New to living soil, trying not to screw things up! How to deal with what looks like Magnesium Deficiency

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Binary

Binary

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Hi!

First, thanks for your help - I've got about 30 coco grows under my belt, and have gotten that down to a science. Thought I'd try Gaia Green Living Soil for a change of pace and I'm trying to solve these new problems the right way (without using chelated nutes, etc.)

The soil mix is:
Water is RO water, which comes out at 9.2 which I pH down to the 6.2-6.5 range.

VPD has been perfect throughout, I monitor this quite carefully.

Feed so far:

Week 2, when I transplanted into the 1 Gallon, I amended the soil with Gaia Green 4-4-4; 3 tbsp.
Week 3, I top dressed with 1tbsp each of Epsom salts, Gaia Green Gypsum and Gaia Green Rock Dust
Week 4, no feed yet, just watering while I author this post!

Which brings us to today!

Here are some pics of the plant, it looks like a Calmag deficiency. Runoff is coming out with a pH of 6.8 which is right in the Mag zone, and has an EC of 2.0 (which if I were in coir, would mean that the plant is on fire - does this not mean much in a soil situation?).

Should I get Greensand and give it a go? Dolomitic lime? How would I deal with this in a living soil situation?

Thanks for your experience and advice! Could I be overthinking things, and this is just variegation?
 
New to living soil trying not to screw things up  how to deal with what looks like magnesium d
New to living soil trying not to screw things up  how to deal with what looks like magnesium d 2
New to living soil trying not to screw things up  how to deal with what looks like magnesium d 3
P

PahPahCee

353
93
Something is wrong with your RO. It shouldn’t be coming out at such high PH. Is there any reason you can’t use just tap water or 1/2 tap and 1/2 RO?


Once you start PHing your water you fuck with the microbes. They don’t want your help and you’ll make them dependent on you PH’ing the water.

Run off doesn’t matter with soil. You also shouldn’t have much run off when you water. once I see water stipple out I stop watering.

You’re working your soil like coco. Time to relax and let the soil do the work. Ditch the pens and meters.
 
TLOnewbie

TLOnewbie

134
63
Hi!

First, thanks for your help - I've got about 30 coco grows under my belt, and have gotten that down to a science. Thought I'd try Gaia Green Living Soil for a change of pace and I'm trying to solve these new problems the right way (without using chelated nutes, etc.)

The soil mix is:
Water is RO water, which comes out at 9.2 which I pH down to the 6.2-6.5 range.

VPD has been perfect throughout, I monitor this quite carefully.

Feed so far:

Week 2, when I transplanted into the 1 Gallon, I amended the soil with Gaia Green 4-4-4; 3 tbsp.
Week 3, I top dressed with 1tbsp each of Epsom salts, Gaia Green Gypsum and Gaia Green Rock Dust
Week 4, no feed yet, just watering while I author this post!

Which brings us to today!

Here are some pics of the plant, it looks like a Calmag deficiency. Runoff is coming out with a pH of 6.8 which is right in the Mag zone, and has an EC of 2.0 (which if I were in coir, would mean that the plant is on fire - does this not mean much in a soil situation?).

Should I get Greensand and give it a go? Dolomitic lime? How would I deal with this in a living soil situation?

Thanks for your experience and advice! Could I be overthinking things, and this is just variegation?
Your diagnosis looks right
Green sand should be used as a layer in each grow pot
Not part of your global living soil
Greenland breaks down very slowly
It might help but not as quick as you may want
Maybe try an all natural cal mag or fish fertilizer
The cal mag will help the plant faster
Stay away from EDTNA derived nutrients
 
TLOnewbie

TLOnewbie

134
63
Hi!

First, thanks for your help - I've got about 30 coco grows under my belt, and have gotten that down to a science. Thought I'd try Gaia Green Living Soil for a change of pace and I'm trying to solve these new problems the right way (without using chelated nutes, etc.)

The soil mix is:
Water is RO water, which comes out at 9.2 which I pH down to the 6.2-6.5 range.

VPD has been perfect throughout, I monitor this quite carefully.

Feed so far:

Week 2, when I transplanted into the 1 Gallon, I amended the soil with Gaia Green 4-4-4; 3 tbsp.
Week 3, I top dressed with 1tbsp each of Epsom salts, Gaia Green Gypsum and Gaia Green Rock Dust
Week 4, no feed yet, just watering while I author this post!

