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NOTICE Copyright © 2010 http://www.howtogrowweed420.com/ ALL RIGHTS RSR!". RSR!". #o p$rt o% thi& 'oo( m$y 'e reprod)ced or tr$*&mitted i* $*y %orm or 'y $*y me$*&+ e,ectro*ic or mech$*ic$,+ i*c,)di*g+ ')t *ot ,imited to+ photocopyi*g+ recordi*g+ or 'y $*y i*%orm$tio* &tor$ge $*d retrie-$, &y&tem+ witho)t permi&&io* i* writi*g %rom the p)',i&her or $)thor+ ecept i* the c$&e o% $ re-iewer+ who m$y )ote 'rie% p$&&$ge& em'odied i* critic$, $rtic,e& or i* $ re-iew. The m$teri$, i* thi& 'oo( i& $d),t& o*,y. $re*t&+ g)$rdi$*& $*d other $d),t& &ho),d eerci&e $ppropri$te co*tro, to (eep thi& 'oo( o)t o% the h$*d& o% mi*or&. Thi& 'oo( i& $ re%ere*ce wor( m$de $-$i,$',e %or ed)c$tio*$,+ i*%orm$tio*$,+ $rchi-$,+ e*tert$i*me*t $*d $*y other p)rpo&e& protected 'y the ir&t Ame*dme*t o% the Co*&tit)tio* o% the *ited St$te& o% Americ$. DISCLAIMER Thi& 'oo( $*d $,, re%ere*ce& $re %or ed)c$tio*$,+ e*tert$i*me*t+ $*d $rchi-$, p)rpo&e& o*,y. The i*%orm$tio* $*d directio*& i* the&e writi*g&+ i*di-id)$,,y $*d co,,ecti-e,y+ $re i* *o w$y to 'e co*&idered $& $ &)'&tit)te %or co*&),t$tio*& with $ d),y ,ice*&ed phy&ici$* reg$rdi*g di$g*o&i& $*d / or tre$tme*t o% di&e$&e $*d $re *ot i*te*ded to di$g*o&e or tre$t. o&&e&&i*g $*d growi*g m$ri3)$*$ i& i,,eg$, )*der %eder$, ,$w&. The $)thor $*d p)',i&her do *ot $d-oc$te 're$(i*g the ,$w. er&o*& co*&ideri*g imp,$*ti*g proced)re& herei* &ho),d co*&),t $* $ttor*ey 'e%ore doi*g &o. Some &)'&t$*ce& di&c)&&ed herei* m$y 'e toic. Re$der& &ho),d co*&),t $ppropri$te epert $d-ice i% co*&ideri*g )ti,ii*g $*y i*%orm$tio* i* thi& 'oo(. The $)thor m$(e& *o epre&&ed or imp,ied w$rr$*tie& wh$t&oe-er+ i*c,)di*g $cc)r$cy or re,i$'i,ity with re&pect to i*%orm$tio* co*t$i*ed i* thi& 'oo(. Thi& 'oo( o%%er& *o medic$,+ ,eg$,+ or re,$ted pro%e&&io*$, $d-ice. The re$der i& e*co)r$ged to )&e good 3)dgme*t whe* $pp,yi*g the i*%orm$tio* herei* co*t$i*ed $*d to &ee( $d-ice %rom $ )$,i%ied pro%e&&io*$, i%+ $*d $&+ *eeded. The i*%orm$tio* $*d g)ide,i*e& i* thi& 'oo( $re i*te*ded to e*co)r$ge per&o*$, re&po*&i'i,ity $*d to &)pport proper medic$, c$re. I do *ot grow or co*do*e the growi*g o% $*ythi*g illegal. A*y i*%orm$tio* herei* &ho),d *ot co*&tit)te $d-ice
or 'e co*&idered $d-ice to $&&i&t i* $cti-itie& th$t $re deemed i,,eg$,. Thi& tet i& %or pri-$te co*&)mptio* o*,y+ $*d 'y re$di*g $*y %)rther yo) $gree th$t yo) (*ow yo)r ,oc$, ,$w& $*d $ccept 1005 per&o*$, ,i$'i,ity o% $*y i,,eg$, $ctio*& yo) commit. Thi& 'oo( i& m$de $-$i,$',e %or e*tert$i*me*t+ $rchi-$,+ $*d i*%orm$tio*$, p)rpo&e& o*,y+ i* $ccord with the ir&t Ame*dme*t o% the *ited St$te& o% Americ$ Co*&tit)tio*. The $)thor $d-oc$te& $'&o,)te,y *o i,,eg$, $cti-itie& o% $*y (i*d+ $*d m$(e& *o epre&& or imp,ied w$rr$*tie& o% merch$*t$'i,ity+ %it*e&& %or $*y p)rpo&e+ or otherwi&e+ with re&pect to thi& e6oo( $*d the i*%orm$tio* it co*t$i*&. or medic$,+ ,eg$,+ or &pirit)$, $d-ice+ the $)thor )rge& th$t yo) co*&),t the $ppropri$te ,ice*&ed pr$ctitio*er pr$ ctitio*er.. I* m$*y $re$& it i& i,,eg$, to ow* &eed&+ grow c$**$'i& or )&e c$**$'i&. It i& recomme*ded th$t yo) co*&),t yo)r ,oc$, $)thoritie& to &ee wh$t yo)r co)*trie& ,eg$, &t$t)& i& reg$rdi*g the )&e $*d / or c),ti-$ti*g o% c$**$'i&. The $)thor doe& *ot w$*t yo) to 're$( the ,$w+ *or w$& thi& 'oo( i*te*ded %or th$t p)rpo&e. Thi& i& $* ed)c$tio*$, 'oo( &howi*g yo) how c$**$'i& i& grow*. "7 #7T 6RA8 TH LA9. LA9. $*y p,$ce& h$-e permitted medic$, m edic$, m$ri3)$*$ )&er& to grow $*d )&e their ow* medici*e i* the pri-$cy o% their -ery ow* home&. Re$der& who wi&h to )&e m$ri3)$*$ medici*$,,y &ho),d $,w$y& co*&),t $ phy&ici$* or )$,i%ied he$,th pr$ctitio*er 'e%ore doi*g &o. er&o*& co*&ideri*g imp,eme*ti*g proced)re& de&cri'ed herei* &ho),d co*&),t with $* $ttor*ey 'e%ore doi*g &o. The $)thor $*d p)',i&her do *ot $ccept ,i$'i,ity %or $*y $ctio*& $*y per&o* m$y h$-e t$(e* $%ter re$di*g thi& 'oo(. I* m$*y co)*trie& the )&e $*d po&&e&&io* o% m$ri3)$*$ i& i,,eg$,. Thi& 'oo( i& i*te*ded %or ed)c$tio*$, p)rpo&e& o*,y. The $)thor doe& *ot co*do*e A#; i,,eg$, $cti-ity. $cti-ity. The $)thor wi,, *ot 'e he,d *ot re&po*&i',e %or $*y property d$m$ge+ per&o*$, i*3)rie&+ e)ipme*t d$m$ge+ i,,eg$, $cti-itie&+ or $*ythi*g e,&e. ;o) $c(*ow,edge $*d $gree 'y )&i*g $*y i*%orm$tio* co*t$i*ed i* thi& 'oo( th$t it i& 1005 $t yo)r ow* ri&(< The %o,,owi*g i*%orm$tio* pre&e*ted i* thi& 'oo( i& %or i*%orm$tio*$, $*d e*tert$i*me*t p)rpo&e& o*,y. $ri3)$*$ i& $ co*tro,,ed &)'&t$*ce $*d i& i,,eg$, to grow+ ow*+ or &e,, i* mo&t co)*trie&. The $)thor doe& *ot wi&h to e*co)r$ge $*yo*e to $ct i* co*%,ict with their *$tio*$, ,$w&
