Good yellow, or bad yellow, Week 7/9 Flowering

[SnzBfields]

Hey just looking for some reassurance here, first grow Fem Photo, Week 7/9 of flower, gave half nutrient last week, moving into flush this week.

This yellowing of fan leaves in the lower canopy I understand to be normal and good sign in low numbers.

This more dry yellowing of the edges of some of the upper leaves has me more concerned. It is only affecting a small pocket of the grow, I don't see any fungus or pests, it is a section that is fairly far from the light source. Don't want to trip up this close to the finish line. Is this within the norm or do I have something I need to address?

 

[THC_AeroGrower]

The yellowing leaf that is nice and even, looks like a fall leaf, that is normal. That is what you want to see progressing relatively evenly. The dark rust on the top look like calcium issues (likely) or maybe a disease (less likely, but possible based on the isolated appearance in the garden).

When it's uneven in progression like that, it is a definite sign of an issue. You may have undercut the nutrients before she was ready. If you're set on your 9 week schedule, then there is nothing to do just continue. Otherwise, I'd say she was hoping to go a little longer and wasn't ready to come off the bottle yet.

 

[OldOneEye]

The 2 last pics are signs of cal/mag deficiency.

Not a disease. Just add some cal/mag.

 

[SnzBfields]

When it's uneven in progression like that, it is a definite sign of an issue. You may have undercut the nutrients before she was ready. If you're set on your 9 week schedule, then there is nothing to do just continue. Otherwise, I'd say she was hoping to go a little longer and wasn't ready to come off the bottle yet.

I was worried I was giving too much nuets, top of soil has been getting pretty crusty when dry, was worried about salt/nuet buildup. So moved up the ween and flush figured would use some of the stored up nuets.

Based on some charts I was thinking it might be potassium related. Im using standard GH 3 part + calmag in 1 gl water /4 days for plants that are 3 feet tall and in 5 gl pots, with generic potting soil.

On further inspection its only one plant having the issue mostly in one corner of it but some signs on other parts, did a double over for pests or mold and didn't see any.

 

[SnzBfields]

The 2 last pics are signs of cal/mag deficiency.

Not a disease. Just add some cal/mag.

Would you recommend adding a normal amount of only calmag to what was supposed to be the first flush?

 

[OldOneEye]

Would you recommend adding a normal amount of only calmag to what was supposed to be the first flush?

I would agree with @THC_AeroGrower and wait to flush if you can, 1 more week will amaze you.
But if you can't wait and are going to flush and harvest in under 2 weeks i would just let it go without the cal/mag.
Your leaves will get ugly looking but that's okay.

 

[SnzBfields]

Further images of the flower from yesterday, edges progressing yellow and some speckling on the leaf on closer look

Another flower with the tips showing more damage

Followed the advice delaying flush and gave a feeding slightly heavier on Cal Mag and Potassium. Should I look for those leaves to recover or for the damage to just not progress further?

 

[THC_AeroGrower]

Should I look for those leaves to recover or for the damage to just not progress further?

The damage won't repair, so just watch to make sure it doesn't progress.

 

[SnzBfields]

yesterday vs today 24 and 48 hours after watering with nuets. same two flowers

seems to still be progressing not sure if slower. Still limited to one plant though all have had identical feeding schedules. Any reason one plant might have such an obvious nuet discrepancy if all same strain, in same soil, given same nuets, around the same size?

 

[THC_AeroGrower]

There are a number of potential reasons why one plant would show a nutrient problem when the rest don't. I have this going on in my current grow as well. First, even though they are the same strain, they are different plants. Just like identical siblings from the same parents aren't genetically identical, neither are two seeds from the same crossing. Second, genetics are a complex system which interacts with the environment. Even small differences in temperature, humidity (at the leaf level) and airflow can swing the system enough to influence how the genes express themselves. Not to mention these differences can sometimes be enough to change the uptake of nutrients.

The other thing to be aware of is root feeding is slow and most likely won't have made a significant change in the availability after one day. If you were in veg, I'd recommend a foliar feeding as well, but since you are in flower you don't want to risk that.

