Gifted 2 mystery plants with issues, need help!

[GreenAlchemist]

Good day everyone,

So long story short, I was gifted two plants my cousin had received and couldn’t take care of.

feeling a bit overwhelmed with getting everything setup as no one could tell me any info about them - at all - wether bottled nutrients or dry amendments, outside, inside, soil, literally nothing to go on except the tags that say “GOD” and “GC” ..
So any advice Is really appreciated!!

At the moment racing to set up my 4x4 tent, and right aways I notice some issues. They both have PM and possibly thrips (saw a few crawlers). Thankfully, they are no where near my other set-ups.

Never dealt with PM before, and wondering how could I deal with it in indoor grow setups. What’s worked best for you?

Thrips I’ve dealt with but welcome to advice or tips

thanks in advance!

[alltatup]

What week are they in? Are they done stretching? I mean, I assume they're in flower.
First thing I'd do is some serious defoliation.
Second is turn on the dehumidifier.
Also, I'd read over on gwe.com about WPM and how to treat it during flower (cuz I've never dealt with it before).

[GreenAlchemist]

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get any info on them. I want to say it’s in prestretch but no pistols or anything to let me know it’s gone through “the flip”, and with the current issues, I’m hoping to hold that off until the PM and thrips are dealt with.

I agree it needs some serious defoliation, going to read up on PM and see if it’s best to defoliate before or after treatment. Hoping I can bring these girls back to healthy, setting up a dehumidifier as we speak,

Thanks for the tips!

[alltatup]

GreenAlchemist You are right there, to take care of pests first. I just thought that some defol would help with the pests!!

Ok, so it seems she's not in flower yet That's good because you can get her healthy before you flip.

[Catfish22]

I don't think I would take them within 100 yards of my plants.

If they already have 2 obvious PIA problems who knows how many spider mite eggs or fungi are aboard.

[GreenAlchemist]

Completely agree, don’t want to spread my problems!
I set up a separate (closed off) room and deal with them as quarantined plants.

Guaranteed PM and thrips, hoping that’s all it is but keeping a close eye on anything else. Thinking about beneficial nematodes and possibly another predatory insect, but still researching the better working options.

[Canuck147]

First sign of white powdery mold i spray my plants with a product made by Safer's - Defender Garden Fungicide. Works for me - but I've never had to deal with a small jungle like you have.

If not treated WPM should overtake both plants in less than a week.

[GreenAlchemist]

Thanks for the product tip! I’ll check that one out and see where I can pick it or a product like it up for PM.
Never dealt with it before as I’m ocd with this stuff.

Going to deal with it today and defoliate, hopefully I can kick it in the butt and move forwards with flowering as soon as possible.

[GreenAlchemist]

Would the safer’s 3 in 1 garden spray do well? It says it’s a fungicide, miticide and insecticide, or would you recommend just the PM fungicide by safers? Can only seem to locate the 3 in 1

[Canuck147]

give it a try

[DeadlyFruit]

Did a quick search for possible strains. There are a few things GOD could be but it is most likely God Bud, which is a pretty popular strain. Unfortunately, GC is a little harder to narrow down as their isn’t really one particular strain matching those initials that stands out from the others - they are mostly all hybrids of other better known varieties, but for the sake of listing a few: Galactic Cookies, Game Changer, Garlic Cookies, Gelato Cake, Ghost Cookies, GMO Cookies, Gorilla Cookies, Green Crack... the list goes on. If I had to pick the most likely/common strains I would say Gelato Cake, Gorilla Cookies or Green Crack. Doesn’t help so much if you don’t know exactly but maybe you notice a weird trait that matches one of them.

I would agree with those above and say not to let them anywhere near your other plants, and understand it is really easy for spores/eggs to be transferred on your clothes/skin so you may want to consider changing and washing before you go directly from one set of plants to the other.

good luck!

[GreenAlchemist]

Oh wow thanks for all the possible answers!! I’m sure the “GOD” Tag is God Bud (at least really hoping it is as I liked that one before for sleep)

I’m thinking the same as you with GC, possibly green crack as I know that’s a more popular strain in my area. Either way, excited to see how the flowers come in.

Absolutely, I’ve got them quarantined in their own tent in a separate room across the house, always wash my arms to my elbows and change after any work with them. Amazing how something so small can cause so many huge issues!

[Catfish22]

Any chance the person you got these gems from thinks Girl Scout is one word?

[GreenAlchemist]

That was my second thought as GSC is another huge one in this area, I’m hoping I can narrow it down when they mature in flower

[GreenAlchemist]

Update:

sprayed them down with a potassium bicarbonate mixture, then did a huge defoliation, killed me to get rid of so many interior nodes, but they needed to be opened up to breath.

my clippings I put in a solution of h2o2 as not to spread any spores/pests.

it was a little worse than I thought when I got in there, PM was quite settled in on a lot of interior leaves and thrips seem to love it.

today I’m going to dust diatomaceous earth on the top soil (for the thrips but also for the silica in it) and wipe down the leaves by hand with an h2o2 solution and a paper towel.

hoping I can kick it and move into flower without it creeping back into any buds!!

(Side note: there’s webbing in the first picture, but I located the little guy and he was just a normal spider snacking on thrips.)

[Catfish22]

Hire that spider buddy!

