Red fan leaf stems

B

Big head 99

Member
Newbie here , I’ve read several posts on this site about spotted stems . I’m attaching pics of my first plant .. the plans seems healthy but this seems different. My lighting is wanting I know . But I found a seed in my drafting table and boom here it is.. I think I defoliate a bit to much early but in week 5 ,I can’t really complain. I’m learning a lot from all y’all.. the light cycle is 10/14 and the smell is intense all throughout the basement. Temps are running 69 and is fixed there , have I got an issue to fix.. up to week 4 of flower I fed 6/6/6 . A fella on this site advised to back off the nitrogen, so I flushed twice and no amendments since .. any advice would be appreciated./ thanks y’all
 

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bam0813

bam0813

Well-Known Member
Agree with mud balls, there’s a few reasons but IMO with your indoor plant it’s probably genetic but could be a nute issue since you had toxicity before. I personally never care if the stem is red but I pay more attention to the midrib and veins color
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Some people make too much of an issue about red/purple stems. If the plant looks healthy then ignore it. It could be from many things genetics being one.

I have plants with red/purple stems all the time. They are healthy and I don't pay any attention to it. In fact I've never even thought anything about it until I read posts from people online telling people that it was a deficiency and to add this or that. Which in fact is terrible advice.

Here's an example of two plants grown in the same soil and fed the same thing. The only difference is the strain. One has red stems the other has green. Both plants are outdoors and it's getting cold so it's also not related to the cold as only one plant has the red stems. 99% of the time it's genetics and the other 1% is usually of no consequence and can be ignored if the plant is healthy.


 
Kushash

Kushash

Well-Known Member
xtsho said:
Some people make too much of an issue about red/purple stems. If the plant looks healthy then ignore it. It could be from many things genetics being one.

I have plants with red/purple stems all the time. They are healthy and I don't pay any attention to it. In fact I've never even thought anything about it until I read posts from people online telling people that it was a deficiency and to add this or that. Which in fact is terrible advice.

Here's an example of two plants grown in the same soil and fed the same thing. The only difference is the strain. One has red stems the other has green. Both plants are outdoors and it's getting cold so it's also not related to the cold as only one plant has the red stems. 99% of the time it's genetics and the other 1% is usually of no consequence and can be ignored if the plant is healthy.


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I was in a grow comp with 40+ growers, all of us growing Adub x Animal Cookies.
I felt the plant was a Mg whore. The players that showed a Mg deficiency often had purpling stems and a lighter green plant color before showing the most common sign of Mg deficiency, yellowing between the veins. The players that did not run into Mg issues were more likely to have green stems. Coincidence or Confirmation bias, could be. I have always felt nute issues can cause purple stems and be a sign to watch for on certain strains that normally have green stems when everything is dialed in.
 
MICHI-CAN

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
Three Berries said:
With the OGK I'm growing now it's light related. The more light the leaf gets the stem turns purple. But a good marker when wanting to defoliate.
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Agreed. I can remove the leaf when stem is red or better thing. Indoor butcher as I lolli pop thing.

Just the LED affect as I've seen. No worries.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
Yes. Purple or red stems are fine. Next time don't chop leaves and limbs off. Defoliating is bull crap. It hurts the plant. The big fans leaves grow the plant.

Only time to take limbs or leaves is smaller under growth or for air flow reasons.

Think of it this way. If any light hits the floor it's wasted.

Like this. No wasted light.
IMG_20160101_230723101_HDR.jpg
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
whitebb2727 said:
Yes. Purple or red stems are fine. Next time don't chop leaves and limbs off. Defoliating is bull crap. It hurts the plant. The big fans leaves grow the plant.

Only time to take limbs or leaves is smaller under growth or for air flow reasons.

Think of it this way. If any light hits the floor it's wasted.

Like this. No wasted light.
View attachment 5004530
Click to expand...
More leaf surface equals more photosynthesis to create energy to grow big flowers. I cut nothing.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
xtsho said:
More leaf surface equals more photosynthesis to create energy to grow big flowers. I cut nothing.
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Exactly.