 

[SnzBfields]

For what it's worth these are from f1 seeds which are supposed to have high genetic uniformity. (not sure if Im allowed link but its 'Lemon Fresh by Phylos Bioscience' google will bring it up).

4 days ago when first detected, to now 3 days after corrective feeding. (same two flowers)

It seems to be affecting more flowers and continuing to progress, hoping that it has slowed or just the residual damage playing out. How long after corrective feeding would you expect to see a change, I'm almost to my next watering and am worried that if I'm not seeing improvement I should just switch to flush and an early harvest before the issue reaches the buds? Tomorrow starts week 8/9 flowering. I might also just be in panic mode after a stress free first grow to have a problem on the finish line.

 

[THC_AeroGrower]

Don't let this panic you you've done a good job. I've got more than a dozen grows under my belt, and have never gone a complete grow without having to deal with something like this to keep me on my toes. it's just part of the game

Since you’re close to harvest, you want to stabilize the plant and then just ride out the last few days. Minimizing stress is stress is more important than fixing every deficiency. Just ride it out with minor adjustments. Calcium deficiencies won’t ruin potency this late.

How is the rest of the senescence progressing? Here are two examples from my current grow. In the first picture you can see two plants that are seed sisters.

You can see the change of the leaves progressing much faster in the one in the back. You can also see the burned tips on her. Those have been there the whole grow because she didn't like the same nutrient concentration as her two sisters. I decided early on that I'd keep the stronger mix and just light feed her. Sometimes you just have to accept the ways things are and work to manage them.
Here is my Do-si-do Auto. You can see a nice even color change going from top to bottom, except right at the top I've let her leaves pretty much dry up. This is because I cut back on their watering to finish out the grow.

The point being, don't stress this...you have other things to stress now. Like thinking about how you're going to manage drying. That is where a large number of new growers mess up their harvest. Once it's in curing, then you can relax

 

[SnzBfields]

Yesterday -> Today, def still progressing, first flush watering, just sprinting to harvest now T -10 days

Has started to affect more branches on the primarily affected plant and is showing first signs on a second plant

It's more stressful when I see it in my tent but looking at the photos here it seems like I might be over stressing, this seems like slightly neut stress not critical my plants are about to die?

 

[SnzBfields]

Don't let this panic you you've done a good job. I've got more than a dozen grows under my belt, and have never gone a complete grow without having to deal with something like this to keep me on my toes. it's just part of the game

Since you’re close to harvest, you want to stabilize the plant and then just ride out the last few days. Minimizing stress is stress is more important than fixing every deficiency.

Here is my Do-si-do Auto. You can see a nice even color change going from top to bottom, except right at the top I've let her leaves pretty much dry up. This is because I cut back on their watering to finish out the grow.
View attachment 2372974

The point being, don't stress this...you have other things to stress now. Like thinking about how you're going to manage drying. That is where a large number of new growers mess up their harvest. Once it's in curing, then you can relax

Wow! Those are massive toppers! I have some solid nugs but they are spaced along the branch, no full pine trees like that! I had originally planned to do some drought stress the last week but doubting that now with the neut stress.

 

[SnzBfields]

Yesterday - > Today

closeup im worried some of the leaf death is getting dangerously close to the nuts, even though im still mostly clear maybe 5-10% milky should I be thinking about early harvesting some of the more affected flowers?

with a step back the plant next to it seems very different in color even in the shade of the healthy leaves.

 

[THC_AeroGrower]

I’d hold off on an early harvest if possible. At 10% milky trichomes, the plant isn’t going to have much potency yet.

That said, it does appear the leaf damage is getting worse, but the buds still look healthy to me, I wouldn’t rush to chop. The leaves may be struggling, but as long as the buds aren’t airy, moldy, or showing major stress signs, the plant can still finish properly.
If I were in your shoes I'd try to give it another 7-10 days and keep checking the trichomes and overall bud health with a microscope or loupe. If you see 50% milky trichomes or other signs of problems we can't see in the photos, then reassess the idea of chopping early.

You can try reducing stress as well.

• If the plant is under the strongest light, dial it down slightly.
• Keep temps stable (65-75°F) to prevent further stress.
• Water with pH-balanced water (6.2-6.5).

