Plant looking "burnt"?

[speedracer]

Sorry, I already posted this in the infirmary, but all the questions seem to be regarding ph, and I thought that ph didn't really make a difference.

But I have a couple of plants that look "burnt" to me. They have been no closer to the light than any of the others. I am running LCs mix #2 and am still vegging under a MH. What does this look like is going on to you?

 

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

I thought that ph didn't really make a difference

You should know what your PH is, without that we can't help you. If its not close to lights, and your not overfeeding, its most likly, PH!

 

[speedracer]

PH of my soil or water? Water is RO....

 

[speedracer]

They are close to the light though, within a few inches of a MH. But only some of them seem this way. Do you think these ones were just too close for awhile?

 

[jaykush]

how long did you let the soil sit before planting in it.

 

[guest2012y]

Guessing too high nitrogen level...probably too high p and k as well.....?????

 

[speedracer]

Not at all. I didn't think it was necessary for this mix to sit before using. It is not the blood/bone meal mix.

 

[guest2012y]

Did you test your soil?

 

[speedracer]

Guessing too high nitrogen level...probably too high p and k as well.....?????

So should I not water with a tea on the next scheduled tea watering and just stick with some straight RO water for awhile?

 

[guest2012y]

I'd test my soil with a test n p k and ph test kit then adjust accordingly....I would only use ph ro water by the looks of her at this point....these folks on here know what's up,someone will tune you in man.

 

[speedracer]

Did you test your soil?

I did not test it at all, just mixed according to the directions and planted. What should I test for and how? I still have alot of the mixed soil in a bag unused.

 

[maryjohn]

how big are the plants? I can't get perspective from the pic.

 

[speedracer]

I'd test my soil with a test n p k and ph test kit then adjust accordingly....I would only use ph ro water by the looks of her at this point....these folks on here know what's up,someone will tune you in man.

Thanks! I will get a kit and see what is up and then come back and post.

 

[speedracer]

how big are the plants? I can't get perspective from the pic.

Those affected are about a foot tall.

 

[maryjohn]

A foot tall, in what volume soil?

 

[speedracer]

These are 6L pots, so about 1.6 gallons.

 

[BurnOne]

Wait a minute! Wait just a minute. Let's not jump to conclusions here.
Everybody is giving speedracer advise but we have almost no data except he's using LC's Mix #2.
speedracer-
What are you feeding your plants and how often.
N-P-K test kits don't work in organics. They measure salts.
You don't have a pH problem.
Your lights need to be about 12 to 18 inches away from your plants.
Give us more info first speedracer.
Burn1

 

[guest2012y]

Wait a minute! Wait just a minute. Let's not jump to conclusions here.
Everybody is giving speedracer advise but we have almost no data except he's using LC's Mix #2.
speedracer-
What are you feeding your plants and how often.
N-P-K test kits don't work in organics. They measure salts.
You don't have a pH problem.
Your lights need to be about 12 to 18 inches away from your plants.
Give us more info first speedracer.
Burn1

Really?...I had no idea they measure salts..been using them for a long time assuming they work...and I honestly have not had bad results working off the readings....how would one measure the n p k of an organic mix without a test?...is there a test out there that does? I recognize the signs of this horrible sight and have been doing what works for me,you know what they say about assumptions,so I am all ears on a better cure.

 

[maryjohn]

You can't do NPK testing on organic soil, and expect meaningful results. like burn says. The whole concept was invented around midway through the last century, and suffered from a lack of environmental context. Mainly, soil containing organic matter as opposed to just inert materials. The technology developed faster than the science to understand it. Classic case.

If you want to know what is in organic soil, I believe you have to count microbes with a microscope (crazy, I know). Nitrogen stored as a protein or P "stored" as ATP in a cell does not interact chemically with anything outside the cell membrane. When a predatory microbe comes by and eats the other, then some of the N is released in soluble form, and if the plant moves fast it gets to take it. NPK is a chemical analysis of ions in aqueous solution (not quite sure they are all salts, suspect they are not - worth checking). It doesn't matter what the molecule is - organic or inorganic - in solution, the N ion is free to interact with your test. The soluble N pooped out by a protist is detectable and measurable, but a random sample of your media won't tell you anything useful.

You know how salt in solution does not affect the color of the water? It's because the Na atom is way at one end, and the Cl is at another, instead of hanging out in the structure they normally have. The compound loses properties as that happens - it even changes the way it relates to light. Thus as you stir the water you can watch the salt "disappear" and turn from cloudy to clear. Try it with cornstarch, and you can stir all day - you have a mixture and not a solution. Well, microbes are like the cornstarch. They don't dissolve. At least not in water.

I'm pretty sure something like a guano tea will be through the roof on soluble N, because it is manure. That's how you get the disagreement between "organic" growers who use manure directly on plants, and "organic" growers who rely on nutrient cycling. Both are valid and healthy ways to grow, but they are fundamentally different.

Without testing, you can evaluate how well soil holds water, use your nose, and use history. If you did a good job building it, no reason to worry. If it grows good plants, year after year, it's good, right? Wasn't that the whole goal? If you really want to know, have it evaluated professionally by the food soil web folks.

 

[BurnOne]

One of the great things about organic growing is, if done properly, the plant takes up what it needs. Usually the only thing that will harm a plant is too much nitrogen. That's why the blood/bone/kelp recipe is so effective. Everything is in the soil and the plant takes what it needs. Kind of like a plant buffet.
Organic growing is so easy it's stupid really. All you need is a recipe, ingredients and patience.
Burn1