$*d i& *ot he,d re&po*&i',e %or $*y o% yo)r $ctio*&. Thi& doc)me*t i& %or the p)rpo&e o% &)pp,yi*g i*%orm$tio* to the p)',ic. The p)',i&her+ $)thor&+ $*d other& $&&oci$ted with the prod)ctio* o% thi& 'oo( $*d we'&ite do *ot $d-oc$te 're$(i*g the ,$w. A,, tet $*d i,,)&tr$tio*& $re %or de&cripti-e p)rpo&e& o*,y. The p)',i&her $*d the $)thor& do *ot recomme*d yo) try $*ythi*g pre&e*ted i* thi& doc)me*t. ;o) $re e*co)r$ged to re$d $*y $*d $,, i*%orm$tio* $-$i,$',e $'o)t c$**$'i& to de-e,op $ comp,ete '$c(gro)*d o* the &)'3ect. The $)thor $*d p)',i&her h$-e tried to the 'e&t o% their $'i,itie& to de&cri'e the mo&t c)rre*t c$**$'i& growi*g method&. Howe-er+ there m$y 'e &ome mi&t$(e& i* the tet th$t the $)thor $*d p)',i&her were )*$',e to detect. Thi& 'oo( co*t$i*& c)rre*t i*%orm$tio* )p to the d$te o% p)',ic$tio*. #either the p)',i&her *or the $)thor e*dor&e& $*y prod)ct& or 'r$*d *$me& th$t $re me*tio*ed or pict)red i* thi& 'oo(. The&e prod)ct& $re me*tio*ed or pict)red %or i,,)&tr$tio* $*d ed)c$tio* o*,y. A*y $d-ice pro-ided i* thi& doc)me*t=e,ectric$,+ %i*$*ci$,+ &cie*ti%ic+ etc.=i& gi-e* %or e$mp,e p)rpo&e& o*,y. #either the p)',i&her *or the $)thor& $&&)me $*y re&po*&i'i,ity %or $*y $ctio*& $&&oci$ted with thi& $d-ice. The i*%orm$tio* co*t$i*ed i* thi& 'oo( i& i*te*ded %or )&e o*,y i* 3)ri&dictio*& where the $cti-itie& co*t$i*ed therei* $re ,eg$,. #o c,$im o% the $cc)r$cy+ &$%ety+ or ,eg$,ity o% the %o,,owi*g i*&tr)ctio*& co*t$i*ed i* thi& 'oo( i& m$de $*d it i& *ot recomme*ded to %o,,ow them. ;o) $re re&po*&i',e %or yo)r ow* $ctio*& i% yo) do &o. #othi*g co*t$i*ed i* thi& 'oo( &ho),d 'e co*&tr)ed to 'e ,eg$, or medic$, $d-ice. The i*%orm$tio* co*t$i*ed herei* i& %or ,eg$, medici*$, c$**$'i& c),ti-$tio* $*d )&e o*,y. To re$d thi& 'oo( yo) m)&t h$-e $ medic$, ,ice*&e or pre&criptio* to ho,d+ )&e+ or grow ,eg$, c$**$'i&. The )&e o% $*y o% thi& i*%orm$tio* %or i,,eg$, $cti-itie& o% A#; 8I#" ho,d& ;7 1005 ,i$',e %or 're$(i*g the ,$w. Thi& 'oo( %e$t)re& co*te*t $'o)t m$ri3)$*$> co*te*t i*c,)de& i*%orm$tio* $'o)t c$**$'i& c),ti-$tio*+ the recre$tio*$, )&e o% m$ri3)$*$+ the medic$, )&e& %or m$ri3)$*$+ $*d other topic& th$t &ome -iewer& m$y %i*d o%%e*&i-e. A,, co*te*t i* thi& doc)me*t i& %or "CATI7#AL $*d #TRTAI##T p)rpo&e& 7#L;. The $)thor wi,, *ot 'e he,d re&po*&i',e %or $*y 'eh$-ior or $ctio*& t$(e* o* $*y eter*$, &o)rce&+ *or doe& the $)thor co*tro, wh$t h$ppe*& o* $*y &ite th$t ,i*(& o)t %rom thi& doc)me*t. ;o) $re 1005 ,i$',e %or yo)r ow* $ctio*&.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARANTY While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, conseuential, or other damages. !eaders should be aware that "nternet websites offered as citations and#or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read.
BAD GUY NOTICE $ey you, the internet is a big place and a lot of files can be downloaded illegally. " get it. " get that some of you may have obtained my book by stealing it. " want you to know " spent nearly %& years working really really hard to give this gift to the community and bring this incredible information to you. "f it truly helps you and you en'oy and get a lot out of it, " would really appreciate it if you could head over to my website and purchase an authentic copy. (ut good vibes out into the universe, get good vibes back sevenfold) Thanks so much, " know you*ll do the right thing.
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Introduction +any mari'uana growers are commonly faced with various undesirable ailments which negatively affect their precious cannabis crops. (lant sicknesses, problems, fungi, diseases, pest infestation, and other destructive forces can be very frustrating for any grower regardless of skill level. nce invested in a grow setup, you must take every step to ensure it stays a healthy bountiful harvest. This e-ook has been specifically designed to be a reference to identify, prevent, and annihilate any problems one may encounter throughout the entire cannabis cultivation process. Note /or a uick troubleshooting reference, please head to the back of the book
Avoiding Problems 0s the old adage goes, 10n ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.2 This is especially relevant when it comes to caring for cannabis. 3xpect the unexpected4 there are many different problems that can attack your grow room., you must be ready)
Avoiding Pests •
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The best way to avoid pests is to keep your grow room very clean. Try to keep the floor clear of old leaf material, grow medium, dirt, etc. 5eep your pets out of your grow room) They can carry all sorts of germs and can often be the carriers for pests. 0lways keep the grow room at optimal temperatures. +ites thrive in overly warm, moist environments. "f you happen to have a mite infestation, keeping the temperature as low as possible, around 678/9:;.;8<=, will also help slow a mite infestation if one should occur.
