Newbie, nutrient/heat problems during flowering

Hey guys, first timer, so things are a little confusing to me.

I'm currently just growing one female in a soil medium, under one 400w HPS, thats been flowering for about four weeks now. Up until about eight days ago, it was looking realy pretty, leaves pointed up towards the light, doing just fine. I watered the plant with half a galon Poland Spring, mixed with a MG Rose Fertilizer (soemthing like 16-24-18, i dont have it handy). I started noticing yellowing and necrotic parts of lower leaves, some brittle to the touch - rub between your fingers and they disintegrate.

I moved the light futher away, another six incehs or so, just to make sure they were staying cool enough. Ventilation isn't a problem, as my grow is in a closet and I have an exterior ceiling fan running constantly, although I have a thin tapestry normally covering three quarters way down the closet door, and the temperature can rise in there a bit. Still, it didn't seem it was the heat.

I started to think possible N or K defficency, as prior to the fertilization I mentioned, I had only fertilized once with about half a galon of same fertilizer mix, about three or so weeks into vegetation. So I souped up a half galon water with a double strength fert of same stuff, just a couple days later.

Since then, things have continued their downslope. Many lower fan leaves have continued deterioration. Upper leaves now, around the perimeter of the leaves (at the edges), are turning yellow, and the tips of the leaves kind of curl down and then up right at the point, and are thinning and turning brown. It seems the plant has stalled in vertical growth, as I haven't seen it shoow up an inch or a couple overnight as I have occasionally in the past few weeks. I'm pretty sure flowering has slowed down too.

Well, it's kind of difficult to tell from pictures I'm looking at on the web. Over at the overgrow.com faqs, they ahve pics of heat stress the show damage to fan leaves similar to mine at the top, but it doesn't explain the lower elaf deterioration. Nonetheless, I raised the light another six inces or so yesterday. On advice of a friend who's had some experience I flushed the container today with five gallons of straight water -- he sasy it could be nutrient burn/overfert.

So I'm just wondering if I did the right thing, and if there's anything else I can/should do to get my girl back on track. Any comments would be appreciated.

Oh, the soil I started out with was a MG slow release formula, I don't remember the nutrient content however.

If possible you may want to check the PH of your soil. Until the PH is within an acceptable range 6.0-6.8 it is tuff to diagnose some of these problems. If I had to guess I would say probably too much nutes though. Flushing in this case would be the right thing yes.

Herbus

when you are that far into flowering you should be using a fert with no nitrogen.i suggest getting a different fert.flush it. sprinkle 1 tablespoon of dolomite lime on top of your soil that should keep your ph in check

The Oh, is your problem You are using Miracle Grow.

You are experiencing the same problems 95% of the people have when they use Miracle Grow. Especially the soil and time release nutrients.

Next time don't use anything with the name Miracle Grow on it and you will do better.

I guess no more miracle grow for me. I bought a PH reader today, electric one from Home Depot, looks to be about 6.8 . I got that lime too, about to sprinkle some on top to be safe. Thanks for the info guys. Hope things turn around with the girlie here.

Oh, what type of fert should I be using during the flowering now, ya think? something like 0-15-10 in small doses, once a week maybe?

Well if you can't get the right nutrients for this plant you can pick up some Shultz Cactus formula.

That's close.

Never use soil that has nutrients in it as well. No time release pellets nothing.

Thanks man, yeah, this experience has taught me much for the future. I don't know what the right fert for the plant would be....i dont even know what type of plant it is! But I'll see if i could find some of the cactu stuff. Thanks much again guys,

chief