Update on my Wedding Cake, Northern Lights & Blue Cheese

Overgrowtho said:

But I don't understand fully because nitrogen can be absorbed between 6 and 7 pH. So I don't see how that alone is the issue.

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Trust me bring it down to 6.2 (if you have a digitial reader the better). Weed likes it on the lower end on the acidic side. The closer you get to 7 it becomes neutral thereby preventing the roots from absorbing as much as it can. Plus if it isnt acidic, how is the microbes going to get broken down for the plant to eat.

I did the same thing you did and I got sound advice for which I now will always do and since it has been an error free grow.

Your plant that is yellow is telling you it doesnt like what YOU are doing to it. So go lower and see what she thinks. She will tell you.

Overgrowtho said:

I am using potent organic super soil.

After transplant from less potent seedling medium there was this lockout and stunted growth.

But the super soil is packed with food to feed! So maybe it is truly pH? And the microbes aren't happy?

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Growing with Organics is nothing like hydro. A good organic soil will buffer itself. PH adjustments should be done carefully with products that don't hurt the microbial life. It does look like it isn't getting enough food but this could be as well from under or overwatering. What soil exactly are you using? Most that I know and in my experience with other plants and my current run in organics I just use a 3 stage catalytic carbon filter to filter out chlorine and chloramine to acceptable levels I don't PH anything and my water is right around 6.9-7. Working great so far. This is pretty in line with what you will find when browsing the organic forums here.

dbz said:

Growing with Organics is nothing like hydro. A good organic soil will buffer itself. PH adjustments should be done carefully with products that don't hurt the microbial life. It does look like it isn't getting enough food but this could be as well from under or overwatering. What soil exactly are you using? Most that I know and in my experience with other plants and my current run in organics I just use a 3 stage catalytic carbon filter to filter out chlorine and chloramine to acceptable levels I don't PH anything and my water is right around 6.9-7. Working great so far. This is pretty in line with what you will find when browsing the organic forums here.

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This is true a good soil will buffer itself... but I suspect his PH is way to high so going down to 6.2 will allow the soil to rebuffer. if he keeps feeding at that level with the PH rising naturally as the breakdown microbial begins, his PH will go beyond the point where his roots can not uptake.

Weed is very adaptable, depending on the strains some are picky than others so observe the plants individually as they are going through different things.
I personally do not remove the Chlorine or the chloramine... I just keep the PH at 6.2 and let them work itself out. Hope it helps.

I do think over and under watering could be part of the issue but I'm also inclined that to think that pH might be as well.

I wonder what organic material you recommend use to lower pH of water? Citric acid monohydrate is fine or better use vinegar? Or?

Be interesting to see how this pans out I personally don’t think it ph if so why only two plants are showing deficiency

Leeski said:

Be interesting to see how this pans out I personally don’t think it ph if so why only two plants are showing deficiency

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Not all plants react the same way just like you and I each plant is unique.

Overgrowtho said:

I do think over and under watering could be part of the issue but I'm also inclined that to think that pH might be as well.

I wonder what organic material you recommend use to lower pH of water? Citric acid monohydrate is fine or better use vinegar? Or?

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If it was over watering or under watering they would droop over. SaferGro is an organic PH down. Vinegar and Citric acid I would not recommend as they are not efficient in lowering PH.

Citric Acid should be fine if you want to lower potassium bicarbonate to raise. Earth Juice Naturals is a good brand with a good ph up and down that won't adversely affect the microbial life. At that size you should be using about 6-8 oz water in a circle around the base of the plant. Don't water the whole pot. Even then you should be going at least 48 hours between watering and when they get a bit bigger and you begin giving them a bit more 3-4 days between so long as the soil is good. Are you using a particular brand of super soil? Like Sohum? Kindsoil? Is it Roots Organic? What do you have going on?

If it is a good "super soil" you shouldn't even be thinking about any kind of nutrient additions at this time.

Grow420Dad said:

Not all plants react the same way just like you and I each plant is unique.


If it was over watering or under watering they would droop over. SaferGro is an organic PH down. Vinegar and Citric acid I would not recommend as they are not efficient in lowering PH.

