leaf curling coco

[vonwolfen]

Hey
I have several plants that have the leaves curling(like claws). They are in coco, and 3, and 5 gallon smart pots(the type that air prune, and made of a canvas material). The types are Mikado(V.2)(the older fan leaves are fine, but the new growth is clawed, and a very dark green), and Blue dream haze, and in their 3rd week. I have started flushing. EC never exceeds 1.6, and PH runs from 5.8 to 6.1. Under 1000watt lights. No CO2 until about 3 days ago(the curling started before the CO2) running at 550ppm.
Flushing is the correct thing to do right? If so how long?
What can I do in the future to avoid this?
Also should coco be flushed every...week?2 weeks? what?
Anything else I should do or know?
Thanks for any help..

 

[mittenmedgrow]

Sounds like u got the right idea with flushing. If u been running 3 weeks and havnt flushed yet u probably got a serious salt build up .Check your runoff I bet the ph will be lower and ppms a lot higher.

 

[SmokeyPipes]

What up vonwolfen? What are your temps and what exactly are you feeding them.let's see some pics!!

 

[leadsled]

Hey
I have several plants that have the leaves curling(like claws). They are in coco, and 3, and 5 gallon smart pots(the type that air prune, and made of a canvas material). The types are Mikado(V.2)(the older fan leaves are fine, but the new growth is clawed, and a very dark green), and Blue dream haze, and in their 3rd week. I have started flushing. EC never exceeds 1.6, and PH runs from 5.8 to 6.1. Under 1000watt lights. No CO2 until about 3 days ago(the curling started before the CO2) running at 550ppm.
Flushing is the correct thing to do right? If so how long?

Yes to get nutrient salt level back to acceptable range. let say you use water with .2 ec, sample the runoff. Is it closer to .2 ec or to 1.6?
Keep running the water through until it drops closer to what your putting in.
One day is good, then follow up with 50% strength of what you were using before. (maybe 25% if you went with what the bottle suggested)

Here is my thinking:
Easier to add more nutes. Once you damage the plants cant take that away.

What can I do in the future to avoid this?

Do not feed with high ec. start low and bring it up, watch for tips curling down before it they get to the clawing stage.
make sure you have 20-30% runoff
Always check the ec of your runoff. then determine to flush or not.
Can do it every 2 weeks, but that is not set in stone.

Keep track of what your doing, watch the plants and check runoff. Then adjust as needed. Make sense?

Also should coco be flushed every...week?2 weeks? what?
.

I am repeating myself but hope you get the idea. Tricky question or not just one response, cause you have to evaluate things then determine what to do. To be safe can do every 2weeks.

All relative to: What are the plants doing? what is the runoff? are there signs of overfeeding?

Same points:
If you see the ec in the runoff at a higher number than what you put in, flush until it drops down.

If you feed with lower ec and higher percentage of runoff (20-30%) you may not need to flush as often or at all.

If you feed with a lower amount of runoff (10%) usually need to flush one ever week or sooner.

Also depends on your weekly feeding schedule. so just general guidelines. Many factors can contribute to salts build up.

Always check the ec of the runoff and you will see what is happening, combined with watching the plants. In time, you will learn what they like. Some strains can take higher levels of food than others.

Anything else I should do or know?
Thanks for any help..

too much n can also cause clawing. Agree to flush then follow up with lower strength nutes.

here is article on how to spot the early signs of over-fertilization.
http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/11/how-to-spot-the-early-signs-of-over-fertilization/

Hope that helps and make sense.

 

[vonwolfen]

the temps are normally between 6o-75, but has dropped down to >55 a couple of times. I cant get pics right now the girls are asleep..
Feeding
Sensei Bloom(AN)15ml/gal
Big Bud(AN) 10ml/gal
Honey 5ml/gal
Florolisious plus 1ml/gal
Snow Storm 5ml/gal
Great white once a week 1tsp/5gallons

How are you doing smokey? Have a good Christmas, and New Year?
This grow is going well, expect for the issue here..

 

[mittenmedgrow]

Right on leadsled very good explanation.

 

[vonwolfen]

I am not getting much run-off when I feed them normally. Maybe I am not feeding/watering them enough. I am having a hard time telling if the coco is dry. It always feels damp to the touch, but I have a meter that reads it as somewhat dry..?
When I flushed them two nights ago I made sure that the water was draining out the bottom until over flow..
I was told a while back that when flushing in coco to add carbs(like Honey{Humboldt's Own}). Although I didn't do that this time should I?

 

[SmokeyPipes]

I am not getting much run-off when I feed them normally. Maybe I am not feeding/watering them enough. I am having a hard time telling if the coco is dry. It always feels damp to the touch, but I have a meter that reads it as somewhat dry..?
When I flushed them two nights ago I made sure that the water was draining out the bottom until over flow..
I was told a while back that when flushing in coco to add carbs(like Honey{Humboldt's Own}). Although I didn't do that this time should I?

How much water would you say your giving each plant and how often?,Flushing should just be straight water.You should also go by weight of the pot,how they feel when just watered as opposed to when your about to water them again...

 

[mittenmedgrow]

I flush with ph ro nothing else. If you don't want to waste nutes getting that 20-30% runoff your gonna have flush more often. Just feel the weight of your pots to tell how much water is in there coco holds an insane amount of water. I run 10 gal smart pots staight canna coco and every watering they get about 6-8 gallons per watering. And also your coco should dry on the surface.

 

[vonwolfen]

I normally pour water on them until the water isn't seeping into the coco as fast. ie The top reaches a saturation point, and the water drains slower into the coco..I water them about every other day, but if they seem to need it more, or less if they dont. Not very scientific...
I will try the wieght thing. Thanks

 

[vonwolfen]

I flush with ph ro nothing else. If you don't want to waste nutes getting that 20-30% runoff your gonna have flush more often. Just feel the weight of your pots to tell how much water is in there coco holds an insane amount of water. I run 10 gal smart pots staight canna coco and every watering they get about 6-8 gallons per watering. And also your coco should dry on the surface.

Wow that is a lot more water then I am giving them. They get maybe a half gallon every other day. 60-80% of the volume is a lot of water. So OK once the plants have been flushed I will start doing these thing..
How long after flushing should I see a difference in the leaves or new growth. This way I can tell if I have flushed them enough..

 

[JPLord01]

In my 3gl smart pot I run canna coco with #4 perlite I give them 1/2 gl every other day I have 24 3 gl smart pots it takes 15gl to water all of them after my run off is drained in to the wast tub there is like 8 to 12 gl of run off. I never go over 600ppm on my food then you add your calmag my ppms are at 900 to 1000 after calmag. I do run drip clean every watering. PH 5.5 or 5.8 Canna has a buffer in it. If the plant look to dark with over feeding I flush with PH RO water and 200ppm of calmag and .4 mils of drip clean per gl.