If I remember correct fan leaves are about 95% efficient and sugar leaves about 5%.

Something like that. Like you said. More leaves, more energy, more bud.
 
mudballs

mudballs

Well-Known Member
Kushash said:
I was in a grow comp with 40+ growers, all of us growing Adub x Animal Cookies.
I felt the plant was a Mg whore. The players that showed a Mg deficiency often had purpling stems and a lighter green plant color before showing the most common sign of Mg deficiency, yellowing between the veins. The players that did not run into Mg issues were more likely to have green stems. Coincidence or Confirmation bias, could be. I have always felt nute issues can cause purple stems and be a sign to watch for on certain strains that normally have green stems when everything is dialed in.
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Ive seen nute stressed plants do this yeppers...but then a few grows outdoors with no nutes problems and noticing it happen in odd places, even at odd times, scattered on plant, not uniform deficiency...at one point something clicked in me, this aint entirely genes, it aint entirely nutes
 
Kushash

Kushash

Well-Known Member
mudballs said:
Ive seen nute stressed plants do this yeppers...but then a few grows outdoors with no nutes problems and noticing it happen in odd places, even at odd times, scattered on plant, not uniform deficiency...at one point something clicked in me, this aint entirely genes, it aint entirely nutes
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I have a good edu article on purple stems somewhere.
It can be cause by a number of things. Stress, Temperature, genetics, and a few other things I can't think of right now. Everybody's different, I use the info when I know the strain. I would never say ignore purple stems as sometimes the information is useful but I'm also not into diagnosing another growers plant that has purple stems because there are to many variables.
I'm stoned.
This is what I'm smoking. Its been in jars for 2 months.
Happy Growing!

We were given 14 weeks from dropping seeds to complete the grow. Only a few topped their plants.

56 days from seed plant #7.
100_7822.JPG

3-5 days before harvest plant #5.
100_8491.JPG
 
mudballs

mudballs

Well-Known Member
Kushash said:
I have a good edu article on purple stems somewhere.
It can be cause by a number of things. Stress, Temperature, genetics, and a few other things I can't think of right now. Everybody's different, I use the info when I know the strain. I would never say ignore purple stems as sometimes the information is useful but I'm also not into diagnosing another growers plant that has purple stems because there are to many variables.
Click to expand...
you know all those ethnic montage vids, where we see a freckled irish cream redhead, then a Indonesian bali surfer beachside, then a high plains steppe nomadic face with wrinkles on every centimeter of his windburned face, then east asian, etc., etc...that's what it is to me, the plants (that strains) melanin equivalent response. Some do express more, but it's not a 'call the doctor' thing.
i like to think i know when i can ignore purple stems, and so far as to say they can be ignored. im stoned too and enjoyed finding a thorough post on the topic from you.
 
B

Big head 99

Member
whitebb2727 said:
Yes. Purple or red stems are fine. Next time don't chop leaves and limbs off. Defoliating is bull crap. It hurts the plant. The big fans leaves grow the plant.

Only time to take limbs or leaves is smaller under growth or for air flow reasons.

Think of it this way. If any light hits the floor it's wasted.

Like this. No wasted light.
View attachment 5004530
Click to expand...
Yup thanks , I did get happy with the snips.. I may have come in on the wagon but I drove !
 
Nutty sKunK

Nutty sKunK

Well-Known Member
Your plants are getting a tan. I bet you would change colour bring sub
xtsho said:
Some people make too much of an issue about red/purple stems. If the plant looks healthy then ignore it. It could be from many things genetics being one.

I have plants with red/purple stems all the time. They are healthy and I don't pay any attention to it. In fact I've never even thought anything about it until I read posts from people online telling people that it was a deficiency and to add this or that. Which in fact is terrible advice.

Here's an example of two plants grown in the same soil and fed the same thing. The only difference is the strain. One has red stems the other has green. Both plants are outdoors and it's getting cold so it's also not related to the cold as only one plant has the red stems. 99% of the time it's genetics and the other 1% is usually of no consequence and can be ignored if the plant is healthy.


