Tips curling, plant doesn't use water

[NEED 4 SEED]

So here I am again with the same problem from spring this year when I did my yearly kitchen selection. I selected a nice one with an outstanding high for me. But the saved clone has the same problem getting bigger like the plants from the first run. It just doesn't use up any water for weeks and barely grows. It stays green but the tips aren't really growing much and the pot just stays heavy, like really heavy, but the surface and the first inch of the soil are dry as a desert. Now I realised that the shoots are curling in a distinct way I have never seen before. So I took some pictures and I hope someone has seen this before. Light is 150 w mh. I am also using the same soil in another tent where they don't have those problems.
Should I water?
Side note: the yield was only 50 g in the selection run under 150 w, where I usually pull 100 to 150.

 

[TanzanianMagic]

So here I am again with the same problem from spring this year when I did my yearly kitchen selection. I selected a nice one with an outstanding high for me. But the saved clone has the same problem getting bigger like the plants from the first run. It just doesn't use up any water for weeks and barely grows. It stays green but the tips aren't really growing much and the pot just stays heavy, like really heavy, but the surface and the first inch of the soil are dry as a desert. Now I realised that the shoots are curling in a distinct way I have never seen before. So I took some pictures and I hope someone has seen this before. Light is 150 w mh. I am also using the same soil in another tent where they don't have those problems.
Should I water?
Side note: the yield was only 50 g in the selection run under 150 w, where I usually pull 100 to 150.

There is some insect damage - leafhopper and/or whitefly - and it's resulting in the start of magnesium deficiency.

The curling up of the leaves is likely 'praying for magnesium'. The thickness of the leaves and the darker green are also signs of magnesium deficiency. And the purplish stems could be magnesium or sometimes nitrogen deficiency.

And this could be from a combination of the stage of the plant's development (pre-flowers should be showing up) and the insect damage, which also can result in nutrient deficiency.

The floor should be cleaned because the medium indoors is a source for molds and bugs. Outdoors it wouldn't be as important, however indoors everything just recirculates.

Otherwise the plants look great and growing strongly. Keep doing what you're doing.

 

[troutman]

Add a little more soil.

 

[NEED 4 SEED]

Add a little more soil.

I think it's being far from rooted enough.

There is some insect damage - leafhopper and/or whitefly - and it's resulting in the start of magnesium deficiency.

The curling up of the leaves is likely 'praying for magnesium'. The thickness of the leaves and the darker green are also signs of magnesium deficiency. And the purplish stems could be magnesium or sometimes nitrogen deficiency.

And this could be from a combination of the stage of the plant's development (pre-flowers should be showing up) and the insect damage, which also can result in nutrient deficiency.

Otherwise the plants look great and growing very strongly. Keep doing what you're doing.

No it's not really growing. It's too slow actually. It should burst into new growth but it doesn't.
I will amend the soil with some minerals containing Magnesium and Calcium.
Which I just did and I watered the pot extensively as most the soil was dry as a bone.
Will update soon...

 

[Ca++]

It seems you have been pulling bad leaves, so we can't see them. That solitary one looks like P issues though. As some would say the red stems also suggest.

This is a bit of a bad memory for me. In my first 10 years of forums, I only asked one question. Three times in different places. Nobody knows why your tips look like that, and while people have claimed to of never seen it, I have pointed at it on their plants. I think it's a root tip thing, where the tips are no use. Perhaps elongated into dry salty areas, looking for P in your case. It does seem that some proper maintenance with a bloom feed is useful here. P is a bit of an energy thing, and can kick start poor plants.

What soil is that? It looks like some pretty poor organic stuff. Have you been feeding? I find composts that look like that to be pretty useless. Needing a feeding regime like it was hydro.


Edit: I was interested in the idea they were drinking at the top of the pot, drying it, while the bottom remained wet. It seems to suggest salt. Where being wet is keeping something in solution, the roots just don't like. Have you pulled one for a look?

