Too much nitrogen due to overuse of autoflower living soil **help**

[Scarletfire82]

Hi folks, I’m an indoor autoflower grower using the GWE steps to grow in coco/soil w 1lb of living soil added to each of my 5 gallon pots (I’ve used this process successfully a few times).

My current grow is showing signs of nitrogen deficiency (I think), and I’m hoping for a little guidance as to how I can address the issue, as my living soil is the base of my mix. Directions called for 1lb living soil to each 5lb of dirt, and I may have used a little more than 1lb, now I’m seeing plants with curled leaves, weak stalks, and slowed growth - what should I do to fix?

thanks!

[SoOrbudgal]

Well it's a auto so can't transplant it if it were a photo it would'nt slow it down moving to a bigger pot with that soil. Guess i'd flush with plain water a gallon or so. Sure it's a auto ? Got a fan to move the air around like nature does build strong branches.

[dirtymike]

Sure got a god stretch.

[AGH]

Hello Scarletfire82!

Looks like a pretty healthy grow! While they do look a bit on the dark green side and there may be a little 'clawing', it doesn't look to me like anything that would need addressed.

Personally, I'd go with one of my tried and true methods: watch and wait. My guess is that they'll be fine without any intervention from you at this point. While watching and waiting, keep watering with plain water for a bit. I'm assuming that you're growing organic if you're using the living soil so if you're adding any amendments, give that a pause for a little bit, or make sure that whatever you add is very low in N just to be safe. If you are growing organic, don't water to runoff since you run the risk of washing out the nutrients that you have in the living soil that are going to be awesome for your plant!

I got a bit overzealous experimenting with adding more N in veg than in previous grows. When I saw I had the beginnings of a N-toxicity, I stopped adding anything to the plant and watered as normal. The plants fixed themselves right up.

Speaking of watering, the soil looks like it might be a bit on the dry side...how often are you watering and how much? (It could also just be the picture, but underwatering can cause some of those curled under tips.)

Definitely consider getting a fan to make the air move around. Get an oscillating one if possible, otherwise monkey or clip fans for the bars on your tent work well. You don't need gale-force winds, just enough to make it look like the plants 'shiver' in the light breeze.

It also looks like they're in the flowering stage. If they've been in flower for more than a week or two, they'll stop growing and will focus on beefing up their buds. So the slower growth you noticed could be completely normal. Or you might find that your light isn't strong enough but without that info, can't really tell.

Overall, I think you're doing well! Add a fan or two, just use water for the next few waterings, be patient, and let nature do her thing and my guess is you'll continue to have happy ladies growing!

[Scarletfire82]

AGH - appreciate that, and I have a fan in the tent. I’m in living soil and now only adding 6.5ph water. Stems have strengthened a bit, and now I’m seeing these spots (see photos). Other than that, they do seem healthy overall.

[AGH]

Also should have mentioned, if you're growing in organic soil, you really don't need to pH your water unless it's WAAAAAY out of whack. And if you do, don't use the normal pH-up and -down as the chemicals will ruin the microbiome in your soil you work so hard to nurture. So if you really have to pH your water, make sure to do it organically as well otherwise you'll be chasing your tail since in organic growing it's the fungi and bacteria that 'bring' the nutrients to the plant's roots and synthetic additions will kill them and then your plant won't be as able to access nutrients.