Is this N deficiency, or is it something else?

I'm pretty sure that I know what's going on here, and as I've mentioned in a few other places I THINK this is just normal late flower N deficiency. But I wanted to fill out a trouble shooting form just in case it's something else that I can correct or avoid in the future. This is my first grow, so I just want to be sure. I flushed them each twice a couple of weeks ago, and then resumed feeding as normal after they dried out a bit.

E-indoor or outdoor: indoor
E-soil, soilless, coco, aero, or hydroponic: soil
E-specific medium: MG Organic Potting 75/25 with perlite 1 1/2 gallon pots (kind of small I know)
CSL-Soil type/brand: MG Organic (they've been in it since the beginning, I won't use it again, I promise)
SCL-Anything you have added to the soil: Nutes as below
SCLR-Soil or slab runoff pH: high 6s (as per cheap test kit)
E-Water source: alternating b/t distilled and tap (the tap is very hard), figured the hard tap would provide enough cal/mag
E-Source water pH: high 6s
E-Age of plant: about 5 months total, around week 7 in flower
E-Type of fertilizer: Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Bloom 1-4-5 at full strength (has produced minor nute burn on the tips), also molasses with the last 2 feedings
E-Rate of application: full strength (2 tbls per gallon)
E-Lighting source and distance from plant: 150w HPS about 4" (I know that sounds close, but I've seen no indication of heat damage to the tips)
E-Air temperature (both day and night if you are running a dark period): 75-85 during the day, not sure about night time temps, got up over 100 a couple of weeks ago for a few hours.
E-Air % Relative humidity: 52% at the moment
E-Lighting schedule: 12/12
E-Type of ventilation your room has: twin blade window fan blowing up from underneath, only intake/exhaust is from pre-existing cracks and whatnot.

The untopped plant has gone pretty quickly from verdant green to what you see below (acutally i guess the lower leaves have been yellowing for about 2 weeks). The topped plant has been degrading for a while longer. Minor variations because of human error aside, they've been on the same schedule, though the topped one is about 2 weeks older in total age (same time in flower).

looks OK to me ... fan leaves turning yellow, giving up their stored nutrients, rest of leaves still looking healthy ... I'd be happy with it, so far :smokin:

Thanks Reaper. That's what I though, but like I said I wanted to make reasonably sure that it wasn't something that I've done wrong that I can avoid next time.

That's your plant telling you She's almost done. :thumbsup:

Looks pretty good. But...(and this is not at all a complaint)
Did you by chance give some veg ferts (a nitrogen source) in an effort to green 'em up? Just wondering, because the growing tips seem stretched a tad. In the Fox Farms schedule it recommends that after you switch to 12/12, to wait a couple of weeks and add a couple of doses of veg ferts. This get's them stretching again, (just a few inches or so) which will eventually fill-in nicely. A technique I use myself. :thumbsup:

Also, are you watering deep enough to reach the lower root zones? The topped plant looks a tad thirsty. As the foliage fills-in, it will require more water. Speaking of which, have you tried growing 'em with straight tap water? Unless it's exceptionally crappy, ph adjusted tap is usually fine for soil grows.

I learned to grow cannabis using MG potting soils, despite it's having a bad rap for years. I guess folklore trumps success stories, because the shit works great if you figure it's nutes into the equation, and adjust accordingly.

I'd smoke 'em. :jointsmile:

Hey Rusty, I did add a very light dose of veg nutes to the topped plant a couple of weeks ago (basically added a bit of the MG 9-0-0 to the Flower), but didn't add it to the other plant. I did stay on the veg nutes for the first two weeks of flower (if I remember correctly), but it was some crappy Vigoro stuff that I won't use again.

I started using the distilled water because one of my initial plants was showing signs of bad Zinc deficiency (this plant isn't pictured here, but is now in flower three weeks behind the others and doing very well), which from what I've read is usually caused by high pH, and/or hard water. Not having a test kit at the time I didn't know what my pH was so I switched to distilled. Then when I found out I need to add cal/mag I started alternating and just stuck with it because it seemed to be working.

As far as my watering technique goes. I remove the plant, pop the drip tray off, set it in the sink, pour a little bit of water in, let it soak up, then add water until it's coming out the holes in the bottom. Wait until it's done dripping, replace drip tray (so it doesn't drip onto my fan which is right below the plants) and put the plant back.

