RQS Cookies Gelato Fem.

Iron Deficiency and pH Issues: Cookie #1 is also showing signs of iron deficiency, even more pronounced than Cookie #2. I've managed to keep it under control, but it can't be solely due to the phosphorus shock. Upon measuring the runoff this week, I was alarmed to find a pH of 7.4, despite feeding the plants with water at a pH of 6.2. I let the water sit to stabilize the pH, adjusting it as necessary over a couple of hours. Investigation and Solution: After some research, I discovered that the living soil I'm cultivating efficiently breaks down vitamin C from citric acid, which is responsible for the acidifying effect (ascorbic acid). Initially, this wasn't an issue, but the highly buffered water in our city eventually overcame the soil's buffering capacity. I visited my trusted grow shop and bought hydrochloric acid (Hesi Growth). I remember using this before with great success in my area. In a test, a bucket of water adjusted with hydrochloric acid only increased by 0.2 pH, while citric acid increased by 1.5 pH. After switching to hydrochloric acid, the plants showed improvement in leaf structure after the first watering. I should have thought of measuring the runoff earlier—a rookie mistake. Plant Growth: Despite these issues, overall growth hasn't really stopped. The plants are growing an average of 2 to 3 cm per day. Cookie #2 is pulling ahead in terms of development. Observations: The plants are responding well to the changes, with visible improvements in leaf structure. Growth remains robust, with no significant interruptions despite the earlier nutrient and pH issues. Cereal Milk Observation: The Cereal Milk plant that started at the same time is showing significant deformities. Multiple leaves are growing from a single point, overlapping others. This is the second major issue, and I am considering removing it to give the Cookies plants more space. Mutations usually don't bode well for harvest quality. However, the aroma profile of Cereal Milk is intriguing, with its early notes starting to stand out. This makes me hesitant to remove it, as I haven't had particularly bad experiences with deformed plants in the past.