Stunger's Organic Soil Stealth Balcony: Landrace Mulanje & Other Sativas

[Stunger]

They're looking really great, mate, the Mulanje especially

Thanks Nick! I wish I was doing a bit better with her.

Your balcony is looking great, and probably starting to smell great! It's good to see you seem to be getting a handle on the Mulanje's yellowing.

Cheers Beez! I hope so, I definitely don't want to mess up at this stage.

Great job Stunger!

Cheers tropics! I would have loved to have done your up-potting approach, that sounded awesome. All 4 are in the same soil, 3 are going hummingly, it's just the Mulanje that is being a bit challenging.

Up potting would have made it even bigger ha ha these things are huge bushes if you dont use some control on them.
At least now all its energy will go into making flowers.
All three make HUGE buds brother I think you will be very happy.

Thanks Tang! Up potting like that certainly appeals. If it ever gets legal here, I'd Iove to do some proper grows outside. Do you and @tropics have any tips on the Mulanje's feeding needs? I guess some parts of Africa would have great soil and other parts less so. All 4 plants drink from the same watering can, and have the same soil, the Mango Sherbert is ahead of the Mulanje and the other 2 are behind, but those 3 seem to be growing very contentedly.

How did the pollination go? Lots of browning pistils on those branches?

Cheers Shed, yes they're looking like they're been pollinated. It should have worked, considering I collected the pollen myself and it's fresh. I'm expecting it to be viable, fingers kept crossed of course!

 

[tangwena]

I know nothing about growing brother its always a flying by the seat of pants experience for me ha ha.
I come here to learn from others techniques like yours for instance.
Today I chewed a 0.1g, thats 1/10th of a gram of cob from the Mulanje x Malawi/Ethiopian I grew last year 3 hours ago....... phew!
The high rushes at you like when you've had some good MDMA and your sucking on a blotter (just for good measure) thats just starting to make things wobbly round the edges ha ha.
I could really achieve space flight on a higher dose Godam.

 

[Stunger]

I know nothing about growing brother its always a flying by the seat of pants experience for me ha ha.
I come here to learn from others techniques like yours for instance.

Cheers Tang, I know what you mean. There is so many balance points and strain differences that there's always something that can turn out to be a challenge. Anyway, I'll just do the best I can with the Mulanje and all going well I should still get plenty from her. I don't want to count my eggs before they hatch, but it's going to be really wonderful testing these.

Today I chewed a 0.1g, thats 1/10th of a gram of cob from the Mulanje x Malawi/Ethiopian I grew last year 3 hours ago....... phew!
The high rushes at you like when you've had some good MDMA and your sucking on a blotter (just for good measure) thats just starting to make things wobbly round the edges ha ha.
I could really achieve space flight on a higher dose Godam.

That is inspiring with the 0.1g of the cob, Mmmm.... yeah! It sounds really nice, and nice to have space flight as an option too!

 

[tangwena]

Cheers Tang, I know what you mean. There is so many balance points and strain differences that there's always something that can turn out to be a challenge. Anyway, I'll just do the best I can with the Mulanje and all going well I should still get plenty from her. I don't want to count my eggs before they hatch, but it's going to be really wonderful testing these.

That is inspiring with the 0.1g of the cob, Mmmm.... yeah! It sounds really nice, and nice to have space flight as an option too!

The high lasted 5 hours then tapered off to a clean finish should be a good smoke.
a friend of mine a heavy smoker couldn't get enough he reckoned it made him smooth so smooth ha ha.

 

[Stunger]

Update - Mulanje deteriorating but the other 3 appear all good

Greetings 420 folks! the Mulanje who has been my star girl with her big stems and big personality has really gone downhill. Up until 3 weeks ago I felt she was looking pretty lush even if some of her stems were quite sparse, but I just put that down to her still being in early flowering.

Since then she has showed a bit of yellowing of some of her leaves, then more, it initially seemed to be apparent on some of the more weaker looking stems, and not just beginning from the lower stem, but seemingly the whole stem starting to show a dying off. Today it was very apparent, her leaves have really drooped, those weaker yellowed stems are appearing to be dying off. I took a look for stem rot damage, fusarium wilt, or stem discolouration to give some clue, but I didn't see anything that I thought could be to blame. I am wondering if the plant had some root trouble, or got some damage that occurred in the storm last month.

