What's wrong with my plants

[NuggetMan]

Here is food for thought: a 1-gallon plastic pot will take 2-4 cups of water to get at least 10% - 20% runoff. A 3-gallon plastic pot will take 4 to 8 cups of water for same amount of runoff, A 5-gallon plastic pot will take 1/4 of a gallon water up to maybe 1/2 gallon of water (again depending on where you live) as this is what I have used over the past 18 grows. Now as how often to water, again it depends on where you live, temp, humidity water pH air circulation. You also have to consider how much soil you have in your growing container and what kind of grow medium you are using. How much space do you have from the top of the growing medium to the top of the container? I am not picky, I fill my measuring cup with the amount needed for the pot and I just pour it in evenly all around to cover the entire area and let it soak in, nothing fancy. Then watch for the run-off and how long it takes to run-off. This will at least give you an idea how much water you used and how well your drainage is. Pick up the pot to feel how heavy the pot is after watering. Your run-off dish (if that is what you use) should give you an idea how much you watered These are 3-gallon pots. Here's a picture of my trays after watering. For me I can water every 4-7 days or unless I see leaves drooping (i will do this at first just to see how long it takes before the plant needs water, then from there I can plan out approximately when to water). Having one of these also helps At least the temp and humidity, the barometer came with this as 1 piece, but you can get just a simple temp and humidity gauge from just about anywhere. This one I hang in my closet Less than $10.00.

[NuggetMan]

My water here is high in pH, at 7.4. I use aquarium pH down (1.5ml to 1 gallon water) which drops it down to 6.5 on the money as you can see my plants do very well

[Smitty86]

Bro thank you for the knowledge the water tip was super useful I'm in Indiana so it's super humid here in the summertime and as far as pH I need to get some different test strips I have ones for my mom's pool that I snagged LOL being is how I'm on a super tight budget but I'm not sure they really work that well cuz it's one you dip in water so I just stick it in the soil when it's wet cover it up for a second pull it out and see what it says and if it is accurate it's saying that I'm in around 6.2 to 6.3 so I could probably stand to be a little higher but I'm guessing that it's probably okay for right now I wish I knew what the strand was and all that jazz cuz I had three seeds that had put up two of them the ones on the outside are the same the one in the middle is different but if memory serves me correct the two that are the same came from some super funk again wish I knew what the strand was I just remember it being really good LOL

[Smitty86]

And those plants look amazing by the way

[NuggetMan]

I use pH test kit from API which is fish water pH testing kit, no strips and very accurate. Put a sample in the tube, put 3 drops of reagent, then read the color compatible to the chart provided with the kit. Very easy! Your pool strips should work but I would use a water sample, not from the pot, but from your source. Since you are in a high humidity zone (due to this crazy weather) you'll need a Dehumidifier to dry out the air you want to be between 45% - 55% with 45% being "ideal".

The other way is to measure your runoff. 6.2 to 6.3 is o.k. but on the "low side" I stick with 6.5 which is also "ideal".

The strain does make a difference as far as what you are growing BUT you got to be within all the parameters to have a very successful grow. I know, a lot of variables to play with but if you stick to the basics, you'll do just fine. Keep within the "windows".

BTW, the last thermometer is a poolside thermometer.

Here is my most current grow with all plants under "flowering conditions". my 18th growing season. I am looking around September to harvest and the three taller girls are two weeks ahead of the other 6 (just flipped over for flowering today, they will be popping buds in 1 week, or at least visible hairs showing) That's why the light height is different. they are on 12/12 schedule, 7am to 7 pm.

[NuggetMan]

[NuggetMan]

Here is another helpful hint: get a TDS meter (not as mentioned earlier as a PPM meter, my bad), this will also help to tell you how much or how strong your nutrients are in the soil (you measure water runoff after watering from your drain pan). During vegging I get as high as 1200ppm but when I get ready to harvest, I flush down to between 200-300ppm. Your smoke comes out clean burning, not black ashes, no choking or "hacking up a lung" and should have good flavor or taste, no chemical taste.

