Bicarbonates in coco...please give your input

[GDK]

They're a hot mess! You've got some cleaning up to do on them before you flip 'em. If I understand the progression of the pix it does appear that they've improved. Last photo is almost a classic simple Mg deficiency, easily corrected.

Try foliaring 1/4tsp MgSO4 with a few drops of dish soap (something for a sticker-spreader, whatever you like to use). If you see greening up within a day or three, that's all that's needed.

Yea i know they need a cleaning up real bad, but i didnt want to stress them further by defoliating hardcore just yet. I bought a bottle of Sensi CalMag and have been applying to my nute solution by 4ml/l for the past few waterings. I also have both calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate on hand so i might do the foliar too.

What are the temps in there ? Do you have a min max thermometer to check ?

A probe in the coco will give you the rootzone temps, on p2 of this thread it got mentioned and someone else has had this....

Are you sure they have not just got too cold ? They look very similar to cold coco plants sulking I have seen.

My temps are averaging 24C/75F at canopy level. I dont own a thermometer for some odd reason, but ill buy one monday and check the rootzone temps..i have a feeling they might be a little cold, but i cant really figure out how to warm the pots..any suggestions?
I took a pic to show the size of these plants...i already culled 2 due to room issues, but once the start stretching im sure ill have to remove more plants. What do you think...should i lose 3 more and just flower one plant pr light...this is my first time doing bushes, and my ceiling height is 8ft lights not included.

Stay Safe

 

[SeaMaiden]

The very best method I've found for heating up the root zone, without spending money on seed mats and the like, is what I call The Electric Blanket Sandwich, or EBS. I hit on it because pig blankets and the bottom-sticking aquarium heaters, seed mats, etcetera, were a lot more money AND more wattage than I wanted to spend (with regard to SURFACE area, or area of coverage). So off to Walmart I went.

Ah, twin-size electric blankets for $30? Well, I got me here some of these contractor trash bags and tape, what if I just fold this puppy up and put it in a bag like a pillowcase and tape it up? Been using it for a few years now.

Our basement is very cool and I couldn't get ambient temps in my room above 68*F, and I can tell you that that is not warm enough to get good growth or the best buds a lady has to offer.

Or, you could just buy (several, they're a small footprint) waterbed heating mats. They're water-roof and relatively low wattage. It's what I have under the trash cans to keep the water I store in the basement warm enough for feeding, instead of a breakable or expensive aquarium heater. Look on eBay. I think I got the kind for the sideless water beds, and I'd say I'll doublecheck but unless it's saved on my eBay I can't (cuz I can't get down to the basement just yet).

 

[GDK]

Ill definately look into it...what do you think of the size of the plants vs. room?

Stay Safe

 

[SeaMaiden]

Looks good, if perhaps a little difficult for someone with back/mobility problems to work around. They're not lacking for light, if that's what you're asking.

 

[420Clones]

You watered with RO ph'd down to 2.0?
It still has low alkalinity and will not affect a solution or medium with higher alkalinity.
If you PH down TAP water to 5.2 and run it through you will see the runoff start to match what goes in.

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

My temps are averaging 24C/75F at canopy level. I dont own a thermometer for some odd reason, but ill buy one monday and check the rootzone temps..i have a feeling they might be a little cold, but i cant really figure out how to warm the pots..any suggestions?
I took a pic to show the size of these plants...i already culled 2 due to room issues, but once the start stretching im sure ill have to remove more plants. What do you think...should i lose 3 more and just flower one plant pr light...this is my first time doing bushes, and my ceiling height is 8ft lights not included.

Stay Safe

Interested to hear the rootzone temps, giving them a steady soaking with 23C feed should raise it up to start with, but SM is spot on with tips on some of the various ways to warm from below. If you wire to a thermostat, check the results with the thermometer in there and adjust it correctly, it only works when needed.

Personally I would trim a lot out of those plants, where it is too bushy, trim back to just the strongest stems and strip many of them to just the last 10cm/4" of growth, cut some weaklings and shaded gimps off altogether, raise the outer pots as required to get more sidelighting for free and prune and train them all to create an optimal stadium mercilessly.

Flower a few days after just as they kick in hard mode, they will then focus into some serious growth with a productive outcome.

 

[GDK]

Ok look like were back on track.
I havent checked the rootzone temps yet, but i started heating my water before feeding the girls. Also i think they were just hungry as i have beefed up the EC to 1.9 and it has helped alot. I cleaned em up real good both from the bottom and the tops and are foliar feeding Mg every day. The heavy defoliation also dramatically cut their thirst in half and they are now drinkin less. Today are day 8 of bloom, and they are looking alot better....actually they are showing signs of being a lil overfed, but ill manage that in a second.
@ ChaosCatalunya: I couldnt do it stadium style as i only had 2 rows of plants. I have culled a few to make better room and air circulation and are now flowering 4 larger and 1 smaller plant under the 3x600w. I am very nervous about my yields with that few plants...do you guys think it looks like i can pull some decent weight from only 4 large plants?

Anyways..heres pics from today:

NITERIDER

K.O. KUSH

SOUR D

SOUR KUSH

SHISHKABERRY

Stay Safe

 

[SeaMaiden]

I see a huge difference in leaf turgor, they look a lot happier. Warm & humid = what makes cannabis happy.

 

[Andyo]

nice to see

nice to see

loooking great ,happy days.A

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

@ ChaosCatalunya: I couldnt do it stadium style as i only had 2 rows of plants. I have culled a few to make better room and air circulation and are now flowering 4 larger and 1 smaller plant under the 3x600w. I am very nervous about my yields with that few plants...do you guys think it looks like i can pull some decent weight from only 4 large plants?

