Got a minute to help? Thanks!

[Vaporbud]

Greetings fellow outdoor grow enthusiasts,
Im hoping for some feedback and advice on my situation. I have what looks like a Potassium def going on. I think its an easy solution and so will you probably after reading the parameters but not sure the best way to address…



Background: Soil is reused. Previous grow as 100% organic. . Apx 300 gal. It sat for a year in the 65 gal smartpots as I didn’t grow in 2019. Dumped them out in Oct 2019 onto a tarp. Looked and smelled great, roots all gone. Tested pH @ 5.7
In January I added:
80 gal very nice compost, moist with lots of white streaks through it.
25 gal composted chicken manure
10 lbs kelp meal
3 lbs powdered dolomite lime
(2) 4 LB bags Dr Earth Tomato Veg Herb (4-6-3)
AACT 5 gallons
Recharge 5 gallons


Cooked until Early June, then into the 65s
Plants went from 1g to 65s on June 26. The loved it and grew well.
Mulched with tree leaves
Removed mulch, Top dressed each pot w/a few cups of the same Dr earth and spread 2-3 inches fresh compost mid July, Replaced mulch
Removed mulch, Top dressed each pot w/a 1 lbs (1/4 bag) DR Earth Flower Girl and spread 2-3 inches fresh compost mid August, about 2 weeks ago. Replaced mulch.


Reading about potassium def I thought about just spreading some hardwood ash (I have walnut) on top and see what happened but after reading a little more found if pH is 6.5 or higher it could be bad to add ashes.



They have had aerated compost tea 3 times and recharge twice when I have felt like it.



I dusted off the Hanna Combo grow check to have a look. Took a 1/2c sample 4 inches deep a foot from the stalk. Added 1 c distilled water and stirred. Waited 15 minutes, calibrated the meter. Stirred again and checked. (Hanna’ instructions)



Soil: pH- 6.7 uS- 128 ppm- 67 (What!?)


Well water pH- 6.6 uS- 986 ppm- 512


RO water pH 6.4 uS- 71 ppm- 36 (This what I water them with)


So pH looks fine. The solids are so low they must be just hungry AF. Am I missing something?
What would you feed and how much?

Here are some pics:
L-R Rum Runner / Copper Chem / Raspberry Pebbles OG / Cake N Chem

Rasp Peb OG

Thanks and best wishes for a great harvest!

 

[Great outdoors]

Looks like a potassium defeciency to me.
Pretty common in the beginning of flowering especially if it's been hot and you're been watering lots. Think like perspiring in the heat, you need electrolytes. K is that for the plant.
I typically treat with sulpomag, but you added a lot of dolomite, that could spike magnesium levels to toxic on you. Seaweeds and molasses are probably your best bet.

 

[AgentPothead]

I'll also say potassium deficiency! For next year I would look into greensand, it's a good slow release potassium and I'd also agree with a kelpmeal fertilizer for now. I guess molasses is also high in calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium, I've never used it though. Except on pancakes.

 

[Great outdoors]

Blackstrap molasses comes out at about 1-0-5 with good amounts of calcium and magnesium and lots of iron.

 

[Vaporbud]

Looks like a potassium defeciency to me.
Pretty common in the beginning of flowering especially if it's been hot and you're been watering lots. Think like perspiring in the heat, you need electrolytes. K is that for the plant.
I typically treat with sulpomag, but you added a lot of dolomite, that could spike magnesium levels to toxic on you. Seaweeds and molasses are probably your best bet.

Thanks Great outdoors!

That helps a lot. It has been pretty damn hot for many weeks here in Norcal. When the northwest wind blows on the many 105+ degree days they just get blasted all day. It's a rough life. So been watering about 5-6g/day/pot.

Thanks for the feedback on the lime. I followed advice somewhere on here about rebuilding soil. How much lime do you think I should add to 275 gallons next time? Maybe I wont need any?

I have some Hi Brix molasses I use for the tea. Ill pick up some liquid kelp product.

Awesome, this is the value of a forum like this. Thanks again!

 

[Vaporbud]

I'll also say potassium deficiency! For next year I would look into greensand, it's a good slow release potassium and I'd also agree with a kelpmeal fertilizer for now. I guess molasses is also high in calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium, I've never used it though. Except on pancakes.

Thank you AgentPothead! I always see people using greensand. Now I'm interested! I just hope these plants finish well. The other 3 are less effected and and looks like 2 weeks behind the RPOG. Ima give it a shot bro.

 

[RED 1]

If it all started with a tip burn, have a read on zinc deficiency as well

 

[Great outdoors]

Thanks Great outdoors!

That helps a lot. It has been pretty damn hot for many weeks here in Norcal. When the northwest wind blows on the many 105+ degree days they just get blasted all day. It's a rough life. So been watering about 5-6g/day/pot.

Thanks for the feedback on the lime. I followed advice somewhere on here about rebuilding soil. How much lime do you think I should add to 275 gallons next time? Maybe I wont need any?

I have some Hi Brix molasses I use for the tea. Ill pick up some liquid kelp product.

Awesome, this is the value of a forum like this. Thanks again!

It's not the amount of lime it's that it's dolomitic. You want a calcium to magnesium ratio of about 5 to 1. Dolomitic lime is 2 to 1. Now if you add sulpomag ( natural mined mineral) with 11 magnesium, 22 sulphur and 22 potassium you can throw the magnesium levels to high which causes a lockout.
I like to use crushed oyster shells from the animal feed store. You really can't use too much in fact you can use it for drainage in your soil. It's insoluble until organic acids break it down meaning it's pretty much calcium on demand.
Now you can use sulpomag and not worry about cal mag ratios. The boost of sulphur is a good thing too. And there is nothing else in the organic land that gives you a readily available 22 boost of K.

 

[troutman]

Gypsum will boost your calcium levels without adding any magnesium.

 

[Vaporbud]

It's not the amount of lime it's that it's dolomitic. You want a calcium to magnesium ratio of about 5 to 1. Dolomitic lime is 2 to 1. Now if you add sulpomag ( natural mined mineral) with 11 magnesium, 22 sulphur and 22 potassium you can throw the magnesium levels to high which causes a lockout.
I like to use crushed oyster shells from the animal feed store. You really can't use too much in fact you can use it for drainage in your soil. It's insoluble until organic acids break it down meaning it's pretty much calcium on demand.
Now you can use sulpomag and not worry about cal mag ratios. The boost of sulphur is a good thing too. And there is nothing else in the organic land that gives you a readily available 22 boost of K.

Thank You. I get it. I'll try the crushed oyster shells next grow. I'm old but still have a lot to learn.