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My garden is in about week six of bloom. Things were going well. Then, ppms began to rocket. I keep flushing and using nutes at 800, but rates keep rising. Is this because the plants are using lots of nutes and puking out the salts, or do I have some hidden issue. Current ppms range from 1200 to over 3000! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.:wtf:
Sounds like salt build up.. you have hot spots in your soil that need to be completely flushed from the sounds of it.. How do you water? Small amounts daily? Or drench the pots and leave them for a week? also.. how often do you feed straight water? Are you growing in pots or beds? If its in pots.. rinse with PH 6 water allowing generous run off then DONT FEED for at least 4-5 days.. you want to try to loosen the salts in the soil and allow the plant to use up the nutes that are already available before adding anymore. Next.. follow a schedule of 2 feeds 1 water, and give them a little bit more of a soaking when you give them water every third day. This will ensure that excess salts will not build up in your soil. If your growing in beds.. feed small amounts of water daily untill your ppm's are consistantly back in check (should only take 4-5 days at most).. then continue with 2 feeds 1 water. Hope this helps! Cheers!
I use coco in pots. I always feed, never just water, until time for final flush b-4 harvest. I feed/water when the pots are light, about every 2-4 days. I always feed/water to run-off (10-20%) I write down all activity. I feed all the around the pot, not just in the middle. This method is based on what my mentor has developed over a long, very successful career, along with a lot of research on my part. I use AN pH Perfect nutes (no negative remarks please). Our water is glacier melt and is as close to pure as you can get naturally (ppm of 12!). I have thought about a 2 feed/1 water schedule, but am not sure it would help at this point. Thanks in advance.
Your ppm's increase due to a build up of nutrients in the growing medium. Your plants NEVER use 100% of the nutes in the soil.. so some of it will dry up and stick to the soil and remain there untill the next time you feed.. then the process repeats and over time the salts will build up to toxic levels. The reason they build up is BECAUSE you are not feeding straight water once in a while. Pretty much every plant food I have ever seen recommends feeding straight water ever 3rd feed if you are using a soil type medium... this is done to keep the salts from building up in the soil... Either way.. give them a good flushing.. like 50-60% runoff with straight ph'd water.. and the next time you feed.. you should notice a big improvement in your ppm's.. cheers!