I transplanted from 2gal to 5gal smart pots 4 days ago. I saw signs maybe 2 weeks ago and has only gotten worse. The medium is FFOF soil and have not been feeding it any nutrients as I’m thinking the fresh soil from transplant would suffice. The PH is about 6.8 and I’ve only fed it RO water for 3 weeks. As nutrients go I have calmag and Robert’s growtime fertilizer.
My other plants also show some discoloration with all their PH being below 7. Their runoff ppm is unknown as I haven’t checked in a couple weeks. Any suggestions or advice? as this is my first grow
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I would definitely see what your runoff ppms look like. Ph seems to be in a good place so no worries there. If you see one leaf at the bottom canopy I wouldn’t worry about it. Usually if you have a nutrient issue the entire bottom would be showing signs, or the entire top. Just take a look at the ppms and you’ll have a better understanding at what’s going on.
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soil looks dry. first plant pic needs water.
most will mix nonfertilized soil in with the fertilized to avoid the very famous fertilizer burn…which is what the plants are showing. flush with something like FF Sledgehammer. PH should be 6.3 to 6.8. Check run off PH…important. not unusual for lower leaves to die.
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I ALSO HAVE ppm and what to do.
I* hope this works for you ( IT’S LOMG SO CUT AND PASTE TO YOUR FILES OK )
Raising or Lowering the pH in the Soil Mix
Growing in soil and adjusting pH levels
A lot of gardeners have trouble with the pH of their soil. A high pH can lock out
needed nutrients and mimic other problems like Fe and Mg deficiencies. The biggest
mistake new growers make is to try and correct pH problems too quickly. The first
step in determining if high pH is the real problem, is to pick up a good pH tester.
Don’t be afraid to shell out the cash for a good one, it’s well worth it!
Here are some recommendations: (All sell for under $100.00)
Milwaukee makes two styles of hand-held pH meters. A small “pen” called the
Sharp and the larger Smart Meter. Both are easy to use. The Sharp pens are
splash-proof (although not totally waterproof), and have a large easy to read
display. They also have a detachable, replaceable probe.
Oakton – Same type of pH tester as Milwaukee makes, but it’s made a little better
imho. These are totally waterproof. (It floats.)
Shindengen ISFET pH Meters are state-of-the-art pH pens and work with a totally
different method of measurement. This pen uses a solid state Ion Sensitive Field
Effect Transistor (ISFET) instead of the fragile glass electrodes used by
traditional pH pens. They have replaceable tips that change from opaque to clear
when they need to be changed.
What is pH, and what do the terms acidic and alkaline mean?
The acidity or alkalinity of the soil is measured by pH (potential Hydrogen ions).
Basically it’s a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil,
and the type of soil that you have. A soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acidic
soil and one with a pH higher than 7.0 is considered to be alkaline. A pH of 7.0 is neutral.
Adjusting your soil pH :
Once you have determined the pH of your soil with a good tester, you can amend the
soil if needed to accommodate the plants in your garden using inexpensive materials
commonly available at your local garden center.
Adjust soil pH slowly over several days time, and check pH often as you go. Radical
changes in pH may cause osmotic shock damage to the roots.
Raising soil pH : (to make it more alkaline)
It is generally easier to make soil mixes more alkaline than it is to make them
more acidic. The addition of dolomite lime, hardwood ash, bone meal, crushed marble,
or crushed oyster shells will help to raise the soil pH.
In soil: add dolomite limestone to the soil; use small amounts of hydrated lime.
Raising hydroponic pH : (to make it more alkaline)
In hydroponics: use potassium silicate, provides silicon at an effective doseage.
In bioponics/hydro-organics: add small amounts of sodium bicarbonate or lime.
Lowering soil pH : (to make it more acidic)
If your soil needs to be more acidic, sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips,
cottonseed meal, leaf mold and especially peat moss, will lower the soil pH.
bloodmeal/cottonseed meal during vegetative; bonemeal during flowering.
Lowering hydroponic pH : (to make it more acidic)
In hydroponics: use nitric acid during vegetative; phosphoric acid during flowering.
Stabilizing pH with Dolomite lime
The best way to stable PH is by adding 1 ounce of Dolomite Lime per 1 gallon of planting soil.
Dolomite Lime is available in garden nurseries. Buy the fine Dolomite powder
(There may be several kinds of Dolomite like Rough, Medium, Fine)
Dolomite Lime has been a useful PH stabilizer for years, since it has a neutral
PH of 7 when added to your soil it stabilizes your soil at PH 7.
Mix the dry soil medium and dolomite together really well, give the mix a good
watering then after the water has had chance to settle and leech into the soil
a bit give the mix a really good stir. Then water the soil/lime mix and give it
another stir
Best plan is to mix fine dolomite lime into your mix before planting. Fine Dolomite
will help stabilize your pH; however, if the ph becomes unstable or changes, you can
then use Hydrated Dolomite Lime. Add some of the hydrated lime to luke warm water and
give it a good stir then water your plants with it. Give the plants a good watering
with this hydrated lime added and your PH should fall or rise back to 7
Dolomite lime is also high in two secondary nutes that can often be overlooked by fertilizers;
dolomite is high in both (Mg) Magnesium and (Ca) Calcium
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Definitely need a better ph meter as of rn I have a crappy 10$ one off amazon