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They do not always droop as initial over and underwatering symptoms can develop. Both can cause a lack of intake of nutrients and deficiencies. Yellowing leaves are very common with overwatering and underwatering issues.
What is uncommon which I don't know the exact medium but is with a good "super soil" needing to adjust your ph if it is below 7.2 or so. There are many growers here in the organic section that will tell you this and in my limited experience with cannabis indoors and a good deal more with other plants and outdoors almost always in organic mediums has showed me this IME as well. Now if your water is 7.8 or really alkaline then it would be imperative with organic even to at least get it pretty close to neutral.

My super soil type is one from oversees as I am in Asia. We dont have the same options.

The issues seem to be with the following soil number 1 and NOT number 2 (lime green plants are in soil 1 which after transplant, they did not adapt to well):

1. Wood ash, blood meal, sand, lime, sawdust, pertlite, compost, vermiculite, peat moss, macronutrients, mirconutrients, mycorhuza, mucrococcus

2. Coconut fluff, Black Chaff, Chaff, Compost, Fish Amino Compost, mashed shells, 6 secondary minerals, microorganisms, yeast, Bacilus, Mycorrhizae

I was thinking to add the compost tea now, not so much for a nutrient infusion -- but to help rev up the microbial life which should assist with the lockout of nitrogen and pH issues too.

I have brewed up 5 gallons for 10 plants (each in 5 gallon pot) but it is my first time making an actively aerated compost tea so please let me know any feedback. Here is the composition:

Tea bag base
compost 1 cup
worm castings 1 cup

Extra tea ingedient
kelp extract
honey (or molasses if have)
fish hydrosolate
humic acid
bat guano
mycorhiza
trichoderma

My question is: for plants in early veg will this be too nutrient rich/powerful? Should I dilute and if so how much?


I just did a PPM and pH test and it came out to 460 PPM and 6.2 pH

That’s a good brew no real need for molasses’s I only add molasses To aact to keep the tea alive for longer molasses are good in bloom would brew with air pump for around 17-24hrs until there’s a good froth on the top then it’s alive I don’t dilute my teas but you could to make it go further your feeding the soil not the plants soil 1 is lacking in any form of nitrogen or Iron and mag your brew should improve both soil 1&2

I’m in living soil (coots) my bitches only get sst veg barley & popcorn bloom I drop the barley for mung beans they get a cal mag twice in veg fish mix early veg and during bloom stretch I’m hoping to get to water only scenario

Have always found this handy

This is also handy

As you can see the ones on the left are much less healthy than on the right. They had different super soils. Lets hope the compost tea feeding today will have it looking much better in a couple of days!!!!

Overgrowtho said:

As you can see the ones on the left are much less healthy than on the right. They had different super soils. Lets hope the compost tea feeding today will have it looking much better in a couple of days!!!!

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They are looking sorry for them selfs sure if you get some decent Biology in that soil you can turn it round try keep soil at constant moisture level not sopping wet just nice and moist
Is that a moisture probe/meter in bottom left of pic ?

Good idea. Yes moisture meters, ph, light.

The other 3 on the right seem to be okay.

Overgrowtho said:

Good idea. Yes moisture meters, ph, light.

The other 3 on the right seem to be okay.

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Those moisture meters are highly inaccurate would not rely on them to know when to water or not correct moisture levels in super soil is so important to keep your Biology happy and thriving
Also you said hopefully see a difference in couple of days will take longer than a couple of days good luck with the rest of your grow

Overgrowtho said:

Good idea. Yes moisture meters, ph, light.

The other 3 on the right seem to be okay.

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The meter is only good to tell you where the water is located at the bottom of the plant . When the meter gets down to the last inch of moisture, then it's time to water

Meaning the last inch is wet and middle is normal?

Overgrowtho said:

Meaning the last inch is wet and middle is normal?

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Yes... the needle will move from dry to moist as you get towards the bottom.. When you are about a inch from the bottom and the meter needle goes to moist then time to water/feed. Other than that the light, and PH side of things on the meter is useless. but the moisture helps you find the water table in the pot.