If you notice microscopic bud deterioration, signs of mold risk, or stem necrosis, then you might have to take the most affected buds early. Otherwise, letting it go longer will give you much better potency and flavor and from what I'm seeing in the pictures you posted, I think she can make it.

 

[SnzBfields]

I’d hold off on an early harvest if possible. At 10% milky trichomes, the plant isn’t going to have much potency yet.

That said, it does appear the leaf damage is getting worse, but the buds still look healthy to me, I wouldn’t rush to chop. The leaves may be struggling, but as long as the buds aren’t airy, moldy, or showing major stress signs, the plant can still finish properly.
If I were in your shoes I'd try to give it another 7-10 days and keep checking the trichomes and overall bud health with a microscope or loupe. If you see 50% milky trichomes or other signs of problems we can't see in the photos, then reassess the idea of chopping early.

You can try reducing stress as well.

• If the plant is under the strongest light, dial it down slightly.
• Keep temps stable (65-75°F) to prevent further stress.
• Water with pH-balanced water (6.2-6.5).

If you notice microscopic bud deterioration, signs of mold risk, or stem necrosis, then you might have to take the most affected buds early. Otherwise, letting it go longer will give you much better potency and flavor and from what I'm seeing in the pictures you posted, I think she can make it.

This is my biggest plant of the 3 in terms of branch count, and has larger buds on average, its directly under the grow light though isn't the tallest. I'm wondering if I needed to be giving it slightly more nuets through flowering. If the happy plant has 16 branches and this unhappy one has 24, should I have been giving it roughly 50% more nuets? This wasn't planned, it just ended up that way after branches were trimmed down at the end of veg.

Does the damage to the leaves still look like neut deficiency related damage? Or is it entering the range of damage that a more serious problem like mold would cause, I've been diligent about looking for signs but its a dense cramped closet grow and I don't have great access deep though I have several fans hitting the grow from different directions for serious air circulation.

I'm 8 days to harvest with the window starting in 3 days according to projected plan

 

[LowOdorMicroGrower]

So, I have the exact and I mean exact same problem with everyone of my grows. I’ve slowed the browning down by raising my lights and using cal/mag. The lower the lights, the faster this problem will progress…2 inches can make a huge difference,

I’ve completed 5 grows now, my 2nd grow looked exactly like yours and I still got amazing bud at harvest. Watch closely to make sure the browning doesn’t make it to the buds and you’ll be fine.

All of the advice given here is great advice. This could be a LOT of different things, disease, too much salt, the list goes on and on. Its little late to troubleshoot and fix now and there is a chance you’ll make it worse,…

Raise the lights a bit if you can, and just hang in there until harvest…(if your plant has a problem the strong light will make it much worse!) I’d say your looking pretty good—

Last thing. I’ve looked at countless seedbank photos of buds at harvest time and they have quite a few browning and yellowing leaves just like yours..If those plants were good enough for a company picture, I’m pretty sure you’re doing great !

 

[LowOdorMicroGrower]

Wanted to ask if your problem plant is taller and closer to the lights than the other plants…This might explain a lot…

I tried to push my plants lowering my lights to the lowest recommended distance in my first few grows and my plants looked just like yours…It was a bad move ! (12 inches).. Raising them to 14-16 inches stopped the problem.

 

[SnzBfields]

Wanted to ask if your problem plant is taller and closer to the lights than the other plants…This might explain a lot…

I tried to push my plants lowering my lights to the lowest recommended distance in my first few grows and my plants looked just like yours…It was a bad move ! (12 inches).. Raising them to 14-16 inches stopped the problem.

The problem plant is the middle of the 3, it's directly under the light but not as close to it height wise as the one to its left. Definitely seeing the problem more on the upper flowers so it could be light intensity related though I haven't changed the light intensity in 5 weeks and the plant height has been steady for a at least 3 weeks. Unfortunately I'm pretty much maxed on vertical space, I already moved my HVAC outside the tent and have the light pretty much at the top of the tent might be able to squeeze one more inch. Going to lower the intensity of the light a tick or two over this last week, anything to take a bit of stress off the top. On the tallest plant I've got a massive cola that's grown up about 2" from the light and isn't showing any stress signs compared to the middle plant.

Have really appreciated all the help and reassurance from the community!