Noob question possible deficiency

U

Unclebilly

Member
Hey guys, first post, first grow.
I’ve read 1000 hours of knowledge on this site.
I’m growing in living soil. Straight dechlorinated tap water. (Ph of the water has been high 7.5-8) I have since corrected over the last couple watering to 6.5

my soil recipe is here:
1 part Canadian Peat moss
1 part organic compost
1 part perlite

Kelp meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil*
Neem meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil
Crab or Crustacean Meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil
Rock Dust, 2 cups per cubic foot of soil
Gypsum, 1 cup per cubic foot of soil
Oyster Shell flour, 1 cup per cubic foot of soil
A handful of worm castings

In the recipe above, when I mention the amendment amounts “per cubic foot of soil”, I mean the total combined volume including peat moss, compost, and aeration.

I would love some direction and experience to speak to what I should do and where I should look to correct this discolouration before it gets worse.

strain is northern lights, just started week 5 veg, Plan to transplant shortly to 5gallon grow bags. But would like them healthy before transplant and switch to flower
 

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J

JimmyJackCorn

Well-Known Member
You're using peat, compost, and taking your water down to 6.5 pH? Have you tested your runoff for pH? I'm concerned that your overall pH is too low for the plants to uptake nutrients. Peat and compost are both low already.

I use compost and topsoil (topsoil is somewhat alkaline) and I still throw in 7.2 tap water and have no nutrient problems. If your runoff is in the low 6 range, that's probably the issue.
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
Unclebilly said:
Hey guys, first post, first grow.
I’ve read 1000 hours of knowledge on this site.
I’m growing in living soil. Straight dechlorinated tap water. (Ph of the water has been high 7.5-8) I have since corrected over the last couple watering to 6.5

my soil recipe is here:
1 part Canadian Peat moss
1 part organic compost
1 part perlite

Kelp meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil*
Neem meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil
Crab or Crustacean Meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil
Rock Dust, 2 cups per cubic foot of soil
Gypsum, 1 cup per cubic foot of soil
Oyster Shell flour, 1 cup per cubic foot of soil
A handful of worm castings

In the recipe above, when I mention the amendment amounts “per cubic foot of soil”, I mean the total combined volume including peat moss, compost, and aeration.

I would love some direction and experience to speak to what I should do and where I should look to correct this discolouration before it gets worse.

strain is northern lights, just started week 5 veg, Plan to transplant shortly to 5gallon grow bags. But would like them healthy before transplant and switch to flower
Click to expand...
Welcome to RIU. I can't help you with living soil, I use coco but let me tag @PadawanWarrior , he might have some insight for you.
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Unclebilly said:
Hey guys, first post, first grow.
I’ve read 1000 hours of knowledge on this site.
I’m growing in living soil. Straight dechlorinated tap water. (Ph of the water has been high 7.5-8) I have since corrected over the last couple watering to 6.5

my soil recipe is here:
1 part Canadian Peat moss
1 part organic compost
1 part perlite

Kelp meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil*
Neem meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil
Crab or Crustacean Meal, ½ cup per cubic foot of soil
Rock Dust, 2 cups per cubic foot of soil
Gypsum, 1 cup per cubic foot of soil
Oyster Shell flour, 1 cup per cubic foot of soil
A handful of worm castings

In the recipe above, when I mention the amendment amounts “per cubic foot of soil”, I mean the total combined volume including peat moss, compost, and aeration.

I would love some direction and experience to speak to what I should do and where I should look to correct this discolouration before it gets worse.

strain is northern lights, just started week 5 veg, Plan to transplant shortly to 5gallon grow bags. But would like them healthy before transplant and switch to flower
Click to expand...
Did you let it cook first?

Also there's no need to adjust the pH if it's 7.5-8.0. The soil microbes should buffer the pH for you.
 
U

Unclebilly

Member
JimmyJackCorn said:
You're using peat, compost, and taking your water down to 6.5 pH? Have you tested your runoff for pH? I'm concerned that your overall pH is too low for the plants to uptake nutrients. Peat and compost are both low already. I use compost and topsoil (topsoil is somewhat alkaline) and I still throw in 7.2 tap water and have no nutrient problems. If your runoff is in the low 6 range, that's probably the issue.
Click to expand...
I knew you guys would come through, I have only used 6.5 ph water I think twice. Everything else was ph 7.5 - 8 thus far.

