Does too much Nitrogen lock out Phosphorous?

weedstoner420

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
I check my ph before every watering with the standard yellow meter (cheap, but not total garbage). I always need to bring it down from 8+ with some organic granulated citric acid. Maybe it's time I calibrated the meter?

Regarding the Cal-Mag, I've been using Roots Organic Elemental and have been giving it 2 tbsp every week. I'm in a 5 gallon pot, but I wonder if that's too much now that I see the Mulders chart.
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That sounds like a lot of cal-mag. Are you sure you even need to be adding it at all?
 
jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
weedstoner420 said:
That sounds like a lot of cal-mag. Are you sure you even need to be adding it at all?
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No, I'm definitely not sure that I need to be adding that much. I have a bad habit of giving plants more than I should. I see all these folks growing monster colas using 10 different bottles of nutes, etc. and I'm trying to compete with organic top-dressing...it often gets me into trouble. At this point I'm wondering if I need to just do straight water for 2 weeks...
 
jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
On the other hand...I've got a Dougs Varin that's been doing just fine with the exact same regimen, so I've been leaning toward this being a particular sensitivity with the Malawi...plus there's this bit of advice on the Ace Seeds Malawi page:

We recommend moderate nutrients levels during the growing stage (slightly low of nitrogen) and moderate-high for the flowering stage.

...so I've assumed it's been too much N for the Malawi but not so much for the DV ‍
 

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PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
do you have any recommendations for good soil ph meters? Would suggest measuring run-off and soil, or just soil ph?
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Good soil meters aren't cheap. You can do a slurry test with soil and distilled water for an estimate though if you want. More info would help, like your water supply, nutes, and media.
 
jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
PadawanWarrior said:
Good soil meters aren't cheap. You can do a slurry test with soil and distilled water for an estimate though if you want. More info would help, like your water supply, nutes, and media.
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water supply is city tap. always leave it out for 24+ hrs to burn off any chlorine

Nutrients I have been using are Down to Earth 4-8-4 (since flipping to flower) and Roots Organic Elemental. Mind you, I've been trying something different this run and it's possibly what's gotten me into trouble...instead of top-dressing with 2 tbsp per gallon every 4-5 weeks, I've cut that into fourths and been top-dressing once a week (2 tbsp of both DtE and Roots per week in 5 gallon pots).

Media is 60% FFOF, 20% EWC and 20% perlite
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
water supply is city tap. always leave it out for 24+ hrs to burn off any chlorine

Nutrients I have been using are Down to Earth 4-8-4 (since flipping to flower) and Roots Organic Elemental. Mind you, I've been trying something different this run and it's possibly what's gotten me into trouble...instead of top-dressing with 2 tbsp per gallon every 4-5 weeks, I've cut that into fourths and been top-dressing once a week (2 tbsp of both DtE and Roots per week in 5 gallon pots).

Media is 60% FFOF, 20% EWC and 20% perlite
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I'd cut out the Roots Organic CalMag and see if it gets better. Too much Ca has caused my leaves to twist like that a little too, and what fixed it was trying to up the Mg and lower the Ca. Too much Ca causes all kinds of issues. The DTE 4-8-4 already has plenty Ca as it is and who knows how much your water already has.
 
weedstoner420

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
No, I'm definitely not sure that I need to be adding that much. I have a bad habit of giving plants more than I should. I see all these folks growing monster colas using 10 different bottles of nutes, etc. and I'm trying to compete with organic top-dressing...it often gets me into trouble. At this point I'm wondering if I need to just do straight water for 2 weeks...
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More is not necessarily better with nutrients, it's about having a good balance. Especially in organics.

It's for sure possible to grow monster colas using only organic top-dressings. Keep the plants healthy and give them plenty of light, and the colas will happen, especially with that Malawi (or so I have heard...)
 
jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
PadawanWarrior said:
I'd cut out the Roots Organic CalMag and see if it gets better. Too much Ca has caused my leaves to twist like that a little too, and what fixed it was trying to up the Mg and lower the Ca. Too much Ca causes all kinds of issues. The DTE 4-8-4 already has plenty Ca as it is and who knows how much your water already has.
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Thanks - I will def give this a shot and see what happens.
 
weedstoner420

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
water supply is city tap. always leave it out for 24+ hrs to burn off any chlorine

Nutrients I have been using are Down to Earth 4-8-4 (since flipping to flower) and Roots Organic Elemental. Mind you, I've been trying something different this run and it's possibly what's gotten me into trouble...instead of top-dressing with 2 tbsp per gallon every 4-5 weeks, I've cut that into fourths and been top-dressing once a week (2 tbsp of both DtE and Roots per week in 5 gallon pots).

Media is 60% FFOF, 20% EWC and 20% perlite
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I hadn't heard of that 4-8-4 so I looked it up. It's 2% magnesium already. They don't mention calcium on the label, but the first ingredient is fish bone meal, so it's definitely got calcium from that. I would say supplemental cal mag is probably unnecessary.

Ugh, so annoying when they don't put the full nutrient analysis on the label. I can understand not putting all the micronutrients but they could at least put calcium, magnesium, and sulfur...

Depending on how much you added to your initial mix, your top-dressing rates don't seem out of line with the manufacturer recommendations (I usually go with the "vegetable and herb" rate if they specify).
 
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1212ham

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
She did have one or two days that breached 80 degrees in the tent but that was about a month ago and she didn’t like that, but I didn’t witness a long-standing disruption as a result of that…
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Low to mid 80s is best with led. Unlike hid, they don't raise leaf temp with infrared. Cool temps slow metabolism.
 
jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
weedstoner420 said:
I hadn't heard of that 4-8-4 so I looked it up. It's 2% magnesium already. They don't mention calcium on the label, but the first ingredient is fish bone meal, so it's definitely got calcium from that. I would say supplemental cal mag is probably unnecessary.

Ugh, so annoying when they don't put the full nutrient analysis on the label. I can understand not putting all the micronutrients but they could at least put calcium, magnesium, and sulfur...

Depending on how much you added to your initial mix, your top-dressing rates don't seem out of line with the manufacturer recommendations (I usually go with the "vegetable and herb" rate if they specify).
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Based on that Mulder chart, it seems possible that I’ve overdone it with the Calcium and Magnesium and incited a greater demand/deficiency in Phosphorous. I’m actually noticing some subtle rust spots on the Dougs Varin now as well so I’m going to cut the Cal/Mag out for a few weeks and see what happens.
 
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