HELP! Is this plant going to die? I think this is nute burn from hot soil

[DripDropDrippin]

I planted this seed directly in FFOF. Been giving water with PH range of 6.2 to 6.8 over the past couple of weeks. No other feedings or nutes from myself. It looks like it is starting to have some really bad nutrient burn and as first timer, I'm really concerned that will not outgrow this issue. And let's say I were to top this plant in this condition, would it even be able to recover from something like that? I have a couple of other smaller plants in the same medium that haven't hit issues yet but this one didn't get issues until it got a little bigger where those ones are still small. Any advice or tips?

[Gingerbeard]

What is dead looks like it has been dead for a while. The second to newest leaves stopped getting damage and the newest leaves don't show any I can see. The heat might have cooled.
What you have, at this point, is a runt. It might be from the seed. Topping the plant will mean you have a topped runt. No matter the number of leaf sets, you would need another four inches of growth before considering topping.
How old are your plants and do you have pictures of the others?

[DripDropDrippin]

This one is probably 2.5 weeks, maybe 3.5. Can't quite remember when I planted it. The newest leaves have a slight amount of dark tips so I think those are going to be looking poor in a day or two possibly. I was also wondering why these don't seem to be growing up. As a first timer, I don't know if it's because of the light being too close that they don't feel the need to stretch. I have an AC Infinity Ionboard 33 light and I'm following the recommended intensity and height requirements and even the healthy looking plants don't seem to be getting tall although the leaf growth seems good.

Here are two photos of the others, keep in mind these are all diff strains so genetics might be playing a factor in how well they can handle the soil. I also planted these 5 to 7 days after the first one so they aren't quite as big yet. Only other difference is these were germed in a rapid rooter and I moved that over into the soil so maybe the rooter acted as a slight buffer but I think that would be minimal.

I have yet another strain that's also looking burnt but that one is tiny and stunted for sure. So much so that I am not even concerned about but still letting it go to see what happens. That was also straight into the soil as a seed.

Edit: Would it be worthwhile to buy some Happy Frog or something with with no nutes and make a mix with the rest of my FFOF and transplant them into that? I don't know if at this point it's best to just let them go and start over if they end up all dying.

[GroBuddy]

I haven't had success with rapid rooters I tried them once and it stunted plants where I didn't have the rooter wet enough. Those rooters are better used for clones. Put sprouted seeds directly into medium. When you transplant plants are bigger needing more nutrients start in happy frog finish in ocean forest. Happy frog does contain nutrients just less than ocean forest.

[Gingerbeard]

Let them go. Transplanting is too stressful to already stressed plants. After that much time, your soil has lost a lot of it's heat. Keep them watering and add Cal-mag
What are the strains and are the regular, fem, or auto?

[DripDropDrippin]

Pineapple Chunk is the one in trouble. The other two pictures are Do Si Dos 33 and Wedding Cake. All of those are photo fems from Barney's Farm. The one I mentioned that's also in trouble that I don't care is a Gelato from North Atlantic Seed Company, it was a freebie from their bulk seed inventory so that one I've been taking liberties (due to the perceived lack of investment cost) on different watering methods, etc. and I think I overwatered it when it was a seedling in the solo cup which caused it's current issue.

I do have some Bush Doctor Cal-Mag that I bought as I figured I would need it eventually so I'll start feeding to them. Any recommendation on the dosage? I believe the bottle says to mainly use it for right before flowering and during so I don't want to do over do it. I'm afraid a half dose might even be too much for plants those size.

[GroBuddy]

Why ph organic soil? Probably the issue I've used fox farms for nearly 5 years. Only had one plant mess up years ago probably something I did vs the soil, since it's only been the one. Also watering the entire pot like that is probably too much. Idk how much you're watering but spreading over the top soil like that appears to be quite a bit. Generally just want to water plant and plants roots not the empty pot, atleast until you have a well established root system using the pot and needing to be watered.

[DripDropDrippin]

Why ph organic soil? Probably the issue I've used fox farms for nearly 5 years. Only had one plant mess up years ago probably something I did vs the soil, since it's only been the one. Also watering the entire pot like that is probably too much. Idk how much you're watering but spreading over the top soil like that appears to be quite a bit. Generally just want to water plant and plants roots not the empty pot, atleast until you have a well established root system using the pot and needing to be watered.

My tap water tests at 6.5PH anyway but fluctuates .2 to .3 depending on how long it's been sitting. I haven't really been meticulously measuring runoff or anything of the sort.. just measuring before feeding as a habit. Kinda lucky that my water from the faucet is the right range naturally. Figured I'd mention it in the thread as a potential variable as to what is causing the issue.

In terms of the amount of water, where the soil is wet in that pineapple photo... that was the first time I've watered the soil completely and I was hoping that flushing it a little might help but obviously I am just winging it here. The plant started to look in rough shape before I saturated the soil this first time. I was using a 16oz spray/mist bottle at first just to get the soil moist around the base of the plant. If anything, I was probably underwatering out of caution and the fact the mister doesn't seem to saturate the soil beyond the first few inches.

I'm starting to think that maybe genetically, the pineapple pheno I have just doesn't like the soil it's in completely. Hoping it will outgrow it but we'll see. As long as my other plants keep looking good, I won't be too upset. Thanks for the insight!