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Avoiding old!"ungus!Pl#nt Problems •
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Keep good air circulation in your grow room; always h ave air circulating around the plants and try to keep at least one outside source of intake or exhaust going.
>se a carbon air filter whenever possible to filter mold and fungus from the air. 5eep the humidity between ?7@A7B in your grow room. "n more humid climates a dehumidifier is strongly recommended. 5eeping the temperature down around 678/9:;.;8<= will help keep mold and fungus under control.
Avoiding C$emic#l Burn!Nutrient %oc&out •
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Check pH levels of nutrient solution(or soil) on a daily basis.
Never mix nutrients together by themselves4 always mix nutrients in plenty of water. 5eep pots, reservoirs, and grow mediums clean. /lush soil based plants with a full gallon of plan water at once a month.
#ri'u#n# Pl#nt (tresses (lant stress causes stunted growth which means weak tiny buds. Ctress in mari'uana plants is caused by imbalances of the plant chemistry. Denerally plant stress disrupts the normal chemical reactions happening within the plant and causes ethylene9the aging hormone= to start developing in the cells. (lant*s typically don*t like any sudden shock to their systems. 0ny unusual event in the mari'uana plant*s lifecycle will drastically alter its internal chemistry and result in retarded growth. Come of the most common mari'uana plant stress causes are Nutrient (tress) >sually cased by too much, not enough, or an imbalance of the nutrientsEfertiliFersG. This can attract diseases or certain pests and disrupt root function. Irregul#r P$oto*eriod) "rregular light cycles will change the hormonal balance in mari'uana plants that are dependent upon the length of light and
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dark photoperiods to determine when to flower. dd or infreuent lighting schedules stress plants. ,#ter (tress) There is a lack of water or too much water for the plant to absorb. Water stress in mari'uana plants causes abscisic acid to build up and closes down the plant*s stomatas. iner#l (tress)
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/oot D#m#ge) Whether it be physical or chemical root damage, both cause the plant to divert its chemistry to keep the roots advancing and creating new root hairs to absorb food. !oots canIt actually rebuild themselves when damaged4 they 'ust seal off the damaged section and move around it. 3nsuring optimum nutrient feeding and proper root handling are critical for a satisfactory grow. Environment#l E0tremes ! Pl#nt Dise#ses) 3xternal stressors and disease can cause a plant to stress and age prematurely and cause slow, stunted growth.
Common Pl#nt Problems The problems that plague growers are myriad so it is difficult to say what the best approach is to this topic. (erhaps the best approach is to make this guide practical for troubleshooting purposes. To this end. You should first find the part of the plant or type of plant material that is showing a symptom that makes you think there is a problem. /rom there, find the listed symptom that best describes what you are seeing and you will hopefully find the problem and suggested fixes. This section is intended for troubleshooting and diagnosis. "f you would like to familiariFe yourself with the symptoms of the most common problems then skim seed issues, root issues, ph and water related leaf symptoms, stem issues, and problems with harvested mari'uana.
(eeds Ceeds are the foundational elements of all new generations of cannabis. 0ny problems with this base of life will result in poor performance throughout the entire grow. The ideal seed is a dark green, almost brown9and may also have stripes or other markings depending on genetics=. 0 viable seed will be plump and firm. 0pplying slight pressure on the seed*s outer coating will not crush it. These factors can really make the difference between a small spindly wilting plant and a vigorous healthy plant. 0 plump particularly ripe seed within a batch indicates improved fast growing genetics and a stronger seed that is more likely to survive to maturity.
Brittle!,$ite (eed) "f a slight pressure with your fingertip crushes seeds then your seeds are not viable. They are immature. You should move along to other seeds, if you produced these seeds yourself than you need to be sure to pollinate the plant early in flowering and to let the seeds grow until they are starting to fall out naturally and are fully ripe and mature. Green (eed) 0 green seed is simply an immature seed. "f the seed is firm and doesn*t crush easily under a fingertip then it might still be saved if you do not have a dark viable seed to replace it9only use less than ideal seed if you can*t avoid it=. "n order to save a green seed place it inside a damp paper towel in a dark warm place and check on it every few hours. The color of the seed will darken as it first ripens and it may eventually sprout. You should plant this seed very close to the surface if it sprouts since it may not have the nutrient stores that a fully mature seed would have. With the appropriate attention and care, an immature green seed can grow into a full flourishing plant with expressing full genetic potential. (m#ll (eeds) 0lways choose the largest seeds you can. >nfortunately many plants simply do not produce large enough seeds. Come strains produce small seed exclusively.
1 To* /e#sons Your (eeds ,ont Germin#te 13 Too Cold)
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adding perlite. which will aerate your soil. .3 Too Dr5) 0 certain amount of water is essential for germination, so maintaining a constant soil moisture during the germination period is vital, cover containers with glass or plastic sandwich wrap to prevent your soil from drying out. 3 Pl#nting Too Dee*) This will result in delayed emergence @ seeds may not be able to grow enough to reach the surface on the limited food storage within the seed. Coil temperature is also lower with depth. (lant your seed ;#: and inch to an inch down for best results. 43 Pl#nting (eeds Too ($#llo6) "f you plant your seeds too shallow they can dry out uickly. 73 (oil Too "irm) +aking your soil mix too firm can prevent oxygen from getting to your seeds and affect drainage. 83 (oil Too %oose) Coil that is too loose will result in too much air surrounding the seed9s= @ they will not absorb moisture and will most likely dry out.
93 (oil "ungus) Ceeds can root well or seedlings can fall over and die. ver@ watering, poor drainage, and lack of aeration will increase the likelihood of this occurring. (lant seeds in steriliFed potting mix, and make sure your containers are cleaned properly. 13 Non :i#ble (eeds) "f your seeds have not been stored correctly they can deteriorate. 0s aforementioned, look for viable uality dark brown seeds. 0void immature seeds9typically light colored or whitish=.
