GPT CHAT - Why are my leaves so yellow?

CHAT-GPT - 1/10/2025
Welcome! I'm here to assist you with any questions about cannabis cultivation techniques. You can mention your plants by typing the "@" symbol followed by it id or name to have its data submitted with your question.

YOU - 6:59:24 AM
I'm noticing my leaves starting to turn yellow and bottom leaves are dying. Mostly the ones under the canopy.

AI - 6:59:38 AM
Yellowing bottom leaves can occur for a variety of reasons:

Nutrient Deficiency: Specifically Nitrogen. Nitrogen is a mobile nutrient, meaning the plant will move it from older leaves to newer ones as needed. The lower leaves are usually the first to go yellow because the plant is sending its available Nitrogen up to the newer growth. A well-balanced cannabis-friendly nutrient system that includes Nitrogen during the vegetative stage can help prevent this.

Light Exposure: Leaves that don't receive enough light, often those on the bottom part of the plant, may yellow and fall off. This is normal to some extent, but if it's happening a lot, you might consider improving your canopy penetration. Getting more light to those lower leaves, for example, by using side lighting or defoliation, can help stop this.

Overwatering: If your cannabis plants are being watered too often, it can cause the leaves to become yellow and droopy. To test for overwatering, put your finger an inch into the soil. If it is wet, wait to water.

pH imbalance: A pH imbalance can block nutrient uptake. Yellow leaves can be an indication that your plant has a pH issue, potentially locking out needed nutrients.

Remember to closely observe your plants and respond to their specific needs based on the symptoms they're exhibiting. If you continue to have issues, there may be a bigger issue at play such as disease or pest infestation.

YOU - 7:00:20 AM
Do you know about my stage dates and how long it will be until i harvest?

AI - 7:00:26 AM
Yes, based on the data from your Candyland plant, here are the key dates:

Vegetative Transition Date started on 2024-09-30.

The flowering stage began on 2024-11-11.

The forecasting dates are as follows:

The predicted harvest date is set for 2025-01-13.

Drying should start around 2025-01-21.

Curing should commence by 2025-02-04.

These dates are just estimates and the exact dates may vary depending upon the plant's health, growing conditions and care taken. It's also important to visually inspect the plant and trichomes to determine the optimal harvest time.

YOU - 7:00:48 AM
Based on this, is it common to have some yellowing leaves?

AI - 7:00:54 AM
Based on your plant's stage, it's currently in the flowering phase. During this part of the cycle, it's not uncommon to see some yellowing, especially in the lower leaves. This can be due to the reasons previously stated—such as nutrient transport, insufficient light, or natural senescence.

However, extensive yellowing can be a cause for concern. It's critical to keep an eye on your plant, ensuring it's not a sign of a nutrient deficiency (like a lack of nitrogen), overwatering, or a pH imbalance.

So, a little yellowing at this stage is common, but if it's a substantial amount, it may be worth investigating further to ensure that there are no underlying issues that could potentially affect your yield or the overall health of your plant.

YOU - 7:02:13 AM
I'm growing in Build a soil Dominion blend soil. I dont add any nutrients. I just add water. Nothing else. Could no calmag cause yellowing?

AI - 7:02:25 AM
Yes, a Calcium (Ca) or Magnesium (Mg) deficiency, often grouped together as "CalMag," could indeed contribute to yellowing leaves, particularly if your tap water is soft or you're using filtered or reverse osmosis water, which would have few minerals.

Calcium deficiencies can cause the tips and edges of leaves to brown and curl upward, followed by slower growth and yellowing leaves. Magnesium deficiencies, on the other hand, usually start as yellowing in the spaces between the veins, which remain green, creating a "marbled" look.

These deficiencies can be corrected with commercial CalMag supplements but please be sure to use them according to the manufacturer's instructions. Over supplementing can cause nutrient lockout or other types of nutrient burn.

However, before making any amendments, please consider having your soil tested to verify the pH and mineral content. Although your soil should be pre-buffered and balanced for cannabis growing, environmental conditions can cause these to fluctify. A balanced pH is critical for optimal nutrient uptake.

YOU - 7:03:20 AM
I do i test my soils ph?

AI - 7:03:31 AM
You can test your soil pH using a Soil pH Testing Kit or a pH Meter. Here's a simple guide on how you can do it:

Collect a soil sample - From the top 5-10 cm of your soil. If you want a general idea of the pH of the bed, take multiple samples from different locations and mix them together.

Prepare the sample - Depending on the type of testing kit you have this step will vary:

In a test tube style kit, you will add the soil to the test tube to a certain level, then add a chemical or some water.

With a meter kit, you make a soil slurry by mixing soil and distilled water.

Perform the test - Once you've made the soil mixture, you need to test it:

For the test tube style kit, you would add a few drops of the test chemical, shake it up, and then let it settle. The color at the end of the reaction will give you a pH result.

With a meter kit, you simply put the probes into the soil slurry and it will give you a read-out of the pH.

Read the results - Match the color of the sample with the included chart in a test tube kit to determine the pH. If you’re using a digital meter, make sure it’s well calibrated and read the pH directly from the display.

Rinse and Repeat - One test isn’t always accurate. For best results, repeat the process a couple of times and average the results.

Always remember that for cannabis, the desirable pH range is between 6.0 and 7.0 in soil and 5.5-6.5 in hydroponic/soilless setups. Too high or too low pH can result in nutrient lockout, causing deficiencies.

YOU - 7:04:39 AM
So what would I do if My soils ph is high or low? How to i correct the actual ph of the soil? All water I have ever added was ph balanced.

AI - 7:04:55 AM
Correcting the pH of your soil essentially means either increasing the pH (making it more alkaline) if it's too low, or decreasing it (making it more acidic) if it's too high. To do so, you can incorporate the following steps:

If the soil pH is too high (above 7.0), it means your soil is too alkaline. To lower the soil pH, you can amend your soil with organic materials like sulfur, sulfates, or acidifying nitrogen. Other options include using acid-forming fertilizers, and composted leaves.

Make sure to add these materials to the top of the soil and water thoroughly. Always measure the pH again after the input and be patient as lowering the pH can take a few months.

If you need a quicker solution, you can use acid watering solutions like aluminum sulfate and iron sulfate.

If the soil pH is too low (below 6.0), your soil is too acidic, and you would need to raise the pH. To do this, you can add lime (either dolomite or hydrated). Wood ashes can also be used to raise the pH, but they react more quickly and can change the pH too rapidly, which is not good for the plants.

Note: When amending your soil, always do it in moderation, as adding too much can result in a pH that's too high or low. Remember to retest your soil after each amendment, waiting at least 2-3 weeks before retesting.

However, if the pH of your input water is correct and you're not adding any nutrients, persistent pH problems can indicate deeper soil issues like a poor cation exchange capacity (CEC) or unwanted microbial activity, which is often the case with very heavily composted soils. If the problem persists despite amending the soil, consider sending your soil to a lab for comprehensive testing or consulting a soil expert.

YOU - 7:05:47 AM
Ok, good to know. I'm sure its just because I'm dont ever add calmag to my water.