A few days ago I thought she would at least be ok even if she lost some stems, but today I am very doubtful whether she will survive long enough for any of her to mature.

The 4 plants are all in the same soil and get water from the same watering can. If anyone has any thoughts, please chime in. It would be good to gain some understanding around this to learn for next time.

Mulanje

1

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

2

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

The remaining 3 plants

These all appear to be happy and healthy. Their colour is nice and green and their bud development seems to be progressing nicely. They also appear to be all very clean of bugs, more so than I was expecting. I am wondering if the extra Neem I gave this year, along with the Dried Shrimp and Malted Barley could have assisted in this. But there is still plenty of time and opportunities for pests to descend so I will be giving them another BT spray at the first available bit of dry weather.

Mango Sherbert

She is looking great and the most advanced in budding. I also grew her last year and so I am expecting to harvest her in about 4 weeks time.

3

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

4

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

5

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

6

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

Honduras/Panama x Purple Honduras

She is also looking very lush and start to bulk her colas out but still quite early in flowering. It is hard to get any good pictures of her with the glass doors on the left unable to open because of the plants.

7

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

Malawi/Ethiopian x Mulanje

She appears very nice, with delicate pistils clusters on her stems, also still quite early in flowering but beginning to build.

8

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

9

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

10

• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

And the view from the side window

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• Stunger
• Mar 17, 2022

So that's it today. I don't know how the Mulanje is going to go from here but it doesn't look good. Anyway, thanks for dropping by, be well, and I hope your plants are doing great.

 

[nickeluring]

Hey, sorry about the Mulanje. The others look great, though.

 

[StoneOtter]

I don't know why Mulange is being such an individual. Hoping for the best!

 

[stinker]

Some plants, especially sativas will have yellow leaves throughout most of the flowering period. I wouldn't keep adding to the soil but treat the same as the rest. If the buds are forming and growing. Go with it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Stunger]

Hey, sorry about the Mulanje. The others look great, though.

I don't know why Mulange is being such an individual. Hoping for the best!

Thanks! I have seen similar before from fungal stem rot like Fusarium Wilt, but I am unable to see any sign of that, unless it's roots are stressed or under attack which I can't see. Puzzling as the other plants are in the same soil and get the same water and they are doing good. Thankfully I am not doing a solo plant grow!

 

[Stunger]

Some plants, especially sativas will have yellow leaves throughout most of the flowering period. I wouldn't keep adding to the soil but treat the same as the rest. If the buds are forming and growing. Go with it. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks stinker. At first I was thinking it's just something they do, but this one seems more than that, it does look like some of the stems are actually dying. From this point I intend to leave it alone, it's currently raining so it's soil will be moist enough and I don't think from how it looks that it will be currently using much water, I won't be adding anything to the soil, it'll be a miracle if it hangs on, but I can't see it as it'd need a fair few weeks to go yet. I will keep my fingers crossed of course!

 

[DV8]

I think if your gut is telling you its off, then my best guess it is mate.

In your situation a post mortem might be in order. Kinda up against it with 4 seperate varities but that fade seems extreme.

I wanna say the answer is in the pot, but Ill just watch on with my fingers crossed.

Ill ask my uncle what he knows about Blood and bone, its the third journal Ive seen weird things happen in. Ive never used it but maybe theres some insight to be gained. Hes in his 90s, not a canna grower, but hes a lifelong gardener.

How far assuming it would finish on time was it from chop?

 

[DV8]

You know Im thinking about this, looking back through your photos.

At this point I figure if it is a problem in the nutrients, then its maybe not too late.

If its not then it cant hurt to fix.

Id be looking at 3 possible causes in detail.

First, the yellowing began on the lowers and looks to have shifted upward, while the fans have slumped downward. They are all still semi attached. I think we can put that in the facts pile.

So if it was a lack of N, what you would expect is the advance across the plant in a steady slow upward fashion green growthing tops, but slow fading fans heading bottom to top.

If it was Mg, the fade would be splotchy and across the plant, not bottom top to top movement.