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/oots !oots are the base of the plant. Water, nutrients, and hormone supplements will be passed up from the roots into the plants internal tissues. You need a strong, healthy, thriving root system to be able to efficiently pass enough nutrients and to support the plant at its maximum growth rate. Cince the root structure isn*t usually visible it is important to take proper preventative measures in order to ensure your roots never develop problems. Cick stressed roots can display certain symptoms... Tig$t P#c&ed /oots Curling Around t$e Edge o; Cont#iner) This symptom is often accompanied by less than optimum growth. Your roots simply don*t have enough room. Dive them some more space by transplanting to a larger container disturbing the root ball as little as possible. +any people massage the bottom and sides of the root ball very gently 'ust enough to untangle the tips but not so much as to actually break the root ball. "f when transplanting you see that the roots did not take advantage of the container*s horiFontal space it means you didn*t transplant often enough early on. You should transplant from smaller to larger container. /oot (tunting) !oot stunting is characteristic of calcium deficiency, acidity, aluminum toxicity, and copper toxicity. Come species may also show it when boron deficient. The shortened roots become thickened, the laterals become stubby, peg@like, and the whole system often discolours, brown or grey. Cymptoms localiFed at shoot growing points. New shoots unopened4 young leaves distorted4 dead leaf tips4 pale green plant copper deficiency. New shoots withered or dead4 petiole or stem collapse4 shoots stunted4 green plant calcium deficiency Young leaves pale green or yellow4 rosetting or dead tip4 dieback4 dark green plant boron deficiency. (*#rse or Insubst#nti#l /oots) This solely depends on your stage of growth. -ut generally speaking roots will grow well in a medium with a carefully maintained p$ and lots of oxygen. This can be an early sign that you need more oxygenation. This is most likely caused by poor drainage in the soil9as water
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pulls air into the pot from the top as it drains down the bottom= or perhaps you should add an air stone to your reservoir in a hydroponic system. (lim5< (mell5 /oots) Jack of oxygen has causes condition known as (ythium, or 1root rot2 in which your roots have begun to turn putrid. You can try to save a rotting plant but you should remember that the impact on upon the results of your grow are going to be substantial and you should take mental note and take it as a learning experience. (lease see below for the entire root rot remedy.
(tems Ctems are the support trunks of your plant, including all its leaves and flowers. 3ach and every stem on the plant is important and is essential to the part it connects. Ctems internally have a layer that transports nutrients and another layer of soft pulp that transports water. -ecause of this, stems are almost entirely composed of water weight and weight become nearly nothing when dried. /or the best end result from your harvest, both in potency and uantity, you will want nice strong thick stems. %e#ning Br#nc$es) "f your branches are leaning down under the weight of your flowers the best thing you can do is tie them up. This can be partially avoided by installing a circulating fan in an indoor grow room simulating the natural wind, the movement will cause your stems to strengthen. T$in< (*indl5 (t#l&s) The most common cause of this symptom is lack of light. "f plants are not getting enough light they will stretch to reach their light source. You probably need a bigger light and#or need to move it closer to the plants. 3arly on this can be partly solved by burying the plant more deeply when transplanting. !oots will eventually grow out of the newly submerged stem. You can also help this condition by installing a circulating fan @ the fan will simulate wind and the movement will drastically strengthen stems. 0 weak root system may also contribute to this symptom. Bro&en (tem) This was probably caused by you trying to the bend the plant. "ts okay, don*t panic the plant will probably be fine. Kust tape the stem back together and support it by tying to a stake if needed in order to take the
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pressure off the break while the wound heals. "n time the plant will heal itself and will have a knot where the break was located. You should allow your plant time to recover before stressing the location.
%e#ves The leaves of the plant are its solar panels and lungs. Through its leaves the plant will absorb the power of the sun and utiliFe it in the process of photosynthesis. The leaves on your plant are usually the first to show signs that something is going wrong. With few exceptions, damage to the leaf material will not recover after the problem is remedied and you should look to the new growth for signs the problem is resolved and the overall condition of the plant should show improvement. Droo*ing %e#ves) The most common causes of this symptom are over and under watering. "f you are using a soil grow are you allowing the soil surface to get completely dry before watering againL You should be. "f in a hydroponic grow you need to take measures to get oxygen to your roots. therwise, water your plant. "n a soil grow you will want to fully saturate the pot with water when you water and then let the top inch or two of the soil dry out before drowning her again. 0s an added note, if you are using soil and it never seems to dry out then you may have purchased a bag of topsoil and not potting soil. This soil will not drain at all. You need a proper soil mix. Bro#d %e#ves 6it$ Edges Curled Do6n) This is a sign of excessive humidity. This usually won*t harm the plant but less than optimal conditions result in a less than optimal growth and harvest. The width of the leaf is also determined by genetics so broad leaves alone are not a sure indicator of whether your environment is too humid. N#rro6 %e#ves 6it$ Edges Curled U*) This is a sign of low humidity. Jike excess humidity this will not harm the plant but less than optimal conditions result in a less than optimal growth. Denetics again affect leaf broadness as well.
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Cris*5 %e#ves) Your fan leaves are drying up because you are over fertiliFing and the concentration of nutrients in the planting medium is so strong that it is drawing water from the plants. Ctop fertiliFing. "f you can, flush the planting containers to remove some of the excess nutrients. Yello6ing o; t$e %e#ves =;rom t$e bottom o; t$e *l#nt u*6#rd>) This can be a sign of nitrogen deficiency or of over fertiliFation. "f accompanied early by browning and necrosis of the leaf tips then you may be over fertiliFing. 0dding extra fertiliFer when you are already over@fertiliFing will kill a plant at any stage of growth so it is safer to flush the plant9if using a pot use three times as much water as your container siFe= with clean water to remove the excess nutrients. "f this helps then excess nutrients are the problem. This could be because you are feeding the plant too much or if later in the growth cycle could be caused by excess nutrient salts building up in the soil. "f this does not help then you may need to add more Nitrogen into your fertiliFer mix. These symptoms can also be caused by a p$ imbalance. This symptom will also be seen late in flowering on many strains and is perfectly natural as the plant draws in nutrients from the leaves toward the end of its life. Come growers prefer to give extra nitrogen to slow or prevent this and others like to let nature take its course. 3ither will produce a satisfactory harvest. Bro6n!Pur*le (*ots #nd!or D#r& Green %e#ves on (tunted Pl#nt) This is generally a sign of phosphorus deficiency. You may need to add more phosphorus to your water or you might have a p$ imbalance. Bro6n!T#n!P#le (*ots T$roug$out %e#ves) You may have a phosphorus deficiency or you may have contracted a pest. !efer to the section on pests for more information on detecting and removing a pest infestation. Yello6ing Bet6een %e#; :eins) This is likely a potassium deficiency. +ore on this later... You need to add to your water or correct a p$ balance. (otassium can also be locked out by salt buildup so if your p$ is correct you may try a flush before ad'usting nutrients.
