Leaves are Dying Fast. Crusty Brown Spots

[Hackerman]

Something else......

I read an article not long ago about how too much light can be bad for an indoor garden.

More light will create more photosynthesis. With more photosynthesis, the plants will transpire more and therefore, take up more water, nutes, etc.

If the other limiting factors in a grow room do not keep up with the increased photosynthesis, the plants will suffer.

I'm not sure how 100% true the article was but it made sense. I'll link it if you're interested.

The only reason I mention it is because perhaps this explains why the necrosis is only present on leaves that are directly exposed to the light. This is a 1000w light in a small 4x4 room. I usually run it at 700 watts (adjustable ballast) but this grow I thought I would run it at the full 1000w.

Just tossing it out.

Also, after thinking about what HG said about starving the plants. And, looking at the feeding schedule, I just have to agree. I'm a logical kind of person and this just simply makes sense.

I just checked the veg nute I use and it's pretty light also. I'll be using Jack's for the rest of this grow and maybe next. It should be here tomorrow.

We'll watch the plant that I'm starving and see what happens compared to the ones I'm feeding.

 

[umbra]

The instruction for using the General Hydroponics nutrients in very small print says, Troubleshooting factors to consider:
"Arid, bright, and hot environments cause plants to drink more water than if they were grown in a humid, dim, and cool one. Thus gardeners should use LESS concentrated nutrient solution when growing conditions are more intense." You are 180* backwards on this.

 

[Hackerman]

I'm confused. Actually, that's exactly what I was doing wasn't it?

I was feeding a WAYYYYYY less concentrated nutrient solution. 1/3 and 1/4 of what was recommended. So, diluted that it wasn't even enough to feed the plants. Almost plain water. Or do I misunderstand?

But it does support the thought that plants will transpire more in brighter light. So, in the future, I should continue to use a less concentrated solution. Just not SOOO diluted like I was.

I don't know how you guys feel about Jack's Classic (or Peters or whatever) but my plan is to use Jack's Bloomer Boost at about 1/2 the recommended dose and see what happens.

You think that's reasonable?

I'm also thinking about turning the light back down to 700. I never had these problems at 700w setting. Maybe just a coincidence.

 

[umbra]

From what you said previously, I would say no you were not doing that. It was so little of nutes, you can't even consider it close to the same thing.
Don't know anything about Jack's. Peter's will work, but far from optimal.

 

[Hackerman]

From what I have read, Jack's is just the retail version of Peter's.

What would you recommend for a nute?

 

[umbra]

Fox farm is very good. But you need the complete line, not just 1 product. Some people got upset when they realized all their products are not organic. I wouldn't recommending mixing different manufactures products.

 

[Hackerman]

I have been using Fox Farm complete line, I think. Maybe just not enough of it.

I start with FF Grow Big in veg (any comments on that, HG) and then in flower I use the 3 boom boosters and Big Bloom. I even use FF Happy Frog dirt.

I don't know if they have any other every day type nutes like the Big Bloom. I'll go check it out.

I don't mine spending the money on these fancy nutes but people have been ranting about Jacks and Peters for years. And, I mean good growers, too. Not just skanks. It's supposed to be perfect for cannabis.

I'll go to the FF web site and see what else they have.

I have always been a light feeder. It's not usually a bad thing but I may have taken it too far.

I have been wanting to make some changes in my grow for some time. I guess this is forcing me to do it, now.

 

[umbra]

So with FF 3 part for soil, veg schedule should be Grow Big and Big Bloom, not just Grow Big. Flower should be Big Bloom and Tiger Bloom.

 

[Hackerman]

Thanks umbra. I did use the Tiger a couple years ago but when the bottle ran out, I stopped using that and started on the 3 bloom boosters instead.

Maybe I'll pick up some Tiger to finish off this run. I hate to change nute brands mid stream. I can't see that being a great idea.

I did have a stroke of good luck. The guy from Med Tree who bred the Continuum contacted me and I was able to talk to him. He said the Continuum was a light eater but not so much that he had to change any feeding schedules. So, I take that as a normal/light eater.

I didn't want to pound him with a lot of questions so I just asked about the feeding. Still, it was nice of him to offer help. Maybe he'll comment more.

 

[umbra]

Beyond the FF nutes, I'd recommend EM1 and Great White

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I think I would go with the Tiger Bloom and the Big Bloom, like umbra mentioned for the duration. This way, you are at least staying with the Fox Farm brand. Do you actually need the Cal-Mag? Are you using RO water?

I use Big Bloom during the entire grow. I am growing organic now and use a lot of the recipes in "True Living Organics". Big Bloom is an ingredient in most of The Rev's teas. I highly recommend this book--you might want to check it out on Amazon.

