On this Blog we will show you what are the most common problems that can harm your cannabis plant as well as how to spot nutrient deficiency in your cannabis plant. We will let you know what are the most common cannabis plant disease symptoms and how to identify environmental issues that may affect them by recognising bug issues and solving the problem. 

Did you find something unusual about your cannabis plant? Maybe something irregular or strange in your plant? Something that should not be there or a foreign creature?  Early detection of some of the common problems with growing cannabis can help you potentially save your months of hard work growing the plant. Your harvest and plant health are at risk, so you must analyze your plant often for symptoms of common problems to solve them on time, before it is too late. 

The most common problems that can harm your cannabis plant

The problems with your cannabis plant can quickly steer your progress in the wrong direction. Issues can ruin your harvest, decrease the quality of your buds, and kill your plant. The worst case scenario is infecting your entire grow space, which can affect other plants and future cultivations.

Identifying common problems for cannabis plants starts with knowing what problems can occur while growing weed. These are the main categories of issues you may encounter:

• Nutrient deficiency on your plant
• Common plant disease
• Most harmful environmental issues you may encounter 
• Bug infestation

Most issues manifest as physical symptoms on your plant. However, keep in mind there may be microscopic or root problems, which we will cover ahead. You will discover that many issues share some of the common symptoms. If you are new to growing cannabis on your own, you may not be able to distinguish between problems and know the proper treatment.

By recognising these issues is the first step to nursing your cannabis plant back to health!

How to spot nutrient deficiency in your cannabis plant

When cannabis plants have a nutrient deficiency, they are unable to grow to their fullest potential and produce a healthy harvest. These issues can happen at any stage of your plant growth. The good news here is that once you spot all these common signs of nutrient deficiency on your, you can adjust your cultivation to give your plant what it needs.

Here are a few examples of the most common nutrient deficiencies and the symptoms to watch for in your plant:

• Nitrogen deficiency – you should look for yellowing of the leaves
• Potassium deficiency – you should look for droopy leaves or a plant with stunted growth. Be aware that these symptoms may not be noticeable until later stages of the plant cycle
• Phosphorus deficiency – you should look for red veins on the stems. Keep in mind that some strains genetically produce red and purple stems, so not all signs mean that your plant lacks nutrients; don't get confused

In addition to all these common nutrients, check for other issues like wilting leaves, slow plant growth, and abnormal weight. Signs of nutrient deficiency typically occur where rapid growth happens. Check top down for indoor grows and bottom up for outdoor grows.

Common cannabis plant disease symptoms

We understand that nobody likes a sick plant. A plant disease is one of the hardest to treat since it can affect your entire plant on a microscopic level. Or even worse, the disease can spread to other plants in your growing space. Diseases come from bacteria and fungi that infect your plant. You should recognise all the symptoms for these common plant diseases early and treat your plant accordingly.

1. Powdery mildew and mold

This is one of the easiest diseases to recognise, but note that is the hardest to treat. Your plant is infected with mildew or mold when you find soft, white patches growing anywhere on it. They can appear on the stems, leaves, and buds during harvest.

Mold and mildew can quickly spread to other parts of your plant. So, even if you remove an affected area, stay alert to spot it growing in another part of your plant.

Your cannabis plant growth cycle is not the only time you can experience mold or mildew. Plants that are not cured or dried properly may also start to develop these white patches.

2. Bud Rot

Buds are the most important part of the harvest, but bud rot can sabotage most or all of your yield. You can notice symptoms beforehand by looking for advanced discolouration of the leaves and leaf tips to a brown color on the plant.

3. Root Rot

The symptoms for this disease are not noticeable unless you examine the roots of the plant. Grow techniques like hydroponics expose your roots, making it easier to identify issues. However, for all the traditional soil grows, it will only be evident after it has done substantial harm to your plant and you uproot it to discover the culprit.

Identifying environmental issues

The environmental issues are very common with indoor cultivation. Some cannabis seeds grow better indoors than others. If your grow setup is not optimized for the strain you are growing, you can discover symptoms developing on your plant. Although they are common, environmental issues can usually be solved by making routine adjustments to your grow setup.

Here is when you will know you need to change something in your setup for your plants:

• Drooping leaves from over or under watering your plants
• Curling leaves from heat stress on your plants
• Burned leaves from light burn on your plants
• Yellowing or wilting leaves from cold stress on your plants

The environmental symptoms typically show up faster than other issues. Make the necessary adjustments, and your plant should recover very soon.

The environmental issues can also happen when growing weed outdoors. Look for similar symptoms and you can improve your growth with solutions like providing shade or adjusting how much you water your plant.

Recognising bug issues

Cannabis plants hate bugs as much as you do! Bugs have a mind of their own, and many pests only intend to harm your plant growth. Treat pest problems quickly to avoid spreading the infection to nearby plants. The way bugs work is once they finish damaging one plant, they move on to the next to do the same.

Your cannabis cultivation may have bug problems if you spot the following symptoms on the leaves:

• White spots
• Webbing
• Holes or ‘bites’

Spider mites and thrips are two of the most common bugs you will find while growing weed. They can be seen with the naked eye, although they may not be as noticeable until there are harmful numbers. Check under the leaves to catch them in the earliest infection stages.

These are a few of the most common signs that your cannabis cultivation is heading in the wrong direction. Treat these symptoms as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your plant.

If you suspect an issue with your cannabis plant, feel free to contact us via our customer support, and we will be glad to help you get back on track to a successful growth!