Putting all the B.S to rest regarding Nutrient Deficiencies.

hymem

Well-Known Member
After over 10 years of cultivation and experimentation with various nutrients, strains, environmental conditions and grow setups ive decided our industry is at a point where we can actually get questions answered legitimately. One of the most difficult parts of cultivation to this day concerns finding the correct plant nutrition program. It doesnt help that we are all bombarded with tons of bullshit products backed by zero scientific research. Newbie growers must feel helpless in this sea of information. My company Cannagen Consulting has teamed up with the Werc Shop to start testing cannabis leaves for micro and macronutrient percentages. These initial experiments will help to once and for all establish a nutrient deficiency guideline that we can all use. Haven't you noticed that most of the nutrient deficiency guidelines on the web are just a re-post of shit that was originally on overgrow like 10 years ago? All of our experiments will be backed up by lab analysis. What does an Mg def really look like? Lets fucking find out!!!!!

Experiment #1 - Im currently running my beloved Cryptik O.G in a RDWC setup in R.O water using Heavy 16 as a base nutrient. I added Magical, Hygrozyme and Ph Up. My ppm was initally 900 and swung up to around 1100 during the end of the week. The conditions are 78F with 45% Hum. CO2 is at 1000ppm. Plants are about 20 - 24" which means they are big because its an RDWC system. Usually I only run base nutrient in Veg so I added Magical to try and force a Mg lockout because there is a lot of Calcium in Heavy 16. My issue is that according to literature, Mg is fairly mobile and so deficiencies usually begin on the bottom and move up the plant. In this particular instance, which I have never seen before, the deficiency started on the top and started to spread down to the bottom. Maybe it is actually Zinc or Iron and not Mg? Its irritating when your experience runs contrary to literature so..... Why think too hard? Let the Werc Shop test the fucking leaves and determine there Mg,Zn and Fe percentages. If the deficient leaves test lower in Mg,Zn or Fe than the healthy ones we have a definitive experiment showing a deficiency.

Mag.jpg

Using this basic experiment as a template, we should be able to create a nice, clean, accurate, updated collection of many cannabis deficiencies that are backed up by lab analysis and put all the guess work to rest.
 

Saldaw

Well-Known Member
finally someone with access to a lab decides to do that! please post your findings + rep
 

hymem

Well-Known Member
Currently collecting 2 sets of leaves. 1 set with visual deficiencies the other seemingly healthy. The lab said they need about 2-3g of dry leaf material. Hopefully by early next week the samples will be ready.
 

OgSince03

Active Member
How exactly do you plan to announce the findings? Are you gonna put together a final chart showing the different results..? Sorry for the ramble, just questions that randomly come to mind as im stoned..
 

hymem

Well-Known Member
My hope is put together a a list of nutrient deficiencies, accompanied by pictures, data and notes for as many micro and macro nutes as possible.
 

JAhphoon

Member
yea i'm subbed. i know this may be odd, but can you include chlorine. i know its not a "deficient" but it is along the same lines as and can be easily mistaken. perhaps flouride for us uk folk.

good luck btw +rep
 

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
You don't test leaves. You test/analyze leaf petioles following a certain prescribed practice to find out tissue nutrient profiles.
 

hymem

Well-Known Member
You don't test leaves. You test/analyze leaf petioles following a certain prescribed practice to find out tissue nutrient profiles.
I didnt know that Uncle Ben. Was still waiting on the labs protocols on how I was supposed to submit my samples.


Bad News guys! The labs lawyer stepped in and decided it was a bad idea to get involved in this study. Which means I am sitting here with samples ready to be tested and no lab. Uncle Ben you sound like you may know someone that can help :lol:

This totally sucks. Any body out there with access to the hardware to get the job done??
 

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
If you dumped the cannabis plant foods you might be OK. Stick with folks more focused on production rather than sales based on hype and marketing. Choose Dyna-Gro and Peters, not Humboldt, Advanced Shysters, etc. Most of the cannabis specific vendors don't know shit about plant nutrition. A seasoned grower can look at the "guaranteed" analysis and understand that.

Leaf petiole analysis is reactive, not proactive. If you're not providing ALL 16 essential elements, IN THE RIGHT PROPORTION, you're gonna get yourself in trouble.
 

cues

Well-Known Member
Leaf analysis is not enough. You need to combine it with soil analysis and the results interperated by an agronomist with a solid understanding of the subject. As you said, lock-outs can be caused which will throw the results way-off.
By the way, if you are specifically trying to force a Mag lock-out, excess phosphates, not calcium is a better option. Excess Calcium will have too many other effects.
To do this, you really need a professional lab. I use them in the course of my job (Head greenkeeper) and a basic test for P,K,Fe,Ca,Mg and pH only costs me about £10. N is pointless testing for as it's so mobile it can vary day-to-day. I could get them done free from my fertilizer supplier but they tend to interperate the results in a way to try and sell me more products so I prefer to stay with an independant laboratory.
I have a degree in soil science and this is something even I wouldn't attempt. I do my own pH testing (simple) and soil particle size analysis (simple but the equipment to set it up was expensive) but what you are talking about is a whole different thing and shouldn't even be attempted unless you have a career in it.
 

