Fan leaves drooping on one side...

[Jahredi]

I have three plants with fan leaves severely drooping on one side.

I’m using “living” soil. I say that in quotes because I’m hoping it’s still living. I made the soil mix from ewc, azomite, humic acid and a Dr Earth 4-6-3 blend, cooked for about 4 weeks.

This is my first foray into living soil and I’ve been trying to develop my watering habits. I recently got a Blumat moisture meter to help me get a better feel.

The plants are all in 15 gallon fabric pots, although only filled with about 12 gallons of soil each. I had been watering .75 gallon every 3 days or so, depending on weather, up until a couple weeks ago. I kicked it up to 1 gallon every 3 days last week.

The Blumat meter gave me a reading of 170 mBar the night before watering on the every 3rd day mark. Thats really dry. I only had 1 gallon per plant with chlorine bubbled out (my water supply does not contain chloramine), so that is what I gave them in the morning. By last night (the day after watering) the Blumat was registering 128 (Blumat and KIS both recommend keeping it under 120). I watered 1.5 gallons each this morning (every 2nd day).

I water very slow. I start by doing .5 gallon using a pump sprayer set to mist, then follow up with 1 gallon with the mister removed. After watering, the Blumat was at 25 mBar (Blumat says to keep it above 50, KIS suggests keeping it above 80). About 4 hours later the Blumat is already registering 39 mBar.

I was thinking that the plants started to require a lot more water in a short period of time and I let the soil get too dry. Then when I watered a couple days ago, it was hydrophobic in some parts and not all of the soil was drenched.

Or could this Blumat meter not be as accurate as advertised? And maybe I’m drowning them...but that seems unlikely based on lifting the pot. Between the lift and the meter, I do not think overwatering is the issue. If anything, I feel like maybe the Blumat is saying it’s more moist than it is, because at 20 mBar, it still feels a little light to me.

If the Blumat moisture meter gets back up to 60 mBar today, I plan to follow up tonight with one more slow gallon of water In hopes of getting the entire medium saturated.

My other thought was that maybe it was the sun? All three plants were drooping the most on the side facing the sun. So I turned them around.

The open hoop house temp sits between 82-88º It is currently at 85º Night temps are between 58-62º

The other possibility is pests... There are some fungus gnats. Nothing crazy. One or two here and there. There were a few more last week, but hardly an infestation. I gave them Steinernema feltiae nematodes about 7 days ago and new yellow cards. Everything looks okay. I see no larva in the upper layer of the soil with a 60x loupe.

And finally, the other possibility could be nutrients... I feel like the soil is pretty good. And they received a non-molasses ewc/alfalfa/kelp/high p seabird guano tea a week ago.

So I’ve “narrowed” it down to one of these six things :
Underwater
Overwater
Sun
Heat
Pests
Nutrients

What do you think? I always love to hear everyone’s thoughts

 

[Gashuffer]

Looks like the droop is on the shaded side in all cases.

 

[Jahredi]

Looks like the droop is on the shaded side in all cases.

Thanks for the response @Gashuffer

It was originally on the sunny side, but I spun them around just in case. Still, 5 other plants did not show this. I thought about the fact that it might be a genetic predisposition to heat or direct sun. It’s two different versions of Wedding Cake and one Alaskan Purple. But I do have one Wedding Cake plant from one of the same breeders that was not affected Also, I’ve grown one of the Wedding Cake strains before and didn’t notice any issues in mid-upper 80s temps.

Hoping it’s just a combo of the soil drying out and heat, and not pests or disease

 

[TheShortAnswer]

I have 25 and 30 gallon pots, I'm watering 3-4 gallons a day. My plants are 5 - 6 feet tall, it's been hot and very little rain. I would start with more water, maybe 2 gallons per watering.

 

[Beachwalker]

I have 25 and 30 gallon pots, I'm watering 3-4 gallons a day. My plants are 5 - 6 feet tall, it's been hot and very little rain. I would start with more water, maybe 2 gallons per watering.

This ^

You're not watering enough or correctly

 

[Oh gosh]

Your soil mix is more of a super soil rather then a living soil. Next time add peat moss and pumice in layers a few inches apart in your base, gives the bacteria something to grab onto. I use fish guts buried half way down to get things going. Let it cook for a few months before using keeping things moist. Reuse last yrs soil. Your plants look good and healthy, don't over think things. Keep it simple

 

[Jahredi]

This ^

You're not watering enough or correctly

@Beachwalker Well, that’s why I’m here, to try and learn. If you care to elaborate on your methodology, I’d love to hear more.

@TheShortAnswer thanks! That’s good info. Short, practical and helpful. I suspected as much. They’re only between 6-8 weeks old. I started them in late June and early July. I was being cautious to not over water in the big bags, and the last 10 days they probably grew about 6-8” and packed on a lot of new foliage and I was slow to react. Thanks for the example. I know soil construction and environmental conditions make it all relative, but having a reference is very helpful.

 

[Jahredi]

Your soil mix is more of a super soil rather then a living soil. Next time add peat moss and pumice in layers a few inches apart in your base, gives the bacteria something to grab onto. I use fish guts buried half way down to get things going. Let it cook for a few months before using keeping things moist. Reuse last yrs soil. Your plants look good and healthy, don't over think things. Keep it simple

@Oh gosh True true! Super soil indeed. I’m learning the difference. I’ve got a solid compost heap going from the veggie garden, kitchen scraps, and yard waste. I hope to use it next year with this soil to create a living soil situation.

