Lower Leaves Brown Spots and Newer Leaves Slight Curling, Upwards Growth Okay, Help!

I've got a Super Silver Haze in a Hempy Bucket and has been growing for just over a month in a 15 litre bucket.

Light is a 250W HPS with reflector in a small cupboard 1.2 wide x 1.8 heigh x 0.5 deep, light has never been closer than 8 inches from the top of the plant and has not even gone close to burning the back of my hand to test the heat.

Just recently I watered the Hempy 2 days apart, however I'm now on the 4th day and can still feel dampness under the medium. I'm growing in 60% Perlite / 40% Vermiculite mix and this might be the reason for the water retension.

Upward growth is flying along, however I've noticed the lower leaves have brown spots and the newer ones have slight curls in them. The light has just recently been backed off and my temps have now fallen from 24 to 22, however the plant seems happier or maybe it's just a coincidence. The Humidity is a constant 40%, is this a possible cause of the problems?? Could a dry heat cause the leaves to show stress?

The nutes I'm using are FloraGrow, Micro and Bloom, using only 3mL of each in a 5 Litre bottle, which is just below the recommended seedling amount.
I've read that the Super Silver Haze doesn't like too much nutes, as I have the hempy method, using just fresh tap water pH'd without nutes, would this be ok?

The tap water is left out overnight before using, then pH'd to between 5.5 - 6.0 and nutes added.

What does everyone think of it?
I would be happy with any ideas, opinions or suggestions on how to get this plant all the way through to the end and a decent yield without these problems.

I think everything is going fine. The lower leaves are showing signs of stress but thats OK and based on the size of them I would start giving them stronger nute solution they show signs of potassium def (stems)and the leafs seem a little light green to me so up the nutes its bigger than a seedling. Its sound like you understand watering so I don't think that is the problem. If you have the ability to foliar spray using the grow nute (Per directions please)I would start that immediately you will see changes very quickly. Good luck

sparkafire said:

I think everything is going fine. The lower leaves are showing signs of stress but thats OK and based on the size of them I would start giving them stronger nute solution they show signs of potassium def (stems)and the leafs seem a little light green to me so up the nutes its bigger than a seedling. Its sound like you understand watering so I don't think that is the problem. If you have the ability to foliar spray using the grow nute (Per directions please)I would start that immediately you will see changes very quickly. Good luck

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Hey sparka, thanks for your suggestions mate. My only concern with the super silver haze is that I'll give it too much nutes and it will end up dying a horrible death, I had planned to give minimal nutes all the way through.
I read somewhere else you had posted about potassium def and the other person was saying that there plant was cold. This is possible as I've been careful not to bring the light too close and any time I've had spots or yellowing on the leaves, I've moved the light away thinking I might have burnt my baby.

In your experience, would you say that this is not a light/heat issue? As I would like to get the light closer again and keep the constant 24 degrees, then I'll also up the nutes to the next level with the Flora system.

Also, my pH run off from the Hempy Bucket is higher than what I've been putting in, is this a concern or expected due to vermiculite in the medium? I never re-use the water anyway, just wondering if I should be concerned.

With the foliar spray, do I just add FloraGrow to a spray bottle and spray every week? Is it a prob if I don't do this?

Freestyla said:

Hey sparka, thanks for your suggestions mate. My only concern with the super silver haze is that I'll give it too much nutes and it will end up dying a horrible death, I had planned to give minimal nutes all the way through.


I read somewhere else you had posted about potassium def and the other person was saying that there plant was cold. This is possible as I've been careful not to bring the light too close and any time I've had spots or yellowing on the leaves, I've moved the light away thinking I might have burnt my baby.

In your experience, would you say that this is not a light/heat issue? As I would like to get the light closer again and keep the constant 24 degrees, then I'll also up the nutes to the next level with the Flora system.

Also, my pH run off from the Hempy Bucket is higher than what I've been putting in, is this a concern or expected due to vermiculite in the medium? I never re-use the water anyway, just wondering if I should be concerned.

With the foliar spray, do I just add FloraGrow to a spray bottle and spray every week? Is it a prob if I don't do this?

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Understood but it looks like you are starving her, up the nutes a little bit every time in increments until you get nice green plants.

Bring the light as close as possible it will not hurt it. If you can stick your hand under it and it does not burn its OK warm is perfect. You always want it as close as you can. No I think it is from malnourishment.

Perfect

Nope you are fine

Check the bottle for directions for foliar spray. You could always get a seaweed extract and that works good too. Not a problem at all foliar works faster fixing def problems is all.

Hey sparkafire, would you say the leaves curling on the edges of that one pic could be under or overwatering? I say this because thats been my experience in the past.

Niko Bellick said:

Hey sparkafire, would you say the leaves curling on the edges of that one pic could be under or overwatering? I say this because thats been my experience in the past.

