More or less water vs. more or less nutes?

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drumdemon

Member
First time grow was in a corn field in 1980. Tossed a coffee can full of seeds in rows 50, 75 and 100 out 200 yards in the middle of the field. Checked them month later and knee high while corn was 6 foot. Busted down rows next to them to let more light in and didn’t check for months until Sept. when corn was all getting yellowed and figured helicopter going over would see the green standing out in the middle of the field of yellow. Paranoid went out to check again in Oct. and to my dismay had to figure out what to do with 40 plants per row at over 6 feet and almost 30lbs in the end. Seemed so easy back then minus the paranoia. Fun times though.

So now I try to start a little hobby and it seems so difficult. Figured I’d use the FFHF soil, water and be good to go. Not for long. Green turns to yellow and spotting, dropping then stunting, did I water too much, not enough? Not enough nutes, too much, too late? Thought the FFHF would have lasted more but this looks nutrient starved. Or it’s some old starvation and now some burn?? IDK, Aaaagh!!

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Mars FC6500 18 inches at 75%, lights on 81°, off avg. 76°, humidity avg 40% never over 50%
Mystery seeds found from bags over 4years ago. Surprised they sprouted at all.
FFHF, 1 cup container 2weeks, 1Gal 2.5 weeks then 5Gal softpots.
Watering when container is light avg. every 3 days. Using moisture meter to test when bottom is around 50% moist or under.
Started mix of GH calmag at 2ml/gal, GH micro 1ml/gal and GH grow 1ml/Gal at week 6.1.jpg
 
mudballs

mudballs

Well-Known Member
the leaves and stems are strong and perky so your watering seems to be just fine and the issue is somewhere else. you'll knick it eventually, good job so far
 
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drumdemon

Member
mudballs said:
the leaves and stems are strong and perky so your watering seems to be just fine and the issue is somewhere else. you'll knick it eventually, good job so far
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Thanks! I'm overthinking everything when back in the day it was plant and forget, but that was with plenty to die off and not loose sleep over.
 
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DaFreak

Well-Known Member
I think you got a few things going on. 1) Those plants look too small to be very light after 3 days in what looks like 5? gallon pots? Light is too low and they are drinking too much. 2) You're feeding them next to shit all.

Edit: forget 2, thought you were in pro-mix.
 
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drumdemon

Member
Rurumo said:
I'd go a bit higher than that and keep an eye on things for a couple of weeks, it'll take time to notice the difference and it won't hurt growth at all. Even at 75% the new LEDs are potent.
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Many thanks! Mars says their lights seldom cause burn, but I guess truth is in what the leaves reveal.
 
D

drumdemon

Member
DaFreak said:
I think you got a few things going on. 1) Those plants look too small to be very light after 3 days in what looks like 5? gallon pots? Light is too low and they are drinking too much. 2) You're feeding them next to shit all.

Edit: forget 2, thought you were in pro-mix.
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Thank you! Yes, 5 gal transplanted a week ago from 1 gal. and nute watered at half bottle recommended strength. They do seem starving to me but I have no idea what I'm doing being so new.
 
Hieronymus

Hieronymus

Well-Known Member
I am lucky enough to be in a very rural area with a berm that surrounds my property so what little neighbors I have can't see shit, so it's outside on the back deck sunlight is so cheap. Good luck, it's going to even out.
 
Merlin1147

Merlin1147

Well-Known Member
They don’t look starved to me. Looks like maybe they were root bound at one point. New growth looks good though. You don’t need to add nutes with FFOF for 4-5 weeks. Watch your pH with it though. When it loses it pH buffering capacity, 5-6 weeks the pH drops.
 
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drumdemon

Member
DaFreak said:
I think you got a few things going on. 1) Those plants look too small to be very light after 3 days in what looks like 5? gallon pots? Light is too low and they are drinking too much. 2) You're feeding them next to shit all.

Edit: forget 2, thought you were in pro-mix.
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Thanks for the edit update! Nope. FFHF. Once I get the hang of this picky batch of who knows what, I'll try upping the foundation I start with. Guess it's a good challenge to start on with these mystery seeds. Hate to be killing good genetics while I'm in Jeckyl and Hyde learning mode.
 
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drumdemon

Member
Hieronymus said:
I am lucky enough to be in a very rural area with a berm that surrounds my property so what little neighbors I have can't see shit, so it's outside on the back deck sunlight is so cheap. Good luck, it's going to even out.
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Nice! Thanks! Take over the whole back garden against the berm, put up ag-netting as a mini-green house 4wx4h and who'd know there were many little munchkins under there.
 
D

drumdemon

Member
Merlin1147 said:
They don’t look starved to me. Looks like maybe they were root bound at one point. New growth looks good though. You don’t need to add nutes with FFOF for 4-5 weeks. Watch your pH with it though. When it loses it pH buffering capacity, 5-6 weeks the pH drops.
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Thank you! I do PH the water going in at 6.3 to 6.8 and have since starting. I forgot to mention that and that I also started running it through a zero water filter 2weeks ago since the city water here is crap with tons of scaling and crud on anything it's evaporated in. [Discovered that recently when putting a couple drain trays in to up humidity before I got a humidifier.] That's what made me think oops maybe I'm robbing essential minerals and need to feed more than every other watering. I have tested run off several times and it's been avg. 6.4. I realize now I should be expecting the FFOF to run out of nutrients eventually and thanks for your advice about the ph buffering capabilities too. Didn't even cross my mind. Much to learn see I now.
 
C

ComfortCreator

Well-Known Member
If I can add a few thoughts --

Corn and cannabis, as you know, like very similar things. The farmer feeds the corn, knowing from 100 years of family experience what it needs in that area. That is why it was so easy you had a pro doing everything for you on a mass scale.

Looking at your plant, it is strong, hearty and close to being just right. I have been here before, and think you can fix it ASAP.

So far at least, you are running an organic grow (or close to it). Outdoor farmland soil is rich in biodiverse fungi and bacteria which breaks down the soil over time. Bagged soil only has so much.

I think it just needs a boost of mycos...I use a product called Recharge, which also acts like a kelp and humic/fulvic acid supplement too...but its main target is to help boost the bacteria in the soil...which will cause the plant to better utilize the nutrients.

If you add Recharge or similar to your next watering, within 3 to 4 days of that, those tips will improve. The plant is acting as if it is being light burned, when in reality it simply is unable to bring up enough of what it needs to keep up with the light intensity.

If it was straight up light burn, the top would be burned too. It appears deficient, with a slightly burning tips, because it isnt pulling enough of a few things.

Any myco supplement will get you there. EWC topdress would do it too.
 
D

drumdemon

Member
Thank you ComfortCreator... and every one! If you could please elaborate on the EWC, what that stands for?
The farmer did transition from soy beans to corn every three to four years to swap out what one plant was taking and giving back to the soil so the next could benefit. Never knew there was such a symphony going on between the different crops, soil, bacteria, and fungi let alone added nutrients to help balance and make everybody happy.
Ok, yes, I've been saying to myself mid sleep I need to add some mycos since watching a 10x10 series of videos. Topsoil is dressed adding bokashi and mycos frequently in an all organic soil built and baked from scratch.
 
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