Brown spots and holes in lower leaves.

Hi all!
I am a first time grower and I have one now month old Papaya under CFL`s. During last few days Ive noticed how the lower leaves have developed brown spots which later become holes ( not always ) , but pretty often. The top leaves look fine. Heres a pic I took yesterday.
Now this leave is a lot worse. The edges are quite brown and dry. I`ve seen some flying insects flylike chilling in the branches , but I dont think they can do this. I think its ether PH or over fert problem.
I have given nitrogen dominant fertilizer three times now although the last dosage was tiny since I started the flowering cycle so I gave a tiny bit of this stuff with the phosphorus dominant autumn fertilizer.

fill out the troubleshooting in my sig.

-shake

Your Equipment:
.1) Type and wattage of lights. (MH, HPS, CFL's, tube fluorescents, LED's): 2 15w CFL´s and a 24w CFL.

.2) Distance from tops? : Varies. 10-20 cm I guess. Cant check right now , dark period going on. :hippy:

.3) Reflector type? (cool tube set-up, bat wing, enclosed reflector, bare bulb...) Reflectors made of pringles cans. :jointsmile:

.4) Is there a consistent fresh air supply? Well theres holes on the side of the closet and empty space between the door on top and bottom.



.5) Do you have an exhaust fan and a circulation fan?: I have a circulation fan. I keep it on 12 hours a day right now since I cant sleep well if its on makes so much fucking noise.

.6) What are the bulb wattages, kelvin ratings, and schedule?: 3x 15w and 24w. Light schedule 12/12. Dont know kelvins.

Your medium:
.7) Specific brand and type of soil, (coco, peat based soilless...) and anything you've added to it. (vermiculite, perlite, worm castings...): Just basic flower soil with these rocky things.

.8) Size of container.: About 10 litres.

.9) Did you use peat pucks (or similar) to root clones or germinate seedlings?
:No
Your nutrients and water:
10) Source of water? (tap, bottled or filtered) What's it's ph before adjusting?: Tap water. I dont know.

11) Method of checking water ph. (ph pen, test strips, aquarium test kit...):I dont have one.

12) Method of adjusting water ph. (phosphoric acid, white vinegar, hydrated lime, PH Up...): same

13) Specific brand and N-P-K ratio for each bottle. List dosages (quantity per gallon) and current feeding schedule. : Substral plant feed 6-1-5. I gave it once in a week or so. Not anymore since I am flowering. The flowering feed is 21,7% (P) , 27% (K).

14) How often are you watering between feedings, and how much per watering?: I use a storage pot. The water is poured into this storage beneath the plant and it takes the water it self. It doesnt need much watering. Once a week maybe since the storage takes many litres of water.

15) Any additives or tea's? (Superthrive, CalMag, molasses, Mother's Earth...):No.

16) Are your ph levels stable, or do they fluctuate? :Not sure

17) What is your ingoing water's ph? ...your runoff ph? : dunno

18) Do you foliar feed? If so, with what, how often, and at what time do you spray?: No

Your growroom:
19) Indoors or outdoors? : indoor
20) What size of closet, room or hut? The closet is about 45x45cm on the
base and couple meters high.

21) What are the temps and humidity levels while lights are on? ...With lights off?: dunno

22) Have you seen signs of insects in the growroom?: Yes some flying things. Like flies but smaller. I think they just follow the light.


23) What strain are you growing? (Indica dominate or Sativa dom?): Papaya , indica strain that is.

24) From seeds or clones?: Seed

25) Is this an autoflower strain? ?: No

Like very tiny flies, smaller then fruitflies? Could be thrips, I noticed what might be 'silvering', spots on the leaves that are lighter in color. Thrips suck the nutrients right out of leaves.

I'd call around hydro shops and nurseries to find one that stocks diatomaceous earth, and sprinkle it on the soil. I recently learned that pool grade is bad so get it from a plant shop.

It's a powder made of microscopic sea shells that grind the larva to pieces as they try to move from the soil where the eggs were lain, onto the surface where they turn into flying insects.

No they dont look like thrips. Just small flies. Ether does the damage look like it.

well i would say fungus gnats, but they don't do damage to the plants. more than likely it's the extra moisture that is keeping the nasties around. make sure to let your pot complelty dry out before watering.

also, the pot under the plant is not a good idea. first off, it attacts bugs (as you've figured out). secondly, cannabis likes wet/dry cycles. you can suffocate the roots if you are constantly giving them water. the roots need oxygen.

you can try to put a paper plate or piece of paper over your soil so bugs can't get to it. sand works and so does perlite too.

there's no need for the diatomaceous earth. thrips lay the larvae on the leafs and then they drop to the soil to pupate, by the way. it's the thrip larvae that do the most damage to your plant. they look like little grains of rice.

do you see any type of larvae or anything?


-shake

No larvae in sight , but since the begginning of my growing theres been this green alga on the surface of the soil. As I am using a storage pot there is a constant supply of water underneath the plant and roots.
I think I should cut back on the watering for maybe even 2 weeks as the soil has never really dried. :(
I probably should put this rocky thing on the surface of the soil , the same I used as a mixture with the soil.
I´ll grab some update pics tomorrow. As its getting worse. :(

Heres some update pics. Now its the fifth day into flowering and I can see some female pistils. Which is no suprise since I grew from a feminized seed.

hi just looking at your problem and it appears to be the exact same as myn have you any idea the problem and cure as i am really scratching my head as my knowledge is minimal as it is ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 1likes2toke

hi just looking at your problem and it appears to be the exact same as myn have you any idea the problem and cure as i am really scratching my head as my knowledge is minimal as it is ?

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I still havent figured that out. It seems to be spreading up slowly. :mad: I dont know if there will be any leaves left at the end of flowering. I have been suspecting root rot or mold lately.

oh dear well im just on with flushing now as the people ive spoke to havnt seen it before but think its a nutrient defficiency but are not 100% so im going to flush and take it from there myn is already 2 3rds up the plant so fingers crossed.il let you know if any joy and could you do same if you figure it out ? cheers!

I have been giving more ferts as someone on another forum suggested its a clear defiecency. No results so far of it stopping. A few of the lowest leaves have dried and dropped which is ok as I am flowering , but it seems to be spreading up. :mad: