What is wrong with this plant?

M

mikey9980

Member
To me this looks like classic over-watering, however with this grow I have been super careful to not over-water, especially with how this one has looked. I have been watering 1-2 quarts per day depending on how dry. Not even close to having runoff (I don't soak it). I wait until by the weight of it, it feels like almost no water in it and sticking finger in I can barely feel moisture.

The leaves are not tip burned, but curl under. They don't feel dry or brittle. Growing in FFOF with a little extra perlite, 3 gallon fabric pot, attempting organic and have fed once a tablespoon of dr earth general (4-4-4) a couple weeks in as I assume a top mix takes a week or so to work its way in and become available. Water with plain tap (~150ppm pH 7.0). I have a Blue Labs soil meter that I don't completely trust as it takes different readings at a different times but soil appears to be low to mid 6's. Lower foliage, not well pictured, shows nutrient deficiencies, yellowing and brown spots.

Another clue are the stems are slightly more bendable/rubbery than I am used to. They stand up fine, but I am able to LST them a little easier than I am used too. It's possible this is underwatering but that should not curl leaves and again, they aren't dry. I've tried a little more water and looks the same, less water, looks the same. It's also been a couple too many weeks to flower. It's GorillaGlue auto and probably should have started showing hairs by now but isn't. Plant looks terrible.
IMG_8281 - Copy.jpg

Here is a close up
IMG_8283 - Copy.jpg

Another plant (AK47 auto) growing now under exact same conditions. Looks reasonably healthy minus the standard FFOF nutrient deficiencies (calcium/magnesium perhaps). I'm about to give up on FFOF, it's too unstable I think, or at least where I get it. Some strains like it, others hate it.
IMG_8282 - Copy.jpg
 
Tbh, close to 2L a day is how much I was feeding my vegging plants in Coco. In 3 gal soil, fabric pots, I've always put 3L through roughly twice a week in veg, and three times a week in flower. I've never had any issues with over or under watering. Daily watering sounds too regular for soil. Overwatering usually comes from too regular application, not too much volume.

Plants like a wet/dry cycle in soil, I'd try watering to a small amount of runoff (100ml), feeling the pot saturated, and then wait three or 4 days and feel the difference. I water mine Monday and Thursday in veg, and mon/wed/Fri in flower.
 
If your doubting fox farms, why not try a simple peat/compost mix? I find built soils usually run better.

A 1:1:1 peat moss, compost, perlite/vermiculite mix (50/50) is a great, simple base.

For 50L (13 gal) pre mixed medium add
*3/4 cup kelp meal
*3/4 cup alfalfa meal
*3/4 cup Neem meal
*3/4 cup coconut meal
*6 tablespoons dolomite lime
*6 tablespoons azomite dust
Some beneficial microbes and nematodes
 
mikey9980 said:
To me this looks like classic over-watering, however with this grow I have been super careful to not over-water, especially with how this one has looked. I have been watering 1-2 quarts per day depending on how dry. Not even close to having runoff (I don't soak it). I wait until by the weight of it, it feels like almost no water in it and sticking finger in I can barely feel moisture.

The leaves are not tip burned, but curl under. They don't feel dry or brittle. Growing in FFOF with a little extra perlite, 3 gallon fabric pot, attempting organic and have fed once a tablespoon of dr earth general (4-4-4) a couple weeks in as I assume a top mix takes a week or so to work its way in and become available. Water with plain tap (~150ppm pH 7.0). I have a Blue Labs soil meter that I don't completely trust as it takes different readings at a different times but soil appears to be low to mid 6's. Lower foliage, not well pictured, shows nutrient deficiencies, yellowing and brown spots.

Another clue are the stems are slightly more bendable/rubbery than I am used to. They stand up fine, but I am able to LST them a little easier than I am used too. It's possible this is underwatering but that should not curl leaves and again, they aren't dry. I've tried a little more water and looks the same, less water, looks the same. It's also been a couple too many weeks to flower. It's GorillaGlue auto and probably should have started showing hairs by now but isn't. Plant looks terrible.
View attachment 5005073

Here is a close up
View attachment 5005074

Another plant (AK47 auto) growing now under exact same conditions. Looks reasonably healthy minus the standard FFOF nutrient deficiencies (calcium/magnesium perhaps). I'm about to give up on FFOF, it's too unstable I think, or at least where I get it. Some strains like it, others hate it.
View attachment 5005078
Click to expand...
I see plants with mag def and n def. I suspect your locking out due to wack ph
 
2L of water in a 3gallon pot will not be “dry” the next day with a plant that size. I’ve run soil in 2 & 3 gallon pots for a few years now and I don’t think I’ve ever watered two days in a row. At their peak it’s every other day in mid flower.

edit: I also give them 2L per watering.
 
I also grow in potting mix, and my watering interval is typically every 4 to 5 days with watering volumes of approximately 2L. I believe your plant needs longer drying periods.
 
People keep saying longer dryer periods. These plants would be DEAD. There is NO water left when I go to water. I let go a few hours longer once when it was bone dry and it started to wilt.

Temp is 81-84F, unfortunately I can't lower that but perhaps I get more evaporation. This is a fabric pot, they evaporate quick. And it's 1-2 quarts, not 2 quarters every time. I go by weight.
 
Brettman said:
What type of light and how close is it
Click to expand...

SpiderFarm LED panel on top with supplemental LED bars on each side of the panel angled diagonally to hit plant a little on the sides. Plant is a few inches from the light. I grow in a 2x2x5 tent and have it divided into a top grow chamber and a lower, each with the same lighting setup. I have approximately 22 inches of grow space for the plants. Been growing like this for 10 years. It's tight and does generate heat. I have strong ventilation but it does hit mid 80's and I can't bring that down. I'm wondering if I just get a higher evaporation rate due to the extra heat and fabric pots. There is no way I can water these less without killing them.
 
VincenzioVonHook said:
If your doubting fox farms, why not try a simple peat/compost mix? I find built soils usually run better.

A 1:1:1 peat moss, compost, perlite/vermiculite mix (50/50) is a great, simple base.

For 50L (13 gal) pre mixed medium add
*3/4 cup kelp meal
*3/4 cup alfalfa meal
*3/4 cup Neem meal
*3/4 cup coconut meal
*6 tablespoons dolomite lime
*6 tablespoons azomite dust
Some beneficial microbes and nematodes
Click to expand...

It's something to consider and you have a nice recipe but I feel too many factors and moving parts for me. If FFOF is too unstable for me winging my own will be. I used to do hydro a long time ago with an ebb and flow system and that was so much easier. If you start to have trouble, you ditch your solution and make a new batch. The problem with soils is you don't know what you are getting.
 
mikey9980 said:
It's something to consider and you have a nice recipe but I feel too many factors and moving parts for me. If FFOF is too unstable for me winging my own will be. I used to do hydro a long time ago with an ebb and flow system and that was so much easier. If you start to have trouble, you ditch your solution and make a new batch. The problem with soils is you don't know what you are getting.
Click to expand...

You can repot. Yes, the plant will get shocked, but your plant looks shocked already. If you do so, you're left with the decision as to what potting mix to use instead?

If it was the 1970s, I'd say use "Supersoil" which billed itself as "steam sterilized." That product is no longer available as it existed back then. It had no peat, and included composted forest products and sand. The reason I mix my own is an attempt to duplicate that product. Once you eliminate peat, maybe 90% or more of the potting mixes currently on the market are eliminated.

If I had to choose one bagged potting mix, I had good growth from G&B Organics Premium Topsoil, but it is fine grained, percolation was slow and I was concerned about a lack of air in the root zone (but the cannabis loved it). So I mix a coarser potting mix with it, and found ratios where percolation was good.

I also avoid adding lots of amendments (other than vermicompost), they can make a mix too hot, and instead prefer to use hydroponic nutrients.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top