Next steps ??

[mystika]

Problem: Yellowing old growth. White & brown spots/streaks

Medium/grow method: Premium soil in Smart pots

Feed: and supplements used: Very light Fish emulsion

Water source: Rain adjusted to 5.5-6.0 (with pH down) with pH pen

Strain/age: Auto Critical x2 , Auto Kush x1, ~6 weeks

light used: Outdoor and indoor T5

Climate: 20-25 C. Not sure of humidity. Live at the coast though



I've done a few indoor & outdoor grows combined. And a TON of research. In Southern Hemisphere so good long hot dry summers generally.

This is my first Auto Grow btw and I need some help.

I planted a couple Auto's (Critical & Kush) about 6 weeks ago now. Keeping them mostly outside (13 hours daylight currently) but indoors overnight under 4 x 4" T5 6500K tubes (216W total) for ultimately 18/6. Back in sun around 8 or 9am, back inside under lights around 5pm.

Anyway they were doing ok for first couple of weeks although some of the plants did grow very wavy leaves at 1-2 weeks old (3rd / 4th internodes) and curvy banana leaves.. Thought was due to Auto genetics but maybe not. Looking back at photos some new growth was yellow already?? They're in smart pots and I'm using the best premium soil I can get. The soil says water at 5.5 - 6.0 pH which I have been doing with rain water adjusted with pH down. I definitely have NOT been overwatering. I watered sparingly when the pots felt light. That said I wasn't getting any runoff since that would meaning watering so much it would saturate the 10L smart pots too much. The soil holds quite a lot of water. Mistake not getting run-off?

I did do lots of reading on Autos so only at about 3+ weeks old I gave them their first nutes, some very weak fish emulsion (like 0.25mL / L) and they didnt' like it at all. Original cotyledons and then first true leaves starting yellowing next day virtually. I've done a few foliar sprays as well of Kelpak before and then Epsom salts over the past week as well to help keep them strong...

Now the plants are exhibiting what I believe is some Calcium & Magnesium "deficiency". Likely due to my soil pH is what I've come to realise. I've flushed (with 20+L per 10L pot) with adjusted rain water at around 6.8 pH [I think soil pH was too low so over compensated a little] but they bottom leaves continue to get worse. I've also had a few white spots higher up on newer growth. And weird zig-zag lines kind of like an insect would make? But likely not, been keeping a very close eye on any pests. Only a few small thrips early on but now not many.

The Criticals showed pistils at 3 weeks so have started to fill out nicely now. Kush is running few weeks behind already.

So where did I go wrong? Didnt flush enough? Or have the plants slowly been becoming more and more deficient and I just didnt notice.

Next steps? Add Cal or Mag supplements? Keep using rain water? I know its soft but the soil manufacturer has below to say. If that's so, then surely I dont need to add Calcium supplements? Use pH'ed Tap water that has Calcium in it?

I was planning on using Bio Bloom on the Criticals pretty soon, seems their vertical growth is slowing) but at this rate I dont want things to get worse.

Also the leaf here with red arrow is very droopy & soft now and will no doubt go yellow and shrivel up soon. Something is lacking for sure.

--

Soil Ingredients: Coco Coir, Worm Castings, Compost, Perlite (10%), Vermiculite,
Volcanic Rock Dust, Bone Meal, Gypsum, Fermented probiotic bran, Organic
nutrients

"Ideal watering pH for Freedom Farms Growing Mediums: 5.5 – 6.0
Pure coconut coir has a pH between 5.8 - 6.8. A substrate/soil pH of between 5.5
and 6.5 is ideal for nutrient uptake in most plants. Freedom Farms Coco coir is
buffered and charged with natural amendmments. The high Calcium content of
our amendmments maintains the pH in the 6.5-6.8 range and will prevent a
decrease in pH (substrate acidification) resulting from fertilizer application or
waterings at a low pH. The soil pH is therefore buffered against decreasing pH.
On the other hand, an incremental increase in pH resulting from tap water (pH 7-
8.5) use can cause the soil pH to increase above the optimal range for nutrient
uptake. The soil pH is therefore not buffered against increasing pH caused by
using un-pH’d tap water. Watering with a pH of 5.5-6.0 will ensure the pH of the
soil remains in the optimal range of 5.5-6.5.

 

[Citadel]

I'm a newbie but I'd say looks like splash back from watering but the pic with brown trails looks like you may have leaf miner problems

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[James197467]

I've only got 50 days experience into my grow but it does look like water splash up and then the leaves on the bottom or from when they first sprouted they're doing what they're supposed to do dying and falling off and the one leaf looks like one of those slimy slugs were crawling on it to me and the clear slug juice caused it to burn through the Sun

 

[Waira]

-- squiggly markings are leaf miners, a tiny caterpillar... crush manually, and get a spray for them,... Azamax, or a spinosad containing product are good,.. so a Bti (bacterial agent killer) as a foliar spray, but miners are more tricky for this because they are in between layers, they must ingest it, and the other treatments are contact killers,.. you can also simply remove those leaves,...
... lower leaves, and the the first true set are often shut down, nothing to sweat there,...
... pale spot is nothing to worry about, might have been physical damage, maybe even light burn from "lensing" droplets, though that is actually rare,....
... keep the soil more evenly moist, too much drying make hell for the roots, soil herd and especially pH!
..no more flushing, that's an emergency thing, not called for here, and can kick off other problem with nutrition,.. speaking of which, you need to start with better nutes ASAP; fish goo is good, but really incomplete! A dedicated cannabis nute line is called for, and no need to spend a fortune either...
looks like they say don't add Ca-Mg, so don't for now,.... I don't see symptoms anyway...

 

[mystika]

Thanks for info guys. Leaf miners a def issue but not main concern right now... After last proper flush (pretty hard with smart pots, wrapped side with plastic to help flush through soil properly) the plants seem greener and happier.

However now the lower leaves are getting used for their nutrients so am definitely missing something. Everytime I add nutes (very mild like 1ml / 4L of Nitrosol for eg.) it seems to get worse though?

 

[DTOM420]

Thanks for info guys. Leaf miners a def issue but not main concern right now... After last proper flush (pretty hard with smart pots, wrapped side with plastic to help flush through soil properly) the plants seem greener and happier.

However now the lower leaves are getting used for their nutrients so am definitely missing something. Everytime I add nutes (very mild like 1ml / 4L of Nitrosol for eg.) it seems to get worse though?

Waira is a person to listen to. THE person to listen to. I believe he said to stop flushing and asked you for some specific info. Provide it to him and type his name immediately following the @ symbol and it’ll send him a notice to come look at your post. I wouldn’t do ANYTHING but keep the soil moist with properly pH’d water until you hear back from him on “your next steps.”

Good luck!