I wanted to get your opinion on some yellowing leaves/burnt tips etc. I can't tell if it's an excess or deficiency of nutrients, or if it's normal for this stage. I used 1lb NLS Autoflower mixed (super soil concentrate) with Ocean Forest in the lower 1/3rd-ish of a 5gal fabric pot. I use bottled Spring Water - pH was 6.3. I had to switch from buying smaller bottled to bigger 1gal bottles that were from a different spring where the pH was 7.8 (Good thing I checked), so I pH it to roughly 6.5 using Earth Juice. Its organic so I do not water to run off, thus is hard to check the soil pH, but I have pH'ed the water every time. The only other thing I have added is Recharge (microbes/fungi) every 3rd watering. I am roughly on week 4 or 5 of flowering. I am running a Viparspectra XS1500 about 18 inches @ 80% 18/6. PPFD is roughly 600-700, which puts my DLI between 40-45ish. It was a bit higher and I lowered it recently because I was seeing some white tips. It's a White Widow Autoflower. I have attached a bunch of pics.
Nute excess or deficiency, normal? Pics
- Thread starter nitroboi
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I never water till run off since im using organic soil with no fert. Soil directions explicitly say DONT water till run off. I I use a Sustee soil moisture sensor which typically indicates the soil needs water every 2 days - top of soil is dry. The sensor has been used the entire grow and hasn't been an issue as of yet.
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Ive decide to go with my gut and put it down to a deficiency. Judging by the fact that its slowly progressed bottom up, …..and other reasons my intuition is unable to articulate. The tip burn is what throws my off. Although from reading, some deficiencies cause it. This is one Con for growing in organic “water till harvest” soil - less control. If i were using bottled nutes, i could judge easier. I bought some Dr Earth Flowergirl for this reason. Itsadry amendment so maybe i’ll give 1/4 on next water and see. Then really really hope its not an excess and it makes it worse.
Not only the burnt tips, in addition there's a little clawing, also the leaves have a waxy look, which generally means too much nitrogen. I think I'd try some cal-mag first, and see what that does. If it doesn't help, I think your might need to flush out some N. I read the info on NLS Autoflower, and you might have mixed it a little hot, supossed to use 1 lb for a 5 gallon container, mixed with potting soil, if you made a layer that wasn't as mixed, it might be too hot in one strata, additionally FFOF, is a kinda hot soil to begin with. Just my .02
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- #6
Yeah, shes had that waxy look almost the whole grow. I mixed it according to the directions, 1lb mixed with an organic potting soil in the 1/3 of a 5gal. Then the remaining 2/3 is HappyFrog. You think its takin 5 weeks into flower before her roots tasted the botton third?
Possibly it took that long, but it's more likely that with the plant going into flower it's N requirements are not a high as they were during veg. But I could be way off base. Hopefully we'll hear from others.
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Alright, changed my mind. Going the nute excess route.. easier to add nutes later rathrr than take them out. pH’ed 2400ml @ 6.4 - hopefully it will be enough for some run off. Also turned the light down to 75% - 600 ppfd to reduce stress while not starving her. Slowly work it back up when shes better.
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In the pursuit of science I went ahead and flushed a small amount of water out of the pot (less than 200ml). Came out pH 5.9ish 720ppm. I then put another 300ml of water through in and the SMALL amount of water that came out - barely enough for a reading - pH 5.9ish 1050ppm. pH seems slightly low, although theoretically, if the textbooks are right, the soil microbes can feed a range of nutes at a pretty wide range of pH. In any event, good to know. In hindsight, I wish I would have flushed with 6.8 pH water instead of 6.3 I will just monitor and use pH 6.8 water next watering.
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I ended up contacting the Nature Living Soils guys to see what they thought. They recommended their standard flush to 'reset' the soil. I flushed with ph 6.8 water with 1/2 dose of cal/mag. pH came out 6.1-6.2ish. I also added 8oz of Recharge. I... dont think i see a positive change 72 hours later. It actually seems to be getting worse - spreading to other leaves. I added another half dose of cal/mag to this watering (last night). I think she is actually in week 5 of flower (breeder estimates an 8 week flower) - I cant help but wonder if its just running its course. My gut tells me something is wrong but...its an organic grow.
There are 2 plants in these pics...some of the other ones leaves are in the pics.
There are 2 plants in these pics...some of the other ones leaves are in the pics.
I think you should probably stop flushing the remaining nutrients out of your super soil, which looks like it’s running out of juice. Those brown tips are not nute burn - it’s K def. I see N def and Mg def as well.
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- #12
I have some Dr Earth Flower Girl 3-9-4 - do you think I should add maybe 1/2 dose? Or would it not even have time to make a difference/too close to the end?I think you should probably stop flushing the remaining nutrients out of your super soil, which looks like it’s running out of juice. Those brown tips are not nute burn - it’s K def. I see N def and Mg def as well.
I think it needs N and K more than P. And a dry fertilizer top dress is going to take some time to work.
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- #14
You can try to find a fertilizer that you can add to water to make a solution. Are you in the States?
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- #16
I am, yes. Looks like I need some liquid POTASHHHH
One of our sponsors has a product called Terpinator, which is 4% potassium.
You might want to get some CalMag also.
You might want to get some CalMag also.
This is a good article on plant nutrition
Too late for these flowers but, correct these numbers. Viparspectra XS1500 about 18 inches @ 80% on 18/6.
The data sheet on the XS1500 has 12"-16" @ 100% for 12/12 in flower. This will change your whole story. Your buds will be softer than they could be. It's a nice light and a sweet upgrade to just get more of the same lamps. I use (2) XS1500 and added (1) XS2000 into a 3x4 tent. Considering the data and price on these lamps I could have added 1500's. Then I would have 4 separate lamps to adjust height for each plant, 2-4 plants work well for me. Damn the DLI calculations. These plants need light. From seed or clone to keep them less skinny, drop the lamp as close as you can as soon as possible. I wean mine closer and closer but not over amp your plants. Other stuff as well like where are the phosphates and sulphates? Epsom salts rock. I don't know your nutes. No clue what you did to develop your roots from the top to the bottom.
A good shot in the arm for these needy plants could have been some molasses from the grocery store. Read the labels and get the one with the most potassium, they generally range from 300-600mg/TBS K. There are many other minerals in there as well. Some people even think molasses feeds the soil microbes. The sugar does add to the equation but, time is critical when you spoon feed plants
