Yes, This is a Newb Question.

[pranicfever]

I have read through many of the growers guides, looked in many forums, and being a new member to this one i thought i would start my own post with one of prolly many odd or dumb questions. After reading and all that jazz I'm still having a little puzzle, How can you tell when your plant is low on Nutrients. Some people say you can tell when the leaves are turining a bit yellow, however i've seen some strains with a bit of yellow in the leaves.... not my plants but not to sure if maybe they were nutrient def. or just the way they are... Like i said i am a new grower. Recently I replanted my baby "lil' toker" into a larger pot with a nutrient rich soil, however i'm sure that the nutrients will only last 2-3 weeks or so, any suggestions or tips?

 

[GanjaGuru]

Depends on what kind and how much nutrients are in the "nutrient-rich soil".
Some quality potting soils have enough organic nutrients nothing but water is needed for the 1st 2 months.
Generally speaking, during veg when leaves go from a deep dark emerald green to a pale lime green, it means that N (nitrogen) is needed.

You can help yourself bunches by reading a grow book.

 

[pranicfever]

Any Suggestions What kind of plant food if any I should use? What are some of your guys personal favorites???

 

[Mutt]

Yellowing leaves can be both a sign of underfert and overfert. It is all in how the leaf is curling and which leaves are turning yellow first.


I use a hydro nutrient, but I use it for soil. Dyna-Gro and Dyna-Bloom.
It is balanced just right and has all of the micro-nutes as well. If I am a little under on ferts I just have to mix it with water and spray my leaves and re-adjusts the nutrient level until I am ready to water again.

There are many nursery and troubleshooting guides out there with pictures to help you determine if you are under or over ferting.

REMEMBER: it is easier to recover from under-nutrients than over-ferting. Over-fert is a matter of hours before real damage starts to take over (I've seen a plant get fryed over-night with over-fert and be burnt to a crisp).
Under-fert just add a little more next watering and fixed.

Next time: Turn you HID off when taking a pic. It makes the whole plant look yellow.

 

[pranicfever]

Thanks for the Help... Sometimes it's nice to have a helping hand in these matters, If only could have a helping hand in cleaning out my closet to move the plant too.. hahaha.... This is a job ahead of me....

That one was taken without the light on but Flash was on.. go figure right.. anyway It's just a baby... Perhaps talking to it will make it grow faster lol... shh don't tell anyone but i do talk to it.. while i am watering or checking the lights...

 

[Mutt]

Leaves edges curling up (like a cup) humidity too low.

Tip of leaf. yellow start adding nutes @ 1/4 manuf recommendations then move up from there. (Its ready for it). Keep an eye on it though.

I always have a spray bottle with distilled water and fertilizer (foilar spray recipe on fert. directions) to spray the plant in-between waterings if I notice it is not getting enough nutes.

I would read up on (L)ow (S)tress (T)raining if ht. space will be an issue. I do it on mine and get excellent results. (then I don't have to top it).

Mine like Pink Floyd dark Side of the Moon. Talk away they really do like it.

 

[pranicfever]

Height Shouldn't be a problem at all, got pretty good closet space goin on in here.

As for the Nutes, I happend to find a Plant food with the N-P-K is 18-18-21.. should i use this one or go out and buy one with a higher precentage of Nitrogen... the trace elements in it are copper @ .05% Manganese @ .05% Iron @ .10% and Zinc @ .05%
I've read a few Grow Guides which have said that those nutes are important too. However it doesn't contain Sulphur or Calcium. So in answering my own question i am going to go out an buy something different. Just because I know Calcium is needed to keep the PH blanced. Also since Different strains have completely different nutrient requirements and or tolerance. How can i be sure what to use if i'm not sure what the strain is.. although i guess by paying enough attetion to the plant and how it reacts could be one way however i wouldn't wanna kill it... Sorry, if i am going in 2 different directions i am not only asking others but talking myself to a soultion.. if that makes any sense... ok so back to the N-P-K i've read a guide that says 20-20-20 should cover all basis... but during veg isn't a higher amout of nitrogen needed above the others.... but then i also read one that says 20-10-10 is good... Trust me I've done a great deal of reading, and i still am.. everyday I read about 3 more different grow guides about the different stages and such, because i want to do the best at this i can, although the only real sure fire way is to get experiance by acctually doing it. So That is that.. I think I blabbed enough..

Btw: My plants listen to Good Ole' Ben Harper.. they seem to enjoy his voice.

 

[Mutt]

Don't get too hung up on nutes. What you said:

although i guess by paying enough attetion to the plant and how it reacts could be one way however i wouldn't wanna kill it...

MJ is very resiliant. It is not invinsible, but can take some abuse.
Listen to the plant it will tell you if you are doing something wrong.

This is what I do for Veg. growth:

Veg.-Nitrogen def. Flower not so much it doesn't need it and you don't want to have it build up in the soil and wack out the PH. My Hydro fert is only 7-9-5.

I put slow release Bone meal 6-12-0 in with the soil when going from sprout to veg. pot (2-gal pot). and I don't start ferting for about 3-weeks.

I use 1/2 to 3/4 of what the bone meal box says. My PH and nutes stay pretty stable in that. I use Distilled water w/ hydro fert. then straight reverse osmosis spring water (gallon jug @ grocery) the next time thereby alternating the waterings. I know there is different opinions. I just think it helps keep the salts under control (salts is the waste from the plants, don't want them growing in there own bathroom so to speak). If nutes are running a little low I foilar spray it with fert and water.

I would always rather bump up the feeding than rush to flush excess nutes out before I kill it.

Good luck. You'll find your own method. Just watch the nutes. That and overwatering is the number one cause of plant death.

