Beginner needing help with runoff and ph for flowering autoflowers

I am in week 5 of a sour diesel Autoflower grow. I am growing 5 plants in 5 gallon fabric pots with about 4 gallons of soil using a mix of strawberry fields and ocean forest. This is my first big feeding. I mixed up 4 gallons starting with 12 ml of cal mag, 3.75 ml of flora micro, gro then bloom followed by 3.5 ml of liquid kabloom. Tested the ph at 7.4 and adjusted to 6.3. PPM was 500. I over watered this time to check runoff and found ph to be 5.6 and ppm to be 1500. I tested 2 pots and found the same. I did not water the last 3 plants to make them runoff. Wtf ILGM, what greenhorn thing have I done now and how might I best rectify this. Thank you all so much in advance!

You should be fine. It’s just telling you there were 1000ppm still in your soil. Which is where I start feeding in ocean forest anyway. That ph out is a little low but that soil tends to buffer the water down to around 5.8 so not bad there either. If you want to see how the plant is feeding then water only next time she dries out and see where your Ppm are sitting.

Remember to discard your first bit of runoff and then test the stuff that comes our after that. The first numbers will alway be higher as they’re loaded with salt.

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Yes i noticed that also i let about a cup run out from mine when i see it frip i lifr the bag and let it drip from a spot for a second then my wife gets a shot glass under the stream where it poured from for a second. Ive noticed the salts on the bags that dry get wet and get to the nute water roght away so gotta wash some away first. Cant wait to see what i get for girls this run. Forst run of all reg seeds day 7 flower hoping not to have too many boys but am gonna keep the biggest best looking boy and collect some pollen from him for a future breeding purpose.

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That’s great advice. I bought a soil ph tester today just to have an easy check directly on soil. I took readings on 4 plants and read 7.0 ph on everyone. Everything makes total sense on build up of salts on the bags making initial ppm readings high and soil buffering the ph. Here is a photo of the plants. I need to defoliate. Any tips or warnings on defoliating? Should I tear off with grain or trim? Are big fan leaves ok to remove? Should I do it at all and just tuck? I am testing all several different methods, that’s why they all look different. The one on the far left I am suspecting TMV.

What exactly do you mean when you say that’s when you start feeding in ocean forest? Is it when the runoff of a plain watering reaches 1000 ppm?

Correct. Ocean forest can start out as hot as 3000 ppm. I’ll water only until those ppms reach 1000 or less then begin the feeding regiment

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1 day I will actually too ph or ec my water , until then ,plants looking good

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The plants were calling for water today so I fed with only a silicon solution added and PH down to 6.5. Ppm was 250. I watered to runoff on same plants as last time. This time my PH reading was 5.9 and ppm was 800. Looks like ph is in the range and ppm shows they are feeding. Thanks again for the valuable help.

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Looks like you’re good to start feeding now.

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Unless it’s a really expensive soil tester it’s useless. You can stick them in battery acid and they’ll tell you it’s a neutral 7.

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@BobbyDigital First feeding with nutes after the false alarm, lol. It’s fun to learn. I raised the plants. Now sitting at an average of 625 PAR, 82°, 55 RH. Trying to keep that environment as close as I can. Week 6 now. I’m guessing that’s not TMV, just a runt.

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Looking good!

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Update on the ladies. Day 65 today. Thanks for all the help! I couldn’t have done as well thus far without you guys!! @Bobbydigital @Mark0427 @MeEasy @dbrn32 sorry if anyone else was left out, I appreciate you all and my ladies do as well!!!








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Some damn good looking autos!

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Thanks to you all! It has been a great learning experience. I’m on the steep part of the learning curve and it’s the most fun! Can’t wait to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Any recommendations on when I should first try it?

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You can alway sample whenever. The autos that keep spitting pistils can be tricky to tell when done. All of mine (blueberry autos) have gone 16 weeks from seed.

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@MO_Grow417 they look better than mine did :yum: I’ll update my diary as soon as I get a chance

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I have read on here about microwaved buds to decarb before smoking. Would you recommend this or some other method? So I could be in for a long one possibly is what you are saying, lol. I just fed 2 days ago with only HiBrix molasses and epsom salt so I could flush a little of the salts from General Hydroponics. Those babies are fattening up so good. They seem to have loved that or it’s just a coincidence on timing.

I don’t know about that, yours looked pretty dang good. I can’t wait to try the organics you suggested next grow. I hope all the moving is going ok and not to cumbersome. Can’t wait to see your next run!

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If you’re going to cook with it you can decarb in the microwave. If you’re going to smoke it, no reason to decarb. Some use the microwave for a quick dry but quick drying cut out a lot of the goodness in the bud. Slow drying is the way to go to bring out all the good terpines

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