The most common problems in cannabis cultivation: how to solve them?
Cannabis plants are very hardy and can withstand adverse conditions for some time. However, anumber of problems can occur during cultivation, whether indoors or outdoors. Growers should therefore intervene early to address these problems. If your cannabis plants seem to be languishing, hereare some possible remedies based on the most common problems that cannabis plants face during their life cycle. So read on to learn about the four main categories of cannabis growing problems. We'll break down the problems related tonutrients, pests, diseases and environmental stresses. We'll also give you advice on how to identify these problems and then successfully resolve them.
The most common problems of cannabis plants
3. Problems with environmental stresses
4. Problems with cannabis diseases
Below you will find information regarding themost common problems you may encounter when growing cannabis, including brief tips and tricks to prevent or correct these problems.
Nutrient problems
Insufficient or excessive watering
Under- or over-watering are two of the most common problems for first-time growers, but they are easily remedied.
Too much moisture suffocates the plants, causing damage to the air chambers of the roots. Conversely, too little moisture slows the rate of growth and reduces future yields.
Symptoms of under- or over-watering:
- Leaf drop,
- leaf curling,
- change inleaf colour from green to yellow.
Solution:
Fortunately, these problems are easily remedied. If you are not giving your plants enough water, you need to water them more often and give them more water per watering. On the other hand, if you are overwatering them, just water less often. In the case of an over-watered plant, wait a few days for it to dry out before continuing with more adequate watering this time.
Thebest way to know when a plant needs watering is to check the dryness of the soil. Simply touch the top layer of soil with your finger . If it is dry, it is probably time to water the plant. Remember that youonly need to water when the soil is dry in a layer about 1-2 cm below the soil.
Excessive nutrients
As with watering problems ,novice growers often tend to over-nutrienttheir plants . Receiving large amounts of nutrients is not good for the health of the plants.
Symptoms of excessive nutrients:
- Brown or yellowish leaf tips and margins,
- curled leaf tips,
- leaves begin to dry.
Solution:
If the plant begins to show signs of excessive nutrient uptake, stop fertilising for a week or two. In more serious cases, it is then recommended to rinse the pot or growing container thoroughly with a stream of pH-adjusted water .
It is much harder to correct a problem with excess nutrients than a lack of nutrients. In the case of a nutrient deficiency, simply add more fertiliser. Remember that organic fertilizers are a bit more gentle than non-organic ones.
Nitrogen deficiency
Nitrogen is one of the three main macronutrients that cannabis plants depend on, so its supply is very important. Nitrogen deficiency is probably the most common problem for cannabis growers. Nitrogen aids in the production of chlorophyll, so a lack of nitrogen complicates the process of photosynthesis, leading to slower plant growth.
Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency:
- yellowing of the leaves,
- leaf drop,
- fading of some parts of the plant,
- colouring of the stem purple or red.
Solution:
This problem is easily solved by firstchecking that you are using a product with the correct pH value. Supply the plants with a mixed nutrient mix or an organic product such as manure.
Wrong pH value
The pH level indicates how acidic or alkaline the environment in your growing medium is. It is therefore very important to mix nutrients and water with the correct pHvalue . An unstable pH level can have a negative effect on the nutrient uptake of cannabis plants.
Signs of poor pH:
- brown spots on the edges of the leaves.
Solution:
Keep a tester handy and check that the readings are within the correct range. If the readings are incorrect, correct them bywatering the plant with a stream of clean water or use pH regulators, which can be bought in the shop.
Potassium deficiency
Potassium affects many natural processes in plants. Ithelps root development, water absorption and cell division.
Symptoms of potassium deficiency:
- Brown or brownish leaf tips and margins,
- leaf death and leaf drop,
- the plant may grow more but is weak.
Solution:
Often, improper absorption of potassium occurs because the nutrients supplied to the plant contain too much calcium or nitrogen. Check the pH of the water and flush the plant with water containing only half the nutrients. Foliar nutrition or potassium-rich nutrition such as organic seaweed should correct this problem .
Cannabis pest problems
Other unwanted problems of cannabis plants include pests. There are many different types of animals that like to feast on cannabis plants, but fortunately there are ways to prevent them.
Grasshoppers
This is one of themost damaging and difficult pests to eliminate. This tiny pest is red, orange or brown in colour and is mainly found under the leaves.
Symptoms of aphid infestation:
- Small spots resembling dots on the leaves of plants,
- fine webs resembling spider webs.
Solution:
If you have discovered that any of your plants are infested with silkworms, remove them from the grow room immediately to prevent the disease from spreading further. Apply an organic pesticide, especially to the underside of the leaves. The best and most environmentally friendly solution is to use ladybirds, which will quickly kill off any silkworms.
Aphids
Aphids are very small and therefore usually very difficult to spot. They are found on the undersides of the fan-shaped leaves. They suck nutrients and water from these leaves, causing them to wilt and dry out.
Symptoms of aphid infestation:
- tiny yellow or white spots the size of a dot,
- white threads between the leaves.
