Roseman
Elite Rolling Society
Problems
Nutrient Deficiencies - Nutrient deficiencies in modern gardens are really rare. What most people see as a Nutrient Deficiency is, 9 times out of 10, a pH problem. A pH that is too high or too low locks out your plants ability to uptake nutrients. Since the plant can not uptake those nutrients they appear to be deficient. When in fact, there are plenty of nutrients in the solution/soil but, due to pH Lock-out, they are unavailable to the plant. Adding supplements or more nutrients (which is what most do) will only compound this problem by throwing the pH off even more and further raising the nutrient PPM.
Solution: The best thing to do if you suspect ANY form of nutrient deficiency is to check and adjust the pH as necessary.
Over Feeding- Signs of over feeding include: dead/burnt leaf tips/margins and leaves curling under.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. Flush and decrease the fertilizer/nutrient level. Do the 8 Step Recovery.
Heat Stress - Signs of heat stress can look a lot like nutrient burn, except it occurs only on the top of the plant closest to the lamps. A yellowing of the upper leaves is usually a bleaching from being too close to HID lights.
Solution - A good test to see if your lights are too close is to put your hand between the light and the plant. If your hand gets too hot for comfort, the light is too close and needs to be moved up higher.
Yellowing (Chlorosis) - Chlorosis is a yellowing of leaf tissue due to a lack of chlorophyll. Possible causes of chlorosis include high alkalinity,high pH, and nutrient deficiencies. Nutrient deficiencies may occur because there is an insufficient amount in the nutrient solution or because the nutrients are unavailable due to a high pH. **Note- Always check the pH before increasing nutrient level. In the last few weeks of flowering a yellowing of the leaves is completely normal as the plant uses up all stored nutrients.
Yellowing - Lower/Middle Leaves - Yellowing of the lower leaves/older growth is a sign of a possible Nitrogen (N) deficiency. Nitrogen is a transferable element (this means the plant can move it around as needed). If a plant is not receiving enough Nitrogen from the roots then it will rob Nitrogen from the older growth. Plants that are Nitrogen deficient will exhibit a lack of vigor and grow slowly resulting in a weak and stunted plant that is significantly reduced in quality and yield. In a Hydroponic system, usually the pH is too high and has locked out the available Nitrogen.
Solution - First, check the pH, and adjust if necessary. The correct pH is 5.6 - 6.1 in a hydroponic system. I like 5.9. Second, make sure you are giving the correct amount/type of fertilizer/nutrients. For the vegetative stage of growth, your plants need a nutrient with a high Nitrogen (N) content like 2-1-1 (or 20-10-10).
Yellowing - Upper (New Growth) - Yellowing of the upper (new growth) of the plants could be a sign of a Sulphur (S) deficiency. Sulphur deficiency is pretty rare but usually start off as a yellowing of the entire younger leaf including the veins. Other signs of sulfur deficiency are: Elongated roots, woody stems, and Leaf tips curling downward. **Note- Most yellowing of the upper leaves is a bleaching from being too close to the lights.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. Check your nutrient levels and make sure you are giving the correct amount/type for you particular stage of growth. Also a good test to see if your lights are too close is to put your hand between the light and the plant. If your hand gets too hot for comfort, the light is too close and needs to be moved up higher.
Leaf Curling Up - Leaf curling up can be a sign of a Magnesium deficiency caused by too low of a pH level. Magnesium deficiency will show as a yellowing (which may turn brown and crispy) and interveinal (in between the veins) yellowing beginning in the older leaves. Interveinal chlorosis (yellowing) will start at the leaf tip and progressing inward between the veins. It could also be a sign of excess heat and humidity in the grow room.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. When the pH is not at the proper level your plant will lose its ability to absorb some of the essential elements required for healthy growth. If youre growing in hydro it starts at 5.8 and below. If the pH is correct, then add 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts per each gallon to your water. Or, to foliar feed them, add a ½ teaspoon per quart to a spray bottle. **Note- If your tap water is over 200 ppm Magnesium will be locked out due to the calcium in the water. Magnesium can get locked out by too much Calcium, Chlorine or Ammonium Nitrogen. If this is your problem we suggest using bottled or RO (reverse osmosis) water.
Leaf Curling Down - When the leaves curl under and burn at the tips and margins its usually a sign that the nutrient level is too high.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. Flush, do the 8 Step Recovery and decrease the nutrient level.
Droopy Leaves - Leaves that are drooping are most likely caused by under watering or lack of light.
Solution - Check the waer level and add more lights.
