TDS & pH: measuring when you can’t get dirt by roots

[NorCAKnowYourGrow]

I’m using fabric pots and I’m not sure I can safely get dirt from the down deep roots without damaging them. The roots tend to grow into the pots a bit.

I want to measure TDS and because I am really struggling to figure out what the hell is wrong with my girls. I’ve done several things to try and bring them back to perky and so far I am losing. They first appear underfed, then overfed, so I want to get a clearer picture of the soil and see if I’m in lockout by pH or under or over feeding.

I scraped up the soil down about 3” before I started seeing little roots. So I took a sample from there but I have no idea if I will get an accurate reading with the dirt so close to the top (my pots are 7 and 10 gallons so there is another 7-9” before I’d get to the bottom).

Will this top dirt naturally show a lower reading?

Should I just damn the torpedoes and find a way to get dirt from the bottom? I’m almost considering taking an exacto knife to the bottom and spooning out some dirt but tipping them over to do this seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

Thoughts?

 

[Buds Buddy]

Post pics of the plants & we can tell you what's up. -Or- you can keep guessing & lose the battle. That's my thoughts.

 

[Dwight Monk]

Measuring TDS of soil? Can't see that telling you anything at all, ph maybe a little but hard to get any kind of accurate measure of that. Let alone what number is "normal/correct" for TDS if there is even such a thing?

How to Ask for Grow Support

It is VERY hard to help diagnose plant problems if we don't have all the required information. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT The ONLY way to receive optimal feedback and support is to provide photos! Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos REQUIRED READING FOR ALL NEW GROWERS! How to...

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More info on what you have done and how you been doing it along with pics will help you get better advice.

They first appear underfed, then overfed,

Along with what made you think that and what did you change, changing the variables all the time will bite you more often in the backside than letting the plant adapt and carry on, especially if you chasing problems that may not have been there and making problems with your changes.

 

[NorCAKnowYourGrow]

Post pics of the plants & we can tell you what's up. -Or- you can keep guessing & lose the battle. That's my thoughts.

Honestly, I posted pictures a week ago and got such a random bunch of responses....I wasn’t sure what was right. I got they’re overfed. They’re underfed. That’s about it. Which is why i didn’t start there here. But if you’re up for diagnosis, by all means I’ll take your thoughts.

I went with underfed and they got worse. So I Sledgehammered. Thought maybe too much salt. Fed again, a day later. seemed better for a bit. Then I added a wee bit of blood meal (per package) and fed again. Just because they seem so N deficient. Still not good.

I have a probe pH meter (I don’t really trust it) but it does suggest soil ph is too high.

I have checked the pH of my water (I’ve been using the hose to water as it’s an outdoor grow as I have 9 BIG pots). But I’ve come to find out just how alkaline that water is....7.4 to 7.5 so I think I’ve gotta go the more laborious way of adjusting pH and using a watering can. Today I watered until a lot of runoff with pretty acidic water. Honestly didn’t test pH but I know it was low as I dumped in a capful of ph down to my 2 gallon bucket.

I see an Mg deficiency in one. I sprayed with Epsom salts and waiting to see if it corrects. They seemed to get worse after Epsom salts. I used 1T for the gallon sprayer and this coated all 9. Some are almost 6’.

I’ll post pics again but I do really want to know if soil towards the top will give me a good indication of the TDS. I have a digital TDS meter but also have a Blue Lab truncheon coming soon. If you have thoughts on that, too?

I did just cut a hole in the bottom of one pot. They all have a similar look so I’m going to trust one plant will open my eyes to my issues.


PALE

YELLOWING Leaves...,mostly at bottom. Older leaves.

Mg Deficiency??

This one is looking a bit greener tonight. In spots.

 

[NorCAKnowYourGrow]

Measuring TDS of soil? Can't see that telling you anything at all, ph maybe a little but hard to get any kind of accurate measure of that. Let alone what number is "normal/correct" for TDS if there is even such a thing?

How to Ask for Grow Support

It is VERY hard to help diagnose plant problems if we don't have all the required information. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT The ONLY way to receive optimal feedback and support is to provide photos! Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos REQUIRED READING FOR ALL NEW GROWERS! How to...

www.420magazine.com

More info on what you have done and how you been doing it along with pics will help you get better advice.



Along with what made you think that and what did you change, changing the variables all the time will bite you more often in the backside than letting the plant adapt and carry on, especially if you chasing problems that may not have been there and making problems with your changes.

Yes, measuring TDS...getting 1:1 soil to distilled water. Letting it sit for 24 hours. Strain. Measure liquid.

I have watched a number of videos by master growers on the topic and I do believe it’ll give me some decent info.

 

[Enjoil]

I’m using fabric pots and I’m not sure I can safely get dirt from the down deep roots without damaging them. The roots tend to grow into the pots a bit.

I want to measure TDS and because I am really struggling to figure out what the hell is wrong with my girls. I’ve done several things to try and bring them back to perky and so far I am losing. They first appear underfed, then overfed, so I want to get a clearer picture of the soil and see if I’m in lockout by pH or under or over feeding.