[GreenAlchemist]

Oh hell yeah, I kept him in there for now, buddies earning free rent! Aha

Thinking about getting a few jumping spiders as pets to keep in there and release periodically for pest control, no webs as they hunt, so that’s a huge plus

[GreenAlchemist]

Before and after treatment.

[DeadlyFruit]

They actually look pretty good. Nice work!

[GreenAlchemist]

Thanks! Really appreciate the feedback, it’s been quite a bit of work to get them ready for the flip, still a bit off but getting there!

[GreenAlchemist]

Update:

So I wanted to give them some time to recoup after the previous days defoliation / LST / PM treatment,
however.. I want to kick this PM and thrips in the face, so I went back in before the lights kicked out and did some more work.

I continued to:
- lollipop and defoliate the interior
- squish all thrips I could find
- hand wipes some leaves that need to stay
- spray the leaves down with potassium bicarbonate solution (high Ph water) before lights went out
- dusted diatomaceous earth on the topsoil for potential pests
- watered one in at 6.6Ph as she was light as a balloon to pick up and wilting.

(Side note: all clippings went into a cup filled with high Ph water, and h2o2 to keep spores from flying and kill them, as to not spread the issue, then garbaged)

reaaally hoping I didn’t over do it, but also don’t want to miss any opportunity to extinguish these issues and get them ready ASAP for the flip.

We looking ok so far?

any advice or tips are always welcome and we’ll received, thanks in advance!!
- GA -

[Rwise]

The added air flow is going to be the best help for the WPM.

[JeffInCanada]

I don't think that you over did it, you're just not f*cking around with them. I'm really hoping all of your efforts pay off for you. They are great looking plants. I really can't help, I'll just sub & learn. Good luck!

[GreenAlchemist]

Thanks man! Really hoping my efforts pay off too, have to remember I have to wait and let them rest it out too lol

[GreenAlchemist]

Update:

Back at it! Went with a homemade solution to knock out the PM and thrips together (hopefully)

solution:
- 3 TSP baking powder
- 2 TSP of natural dish soap (no dyes/unscented)
- 1 tsp of canola oil
mixed into 1L of water

sprayed just as the lights were going out, made sure to coat the top and bottom of all leaves, as well as the stalks.

Did not do any defoliating or other training methods, as I want them to recover from the previous days lollipopping, defoliation and LST

(Pictures below is just before I sprayed, doing well after the past couple days)

[Rwise]

Good luck, the H2O2, it did not work for me, I use a pricey product called "Trifecta Crop Control", did not leave any taste behind, all natural as in organic. This with fans and trimming did the trick, mine were outside.

[GreenAlchemist]

I’ll give that product a look, I like that it’s organic and doesn’t leave a taste.
I’ll be adding another fan or two (to make sure every leaf is dancing) and keeping up with trimming/branch placement, don’t want to give it the chance to come back mid-way in flower

[GreenAlchemist]

Update: Day 4 since I received them

Did some branch tying to the God Bud (assuming that’s what “GOD” means on the tag)
and watered the “GC” with water at 6.5 Ph, she was lookin’ pretty droopy. (God Bud is still pretty heavy and happy so skipped watering)
With the diatomaceous earth I packed on the other day, it should also add extra silica to the girls and help with overall health.

Decided to add a second Mars Hydro TS1000 and give each their own light. Also added another fan for more airflow to get each leaf dancing a little above and below the canopy. I want to scrog them but need to wait, as it’s easier to spray and treat loosey-goosey

Bought some bottled nutrients (I normally work with dry amendments now, but I figured without knowing what’s in the soil, bottled would be my safest bet)

So far it looks like the PM is almost completely gone, some traces of it on leaves but not fuzzy or “active” looking. Giving them another nights rest and to adjust to the light increase, but will do a last defoliation and leaf wash before “the flip”

Also, I did notice a fair amount of thrips left, I try to hand squish as many as I see, but going to Foliar spray again with a more powerful thrip killer to be quicker and safe. Will alternate between 2-3 different products to really make sure they get down and stay down.
I want to wait another day though to give them a rest from all the treatment. Don’t want to over due it!

Lots of work left but for now.. it’s Molson time ahah.
Cheers!

[alltatup]

Alchie, THEY LOOK FANTASTIC!!!! Looks like they've fallen completely in love with you and your efforts to make them feel better. I swear plants have feelings.

ps. I love a good Canadian beer.....

[GreenAlchemist]

Thanks eh!! Really appreciate the feedback, I feel a little blind going through this as some if it’s new territory for me, but giving it my all!

Super Happy to see the girls responded so well (I was expecting some resentment)
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t talk kindly to them through each process aha.

Side note: Ooh love me a good Canadian beer after all that work! Really helps one unwind and know you’re done for the day eh

[alltatup]

I talk to my plants all the time. I constantly tell them what good girs they are.

[JeffInCanada]

Molson time...Oh Ya baby! (Canadian Wink ) Amazed at your patience and preparedness. Good luck with it all!!

[GreenAlchemist]

Update:
Nothing huge, just LST and canopy training, they’re getting tall and want to be ready for when I add the scrog net next week or so.

Giving them another rest day, but going in often to keep an eye on things and hand squish any thrips I see (every day their numbers are thinning) will spray in another night or 2 after a good rest.
Stalks are feeling healthy and bendy, no snaps or splits.

They filled out the 4x4 quite nicely, so I’m hoping to stay on top of that and keep them reachin for the stars

[alltatup]

That looks better!! You can really see their Sativa characteristics now. These girls are gonna explode when you flip them.