# Phosphorus deficiency or normal for plant?



## SubmarineGirl (Jan 4, 2022)

Just starting out 7th week of flower. Got plants mixed up at transplant but pretty sure that these three are the grandaddy purple. Noticed this color change and wondered if it was a nute deficiency or just a trait of the GDP. All the plants are healthy looking but these three plants have a few leaves with some variegated leaf action going on. My plan was to take them off nutes this week and only provide ph water and maybe a little cal mag and molasses which I’ve given them with each feeding. Was hoping to flush them out starting now but maybe they need one more week of nutes to help this situation. It appears to be a phosphorus deffiency but I’m not sure. Don’t want to screw up this far along in the game…


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

It does appear as if you have a phosphorus deficiency. Wondering how you got it what are you feeding them. More specifically what is the NPK of your nutes.  Could also be caused by lockout what's your pH. Frankly at this point I don't think there's a lot you can do. I would however prune them back a bit.


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## SubmarineGirl (Jan 4, 2022)

pute said:


> It does appear as if you have a phosphorus deficiency. Wondering how you got it what are you feeding them. More specifically what is the NPK of your nutes.  Could also be caused by lockout what's your pH. Frankly at this point I don't think there's a lot you can do. I would however prune them back a bit.


I’ve been using tiger bloom 2-8-4 and fox farm big bloom 0-0.5-0.7 every other water after noticing a little nute burn through out the flower stage. i Thought that my other two plants GG were taller and drinking more but maybe these three are drinking less. They are in 7 gallon pots. Maybe I should be letting them dry out a bit more before giving them a drink. I usually give them a small sip of ph water when I’m watering the thirsty girls. Perhaps the root system is smaller on these three. I’ve had good luck with waiting till the pots were light to water. Only started this extra sip thing since the other two plants started heavy drinking. This is about the time I started noticing the colors on these three plants…
also I don’t have runoff so never have measured my ph runnoff. You might be right about lockout. I do measure the ph of what I put in and maintain it between 6.3-6.5. I don’t really understand the whole ppm thing yet but do have a gauge and my tap water is under 200


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

You seem to be dialed in on the nutes.  I would check your pH at runoff though. As far as your pots I use 5 gallon in flour. I can't tell from the picture but unless those are huge plants you don't need that big of a pot.

I think you'll be fine you're far enough into flower that you're going to get a good harvest. I would however prune those plants back.


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## bukwheat (Jan 4, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> Just starting out 7th week of flower. Got plants mixed up at transplant but pretty sure that these three are the grandaddy purple. Noticed this color change and wondered if it was a nute deficiency or just a trait of the GDP. All the plants are healthy looking but these three plants have a few leaves with some variegated leaf action going on. My plan was to take them off nutes this week and only provide ph water and maybe a little cal mag and molasses which I’ve given them with each feeding. Was hoping to flush them out starting now but maybe they need one more week of nutes to help this situation. It appears to be a phosphorus deffiency but I’m not sure. Don’t want to screw up this far along in the game… View attachment 285491
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That is the first reference that I have seen to molasses....what does that do? Please excuse me, I'm a newbie...


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## Africanna (Jan 4, 2022)

bukwheat said:


> That is the first reference that I have seen to molasses....what does that do? Please excuse me, I'm a newbie...


It is a very good supplement.  It contains carbs, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and more.

The sugar found in molasses is vital to healthy and robust cannabis plant development.  Sugar production and distribution is something cannabis does naturally, but it can use assistance in the form of various practices and supplements and that's where molasses comes in.


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## WeedHopper (Jan 4, 2022)

Molasses: An Excellent Supplement for Cannabis Plants - RQS Blog (royalqueenseeds.com)


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

*What Are the Benefits of Molasses for Cannabis Plants?*

While sometimes used as a sweetener or cooking ingredient, molasses is also used to improve the health and yield of cannabis plants. This sticky syrup contains a wealth of nutrients that help to drive plant development and soil health, including:



*Carbohydrates:* These simple sugars serve as a life-giving energy source to beneficial microbes in the soil. As you feed bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere, they multiply and help plants tap into nutrients.
*Calcium:* This mineral plays a crucial role in plant physiology, contributing to tissue growth and the structural integrity of cell walls.
*Iron:* This essential plant micronutrient plays a fundamental role in metabolic processes such as DNA synthesis, respiration, and photosynthesis.
*Selenium:* Selenium helps to reduce plant stress and activates important antioxidants and enzymes.
*Copper:* Copper helps plants to create energy and respire, and also plays a role in the breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins.
*Magnesium:* Magnesium forms the core of the chlorophyll molecule in plant tissue, meaning deficiencies can lead to a lack of chlorophyll and stunted growth.
Use unsulphured molasses.  I use carbo load in veg and switch to molasses in flower.