Hi GDK,

From what I have seen, it is not a question of how many plants, but how much "canopy" [of healthy growing top shoots] you have and how many Watts of light there are hanging roughly 70cm above it.

If you spread and train the plants to fill out the space, it does not really matter if you have 1 or 50 plants in a square meter, less plants means more veg time. Using all the space, filling it all efficiently adds 10 to 30% more, I always spend a lot of time in the garden fiddling with the pots and branches, optimising them.

Good luck, going to enjoy seeing how they turn out.

 

[JayBird1]

If you haven't done it yet....FLIP EM ALREADY!!. Don't understand why you haven't sent them to flower yet. Look like awesome bushes ...so flip em...before they get any bigger..or you may wind up with less due to less plants. They look pretty healthy to me. Just continue with feeding regimen and watch em grow. If they have gotten that large you have to be doing something right...don't ya think?

 

[GDK]

If you haven't done it yet....FLIP EM ALREADY!!. Don't understand why you haven't sent them to flower yet. Look like awesome bushes ...so flip em...before they get any bigger..or you may wind up with less due to less plants. They look pretty healthy to me. Just continue with feeding regimen and watch em grow. If they have gotten that large you have to be doing something right...don't ya think?

Yea these girls are at day 40 now, but a timer malfunction gave em 36 hours of straigth light @ day 14 so that set them back considerably. Combine that with cold underoxygenated roots and these got set back alot. They are looking better but im still seeing a little deficiencies..i think it might be Mg, but you guys might help me diagnose. On top im looking at what i believe to be overfert, but it looks a little strainge...heres the pics:

Shishka:

Sour Kush:

Niterider & K.O. Kush:

Niterider:

K.O. Kush:

K.O. Kush:

Sour Kush tops lookin overferted:

Shishkaberry:

Sour D:

I have been followin Cannas feeding calculator which states that in week 5 A+B should be bumped up to 38ml/10L and to add 15ml/10L PK 13/14on top...according to Canna it should give a ec of 2.2, but i did 34ml/10L and 10ml PK 13/14 and it gave me a ec of 2.9
Should i flush the Sour Kush, or just feed her a thinner diet for the next cpl of days?

Stay Safe

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Hi GDK

They seem to be looking well now, basically well recovered and growing healthily.

Different plants like slightly different strengths of feed and I am unconventional in that I like to feed lightly and so do not flush, just give constant gentle feed. Maxing it out "might" give a bit extra, but it might harm the plant, setting you back compared to the constant reliability of taking it easy.

This is part of the reason I do not run NFT anymore, it might give you 10% more, in a couple of days less, but with coco you have a very forgiving medium that reliably produces schnizzle.

I normally max out at around 2ml/L of A & B and do not introduce PK until the grow is dialed in and constant. Even without PK, A and B Canna coco, under 600W/M2 beginners I have helped have passed 1gpw, daily watering to runoff, 23C feed, 5.8-6 pH.

Good luck

 

[SeaMaiden]

I agree with CC above, and my coir growing methods are very, very close in that I use extremely low feeding strength. However, I want to see a really nice, hard yellowing/fade at the end of the run because I love my blonde buds, so by the last week or so they're getting nothing but water+sugars (molasses, malted barley extract, syrup made from panela/panocha, date or palm sugar, whatever I have on hand that feels right and smells good, they all work well) at very low levels.

Reading the rest of how s/he does it, aside from the fact that I don't use A+B formula feeds and have never used Canna, looks to be an excellent method.

I see NOTHING that even really hints at a problem with Mg in those girls. They look like they're doing very, very well. And if you do think so, warm them up (you mention cool temps..?) and they'll be able to better utilize what you're giving them.

 

[GDK]

Thanks guys..ill just feed a lil lighter then..i know im already feeding high, but these girls have been pushed since the start...but i seem to have found the line lol..Im already excited for my next round since i have learnt alot with this one...im sure ill do way better next time.

@SeaMaiden: The def´s i was referring to are visible in the picture of the Niterider plant...look at the leaves that are out of focus behind the bud in the middle...see the light colored edges?..or am i being overly worried...

Stay Safe

 

[SeaMaiden]

Oh, yeah, I see that! Is it just that one plant? If so, a foliar or two of 1/4t MgSO4/gal water+surfactant of your choice will correct that very, very quickly without you having to change your entire feeding regimen. Everything else looks to be about as happy as they could be.

As for the plants that are so slightly overfed, can you just back off the feed a bit? As you know, things happen fast in coco coir growing, so you'll know in at most three or four days how they like the reduction in feed. I typically use an approach that's opposite of most folks, I don't push to see how far or hard I can push them, I throttle back to see how far I can restrict feeding before I see a difference in performance.

Your girls have nicely turgid, shiny leaves, of a healthy color, and the girls are progressing very nicely.

 

[Mia]

Thanks guys..ill just feed a lil lighter then..i know im already feeding high, but these girls have been pushed since the start...but i seem to have found the line lol..Im already excited for my next round since i have learnt alot with this one...im sure ill do way better next time.

@SeaMaiden: The def´s i was referring to are visible in the picture of the Niterider plant...look at the leaves that are out of focus behind the bud in the middle...see the light colored edges?..or am i being overly worried...

Stay Safe

I use the canna line and for the most part always feed higher than their recommendation. A lot higher. I go up to 2.8EC on some of my heavier feeding strains.
I push my plants hard till the end and then back off finishing with cannazym, sometimes some kelp, and sugars or some boost in the resi if you're flush with cash.
The burn you have is minor, bump your EC down and get decent run off(so as not to build up salts) and you should be fine.
It's good you found the line, now you can play around with it.
Looks good.