rocknratm

Well-Known Member
After over 10 years of cultivation and experimentation with various nutrients, strains, environmental conditions and grow setups ive decided our industry is at a point where we can actually get questions answered legitimately. One of the most difficult parts of cultivation to this day concerns finding the correct plant nutrition program. It doesnt help that we are all bombarded with tons of bullshit products backed by zero scientific research. Newbie growers must feel helpless in this sea of information. My company Cannagen Consulting has teamed up with the Werc Shop to start testing cannabis leaves for micro and macronutrient percentages. These initial experiments will help to once and for all establish a nutrient deficiency guideline that we can all use. Haven't you noticed that most of the nutrient deficiency guidelines on the web are just a re-post of shit that was originally on overgrow like 10 years ago? All of our experiments will be backed up by lab analysis. What does an Mg def really look like? Lets fucking find out!!!!!

Experiment #1 - Im currently running my beloved Cryptik O.G in a RDWC setup in R.O water using Heavy 16 as a base nutrient. I added Magical, Hygrozyme and Ph Up. My ppm was initally 900 and swung up to around 1100 during the end of the week. The conditions are 78F with 45% Hum. CO2 is at 1000ppm. Plants are about 20 - 24" which means they are big because its an RDWC system. Usually I only run base nutrient in Veg so I added Magical to try and force a Mg lockout because there is a lot of Calcium in Heavy 16. My issue is that according to literature, Mg is fairly mobile and so deficiencies usually begin on the bottom and move up the plant. In this particular instance, which I have never seen before, the deficiency started on the top and started to spread down to the bottom. Maybe it is actually Zinc or Iron and not Mg? Its irritating when your experience runs contrary to literature so..... Why think too hard? Let the Werc Shop test the fucking leaves and determine there Mg,Zn and Fe percentages. If the deficient leaves test lower in Mg,Zn or Fe than the healthy ones we have a definitive experiment showing a deficiency.

View attachment 2118524

Using this basic experiment as a template, we should be able to create a nice, clean, accurate, updated collection of many cannabis deficiencies that are backed up by lab analysis and put all the guess work to rest.
I can get you decent pics of MAG burn. my ph was low, like 6ish, locking it out. I fixed the ph and the mag burned it. the normal green leaves have areas of lighter green, almost makes em look camo.
 

rocknratm

Well-Known Member
everyone, this wont hurt anything. I think it could help too, theres lots of info already, but pics like his first one of actual plants (not charts) would help me for sure.

I dont care about profesional growers and such, I care about individuals growing for their needs. This could help.

pro growers can fix their own probs, it is their job
 

hymem

Well-Known Member
Leaf analysis is not enough. You need to combine it with soil analysis and the results interperated by an agronomist with a solid understanding of the subject. As you said, lock-outs can be caused which will throw the results way-off.
By the way, if you are specifically trying to force a Mag lock-out, excess phosphates, not calcium is a better option. Excess Calcium will have too many other effects.
To do this, you really need a professional lab. I use them in the course of my job (Head greenkeeper) and a basic test for P,K,Fe,Ca,Mg and pH only costs me about £10. N is pointless testing for as it's so mobile it can vary day-to-day. I could get them done free from my fertilizer supplier but they tend to interperate the results in a way to try and sell me more products so I prefer to stay with an independant laboratory.
I have a degree in soil science and this is something even I wouldn't attempt. I do my own pH testing (simple) and soil particle size analysis (simple but the equipment to set it up was expensive) but what you are talking about is a whole different thing and shouldn't even be attempted unless you have a career in it.
Thanks for the info. I always thought phosphates caused lots of micronutrient lockouts like Zn, Fe, and Co (www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ho/2002/fs0265.pdf) . In my case im growing in a water culture with R.O water so making conclusions about what the leaf analysis says should be slightly easier than with soil. I currently looking for another lab to test my leaves/petioles. Basically I want to compare affected and unaffected leaves from the same plant and have them calculate %'s for as many elements as possible. If one leave has way less magnesium than the other leaf and it looks like magnesium deficiency, then I most likely had a mag def.

I can get you decent pics of MAG burn. my ph was low, like 6ish, locking it out. I fixed the ph and the mag burned it. the normal green leaves have areas of lighter green, almost makes em look camo.


Thanks RocknRatm.
 

cues

Well-Known Member
Ahh, I didn,t realise you were using hydro. That should help a lot.
Yes, iron and zinc can be locked out by excess phosphates, but not to the extent that Calcium will lock them out. Also, without a leaf tissue analysis, how would you know the difference? I can't tell the difference (in short- cut turfgrass) between a mg and Fe def by a simple visual examination. They look exactly the same to me. Using R.O Water and LTA, I can see that that would simplify things.
The only final things you would need to look at is a) Temperature of nutrient solution, as this also affects uptake of some nutes. b) Time taken between leaf samples being taken and analysed and c) pH of nutrient solution as this will obviousy affect uptake of various nutes.
Looking forward to the results.
 
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