is a lab test. You need an accurate pH meter, and a saturated paste made with de-ionized water. Runoff TDS is not of much value. If the soil is made from organic matter, organic acids will increase your runoff TDS. My bet is your "soil" is not very good. Which brand? Most have time release fertilizers. Which series GH nutrients are you using? You may need micro nutrients. You may also have mites. Check under the leaves with at least 10X magnification. I use a jeweler's loupe.

 

[SeanOChuinn]

Hey Bush. We used a general potting mix, it no doubt had slow release nutrients in it alright, I'm sorry the bag is since gone so I have no idea what brand, but a typical indoor potting mix "soil"

General Hydroponics were the nutrients we used, they're micro nutrients. Ok I'll try pick up a magnifying glass somewhere.

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

Hey Bush. We used a general potting mix, it no doubt had slow release nutrients in it alright, I'm sorry the bag is since gone so I have no idea what brand, but a typical indoor potting mix "soil"

General Hydroponics were the nutrients we used, they're micro nutrients. Ok I'll try pick up a magnifying glass somewhere.

Next time get a good grow media. You need a loupe, not a magnifying glass. They are different.

 

[Nicholas Flamel]

Like previously mentioned, by the looks of it you still have a ways to go in flower b4 harvest. Harvesting too early will dramatically cut down on yield and potency. A loupe also comes in handy to check the trichomes when u get closer to harvest. Hope u get it worked out. Good luck.

 

[SmokingWings]

Hey Bush. We used a general potting mix, it no doubt had slow release nutrients in it alright, I'm sorry the bag is since gone so I have no idea what brand, but a typical indoor potting mix "soil"

General Hydroponics were the nutrients we used, they're micro nutrients. Ok I'll try pick up a magnifying glass somewhere.

As @Bush Doctor 77 says, get a good growing media the next time around.

The problem with general potting soil mixes is just that, they are general inexpensive mixes meant for indoor house plants.

Most of them are intended to be a soil to keep house plants alive. Not growing or flowering, just staying alive with some green leaves while it sits in a window. Many of these can be 50%, or more, peat moss. The soil that is then added in has little going for it so that is why they have to add some slow release nutrients. I have also seen some of these general soil mixes with about 15% sand and they were not intended for cactus, the sand was just a filler.

I stopped buying general potting mixes decades ago unless it was on clearance and I wanted to see what was in it.