HELP! Autoflowers: Transplant Shock? Nitro Deficiency? Overwatering? Living Soil Nute Burn?

[StankyBo]

Hey all,

So I've got a sample of Autoflowers I'm running outdoors in living soil that are running into an issue I can't quite decipher because it seems to be an overlapping symptom.

My possible diagnosis:Transplant Shock? Nitrogen Deficiency? Overwatering? Living Soil Nutrient Burn?

Setup:

Autoflowers.

Germinated in ProMixHD solo cup style, indoors under cheap germinating LED.

Moved outdoors and transplanted into 5 gal Nature's Living Soil and ProMixHD mix @ 1lb per 5 Gal.

Transplanting was definitely a shock to them as they weren't very well rooted, so I lost some soil, but was very careful. Weather was fine, 50-75. Does transplant shock cause a slow withering death? They've been like this for about a week.

I've only full soaked twice in 2 weeks since transplant, and I'm getting all the same issue on the one's that are dying as you see in photos, lower leaves turning yellow, burning back from the tips. Tried letting some dry out since the pots are still pretty heavy, that didn't seem to help, added a little top coat of NLS and watered in to other dying one's to see if it's a Nitrogen deficiency. Did that today so I'm unsure of results.

Not sure which of these symptoms are things that can be fixed versus game over, but also hard to tell which is the problem. Side by sides of 4 plants with all the same exact treatment.

Thanks!

[SoOrbudgal]

?Don't know where your at what temps are your outdoor temps? That looks like bark and twigs auto do not like ferts. early on just plain water soil may of been hot? Weather not ideal for MJ yet soil looks like acidic with pine needles they needed to stay indoors till they had good environment looks to me?

[Canuck147]

Here there StankyBo - I only grow autoflowers in 2 gallon geopots - start to finish - so I can't help you about the transplant shock.

But looking at your pics - first and third are ugly - I would say the ones that are growing are stalled cuz they are filling up the roots in those big pots. (I tried an autoflower in a 7 gallon pot and it took 21 days before it started to grow vertically and started pistils at the same time)

I don't think cannabis plants like any type of mulch or twigs that leetch out whatever is in them. I guess you'll have to wait and see if they grow.

[Texasbob]

My guess is that it is the shock from going into direct sunlight.

[Korn]

Looks like spider mite damage. Look under the leaves with a magnifying glass or jewelers loupe. See the tiny white spots where they have been sucking? Spray with neem oil and pyrethrin

[Cali]

Yeah don’t use wood chips for mulch. Try to get some barley straw. Something about wood chips that doesn’t let weed grow. Can’t recall exactly why but I know not to use that as mulch. Also it looks like something is eating your leafs maybe thrips? Like it’s been recommended and I will say it again spray them with neem. Every 3 days for atleast 2 weeks then if no issues just once a week until they start to flower.

[StankyBo]

Thanks for the responses y'all!

The weather is perfect where I am, 55-75, and I transitioned them outside pretty slowly over a few days, it doesn't look like heat shock I've seen before, plus it's from the bottom up. Also, most of the plants are doing great, just a couple that this inevitable march towards death is happening on. I didn't mention this has been slowly setting on over like 2 weeks. Maybe that affects people's opinion on it.

Also, I didn't mention I added the wood chips after this started happening, thinking a mulch would help keep moisture in to water less, so I took that off. But so it seems like it may be spider mites even though I didn't see any with my loupe. I just read that spider mites eat the chlorophyl and then the plants don't intake water, effectively drowning themselves out if you water them more. So that would explain the appearance of overwatering even though I haven't been watering these one's as they've stayed heavy.

Not seeing any spots or mites, but there are some little white stains of what if they were bigger would look like pigeon shit on a sidewalk. Didn't look like eggs up-close, but maybe that's something.

So even though I didn't see any mites, they're outside in the elements so I might as well try some neem. Anybody got some ladybugs for sale?