Hey guys,
we now reached week 3, in which I learned a lot, but I almost ruined my three little girls due to my beginner mistake:
It all started with sciarids (little black flies) which seemed to love my grow house, since they invited more and more friends to join their party.
I knew that the grubs of the sciarids can damage the roots of the little plants. Therefore I bought nematodes to kill the grubs. According to the instructions, I applied the nematodes with water (you should keep the pots wet for the nematodes)...until the whole pots were completely wet.
1-2 days later all three plants stopped growing 🙀 and the lower leafs started to loose the deep green color and got a yellow touch. Again 1 day later half of the lower leafs were yellow and the rest of the plant lost also the deep green color (see pictures above). At that point of time I removed big parts of the wet soil which was not already filled with roots and added new dry soil.
Till today I stopped watering and I will continue to do so till it's almost completely dry. I also opened the roof of the little grow house in the last days to reduce the humidity.
At the moment the situation of the plants is stabilized. The leafs are not getting worse and also the stupid flies are almost gone.
Hopefully in the next days the three little girls will get the deep green color back and will start to grow again.
If you have any good advices to support the well-being of the girls, please just leave a comment below. Thanks in advance!
Thanks for stopping by and wishing you not to do the same stupid mistake I did 😉
Hi. I've read, that most growers run into Calcium and Magnesium deficits in week 4 or so. Not from the best source of information, though. They say "CalMag" fertilizer should be used to counter it. ... or look up "Biotabs". Could you please, maybe, list the fertilizers you use and the amount used. Still: I'm not an expert. Nice plants. They really are taking off.
@Bunterbiber, Fertilizer related topic: Do you have a ppm-, pH-, and at least a lux-meter? With those, and their application in practice, you / one could try to prevent the most common problems.
@Bunterbiber, Dude, they grow massive buds in coffee cups nowaday. It is not the too small pots. I dont know, if it is possible to post links here. But: https://www.royalqueenseeds.de/blog-zinkmangel-bei-cannabispflanzen-n606 . It's german language, but there is a english version on the .com website (you would have to search for it). The website shows (i guess) most of the range of deficits.
... i bought neem oil and kali soap against insects like lice and such. Just saying it ... would get it now to be ready if any pest hits the plants. It is both deluted in water ; ) and then sprayed on the plants regularly to strengthen them / harden them against insects. And: If you have a pest, the buggers are drowned by spraying them ... .
@allways_beginner, ;-)...during the last two days the number of the little sciarids increased much. I'm pretty sure that it has to do with the fact that the soil is always wet on top (which is very good for the grubs of the flies)...
@allways_beginner, no, I don't know this kind of fertilizer (this is my first grow - I'm a bloody beginner ;-) ). During veg phase I'll use the organic fertilizer Italpollina (4:4:4) and for the flowering phase I intend to apply Compo Sana Grow flower (organic version)
Hi. I may be wrong, but i maybe see white outlines on the leaves. They could be possible chalk deposits from the chalk in your tab water. I would not spray the plants with tab wather, since the deposits can be origin of various diseases. I'm not an experienced grower, but i had orchids ... and it was the case with them. In general: I recommend rain water if available. I keep watching your diary ... ... not that you would mind. Looks like a good diary. Im interested in the nutrient side of the grow : ) . ... 👋
@Bunterbiber, I countered my overwatering issue with holes in the sides of the pots. The pots dry out quicker, this on the other side, requires a more frequent watering shedule .... when using small pots. By the example "Air Pot" ... you can google it.
@allways_beginner, thanks for your hints! The white outlines are coming from a little stupid test I did (liquid nutrients, which I sprayed on them), when I had the over-watering issue. At that point of time I was not sure, if the over-watering was the root cause of the issues.
Yes, you're completely right....rain water would be perfect. I was collecting some rain water, but since I'm living in an apartment house in which I don't have the possibility to collect it in bigger volumes. Therefore currently I don't have a perfect solution at the moment.