Sick Sativas - Advice Welcome

[DanCampos]

Hi friends, I´ve been growing some sativa seeds that has came my hands just to test my grow cabinet, but I dont like to see them suffering. They are not doing so well. I think that bad genetics are a factor, because they came from some paraguayan weed. But Im sure that I am doing something wrong also.

Plants Type: Unknown South American Sativa

Medium: Biomix Soil PH 6.4 (In the pack says that it has some NPK, but don´t says the ammount) -

Light 250w HPS - Ventilator Cooled (Temp 26-29c in the room, impossible to go under this, is hot where i live)

Humidity 39-65%

I water them at the same PH, and the runoff water is aways at 6.4.

The number One sprouted in 09/05/14 and the Number 2 in 11/05. (they stayed in a 70W CFL for 20 days, and now are being vegged in HPS.

See the pic below. If need some more please ask and I wil post. Ths for the help!!!

And the Number two. (It has stretched even whith a lot of light)

Sick Sativas - 420 Magazine Photo Gallery


Pictures taken in 01/june/2014

 

[DanCampos]

Re: Sick sativas - help

 

[LordofDanknis]

Re: Sick sativas - help

If you planted that long ago, those plants are hungry and are eating themselves. I know this is hard to hear since you've done all this hard work, but TBH, I'd start over with some new seeds and in about 3 weeks they'll be about the size if not bigger than they are now and they'll have a much better vigor throughout the grow. Normal harvest times are between 4-9 months on average. If you don't believe me, try it and see.

 

[DanCampos]

Re: Sick sativas - help

First of all, thanks a lot Dank for helping me with this. I won´t kill them because I´m using them for learning purposes.

So, after reading a lot and eliminating all other possibilities (apart from bad genetics, and seed age, because they are seedbags after all, and some hot soil in seedling stage that I already flushed)

I was thinking of root bound. So I´ve transplanted the number One plant to a 6 galon pot and voilá!!! She is bouncing back!!!! I left the other one in the small pot to see how long it goes. Tomorow I will put the number one to flower.

Like you said, I´m looking to a loooong flowering period above 5 months, hence the grow rates of this unknown strain. But I need to see it finished, and Im not in a hurry, since my JDS seeds never came. They are all I have at the moment, and I have some other seeds from the same batch. I sprouted another one 3 days ago, in rockwool this time, and I´ll try growing it in COCO, to see if I can get some better results.

I´ll post some pictures soon!!! Your opinnions are much aprecciated.

 

[DanCampos]

This is the plant number one, I´ve transplanted it to a much larger pot, and it it reacting very well.

Now the number two, is dying for sure, but lets see how long I can sustain it alive (Ill keep watering it as usual, no feeding , because It seems over fert.

 

[LordofDanknis]

Congrats on the progress Dan!

You're as stubborn as I am. Lol, and your plants remind me a lot of when I first started.
I agree that your plants could be root bound, but that's not the only reason that they look like that. Respectfully, as I said before, they are hungry and require more nutes. (KingJohn reccommends feeding once the cotyledons have yellowed/withered-which for me is usually around two weeks.) After about 2 months, even "hot soil" and root bound plants will have almost completely depleted the nutrients in the soil, especially if you've done some flushing, and you're plants are 10 and 8 months old.

I'm glad you transplanted, that was a good idea. When you transplanted #1, you also added more soil (with nutes) which is partly why that one is now looking MUCH better. They have a few deficiencies, most notably the Nitrogren defeciency which is why #1 is looking much greener and it's vigour is returning. I suggest you do the same for #2 otherwise it will not last much longer. Another reason that transplanting was good, like you said, is that the roots will have more room to expand and the PH will also remain much more stable, which is important.

