# More leaves curling-Is it heat?



## Amateur Grower (Mar 31, 2009)

1st pic is almost 3 wk. old WW grown from seed. It was one of my top 3 but seems to be lagging with spotting on the leaves with leaves beginning to turn down.

Pic 2 is a same-age mystery plant (free seeds with my White Widow order) that was growing well also, but got spots first and the leaves are noticeably turning down.

Water is good (check it w/meter), no idea on PH (have a Ferry-Morse tester but didn't do well using it the 1st time), 400W MH with standard hood, 24/0 light period.

I had these, as well as my other 6, about 6 inches from the light. I can hold my hand much closer to the light than that comfortably. I've since moved these 2 to the side. 

Other plants seemingly equally close to the light are flourishing. Is it heat? I'm not using any nutes yet to speak of, a very light dose of FoxFarm Grow Big (about 1/4 recommended dose with water about every 3rd day). 

Soil is Miracle Grow Organic (I know, I know) 2 parts and 1 part worm castings.

Temps are 75-81 F humidity 30-51 %

I'm using a 4 X 4 area with only an oscillating fan. That's all I can think of right now.


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## Alistair (Apr 1, 2009)

AG, if you don't know the pH, it might be off.

You might do your self a favor by transplanting into different, better soil.  If you have Fox Farm fertilizers, then why not use FF Ocean Forest soil.  A lot of people here use it with great results.  If FFOF soil is unavailable, then get some basic all-purpose potting soil.  

Just a couple of ideas for you.


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## HippyInEngland (Apr 1, 2009)

Hello AG 

Ferry-Morse tester.

Notoriously inaccurate.

This is directly from a comparison site ...



> Simply add a sample of soil, some water and the test powder from one of the capsules and you can find out what are the PH, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium levels. In my case: PH = 6.5 (none of the color boxes really matched the color of my sample so this is a best guess), N = very low, P = very low and K = very low.
> 
> The problem with this test kit is that the actual amount of soil used for each test is so small that it's impossible to get one that reliably represents the entire soil sample. Each test uses less than 0.1-teaspoon of material. This is such a small quality that you can almost count the individual grains making it up.
> 
> ...



I use 1 of these, very accurate and I would advise to get one.

hXXp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/pH-tester-pen-for-hydroponics-grow-light-rooms_W0QQitemZ280328680203QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_H

Change hXXp to hTTp

I have the exact type above, although any quality digital PH tester will do the same job.

You will also need to buy a PH buffer of 7 & 4 to check calibration (they do not tell you this when ordering and its a PITA getting the PH tester to then realise you have to order the buffer too)

hXXp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BUFFER-4-7-PH-CALIBRATION-SOLUTION-DOUBLE-PACK_W0QQitemZ280323457172QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Ho

eace:


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## Alistair (Apr 1, 2009)

Hippy,  I threw away my soil pH tester kit.  I doubted the accuracy of the kit.  So, I put the powder in with the recommended amount of water.  I let it sit for awhile and it told me that I had plenty of nitrogen.  Remember, I added no soil.  I tested it again just to make sure.  The results were the same.  I threw the kit away.  I no longer test the pH of my soil. 

A good quality digital pH meter is in order, though.

Hippy, don't think that he should use different soil too?


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## ozzydiodude (Apr 1, 2009)

If you have any way to do it, CHANGE SOIL. MG is for flowers not ladies.IMO dirt out of the front yard grows mmarijuana better. MG is to hot one test N will be low next day N will be off the chart. I wonder if adding lime to buffer will help?


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## zipflip (Apr 1, 2009)

them chunks of manure or watever it is on top the dirt in ya picture is wat alot our brick bud up here gets to lookin like alot the time. its horrid.  like theres been alot of this brick stuff that literally looks like green jagged rocks and when ya go to bust it up it literally crumbles like to a pile of shake but not a single stem in over an ounce even but alot of seeds.  its like someone just threw bunch of seeds n trim in an briked it lol. an it hardly even do anythin to ya but give ay head ache. i been spending alot of sober days lately just cuz of this and theres alot of it around here. anyone else have this epidemic in there locale?


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 1, 2009)

The Ferry Morse tester is an electronic tester, I just don't know how to use it! It says to get your soil wet "to a mud consistency". When I used that much water (tested before I put the seedlings in) my PH tested at 3!!!! I guess I'm not sure how wet the medium should be when I test. And now that the plants are in the soil, how good will it be for the plants to water them enough so that the medium is mud?

Anyone every heard of or used Jungle Growth soil? Says it's 100% organic.