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Older %e#ves Yello6 "rom t$e Center Out6#rd< %e#; ti*s bro6n *rogressing in6#rd< *#le ne6 gro6t$) Jook to trace element deficiency for these problems. +agnesium and
%e#; oisture (tress (5m*toms #nd (olutions "t is uite normal to hear groans from growers having leaf problems. +any newer growers exercise much concern for their leaf problems, minute or otherwise. >nless insect damage has occurred or the plant is suffering from a severe case of calcium deficiency, the plant is trying to tell you that it is water stressed. "t*s hard to tell exactly what the culprit is, and unfortunately the solution the confused grower chooses oftentimes is not the right one. 0 mis@ diagnosis only serves to make matters worse by promoting further decline. $ere are some of the more common causes that can induce these common symptoms included with a few simple solutions. >ltimately though the most effective and correct solution is in the hands of the grower. Over?;ertili@ing) The most common cause of leaf cupping aka leaf margin rolling, leaf margin burn, and leaf tip curl#burn is the overFealous use of too much plant food in relationship to factors such as plant vigor and rate of growth. The first unit of a plant to show moisture stress is the leaf at its margins and#or tips, reflected by margin rolling 9cupping= or burning. 0 hard, crispy feel to the leaf freuently occurs as well, as opposed to a soft and cool feel of a happy leaf. When you have a high concentration of salts in solution 9or in the root medium= compared to lower salinity levels found in the plantLs tissue, water is actually drawn out of the plant across the root gradient in order to fix the ppm imbalance. "W, this is a natural, osmotic response that serves to eualiFe salinity levels on both sides of the rootLs epidermal gradient. -ack off on the amount and#or freuency of plant food. Too much plant food can also
12
burn the roots, especially the sensitive root tips, which then creates another set of problems. Note for the bio folks @ as soil dries, the concentration of the remaining salts rises further exacerbating the problem. -ig$ -e#t) The plant is losing water via itLs leaves faster than what can be replaced by the root system. The leaf responds by leaf margin cupping or rolling 9up or down= in order to conserve moisture. 0 good example is reflected by the appearance of broad@bladed turf grass on a hot summer day, high noon, with low soil moisture levels @ the leaf blade will roll in and the grass will take on a dull, greyish@green appearance. >pon sunrise when moisture levels have returned to normal, the leaf blade will be flat. Jower the heat and concentrate on developing a large, robust root system by practicing sound plant culture. 0n efficient and effective root system will go a long way to prevent heat induced leaf dessication and leaf margin curling. ne short episode of high heat is enough to permanently disable or destroy leaf tissue and cause a general decline in the leaves affected, which often occurs to leaves found at the top of the plant located near $"M lamps. "f the damaged leaf does not fully recover, no matter what you do then one can only look to new growth for indications that the problem has been corrected. E0cess %ig$t) -elieve it or not, you can give your favorite plant too much light.
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a curative, and 'ust add insult to in'ury. Under?6#tering) Not only is the plant now stressed due to a low supply of adeuate moisture, but carbohydrate production has been greatly compromised. Ctep up the watering freuency, and if need be, organic growers may need to water from the bottom up until moisture levels reach a norm throughout the medium. "f the pot feels light to the lift @ it*s time to water. Mon*t wait until the soil pulls away from the sides of the pot or leaves droop before you water. 0nd of course, leach once in a while to get rid of excess salts.
"lo6ers "t goes without saying that flowers are what growing mari'uana is all about. They are the only part of the plant that contains high enough concentrations of psychoactive compounds to be used without additional processing after drying. /lowers are also critical to seed production and the continuation of the species. ,$ite Pistils Turn Pur*le!/ed!Or#nge) This is not a problem and means you have done something right. "t is common for pistils to change color if they are not pollinated. "lo6ers #re (tunted 6it$ -#rd Bum*s bet6een Pistils) Your plant is likely pollinated. The bumps are seeds) Internode (*#cing is ,ide #nd Buds #re Air5) This is probably caused by a wide variation between your daytime and nighttime temperature. "f using lights indoors you can do a number of things to keep temperature under control The simplest ad'ustment is to make sure your lights run at night when it is coolest and are off during the day. ,$ite "lu;;5 or Po6der5 Co#ting on Buds) Mon*t mistake this with the sparkling trichomes crystals that will coat the flowers and the surrounding leaves in a fairly uniform manner. This is either mold or it looks whispy and weblike may be a pest. 3ither way it must be removed from your garden. "f it*s identified a pest then please refer to pest section but if its powdery mold remove it from your garden immediately. Mo NT smoke or eat moldy bud you
1.
could get sick and may even die. Buds Are (m#ll) The buds are the culmination of the entire grow and their siFe will reflect literally everything else you have done. /or big buds you need healthy roots that deliver lots of nutrients. You need to deliver proper nutrient levels. You need to supplement <: during flowering and have proper ventilation when not supplementing. Temperature control is crucial. You also will need to prune your plants properly, removing smaller growth with little potential so that your plants may concentrate on the main bud or buds. Buds Arent (tic&5!/esinous) The flowers simply aren*t ready yet. Jet them develop a little bit longer. 0n early finishing strain will take a full eight weeks of flowering and some strains will take twelve weeks. Dive your plants the time they need to mature. -#rvested "lo6ers) +any people mistakenly believe that they are done when they harvest their flowers but in many ways the challenge is only started. Now you have a big pile of potentially usable bud and must treat and tend it to completion with out problems, especially mold. Cris*5 Crumbl5 Buds) You simply let your bud dry too much and probably too fast. 3mploy a re@moisturiFing strategy. Pli#ble (tems 6it$ Dr5 Bud) There is likely more moisture on the inside. Mepending on 'ust how dry the bud is you could move on to the curing stage using a slow cure to draw the moisture out from the center of the plant, or let it dry longer. (owdery or Whispy Tendrils in /lowers This is mold#mildew. You need to let your buds get more air. Mo not try to save or smoke moldy bud. Buds (mell #nd T#ste %i&e -#5!%#6n)
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flush before harvest. -#rs$ (mo&e) (roper slow drying and curing will give you a smooth smoke.
Clones
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When using a humidity dome for cloning, you want to make sure if you do mist your plants, do not mist them heavily @ you donIt want to spoil your plants. +isting too heavy will delay rooting. "f the temperature in the medium where the roots are at is under O%8/9;A.P8<=, you*ll want to use a heating mat. Temperatures of around 6%@A78/9:P.A@:O.O8<= are optimal. 0nything over A78/9:O.O8<= will cause transpiration and dry out your medium to uickly and roots will not have a decent chance of growing.
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"f you are growing in hydroponics its good to change your water every : weeks T(C to keep out bacteria growth and to keep your plants with a good supply of fresh water. 0 good rule to go by for how much ((+ each part of your plants growth has is as follows 9This is 'ust a guideline and in different situations the ppm would need to be changed= @Ceedlings should be around %7@;%7 ((+ @>nrooted clones to be around ;77@P%7 ((+ @Cmall plants to be around ?77@A77 ((+ @Jarge plants to be around Q77@;A77 ((+ @Jast week of flowering use plain water. "f you see dark or patchy spots on your leaves, that could mean you have mold.