Spider Mites - Spider mites are not insects but are more closely related to spiders. These arachnids have four pairs of legs, no antennae and a single, oval body region. Most spider mites have the ability to produce a fine silk webbing. Spider mites are very tiny, being less than 1/50 inch (0.4mm) long when adults. Spider mites have tiny mouthparts modified for piercing individual plant cells and removing the contents. This results in tiny yellow or white speckles. When many of these feeding spots occur near each other, the foliage takes on a yellow or bronzed cast. Once the foliage of a plant becomes bronzed, it often drops prematurely. Heavily infested plants may be discolored, stunted or even killed. Web producing spider mites may coat the foliage with the fine silk which collects dust and looks dirty. Spider mite species seem to be warm weather or cool weather active pests. Adult females usually lay eggs on their host plants. The eggs hatch in days to weeks into the first stage, called a larva. Larvae are round bodied and have only three pairs of legs. The larvae feed for a few days, seek a sheltered spot to rest and then molt into the first nymphal stage. The first nymph now has four pairs of legs. The first nymphs feed a few days, rest and molt into the second nymph. The second nymphs feed, rest and molt into the adult stage. The males are usually the size of the second nymph and have pointed abdomens. The females have rounded abdomens and are the largest mites present. Most spider mites spend the winter in the egg stage but the twospotted spider mite over winters as adult females resting in protected places.
Solution - Early detection of spider mites, before damage is noticed, is VERY important. The tiny spider mites can be detected only by a full and thorough leaf inspection (on both sides of the leaf). If you find Spider Mites you must act fast and hit them hard with either a bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of very hot 95°F, pH balanced, water in a spray bottle.) Hydroponics Stores also sell Neem Oil and other remedies for spider mites.
Or one of the best things to do is get a bucket of HOT water and make a combination of neem oil and safer soap or additive free dish washing soap. You want the water to be warm so that the neem oil will break apart and mix throughout the water. DO NOT dunk your plants in until the water has safely come back to room temperature.
The safer soap will not only act as a wetting agent to help coat the plant but also weakens the exoskeletons of the lil buggers. The neem oil will make them immobile so they cannot move and suffocate them.
Dunking is the most effective method while they are smaller because it coats everything from the ground up, but this is a very effective spray. You should spray every three days, the undersides of the leaves or dunk every three days depending on size. This is the most eco friendly and safest method of treatment. This is what you should try first.
Nutrient Deficiencies - Nutrient deficiencies in modern gardens are really rare. What most people see as a Nutrient Deficiency is, 9 times out of 10, a pH problem. A pH that is too high or too low locks out your plants ability to uptake nutrients. Since the plant can not uptake those nutrients they appear to be deficient. When in fact, there are plenty of nutrients in the solution/soil but, due to pH Lock-out, they are unavailable to the plant. Adding supplements or more nutrients (which is what most do) will only compound this problem by throwing the pH off even more and further raising the nutrient PPM.
Solution: The best thing to do if you suspect ANY form of nutrient deficiency is to check and adjust the pH as necessary.
Over Feeding- Signs of over feeding include: dead/burnt leaf tips/margins and leaves curling under.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. Flush and decrease the fertilizer/nutrient level. Do the 8 Step Recovery.
Heat Stress - Signs of heat stress can look a lot like nutrient burn, except it occurs only on the top of the plant closest to the lamps. A yellowing of the upper leaves is usually a bleaching from being too close to HID lights.
Solution - A good test to see if your lights are too close is to put your hand between the light and the plant. If your hand gets too hot for comfort, the light is too close and needs to be moved up higher.
Yellowing (Chlorosis) - Chlorosis is a yellowing of leaf tissue due to a lack of chlorophyll. Possible causes of chlorosis include high alkalinity,high pH, and nutrient deficiencies. Nutrient deficiencies may occur because there is an insufficient amount in the nutrient solution or because the nutrients are unavailable due to a high pH. **Note- Always check the pH before increasing nutrient level. In the last few weeks of flowering a yellowing of the leaves is completely normal as the plant uses up all stored nutrients.
Yellowing - Lower/Middle Leaves - Yellowing of the lower leaves/older growth is a sign of a possible Nitrogen (N) deficiency. Nitrogen is a transferable element (this means the plant can move it around as needed). If a plant is not receiving enough Nitrogen from the roots then it will rob Nitrogen from the older growth. Plants that are Nitrogen deficient will exhibit a lack of vigor and grow slowly resulting in a weak and stunted plant that is significantly reduced in quality and yield. In a Hydroponic system, usually the pH is too high and has locked out the available Nitrogen.