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## HippyInEngland (Apr 1, 2009)

Hello AG 

Is this what you have?

hXXp://www.amazon.com/Ferry-Morse-Electronic-Soil-Test-Kit/dp/B00134UQEC


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 1, 2009)

My friend, that is exactly it! Thoughts?

AG


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## HippyInEngland (Apr 1, 2009)

Read this 

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27943


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 1, 2009)

So the 1st pic in that thread-the one with the large green, squarish head, is the one that gave you bad readings? I seem to be making ALL the mistakes! I actually bought that one FIRST and didn't trust it's readings. I do still use it to monitor soil moisture. I actually thought that by paying $20 for an electronic meter, I was getting accuracy.

So you swear by digital PH testers? Will these digital testers work in soil? 

I did notice the electronic tester I have said not to test water PH with it.

AG


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 1, 2009)

hXXp://cgi.ebay.com/HANNA-HI98103-FL-pH-Meter-Tester-Cheker-HI-98103-White_W0QQitemZ250326502787QQihZ015QQcategoryZ26230QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thoughts on this one?


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## growright35 (Apr 1, 2009)

Yes the PH has to be on but also beware the MG soil gives more nutes with the more water you give. If the Jungle Grow mix says feeds up to 3 months you will have the same issue. If you must just give less water than you think you should and no extra nutes for awhile. IMO it all starts with the soil.


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## HippyInEngland (Apr 1, 2009)

Yes I swear by digital meters.

You check your water's PH when giving the plant water.

You do the same after you have put nutrients in the water when your going to feed them.

To find the PH your plant is living in, you check your 'run off'

To do this you stand your pot on a plate or something that can hold liquid.

You water or feed your plant until some liquid runs out of the pot (this is called 'run off'.

You let your pot sit in this run off for several hours then check the PH of the liquid collected on your plate or other collecting object.

This PH reading will tell you the PH your roots are surviving in, if the PH is outside tolerances you need to alter your original water/feed PH accordingly.

The ideal PH for growing in soil is 6.5, now imagine you check your water/feed PH and it says 6.5, if you then check the run off and it says 6, you then know your need to make your water/feed a PH of 7 because the soil itself will take the PH down 0.5, resulting in the roots living in 6.5 instead of 6.

Clear as mud 

eace:

P.s. If your soil is altering the PH too much, then the soil is no good and you will need to get different soil obviously.

P.p.s Yes that PH tester will be fine.


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 1, 2009)

Understood clearly-I was doing it completely wrong. I was wetting the soil and trying to take my PH readings that way. Thanks for the info!


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 1, 2009)

Just curious-does anyone out there growing in soil test their SOIL's ph?


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## yumyumbubblegum (Apr 1, 2009)

*I just check the runoff not the soil, and I too use a digital meter (Hanna)*


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 1, 2009)

Thanks all. I ordered a Hanna off Ebay today and it's already been shipped. 

But the original question was never REALLY answered-are the spots and curling leaves more apt to be from heat or PH inbalance?  

AG


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## yumyumbubblegum (Apr 2, 2009)

*Your heat and RH are fine (I run mine in the same zones) IMO, I think it has something to do with your soil, that does not look like a pH issue*

*I think a transplant would do your babies a world of good :hubba:*


*EDIT: the second pic looks like a little pH problem (with the droopyness) but I still think a transplant is in order*


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## HippyInEngland (Apr 2, 2009)

Amateur Grower said:
			
		

> Soil is Miracle Grow Organic (I know, I know) 2 parts and 1 part worm castings.


 
My answer is in my sig.


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## Amateur Grower (Apr 6, 2009)

Alright, my friend-across-the-water,  I've transplanted 1 of the 2 plants into Mushroom compost with a small amount of cow manure along with some worm castings and perlite. I just hope I didn't damage too many roots when I moved it!

I'm afraid to change my soil on the others because they seem to be doing so well. They're about 3 inches tall and most have just begun their 5th set of symmetrical branches. These were all put in soil from sprouted seeds on March 19th. 

I've got my new Hanna PH tester just waiting for my next watering.

AG


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## ozzydiodude (Apr 6, 2009)

Good looking youngens stay the course they look fine to me. You now can tell the difference in the different soils you will be able to detremine for yourself and post pictures for us to see. IMO you will need a fert high in P to flower right in the MG. I like your choice of soil mixture.


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## Darth BongWongDong (Apr 15, 2009)

PH ing is the most important knowledge you will need when growing, buy a digital ph tester, or you will fail.


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## purplephazes (Apr 15, 2009)

clue + hippy    Miracle Grow Soil has a nutrient rating of 
                                21-7-14 N-P-K


                 It is no good for growing Marijuana in pots.


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