Which brings us to today!

Here are some pics of the plant, it looks like a Calmag deficiency. Runoff is coming out with a pH of 6.8 which is right in the Mag zone, and has an EC of 2.0 (which if I were in coir, would mean that the plant is on fire - does this not mean much in a soil situation?).

Should I get Greensand and give it a go? Dolomitic lime? How would I deal with this in a living soil situation?

Thanks for your experience and advice! Could I be overthinking things, and this is just variegation?
Was the plant light deprived in the last few weeks?
 
Trash_2002

Trash_2002

1,556
263
Hi!

First, thanks for your help - I've got about 30 coco grows under my belt, and have gotten that down to a science. Thought I'd try Gaia Green Living Soil for a change of pace and I'm trying to solve these new problems the right way (without using chelated nutes, etc.)

The soil mix is:
Water is RO water, which comes out at 9.2 which I pH down to the 6.2-6.5 range.

VPD has been perfect throughout, I monitor this quite carefully.

Feed so far:

Week 2, when I transplanted into the 1 Gallon, I amended the soil with Gaia Green 4-4-4; 3 tbsp.
Week 3, I top dressed with 1tbsp each of Epsom salts, Gaia Green Gypsum and Gaia Green Rock Dust
Week 4, no feed yet, just watering while I author this post!

Which brings us to today!

Here are some pics of the plant, it looks like a Calmag deficiency. Runoff is coming out with a pH of 6.8 which is right in the Mag zone, and has an EC of 2.0 (which if I were in coir, would mean that the plant is on fire - does this not mean much in a soil situation?).

Should I get Greensand and give it a go? Dolomitic lime? How would I deal with this in a living soil situation?

Thanks for your experience and advice! Could I be overthinking things, and this is just variegation?
this is light stress, start of light burn to my eyes not a ca/mg def..
too much light.
its exactly and only between the veins, margins/edges are not yellowing (mg def goes to the edges aswell), only on top of the plant so far, leaf serration curling upwards too.

What kind of light, how much and how close ?
Temp and Rh is really in check too?
 
Last edited:
Imzzaudae

Imzzaudae

2,028
263
Hey bud. Unlike other grow options in living soil you don't need to use reverse osmosis water. Your not dealing with a sterile solution like deep water hydroponics. Your plant looks pretty good. Nice mainline. As I mentioned earlier just start using fresh rain water if possible. As you top dressed with Magnesium sulfate there should be plenty of readily available magnesium for the plant to utilize. I would not apply anything else at this time. Your plant looks happy. It's nice to know the P.H of any water but mother nature knows best. If your worried about it you could folier spray with a week magnesium sulfate solution just before the lights come on a couple of days. The purple shoots, I'd water it a potassium dominant solution if available.

Other than a small blotch on one leaf I do not see any signs of a Calcium deficiency. It's a nice dark green. It's quite happy with the dry amendments you top dressed with. Just make sure and let it dry out between watering.

Trash was saying light stress. I'm thinking the same . It would not hurt to back the light off.
 
LoveGrowingIt

LoveGrowingIt

Supporter
2,901
263
I'm thinking light stress, too. I think I see some curling of the leaves. That can be from too much light.
 
TLOnewbie

TLOnewbie

134
63
Hey bud. Unlike other grow options in living soil you don't need to use reverse osmosis water. Your not dealing with a sterile solution like deep water hydroponics. Your plant looks pretty good. Nice mainline. As I mentioned earlier just start using fresh rain water if possible. As you top dressed with Magnesium sulfate there should be plenty of readily available magnesium for the plant to utilize. I would not apply anything else at this time. Your plant looks happy. It's nice to know the P.H of any water but mother nature knows best. If your worried about it you could folier spray with a week magnesium sulfate solution just before the lights come on a couple of days. The purple shoots, I'd water it a potassium dominant solution if available.

Other than a small blotch on one leaf I do not see any signs of a Calcium deficiency. It's a nice dark green. It's quite happy with the dry amendments you top dressed with. Just make sure and let it dry out between watering.

Trash was saying light stress. I'm thinking the same . It would not hurt to back the light off.
RO from seed to ripe
 
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