Solution - First, check the pH, and adjust if necessary. The correct pH is 5.6 - 6.1 in a hydroponic system. I like 5.9. Second, make sure you are giving the correct amount/type of fertilizer/nutrients. For the vegetative stage of growth, your plants need a nutrient with a high Nitrogen (N) content like 2-1-1 (or 20-10-10).
Yellowing - Upper (New Growth) - Yellowing of the upper (new growth) of the plants could be a sign of a Sulphur (S) deficiency. Sulphur deficiency is pretty rare but usually start off as a yellowing of the entire younger leaf including the veins. Other signs of sulfur deficiency are: Elongated roots, woody stems, and Leaf tips curling downward. **Note- Most yellowing of the upper leaves is a bleaching from being too close to the lights.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. Check your nutrient levels and make sure you are giving the correct amount/type for you particular stage of growth. Also a good test to see if your lights are too close is to put your hand between the light and the plant. If your hand gets too hot for comfort, the light is too close and needs to be moved up higher.
Leaf Curling Up - Leaf curling up can be a sign of a Magnesium deficiency caused by too low of a pH level. Magnesium deficiency will show as a yellowing (which may turn brown and crispy) and interveinal (in between the veins) yellowing beginning in the older leaves. Interveinal chlorosis (yellowing) will start at the leaf tip and progressing inward between the veins. It could also be a sign of excess heat and humidity in the grow room.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. When the pH is not at the proper level your plant will lose its ability to absorb some of the essential elements required for healthy growth. If youre growing in hydro it starts at 5.8 and below. If the pH is correct, then add 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts per each gallon to your water. Or, to foliar feed them, add a ½ teaspoon per quart to a spray bottle. **Note- If your tap water is over 200 ppm Magnesium will be locked out due to the calcium in the water. Magnesium can get locked out by too much Calcium, Chlorine or Ammonium Nitrogen. If this is your problem we suggest using bottled or RO (reverse osmosis) water.
Leaf Curling Down - When the leaves curl under and burn at the tips and margins its usually a sign that the nutrient level is too high.
Solution - Check and adjust the pH level as necessary. Flush, do the 8 Step Recovery and decrease the nutrient level.
Droopy Leaves - Leaves that are drooping are most likely caused by under watering or lack of light.
Solution - Check the waer level and add more lights.
Spider Mites - Spider mites are not insects but are more closely related to spiders. These arachnids have four pairs of legs, no antennae and a single, oval body region. Most spider mites have the ability to produce a fine silk webbing. Spider mites are very tiny, being less than 1/50 inch (0.4mm) long when adults. Spider mites have tiny mouthparts modified for piercing individual plant cells and removing the contents. This results in tiny yellow or white speckles. When many of these feeding spots occur near each other, the foliage takes on a yellow or bronzed cast. Once the foliage of a plant becomes bronzed, it often drops prematurely. Heavily infested plants may be discolored, stunted or even killed. Web producing spider mites may coat the foliage with the fine silk which collects dust and looks dirty. Spider mite species seem to be warm weather or cool weather active pests. Adult females usually lay eggs on their host plants. The eggs hatch in days to weeks into the first stage, called a larva. Larvae are round bodied and have only three pairs of legs. The larvae feed for a few days, seek a sheltered spot to rest and then molt into the first nymphal stage. The first nymph now has four pairs of legs. The first nymphs feed a few days, rest and molt into the second nymph. The second nymphs feed, rest and molt into the adult stage. The males are usually the size of the second nymph and have pointed abdomens. The females have rounded abdomens and are the largest mites present. Most spider mites spend the winter in the egg stage but the twospotted spider mite over winters as adult females resting in protected places.
Solution - Early detection of spider mites, before damage is noticed, is VERY important. The tiny spider mites can be detected only by a full and thorough leaf inspection (on both sides of the leaf). If you find Spider Mites you must act fast and hit them hard with either a bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of very hot 95°F, pH balanced, water in a spray bottle.) Hydroponics Stores also sell Neem Oil and other remedies for spider mites.
Or one of the best things to do is get a bucket of HOT water and make a combination of neem oil and safer soap or additive free dish washing soap. You want the water to be warm so that the neem oil will break apart and mix throughout the water. DO NOT dunk your plants in until the water has safely come back to room temperature.
The safer soap will not only act as a wetting agent to help coat the plant but also weakens the exoskeletons of the lil buggers. The neem oil will make them immobile so they cannot move and suffocate them.
Dunking is the most effective method while they are smaller because it coats everything from the ground up, but this is a very effective spray. You should spray every three days, the undersides of the leaves or dunk every three days depending on size. This is the most eco friendly and safest method of treatment. This is what you should try first.