THC Atlas Comparison Card

Deficiency vs Lockout Comparison Card

Use this card when symptoms look like missing nutrients but uptake may be limited by pH, EC buildup, water stress, low oxygen, damaged roots, or environment.

Print / Save PDF Open Nutrient Uptake Lesson

True deficiency clues

Feed history may be too light for stage and plant demand.
Symptoms match mobile or immobile nutrient behavior.
pH, EC, watering, and roots do not show major uptake blockers.
Progression is consistent with the nutrient pattern and plant stage.

Lockout / uptake-limit clues

Feed is present but pH or EC is outside useful range.
Root zone is saturated, compacted, salty, cold, damaged, or low oxygen.
Multiple nutrient-looking symptoms appear at once.
Symptoms worsen after more feeding instead of improving.

Deficiency vs lockout visual

Comparison chart separating true nutrient deficiency from nutrient lockout, EC buildup, pH drift, root stress, and environmental uptake limits.

Production visual v1: use this chart before deciding whether to feed more or correct root-zone access.

Grow Doc prompt

I am using the Deficiency vs Lockout Comparison Card. Symptoms are [x], feed history is [x], pH/EC is [x], watering/root-zone status is [x], and environment is [x]. Help decide whether this is shortage, lockout, root stress, or environment.

symptom patternfeed historypHECmoisturerootsenvironment