[3Berries]

FFOF is hot soil. First time run off will be in the low 5s for pH and ppm around 3500-4000. I have one I about gave a toss as it was so tied up. Never did find out wat it was but I got the run off to mid 6s and then top dressed it with KSO4, MgSO4, CaCl and CAN. The thing took off but is still pale.

I use MgCO3 and rain water to bring the pH up. 3 tablespoon to a gallon.

[DripDropDrippin]

Yeah, I've heard mixed things about FFOF being too hot. Starting to think it really depends on the genetics.

As it's my first grow, I tried to keep things as simple as possible so I went with FFOF. The plan is to use Dr. Earth dry amendments once the nutes are depleted in the soil. I think my next grow, I'm definitely going to go with a Happy Frog for germ/seedling stage and then mix in a hotter soil once I transplant out of my solo cups. But I'm having so much regardless and I'm just taking all of these issues as an opportunity to learn and try things out.

I'll keep this post up to date as things progress for anyone following along or in a similar situation down the road.

[3Berries]

I did one of each this spring. My current veg grow. But started in 16oz of seed peat. Mistake #1 this time. The Happy Frog is doing great.

I think it's start with Happy Frog, and up pot to Ocean Forest is the plan. I also have some ProMix BX that I have an auto in. It's a good starter soil.

[Bowhunterwoody]

What I did with autos in their final pot is fill a 3-5 gal pot with ffof around an empty solo cup in the middle. Pull out the solo cup and fill the void with happy frog. Plant your seed or tail in the hf and let it go. Watch your run off pH with ffof. It tends to drop into the low 5s if you adjust your watering pH with up or down. Think it kills the soil fauna.

[DripDropDrippin]

What I did with autos in their final pot is fill a 3-5 gal pot with ffof around an empty solo cup in the middle. Pull out the solo cup and fill the void with happy frog. Plant your seed or tail in the hf and let it go. Watch your run off pH with ffof. It tends to drop into the low 5s if you adjust your watering pH with up or down. Think it kills the soil fauna.

Thanks, I haven't heard that about the PH up and down. I think I've used it once or twice during waterings just to get a range between 6.0 and 7.0 based on either readings. But sounds like it might be best to avoid especially since my tap is already 6.5ish out of the faucet.

[DripDropDrippin]

Sooo I did something a little risky and topped the plant in that condition. Even though it was not in the best condition, I think the new growth is looking healthy. What do you think about the new growth where it was topped? I am starting to think the plant may make a full recovery once the new growth is established and the dead stuff is finally defoliated.

[GroBuddy]

People still talking about ocean forest being hot and needing to adjust ph. Makes zero sense, the only way soil is too hot using organics is if it hasn't been composted yet and is breaking down. One may get a bag so fresh it's still getting hot during the composting process, very unlikely. That's like throwing fresh manure onto plants. Ocean forest just feeds 3 weeks to a month maybe more if starting in a large pot. It's not like it has 3 months worth of synthetic nutrients. These photos sprouted June 9th and autos July 3rd all ocean forest, plain tap or no ph ro water. I'll mix ro with organic waterings like worm leachate since ro has 0ppm but my tap has anywhere from 700 to 900 ppms. My tap is 9.2 and ro is mid 9.5 to above 10.0ph depending on how new the filters are. Your plant may be okay. Doing that to a sick plant will help it hermie later on.

[3Berries]

I've grown in Ocean Forest with issues. Since figured out, I think. This time not so sure but the initial sprout cups were peat and really messed up the OF grow. I have another identical one but in Happy Frog. Not the same lockout issues. Usually had issues later in veg and into flower with excess nutes. But OF was not the only soil I over fed.

So when people complain about Ocean Forest being too hot, there probably are extenuating circumstances.

[DripDropDrippin]

People still talking about ocean forest being hot and needing to adjust ph. Makes zero sense, the only way soil is too hot using organics is if it hasn't been composted yet and is breaking down. One may get a bag so fresh it's still getting hot during the composting process, very unlikely. That's like throwing fresh manure onto plants. Ocean forest just feeds 3 weeks to a month maybe more if starting in a large pot. It's not like it has 3 months worth of synthetic nutrients. These photos sprouted June 9th and autos July 3rd all ocean forest, plain tap or no ph ro water. I'll mix ro with organic waterings like worm leachate since ro has 0ppm but my tap has anywhere from 700 to 900 ppms. My tap is 9.2 and ro is mid 9.5 to above 10.0ph depending on how new the filters are. Your plant may be okay. Doing that to a sick plant will help it hermie later on.

So what do you think is causing a couple of my strains to get sick while my other two seem to be flourishing without issue? Same soil, same water, same tent, same lights. I'm at a loss as to why this one and my other runt are struggling. Just genetics? Seems strange to me.

[GroBuddy]

Not every plant is the same not even within the same strain. The closest you can get to being the same are clones. Other than that its hit and miss. Those 5 photos in the tent are all the same strain. I've had calcium deficiency from one, magnesium deficiency from another and sulfur deficiency from a third while the other 2 have no issues. That's why people pheno hunt and clone the mother's.