I don’t know either but I’d focus on details like which leaves.. all them, new growth, or just bigger older leaves. Age (plants). What kind of soil. Have they got nutes yet. Looks like magnesium deficiency to me. But I wouldn’t change anything based on what I say me not knowing enough, more help will be coming and happy growing
Calcium def. Needs gypsum or limestone or oyster flour. Basically whatever your Ca source is. Also I’d pluck the lowers touching the ground for airflow. They’re gonna end up dead n gone anyway.
What about pH? You add the appropriate source for desired outcome.
• Gypsum doesn’t affect medium pH and has almost instant availability.
• Limestone buffers pH up with long breakdown times based on size.
• Oyster flour seeks a neutral pH and has moderate breakdown
The last two aren’t used as the main Ca source. They are more about soil building, but both are available in micronized solution grade for availability. Mineral mixes combine 4 part rock dust 1 part Gypsum 1 part bicarbonate (limestone) or oyster flour. That way you incorporate a sustained buffer to the soil.
We don’t use calmag in organics. Even General Organics calmag isn’t approved for organics use. You add Ca or Mg sources but no such thing as calmag.
You could make WCA (calcium acetate) for instant uptake Ca source but it can’t be added at the same time with Epsom salt or it combines to form gypsum in the soil anyway. WCA does make a great foliar Ca spot treatment at first signs of def but that only raises the Ca concentrations of the leafs. It must be followed by amending Gypsum.
This is an organic living soil grow, but for a cal mag deficiency, I would add a dose of Fox Farm Bush Doctor cal mag for immediate availability to the plants and add a cal mag supplement during my next top dress that is about a week out.
I want to add that I’m not looking for an argument.
Everyone finds what works for them, and it’s amazing to see!!
But if certain things are off the table for a successful grow, to maintain “organic living soil” parameters, I’m wanting to know exactly what organic living soil is.
So calmag, until just show, isn’t certified organic because how it’s made from:
• Calcium nitrate
• Magnesium nitrate
• Other highly soluble salt based sources
Those are not allowed in organic production. Until now there were none. Most failed by using salt, or organics dissolved for availability by acids (general organics). Bush Doctor Calmag appears to be different than 99.9% of calmag out there by using approved sources.
• Calcium carbonate
• Magnesium sulfate
• Soy protein hydrolysate
Not as fast acting as the chemical versions but a balanced OMRI calmag. But you’ll never see farms using this. It’s a cannabis money grab. This bottle has probably 2 tbs Limestone and 1.5 tsp Epsom mixed into a Qt distilled water. Not very economical but keeps the proper ratios. It’s a personal choice and many new growers are stuck on bottles.
A 40# bag gypsum or limestone is $10 this is how proper organics are run. Farmers add Epsom (Mg S) or langbenite (K Mg S). Plus you have other inputs to server multiple purposes like fish bone and crab that provide the NPK +Ca that keep a balanced soil with continuous breakdown of Ca availability. Organics we layer breakdown sources and don’t wanna upset the soil balance.
Microbes and fungi rule and define living soil but there is a whole ecosystem of higher and lower forms with Protozoa, insects and worms. The micro herd does all the growing. They convert the inputs as the plant demands them. They adjust the pH to suit their needs within reason 1-1.5 points but could be more with certain microbial inputs.
That’s why excess is almost impossible with organics. The plant sends the signal to the fungi to bring back only what is needed to where it’s needed. The fungi rewards the microbe by excreting a sugar and then delivers the nutrients to the roots. This elegant process is why nothing inorganic is added to the system. Why we maintain proper moisture to the rhizosphere. Why we don’t disrupt the surface… there are whole books written on this subject “Teaming with Microbes” “Teaming with Fungus” by Jeff Lowenfels
Smokin’ a joint so let’s unpack this for you a bit more. I will define each type of organics, annd it could maybe help to answer things better.
Organic growing simply means using organic inputs. That can be bottled nutrients, dry amendments, composts, teas… A grow can be organic without being living soil.
Living soil is a soil ecosystem that tries to replicate Mother Nature. The goal here is to feed the soil food web rather than the plant directly. It relies on microbes, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, worms (ie. the micro heard), pill bugs, rove beetles or earwigs and other organisms to cycle nutrients and keep detritus consumed.
No till licing soil takes it a step further by minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining a mulch layer, and keeping living roots in the soil year around whenever possible; especially after harvesting. This helps preserve fungal networks, and keeps the soil food web thriving between crips.
Thank you all for the advice plants seems to have recovered on it’s on, the yellow and rust spots I saw never progressed pass the couple of leaves I saw it on. Can’t explain it, I have 4 plants all autos all in soil 2 in 7 gal living soil and 2 in 3 gal supersoil. 3 are ethos voila auto and 1 mimosa auto not sure of the breeder.