 

[pranicfever]

Thanks Thanks Thanks... Hehe.. I have the and many other grow guides Saved under my favorites.. Well time to stop playing on the Internet Gotta Run my friend to work, then hit the store for some supplies then come home to finish setting up my closet.. Thanks again Mutt, You've been great You too Ganja... Well have a Good one.. I'll have to let you all know on the progress in a few days or so.. Thanks Again

 

[pranicfever]

Replanted In Closet...

 

[Themanwithnoname]

what light sytem are you using..

you probaly already mentioned it i just didnt read it,.

 

[pranicfever]

The Cheapest thing i can get.. I'm broke so I have a large light post one of those 3 lightbulb lookin thingys.. with those lightbulbs that last 7 years in it.... a lil small light which is next to the plant and another lamp which is also next to the plant with one of those 2 year lightbulbs in it... and i had another lamp i just haven't gotten it hung up yet...

 

[pranicfever]

I am efficant at wasting electricity hahaha... but with good cause and that last picture is darker than it is in the room... the camera is wack..

 

[Themanwithnoname]

hahaha i like the teddy bear

 

[pranicfever]

The teddy is my favorite lamp... he keeps the lil un' happy and sings to it... hahaha and yeah i know i gotta get the light a lil closer i'm still messin around with some stuff in there.. so.. lol i'll do it before i leave it for the night... up until like 20 min ago the lights were like an inch from the plant.. at least one was the rest were like right next to it... anyway... yeah.. hahaha i'm so cheap.. i had to splurge for the bigger pot.. and it only costed $2.97... i was gonna use a pot outta the kitchen but i figured someone would wanna cook in it.. and wonder where the hell it went...

 

[Mutt]

I keep my (2) 42 watt compact florou and (2) 40w tubes 2 inches away and no problems. Just have to re-adjust the lamp every 2 days or so.Those flouros don't get anywhere near the light penatration that a HID gets. but on the upside heat is rarley an issue.
I love my flouros for Veg growth. HPS for flower.

 

[MotherEarth]

We got some soil and mixed 1 tablespoon of blood meal and 1 tablespoon of bone meal before replanting...1 week later~Emerald City.

 

[skunk]

mother earth that is what ive been wanting to add to my organic grow just keep forgetting to buy the stuff. mutt/pranic you could very easily prevent a soar throat and depressing your plants with your singing lol. by buying a small co2 tank or least exspensive just letting more fresh air in your growrooms. (ventilation=co2) ps.also what ive been told before by a proffesional in this forum is to save the aluminum foil for the barbuque grill and paint your room white or use mylar. and also note your plant is to skinny to be that tall try to keep your light close as you can at all times also cause your nodes are to distant from each other .

 

[pranicfever]

My light has always been at least 1'' -2'' away nothing more nothing less.... So i don't know about that.. as for painting the room white.. it's bad enough i haven't finished painting my walls in my bedroom let alone starting a new project with white paint in the closet... sure i've read that foil can cause small lil burns but at the moment it's the best i can do.. not to mention i think the smell of paint coming out of my closet would make some people wonder what the hell was up.... other than that i have ventilation in my closet via the attic... it's not the best but i usually keep the door open to the closet while i am home.. which adds fresh air seeing as i constantly have a fan on in here..Cos everyone in the house thinks i like my room to feel like a suana.. it's usually 75-80 deg. in here in the winter worse in the summer... it's ungodly.. this room is like the heat capital of the world. Not that i don't appricate the advice.. i am open to all kinds, i am just lettin ya know, the situation ya know. as for talking to my plant.. i do it cos i'm sure it needs love too... i mean if you were a plant wouldn't you want some company??? an little encouragement goes a long way.... i mean if i was a plant i sure as hell would like it if someone talked to me.. everyonce in a while.. i wouldn't be as lonely. So next time you see a tree, give it a hug and ask how it's day has been. Also in that last picture i moved the one light so i could take it.. and what have you i was still monkeying around in there... the light at this very moment is aprox 1.5'' above the plant... It was an Inch but it seemed a bit close with the new leaves that are spikin up and i didn't want them to burn... also the newer leaves are comin in at the nodes.. alos i've been bending the stem on and off a lil here lil there to help give it a lil more strength... So i hope that explains whatever i was going for.. cos i can't remember.. anyway Thanks again for the advice skunk.... And also thanks for the Tip MotherEarth

 

[Mutt]

75-80 F is good.

You can get emergency "space" blankets at the store for about a dollar. This is mylar (or its close relative) vaporized aluminum on a poly fiber mat. The other is semi-gloss (exterior) paint. It helps fight mildew and mold that interior doesn't.
Foil is ghetto, but it works. Except with HID which the foil crinkle can cause hot spots.

Talking to plants: there is a scientific evidence that plants do respond to vibration. All light is is different frequencies of light. A vibration. Whether it is good or not that is the theory.

Ventilation, but always have a fan blowing. the wind creates microscopic tears in the stems which force the plant to heal making tighter healthier buds.

There is a yeast brew that creates CO2 without buying the equipment. but for the most part I don't like bottled gas near where I sleep.

here is the recipe, Note: I NEVER TRIED IT.

--------------------------------------------
"To double the plants growth you make a C02 Machine which is very easy to make.

Things you will need;
Big bottles
sugar
Yeast
water

Put about 5 of table spoons of yeast in the bottle
put about the same amount of sugar in and fill up with water to about couple inches from the top.

every day add a tea spoon of sugar daily
and add tea spoon of yeast every week.

this will help promote C02 levels in your room which means more bud."

I did this and the yeast and sugar mix will actually bubble up a bit, I suppose this is making C02.
When you make this be careful of adding too much, check up on it often to make sure it does not buble over. Because it did for me.