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## SubmarineGirl (Jan 4, 2022)

pute said:


> You seem to be dialed in on the nutes.  I would check your pH at runoff though. As far as your pots I use 5 gallon in flour. I can't tell from the picture but unless those are huge plants you don't need that big of a pot.
> 
> I think you'll be fine you're far enough into flower that you're going to get a good harvest. I would however prune those plants back.


I will do some pruning today and yes my next grow will be in smaller pots for sure. Wanted to give them plenty of room but this was ridiculous overkill And a first grow lesson. Will use these 7 gal pots for my outdoor grow in the spring. i got some free 3 gallon cloth pots with my tent. May even try those for the next tent candidates. I like the short plants for my tent. I guess I better go do some pruning.  Thanks for responding


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

Something to keep in mind.  My plants suck a 5 gal pot dry in 3 days.  3 gal might be a bit small if you grow your plants between 30 and a40" tall.  But if you keep them at around 25" a 3 gal is fine.


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## SubmarineGirl (Jan 4, 2022)

pute said:


> Something to keep in mind.  My plants suck a 5 gal pot dry in 3 days.  3 gal might be a bit small if you grow your plants between 30 and a40" tall.  But if you keep them at around 25" a 3 gal is fine.


I guess it will be good then to invest in some 5 gallon pots. I will know more when I empty them and see how many roots I’ve got at the end,  five gal sounds most appropriate tho. My current grow is around chest high And is a great height for my tent. Since I have to invest in new pots, have you had luck with the cloth pots? I’m currently in plastic landscape looking pots And they have done great except they are super wide and low and the bottom catch tray fits snug leaving no room for things like runoff collection. I haven’t been watering until I get runoff. Plants are all tied down in double scrog making it a pain in the a$$ to separate pots from trays to measure runoff. Another lesson from my first grow…They got four transplants growing into them from seedlings so that they could get use to them. I may avoid one of those transplants in my next grow too if I go to 5 gallon…


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

Personally I don't like cloth pots.  They dry out to fast.  But, some swear by them.  Personal preference.  My pots are plastic and you can get overflow trays large enough to have room for runoff.


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## bigsur51 (Jan 4, 2022)

I love growing in 5gal buckets

i drill four 3/4 inch holes about 3 inches from the bottom and fill the buckets to 3-4 inches from the top with 100% Perlite

i can set 4 buckets in a 4x4 tray that sits a couple of feet off the floor so I can slip a pan under it to catch the run off , under a 1000or 600 hps cool tube 

or I can set them n the floor in a tray , either way works

it’s easy to check the run off Ph of each bucket

i almost thought that one leaf on your plant was a variegated expression….I’ve had leaves be completely yellow on one side and green on the other

its just a pigment mutation


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 4, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> I love growing in 5gal buckets
> 
> i drill four 3/4 inch holes about 3 inches from the bottom and fill the buckets to 3-4 inches from the top with 100% Perlite
> 
> ...


I was also thinking Variegation


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 4, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> I love growing in 5gal buckets
> 
> i drill four 3/4 inch holes about 3 inches from the bottom and fill the buckets to 3-4 inches from the top with 100% Perlite
> 
> ...


Why not just use coco /lite
How are you keeping the pearl lite wet, is that why you drill your holes above the bottom of buckets to have 3 inches in bucket still?
I know in coco I watered everyday, even more sometimes


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## bigsur51 (Jan 4, 2022)

ROSTERMAN said:


> Why not just use coco /lite
> How are you keeping the pearl lite wet, is that why you drill your holes above the bottom of buckets to have 3 inches in bucket still?
> I know in coco I watered everyday, even more sometimes




I’ve never grown in coco , I suppose I could learn but I don’t want to , ha!

I’ve grown in 100% Perlite for about 10 years before I went outdoors all the time and it was easy

the hardest part was getting rid of the used Perlite…..how about driving 67 miles an hour down a dirt road pulling a dual axel trailer that was piled high with Perlite?

