# Red Stems? Iron?



## bigweedo (Dec 7, 2014)

Hi All!

Been noticing plants in the flowering room with red stems. Pretty weird, because the stems are bright red on top, and green on the bottom! 

Seems to be affecting plants that are closer to the light. Could this be the issue? Also, it seems like it is appearing on new growth vs old, making me think it could possibly be iron?

Grow Details:

Light is 10-12 inches from plants. 600watt hps

Temps can get a little cold at night when the lights are off, but when light is on temps are 72-74F and when they are off it can be 60-64F.

27th day of 12/12

Soil: Black Gold

Nutes: Earth juice sea blast. Been feeding recommended rate (1/2tsp) of bloom once a week with pH of 6.5. Used Transition which has the higher nitrogen percentage until the beginning of last week (last feeding) and switched to bloom formulation.

Been using R/O water for the first time. Been adding 1/2tsp of Cal/Mag with every watering.

Am I just over looking a nitrogen deficiency? 

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## MR1 (Dec 7, 2014)

Red stems can be a trait of the plant itself or can be a phosphorus deficiency. Cold temps can reduce the uptake of phosphorus, they look like they might need stronger nutes.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 7, 2014)

I always get what I call purpling of the plant when temps drop to around 60, which they usually do at my place in the winter.  

I don't think that a 1/2 teaspoon of Cal-Mag sounds like it is enough--what does the bottle call for?  Doesn't the Sea Blast give you how much to put in a gal of water rather than saying that EVERY plant needs (which doesn't even make good sense).  A plant that is huge is going to require a lot more nutrients than one that is very small.  I will see if I can find a feeding schedule as that just sound not right.  I cannot imagine that 1/2 t of food once a week is nearly enough for a plant that size.


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## bigweedo (Dec 7, 2014)

Label on bottle states:

 Constant feed (every watering): 1/8tsp is mild, 1/4 is medium, 1/2 is strong.

 These plants are pretty big, were under 400 watt MH for 3 weeks on 18/6. Need to up my feeding rates? 1/2tsp usually gets my r/o water right to 6.4-6.5 pH.


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## lyfespan (Dec 7, 2014)

The purpling in the stems of the leaves, is a strength indicator of your plants immune system, and is produced by the phosphorus accumulating.


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## bigweedo (Dec 8, 2014)

Thanks for the responses.

 Lyfespan: Are you saying I have too much Phosphorus accumulated?


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 8, 2014)

The phosphorus accumulates because of the 60 degree temps.   I sincerely do not believe that the color is an indication of a problem, but a result of cold temps.

Sea Blast-- Are you using the veg formula?  This is the feeding schedule I found--the amounts to be added are _per gallon of water_, not per plant.  I figured that the feedings should be listed as a certain amount per gal of water and it does.   http://www.growgreenerguru.com/?attachment_id=3034


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## bigweedo (Dec 8, 2014)

Should I invest in a little space heater to raise the temps when the lights are off?


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## pcduck (Dec 8, 2014)

Yes


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## Hushpuppy (Dec 10, 2014)

If your temps at night are dropping lower than 65f then I would get a small heater and try to maintain a 70f-78f all around. I was thinking Phosphorous myself given that you are in flower a good ways.


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## lyfespan (Dec 11, 2014)

bigweedo said:


> Thanks for the responses.
> 
> Lyfespan: Are you saying I have too much Phosphorus accumulated?



No I'm saying the stems get that way as a natural defense


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## bigweedo (Dec 14, 2014)

Well I bought the heater and have it geared in around 70F at night and fed last Monday with:

 1tsp of Earth Juice seablast bloom
 1/8th tsp of earth juice bloom master.

 Leafs are still looking funky, looks like phosphorus to me!

 What do you guys think?


