Light burn or nutrient problem

[tablelegslim]

I just noticed i have some sort of burn on my leaves. Unsure if its a nutrient problem but its location has me leaning towards light burn. I have some fluorescent bulbs overhead approximately 12” away which makes me think light burn. But it isnt the top most cola so thats why im confused. It seems as if it were light burn it would be on the most top cola? And nutrient burn seens it would start on lower leaves first?

 

[Emilya Green]

that is not a burn, it is a potassium deficiency.

 

[TorturedSoul]

You're not going to burn plants with fluorescent bulbs a foot away unless you've somehow found a six-pack of 509-watt ones. I didn't at less distance with those big, awkward-looking 250-watt ones.

Light burn causes issues at the top of the plant, closest to the (very hot) light. The affected area will eventually go crunchy. Light bleaching affects the same area, closest to the (intensely bright) light, and that area will begin losing chlorophyll and, therefore, its green color.

That is neither of those things.

 

[TorturedSoul]

that is not a burn, it is a potassium deficiency.

Oops, you posted while I was dealing with other tabs' threads. Thanks.

 

[tablelegslim]

that is not a burn, it is a potassium deficiency.

So its in need of potassium or too much potassium

 

[tablelegslim]

Or i should have asked how do i correct this problem?

 

[Emilya Green]

So its in need of potassium or too much potassium

deficiency, it doesn't have enough. The prime directive is to build those buds, but since there isn't enough potassium to go around, it is now being taken from the storehouses in the leaves

 

[Emilya Green]

Or i should have asked how do i correct this problem?

That depends entirely on how you got the problem in the first place.

 

[tablelegslim]

Thanks a bunch. What would be the best way to deal with that problem? Im growing in organic soil

 

[Emilya Green]

how are you feeding your plants in organic soil?

 

[tablelegslim]

I top dressed with 4-4-4 all purpose, mykos, bone meal, worm castings and azomite lime

 

[tablelegslim]

And i do compost teas every week or two

 

[Emilya Green]

ok, so the 4-4-4 was immediately available, and not a lot of K in it, so it is gone... myco are not food, but fungi... worm castings is very little food, and some microbes... bone meal is good but it will take ages to break down and become available to the plant, same with the azomite.... so yeah, I bet they are getting hungry. Any plans on getting some more microbes in there?

 

[Emilya Green]

And i do compost teas every week or two

oh, got this as I hit enter.... ok, there are some microbes.... what are in your teas? any potassium? Are these actively aerated teas?

 

[tablelegslim]

Ill get some banana peels and make a tea with that while i brew up some compost tea. Yes i aerate it for a few days in a bucket with cheese cloth with an aerator for a septic tank so its getting plenty aeration. I use worm castings, kelp, molasses and some compost out of my compost bin.

 

[tablelegslim]

Should i get something like fox farms big bloom to get the potassium to it as soon as i can. Theres a nursery down the road i can go pick some up they carry all fox farms line of products

 

[Emilya Green]

There is lots of K in banana peels. I suggest boiling some for a few hours and applying that to your plants on your next watering. Greensand, rock dust, potash, seaweed and kelp meal are also often added to a soil to increase the potassium. It sounds like your soil recipe was not quite ready for prime time. I suggest checking out @GeoFlora Nutrients, so you can maintain an organic grow, but also bring to the table all the stuff this grow is missing. Your teas sound like a good attempt, but not a tea designed to bring in the microbes that deal with processing potassium. You can make this work, but you are going to have to work at it now that you know what is lacking.

 

[tablelegslim]

oh, got this as I hit enter.... ok, there are some microbes.... what are in your teas? any potassium? Are these actively aerated teas?

Now that i think about it ill check tomorrow one of my branches snapped at the bottom pretty badly i just wired her back together. Its only on that one branch so before i go to much on her ill check to see if thats the branch thats broken.

 

[Emilya Green]

Big blooms will help... it is a good additive to a compost tea to get things rockin... throw some kelp meal in there too. bubble it up for a couple of days with some molasses and throw your banana peel juice in there too. It will definitely give a good hit of K.

 

[tablelegslim]

Thanks a bunch. I will know tomorrow what steps are necessary if it isnt that broken branch