So how should I go about adding the perlit, should it be more like a 50/50 mix? I don't want to kill off the last three that I have. Also if you look a one of the pictures it shows that most of the leafs are gone and there are just a few left at the tops of one plant in particular, so it has been occuring at more than just the first couple sets. The vent pipes to right beside an open window and pumps in outside air that is now about 65F, keeps room a lot cooler. I just made this particular room in the last couple of days to help with ventilation. I'll move the light a lot closer and I'll add some more perlite as soon as I get some more info from you. Thanks again!
blackomens666
I went ahead and transplanted each plant into 3 gallon containers. One of them did need a bigger container and I made sure not to disrupt the roots. I added much more perlite to the mixture. I posted a few more pics in the garden section, let me know if it looks better. I was also wondering should you water until it comes out of the bottom of the pot? Thanks I hope this works!
Nesta
Well black, that looks better. Your mix looks 10 times better. Now as far as watering. Alot of growers like to water till it leaks out of the bottom. I believe that is too much water. I have personally found that my plants grow faster and more vigorous when i use less water more frequently. The goal is to saturate the whole bucket, but you have to find the fine line between suffiecient and over watered. This will come through experience. My plants are in 5 gal buckets and i use about a half a gal per pot. I usually water every 4 days. You have three gal buckets i would start with 1/3 of a gal per pot, then ajust if you have to. What kind of ferts do you have? Also once the weather gets cooler,you don't want that cold air blowing on your plants, it will shock them. Its cool for now but you should think about having the cold air blow towards the top of your box, then the cold air will warm at the top and drop down through the area. Not sure if that was clear or not. They will droop for a while from transplant shock, but in a few days they should be looking better.
(Edited by Nesta at 11:19 pm on Sep. 20, 2005)
4Q2
it isn't drainage or aireation. I use Black Gold exclusively. 25-30% added perlite to BG is more than sufficient.
Nesta
I'm not sure if blackO got a bad batch of soil (which could be possible) I use Fox Farms Ocean Forest not Black Gold, but with any soil, If you are only watering a 1 gallon pot with 1/3 gal of water, especially with plants that size, it should never take 7 days to dry out. With proper drainage it would should take no more than 4 days with that small of pot. I would be suprised if the poblem doesn't rectify itself.
blackomens666
I use NSR green leafs grow juice. I gave them a hit when I repotted. I think it was a combination of poor aireation and drainage. I think I had a little less than 30% perlite,4Q2. I also have put a lot more drainage holes in the bottoms of the pots. When I repotted there seemed to be a lot less in there than what I remember putting in. From now on I'll water as you directed, nesta. Thank you both for your help I hope this works. If there are any other possibilities that you may think of please let me know 4Q2. If it isn't aireation what could in be?
4Q2
a bad batch of soil (which could be possible)
...entirely possible, and I didn't take that into account in my reply. "BUT" my experience with BG has been excellent, even to the point of "no added" perlite, and I've not encountered problems. That doesn't disallow for a bad batch however. The "cupping" does look like overwatering.
Your ph sounded perfct, but where was it taken?..the soil?..feeding water? or runoff? What type of water filter? I usually supplement my mix with about 20% castings along with the added perlite, and it seeems to supply plenty of nutrients for 4-5 weeks. I have no experience with green leaf products. Nesta is right, probably clear itself up within a few days now.
blackomens666
I took the ph from a couple of places in the soil in each pot. I used a a rapitest ph meter, and the fertilizer has a pH indicator that shows if the water is basic or acidic and it showed the ph to be neutral. I was useing a pur water filter that is attached to the tap, but for the last couple of waterings I have used water sold by the gallon at the store just in case that was on of the problems. Hopefully that helps 4Q2.
fishman
I still think your problem is that you needed to feed them. How did they look after you ferted?
blackomens666
I have used ferts twice since my first post starting after week four. After the first use nothing changed.I also used NSR green leaves after I transplanted them in to bigger pots to give better aireation with perlite and more holes. From now on I'm going to fert every other watering. After the second fert starts of little leafs at all the nodes were proir leafs have fallen of have started to appear. They are still a little droopy from the transplant. I might know in a few days if it's going to stop of not.
