Newbie plant health issues

[Lilnuggs]

How often should I be adding nutrients to my water, my plants are 6 weeks old, in 5 gallon fabric pots, soil is sunshine mix#4 with 2 cups of worm castings and extra Dolomite limerick help buffer ph.
I have only been giving them 1/4 of the dosage recommended on the bottle( General hydroponics grow formula) could my problems be that I’m not feeding them enough? And should you feed every time you water, or alternate?
Plants are getting brown spots that start from the veins of the leaf, some of the new growth has dark brown almost brown tips, plus some leaves the tips are pointing down, any help greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[Sierra Cowboy]

Do you smoke tobacco ? the reason I ask is that looks like tobacco Mosaic, just an uneducated guess but that's my guess

 

[Sierra Cowboy]

I just went and looked at the pictorial on pests and problems and your plants are BORON def. poster children. There is a lot of information about it on that page you should check it out

 

[bobrown14]

Looks like you soil is pretty dry thats the first thing.

2nd thing is: Whats your water supply. Looks to me like you're having water pH issues and its messing with your nutrient uptake. Gotta dial in the water first then move on to the rest.

So if you're using bottled nutrients follow the label instruction on how to pH your water or water and nutrients. Definitely looks pH related to me. Older growth going south usually is water issues it doesn't look like too much nutrients to me.

 

[Lilnuggs]

Do you smoke tobacco ? the reason I ask is that looks like tobacco Mosaic, just an uneducated guess but that's my guess

Non smoker, tobacco that is

 

[Lilnuggs]

Looks like you soil is pretty dry thats the first thing.

2nd thing is: Whats your water supply. Looks to me like you're having water pH issues and its messing with your nutrient uptake. Gotta dial in the water first then move on to the rest.

So if you're using bottled nutrients follow the label instruction on how to pH your water or water and nutrients. Definitely looks pH related to me. Older growth going south usually is water issues it doesn't look like too much nutrients to me.

Looks like you soil is pretty dry thats the first thing.

2nd thing is: Whats your water supply. Looks to me like you're having water pH issues and its messing with your nutrient uptake. Gotta dial in the water first then move on to the rest.

So if you're using bottled nutrients follow the label instruction on how to pH your water or water and nutrients. Definitely looks pH related to me. Older growth going south usually is water issues it doesn't look like too much nutrients to me.

My water ph is 7.0 from the tap, three waterings ago my runoff was brown and was ph 5.5, so I have just been giving them tap water that has sat out for 24 hrs or so to eliminate any chlorine.
Watering is confusing to me, I stick my finger in the pot, about 1inch or so, the soil feels cool, but not wet, how should it feel?
I just put them into the 5 gallon fabric pots, so I’m still getting used to the feel, however my soilless mix drains well, and I’ve been giving half the recommended nutrient amount.

 

[Sierra Cowboy]

I tried the testing the soil method of watering and scheduling but the only thing that works is reading the plant. When the plant is reaching for the sun it is because it has enough strength to do that. On the other hand if it is staring at it's roots it's like the cat setting at the food bowl "feed me". My plants are very easy to read and very responsive when I get it right, there are a few tutorials on watering and a great tutorial on pests and problems on this site that will help you. As always your ultimate tool is this forum good luck and keep asking questions

 

[Lilnuggs]

I tried the testing the soil method of watering and scheduling but the only thing that works is reading the plant. When the plant is reaching for the sun it is because it has enough strength to do that. On the other hand if it is staring at it's roots it's like the cat setting at the food bowl "feed me". My plants are very easy to read and very responsive when I get it right, there are a few tutorials on watering and a great tutorial on pests and problems on this site that will help you. As always your ultimate tool is this forum good luck and keep asking questions

I’m going to water them , I mixed my nutrient at .75 ml per litre, the ph shows around 6.5 and my run off came out acidic, around 5.0 , Do I do something now, or wait till next watering and use ph up to around 7.5?
First photo is runoff second was start point!

 

[Lilnuggs]

I’m going to water them , I mixed my nutrient at .75 ml per litre, the ph shows around 6.5 and my run off came out acidic, around 5.0 , Do I do something now, or wait till next watering and use ph up to around 7.5?
First photo is runoff second was start point!

Also just read that soilless( which I believe sunshine mix#4 is.) would be considered soilless, so is it safe to say I’m not that far out of range ph wise? I guess we will see.

 

[VanIslandConnoisseur]

you can flush medium with ph 10 water to raise, trust me its fine.

adjust to 10, water until run off reaches 6.1 for hydro or 6.5 for living soil. you will have to feed afterwards most likely

 

[VanIslandConnoisseur]

if using bottled salt nutrients, forget about soil microbiogy and flush like i said til run off is 6.1 or 6.5 then feed with reccomended veg food strength ppm and smile afterwards

 

[Lilnuggs]

So should I wait till next watering to do this, or is this a ASAP thing?
So just to be clear, I water with ph 10 water until runoff, then test runoff, if not in range, water some more until in range, then water with nutrient right afterwards.

 

[VanIslandConnoisseur]

do it right away, no point waiting

 

[VanIslandConnoisseur]

and yes exactly you should use about 2 -4L of water per gallon of medium, rough estimate of what you will use

 

[Lilnuggs]

Ok, just worried about overwatering, so I’ll need 16 litres of ph 10 water per plant in order to flushing down to proper ph, correct.
Then how much nutrient water will I need, about the same, it takes usually 8 litres to get decent run off!