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,#ter Water is a ma'or factor when growing healthy plants. Not only do plants reuire large amounts of water, there are also many different specific kinds of water to use. -ottled water, tap water, !everse smosis water9!=, purified water, and distilled water. ut of all these different kinds of water sources, the most important factor is that you avoid sodium at all costs. Codium will completely lock out any nutrients you have given your plants. Codium is the first thing plants take in when uptaking nutrients. When this happens, a buildup of salts occur and locks out nutrients in your soil#hydro setup4 resulting in weak buds and stunted growth. >sing a water that has sodium, like from bottled water, tap water, or from a water softener, is exactly what you want to stay away from. (lants suffering from sodium toxicity show a vast amount of problems, dependent upon how resilient your strains are, and how healthy your plants are overall. These factors play a great deal in the final outcome. +ari'uana plants are most susceptible to this under P weeks of age. Codium causes stunting droopiness and most of the time, nitrogen, magnesium and calcium are the nutrients to be locked out first4 twisting and discoloration on the leaves, mostly lower to middle is where it starts. They will always have a droopy look to them even when your soil is kind of dry4 the leaves never stay perky when there is too much sodium in the system9soil ad hydroponics alike=. Cometimes your plants will not recover and they unfortunately wont grow @ usually itIs the younger plants less than P weeks of age. "n order to fix this problem you need to flush your soil out with a lot of clean sodium free water. /lush with as much clean water as you can with a volume of :x the amount of the siFe of your container. Co if you have a : gallon siFe pot4 use ? gallons of water to flush it out. "f you are using hydroponic system flush out your system with clean water H let it sit for about ;% min. Chortly after, flush it out and put more clean water in, then you can apply your nutrients.
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-#rd ,#ter) $ard water causes nutrients to not be absorbed properly in your plants, in order to find out if you have hard water you can by test strips from a pool store or hardware store. Ctrips will tell you p$ levels, mineral content and any other things that may be lurking in your water. 0nything over :77ppm is considered to be 1hard2 water, but itIs the higher numbers like P%7ppm and beyond that you need to be concerned with. "f you do have hard water, you may want to consider installing a reverse osmosis system. !everses osmosis systems not only clean the water, but also removes the calcium and magnesium and other mineral deposits from pipes and other uestionable sources. $igh levels of calcium and magnesium are what primarily contribute to hard water. "f you choose to use a reverse osmosis, you will need to supplement your plants with a little more calcium and magnesium to make up for the slight loss. P- Problems) Too high or too low a ($ can lock up nutrients in the form of indissoluble salts and compounds, some of which are actually toxic to the plants. What then happens is the grower then tries to supplement the plants diet by adding more fertiliFers, throwing off the p$ even more and locking up even more critical nutrients. This type of problem is seen more often in soil mixes, where inconsistent mixing of the medium*s components leads to hot spots. ne of the first signs of having a slight ($ problem is your plant having part of its leaves twisty and spotty with brown, yellowish, red spots within each other. Cometimes they donIt have to have all the colors, they could 'ust be spots that have yellowish brown, or 'ust reddish brown and can happen anywhere on the plant. These discolorations mainly start on big fan leaves then move on to little leaves.
2
Nutrient Problems +ari'uana plants are very adaptable, but a general rule of thumb is to use more nitrogen H less phosphorous during the vegetative period, and the exact opposite during the flowering period. /or the vegetative period try a N(5 ratio of about ;76A 9which of course is the same ratio as :7;?;O=, and for flowering plants, ?AA.
"unction o; Elements in Pl#nt -e#lt$ Boron=B>) Ctimulates cell division, flower formation and pollination. C#lcium=C#>) !aises soil p$4 promotes root hair formation and early growth. C$lorine=Cl>) Needed for photosynthesis4 stimulates root growth and aids water circulation in plants. Cob#lt=Co>) "mproves growth, water circulation, and photosynthesis. Co**er=Cu>) Ctimulates stem development and pigment formation.
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Iron="e>) Ctimulates the formation of chlorophyll and helps oxidiFe sugar for energy4 also necessary for legume nitrogen fixation. "t regulates the respiration of the plant*s cells. #gnesium=g>) 0ids in chlorophyll formation and energy metabolism4 it increases oil production in flax and soy beans4 helps regulate uptake of other elements. "t also promotes healthy, disease@resistant plants. "t is generally available in acidic soils. #ng#nese=n>) Necessary for the formation of chlorophyll. ol5bdenum=o>) Needed for nitrogen fixation and nitrogen use in the plant4 stimulates plant growth and vigor much like nitrogen. Nitrogen=N>) Necessary for chlorophyll and genetic material 9MN0 H !N0= formation4 stimulates green, leafy growth. P$os*$orous=P>) Necessary for genetic material 9MN0 H !N0= formation4 stimulates fruit, flower and root production, and early season growth4 increases disease resistance. (ilicon=(i>) "ncreases number of seeds4 strengthens cell walls of plants. (odium=N#>) "ncreases resistance to drought4 increases sugar content in some crops. (ul;ur=(>) 0ids in formation of certain oil compounds that give specific odors to some plants such as onions, garlic, mustard, etc4 increases oil production in flax and soy beans. inc=>) Ctimulates stem growth and flower bud formation.
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obile Elements #cro Nutrients +obile 3lements are mostly going to affect the older leaves first then work their way to other leaves. /ollowing this, the nutrients will be taken from old leaves to assist in newer growths. +obile elements are more likely to exhibit visual deficiencies in the older leaves, primarily due to the heavy resource demand on newer foliage development.
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Nitrogen =N> ? obile Element #nd #cro Element Necessary for all phases of plant growth. Nitrate @ 0mmonium is found in both inorganic and organic forms in the plant, and combines with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and sometimes sulfur to form amino acids, amino enFymes, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, alkaloids, and purine bases. Nitrogen rates high as molecular weight proteins in plant tissue. (lants need lots of N during vegging, but it*s easy to overdo it. Nitrogen plays a key role for your plants4 it is directly responsible for production of chlorophyll, photosynthesis, and amino acids9which are the building block of (roteins=. These myriad of enFymes help the plants growth in terms of leaf and stem development and the how well the vigor of your plants is. (5m*toms o; # Nitrogen De;icienc5) (lants will exhibit lack of vigor, slow growth and will be weak and stunted. Suality and yield will be significantly reduced. lder leaves become yellow 9chlorotic= from lack of chlorophyll. Meficient plants will exhibit uniform light green to yellow on older leaves, and these leaves may die and drop. Jeaf margins will not curl up noticeably.
2.
(5m*toms o; # Nitrogen To0icit5) Jeaves are often dark green and in the early stages abundant with foliage. "f excess is severe, leaves will dry and begin to fall off. !oot system will remain under developed or deteriorate after time. /ruit and flower set will be inhibited or deformed. -reakdown of vascular tissue restricting water uptake. Ctress resistance is drastically diminished.