When I first started growing, overfeeding was my #1 fear especially after reading on different forums and such, and like you I went months without feeding (cause I had "hot soil") and saw what I truly believed to be nute burn (my plants looked EXACTLY like yours), but the truth is that extreme hunger mimics nute burn and it's hard (for new growers especially) to deteremine the difference. I offer my advice as someone who has seen a harvest or two, and I'm sure others will agree: If you feed them it will make ALL the difference.
I hope all is well with you and with your plants and I wish you the stickiest of herbs sir!

 

[DanCampos]

Man I was worried that it was a nutriente burn. Because they are only 28days and 26days old, and the soil already had some nutes, i Gave them nothing until now. Shoul I feed them? I have some Botanicare Pure Blend ProGrow 3-2-4. Im thinking in going slow at about 25% of the bottle recomendations. I read thar sativas are very picky about nutes.

 

[LordofDanknis]

Ok, sorry. I saw: "The number One sprouted in 09/05/14 and the Number 2 in 11/05" and assumed MO/DA/YEAR format.

Ok, 26 and 28 days is not nearly as bad. I was wondering how those things were even alive with that long without feed. XD
If that's indeed the case, then you were right in assuming that the plants are root bound. (Your plants could have also been burned initially by the hot soil.) Small pots can cause the plant to grow slowly, become rootbound quickly, and the PH fluctuates MUCH more frequently which can cause multiple deficiencies. I'd transplant #2 to a larger container if I were you, and you'd probably be just fine with the 25% feed, but if you feel uncomfortable, wait and see how the transplant affects them. I'd transplant them in the largest container possible for the most stable PH, and it will result in a much higher yield for you. Keep us updated!

 

[LordofDanknis]

Have you started a journal for this grow yet?

 

[DanCampos]

Have you started a journal for this grow yet?

No I haven´t. I was thinking about the severe health problems of plant number two and mantaining this grow journal in the problems and diseases. Maybe this could help some people. I´ll keep the #2 plant pot bounded so we can compare to the #1 (and I don´t have the space to a larger pot in my flowering unit). They are in flowering day two, today. Later I´ll post some pictures. I´ll transplant the #3 seedling (it is in a rockwool cube, pics soon) to COCO, and see how it goes. What do you think?

 

[LordofDanknis]

Sounds good to me!
And, I think that's an excellent idea! So few threads in the problems section ever have follow-up, it's
kind of sad when I see the wealth of knowledge we're losing by people being too prideful. I'm definitely
down for a redemption grow! XD

 

[DanCampos]

Photo taken in 06-10-1014 - #1 plant is getting better. New shoots are very healthy.


Now the plant #2

Its still alive but has major growth problems (root bound and it was nutrient burnt when seedling, because the soil already had NPK in the formula)

I think they are picky about nutes. Im still a little relutant to feed. Not giving them food yet. Will wait a little longer.

Poor baby #2

 

[YourHighness]

Hey DanCampos

I'm really glad to see that you've figured out your problem!

I just wanted to say that the idea to transplant the one and not the other was a good one in my opinion as a grower who wants to learn! Now you have seen firsthand how the difference in environment affects growth, and you've shown everyone that has viewed this thread! Thank you for that!

+REPS

 

[DanCampos]

Pics taken today (06/20/2014)

Some updates. I think that my plant isnt sick anymore. I say plant because I had kill the male yesterday. It was a tuff call because I still had something to learn from him. He was a sturdy little bastard that due to stress and root bound matured very early and started to release some pólen. Ill post pics from him. RIP. The female is looking promissing, and that is why the male had to go. No space for both. She is now 42 days old, 11 days in flowering. 2 feet tall. She is a thin sativa, growing healthy now. Topped 4 days ago. Two tops already growing.Feed her today 4ml Botanicare Bloom. Im happy guys!!!! It will be a long flowering time but Ill keep you updated. Thanks for the help. Opinnions are aways welcome.

 

[DanCampos]

A better one.

 

[DanCampos]

This is pollen right? The male had some balls. When two of them opened, Ive decided that it was time for him to go.

 

[David Bowman]

Those are stamens, male flowers, which contain pollen and at least two of them have opened and spread their pollen.