Please help! Urgent! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and Purple Kush!

LushezAmber89

New Member
My leaves are starting to die off and look withered. Please tell me what's going on!

Photos in my gallery.

Background info.
This is the second week (2 weeks, 5 days) of our 12/12 lighting to begin flowering. It's been doing great up until now. We planted the seeds march 24th. Based off the leaves, we believe it is a hybrid (sativa/indica). We are growing it in soil. It's actually half and half (some we bought, some was given to us). The bottom half is i BELIEVE Scott's All Purpose Potting Soil. The top half was ours and it was Sta Gro All Purpose Potting Soil. About two weeks after planting, we put it under a 17hr on and 7 hr off cycle. The soil has a slow release fertilizer and we also put some nutrient spikes. We don't really fertilize other than that, but the one we were using was a miracle grow fertilizer that you dissolve in 2 gals of water. We water about every Saturday and Tuesday. We are growing indoors with about 5 HID lights up top directed at different directions on the hybrid, with a separate HID light that is directed towards a new purple kush plant and also directed towards the bottom of our larger plant. The plant is a few inches over 2 feet.

The Problem
I was starting to see a gnat infestation, so I mixed a solution of neem oil and water. I lightly misted the soil and sprayed the bottom and tops of our leaves as well as a little of the stem. It was working but I was still seeing the gnats and it was not working fast enough. Rather than spraying once a week, I began spraying once or twice more during the 7 day period. (at night when the lights were out) The gnats still have not disappeared. I then got desperate and sprayed my soil with a flying insect killer =( (something you would buy from walgreens) This I fear may have done the most damage. Before we were getting a little bit of the webbing from the spider mites, so I added a lady bug. This helped a little but when I began my neem treatments, the lady bug did not like the atmosphere change and left. The gnats continued and my lower leaves are starting to die off. One of which, I saw a few black spots on. They are starting to look a little burned and withered.

Thought 1: I was spraying Neem more frequently than I was supposed to. The leaves were beginning to look shiny even when dry. Perhaps this is causing some sort of magnification that is causing our plants to wither up under the light?

Thought 2: My boyfriend believes there may be a drainage problem. There are not enough holes at the bottom of our 5 gallon bucket that the plant is growing in. However, we do aerate the soil at least once a week.

Thought 3: Some sort of deficiency? Too much fertilizer? Our Ph is closer to 8 but between 7 and 8. I added a little bit of sulfur. Or maybe it is because we are using tap water that has been sitting out over night.


PLEASE HELP!

I know that is a lot of information, but I tried to provide as much background info to get the best answers!

THANKS!
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

To be fair, I don't know a lot about this site so I will just put the links of this pics on here to make it easier.

Before major problems- gnats
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Now
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The Perpetrator
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Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

It sounds like you were spraying too much neem on the plants. Give it time to work. Also dish soap and wate r work very well for killing bugs but it doesn't kill the eggs. Probably too much nutes too. Once a week is usually fine. Some yellowing of leaves are normal. If its a problem pickup some Miracid. 1 teaspoon per gallon once a week and I guarantee you they will great in 2 weeks.
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

Wow. Thank you. I didn't know neem could have a negative effect on the plant.

Do you have any suggestions about what to do for now? I'm scared my plant is withering at a fast rate. Maybe flushing the soil?
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

Am new to this site and don't know how to add or post my questions and concerns, can you help//?
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

Am new to this site and don't know how to add or post my questions and concerns, can you help//?

Hello! I'm also new at this! I'm not sure how it's supposed to be done but here's what I do:

I go up top to the link that says "Grow Room" because that's what most of my questions concern. I look through some of the forums and click on the one that most likely my thread will deal with. Once i've done that, I go to "Forum Tools" and use the drop down for "Post a New Thread".

Hopefully that helps!
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

Sorry I forgot to ask this earlier!

Do pesticides harm your plants?

If any of these questions are answered I am more than appreciated!

THANK YOU!
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

Dude don't worry about it don't change anything!!! Get you some fly strips they will take care of your Nat problem. As far as some of the leaves dieing that Is perfectly normal in the flowering stage they are not needed any more all the plants energy is going into flowering just keep an eye on the tops and stems the fan leaves are going to Die that's a good thing. Keep watering on the same cycle and stop a week before harvest.
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

And YES pesticides will Kill your plants don't use them there are way too many alternatives.:cheer:
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

Yes, you could add some perlite to the soil. I really try to let people know about the detrimental effects MG and Scotts (by the way also made by MG) can have on cannabis plants. The time release nutes are horrific. The MG nutes are also not good. I see that you really have tried hard with these plants. MG and Scotts are made for the masses and don't really meet the specific needs of cannabis. Nute burns are easy especially since you were adding the liquid nutes. What is the ph of the solution that you are using to water? Pesticides can harm your plants if you go overboard. You should definitely follow the directions for those. ;-) How are the spider mites doing? Your plants actually look pretty good despite the spidermite problem. Let me know if you need any more help.
 
