Cuttings Yellowing From Tips

[Harry Lime]

I get this problem with cuttings. Not every batch but often enough. It begins with yellowing at the growing tip which spreads outwards. Usually most of the cuts grow through it, though it sets them back a couple of weeks. But sometimes the tips will turn white then rot and the plant dies.
Each time this happens I check everything I can think of - ph, ec, temps, humidity, distance from light and everything is okay.

Here's a few pics. There's one with four cuts - two healthy, two not healthy and a couple of close ups.
Any ideas or advice greatly appreciated.

 

[troutman]

Wait until they are well rooted before exposing them to the sun.

Even then, don't exposed them too long initially and break them in slowly.

 

[Harry Lime]

Thanks for chipping in, Troutman, but it isn't the sun. These girls are grown under T5s till 12/12 and never normally see the sun. Only reason they're outside in the pics was to get some good lighting.

 

[TanzanianMagic]

I get this problem with cuttings. Not every batch but often enough. It begins with yellowing at the growing tip which spreads outwards. Usually most of the cuts grow through it, though it sets them back a couple of weeks. But sometimes the tips will turn white then rot and the plant dies.
Each time this happens I check everything I can think of - ph, ec, temps, humidity, distance from light and everything is okay.

Here's a few pics. There's one with four cuts - two healthy, two not healthy and a couple of close ups.
Any ideas or advice greatly appreciated.[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=81134&pictureid=1973054&thumb=1]View Image[/url] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=81134&pictureid=1973055&thumb=1]View Image[/url] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=81134&pictureid=1973056&thumb=1]View Image[/url]

The plants need to be repotted, in something with 20-30% perlite in it. Feed with 0.4 EC of flowering food (P, K for roots and stems/branches)) and 0.1 EC of epsom salt (Mg for the chlorophyl/foliage), and the expanding root system will take care of a lot of nutrient deficiency problems.

For weed in soil, think 1 gallon per foot of expected growth.

 

[Harry Lime]

The plants need to be repotted, in something with 20-30% perlite in it. Feed with 0.4 EC of flowering food (P, K for roots and stems/branches)) and 0.1 EC of epsom salt (Mg for the chlorophyl/foliage), and the expanding root system will take care of a lot of nutrient deficiency problems.

For weed in soil, think 1 gallon per foot of expected growth.

Thanks TanzanianMagic I should have said they are in coco, fed with Canna Coco A&B plus some Cannazyme at my usual 0.7ec. Any idea what the deficiency is? I always follow the same regimen yet this doesn't happen every time or with every plant in a batch of cuttings.

Temps are constant 80f and humidity fluctuates between 40% - 60%.

 

[therevverend]

My guess is that you're leaving a lid on or keeping them enclosed in a clone machine 24 hours a day. Keeping the clones in a constant state of high humidity and heat without fresh air. They get used to the artificial environment, when you take them out of their enclosure they go into shock and it takes them a while to adjust back to normal growth.

The best thing to do is to stop using a lid, use a hand sprayer to keep them humid when they start to dry out. The problem is that sometimes you'll have to sleep and do stuff, unless the room humidity is just right they'll dry out. During those times put the lid back on, make sure they won't dry out. When you're around to keep an eye on them, expose them to as much regular air as possible and hand mist them. They won't take as long to adjust to being back in soil and growing normally.

 

[TanzanianMagic]

Thanks TanzanianMagic I should have said they are in coco, fed with Canna Coco A&B plus some Cannazyme at my usual 0.7ec. Any idea what the deficiency is? I always follow the same regimen yet this doesn't happen every time or with every plant in a batch of cuttings.

Temps are constant 80f and humidity fluctuates between 40% - 60%.

Well if they're in coco, the pH should be a steady 6.0.

It looks like a combination of effects. There is the bleaching at the growing tips which could be high pH, underwatering, dry air or more light than usual; there is the mottled leaf that looks like either calcium or potassium deficiency/lockout; and there are the purpling stems that could be potassium or nitrogen deficiency/lockout.

All of which could potentially be helped by a bigger root system. And yet even in coco, the 1 gallon per foot minimum applies.

And of course transplanting in coco is the easiest of all - no problems with hot soil. Don't touch the roots, just put them the plant in a bigger pot with more coco. Bigger pots also make for a more stable medium - less fluctuations in EC, pH or moisture. And if they're in coco, forget about the perlite, except for a drainage layer, just high enough to cover the drainage holes. Straight coco also requires less watering/feeding - say every other day. This is best for good root development and air getting into the medium.

Also, 80F may be too high for indoors and 70F would be closer to ideal. Outdoors that's fine, because you get a breeze.

 

[Harry Lime]

My guess is that you're leaving a lid on or keeping them enclosed in a clone machine 24 hours a day. Keeping the clones in a constant state of high humidity and heat without fresh air. They get used to the artificial environment, when you take them out of their enclosure they go into shock and it takes them a while to adjust back to normal growth.

The best thing to do is to stop using a lid, use a hand sprayer to keep them humid when they start to dry out. The problem is that sometimes you'll have to sleep and do stuff, unless the room humidity is just right they'll dry out. During those times put the lid back on, make sure they won't dry out. When you're around to keep an eye on them, expose them to as much regular air as possible and hand mist them. They won't take as long to adjust to being back in soil and growing normally.

These came out the clone machine a couple of weeks ago looking healthy. This developed over the last few days. Thanks for chipping in though.

 

[Harry Lime]

Well if they're in coco, the pH should be a steady 6.0.

It looks like a combination of effects. There is the bleaching at the growing tips which could be high pH, underwatering, dry air or more light than usual; there is the mottled leaf that looks like either calcium or potassium deficiency/lockout; and there are the purpling stems that could be potassium or nitrogen deficiency/lockout.

All of which could potentially be helped by a bigger root system. And yet even in coco, the 1 gallon per foot minimum applies.

And of course transplanting in coco is the easiest of all - no problems with hot soil. Don't touch the roots, just put them the plant in a bigger pot with more coco. Bigger pots also make for a more stable medium - less fluctuations in EC, pH or moisture. And if they're in coco, forget about the perlite, except for a drainage layer, just high enough to cover the drainage holes. Straight coco also requires less watering/feeding - say every other day. This is best for good root development and air getting into the medium.

Also, 80F may be too high for indoors and 70F would be closer to ideal. Outdoors that's fine, because you get a breeze.

Ph, ec are all spot on. I get more batches from these mother plants that are healthy than not under the same temps and humidity. But they're going into one litre pots in a day or so. We'll see if that brings them around.

Like I said earlier, I repeat the same methods as close as I can, sometimes this happens, sometimes not.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[greenspiritz]

Can i ask what Coco you're using?

 

[AgentPothead]

Since it's the newest growth there on the inside of the leaves, I am gonna wager it's iron deficiency. I don't know why it would hit only some of the plants though? Shouldn't get locked out till 6.5 you are under that right? Honestly dunno.

 

[greenspiritz]

If it is a lockout issue, then if the PH is at the higher end, then its an Iron Deficiency. And if the PH is at the lower end then it's Sulfur, just to help narrow it down.
If that is the issue.

What source is the Coco, are they bricks or is it from a reputable brand?

Hope you get it sorted soon

Green

 

[NEED 4 SEED]

Couldn't it be nitrogen deficiency? Maybe 0.7 ec isn't enough. What is the ec of your tap water? My guess is, if it's already high, then 0.7 doesn't provide enough nutrients. Only a guess though cause I'm new to hydro.