Nitrogen De;icienc5 (olution) /or a uick fix you can make weekly foliar applications of fish emulsion or manure tea. ver the long@term apply aged compost, manure, soybean meal or cottonseed meal to the soil once in Cpring. Ceaweed extract will improve the soil environment thus giving nitrogen fixing bacteria a boost.
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0 good solid N@(@5 ratio will fix any nitrogen deficiency. 0ny chemical or organic fertiliFers that have Nitrogen in them will fix a nitrogen deficiency., (eters all purpose plant food :7@:7@:7 is good, +iracle grow 0ll purpose plant food, +iracle grow Tomato plant food9only mixing at strength when using chemical nutrients, or it will cause nutrient burn)=, as well and blood meal. "f you need to give your plants a uick solution to nitrogen and you want to use blood meal, " suggest making it into a tea for faster use, where blood meal is slow acting, but when made into a tea it works uicker) ther sources of nitrogen are dried blood, cotton seed meal which is slow acting, insect eating bat guano which is fast acting. -one meal is a gradual absorption when not made into a tea9also an excellent source of phosphorus=. /ish +eal r /ish 3mulsion is a good source of nitrogen and is medium acting. Worm castings are good4 gradual absorption. Ceabird guano, 0ll purpose +illennia Ceabird Duano, riginal Ceabird Duano 0ll (urpose,
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/ish 3mulsion 9%@;@;= Ceabird Duano 9;;@;P@P= p9:@;@:= -io@Drow 9;.A@7.;@O.O= 0ge old Drow 9;:@O@O= 0D3 ld 5elp 9.P7@.:%@.;%= Neptune*s $arvest 9:@?@;= +axicrop Ceaweed9.;@7@;= +3T0N0T>!0JC rganic grow 9P@P@P= +3T0N0T>!0JC rganic nitrogen 9;O@7@7= Co adding any one of the compounds listed above should fix your nitrogen deficiency) Nitrogen deficient plants usually recover in about a week, affected leaves will not recover. Note) -lood +eal, Mried -lood, Duanos, 5elp +eal,
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Nitrogen To0icit5 (olution) 0dded too muchL /lush the soil with plain water. Coluble nitrogen9especially nitrate= is the form that*s the most uickly available to the roots, while insoluble N9like urea= first needs to be broken down by microbes in the soil before the roots can absorb it. 0void excessive ammonium nitrogen, which can interfere with other nutrients. Too much N delays flowering. (lants should be allowed to become Nitrogen@deficient late in flowering for best flavor.
P$os*$orus =P> ? obile Element #nd #cro Element Necessary for strong stems, fruiting, rooting and seed making. (hosphorus is a component of certain enFymes and proteins, adenosine triphosphate90T(=, ribonucleic acids9!N0=, deoxyribonucleic acid 9MN0= and phytin. 0T( is involved in various energy transfer reactions, and !N0 and MN0 are components of genetic information. (5m*toms o; # P$os*$orus De;icienc5) /an leaves are dark green or red#purple, and may turn yellow. Jeaves may curl under, go brown and die. Cmall@formed buds are another main symptom. (hosphorus deficient plants exhibit slow growth with dark green or purple pigmentation in older leaves and stems. Come deficiency during flowering is normal, but too much shouldn*t be tolerated. !ed petioles and stems are a normal, genetic characteristic for many varieties, plus it can also be a co@symptom of N, 5, and +g@deficiencies, so red stems are not a foolproof sign of (@deficiency. Too much ( can lead to iron deficiency. (lants deficient in (hosphorus will exhibit an overall dark green with purple, blue or reddish cast to leaves particularly on underside, veins and stems and some plants respond to lack of ( with yellowing. /oliage may be sparse, small and distorted becoming mottled and bronFy with maturity. Uery distinctive symptoms. 3xcess foliage with no flowers can also indicate lack of 9(=. (urpling4 accumulation of anthocyanin pigments4 causes an overall dark green color with a purple, red, or blue tint, and is the common sign of phosphate deficiency. Come plant species and varieties respond to phosphate deficiency by yellowing instead of purpling. (urpling is natural to some healthy ornamentals.
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P$os*$orus To0icit5) This To0icit5) This condition is rare and usually buffered by p$ limitations. 3xcess phosphorus can interfere with the availability availability and stability of copper and Finc. P$os*$orus De;icienc5 (olution) Jower p$ to %.% V O.:9hydrop O.:9hydroponics=, onics=, O @6 clay soils, %.% V O.% potting soils. Come deficiency during flowering is normal, but too much shouldn*t be tolerated. 0ny chemical or organic fertiliFers that have (hosphorus in them will fix a (hosphorus deficiency. deficiency. 0 uick uick fix is to spray plant weekly with fish emulsion until symptoms uit. 0pply a light soil dressing of wood ashes. "ncorporate aged compost into the soil to boost microorganisms. Your long term strategy Your strategy is to mix rock phosphate phosphate or aged manure into into the soil in /all. "f you have a phosphorus deficiency you should use any N@(@5 ratio that is over %. 0gain, (eters all purpose :7@:7@:7 is a good mix. +iracle grow Tomato
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plant food, +iracle grow 0ll purpose plant food9only mixing at strength when using chemical nutrients, or it will cause nutrient burn)=. ther forms of phosphorus supplements are -one meal, which is gradual gradual absorption, " suggest making it into a tea for faster use, where bone#blood meal is slow acting, but when made into a tea it works uicker) /ruit eating bat guano, which is fast absorption, worm castings, which is gradual absorption, absorption, fish meal, which is medium absorption4 soft rock phosphate, which is medium absorption, Kamaican Kamaican or "ndonesian guano, which is fast absorption. absorption.
Pot#s$!Pot#ssium Pot#s$!Pot#ss ium => ? obile Element #nd #cro Element (otassium is necessary for strong root systems and for forming starch, protein (otassium and sugar. (otassium is involved in maintaining the water status of the plant as well as regulating the pressure of it*s cells and the opening and closing of the stomata. (otassium (otassium is reuired in the accumulation and translocation translocation of carbohydrates. Jack of potassium will severely reduce yield and uality. (5m*toms o; # Pot#ssium De;icienc5) Cickly looking plants, undersiFed fruits, leaves showing marginal and interveina interveinall yellowing. Yellowing Yellowing starts on older leaves and progresses upwards. Jeaves may crinkle, turn brown and roll upwards. -lossoms may be distorted and small. (lant has little resistance resistance to
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heat, cold and disease problems. (otash deficiency is mostly in the upper levels of soil.
lder leaves are initially chlorotic but soon develop dark necrotic lesions 9dead tissue=. /irst apparent on the tips and margins of the leaves. Ctem and branches may become weak and easily broken, the plant may also stretch. The plant will become susceptible to disease and toxicity. "n addition to appearing to look like iron deficiency, the tips of the leaves curl and the edges burn and die. Too much sodium9Na= displaces 5, causing a 5 deficiency. Cources of high salinity are baking soda9sodium bicarbonate p$@up=, too much manure, and the use of water@softening filters 9which should not be used=. "f the problem is Na, flush the soil. 5 can get locked up from too much
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nitrogen, and cold environmental conditions. Pot#ssium To0icit5) >sually not absorbed excessively by plants. 3xcess potassium can aggravate the uptake of magnesium, manganese, Finc and iron and effect the availability of calcium. Pot#ssium De;icienc5 (olution) /or a uick fix you can spray plant weekly with fish emulsion until symptoms uit. ver the long term apply seaweed, manure, granite dust or greensand to the soil in fall. $ardwood ashes may be applied to soil anytime. 0ny
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#gnesium =g> ? icronutrient #nd obile Element +agnesium is a component of the chlorophyll molecule and serves as a cofactor in most enFymes.
