Can someone tell me what signs to look for to know when to add more fertilizer?

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PhoenixFlower

PhoenixFlower

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I'm using granular fertilizer that I apply to my soil. It says it feeds for up to six weeks. I don't want to add more fertilizer if there's already some still left in the pot, so I'm going to allow my plants to 'starve' a bit before adding more. I don't wanna let my ladies go too hungry though, and would like to feed as soon as they begin to exhibit the first signs of malnourishment.

What is the most telltale sign(s) that a plant is needing to be fed?
 
G

Godfish

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As a second year grower I feel you pain, But you have to let the plants tell you what they need? if they look fine? Keep on keeping on. If they are starting to look yellow and their still in veg, then look into adding to the soil. If your using an organic top dress fertilizer follow the directions.

I started out 4 autos using a "Living Soil" in 5 gal grow bags, the instructions said I didn't have to use any fertilizer start to finish.. Well that didn't work! and I've been wanting to ask for help to see if anyone could help me with what went wrong or what went very right? 2 of my Autos are 8'10" high and I'm still scratching my head because the last time I grew these same plants they only got about 2 feet tall. I think the advice I got from this forum was the difference.
 
beluga

beluga

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Really, you want to avoid getting into the territory of feeding in response to stress signals. Stress signals quickly become deficiencies. Or toxicities. And it's hard to wrangle when you don't have consistency in your schedule.

There are variables for each individual plant that may need to be tweaked here and there, but as a general rule of thumb, feeding at 1/2 the manufacturer's recommended feeding schedule tends to be a good starting place.

With a good base medium and a finely tuned feeding schedule, you'll only have to worry about those signals when there's a true abberation.
 
PK1

PK1

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your dry ammedments should have a schedule and you should follow that schedule. waiting for plant to tell you whats wrong has already started the process of deffeciency.
 
PhoenixFlower

PhoenixFlower

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your dry ammedments should have a schedule and you should follow that schedule. waiting for plant to tell you whats wrong has already started the process of deffeciency.
They don't have a schedule, they're not 'cannabis nutrients' they're just regular garden fertilizer.

That said, the reason I'm asking is because one of my plants looks a lot lighter than the rest of my plants. Personally, I think it looks healthier than the other three, as I kind of overfertilized and my nitrogen levels were near the limit. The other plants look a lot darker than this one. But this colour is beginning to look DANGEROUSLY light, like almost to the point that the entire plant looks yellow. I feel as though if I leave it as is, it will become completely yellow.

But therein lies the issue, I administer the same amount of water to each plant when I water. Why is only one plant exhibiting signs of possible malnutrition (if that's what it is)?
 
beluga

beluga

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Are they all of the same genetics?
Even siblings will have different requirements sometimes, but if it's that pronounced, I'd guess you have a nutrient or water uptake issue. Some aberration.

You are right in your understanding of lighter green growth generally meaning they need more food, namely nitrogen.
 
PhoenixFlower

PhoenixFlower

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Are they all of the same genetics?
Even siblings will have different requirements sometimes, but if it's that pronounced, I'd guess you have a nutrient or water uptake issue. Some aberration.

You are right in your understanding of lighter green growth generally meaning they need more food, namely nitrogen.
All the same kush plant. Different phenotype, perhaps?

I followed the directions on the back of the bag, but I added less fertilizer than what was recommended. I was supposed to add 4 1/2tbsp. I gave 4tbsp. instead. And the watering practices have been the absolute same.

When the fertilizer says it feeds for six weeks, that's 42 days. Does that mean I need to reamend the soil with more fertilizer after having been watered 42 times? Or does that mean it gradually applies fertilizer for the entire 42 day duration regardless of how many times it's been watered, so long as the soil is kept moist?
 
Deadstill

Deadstill

I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.
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I don't wanna let my ladies go too hungry though, and would like to feed as soon as they begin to exhibit the first signs of malnourishment.

What is the most telltale sign(s) that a plant is needing to be fed?

All the reading, books, videos, classes, and information you can absorb will not replace years of experience. That being said, you will learn over time exactly what to feed your plants, and when.

Keep up the hard work, don't be afraid to make mistakes, and try to learn from the ones you do make.

The way I see it, if your plant is starting to show "signs of malnourishment" or deficiencies, it's already too late. Leaves that show deficiencies will not magically turn back to normal- the damage is already done. The key is to prevent it from getting to that point in the first place. Only hands-on experience will teach you what you need to know to succeed, and every strain is different, so stick with what you know and don't be afraid to learn new things when dealing with new strains.

For example, my Forbidden Fruit strain is one of the hardest strains to grow. It's a medium yielding plant and is extremely picky about what you feed it. I believe for this reason alone, is why many growers have stopped growing this wonderful strain, because they didn't like it's yield output, or they couldn't figure out how to feed it properly. It took me a couple of seasons to fully master Forbidden Fruit and I've been growing weed for well over a decade.

Hopefully that advice helps keep ya motivated - don't give up! Experience + Patience will always = Success, if you want it bad enough!
🤠
 
freezeland2

freezeland2

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All the reading, books, videos, classes, and information you can absorb will not replace years of experience. That being said, you will learn over time exactly what to feed your plants, and when.

Keep up the hard work, don't be afraid to make mistakes, and try to learn from the ones you do make.

The way I see it, if your plant is starting to show "signs of malnourishment" or deficiencies, it's already too late. Leaves that show deficiencies will not magically turn back to normal- the damage is already done. The key is to prevent it from getting to that point in the first place. Only hands-on experience will teach you what you need to know to succeed, and every strain is different, so stick with what you know and don't be afraid to learn new things when dealing with new strains.

For example, my Forbidden Fruit strain is one of the hardest strains to grow. It's a medium yielding plant and is extremely picky about what you feed it. I believe for this reason alone, is why many growers have stopped growing this wonderful strain, because they didn't like it's yield output, or they couldn't figure out how to feed it properly. It took me a couple of seasons to fully master Forbidden Fruit and I've been growing weed for well over a decade.

Hopefully that advice helps keep ya motivated - don't give up! Experience + Patience will always = Success, if you want it bad enough!
🤠
Forbidden Fruit is good. I have never grown it but would given the opportunity.
 
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