If Iron, the fade would show the inners on the fan fingers. (Greener highlights)

So Im left with 2 things to consider.

An N excess might cause these symptoms, if its a salt induced lockout caused by N it could look like this. Perhaps the remedy is a flush. I know Blood and bone is organic, but you can lock with organics. Its not impossible. Its due to natural salts (seen as leachates, or yellow staining).

Once the salts are locking it cant transpirate properly. It could have accelerated that fade.

The other is N excess/def and Iron def combo. This would almost certainly look like what you have, fade from the bottom and uniform yellow fans. The mobility of the N is dependent on Iron.

Yellowing can be induced by both excess and def of N. If the iron is off, then the process would accelerate when adding additional N.

Could be all 3, salt lockout, N ratio too high/low and iron def.

That would look like yours, the rapid fade and additional top dress accelerated the symptoms.

Best I got short of the roots being funked up.

Seems simple. Flush and reset, if hopes lost, cant hurt.

I probably should say noone should be apprehensive in giving that analysis a critique. Its been a long week and Im no star at my best.

 

[Jon]

You know Im thinking about this, looking back through your photos.

At this point I figure if it is a problem in the nutrients, then its maybe not too late.

If its not then it cant hurt to fix.

Id be looking at 3 possible causes in detail.

First, the yellowing began on the lowers and looks to have shifted upward, while the fans have slumped downward. They are all still semi attached. I think we can put that in the facts pile.

So if it was a lack of N, what you would expect is the advance across the plant in a steady slow upward fashion green growthing tops, but slow fading fans heading bottom to top.

If it was Mg, the fade would be splotchy and across the plant, not bottom top to top movement.

If Iron, the fade would show the inners on the fan fingers. (Greener highlights)

So Im left with 2 things to consider.

An N excess might cause these symptoms, if its a salt induced lockout caused by N it could look like this. Perhaps the remedy is a flush. I know Blood and bone is organic, but you can lock with organics. Its not impossible. Its due to natural salts (seen as leachates, or yellow staining).

Once the salts are locking it cant transpirate properly. It could have accelerated that fade.

The other is N excess/def and Iron def combo. This would almost certainly look like what you have, fade from the bottom and uniform yellow fans. The mobility of the N is dependent on Iron.

Yellowing can be induced by both excess and def of N. If the iron is off, then the process would accelerate when adding additional N.

Could be all 3, salt lockout, N ratio too high/low and iron def.

That would look like yours, the rapid fade and additional top dress accelerated the symptoms.

Best I got short of the roots being funked up.

Seems simple. Flush and reset, if hopes lost, cant hurt.

I probably should say noone should be apprehensive in giving that analysis a critique. Its been a long week and Im no star at my best.

Well, I'll chime in with my limited knowledge.

This:
The other is N excess/def and Iron def combo. This would almost certainly look like what you have, fade from the bottom and uniform yellow fans. The mobility of the N is dependent on Iron.

Yellowing can be induced by both excess and def of N. If the iron is off, then the process would accelerate when adding additional N.

is what I see.

I know you're all organic and stuff, but you might be able to save her with a flush for salts and the infusion of CalMag plus Iron. That's what I use and never have N or iron issues. It's mild on the N. Humboldt's Secret product. But that fade does look too extreme, and not sure there's coming back or not.

Happened so quick. That's the most mystifying part to me.

Your disappointment is palpable, sorry man. Hang in there with her though at this point, right?

 

[Rexer]

Hey Stunger!

Plants are looking good except that problematic one....

I know you've already gotten some great advice, and from folks that grow in soil. But I'll toss in a bit of advice as well.
Since roots were listed as a possibility of the cause, and it's hard to rule out until after the chop. Have you considered a microbial tea? There's quite a few options as you know for getting one ready; but it might not be a bad idea with her next watering to giver her one.

hope she pulls through, she's in great hands, so she's got a good chance!!

 

[Emeraldo]

Tropics where plant is from hotter than that summer time it's like 100 in Columbia

@7Dust2, as someone who has lived in Colombia, I can tell you that many places there are categorized as a tropical rainforest climate, such as Cali. The temperature is rarely over 89 F. But don't take my word for it, here's the summary:

Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Cali Colombia​

The climate in Cali is warm, oppressive, and overcast. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 66°F to 85°Fand is rarely below 64°F or above 89°F.