I thought about it after I posted and I should have added another possibility to the list: my own neurosis

 

[Beachwalker]

@Beachwalker Well, that’s why I’m here, to try and learn. If you care to elaborate on your methodology, I’d love to hear more

Sure, use more water.

 

[BurnzYzBudZz]

Sure, use more water.

You said water correctly though. He’d like to know how to properly water.

 

[Beachwalker]

You said water correctly though. He’d like to know how to properly water.

This..

Sure, use more water.

If you want to decipher his mbar pressure and this and that that's up to you; but the answer is still use more water

And where one side is drooping the small amount of water he is using is obviously only watering one side?? so that could be something op might consider as well


Edit: OP, the best thing you can do for your self and your plants right now is throw away the moisture meter

 

[Jahredi]

This..



If you want to decipher his mbar pressure and this and that that's up to you; but the answer is still use more water

And where one side is drooping the small amount of water he is using is obviously only watering one side?? so that could be something op might consider as well


Edit: OP, the best thing you can do for your self and your plants right now is throw away the moisture meter

@Beachwalker I appreciate your attempt to contribute. However, your responses on this post lack substance and come across snide and condescending.

I’m going to keep the moisture meter. I like the science it uses. I find it fascinating and informative. My thinking is that it’s another tool to gather information that I can use in addition to lifting the pot to help me understand this new medium I mixed up and develop better watering habits for super soil with the goal of learning how to maintain a living soil. I’m already seeing that, while I mixed up a well-draining medium, it might need some extra peat or vermiculite to help retain some moisture.

It’s my understanding that the vascular bundle in plants distributes the nutrient uptake evenly, and that the root/branch relationship is not side dependent.

The good news is, thanks to @TheShortAnswer I felt good giving them another gallon last night for a total of 2.5 gallons each. Despite it reaching 105º today, they are starting to stand back up. According to the moisture meter, I’l need to give them another 2.5 tomorrow!!

It’s ironic, I was so scared of flushing the benes and nutrients from the super soil that I was barely watering and probably killed them Lol

Still, I find the one sided droop odd. I haven’t grown a ton, but I have grown many pounds I have never seen the one-sided droop in such a pronounced way. More than likely I’m just over analyzing it.

Peace y’all ✌

 

[Beachwalker]

@Beachwalker I appreciate your attempt to contribute. However, your responses on this post lack substance and come across snide and condescending.

I’m going to keep the moisture meter. I like the science it uses. I find it fascinating and informative. My thinking is that it’s another tool to gather information that I can use in addition to lifting the pot to help me understand this new medium I mixed up and develop better watering habits for super soil with the goal of learning how to maintain a living soil. I’m already seeing that, while I mixed up a well-draining medium, it might need some extra peat or vermiculite to help retain some moisture.

It’s my understanding that the vascular bundle in plants distributes the nutrient uptake evenly, and that the root/branch relationship is not side dependent.

The good news is, thanks to @TheShortAnswer I felt good giving them another gallon last night for a total of 2.5 gallons each. Despite it reaching 105º today, they are starting to stand back up. According to the moisture meter, I’l need to give them another 2.5 tomorrow!!

It’s ironic, I was so scared of flushing the benes and nutrients from the super soil that I was barely watering and probably killed them Lol

Still, I find the one sided droop odd. I haven’t grown a ton, but I have grown many pounds I have never seen the one-sided droop in such a pronounced way. More than likely I’m just over analyzing it.

Peace y’all ✌

View attachment 1017707

Wasn't my intention however you're the one who doesn't know how to pour water into a plant not me so piss off

 

[Jahredi]

I was definitely and obviously under watering. Just have to change old habits. Watering dead soil with salt-based nutes is a lot different for me than trying to maintain this organic soil. But I'm starting to get a hold on it. Giving the 15 gallon bags 2.5-3 gallons every 3rd day and the 5 gallons are getting 1.5 gallons every 3rd day. Stopped using the sprayer and switched to just pouring it on with a pitcher. All are doing great.

The fan leaves on my biggest plant seem to be yellowing quickly and early, from the bottom up. (I’ve already removed the lowest ones). Also the fan leaf tips are curling down. It’s on day 15 of flowering and the buds are forming as expected.

I‘m leaning toward the possibility that it's just a hungry plant and needs more feed than the others––it did outgrow the other strains by quite a bit.

I top dressed everything two weeks ago with a mix of my super soil mix, High P Seabird guano, EWC, Azomite, kelp meal, and a little alfalfa meal. I've been alternating between pure water and 1 TBS per gallon of fish hydrolysate.

All of my other photo period plants are lush and healthy looking with straight, slightly upward pointing leaves from top to bottom.

I suppose it could need more than three gallons of water every 3rd day... My other thought is that it might be root bound, but I was under the impression that fabric bags help prune the roots––plus, I’ve grown bigger plants in 15 gallons bags without issues. Maybe it’s the strain, as I've never grown it before. Like, maybe I didn’t get enough N in the topdress I added when it switched and it got depleted during the stretch...

Curious to hear other thoughts and your reasoning.

Thanks y'all!