I could only till in so much in my garden

think of these 5 gal buckets as a passive hydro unit , the roots feeding from the bottom pool of 3 inches  of nutrients , so no need to keep the Perlite moist like soil

plants can never be overwatered because of the overflow holes , just fill up the bucket until water starts flowing out the hole

the trick is making sure the roots have access to the pool and this is done in stages m beginning with the first transplant

a key factor for me was also having access to Perlite straight from the factory at contractor prices , I paid  $9 bucks a bag but if I bought it at the nursery a big bag was $25 bux

that is the long and short of it ,  very simple growing method with excellent results , I was using GH Micro and Bloom and Lucas Formula 8-16 nutrient ratio in ml


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

I mix my ProMix  or Sunshine with 25% perlite.  Keeps things drained and have never had root rot.  I agree with Roster, 100% perlite would require watering way to often.


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 4, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> I’ve never grown in coco , I suppose I could learn but I don’t want to , ha!
> 
> I’ve grown in 100% Perlite for about 10 years before I went outdoors all the time and it was easy
> 
> ...


So you never had the ppms go up due to build up of nutes?
Or did you do feed feed water ......


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 4, 2022)

Sounds interesting and simple. but can you get away without everyday watering's


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## SubmarineGirl (Jan 4, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> I love growing in 5gal buckets
> 
> i drill four 3/4 inch holes about 3 inches from the bottom and fill the buckets to 3-4 inches from the top with 100% Perlite
> 
> ...


Actually there may be some variegation color going on here. Most of the ones that are colored actually are beautiful and seem they are suppose to look that way. That’s why I wondered if it may be just the type of plant although GDP pics I’ve seen did Not have this trait. It may also have something to do with a change in watering the past two weeks. I had been waiting till my pots were light before watering until two plants of 5 started needing more water. Instead of waiting to water the other three, I just gave them an extra sip while I watered the two thirsty ones. I plan to wait till the pots are lighter prior to watering them From now on.  They seem to do better if they dry out a bit before watering them for some reason
in your 5 gal bucket planters, do you also have holes on the underside?  If not, what keeps the bottom 3-4 inches from getting soggy? And what are the side holes for?


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## SubmarineGirl (Jan 4, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> I’ve never grown in coco , I suppose I could learn but I don’t want to , ha!
> 
> I’ve grown in 100% Perlite for about 10 years before I went outdoors all the time and it was easy
> 
> ...


Ok now I see but I don’t think I’m brave enough to try the 100% perlite thing. Just want to grow in dirt for now…


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## bigsur51 (Jan 4, 2022)

no holes on the underside

nothing really gets soggy , the plants uptake the solution pretty fast and the roots don’t mind being submerged in the nutrient solution 

in fact the plants love the easy access to as much food as they want

i have done side by sides with soil and the Perlite out performed the soil  , the difference was significant depending upon the strandivar

the four opposing side holes are like a sight glass , when its time to feed the plants , I can pour the solution into the bucket and as soon as I see some of it coming out the hole , I know it’s full………I couldn’t overfill it if I tried , it’s idiot proof , never have to worry about overwatering the plants


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

I never worry about over watering either.  My plants are drunks just like me.


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## bigsur51 (Jan 4, 2022)

people ask me if I’m alcoholic 

why no is my reply


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## SubmarineGirl (Jan 4, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> no holes on the underside
> 
> nothing really gets soggy , the plants uptake the solution pretty fast and the roots don’t mind being submerged in the nutrient solution
> 
> ...


Interesting…how do you keep the main stem sturdy? seems like the perlite would be so loose. Do you start your seedlings super low in the bucket and cover them up with more perlite as they grow or lift them till the roots just touch the bottom? Or perhaps transplant them in smaller versions of the 5 gallon bucket idea until they fit In the big bucket. (don’t answer any of that…)I know nothing about hydroponic growing. I’ll do some reading first so I don’t ask the idiot questions.  Maybe one day I’ll give it a try too.  Can’t get the picture of that truckload of perlite going down that dirt road at 67 mph out of my head tho…


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## boo (Jan 4, 2022)

don't mind big, he ain't been right for a long time...


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## pute (Jan 4, 2022)

@ Big 


[/QUOTE]
I don't lie. I usually don't start before five.  But all bets are off once I am safe at home.  Don't know which I like better...... smoking or drinking so I do both.


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 5, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> no holes on the underside
> 
> nothing really gets soggy , the plants uptake the solution pretty fast and the roots don’t mind being submerged in the nutrient solution
> 
> ...


