odd question... but I def need an answer haha

[marcaka]

ok.. so 3rd time grow... first time using FoxFarm soil and BB,TG,GB nute trio... and happy frog soil 400W HPS 4X4X6.5 tent...

my question is--- I am having a lot of yellowing, dying, not growing at the bottoms of a few of my plants... since this is my first time using foxfarm ocean forest soil, it states on the bag no fertilization needed for 30 days... this would (in laymans terms) be my entire vegetative cycle... I have added some of the Big Bloom and started with Grow big as I am into week 2-3 I feed once a week and water once a week and then add calmag+water if needed... I cant figure this one out.. should I not be adding anything for the first month?? maybe i dont understand the nute regime. but i started with 1/4 strength and now that i am adding Grow Big I have it at 1/2 strength... :( any advice would help...

pic 1 is of the biggest.. in week 3.. was just flushed.. looks bad at the bottom but has growth all through the middle... except it is small..

Pic 2 is of one that is just short and is very horizontally growing has droopy leaves but the soil is relatively dry..

Pic 3 and 4 are of the yellowing and dying i was talkign about... Nitrogen deficiency??

Pic 5 is of the youngest.. 3 wks... I dont want to give them the same fate as the others... they all show the top leaves with 5 serrated edged leaves... should I start with 1/4 strength BB? or should I just start with 1/4 BB + 1/4 GB since the BB is just a catalyst and as the bag states, it received the required nutes for the first 30 days just from the soil...

[bigtopsfinn]

Looking at the pics from your other thread it looks like some of them might need new pots...

[marcaka]

really?? they havent even got week 3 nutes or gone to Flowering yet and are in 2 gallon buckets... what do you suggest... I have heard that 5 gallon are more of a problem bc of water retention/bad drainage... what do you think about feeding?

[marcaka]

sorry here are the pics

[marcaka]

sorry having trouble with the pics

[marcaka]

hey finn.... i was looking at your grow log that shit looks awesome man.. I might be switching away from foxfarm and to what you were using!... before you harvested did you flush with anything or just do straight water for a while???

[bigtopsfinn]

The lower leaves are turning yellow either because: 1. they're not getting light, 2. The rest of the plant is sucking up nutrients (nitrogen) from them... but the rest of the plant looks very dark green, so I doubt it's a lack of nitrogen. I don't think they need to be fed yet.

If the new growth looks good, keep on doing what you're doing. Don't worry too much about the old stuff. Old leaves = old news

I really think it needs a re-pot, since they keep on drooping even though you water when they are dry. My plants always do the same thing as your's (even get some of that lower yellowing) when it's time to repot. Many variables go into determining the size of the pot, and sometimes roots just grow really fast. I wouldn't advise on a 5 gal just yet, maybe try a size in between.

As for the soil I'm using, it was some different kinds I mixed (not a good idea BTW) and it's not available anywhere else but Finland I think. I flushed with plain tap water 2 weeks before harvest at 3x the size of the container, and watered again once or twice afterwords with tap water also.

If you want my advice about soil, don't use it! I'm looking into coco for my next grow (whenever that'll be... moving to Amsterdam later this summer I hope). There are just so many advantages to using coco, only downsides that I've gathered is that it needs watering more frequently, and you need to be more accurate with ph and EC. However problems are a quick fix since you don't have to wait 4-7 days between waterings, and it's pretty difficult to overwater coco.

[marcaka]

def appreciate the input would love to be going to amsterdam! how is finland? wouldnt mind visiting there as well I think all of Europe is gorgeous...

I just repotted into the 2 gallon containers sat-sunday so I am going to go ahead and feed them this and then water and repeat if necessary.... I am using foxfarm big bloom, grow big, and tiger bloom.. I think i need something for whenever they get to flower so that they will plump up... any recommendations?

[marcaka]

it seems like with the soil I am using that i do not need to really feed by the foxfarm schedule for the first 4 weeks?? just start schedule at week 5??

[bigtopsfinn]

Ok if you just repotted then they should perk up soon...

I think you have the full FF trio, which should take you through flowering. I don't know anything about FF, maybe someone else can chime in if they use something else to supplement what you have.

I think the 4 week thing for the soil is just an average, they might need it sooner, or maybe later, so tough to say. Start with low doses and work your way up. If the leaf tips start to yellow and get crispy, just use only water (maybe a flush if it gets bad) and back down on the nutes.

[pappabear]

I use FFOF (50% OF, 50% Perlite) and yes I had to wait 3 weeks before I started using nutes. Not sure if you have heard of them but you may want to check out "smart pots", they are pots that are made out of fabric instead of hard plastic or clay. Provides better aeration for your soil, I ran an experiment on 3 gallon smart pots vs the standard pots and found that the plants in the "smart pots" really took off. Plus the "smart pots" have a lower profile (couple of inches) than the plastic ones.

the pictures of your plants look fine, my do the same thing, hard to worry when you have great looking plants with aggressive new growth and lite yellowing at the bottom. :hippy:

Smart Pots (http://www.smartpots.com/)

[marcaka]

hey thanks a lot i will add some perlite to the soil next time.... what about vermiculite? so papa you just water for about the first 3 weeks and then start with foxfarms schedule of nutes at 50%? do you start the week one schedule or just start with the week 3 dose?

[marcaka]

In the first picture where would you say that plant is?? do you think it should almost be ready to start flowering cycle? or should i wait until the new growth gets a lot more?