Watering

[UpInSmoke420$24]

I definately believe overwatering when I transplanted had a thing to do with it, and they got a little too rootbound in the solos. Because I had a late sprouter that was a week and a half behind them that I watered alot less to see if that was the problem once I transplanted, and that one is not having the same issues the others had

 

[ChongMaBong]

Interesting, some of them, but not all of them? What is the pH of your coco plants?

The soil should come limed, for your coco pots, did you lime your coco as well?

I had this issue using my well water, my well water is loaded with Calcium Carbonate (Lime). When I moved out here, I used my same soil recipe, dolomite lime included. My pH was always 7.5+, took me over a year to realize my water was alkaline, and the water mixing with the dolomite lime ensured my pH was never below a 7.5 unfortunately.

@PadawanWarrior uses Citric Acid successfully, and has for years. Perhaps he can chime in on that? I have no experience with Citric Acid.


The way I solved this was by omitting Dolomite Lime from my future soil recipes, relying on my well water to buffer the pH instead. Problem solved instantly. However, this will only work in Peat Moss based soils, and not with coco due to the different pH ranges. Peat's acidic pH (3.5-4.0) is what allows this method to work for me. If I used coco, I'd likely still be having issues due to Coco's default pH ranging from 5.0-6.0 or so.

Do you recycle your coco/soil? Do you get any scaling on your faucets at home by chance? If so, do you notice any of it on your pots?

View attachment 5087186

View attachment 5087187


All that residue on the pots is from my water.


Even if the Calcium Carbonate/minerals in the water themselves are not enough to mess with pH, or cause nutrient toxicities, its the fact that they build up salts (scaling) in your soil and that is what causes issues. Many people experience this issue, and it typically doesn't manifest until the 2nd or 3rd grow in a ROLS/no-till environment. Why so delayed? Because that is how long it takes for the salts to build up and crystalize. Once this happens, you'll experience such a wide variety of issues you'll start pulling your hair out.

Hope that helps, and good to hear there are signs of recovery for your plants. All the best.





Man, I wish my dumbass would have listened to this advice. I did not, and as a result it took me multiple years to get "dialed in" because of how many strains I was growing and all the different methods I tried.

Big downside that it took 4-5 years for me to dial my grow in, but the big upside was all the knowledge I gained by trying and experimenting with so many different things. All that said, the irony is that the soil I've been making these past couple of years only has 5-6 inputs in it.

I was very similar and it was the best advice I ever listened to. I don't put a lot through my grows neither if anything I slightly under feed most stages as well. my person preference due to many years of trying to find the jackpot with many different nutes etc and after 20 + years at it, its very basic and simple now with excellent results

 

[PadawanWarrior]

For sure man, always happy to help anyone avoid mistakes I've made in the past. I believe in sharing as freely as things were shared with you, and to whom much is given much is expected.

Great you actually posted here though. Looks like OPs issue is well water related, and his pH in the soil is 7.5 like yours and mine was prior to discovering how hard our water is.

What's your method with Citric Acid to drop pH? I think that might help OP a lot. If he's using citric acid like you, perhaps he isn't using enough if his pH is still above 7?

I have no experience using Citric Acid, so I bet you could help OP here. I can't think of "Citric Acid" without thinking of Padawan!

I don't use citric often, just occasionally when I see any strange twisting leaves. I use it more to help with the excess Ca. I've got a BlueLab Soil Probe, and when I've tested my soil pH it's always been around 6.2-6.3. But it wouldn't hurt to use it everytime. When I've used it I only use like 1/16 tsp per gal.

I usually just use plain 7.8 or so well water. But lately I've been starting to use fulvic acid. I have a feeling that might work similarly, but that's kinda more a guess.

I also add some Epsom salt when I think the Ca looks too high. My thought was that it could help get the Ca:Mg ratio more in check.

I'm not sure if I read the OP. I'll have to do that.

Good hearing from you.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

But yeah, some were 6.7-6.8 and some were 7.2-7.6 in the living soil and coco. Could it be too much dolomite? I know roots organic comes with some in it and I believe that the DTE 444 has some too. And I add about a half a tbs per gallon of dolomite lime myself. Could that overdo it and up it a little bit? I use the dolomite in the coco too also. Roughly a half a tbs per gallon to a tbs. Too lower the soil ph I just lower the ph of the water I am watering with a little bit right? I usually ph with citric acid to about 6.5, but like I said, when the ph meter broke I was probably up near 7 more

Was that checked with the BlueLab probe or are you checking runoff?

And did all those pots get the same amount of nutes?

I'm a fan of peat over coco for living soil, but some people can make it work.