I have looked up some charts for different deficiencies but my inexperience is showing and I’m reading so much conflicting information. Just looking for some advice on what might be my problem, or what to do to not make matters worse. I’ll start by not ph’ing my dechlorinated tap water
 
U

Unclebilly

Member
PadawanWarrior said:
Did you let it cook first?

Also there's no need to adjust the pH if it's 7.5-8.0. The soil microbes should buffer the pH for you.
Click to expand...

I did not, but everything I read said you can use the soil right away if needed. The rest of the batch is cooking right now awaiting the transplant. Thanks for the tip on the ph. Wow your first grow is a real eye opener. Just when you think you’ve done your research!

Any educated guess what could be going on? Or how I can improve this situation?

Thanks everyone
 
U

Unclebilly

Member
JimmyJackCorn said:
You're using peat, compost, and taking your water down to 6.5 pH? Have you tested your runoff for pH? I'm concerned that your overall pH is too low for the plants to uptake nutrients. Peat and compost are both low already.

I use compost and topsoil (topsoil is somewhat alkaline) and I still throw in 7.2 tap water and have no nutrient problems. If your runoff is in the low 6 range, that's probably the issue.
Click to expand...

Okay, good information. I have not measured my runoff. I’ve read that it’s almost useless to measure runoff in living soil as it’s totally different than when using liquid nutes in medium. I only just started ph’ing my water maybe 2 watering ago (thankfully). So I’m not sure exactly what’s going on
 
Southernontariogrower

Southernontariogrower

Well-Known Member
You mericans gotta stop with our trees and now our peatmoss! Lol! Just kidding. But I used to work in a mill, one job was to cut thin angle off of end of 2x4s so they could send to usa as finished product. Our country has a lot of sellouts.
 
Southernontariogrower

Southernontariogrower

Well-Known Member
I find that a lower ph makes them happier. 5.4 in flower 6.2 in veg. I dont know why but it works for me, allows for iron uptake which really helps run the show. Imo.
 
J

JimmyJackCorn

Well-Known Member
Unclebilly said:
Okay, good information. I have not measured my runoff. I’ve read that it’s almost useless to measure runoff in living soil as it’s totally different than when using liquid nutes in medium. I only just started ph’ing my water maybe 2 watering ago (thankfully). So I’m not sure exactly what’s going on
Click to expand...
I'm no expert, but when using living soil, I think Padowan is right. As long as decent water is going in, you really don't have to worry about pH. I only ever test my tap water--to make sure it hasn't changed. That's just me being anal.
 
Southernontariogrower

Southernontariogrower

Well-Known Member
JimmyJackCorn said:
I'm no expert, but when using living soil, I think Padowan is right. As long as decent water is going in, you really don't have to worry about pH. I only ever test my tap water--to make sure it hasn't changed. That's just me being anal.
Click to expand...
My tapwater is 10.5 ph I need to lower or suffer lockout issues, in live or dead medium.
 
Rurumo

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
This is Cootz mix and it def needs to "cook" for a month at minimum. A lot of minerals it relies on comes from the rock dusts and those aren't necessarily available right away. Have your plants filled out those containers with roots yet? One thing that might help is to transplant them to bigger pots. I'd also consider adding some fulvic acid to your water, to help with nutrient availability. Either Bio Ag Ful Power or Mr. Fulvic.
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Unclebilly said:
I did not, but everything I read said you can use the soil right away if needed. The rest of the batch is cooking right now awaiting the transplant. Thanks for the tip on the ph. Wow your first grow is a real eye opener. Just when you think you’ve done your research!

Any educated guess what could be going on? Or how I can improve this situation?

Thanks everyone
Click to expand...
I'd give them some extra microbes to start with. Make an EWC tea, or at least give it some dry microbes. Also it would be good to check the soil pH. Have you been using pH down?
 
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