I scraped up the soil down about 3” before I started seeing little roots. So I took a sample from there but I have no idea if I will get an accurate reading with the dirt so close to the top (my pots are 7 and 10 gallons so there is another 7-9” before I’d get to the bottom).

Will this top dirt naturally show a lower reading?

Should I just damn the torpedoes and find a way to get dirt from the bottom? I’m almost considering taking an exacto knife to the bottom and spooning out some dirt but tipping them over to do this seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

Thoughts?

Why you need to tip it over if your gunna cut a hole in your pot?

Honestly, I posted pictures a week ago and got such a random bunch of responses....I wasn’t sure what was right. I got they’re overfed. They’re underfed. That’s about it. Which is why i didn’t start there here. But if you’re up for diagnosis, by all means I’ll take your thoughts.

I went with underfed and they got worse. So I Sledgehammered. Thought maybe too much salt. Fed again, a day later. seemed better for a bit. Then I added a wee bit of blood meal (per package) and fed again. Just because they seem so N deficient. Still not good.

I have a probe pH meter (I don’t really trust it) but it does suggest soil ph is too high.

I have checked the pH of my water (I’ve been using the hose to water as it’s an outdoor grow as I have 9 BIG pots). But I’ve come to find out just how alkaline that water is....7.4 to 7.5 so I think I’ve gotta go the more laborious way of adjusting pH and using a watering can. Today I watered until a lot of runoff with pretty acidic water. Honestly didn’t test pH but I know it was low as I dumped in a capful of ph down to my 2 gallon bucket.

I see an Mg deficiency in one. I sprayed with Epsom salts and waiting to see if it corrects. They seemed to get worse after Epsom salts. I used 1T for the gallon sprayer and this coated all 9. Some are almost 6’.

I’ll post pics again but I do really want to know if soil towards the top will give me a good indication of the TDS. I have a digital TDS meter but also have a Blue Lab truncheon coming soon. If you have thoughts on that, too?

I did just cut a hole in the bottom of one pot. They all have a similar look so I’m going to trust one plant will open my eyes to my issues.


PALE

YELLOWING Leaves...,mostly at bottom. Older leaves.

Mg Deficiency??

This one is looking a bit greener tonight. In spots.

I think your on the right track with they were under fed... then you fed them a lot in two days and freaked em out. I think you should flush then figure out why your water is jacked up. I only test ph and feed depending on age and build up to a lil over half recommend levels of General hydroponics flora series. What nutrients are you using?

 

[NorCAKnowYourGrow]

Why you need to tip it over if your gunna cut a hole in your pot?

I think your on the right track with they were under fed... then you fed them a lot in two days and freaked em out. I think you should flush then figure out why your water is jacked up. I only test ph and feed depending on age and build up to a lil over half recommend levels of General hydroponics flora series. What nutrients are you using?

I gave them a pretty light feed but yeah, may have jumped too fast on them.

I have used both Humboldt’s Secret and Fox Farms.

For most of the season I used Humboldt’s based on where they were in the grow cycle.

Since flushing I used Fox Farms Grow Big on a few plants, I used Humboldt’s on two. And didn’t feed anything but the blood meal on one.

I’ve never had plants this large, now that I think of it. May need a lot more nutes than I have used in previous grows.

 

[NorCAKnowYourGrow]

Why tip - to cut a hole in the bottom. But I figured that out. Dragged it to the edge of the deck and let it hang over the side...simple.

 

[Buds Buddy]

I'm kind of wondering if they could be root bound as big as they are. Can you tell from the hole you cut in the bottom ? Nutes could be too weak. Definitely not over-nuted. No burnt tips & Tips clawing. I'd up the nutes & add Cal Mag & see how the new growth looks. I'd also check to see if it's root bound if possible. How long have they been in that size pot ? Roots probably filled that pot real good within 4 weeks.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Since you can grow outdoors .... why not transplant into the ground. They may end up 10' - 12 ' tall though.

 

[NorCAKnowYourGrow]

Since you can grow outdoors .... why not transplant into the ground. They may end up 10' - 12 ' tall though.

No space in ground. Once in fabric you’re pretty pot committed. Nearly impossible to pull out and not damage. And the fabric pots help deter being root bound. I didn’t have an issue with that last year. I just used bigger pots and got bigger plants. Not a bad problem.

I will up my nutes slowly over the next week. I’m betting I haven’t been giving enough and then high ph didn’t help.

 

[Buds Buddy]

No space in ground. Once in fabric you’re pretty pot committed. Nearly impossible to pull out and not damage. And the fabric pots help deter being root bound. I didn’t have an issue with that last year. I just used bigger pots and got bigger plants. Not a bad problem.

I will up my nutes slowly over the next week. I’m betting I haven’t been giving enough and then high ph didn’t help.

Very possible.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Yeah, hard to save the bags if you have to up-pot. I had to cut mine down the sides in a few places & peel it off when I did it.