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

Yes. It was checked with a BlueLab probe. I never check runoff. I had pretty good success last run with the living soil coco. It was not flawless and I did run into some issues...but at the end of the day the flowers were amazing and tested all over 20 percent so it wasn't a failure. Same thing as this run, its not perfect, but they are starting to come along. Definitely going to stick to the living soil in peat moss soil, and try a liquid organic feed with the coco on a next run. I bought a pack of 25 Blackberry Moonrocks by Anesia so I am going to use a few of those to try a couple different other ways of doing things. I just really want to stick to organic. If I can find a good organic liquid line that does me wonders, I might stick with that with coco and just do living soil too. I really feel like organics plays a huge role on smell and taste and bud quality at the end of the day. Like, even though people say that living soil coco sucks, but the buds I got last run are some of the best smelling and tasting buds I have ever tasted. Who know, maybe I did get extremely lucky. But to get lucky with 3 different strains and 3 different phenos? IDK but anyways off that subject a long time ago lol Yeah I think I am going to ease up on the dolomite and just let the dolomite in the soil and peat moss do its thing. Since I ph with citric acid to around 6.5 every watering I don't thing the extra dolomite is necessary. Could even be causing the issue. But like I said, I definately believe it started when my Blue Lab broke and I was eyeing the citric acid applications and using a damn color graph with drops lol I think I was still about 7 at the end because I was being cautious when adding citric acid because a little can cause a huge drop in ph. So I don't think I was bringing it down too much. Those damn color charts are hard to read. It is good for an estimated range but not for precise ph'ing that's for sure

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

I want to get everything dialed in before I pop the gems I have. Frozen Fuel (Tahoe OG x Banana Buttercups) and Big League (Brisker OG x Grape Rock Candy x Banana Buttercups) by Square One, Alien Treatz (Black MAC x Runtz) by Robinhood, Rainbow Chip (Sunset Sherbert x Mint Chocolate Chip) by Exotic Genetics, Watermelon Zkittlez (Watermelon ZumZum #3 x OG Eddy) by Pyramid, White Wedding (Mandarin Cookies x Crescendo x Wedding Cake) (won the 2021 Massachusetts Cannabis Cub), and Spanish Moon by Lovin In Her Eyes plus I have a few Mass Medical left a couple Anaphylaxis and Grape Pupil V2

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Yes. It was checked with a BlueLab probe. I never check runoff. I had pretty good success last run with the living soil coco. It was not flawless and I did run into some issues...but at the end of the day the flowers were amazing and tested all over 20 percent so it wasn't a failure. Same thing as this run, its not perfect, but they are starting to come along. Definitely going to stick to the living soil in peat moss soil, and try a liquid organic feed with the coco on a next run. I bought a pack of 25 Blackberry Moonrocks by Anesia so I am going to use a few of those to try a couple different other ways of doing things. I just really want to stick to organic. If I can find a good organic liquid line that does me wonders, I might stick with that with coco and just do living soil too. I really feel like organics plays a huge role on smell and taste and bud quality at the end of the day. Like, even though people say that living soil coco sucks, but the buds I got last run are some of the best smelling and tasting buds I have ever tasted. Who know, maybe I did get extremely lucky. But to get lucky with 3 different strains and 3 different phenos? IDK but anyways off that subject a long time ago lol Yeah I think I am going to ease up on the dolomite and just let the dolomite in the soil and peat moss do its thing. Since I ph with citric acid to around 6.5 every watering I don't thing the extra dolomite is necessary. Could even be causing the issue. But like I said, I definately believe it started when my Blue Lab broke and I was eyeing the citric acid applications and using a damn color graph with drops lol I think I was still about 7 at the end because I was being cautious when adding citric acid because a little can cause a huge drop in ph. So I don't think I was bringing it down too much. Those damn color charts are hard to read. It is good for an estimated range but not for precise ph'ing that's for sure

I figured out that with my water 1/16 tsp per gal drops it like a point. So from 7.8 to 6.8. It's easy to just use the measuring spoon. But ya, the stuff is potent.

Did you do anything different to the pot that's in the 7's?

And are you reusing I from last time?

Maybe that pot has more lime.

Adding sulfur lowers soil pH. And you could also water with say 5.8 water for awhile. Do you see any twisting or strange looking leaves?

I need to go back to the beginning of the thread and look to see if you've got any pics.

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

Should find some good pheno's out of the bunch

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

Yes...that was actually one of the problems occurring in this run and last run around this point. Twisting of new growth.

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

And yes that is what I plan on doing. Watering with about 5.8-6.2 for a little bit to lower it it before I flip the lights. I want them to be as healthy as possible and as many things in check as possible before I flip them. They are getting big though so hopefully I can dial it in before they get to big for the tents. Then I might have to plug in the HPS in the shed lol

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Hello everyone. I am about 8 weeks into veg and I am almost positive I ran into an overwatering issue about a month ago when I transplanted from solos to a 2 gallon pot. I think I over saturated the pots way too much and stressed the roots out with way too much water. Well its been about a week or two since they started coming back to life and growing again, but they seem like they still aren't drinking nearly as much water as I can remember giving my other plants in previous runs. Right now I am watering every 4 days with about a quarter gallon of water. Even going into the 4th day, the medium still seems to have more moister than I would like. It just seems like they aren't really taking in much water, and the growth has been pretty slow. Any suggestions or opinions? And do these plants look smaller than they should at about day 55 from sprout? They look healthy now, but like I said, I feel like the growth is still very slow and they aren't taking in nearly as much water as I believe they should be.