Pics and Update

*** Before reading this response, here is the info on the pics:

Yellow- Spider Mite/Gnat (?) Damage
Orange- Dark Black Spots- they are beginning to spread but not heavily- mostly at the lower nodes but still a bit towards the top
Red- Burn Damage (?) from I'm not sure what- also beginning to spread
**There are more pictures at the bottom

THANK YOU ALL!

Your plants actually look pretty good despite the spidermite problem.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! This was very encouraging. I was on the verge of tears before this! We've really put a lot of time into this and it felt like we weren't doing enough.

Before I read your messages, I freaked out and flushed the soil. I flushed it once, added drainage holes, aerated the soil, flushed it again, and then aerated the soil. I made sure to allow most of the water out because I've never flushed it before and I don't want it to be too much water and cause drooping.

Pesticides can harm your plants if you go overboard.
I see that now =( That's mainly when the black spots began on the lower leaves, but i cannot say for sure that is the problem. Coincidentally, this is when the gnats were really attacking our plants, I was over neeming, and budding should've started showing so who knows what the cause was. I made sure not to get it on the plant itself but my boyfriend warned me that when you water it will cause the pesticides to go deeper into the soil and your roots will absorb them. I hoped for the best and that is probably what ended up happening.

What is the ph of the solution that you are using to water?

The ph of our water is also between a 7 and 8 but closer to an 8. I was scared this was a little high so i added some powdered sulfur to our water and have been spraying with it. It hasn't really changed the pH much but if it has it has lowered it a tad bit. We plan on flushing our soil with distilled water starting July 1st and only using distilled water until the 13th. We then plan on harvesting on the 15th (depending on the trichomes of course).

How are the spider mites doing?
They are still causing damage =( I see no sign of them, but i definitely see the damage:

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It could be the gnats but i suspect something more. The neem oil has helped but actually not enough. I plan on trying a soap solution found on this site so we will see what happens.


As far as some of the leaves dieing that Is perfectly normal in the flowering stage they are not needed any more all the plants energy is going into flowering just keep an eye on the tops and stems the fan leaves are going to Die that's a good thing.
I had no idea that the leaves would die off towards flowering! That is very helpful!
As well as:
The time release nutes are horrific. The MG nutes are also not good. I see that you really have tried hard with these plants. MG and Scotts are made for the masses and don't really meet the specific needs of cannabis.
Luckily this was my practice plant so I will know not to buy that sort of soil again, but it's still my baby so I will do just about anything to nurse it back to health.

Tomorrow
I am buying perlite and fly strips FOR SURE and I will be uploading the more recent photos to let everyone see the updated health. I am also looking into the miracid as well as a soap solution for our leaves.

The suggestions were VERY helpful! I cannot express my gratitude enough!

If anyone would like to add more advice, I am always open

:thanks::thanks::thanks:

Lower Nodes

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Upper Fan Leaves

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Upper Fan Leaves- more of burn and black spots
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Ha you posted the same time I did! Jinx! If you are going to purchase soil Fox Farms "Ocean Forest" and "Light Warrior" are very popular for cannabis and can be mixed together for an even better combo. Sounds like you are on the right track with the perlite and fly strips. I agree for the issues you are having they still look pretty good. Aside from the spider mite damage the upper growth looks good.
 
I actually loved the ladybugs! Plus it seemed to be good luck! But my first ladybug seemed a little lazy. She didn't really do her job. Perhaps she just worked at night? She stayed the longest though. The one we added during her stay didn't like the atmosphere at all! She was really hyper and wouldn't eat the gnats! I personally did not see either of them eat the gnats but they lived somehow?

Haha =)
 
Thanks! =) That will honestly help me sleep a little bit better tonight. I'm definitely going to have to look into that soil. Do you think they would have it at Lowes or Home Depot?
 
Re: PLEASE Help!!! URGENT! 1st time grower! Hybrid problems and purple kush!

Hello! I'm also new at this! I'm not sure how it's supposed to be done but here's what I do:

I go up top to the link that says "Grow Room" because that's what most of my questions concern. I look through some of the forums and click on the one that most likely my thread will deal with. Once i've done that, I go to "Forum Tools" and use the drop down for "Post a New Thread".

Hopefully that helps!

Thanks that advice was awsome this hole site is amazing I even started a journal Ha ha One LUV:slide::grinjoint:
 
Maybe it's because I don't use nutrients? I'm not sure. I stopped adding nutrients probably in april or early may but it also has time released nutes so I'm a little bit confused.
 
Update

*Pictures coming soon*

After flushing, our plant has stopped dying. Damage has already been done and moved up to the node before our top but luckily it has ceased =) Big fan leaves are dying off but the smaller stems with leaves have stayed. We added a fan for extra strength and we plan on seeing health within the next two weeks and we'll update with pictures!

We didn't get to run the errands Saturday, but we got started today and the homemade pest control thread really helped!

Kudo's to SmokeyMacPot's Thread :nicethread:

We used the soap solution but only on the soil. It seems to be an almost instantaneous killer =) We had gnat larvae and i was beginning to get worried but I feel our plant will pull through. =)

We also stopped using two of the lights because we felt maybe 5 was too many during budding and that has also helped.

Our purple kush is also doing better! =))))

If anyone has any advice on growing the Purple Kush strain, feel free to suggest! :yummy:

Lots of love!
 
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