Click to expand...

Actually if you look closer the top pic the fan leaves are much wider. This means the stem is receiving more light. Look how the others are more shaded.

Another way to conform is that you’ll notice only the top is usually purple but the underside of the stem is green.

Especially so in an indoor environment when the light source is usually always directly above the plants.

But again as you say - only some do this. Some can have exposed stems and not purple.

I have personally noticed that the leaves develop a slight blueish hue when the stems turn. It apparently indicates mild P def but who cares you know? :)
 
OneMoreRip

OneMoreRip

Well-Known Member
At op or anyone with lots of purpling on stems what is your ph? I’m leaning toward ph but maybe ph and nute related. I think to high for either or both.

here is a specimen I have that when it’s doing well (media in check $), the purple stems stop

actually wanted to do some testing on new seeds and a range of ph levels then a range of ec levels.
Imagine it may not be hard to find it done but I haven’t thought to look for itimage.jpg
It could be that the purple doesn’t catch up to the faster plant growth though or anything else. I still am interested in some ph range testing on seedlings.

Please imagine this plant is in this state intentionally for science, thanks.
 
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Kushash

Kushash

Well-Known Member
OneMoreRip said:
At op or anyone with lots of purpling on stems what is your ph? I’m leaning toward ph but maybe ph and nute related. I think to high for either or both.

here is a specimen I have that when it’s doing well (media in check $), the purple stems stop

actually wanted to do some testing on new seeds and a range of ph levels then a range of ec levels.
Imagine it may not be hard to find it done but I haven’t thought to look for itView attachment 5008602
It could be that the purple doesn’t catch up to the faster plant growth though or anything else. I still am interested in some ph range testing on seedlings.

Please imagine this plant is in this state intentionally for science, thanks.
Click to expand...
I see where your going with this.
This is my 2c on it.
I believe improper nutrient uptake in some cases can be one of the causes of purple stems.
When PH is off nutrients can be locked out and I would think purple stems are possible.
The PH of soil can vary in different locations of a pot of soil. PH tests done with a variety of growers growing different strains and using different methods to test the soil PH would give different results. Testing soil PH needs to be done in two or more locations to get a general idea of what the soil ph is when done properly.

A decent experiment would require a bunch of clones grown in a hydroponic set up.
If someone had a lot of experience with a particular clone and already knows how to feed the plant to keep it green then that grower could decrease the PH of one group, increase the PH of another group and keep the PH in the healthy zone of the 3rd group. Then the experiment would need to be repeated by other growers to get an idea if the results were similar to avoid confirmation bias IMO.
 
Three Berries

Three Berries

Well-Known Member
Kushash said:
I see where your going with this.
This is my 2c on it.
I believe improper nutrient uptake in some cases can be one of the causes of purple stems.
When PH is off nutrients can be locked out and I would think purple stems are possible.
The PH of soil can vary in different locations of a pot of soil. PH tests done with a variety of growers growing different strains and using different methods to test the soil PH would give different results. Testing soil PH needs to be done in two or more locations to get a general idea of what the soil ph is when done properly.

A decent experiment would require a bunch of clones grown in a hydroponic set up.
If someone had a lot of experience with a particular clone and already knows how to feed the plant to keep it green then that grower could decrease the PH of one group, increase the PH of another group and keep the PH in the healthy zone of the 3rd group. Then the experiment would need to be repeated by other growers to get an idea if the results were similar to avoid confirmation bias IMO.
Click to expand...
I have the purple stems but only on the big fans near the lights. I've been watering with a high pH 8.0 and well water three days in a row to run off trying to get the runoff pH up, still 5.5-5.8. Changes the runoff pH very little. But I'll keep an eye on them as I start to go back to some nute water. No signs of nute deficits at all on the leaves. The last gallon of water did have a gram of CaCO3 and MgSO4 in it. Plants usually take 1.25 gallons a day for runoff. I used well water twice and rain water once. I use rainwater with a cup of well per gallon for the normal nute prep. FFHF soil.
 
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