So almost setup like a sippy pot?
I tired this with a friend of mine who was teaching me coco growing yrs back and we took a 5gal bucket and drilled one 3/4 hole 3 inches up from bottom, and water fed the same nutes I believe it was 6 micro 9 bloom
plants grew great until they stopped absorbing all the salts which lead to a rapid build up and spiking of the PPMs , wat crazy numbers into the 2000;s
But may try again, How did you keep the ppms (salts from climbing)


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## WeedHopper (Jan 5, 2022)

I use about 40% perlite mixed into my FF Ocean Forest. I also put a couple of inches of Perlite on the bottom of my bucket and a couple of inches on the top of my soil even if planted in the ground.





__





						Hoppers growing cheap😁
					

Harvested my Gabagoo Auto at 10 weeks. Ill take pics today of the buds hanging. Made me a drying box. The C99 is planted in my garden. Ill take pics of it too.




					www.marijuanapassion.com


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 5, 2022)

WeedHopper said:


> I use about 40% perlite mixed into my FF Ocean Forest. I also put a couple of inches of Perlite on the bottom of my bucket and a couple of inches on the top of my soil even if planted in the ground.


Yes in soil now I do approx 30% Pearl/lite too
I was using a layer in drain pan and pots sat on top to allow the excess to be absorbed if they needed more through the day. Turns Green LOL


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 5, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> Interesting…how do you keep the main stem sturdy? seems like the perlite would be so loose. Do you start your seedlings super low in the bucket and cover them up with more perlite as they grow or lift them till the roots just touch the bottom? Or perhaps transplant them in smaller versions of the 5 gallon bucket idea until they fit In the big bucket. (don’t answer any of that…)I know nothing about hydroponic growing. I’ll do some reading first so I don’t ask the idiot questions.  Maybe one day I’ll give it a try too.  Can’t get the picture of that truckload of perlite going down that dirt road at 67 mph out of my head tho…


I see him now   Wild Dog


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## Bubba (Jan 5, 2022)

pute said:


> *What Are the Benefits of Molasses for Cannabis Plants?*
> 
> While sometimes used as a sweetener or cooking ingredient, molasses is also used to improve the health and yield of cannabis plants. This sticky syrup contains a wealth of nutrients that help to drive plant development and soil health, including:
> 
> ...


I use carboload and their bud candy too.

Bubba


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## Bubba (Jan 5, 2022)

ROSTERMAN said:


> So almost setup like a sippy pot?
> I tired this with a friend of mine who was teaching me coco growing yrs back and we took a 5gal bucket and drilled one 3/4 hole 3 inches up from bottom, and water fed the same nutes I believe it was 6 micro 9 bloom
> plants grew great until they stopped absorbing all the salts which lead to a rapid build up and spiking of the PPMs , wat crazy numbers into the 2000;s
> But may try again, How did you keep the ppms (salts from climbing)


That's sort of like Massproducers thread, or Hempy buckets. I always wanted to try that.
Bubba


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## bigsur51 (Jan 6, 2022)

ROSTERMAN said:


> So almost setup like a sippy pot?
> I tired this with a friend of mine who was teaching me coco growing yrs back and we took a 5gal bucket and drilled one 3/4 hole 3 inches up from bottom, and water fed the same nutes I believe it was 6 micro 9 bloom
> plants grew great until they stopped absorbing all the salts which lead to a rapid build up and spiking of the PPMs , wat crazy numbers into the 2000;s
> But may try again, How did you keep the ppms (salts from climbing)







modified Hempy bucket


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## SubmarineGirl (Jan 7, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> I will do some pruning today and yes my next grow will be in smaller pots for sure. Wanted to give them plenty of room but this was ridiculous overkill And a first grow lesson. Will use these 7 gal pots for my outdoor grow in the spring. i got some free 3 gallon cloth pots with my tent. May even try those for the next tent candidates. I like the short plants for my tent. I guess I better go do some pruning.  Thanks for responding
> [/QUOTE
> 
> 
> ...


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## ROSTERMAN (Jan 7, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> no holes on the underside
> 
> nothing really gets soggy , the plants uptake the solution pretty fast and the roots don’t mind being submerged in the nutrient solution
> 
> ...


 it’s idiot proof ,  Good Thing LOL


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## Bubba (Jan 7, 2022)

Looking great!

Bubba


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