Organic grow going wrong - Help!!!

timbuktu

Member
Can you guys help me diagnose what's wrong? I'm on week four flowering. She's arjans strawberry haze (sativa). It's a CFL growbox around 9sq feet. I have 5 x 42 watt CFL. I'm using pure blend pro organic. She's planted in a 11L container (u believe it's a soiless mix) and I'm watering around every 2 days about 2.5L of mix. They, whoever they are, say it's tough to burn using an organic solution so my first thought was heat and humidity. Top of the box (above lights) has been measuring aroun 32-34 degrees and the bottom ranges around 25-29 degrees celcius. Circulation isn't really an issue. I have two inbound fans built into the container and an oscilating fan on the outside of the box blowing air inside. I just added a humidifier yesterday and she's up to 45% (up from 30%).



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snew

Well-Known Member
How often are you feeding, and what are you feeding? Watering is a variable thing. Temp size of plants, etc. Let the soil dry a little before you water again. I started bottom watering from a tray rather than watering from the top. I don't have any problem with over watering now. I would not feed again until you get this straighten out. Don't go adding corrections until you know whats happen its much easier to add to than to take away. Is it soil or soil-less thats important?
Good luck.
 

timbuktu

Member
Thanks guys. Here is some additional info. It is a soiless mix, and I've been feeding every watering.

SOIL:
How long has this problem been going on? Started on one step maybe 2 weeks ago. Seems to have got a lot worse last 5 days.
What STRAIN are you growing? Strawberry Haze, Sativa
What was the establishing technique? Seed
What is the age of your plants? 4 weeks into flowering.
How long have they been in the soil mixture they are in now? 7 weeks
Were they in the same mixture when they were seedlings/smaller plant? If not, what mixture were they in before? Same mixture, smaller pot.
How Tall are the plants? Tying them down with strings. Height is approx a foot
What PHASE (seedling, vegetative or flower) are the plants in? Flowering
What Technique are you using? (SOG, SCROG etc). Tying them to the pot in circles.
What size pots are you using? (Include how many subjects to pot). 11L
What substrate/medium are you using? What brand of soil mixture are you using?(percentage of perlite, vermiculite...etc?)
What brand Nutrient's are you using? Pure Blend pro. Organic. nitrogen 2.5%, 2% phosphte, 5% potash 1% Calcium, .5% magnesium
How much of each nutrient are you using with how much water? *Knowing the brand is very helpful*. Recently been using about 5ml per L of said blend and watering about 2.5L of mix
How often are you feeding? Around every 2 days
If flowering, when did you switch over to using Bloom nutrients? 4 weeks ago.
What order are you mixing your nutrients? (example: veg nutes 1st, bloom 2nd ect). Just using bloom nutrients
What is the TDS/EC/PPM of your nutrients used? I don't know.
What is the pH of the "RUN-OFF"? I don't know.
How often are you testing pH/ppm/EC/TDS? Every watering.
What method of pH test was administered? Using Strips? pH pen? Testing the water in a test tube with ph drops. Measures in around 6.5
How often are you watering? every two days or so.
When was your last feeding and how often are you feeding? 12 hours ago. Every two days or so.
What size bulb are you using? 5 x 42watt CFL
How old is your bulbs? 4 weeks
What is the distance to the canopy? Assuming this means distance of lights from
What is your RH Factor? (Relative Humidity) Was at 30 and i just bought a humidifier yesterday. Currently sitting at 45.
What is the canopy temperature? not sure what is meant by canopy.
What is the Day/Night Temp? (Include fluctuation range). Day around 25-29 and over 30 close to the lights.
What is the current Air Flow? (cfm etc.) Not sure. Likely above 600
Tell us about your ventilation, intake exhaust and when its running and not running ? Always running two computer fans. Day time additional oscillating fan is running.
Is the fan blowing directly at plants? yes
Is the grow substrate constantly wet or moist? What is grow substrate?
Is your water HARD or SOFT? Not sure
What water are you using? Reverse Osmosis (RO)? Tap? Bottled? Well water? Distilled? Mineral Water? Tap water city.
If using tap water, what is the ppm/EC/TDS of the water right out of the tap?(Only if you have a tds pen). Don't know.
If using RO,Distilled,mineral water, what is the ppm/EC/TDS without any additives?(Only if you have a tds pen). Don't know.
Are you using water from a water softener? No
Has plant been recently pruned, cloned or pinched? Yes. Cut off dead and dying leaves 4 days ago.
Have any pest chemicals been used? If so what and when? No
Are plant's infected with pest's? Not sure. I hope not.
 

snew

Well-Known Member
"Tell us about your ventilation, intake exhaust and when its running and not running ? Always running two computer fans. Day time additional oscillating fan is running.
Is the fan blowing directly at plants? yes"
I hope you have a stronger fan to pull fresh air into the room, with filter I presume. If not u need to. As the plants get larger they need more CO2.
I grow in soil, I've always grown in soil so I really am not much help. I just use lots of shit (literal) and waste produces to build my soil. So soil less mediums are not my thing.
You did just change to bloom nutrients. I generally look at what I've changed and thats where I find most problems. Its not changing light. I would assume that your over feeding but then I'm a dirt farmer so what do I know.
Good luck if this doesn't work I've found organic soil to be easy to follow. I love subcools methods. I make a few teas, worm castings, bat guano, alfalfa etc and I had almost no problem. almost. lol
 

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Organics or no, you don't feed every 2 days.

Looks like a cal/mag issue. Is there any dolomite lime added to that mix?

Wet
 

timbuktu

Member
I've been using a ph up from the hydro store. It's not dolomite lime but I cant recall what exactly it is. What schedule do you suggest for organic feeding? every other watering?
 

snew

Well-Known Member
I feed very weak teas so I don't have to worry about it and rarely at that. I would not feed for at least a week or 2 and then weaker but soil less is not my forte.
 

timbuktu

Member
I went the commercial organic nutrients way because it's my first time and I thought that was the safest route. I can't wait to experiment with teas and other fun stuff when I have a larger space to grow and I know a thing or two. Thanks for your help. I'm somewhat glad to report that i'm seeing some positive response to the flush. Still a long way to go, though.
 

dirtygirl

Active Member
Those girls look like the have been fed way too much to me. Sometimes, too much TLC can be harmful. Watering every 2 days may even be more water than they need, I know its more food than they need. Water when thirsty, feed when hungry.
 

timbuktu

Member
So, here is an update after the flush. Leaves are turning green again. Still a lot of problems though. Plant is weak, drooping, and over all looking like it needs some help. Leaves are feeling more soft and moist again (opposed to hard and dry). I'm not noticing any new growth.

The soil has dried up. Considering she's organic, does anyone think I should feed her with half nutrients tomorrow, or simply with a ph6 watering and then feed her on Sunday. My last feeding was last Sunday (tonight is Thursday).

Hard to say if I've made progress.
 

timbuktu

Member
I thought I'd send an update. It was a rough 2-3+ weeks. Things are looking up, however! I'm pretty sure the issue was a combination of nute burn, flushing with high ph, and ultimately nutrient loss. She lost a lot of leaves and I can only assume bud development slowed quite a bit. However, after all the drooping stems, and dead leaves she has regained her strength and i'm even starting to notice crystals and signs of advanced bud development. She is not half as sexy as she was but all of the tops pushed through the war. Here's to the last three weeks or productive bud development.
 
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