Also, I too noticed that the growing tip on the untopped plant has stretched a bit, it's quite clear compared to my last set of pics. But I didn't add anything unusual to it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by warfrat73

I'm pretty sure that I know what's going on here, and as I've mentioned in a few other places I THINK this is just normal late flower N deficiency. But I wanted to fill out a trouble shooting form just in case it's something else that I can correct or avoid in the future. This is my first grow, so I just want to be sure. I flushed them each twice a couple of weeks ago, and then resumed feeding as normal after they dried out a bit.

E-indoor or outdoor: indoor
E-soil, soilless, coco, aero, or hydroponic: soil
E-specific medium: MG Organic Potting 75/25 with perlite 1 1/2 gallon pots (kind of small I know)
CSL-Soil type/brand: MG Organic (they've been in it since the beginning, I won't use it again, I promise)
SCL-Anything you have added to the soil: Nutes as below
SCLR-Soil or slab runoff pH: high 6s (as per cheap test kit)
E-Water source: alternating b/t distilled and tap (the tap is very hard), figured the hard tap would provide enough cal/mag
E-Source water pH: high 6s
E-Age of plant: about 5 months total, around week 7 in flower
E-Type of fertilizer: Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Bloom 1-4-5 at full strength (has produced minor nute burn on the tips), also molasses with the last 2 feedings
E-Rate of application: full strength (2 tbls per gallon)
E-Lighting source and distance from plant: 150w HPS about 4" (I know that sounds close, but I've seen no indication of heat damage to the tips)
E-Air temperature (both day and night if you are running a dark period): 75-85 during the day, not sure about night time temps, got up over 100 a couple of weeks ago for a few hours.
E-Air % Relative humidity: 52% at the moment
E-Lighting schedule: 12/12
E-Type of ventilation your room has: twin blade window fan blowing up from underneath, only intake/exhaust is from pre-existing cracks and whatnot.

The untopped plant has gone pretty quickly from verdant green to what you see below (acutally i guess the lower leaves have been yellowing for about 2 weeks). The topped plant has been degrading for a while longer. Minor variations because of human error aside, they've been on the same schedule, though the topped one is about 2 weeks older in total age (same time in flower).

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Looks good maybe next time you could inoculate your soil with some beneficial micro-organisms ,and I want to get me some root excelerator . I hear that Sweet' from Botanicare is good, and. Liquid karma is great stuff
Things things will help you speed things up, and produce more yeild ,and all together get rid of that yellowing at the end.:jointsmile:

As stated above, looks pretty normal to me. Using up the left over nutrients for your bud. The buds look marvelous if you ask me!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by warfrat73

Hey Rusty, I did add a very light dose of veg nutes to the topped plant a couple of weeks ago (basically added a bit of the MG 9-0-0 to the Flower), but didn't add it to the other plant. I did stay on the veg nutes for the first two weeks of flower (if I remember correctly), but it was some crappy Vigoro stuff that I won't use again.

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Keeping on the veg nutes for the first couple of weeks can have somewhat the same effect. But I like to let her settle-into flowering mode, then stretch them just a tad a couple of weeks into it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by warfrat73

I started using the distilled water because one of my initial plants was showing signs of bad Zinc deficiency (this plant isn't pictured here, but is now in flower three weeks behind the others and doing very well), which from what I've read is usually caused by high pH, and/or hard water. Not having a test kit at the time I didn't know what my pH was so I switched to distilled. Then when I found out I need to add cal/mag I started alternating and just stuck with it because it seemed to be working.

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Just curious. Sounds expensive and inconvenient using distilled.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by warfrat73

As far as my watering technique goes. I remove the plant, pop the drip tray off, set it in the sink, pour a little bit of water in, let it soak up, then add water until it's coming out the holes in the bottom. Wait until it's done dripping, replace drip tray (so it doesn't drip onto my fan which is right below the plants) and put the plant back.

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Excellent technique for watering. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: But late in flower, the soil usually loses some of it's water retention properties and you have to make sure you're getting enough moisture absorption (and nutes) down deep. If after watering the pot feels unusually light, the soil may be losing it's water retention properties.

If this is the case, the easiest cure is to use a surfactant, which helps the water absorb into the medium better. 1/4 tsp of liquid dishsoap works wonders for this. Make sure it's not the anti-bacterial type of dishsoap, or it will kill the beneficials in your soil. Only need one or two applications to see improved absorption, and I've never needed more than two applications to bring the soil back.

Thanks for the help guys, I feel reassured.

Well, i think that my theory about getting enough cal/mag by alternating my water has been proven incorrect. I'm reasonably sure that I've got some calcium deficiency going on. Brown orange spotting and generally crispiness. I picked up com cal/mag on Tuesday and watered with that. That topped plant is looking rough and not sowing signs of doing much, but the untopped one is looking better.