Growing cannabis is easy.
But growing it to get the best yields possible is a challenge.
A lot of things can go wrong.
That’s why it helps to be familiar with the most common cannabis growing problems.
That way you can prevent them before they ever even occur.
Or recognize them early if they do occur and fix them before they cause serious issues.
Keep reading for a detailed look at the most common problems you might encounter when growing weed and what you can do to keep them from happening.
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Common Cannabis Growing Problems (And How To Fix Them)
Three of the most common issues you can face when growing marijuana are problems with the amount of water you give your plants, problems with nutrients, and lighting issues.
Watering Issues
When it comes to watering, your cannabis plants are a little like Goldilocks: they like just the right amount of water. Not too much, and not too little.
Both underwatering and overwatering your plants can have a negative effect on how well they grow.
Underwatering
Without water, your cannabis plants simply will not grow. But just giving them a little whenever you remember to will probably not suffice either. If your plants are not getting enough water, you may notice dry leaves, slowed growth, and drooping stems.
You can also check how dry the soil is by sticking a finger into it. If you are feeling dry soil up to your second knuckle, then it’s time to give your plants a good, long drink.
Saturate the soil deeply until water flows freely from the drainage holes, and you should see some signs of improvement. You should then increase your watering frequency based on pot size, plant size, and the drying rate of your soil.
In the future, keep a closer eye on how dry the soil is, and maybe consider investing in a moisture meter for easier checks.
Overwatering
Just as not enough water can be detrimental to your crop, so can giving your plants too much water. Remember, you need to take the Goldilocks approach and find the happy medium between too much and too little.
If you have been overwatering your plants, you may begin to notice yellowing leaves, mushy stems, and stunted growth.
Watering too often or too much, poor draining soil, blocked drainage holes, or using pots without drainage can all trap water and suffocate the roots. Eventually, this can lead to root rot in your marijuana plants, which can spell the end for your plants.
If your plants do show signs of overwatering, you should give them no more water and let the soil dry out. It may also be a good idea to re-pot your plants in better-draining soil and pots.
When re-potting, keep an eye out for mushy, brown roots and carefully remove them. In the future, rein in your watering a little and only re-water when the top inch or so of soil has dried out.
Nutrient Imbalances
Similar to water, your plants also need nutrients to grow. Giving them too many or too few can lead to problems.
The main nutrients your plants need are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, and you should keep an eye out for signs of nutrient imbalances.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Your plants will need different amounts of the three main nutrients at different stages of the growth cycle. You should consult the growers’ notes for advice on the particular strain you are growing.
The three main nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium – are often referred to by their chemical symbols (N, P, and K, respectively), and you should pay attention to how much of each is in your chosen fertilizer.
- Nitrogen (N) is crucial for healthy foliage and overall growth. If your plants aren’t getting enough, you may notice yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and poor yields.
- Phosphorus (P) is important for healthy root development and energy transfer. Signs your plants aren’t getting enough include stunted growth, purplish stems, and weak root systems.
- Potassium (K) has a role in various plant functions, including water regulation and disease resistance. Symptoms of a lack of potassium include leaf yellowing and scorching, slow growth, and weak branches.
The most common cause of a nutrient deficiency is having low nutrient levels in the growing medium. But it can also come about due to overwatering and nutrient lockout.
Nutrient lockout can happen if the pH of your soil is not in the optimal range (5.5 to 6.5). An incorrect pH means your plants are unable to take up the nutrients from the soil.
To solve this issue, depending on the cause, you will either need to raise the levels of nutrients in the soil by using a suitable fertilizer, adjust your watering schedule, or correct the pH imbalance in the soil.
In the future, after adjusting your watering, make sure you are using the correct fertilizer for your plants’ stage of growth and conduct regular pH level checks to avoid nutrient lockout.
Nutrient Toxicity
If your cannabis plants accumulate an excessive amount of a specific nutrient, this can also lead to detrimental effects. Having too much of a certain nutrient can lead to nutrient burn. Depending on which nutrient, your plants will show differing signs of nutrient toxicity.
- An excess of nitrogen can lead to rapid, leggy growth, dark green leaves, and, later in the growth cycle, potential bud burns.
- Too much phosphorus can stunt growth, induce iron deficiency, and damage root tips.
- And an overload of potassium can cause leaf burn, marginal necrosis (browning of leaf edges and tips), and may interfere with magnesium uptake.
The main reasons for nutrient toxicity include over-fertilizing and using the wrong fertilizer at the wrong stage of growth. To prevent nutrient toxicity, make sure you use a well-balanced fertilizer that suits the stage of growth your plants are at.
Typically, you will want to use a fertilizer high in nitrogen during the vegetative stage. You should switch to one that has more phosphorus and potassium and less nitrogen during the flowering stage.
Lighting Issues
The amount of light your plants get is another balancing act you need to understand and address. Again, too much or too little can cause growth issues in your precious plants.
Inadequate Light
Plants need the energy from light to grow. If they are not getting enough light for photosynthesis, you may notice a few telltale signs.
When they are struggling to get enough light, plants tend to stretch out and become lanky and weak. The leaves may lighten, appearing light green or yellow. Later in the growth cycle, they may fail to transition to the all-important flowering stage.
The main culprits here are insufficient wattage or lumen output from your lights, placing your grow lights too far from your plants, and having the wrong lighting schedule.
To prevent or correct the issue, upgrade your lights, move them closer to the plants, or adjust your lighting cycle to better suit the growth stage.
Light Burn
At the same time, it’s also important to make sure your cannabis plants don’t get too much light. If the light intensity is too high, it can cause tissue damage and hinder growth.
Keep an eye out for bleached or bleached-like spots on the leaves. white or yellow patches developing, or upwards curling leaves.
Light burn can be caused by lights being placed too close to the plants, using lights with too high an intensity for your strain or stage of growth, and by excessive heat from your grow lights.
To fix the issue, move your lights further away from your plants, dim your lights, or improve the ventilation within your grow space.
You should also consult the growers’ notes for the strain you are growing, and check the suggested amount of light your plants will need at different stages of their growth.
Weed Growing Problems: Final Thoughts
Successful cannabis cultivation requires a delicate balance of several key factors, including proper watering, nutrient management, and lighting.
Overwatering and underwatering can both have detrimental effects on plant health, so monitoring soil moisture and ensuring adequate drainage are essential.
Nutrient imbalances, whether deficiencies or toxicities, can significantly impact plant growth and yield, necessitating careful selection and application of fertilizers, as well as regular pH testing.
Lastly, lighting issues, whether insufficient or excessive, can lead to poor plant structure and hindered growth.
By understanding and addressing these common cannabis growing problems with the suggested solutions, you can significantly improve your chances of a healthy and bountiful harvest.
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