Symptoms: Droopy leaves slowish growth

[Zakkaz]

Hi all, I am looking for advice, this is my second grow. I will attempt to provide as much details as possible. I have searched for days and tried multiple things to resolve. I have followed guides on this site but I think this requires a more experienced growers mind.

Symptoms: Droopy leaves slowish growth
Strain: Diesel
Day19 flowering
18 Leter pot
2x2m tent
600 HPS 1.5 foot from the plant tops
Medium: self made 50% coco coir 35% Perlite 15 Vermiculite
Nutrients: Rock fusion bloom, Rock supercharge (root enhancer)

First of all I put this puppy into flower about 3 weeks early to make space for more in the smaller veg tent. Second and probably part of the problem is that I did not mix calmag or anything into the medium before re-potting just before moving to the flower tent. All the pant in my medium seem to struggle but the other which use Canna terra are going great guns.

What I have tried so far: Thought in might be over watering so I left it for 5 days. It got really dry and situation deteriorated, thought it might be under feeding so upped the water and feed after a flush. The light is 1.5 foot away so I can stick my entire finger down the soil and its dry after two days, this is when I give it a feed. I have tried giving smaller amounts of water, I have tried holding back on the nutes but the plant just does not want to perk up.

This is also the first time I am attempting at scrogging, there are a few budsites that have formed but I just worry about the plants constant droopy look.

Please help!

 

[Zakkaz]

I am trying to upload a picture but not very skilled in forums yet, might be safari

 

[Zakkaz]

Bed time temps go down to 50f and when the lights come on around 77

 

[Zakkaz]

 

[OrganicMan]

Hello mate

From the pic it looks like over watering. I think that because your watering schedule has been out with the flush & then a complete dry out, your plant is probably a little stressed.

How much water are you using & how often?
As a rule the run off should be around 20% of what your putting in.

Are there enough drainage holes in the pot?
Just trying to get the whole picture

 

[Zakkaz]

G'day organic man,

The pot was purpose bought from guys in the know and it drains very well, its got plenty of holes.

This might be noob rush but in the 19 days I have let her go for 5 days but she got bone dry and started to look worse. I have used multiple sources for info which I am sure you know can confuse matters.

So the schedule has been rough. I though it might be to much nutes, so had a flush before the last one. Then mostly every three days. I can stick my finger in all the way and it was dry to touch... bone dry, which most say is the sign to give water. Then I thought maybe I am not watering enough... sigh...

I will hold off watering for the next 4 days and see how she goes and will also install an oil heater, Lights are on during the night to try and combat the winter cold but even so its get down to 13-15c which is 55-60f during nap time.

You are probably right and I am reading up to much. Another fear with coco is that the plant is not getting enough nutriants because the water cycle is so far apart.

Ill keep you up to date how the non watering is going and update a photo by friday.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[OrganicMan]

No worries mate & remember this is all a learning curve

 

[Antics]

Coco should be watered at least once a day, and given nutes every time, with water/nutes PH'ed to 5.8.

 

[BuddroGreen]

Yes, coco is a form of hydro and should be watered everyday, as long as you have drain holes/slots in the bottom of pot, it is virtually impossible to over water coco, fully saturated coco holds 30% oxygen content at the roots. (watering amount is according to plant size & pot size).

50f is pretty cold for the plants, if it is swinging from 50f to 77f I would say that Phosphorus is your problem, looking at the stems I see they are red/purple telling me that it's Phosphorus, because it's harder for the plant to use Phosphorus at lower temperatures. Try to maintain a day to night temp that doesn't swing more than 10f...so in your case 77f day...67f night. Lack of the plant using Phosphorus will stunt growth and slow it down. So I believe it's the night temp that's causing stunted/slow growth, anything under 62f is too low in my book.

Coco video for you.

 

[Zakkaz]

Hi Buddrogreen,

I have seen the clip, its confused me more then anything... So I started to think and went back to the beginning.

I was told by a friend that my coco mix should be 50% Coco 30% Perlite and 20% Vermiculite. I think the vermiculite might be holding too much water, any thoughts?

Also I did not treat my coco mix with anything when I transplanted.

Sorry for the late reply and thanks for the advice.

My next medium will be Canna Terra Pro until I can learn over time how to create my own medium.

 

[Zakkaz]

Also should I add Phosphorus to the mix?

This forum is awesome, access to so much knowledge!

 

[Zakkaz]

I have now got a little oil heater in the tent which should help with matters.

Keeping the temp 20c sleep and 25c under lights.

Will update with a pick by the end of the week.

 

[BuddroGreen]

I mix a 70% coco / 30% perlite for the coco grows, never used vermiculite. Perlite & Vermiculite hold water & aerate the medium, along with the coco pith, it also retains a lot of water. I wouldn't think you would need vermiculite in the mix next time, I never used it and a lot of other growers don't use it in coco and we have had great results without it.

When you transplant into coco most growers will (charge) the coco with a 1/4 - 1/2 strength nutrient solution & cal-mag when preparing the coco medium, it helps to get the plant going.

If you're using Bloom nutrients it should have enough Phosphorus in it to do the job, I believe the cold conditions are your problem.

The oil heater should help things along.

 

[Zakkaz]

I cant thank you enough for taking the time!

This is all going into my grow book.

Ill update some picks later

Thanks again!

 

[Zakkaz]

UPDATE:

Hey all things have been going a little better, thanks for all the help.

Experiencing a little leave curl closer to the middle where the light is strongest. Lifted the light a little.

The plant on the right (the original droopy leave) is still droopy but I think its the strain as the buds are going great!

Ill in crude a wider photo to show the others in the tent.

 

[Antics]

Usually that leaf curl is the first sign of lights too close, or too hot. Good move raising the light

Why not start a grow journal to show off your progress? Sponsors : 420 MAGAZINE ®