Hi All, this is an outdoor grow. We have multiple strains (GDP, Blueberry, Gelato pictured). The plants are in 46 gal fabric pots with FFOF/FFHF. We are feeding Roots Organics Grow, Bloom, Trinity, Cal-Mag, and HPK using their feeding schedule. Water is PH to 6.25-6.5 and we are watering every day alternating between clear water and nutrients. I have been watering to runoff for a few weeks now (a little heavier than I was before) because of this heatwave in NorCal. I started noticing this yellowing a week or so ago and it’s getting a lot worse the past couple of days. We are in week 5 of flower on some and 3 on others, and this is freaking me out a little. I’m not sure if I’m over watering, under watering too much nut, too little? Is it possible they are just heat stressed? We’ve been in high 90s for about 1.5 weeks and now 100-110 for about 6 days…I also included a pic of some little worm I found today. I picked about 4 of these off.
Let me tag @Cannabian @Caligurl @JaneQP @MeEasy @Lacewing they do the outdoor deal - may have better insight than I do.
As far as I know, roots organic is all pretty slow to become readily available nutes for your ladies. They look hungry hungry, I’d say for a little bit of everything to be honest.
Thanks!
Thx for the tag @Graysin
Hi @joeg1
We have had a hot spell here (and it continues). I am also seeing more yellow leaves! I did not have this many in last year’s outdoor grow.
It is mostly affecting the sativa leaning plants. I topdressed with a little extra nute mix and water daily. I let the leaves spend themselves completely until a gentle tug pulls them off. I also topdressed a couple with some used coffee grounds for extra N as a test.
Hope both our grows survive the heat wave!
Thanks!
To piggy back what @JaneQP said
I also see much yellowing of larger fans this season I cannot pin point an exact reason however it has also been very hot here …
And I too wait until a gentle tug pulls them off
However in your case I think they are underfed and hungry like @Graysin mentioned …
Now I’m not saying you are under watering but your plants look like they are trying to eat themselves which really shouldn’t happen until closer to harvest
I can’t say if you are under watering but next time you feed them give them a little more than what’s specified .I also use Fox Farms nutes but not their soils …
Anyhow the real reason I was probably tagged was to alert you that you need to get in there and look for more of those worms because the combination of your plants being in flower ,seeming to be hungry …and the 4 worms you mentioned …this all together isn’t an ideal combination …
If it were me I’d try to get rid of any yellowing leaves that come off how we described and also get into the plant more and check for more worms / caterpillars because if you found 4 there’s probably 24 more
They are the exact color of what they feed on and not east to see
Also have you ever noticed how many times people draw an apple with a worm coming out of it
That apple is your pretty flowering colas and trust me their specific goal is to eat your cola from the inside out …you will only know if you start seeing brownish areas on your flowers
My only advice is to look for that because the worm eating and crapping inside your flowers is causing rot
And no matter where rot originates it all does the same thing
It spreads
I’d be much less concerned about nutes or yellowing leaves than I would be about caterpillars
If you’d like I can go back to last years photos I’ve taken and prove to you this is true
They will cause more damage to your plants than any nute or watering or heat issue
I am seriously just trying to help
Get on the hunt for more of those before you do anything …
Good luck
And OMG it looks exactly like a cabbage looper
And is that a broken calyx with a red hair on it ?
That one was in your buds already
I’d be looking for bud rot and more worms
Not saying for sure but pest issues can cause issues that can be mistaken for nutes problems and will stunt the plants growth
Can you post a pic of the entire plant please? Yellowing leaves is a normal part of the end of life of a cannabis plant. That said, if I could see the entire plant and what phase it is in, it may be easier to understand. Have you let the plant wilt a little due to dehydration? You sorta need to do that to know when a plant is needing moisture. See heres the deal, cannabis is a semi arid plant, it does not like wet feet. This is why it thrives in Northern Cal and my area. When a plant is exposed to extreme heat it shuts its stomata to conserve water. This response happens even if you water the plant heavily. Take note of a squash plant or pumpkin, if its hot the leaves wilt. The wilting action aims the leaves so the surface area is not perpendicular to the sun and thus it simulates indirect light. The issue the cannabis grower is faced with is … should I water more? Or should I let the plant wilt a bit? I typically feel that if the grower is attempting to protect the plant with lots of water, this can cause yellowing as we know, it would be prudent to space out the watering because the plant isnt processing it anyway as its stomata are closed. I hopebthis explanation makes sense? Please hit me up if you want more information.
Oh and you may as well pluck off the yellow leaves because they are not contributing to the plant in any way, furthermore, it creates better airflow and light penetration. Also, less places for critters to hang about.
Do a daily check for caterpillars, you dont want them in your buds. A trick is to look for black spots of shit… the pillar wont be far off.
I have two outdoors in cloth pots that are
Doing the same. I’ve upped the watering to 3 times a day that includes a light feeding each time because of the heat here in NorCal. I also had to up all their nutrients.
My other plants are ok but they aren’t in cloth pots.
It’s that time of year for caterpillars. Spray immediately with Monterey BT at 1.5 X recommend strength and again in 2 days and again in another 3 days then switch to weekly.
You can hunt the little buggers at night with a black light flashlight.
Thanks, we will be working on the caterpillars
Thanks all for the help. As you can see it’s crazy smokey. We had to leave last night because of the fire. I was able to get back for a bit today to water and the smoke is super bad and the plants are covered with ash. I set up a quick drip system to keep them going for now. As soon as we can get home I’ll work on everyone’s suggestions
@joeg1 Be safe my friend. So sorry out the fires.
I learn something every time you comment lol !!
Such awesome information
That seems totally normal from what I see. Honestly, I wouldnt consider that a big deal. The planys look well on their way. Typically, the older sun leaves up the main stems are the first to yeallow, starting from the bottom of the plant. As well, the lateral branches start to shed them from the main stalk outwards. Some plants finish with almost no sun leaves at all, just the sugar leaves and a few sun leaves. The plant is scavenging stored nutrients in the sun leaves. My thought is that I prefer this because a sign if too much N in mature plants is they tend hold on to the main sun leaves well into flower, they may also be really dark green. Too much N in flower can lead to harsh bud. So I like what I see there, good job. The smoke sucks… stay safe 
we had that all last year here it was terrible 
Thanks @Lacewing , hope Im not sounding too know it all? Jusy trying to be helpful. Ive made lots of observations over the years and read a load of stuff. Some of the info Ive read I dont agree with, and you should always take what people say, including me, with a grain of salt. I have been wrong many times. Im still learning 
Thanks, no further progression towards our property, so we came home today. Hopefully it doesn’t pick back up…
Will do, thank you!
Thank you! we came home today. Hopefully it doesn’t kick back in our direction. We will work on the caterpillars and let the plants finish hoping the smoke and ash doesn’t screw up the finished product!
One of our neighbors said it’s an oakworm?