Plant continues to yellow

[Dr.Hashman]

I am not over watering as they just went 1 week without water while I was away, it is not a magnesium deficiency as I watered them with epsom salts last time, and it is not nitrogen as I added a bit of high nitrogen nutes to some water when I fed him last time. He keeps on yellowing! The only thing I can come up with is that it is the PH of the soil, but everyone else is fine in that soil. I am going to buy a PH/moisture probe tomorrow to check it, but what else do you think it could be?

The plant to to the back left of the big plant is also showing the same signs but not as bad.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

How about the details of the soils/nutes/environment? (PPM's, NPK, PH, temps, RH, etc) That soil looks kinda shitty IMO...too much water retention.

 

[Dr.Hashman]

I live out in the desert and they are going outside very soon so I need the water retention (I believe). It is a mix of (the horrible) Scotts seedling mix (3/5), miracle grow (just a handful/5 gallons of soil), A handful of cocoa shell mulch, and the rest perlite (about 1/5). I have fed only water until the last time where I soaked them with their specialized nutrient/epsom salt mixtures. Around 68-80 degrees, and humidity around 10-20%.

I also forgot to mention that they were Lowryder Classics. Sorry about the bad initial post. They are under fluorescent CFLs 3x(40w warm) 2x(30w cool). About 3 weeks out of the soil for the biggest and then 1.5weeks for the smallest. They were REALLY random about germinating (2 days to 14 days).

The temps are about to go up and the RH down. The PH will be determined tomorrow.

 

[eugenegreen]

Your roots are rotting... Transplant immediately! JAH Bless

 

[Dr.Hashman]

Your roots are rotting... Transplant immediately! JAH Bless

I was going to transplant soon anyways, but how can you tell that it is root rot? Just wondering.

 

[Blackvelvet]

Tips from Velvet

Tips from Velvet

Plants require nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, magnesium and the micros: iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, and molybdenum.

Its probably easiest to provide the plants calcium and magnesium by using powdered dolomite lime (not pelletized) mixed into the soil at planting. Best thing is to make several small batches of soil mix and test a couple of different lime rates. 2-4 teaspoons dol. lime per gallon of mix is a good starting point. Wet the media well. Wait 1 week. Take 1/4 cup soil mix and mix with 1/4 cup distilled water. Stir. Wait 30 minutes. Test ph of the slurry. You will then get an idea of how much lime to use accurately rather than guess. (You can use this same soil testing method while the plants are growing by scraping the soil off the plant rootball carefully.)

Also, sulfur can be added and mixed into the soil by geting some powdered gypsum. A common rate to use with the gypsum is 1.5 pounds per yard/27 cubic feet. This works out to be 1 1/2 tablespoon per cubic foot or 3/4 teaspoon per gallon of soil mix.

This leaves n p k and the micros to add to the water. Peters (new name Jacks classic) 20-20-20 is an example of such a fert. There is better ferts that are high in nitrate nitrogen (preferred) rather than urea or ammonia nitogen. If your fert also contains calcium, magnesium, and sulfur too use a reduced rate of lime and probably no gypsum. An example of such a complete fert is thte floranova series or pure blend pro.

Since your basically soilless, you want a ph range between 5.6 and 6.2 Adjust your fert water after you have added everything to about 5.8 using ph up or down.

20% of your fert water should pour out the bottom of the cups/pots. You want runoff to occur.

After sometime, dolomite lime runs out. You can add calcium and magnesium (and sulfur) by adding 1/4 teaspoon of both powdered gypsum and epsom salts per gallon of water (3.8L) along with the regular fert with npk and micros. Even with dol. lime, I like to add this along maybe every third fert or so. Of course if your fert contains cal mag already, this would not be needed.

Easy method to test soil ph: After the pots have been watered and ferted, wait 30 minutes. Then apply a small amount of distilled water...like maybe only 1 or 2 ounces till runoff occurs. Catch this on a plate/saucer. Test the ph. This will give you some idea of what ph your at.

Give my suggestions a try. I bet the little plants will perk up. Good luck growing!

 

[Buffoonman]

Is coco shell mulch acidic?

 

[vonforne]

Looks like you need some perlite in there. Those palnts are choking. You have more than one thing wrong there.

Transplant soon to

5 parts peat moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts compost of wormcastings.
2 tablespoons of dolomite lime per gallon of mix.

V

 

[Dr.Hashman]

I went out and bought some Promix yesterday. I transplanted into 8" pots and they love it. The yellow plant is already turning greener. I also decided to pick up some Super Tea Mix (PSG, castings, bat guano). I mixed half the directed amount for soil into the promix, then made a half strength tea to wet down the promix after I transplanted. I will go find some dolomite lime to mix into the next watering and I will also have a working PH pen by then (my hanna PH pen broke after only 2 weeks of use, I am getting another free probe though)

Thanks for all the help everyone ! I bought ALOT of promix so I will not run out for another year or so

ps. I started 6 more lowryders germinating today and I will use the recipe that Suby posted in his organic thread

60% ProMix HP + Mike
30% perlite
10% worm castings for micros and BB

I can't imagine what my plants would look like if I didn't get help from forums lol

 

[Guest]

If you have troubles finding Dolomite Lime, Walmart carries Garden lime which is the same thing. The only drawback is it is pelletized, so you need to smash it up before use. For some reason dolomite lime in powder form is scarse as hens teeth down here.

 

[Dr.Hashman]

Thanks for the walmart tip. I will look good but if I can't find it, I can order it online.

 

[Blackmelo]

Selling hens teeth, 50 dollars per tooth.