I have not had problems like you mentioned using a 1000W light in 16 sq ft. In fact this run, I have been considering using both the 1000W HPS and 2 LEDs in a 4 x 4 tent to flower. However, it could be that the strains you are growing are just more sensitive to light. Turning the light down could help and the only downside is less yield.

 

[Hackerman]

1000w is not too much for this room. Or, any room this size. But, right now it is.

Think of it this way. More light, more photosynthesis. Faster transpiration. OK, I can see that, if you're healthy.

Compare to human. Walking or running is easy. Walking with a cold is OK, but running when your sick is really hard on everything from your muscles to your lungs.

So, turning down the light during crisis is, like you said... good for the crisis. Not so good for yield.

This also makes sense on why the leaves that are exposed to the direct light suffer the most. The underside of these plants are showing zero of these signs. I'll try to snap a pic later.

Either way....It's all about sick plants... not too much light.

OK, nutes.......

I went to the Fox Farms web site and looked at their recommended feeding schedule. OMG!!!!!!
That feeding schedule seems absurd to me. I don't believe I have EVER fed anything that much. Not my pot, not my outdoor herbs, veggies or flowers. Not even my roses. Holy Cow.

I feel like that is McDonalds telling me I should eat at least 10 Big Macs a day with 20 orders of fries and.... well, let's not forget 15 milkshakes. LMAO

OK, so, maybe I need to change. LOL

Take a look at this feeding schedule. If you both think this is reasonable, I'll follow this (ease into it) and see what happens.

I would imagine under this feeding schedule, every plant would be dead in days. LMAO

This seems like such an overkill.

View attachment Fox Farms Nutrient Chart.jpg

 

[umbra]

all u need is grow big, big bloom, and tiger bloom. Forget the rest. Not confusing at all.

 

[Hackerman]

As for CalMag..... Hushpuppy makes me do it. Since my first grow here and the power in his posts. He got me started and I am afraid to stop.

I don't use RO water. I could never afford that. Our water here is more than gas or electric. Horrible place to live. And, the city water is about the worse in the country. We fail the tests all the time and the City just forges the reports (according to everyone who works there). No one drinks the water. Showering in it is like a swimming pool. I let all my water sit in gallon jugs with bubblers in them for days before using them. The bubblers run 24/7. My city water costs me almost $20 per 100 CF.

I should probably look at that as part of the problem. But, I have been growing on this city water for 50 years, almost. I've had good and bad grows. Still, I should take a closer look.

 

[Hackerman]

all u need is grow big, big bloom, and tiger bloom. Forget the rest. Not confusing at all.

Yeah, I should have said.... just the green. I do have the purple (boosters if you think I should). Nothing in orange.

 

[umbra]

Try it without the purple and see how it does. You can always try it again with the purple.

 

[Hackerman]

Question.....

The feeding schedule calls for x amount of Big Bloom and x amount of Tiger to be applied every other watering.

Is it better to.......

Mix both nutrients together in one watering and then use plain pH'd water the next time.

or

Use the Big Bloom in one watering and then use the Tiger in the next watering, alternating back and forth.

If there's no difference, I would prefer the alternating method. Nutes (especially the Tiger) always bring the pH down and if I use both nutes at the same time it brings the pH down so much that I have to add a ton of base to get it back up to 6-7.

If I just use one or the other, it brings it down just about right with no adjustment needed.

My water starts out about pH 8.

 

[umbra]

Mix both together and use ph'd water the next time. The plants need both at the same time not 1 and then the other. You are thinking about this completely wrong.

 

[Hackerman]

OK, Sorry bud. I know how frustrating it can be to deal with stupid people. I appreciate the patience.

Still, it makes sense my way.... I eat nothing but a head of lettuce one day and then I eat 4 potatoes the next day. Once a week, I eat 4 pounds of hamburger. Isn't that a balanced diet? LOL

Again, thanks for the patience.

 

[Hackerman]

This explains why I have a zillion jars and bottles of pH up that I don't use and didn't remember why I had them.

When I first started on Fox Farms, I was using the entire routine (green and purple only). I can remember how tough it was to keep the pH up.

The Tiger is a big pH down and so I started using less and less. When it ran out, I quit buying it because it was so much easier to control the pH.

I used the Big Bloom and the boosters only. The boosters are another big pH down so I used them instead of Acid to control pH.

I guess over a period of 3 or 4 years, the system got kind of off track. LMAO

I forgot all about this until I used the tiger and remembered why I had all the pH up.

I guess that's why the call it dope.

Thanks again