So, while typically, I’m the guy answering people’s questions about deficiencies and problems - I’ve found myself stumped.
This is a relatively new issue that I’ve never had before and I’ve been growing for 24 years.
It presents itself like a CalMag deficiency but no matter how many times I check PH of water AND runoff, add supplemental CalMag and enrich my soul mix with calcium amendments, it just won’t stop !
The details: I only use organic methods like guanos, teas, etc.
I use rainwater, which I understand lacks minerals, so CalMag is a regular part of diet.
PH of nutrient solution is 6.3-6.5 and runoff is closer to 6.
I bring my plants outside for sun during the day and augment with LED bars to complete photoperiod
Where’d you get the idea that rainwater lacks minerals? My understanding is that rainwater may have less minerals than groundwater, but it should always have some. It shouldn’t be unreadable like distilled water.
My opinion? --you’re causing issues by adding more and more calmag. You’re quite literally cal-mag’ing them to death IMO
I’ve always been under the impression that organic soil grows don’t need supplemental calmag, that’s mostly if not strictly a hydroponics thing
While it’s not zero minerals, it’s very very low - especially where I live (Northern edge of Cali and Oregon) because the air is very clean.
Now, when people use their roofs to catch and direct the flow, they often get bird poo and other stuff mixed in - whereas, we get SO much rain during the winter/spring, that I just have a large container in the yard.
The ONLY factor that’s different is which brand of CalMag I grabbed from my local shop (Grotek CalMax)
So I guess my curiousity is whether their version is having different effects than the brand I used to buy in Minnesota.
Shit I saw the header , Problem that just wont go away . I thought to myself shit someone else on OG knows my kids mother too . lmao Are the leaves curling at all? I had a similar thing . I flushed the shit out of my plant then hit it with nutes and its improving . My was in a container and I think salt and stuff was built up. Some leaves curled some were yellow with brow spots .Kind ve what yours look like. Just my 2 cents . Hope u get it squared away.
Too much of anything has detriments to be sure !!
However, typically CalMag nutes are “designed” to work together in appropriate ratios to avoid this.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that I usually do half doses of what’s recommended on the packaging and it works plenty fine. This time though, calcium deficiencies were WAY worse through veg until I raised the doses.
New growth started to look good again until flowering and then bam, right back to how veg was.
It’s funny because, in Northern Minnesota, I could just use tap water and never had any such issues other than the occasional “needy” pheno that wanted a tad more.
I guess in all the years and thousands of seeds I’ve popped and all the phenos, I’ve never seen a calcium toxicity because it’s virtually impossible to do - especially with organics.
Sounds like you need more organic inputs in the soil. I’ve never used CalMag in my own grows. Indoor or out. Rainwater, tap, or from the dehumidifier. If you need to feed salt nutritients, you do not have enough food in your soil.
We have the same issue with our well-water…turns out, we have really high Iron and Manganese (and a pH of 8.9!!) Have a ‘‘Zero Water’’ table top filtering unit that am going to use for the upstairs plants, and see if it makes a difference… The problem worsens as they age and start blooming…??
So worried that having to use so much pH down in the water might be an issue too???
So usually, I need very very little or none at all either because I use dry amendments that are guano based and/or dolomite lime, etc.
I’ve literally been doing the exact same blend for over a decade with minimal issues - but out here ?! It’s been nonstop.
Makes me wonder if theres a difference in soils sold on Cali versus Minnesota.
There’s definitely an X factor going on and it’s driving me bonkers.
To me, it SCREAMS CalMag deficiency but nothing seems to be helping in that department.
Luckily, I need very little PH buffer since rain is damn near dead on at 7. My old place on Minnesota was like that though - tap was always over 8, drove me nuts.
Nah, but almost as frustrating as a nightmare baby mama !!
But no, as far as leaf curl, that’s only a thing after the leaf has checked out and decided to die.
I mixed my soil a TINY bit hot on nitrogen this time but tip burn was so minimal, I didn’t really care.
Generally, I barely touch water in nutrients and instead rely on rich soil and microbes to do the heavy lifting.
Just going to guess at the ph being a bit low(for soil). Have you checked your ph meter against another? Just had the same issue both bluelabs (guardian and ph controller in same res) would calibrate to 7 and 4 fine. When both probes went into res they were off by 0.4 for months and didn’t figure it out until I replaced the probe. They don’t last forever(2yrs max) even if they calibrate.
That was actually my first thought exactly. Though I’ve got a really nice pen and it calibrates and tests correctly in all test solutions, but I still didn’t give it blind trust. So, I tried two litmus based tests (liquid and paper) and they were showing to be in alignment with what the pen was saying.
The PH thing is legit though, too high or low and lockout time.
Usually, I don’t see any issues running in the low/mid 6 range though.
Yeah 6.3 wouldn’t be too bad but if the probe was off by say 0.4 or more it could be in the 5 range. Was just a thought. I wouldn’t think both of the probes I was using would be calibrating and then reading off that much… good luck and keep us updated.
While I generally like using 3 gallon pots because of the speed that I do seed cycles (to get through as many genetics as I can), 5’s would have been better this round for sure.
Typically, I veg for less than a month because I don’t care about yields or profit but instead want to screen through stock as fast as I can for breeding purposes.
I’m still in the 3 days between waterings range that I like but I WAS forced to veg longer and LST this cycle due to power issues with our local grid.
The increased soil volume would have definitely helped but, is what it is.
Right, so on regards to the burgundy stems - that’s purely a trait of the strain. Every single.one of them does it because it’s part of the genetics.
Normally, I get that it’s indicative of deficiency, but not for them. 95% are purple or red, simply by design.
With the small pots, as I’ve said, normally I’m cramming as many seedlings as possible into a cycle and yields and profits aren’t even part of the equation.
An ounce or two per plant to sample and give away is all they’re for.
Then, if I’m pleased and people like them, the seeds are kept or tossed.
Well I believe the reason you’re having issues is the size of the pots. Hopefully that helps with the root of this thread you made to correct your plants.
My understanding is that rainwater may have less minerals than groundwater, but it should always have some. It shouldn’t be unreadable like distilled water.
