Hello all, got an issue with the tips of the leaves on some plants in veg. My younger plants are not having this issue so thinking it’s not environment. I did get some white flies in the room but most were on the smaller plants. I have treated all the plants in the room with neem oil one week and dish soap mixed with water the other week. I don’t think that has anything to do with the leaves curling but thought I would mention it. I ordered a cheap soil pH meter to check and it’s right at 7… not sure how accurate that is. Thought I was over watering at first and have started skipping water days and checking the soil. Here is some pictures of what’s going on…. I raised the lights, changed the speed of wall fans, just trying to eliminate possible problems. This happened in my last run as well… what are your thoughts…. ? Plants are ocean forest and feed once per week. Fox Farm trio, kelp, wholly mackerel, cal-mag, silica and Recharge.
This type of leaf curl is indicative of wind stress. Easy fix usually. It shows at the top of the plant because that’s where the wind is usually strongest. Over watering will cause more of a droopy leaf. When I see mainly the tip curled down, I know it’s wind stress. But… it could also be root related. If you know it’s not wind stress, I’d be checking the roots for pests. Pests can cause plants to show stress in many different ways. Are the lower leaves curled? If so it’s not wind stress something would be up with the roots.
Lower leaves are not curling so that leads me to believe the wind damage. I have 4 -16” wall fans in my 10×12 space. I run the fans on the lowest setting , but they were pointing down at plants probably 18”-2’ away. Im gonna move things around to get the plants further away and I did already point the fans strait so when the oscillate they are blowing above the canopy instead of directly at it.
Will those curled leaves correct themselves or is that how they will stay? I’m ready to flip to flower but was trying to make sure plants were healthy before.
Older leaves may not uncurl as they are done growing but the smaller, younger leaves can recover. You can have strong winds above the canopy but you don’t want large fans pointing directly at them.
Thanks for your help!!!
yes the leaves will recover.
I would say these are perfect examples of “the claw” excess water leading to excess nitrogen uptake.
https://soundcloud.com/massmedicalstrains/nitrogen-toxicity-the-claw-overwatering
Do the pots feel heavy? I’m a chronic overwaterer myself, getting a Blumat moisture meter really woke me up to that fact.
If pots not heavy, maybe jmystro is right and you can turn down fans. I’d suggest trying one or the other, but not both at once, so you figure this one out once and for all.
Over watering will claw the entire leaf, not just the tip. Excess nitrogen usually causes tip burn as well as curl.
I was thinking wind burn too.
Overfeeding is more of a bend than a curl and leaves would still have turgor pressure if all was right with watering as well.
Nitrogen toxicity will show dark, shiney leaves.
I see a big ass fan in one pic. That looks bigger than a 16″ yeeesh!
4 -16” fans in a 10×12…. Seems they are to close! Thanks for your help!
A single 16″ is enough oscillating above.
a couple 8″ fans down low would help.
Well, isn’t it convenient that I literally just posted a hack regarding windburn and fans. If you want to keep your fans, check it out. It’s literally maybe a page back. I am a pretty aggressive fan user. And I have never seen such extensive unhappiness.. Are you playing that game with watering where you are trying to make up for overwatering by underwater in? If that’s the case, every time you overly dry it back, you’re killing a bunch of roots. Then soaking them down, drowns The poor plant because you don’t have the roots to process all the water you’re giving. Then you get skanky roots. Are you ever in your tent alone and wonder if somebody farted and ran away? It will come and go. But that used to happen when I was playing the water game. I also posted a few more pages back a wonderful article on how to really get to know watering your plants. I use scales, meters and intuition. If you just click on my name, I think it comes up with shit I wrote. But I posted both of these issues in the last week and a half or so.
Thank you! This is a good summary of something I have experienced before.
1 time it was a fart though.
I usually veg in plastic pots and then transplant into fabric pots , I’ve noticed when I have a plant that grows aggressively and the roots outgrow the pot this tends to happen with my leaves and that’s my signal to transplant asap , once they’ve adjusted to their new home the issue disappears , however you’re not the only one growing in plastic pots so it might be part of the equation! Good luck 🤙
That would have to be quite a bit of wind across that whole canopy , your leaves down low are curled below the net in places too . Is there any other issues by the trellis net ? Like leaf tearing or anything ? I’ve not seen wind do this yet and I use quite a bit of it . Maybe try directing that wind across your root zone area and not the canopy? Let us know whatever that is because now the curiosity has kicked in ! Hopefully something new to learn and avoid!
Will fixing this cause another nutrient lock out?
what are you asking?
There is leaf curling over your entire room even lower in the canopy. It doesnt seem like the fan would cause the same amount of stress on all the plants closer and further away from the fan. Its just a guess based off of your post but I’m thinking it could be the neem oil. Ive had issues using neem before. It could be the intense leds reacting with the neem on your leaves. I would try cutting it out or try using it only at lights out and maybe even dim your lights way down the following day. I just tried SMITE (horticultural oils) the same way after dark and lower than recommended application rate and my leaves curled bad over the next 48 hours bc of the light. Id say its not nitrogen toxicity bc the leaves aren’t glossy and dark green at all and not wind bc its pretty even across all your plants.