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No its a deficiency. I promise if you foliar spray that will make a huge difference. Your defs are not that bad yet so spraying them will be really quick way to fix them.

Potassium deficiencies generally begin on the margin of the leaves, our plants are unable to transpire
properly and it begins at the margins of the leaves. Hence the rolling of the edges. Definitely up the ferts.

Also with the run-off testing. It can be somewhat inaccurate testing runoff. Testing your soil in a mix of 50/50 of
soil / RO water is a more accurate technique. Digging out soil near the root zone is the best place.

How did you acquire the plant? The leaves look a little big to be SSH but i could be wrong

Guys, all of you thanks for your help. Last night I have upped the nutes but only the FloraGro.
I just realised I've been giving the amount as advised in the Recirculating guide and not the run to waste.
It says to give 1.5mL of each in 1 Gallon (3.7 litres) from Seedling, I've already been giving 3mL of each in my 5 Litre bottle.

The run to waste guide shows 2.5mL of Bloom & Micro, with 5mL of Gro in 3.7 litres for moderate growth, so I'm now putting the following in my 5 Litre bottle.
3mL of FloraMicro & FloraBloom and 6mL of FloraGro.

Let's see what happens from here... And I'm going to get onto the Foliar spray, thanks sparka for your suggestions again.

IVIars, the seeds are genuine packaged Greenhouse Super Silver Haze.

Sparka, you're a legend man.

Came home tonight, not sure what to expect. the plant looks like it's pepped up and grown up lots since I've been away for 12 hours.
The curling on the new leaves is minimal, would it really work this fast just from upping the FloraGro nutes? I can't believe it!!!

Anyway, I'll get some foliar spray soon, been flat out busy lately. I'll post some more pics later.

btw I'm going away next week for 4 days, so unless this little one goes off it's head and grows like crazy, I'm going to keep it in veg and give a thorough watering & feed before I go away. I hope to come back and then ready to flower.

Do I keep the nutes as they are when flowering or just keep adjusting as per the guide for the Flora series - keeping in mind how paranoid I am about over feeding.

Here are some updated pics of the little one, should I be happy?

I'm currently using the Drain to Waste Flora Schedule at Mild Growth, do I need to consider upping again to the Growth schedule which would mean upping the Micro & Gro?

Do I have anything else I need to take care of for now?

Sorry if I missed this but if you are in dirt why are you using a hydro nute? I do not see anywhere on the label mixing rates for dirt. Hmmmmmm Maybe that's part of the problem. Call them and see what they say.

Oh sorry I got off topic with my question Yes they look better and yes you should be happy.

Using 60/40 Perlite/Vermiculite, what's this about dirt??
Is it the wrong schedule i'm following for hempy, out of recirculating & DRW?

Should I up the nutes or only if it shows any other probs?

I didn't see a schedule for dirt is all, I don't use them so I do not know for sure. It should say "for soil use-------" and i didnt see it. Did someone at the Hydroshop sell that to you?

Relax!! Deep breath........

Yes got it from the hydro shop. The General Hydroponics Flora series is just for other mediums like perlite, coco it's not for dirt.
Just has different feeding schedules and closest to the hempy bucket I would guess is DRW.

Either way, looking even better today, this passive hydro thing is good for tinkering and playing, just not so good on the newbie nerves.

Freestyla said:

Yes got it from the hydro shop. The General Hydroponics Flora series is just for other mediums like perlite, coco it's not for dirt.
Just has different feeding schedules and closest to the hempy bucket I would guess is DRW.

Either way, looking even better today, this passive hydro thing is good for tinkering and playing, just not so good on the newbie nerves.

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Ok I see what you were doing and understand the nute issue better. Do yourself a favor and get some new nutes. I recommend Dyna Gro but thats just me

Some more updated pics, the spotting of leaves doesn't seem as bad, now I'm worried that the leaves look like they are canoeing and appear droopy.
I've removed some dead leaves from the bottom to clean things up.

Upped the nutes again, this time - MicroGro 7.5mL, Micro 5.0mL and Bloom 2.5mL in 5 Litre bottle.

Whats the verdict, death around the corner or should this newbie chill out?

I think you are on the right track you made the changes to the nutes and I think it just needs some time to adjust. Use the Nova 1/8 teaspoon per quart and foliar spray that once a day no need to get something special . Just use per directions I used that in my hydro and it never burned my plants and I kind of tried so no worries there.

Hey sparka, thanks for reassuring me.

With the foliar spray, I've only got the FloraGro and will do it now, do I only spray the underside of the leaves or the tops also?

Also, noticed some roots hovering about 1 inch under the surface of the perlite/vermiculite medium, this is normal I guess, just thought they would be heading downwards, not across like that.

LOL yes that's fine just mist the tops. The roots are fine as well.