 

[TanzanianMagic]

No it's not really growing. It's too slow actually. It should burst into new growth but it doesn't.
I will amend the soil with some minerals containing Magnesium and Calcium.
Which I just did and I watered the pot extensively as most the soil was dry as a bone.
Will update soon...

What I mean is that the tips of the plants are nice and green. Also the leaves aren't twisted like you see in pH swings or imbalances in the soil.

It is likely that the pH is too low and locking out mobile nutrients like potassium, or magnesium and phosphorus.

If you're using non-cannabis specific media, you should always add at least 1 tablespoon of magnesium lime per gallon. Which raises the pH and adds magnesium and calcium.

And clean the floor and spray the plants to remove any insects from the leaves. And keep the nutrients pH at the high end of 7.0 or a little higher.

 

[Thegreengrower64]

So here I am again with the same problem from spring this year when I did my yearly kitchen selection. I selected a nice one with an outstanding high for me. But the saved clone has the same problem getting bigger like the plants from the first run. It just doesn't use up any water for weeks and barely grows. It stays green but the tips aren't really growing much and the pot just stays heavy, like really heavy, but the surface and the first inch of the soil are dry as a desert. Now I realised that the shoots are curling in a distinct way I have never seen before. So I took some pictures and I hope someone has seen this before. Light is 150 w mh. I am also using the same soil in another tent where they don't have those problems.
Should I water?
Side note: the yield was only 50 g in the selection run under 150 w, where I usually pull 100 to 150.

On the last pic, you can see damage to the stem. Perhaps that's the cause of your problems, or at least one of them.

 

[Creeperpark]

Friend very gently tip the plant out of the pot and get a look and feel of the soil and root mass. If it is holding too much water you will see it in the center of the pot. If your roots are damaged from excess wetness you will see that also. Most of the time when a plant has damaged roots from overwatering the plant will lose its vigor. .

 

[GMT]

I'm guessing you've got bugs. The white areas on your leaves look suspect. Once something taps a leaf vein, you'll get damage downstream.
I mean how many things can it be.
You are experienced, so you won't have the bulb too close, it won't be a fan blowing directly on the leaves. You'll know feeding requirements and you'll be using your regular soil. Your temps will be ok, so bugs are an obvious, not your fuck up, source of variables.

 

[Thegreengrower64]

If you zoom in on the very last pic, you'll see the stem is severely damaged by whatever it is cutting through.
Personally I'd bin it and start afresh.

 

[TanzanianMagic]

If you zoom in on the very last pic, you'll see the stem is severely damaged by whatever it is cutting through.
Personally I'd bin it and start afresh.

If that's not an optical illusion, just take it out and tape it up. I've seen plants recover from a lot worse damage.

 

[NEED 4 SEED]

I got thrips but didn't mention, because I don't think they are the source of the behaviour. I also don't see what you people mean with the stem damage on the last pic. After inspecting the soil I found most parts completely dried out but the pot was still pretty heavy. Without tearing all apart I suspected that the inner core must have been still moist. No roots on the sides and only a few on the bottom. So my conclusion was that the dried out soil on the outside prevented the roots from the inner core to grow more outwards. So I ditched the old rule to let the pots dry out till they are light and gave the plant a thorough watering so that there aren't any dry areas remaining inside. Then I lifted the lamp to double the height as before. It was just a 150 W bulb but probably too close for this plant at 7-8 inches distance, as I assumed from the curling shoots.
I'll give the plant a few days and see if it helped and keep you informed.

 

[GMT]

From the angle the photo was taken, where the label cable tie twists, it looks as if it just cuts through the stem about half way. Just a 2D illusion I'm sure. I think you'd have noticed that if it was how it looks.

 

[NEED 4 SEED]

From the angle the photo was taken, where the label cable tie twists, it looks as if it just cuts through the stem about half way. Just a 2D illusion I'm sure. I think you'd have noticed that if it was how it looks.

Yeah it's an optical illusion. All good there.

 

[Thegreengrower64]

Yeah it's an optical illusion. All

If that's an optional illusion, I need to return my glasses.