I live in the Central Valley of California, so you can almost say that I have "perfect conditions" all the time in my small bedroom that I use. I can say I am lucky to have such "perfect conditions" for this purpose.

[NuggetMan]

As you can see, nothing fancy or expensive (the most was buying the shop lights used, I have 4 of these running 16 tubes, 4 per light assembly). I built the light stands from pvc pipe, they are 5 ft tall. Ceiling fan for air circulation. the rest is all up to Mother Nature. Because these are t8 fluorescent tubes, I am able to keep my lights approximately 3 to 4 inches from the tops of the plants with no burning and very little heat being thrown off, so no exhaust fans needed. As I get closer to harvest, I will move my lights up farther away to imitate "fall".

[NuggetMan]

IF you have high humidity during the summer (use a dehumidifier to bring this down), what is it during the winter? IF this is an issue as well, you will then need to use a "humidifier" if the humidity is low to bring it up. I do not have this issue where I live but for you, this could come into play. Air circulation can also help with this issue but you'll have to do this yourself to see where you stand.

[NuggetMan]

IF you want to see more, Look at my post "going at it again".

[Smitty86]

Yeah I have a fan and a humidifier in there too I just have the three standing on a little table with the One LED light and one LED bulb that's 550 k for the bulb but the other ones of veg grow light that I bought it's a universal ballast or whatever so I'll just able to pop it in the the balance that I had but I want to keep one of the ones that is the same and possibly keep it as a mother with the vedge light in a separate place before I flower them cuz if it's good enough I'd like to just keep taking cuttings off of it and mess with it from there so I still have two others that I can harvest

[NuggetMan]

Light range, since I am not too familiar with LEDs I can only suggest the light range you do need for vegging is at 6500k and for flower is 2700k (up to 3000k) I only assume this because this is what I use. Look at it this way, in Summer, your light range is all over from top to bottom but alot more brighter leaning towards blue range. (upper scale of light spectrum) in Fall your light intensity changes to more of orange to red, not so much bright which causes flowering. So by applying this you can command what you want the plant to do.

[Smitty86]

Yeah I'm going to wait another few weeks and then start getting flowering lights I was just checking my plants today and realized that I need to get a bigger bucket to put them in I have the pots but I'm out of dirt so is it okay to just go dig up dirt out of the yard I don't see how it could hurt

[Puglover1]

No, asking for headaches. Better to buy Miracle Grow organic potting soil than use yard dirt. And fill your pots full, the soil really settles after watering. Water fully before transplanting. If you got free bag seeds from good weed don't waste them, treat them as best as you can afford as they grow and their needs appear. Good luck.

[GroBuddy]

The thing with yard dirt is it's not, packed with beneficial nutrients like potting soil. If you knew what to look for from deficiencies so you could correct quickly, or you could get soil tested to see what you're missing using yard dirt would be ideal. Just like how a farmer has to fertilize the fields, you would have to your pots. Without knowing what you're missing kinda hard to add the correct amount.

[NuggetMan]

ABSOLUTELY NO!!! You will most definitely be asking for trouble and not worth the headache!!! Go get you some soil and do your babies good!

As long as the soil is organic in nature with no added nutrients to it (Miracle Grow contains too much Nitrogen and is time feeding, you don't want that during flower) I have used just Fox Farms Ocean Forest for soil and from there just fed my nutrients as I always have. See what's available in your area is all I can suggest.

[Smitty86]

Well I went ahead and dug up some of my backyard lol I had to put them in bigger pots before they became root bound but since the transplant they have been doing great my only thing now is when to top them Im pretty sure I need to do it now but I like watching them do they're thing lol if anything I'll just have to take everything out of my closet for more space

[Satyaban]

I think you may have a problem if you didn't add a softener or something to the dirt, it may get real hard and inhibit roots. That could be the least of the problems. I hope you didn't bring in any bugs or mold that could thrive indoors. I wish I had answered sooner.