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## bigweedo (Dec 14, 2014)

Here are the recent pics from today 

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## zem (Dec 14, 2014)

imo this extent of damage is not simply caused by night temps of 60-64. it looks to me like it is more major like maybe lockout due to ph or overwatering or overfeeding. at such temps, you may notice some stress but not that much damage...jmo


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## bigweedo (Dec 14, 2014)

I will check pH of the soil in the next day or two to make sure, but it has always been around 6.5. Does it look more like under feeding to anyone?


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## zem (Dec 14, 2014)

yes definitely could be long term deficiency if you haven't been feeding enough for long enough time


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## Locked (Dec 14, 2014)

bigweedo said:


> Does it look more like under feeding to anyone?



It does to me. Those big old fan leaves tend to get beat the hell up and look worse and worse the closer to harvest.  I think you either have a ph problem causing a bit of lockout or you need to feed a little heavier. 



> I will check pH of the soil in the next day or two to make sure, but it has always been around 6.5.



I would worry more about the ph of the things you introduce to your soil then the ph of the soil itself.  I ph everything I put into my soil (feed/water) to 6.5. I feel it gives me the best chance to sit in the 6.3-6.8 range.  I also have found that since i started adding sweet lime to my soil many many grows ago i don't generally have any ph problems. jmo


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## Lesso (Dec 14, 2014)

None of that looks like iron def to me. Iron deficiency exhibits on the new growth with dark green veins and stunted growth. Your problems are more towards the middle of the plant and is showing as chlorosis and necrotic legions (ph or magnesium). Hamster said to ph what you are putting into the plant, thats good. Also i would add some cal mag or epsom salts to your water.


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## bigweedo (Dec 14, 2014)

pH'd some of my R/O water to 6.5. Watered plant in the picture and collected run off. pH was 6.0. 

I'm assuming the pH of the soil is getting acidic/building up with salts etc due to the drop in pH.

I'm thinking I'll flush and add some cal-mag with as a feeding.

Sound like a good idea?


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## Lesso (Dec 14, 2014)

bigweedo said:


> pH'd some of my R/O water to 6.5. Watered plant in the picture and collected run off. pH was 6.0.
> 
> I'm assuming the pH of the soil is getting acidic/building up with salts etc due to the drop in pH.
> 
> ...



Good place to start.


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## Hushpuppy (Dec 15, 2014)

If your pH is at 6.0 after watering with 6.5 then the pH is too low. You probably don't have a good balance of microbes in the soil which is causing the pH to drop. I would recommend that you put some sweet lime (dolomite lime) in the soil as that will bring up the pH and it will supply cal/mag as it breaks down. It doesn't appear to be deficient in calmag but having it slow release into the soil won't hurt.


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## Hushpuppy (Dec 15, 2014)

Any time you are growing in soil and feeding with organic nutrients, it is imperative to get the microbe herd balanced or you will struggle. I highly recommend using Espoma's Biotone or Plant tone as both of these have huge variety of beneficial microbes and chelated nutrients. But what you need to do when you first set up this kind of grow is mix in some molasses with your water so that the microbes will have carbs to feed on until they get going good. I would even add some Espoma Flower Tone at this point and water it in along with some lime.


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## bigweedo (Dec 17, 2014)

Thanks for all the replies!! I really appreciate it.

 Some of my plants are showing the same symptoms and have a pH of 6.5ish. 

 Did some research again on the internet, and came across pictures of Root Aphid Damage.

 Does this damage look similar to Root Aphid damage? Knat damage? Anyone have experience with any of these pests?


 Thanks!


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## Hushpuppy (Dec 17, 2014)

Root attacking bugs can certainly cause something like that but I'm not sure how to determine if you have the root aphids. The gnats will show themselves by flying around the room as its the larva that live in the root zone. However, if you have root damage from bugs, it will often cause the pH to take off and become rapidly more acidic.


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## bigweedo (Dec 18, 2014)

Found the little bastards and the adults flying around :/ five and half weeks into flower, going with mosquito dunks and Diatomaceous Earth with watering.


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