And here is a useful chart on annual average climate data for Cali. I couldn't upload a screenshot, but here is the link: Cali Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Colombia) - Weather Spark

Tropical climates don't have extreme hot and cold, and the highs and lows are fairly moderate in absolute terms. "It's not the heat, it's the humidity" someone in Florida once said. Tropical sativas are long and late flowering, running into February in northern lattitudes, and even flower well in colder temperatures, as Dubi from ACE mentions.

Stunger, sorry about the Mulanje, don't know what to say. Afraid it isn't a quick easy fix. This might be a situation where flushing could help.

As I understand it, you thought the yellowing was a lack of N, so you added more, a half cup of Blood n Bone over the past few weeks. But adding more N did not remedy the problem. Now it looks like way more than a simple deficiency. Like @DV8 said, some kind of lockout.

Could this be the N-sensitivity some tropical sativas are said to suffer from?

Tropical sativa breeders, Dubi included, write that some tropical sativas do not do well with even normal amounts of fertilizer, particularly N. Arjan of GHS says this too about their haze strains, e.g., Arjan's Strawberry Haze. Example: ACE Green Haze is said to be happier with very little fertilizer and in particular very low amounts of N or even no N amendment. "[Green Haze] requires medium-low levels of nutrients, especially of Nitrogen. For outdoor growing, it’s best to mix a good base of organic soil rich in guano and humus, and then plant the seeds in a sunny place and leave them to grow at their own rhythm almost without using fertilizers or stimulators." Here's a link to that statement: Green Haze (ACE Seeds) :: Cannabis Strain Info

I never experienced what the consequences of an excessive amount of N would look like in an N-sensitive strain, but this may be what happens. Damn, that Mulanje was a nice looking plant! I sure hope she gets better.

As you know, I am now planning my 2022 haze grow, so am really interested to learn from this. Please post your thoughts going forward.

Cheers,

Emeraldo

 

[Azimuth]

An N excess might cause these symptoms, if its a salt induced lockout caused by N it could look like this. Perhaps the remedy is a flush. I know Blood and bone is organic, but you can lock with organics. Its not impossible. Its due to natural salts (seen as leachates, or yellow staining).

I'm with the others. The easiest possible "solution" is a good flush and see if that helps. If not, I have another suggestion, but it's going to cost you some money .

Buy your wife a shopping spree to get her out of the house and get yourself a nice big tarp to cover the floor in the bedroom, some extra soil mix and a larger pot.

Then take the plant out and have a look at the roots. If it is suddenly pot bound you can give her a bit larger home for the finish. If it is a root issue hopefully you'll be able to diagnose it and maybe just pot it back up in the same container.

A nice big tarp will contain any mess, you wife will be none the wiser, but you will be!

 

[Jon]

Hey Stunger!

Plants are looking good except that problematic one....

I know you've already gotten some great advice, and from folks that grow in soil. But I'll toss in a bit of advice as well.
Since roots were listed as a possibility of the cause, and it's hard to rule out until after the chop. Have you considered a microbial tea? There's quite a few options as you know for getting one ready; but it might not be a bad idea with her next watering to giver her one.

hope she pulls through, she's in great hands, so she's got a good chance!!

Also potentially a good idea, perhaps a longer term fix potential there too. Bokashi/frass tea perhaps? I still say flush her first whatever he does. I have a feeling lockout is the main thing here.

 

[InTheShed]

Sorry about the Mulanje Stunger. I was also thinking that it might be too much of the top-dressing, but before trying a flush I was thinking of scraping off whatever is on the top still to make the flushing more effective. Otherwise a lot of that water is just dissolving what was top-dressed.

In terms of fusarium, that usually shows on the tops first, like this:

 

[Jungle Joseph]

Bummer to see your Mulange looking sad. I hope you manage to bring her round.

 

[ZebraCat]

Oh damn the Mulange is unfortunate. I reckon a flush sounds like a good idea and fingers crossed some can be nursed along . The other girls are looking really nice .