How to Kill Plants using a Bad Light Spectrum

[St. Phatty]

I have been banging my head against what I thought was over-nuted soil.

It turned out to be, the plants did not like my Color Temperatures of 3700 & 5200 K, Screw in LED bulbs.

I had like 40 bulbs on one 2x4 foot panel, about 600 watts, 1600 Lumens per Bulb, so 64,000 Lumens.

Anyway I replaced the panel of Screw in LED's with a 1000 watt Metal Halide, which is 100,000 Lumens.

The plants responded immediately. Will get some pictures of those uploaded.


THE GOOD NEWS - by wrongly blaming the soil, I improved the drainage - by diluting it with small size gravel !

 

[Tomatoesonly]

LED's have given all kinds of people fits because they don't have the IR heat and they seem to change the nutrient demands of the plants. I guess tried and true is good for you.

 

[St. Phatty]

LED's have given all kinds of people fits because they don't have the IR heat and they seem to change the nutrient demands of the plants. I guess tried and true is good for you.

The thing that's deceptive is that they work good in veg., and for other plants.

I wonder what magic frequency band the combination of cool & warm LED bulbs lacks.

Or maybe one of the frequencies that flowering plant doesn't like.

The combination that I like is Metal Halide for early flowering and HPS for the second half of flowering.

 

[exoticrobotic]

I've moved back to hid too @St. Phatty. The plants love it. All lush green, no yellow or brown stripes in sight.

I've also chucked the calmag and will be using good old pk

 

[St. Phatty]

I suspect that there is a relation between the color temperature of the light, and the plant's ability to handle a range of pH.

I had one plant that was going to make it with decent buds. I gave her some diluted chicken manure compost tea. That and the light finished her. If I had stuck with water for her, I'd be looking at some decent buds ready to harvest.

I think she was a grapefruit cross.

 

[JumpinJimmy]

The thing that's deceptive is that they work good in veg., and for other plants.

I wonder what magic frequency band the combination of cool & warm LED bulbs lacks.

Or maybe one of the frequencies that flowering plant doesn't like.

The combination that I like is Metal Halide for early flowering and HPS for the second half of flowering.

I used hps for man years before switching to led and my bud quality is still great. My yields make me happy. I’ve been pulling 35-38 ounces out of a 5x5 from a 600 watt led. Optic slim 600. There was an adjustment period when switching. The plants love the led in my neck of the woods. Maybe you need a better light or your environment was bad

 

[Ca++]

I suspect that there is a relation between the color temperature of the light, and the plant's ability to handle a range of pH.

I had one plant that was going to make it with decent buds. I gave her some diluted chicken manure compost tea. That and the light finished her. If I had stuck with water for her, I'd be looking at some decent buds ready to harvest.

I think she was a grapefruit cross.

The lower pH plants were better?