Solution:
Spraying with a mixture of nimbus oilis recommended to kill these beetles . Ladybugs can also deal with this problem naturally.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are tiny insects that feed on cannabis plants byscratching the surface of the leaves with their fangs and sucking out the sebum, which is expelled from the damaged area.
Symptoms of an infestation of thrips:
- spots with a slightly silvery sheen on the leaves and stems,
- dry and brittle leaves,
- leaf drop,
- wilting and weakening of plants,
- stunting of plant growth.
Solution:
You can deal with fringe by using sticky traps. Another effective solution to this problem is spraying the plants with a solution. If the plants are infested, you can spray them with nimbus oil or use ladybirds to kill the fringe.
White-winged
These tiny white beetles feed on your precious plants and also spread disease. Theyfeed on the leaves and stems of cannabis plants and are one of the most damaging pests that can attack your plants.
Symptoms of whitefly infestation:
- White spots under the leaves,
- stunted growth and wilting of the plants,
- yellowing of leaves,
- dry leaf margins,
- brittle leaves that fall off.
Solution:
Whiteflies are resistant to pesticides, making them a very dangerous pest. You can deal with these pests by using organic home remedies. For example, you can spray the plant with a solution of garlic oil. An excellent natural way to prevent these pests is companion planting. Grow zinnias and other types of colorful plants to encourage hummingbirds and beneficial insects that kill white-winged blackbirds.
Problems with environmental stresses
Temperature stress
Temperature stress is most common in plants grown indoors. Temperature stress is a type of stress caused by too high a temperature in the growing room.
Symptoms of temperature stress:
- Yellow or brown spots on the leaves most exposed to light,
- wilting and leaf drop,
- leaf margins curling upwards.
Solution:
To eliminate temperature stress problems, simply lower the temperature to a reasonable level. Cannabis plants generally prefer temperatures around 20-30 °C during the day and slightly lower temperatures at night.
The humidity of the air should be lower than the humidity of the cannabis plants, and the humidity of the air should be lower than the humidity of the plants
Another problem for cannabis plants can be high or too low humidity.
Symptoms of unsuitable humidity:
- Too high humidity will show up if mouldstarts to appear on the plants ,
- low humidity will cause the plants' buds to wither.
Solution:
If the humidity is too high, just invest in a humidifier.
Disease problems with cannabis
Below is a list of diseases that can threaten your cannabis plants:
Cannabis bud rot
Stick rot is one of the most insidious fungal diseases that affects cannabis plants. Stick rot is the most common cause of damage to cannabis leaves and sticks. This fungus is the cause of problems such as insufficient water and nutrient supply to the leaves and canes. This rot thrives mainly incool and temperate climates with high humidity.
Stake rot symptoms:
- White spots on the stems which later turn grey,
- the colour of the leaves is darker to purple,
- unusual leaf growth,
- visible mould,
- stamens wither and turn grey, black or brown.
Solution:
Thebest way to prevent the spread of rot is to provide better air circulation and reduce humidity in the grow room. It is also necessary to separate infected plants from the rest and cut off the infected parts of the plant. Carefully check the rest of the plants for signs of rot. Once you have removed all the rotting parts of the plant, check carefully to make sure that the other buds are not changing and that the conditions in the nursery are okay.
Leaf septoria
Cannabis plants often have problems with this fungal pathogen, which is mainly caused by a combination of hot and rainy weather. It can also occur in plants suffering from nitrogen deficiency .
Symptoms of leaf septoriosis:
- Yellow and brown spots on the top and bottom of the leaves,
- The spots are often round in shape with dark brown edges and a grey centre,
- wilting and leaf drop,
- stunted growth and reduced yields.
Solution:
To prevent or get rid of this disease, be vigilant and remove infected leaves.
You can prevent septoria by rotating where you plant. Simply choose a new planting site after each harvest. Remove any dirt from the previous growing season and thoroughly aerate the soil. Add a mixture of fungicidesto the soil . You can prevent the emergence of disease by spraying with baking soda.
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is one of the most common types of fungi you will encounter as a cannabis grower. It can occur especially in poorly ventilated and highly humid environments.
Symptoms of powdery mildew:
- White spots or powdery powdery spots on the leaves,
- wilting and leaf drop.
Solution:
You can prevent powdery mildew byproper ventilation and maintaining proper temperature and humidity. Remove infested plants from the nursery and then trim infested leaves and stems and treat the plant with antifungal products.
You can prevent future problems by ensuring adequate air circulation, adequate humidity and a clean environment.
Take care of the health of your cannabis plants
Cannabis plants are quite susceptible, which means thatif they are not getting the nutrients they need, are attacked by pests or develop other problems, they may showsigns of stress. Although at first glance the symptoms of these deficiencies may seem similar,by carefully observing the plants from the very beginning of cultivation you can detect them very quickly and easily. Although pests and diseases can appear at any stage of cultivation, prevention is always the best solution.
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