Half are in coco, the other half in living soil. No til on both the coco and living soil with 4 tbs of 4-4-4, dolomite, 1 tbs kelp, and 1 tbs azymite. Top dress every 2 weeks with 1tbs per gallon of 4-4-4 . Last top dress a week ago with a compost tea containing 3 gallons water, 1 tbs kelp, 1 tbs alfalfa, molasses, and earth worm castings brewed for 24 hours. 77 degrees during day 70 at night 60 % humidity

How much extra dolomite did you add? It looks like the start of K deficiency. Too much Ca or Mg can lock K out.

I know you said they're still moist, but they look kinda dry in the pics.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Yes...that was actually one of the problems occurring in this run and last run around this point. Twisting of new growth.

Sounds like too much Ca. You could water with citric acid water until you get a little runoff, and then dump, or suck out the runoff. Or just lay off the Ca inputs for a bit and continue using the citric acid in the water.

There's other chealating agents too that could help. Molasses is one, and it's acidic, but I wouldn't overdo it.

When I've had that happen I throw in some Epsom salt too.

You said they're starting to look better though right?

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

How much extra dolomite did you add? It looks like the start of K deficiency. Too much Ca or Mg can lock K out.

I know you said they're still moist, but they look kinda dry in the pics.

Tops of the pots were completely dry but about an inch deep it was soaked still.

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

Sounds like too much Ca. You could water with citric acid water until you get a little runoff, and then dump, or suck out the runoff. Or just lay off the Ca inputs for a bit and continue using the citric acid in the water.

There's other chealating agents too that could help. Molasses is one, and it's acidic, but I wouldn't overdo it.

When I've had that happen I throw in some Epsom salt too.

You said they're starting to look better though right?

Yes. Complete 180. Same thing that happened last run. They start out slow, but as soon as the nutrients really start becoming available they really go. They all starting growing at a good rate now, all the new growth coming in nice and strong, and starting to green up nicely. Like I said, some of the 7.5 pots are a little lighter green and look like they could use a little attention, but not alarming. So I am just going to do the epsom salt (which I planned on doing anyway and water with the citric acid. Only thing is, If I have a cal/mag overload wouldn't the epsom salt not be good then.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Yes. Complete 180. Same thing that happened last run. They start out slow, but as soon as the nutrients really start becoming available they really go. They all starting growing at a good rate now, all the new growth coming in nice and strong, and starting to green up nicely. Like I said, some of the 7.5 pots are a little lighter green and look like they could use a little attention, but not alarming. So I am just going to do the epsom salt (which I planned on doing anyway and water with the citric acid. Only thing is, If I have a cal/mag overload wouldn't the epsom salt not be good then.

Cal/Mag overload isn't a thing. It's one or the other. Too much Ca makes Mg and K harder for the plant to use. They're all antagonistic to each other if you know what I mean. Too much K can lock out Ca and Mg. And too much Mg can lockout Ca and K.

If you think you have excess Ca that's locking out the Mg and K. When I say lockout I'm meaning it's harder for the plant to access the nutrients that are actually there. So If you add too much Ca, the plant will want more Mg and K.

It's about a balance. I don't know if this is making sense.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

And there's more to it than that. Excess Ca impacts other stuff too.

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

Yes, Im starting to think keeping the additives simple and just use the 4 4 4 and worm castings for now on. The 4 4 4 and shit I add had pretty much everything im adding like the dolomite and kelp meal. Ill just stick to extra kelp in teas. I do love azomite though. I think that is a great additive to soil for micro nutrients

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Yes, Im starting to think keeping the additives simple and just use the 4 4 4 and worm castings for now on. The 4 4 4 and shit I add had pretty much everything im adding like the dolomite and kelp meal. Ill just stick to extra kelp in teas. I do love azomite though. I think that is a great additive to soil for micro nutrients

That's one thing I don't have in my recroom full of shit.

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

it is really really good shit. Its from volcanic eruptions. They mine it mostly from a volcanic eruption site I believe in Utah.
AZOMITE is an acronym for the “A to Z of minerals including trace elements”. - FROM GOOGLE

 

[UpInSmoke420$24]

it is really really good shit. Its from volcanic eruptions. They mine it mostly from a volcanic eruption site I believe in Utah.
AZOMITE is an acronym for the “A to Z of minerals including trace elements”. - FROM GOOGLE

Its good especially in coco because coco has no type of volcanic rock material or anything for trace minerals and micro nutrients. I used it with some autoflowers which were in a living soil and my last photoperiod run and I think it definitely helps. I use a little less in soil but I still like to add a little bit for the trace minerals