Potassium Def in Week 3/4?

Nezzy

Member
Hello! Former hydro grower here (since 05) and have made the switch to organics/Gaia Green in 2020. I seem to battle the same damn issue every grow.... potassium deficiency. I make it through veg with the healthiest plants and then it seems week 3-4 of flowering always hits with what I'm assuming is a lack of potassium or even a lock out??

Specs are as follows:

Environment: 4x5x6.5ft tent
Air: 4 inch exhaust fan vented directly outdoors.
Medium: Coots mix with 50/50 Gaia All Purpose and Power Bloom.
Extra Amendments: Oyster shell flour and a little bit of mineralized phosphate.
Biweekly teas: Compost/cattle manure in RO water.
Pots: 1-3gal plastic for veg, 10gal fabric pots for flowering.
Temps: 24-26c lights on, 19-21c lights off.

If anyone has any insight as to why this always happens and what i can do to prevent it next round would be much appreciated. If more info is needed just ask. Thank you!!

~Nezzy~
 

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Cannabinoid Froyd

Well-Known Member
Are you transplanting late or vegging too long in the smaller containers? I vegged in 1.5gal for a month and had the same issue. As soon as I up potted the issue went away until it chewed its way through the 4gal containers nutes. Only other issue for me that caused this was underwatering.

Im not too sure though. Hopefully someone can help you out.
 

Nezzy

Member
Are you transplanting late or vegging too long in the smaller containers? I vegged in 1.5gal for a month and had the same issue. As soon as I up potted the issue went away until it chewed its way through the 4gal containers nutes. Only other issue for me that caused this was underwatering.

Im not too sure though. Hopefully someone can help you out.

I know from previous grows that I would hit this problem much sooner but that was in 5gal pots. This time I went 10 and the issue is back just later in the grow. It's frustrating more than anything and would love to learn how to fix this. Next run I might add some greensand to the mix and let my soil compost for several weeks.
 

Cannabinoid Froyd

Well-Known Member
How long have you been in the 10gal pot?

If you are in your 3rd/4th week I was told they would be in their heaviest feeding of their life and recommended just feeding it. For me, I had to feed at 1/4 doses EVERY watering to keep up with her demands. I'm assuming you are feeding her?
 

Nezzy

Member
How long have you been in the 10gal pot?

If you are in your 3rd/4th week I was told they would be in their heaviest feeding of their life and recommended just feeding it. For me, I had to feed at 1/4 doses EVERY watering to keep up with her demands. I'm assuming you are feeding her?

The 10 gal pots were made with premixed Coots mix and 50/50 4-4-4 and 2-8-4, Oyster shell flour and a little bit of mineralized phosphate. At week 2 of flower, which would be 3 weeks post transplant I amended with 10tbsp 4-4-4 and 10tbsp 2-8-4. They get bi weekly compost teas and that's basically it. My sativa dominant plants are perfectly fine it's my indicas/heavy feeders that always seem to suffer at this stage.
 

swedsteven

Well-Known Member
Top dress every 3 week with Gaia green and ewc
And take a look at your ppm runnof .
I use fish fertelizer to bump the ppm back up and i up the next topdress on the schedule
I am able to keep big plant in my small 5 gallon fabric pot that way but i have to water almost every day .
I keep my runnof ppm around 3000 .
 

GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
Hello! Former hydro grower here (since 05) and have made the switch to organics/Gaia Green in 2020. I seem to battle the same damn issue every grow.... potassium deficiency. I make it through veg with the healthiest plants and then it seems week 3-4 of flowering always hits with what I'm assuming is a lack of potassium or even a lock out??

Specs are as follows:

Environment: 4x5x6.5ft tent
Air: 4 inch exhaust fan vented directly outdoors.
Medium: Coots mix with 50/50 Gaia All Purpose and Power Bloom.
Extra Amendments: Oyster shell flour and a little bit of mineralized phosphate.
Biweekly teas: Compost/cattle manure in RO water.
Pots: 1-3gal plastic for veg, 10gal fabric pots for flowering.
Temps: 24-26c lights on, 19-21c lights off.

If anyone has any insight as to why this always happens and what i can do to prevent it next round would be much appreciated. If more info is needed just ask. Thank you!!

~Nezzy~
What are you watering with? Tap? Well?
 

myke

Well-Known Member
Having used Gaia for a while now your leaves look like mine after a top dress,burn is what Im thinking.
I usually get it on the lower leaves.
edit to add,its my indys also that do this.Roots on the surface dont like the food,I mix it with EWC first then spread around.
 

Nezzy

Member
Having used Gaia for a while now your leaves look like mine after a top dress,burn is what Im thinking.
I usually get it on the lower leaves.
Yes shortly after their first top dressing in flower this began to happen. What do you suggest to prevent this? I looked this morning when lights came on and it'd getting worse by the day...
 

myke

Well-Known Member
Another option I found is always of some fresh cooked dirt handy,top dress with that instead of straight Gaia.
 

myke

Well-Known Member
Good be the teas going over the Gaia ,its just a little too hot.
But new growth should still be ok.

I know teas can have really low ph so that could be part of it also?
 

Nezzy

Member
Another option I found is always of some fresh cooked dirt handy,top dress with that instead of straight Gaia.
You'd think the light feeding sativas would be sensitive to the top dressings but they are trucking along perfectly. I will definitely be grabbing some more castings and trying to do it that way. Would you suggest a tea to get them back on track?
 

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myke

Well-Known Member
You'd think the light feeding sativas would be sensitive to the top dressings but they are trucking along perfectly. I will definitely be grabbing some more castings and trying to do it that way. Would you suggest a tea to get them back on track?
I dont play with teas,yellowed my plants before.So no more.
No proof but ph can be around 4 in some teas,molasses etc...
 

myke

Well-Known Member
Maybe not related but keeping the soil covered so the surface never really dries out sure helps.Keeps everything alive and working.
 

Nezzy

Member
Maybe not related but keeping the soil covered so the surface never really dries out sure helps.Keeps everything alive and working.
I have a bunch of wheat straw. I'll chop some of that up and cover. Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.
 

myke

Well-Known Member
I have a bunch of wheat straw. I'll chop some of that up and cover. Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.
I was a rdwc grower just like you switched to organic. Did one run in pots was a miserable run lol. Switched to sips with covers and my soil stays nice and moist now. Feeder roots seam to like it. 3B79F533-70D8-47D0-A75D-B5AE4BCDC798.jpeg
 

myke

Well-Known Member
Incredible. I have been doing a shit load of reading on SIPS and would like to move towards them sooner than later. Is is as simple as adding soil, plant and then just watering? I'll be running a 25 plant medical grow this fall and want to go with SIPS so I'm open to any info and knowledge you have and can recommend.
Cant recommend them enough,Im just a newbie organic closet grower.The sips make me look like a pro lol. Pretty fool proof.
 
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