(5m*toms o; # #gnesium De;icienc5) 0 lack of magnesium is characteriFed almost identically with iron deficiency but the older leaves, generally at the bottom of the plant, show marginal and interveinal reddening or yellowing with leaf base and midrib staying green. Jater in the season interveinal necrosis may occur. Jeaves may be brittle and thin with leaf curling and stunted growth. "n the /all as temperatures cool plants are unable to take up +g and leaves will turn a purple color.
+.
+agnesium deficient cannabis will exhibit a yellowing 9which may turn brown= and interveinal chlorosis beginning in the older leaves. The older leaves will be the first to develop interveinal chlorosis. Ctarting at leaf margin or tip and progressing inward between the veins. The tips may also twist. #gnesium To0icit5) +agnesium toxicity is rare and not generally exhibited visibly. 3xtreme high levels will antagoniFe other ions in the nutrient solution. #gnesium De;icienc5 (olution) 3psom salts9magnesium sulfate= can be used for magnesium deficiency. You can use it watering with a mix of ;@: teaspoons or 3psom salts dissolved in ; gallon of water or using the mix as foliar spray. +ake P applications O weeks apart. ther treatments include adding fish meal, basic slag, greensand or dolomitic limestone. The plants can be foliar feed at teaspoon#uart of 3psom salts 9first powdered and dissolved in some hot water=. When mixing up soil, use : teaspoon dolomite lime per gallon of soil. 5eep soil p$ above O.%, keep hydroponic p$ above %.%, and lower 3< for a week. "f the starting water is above :77 ppm9this hard water will lock out mg due to the excess calcium=. 3ither add a ;#? teaspoon per gallon of epsom salts or lime9both will effectively reduce the lockout or better still4 invest into a reverse osmosis water filter=. +g can get locked@up by too much
+
#gnesium To0icit5 (olution) "f you added too many chemical nutrients and#or organics9it is hard to burn your plants when using organics=, then you need to flush the soil with plain water. You need to use : times as much water as the siFe of the pot, for example "f you have a % gallon pot and need to flush it, you need to use ;7 gallons of water to rinse out the soil good enough to get rid of excessive nutrients.
inc =n> ? icro Nutrient #nd Immobile Element inc plays a roll in the same enFyme functions as manganese and magnesium. +ore than eighty enFymes contain tightly bound Finc essential for their function. inc participates in chlorophyll formation and helps prevent chlorophyll destruction. se chelated Finc. inc deficiency produces little leaf in many species, especially woody ones4 the younger leaves are distinctly smaller than normal. 0 inc deficiency may also produce rosetting4 the stem fails to elongate behind the growing tip, so that the terminal leaves become tightly bunched.
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inc De;icienc5 (olution) >se fertiliFers that generate acidity. rganic compounds such as Finc chelates9Finc 3MT0 and Finc NT0= are about five times more effective than inorganic salts with euivalent amounts of Finc. 0pply aged organic manure. inc To0icit5) 3xcess inc is extremely toxic and will cause rapid death. 3xcess Finc interferes with iron causing chlorosis from iron deficiency. 3xcess will cause sensitive plants to become chlorotic. inc De;icienc5 (olution) 0ny
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inc To0icit5 (olution) "f you added excess chemical nutrients and#or organics9it is hard to burn your plants when using organics=, then you need to flush the soil with plain water. You need to use : times as much water as the siFe of the pot, for example "f you have a % gallon pot and need to flush it, you need to use ;7 gallons of water to rinse out the soil good enough to get rid of excessive nutrients.
(ul;ur =(> ? icro Nutrient #nd Immobile Element Culfate is involved in protein synthesis and is part of the amino acids, cystine and thiamine, which are the building blocks of proteins. "t is active in the structure and metabolism in the plant. "t is essential for respiration and the synthesis and breakdown of fatty acids. (5m*toms o; # (ul;ur De;icienc5) Jeaves are pale yellow@green at any stage of development. Choots are stunted. Cimilar to chlorosis. (erform a soil test4 correct as necessary. The initial symptoms are the yellowing of the entire leaf9including veins=, usually starting with the younger leaves. Jeaf tips may yellow and curl downward. Culfur deficiencies are light green fruit or younger leaves with a lack of succulence. 3longated roots and woody stem. >pper stems of plant may appear purple. 0lthough many varieties of cannabis do get purplish stems, the trait generally extends the entire length of the plant*s stem, and not 'ust near the top .
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(ul;ur To0icit5) Jeaf siFe will be reduced and overall growth will be stunted. Jeaves yellowing or scorched at edges. 3xcess may cause early senescence. (ul;ur De;icienc5 (olution) Jower p$ to %.% V O. 0dd sulfur or potassium sulfate as necessary. >se caution when applying sulfur compounds, however. Too much sulfur 9sulfur toxicity= appears as veinal chlorosis followed by rapid defoliation of the lower leaves. +ix ;@: teaspoons of 3psom salts per gallon of water until condition improves. 0ny
+9
Note)
C#lcium =C#> ? #cro Nutrient #nd Immobile Element3
.
C#lcium To0icit5) Mifficult to distinguish visually. +ay precipitate with sulfur in solution and cause clouding or residue in tank. 3xcess calcium may produce deficiencies in magnesium and potassium. C#lcium De;icienc5 (olution) To fix a calcium deficiency you can treat by foliar feeding with one teaspoon of dolomite lime or garden lime per uart of water. 0lso, any
.1
flush the soil with plain water. You need to use : times as much water as the siFe of the pot, for example "f you have a % gallon pot and need to flush it, you need to use ;7 gallons of water to rinse out the soil good enough to get rid of excessive nutrients.
Iron ="e> ? icro Nutrient #nd Immobile Element "ron is an important component of plant enFyme systems for electron transport to carry electrons during photosynthesis and terminal respiration. "t is a catalyst for chlorophyll production and is reuired for nitrate and sulfate reduction and assimilation.
(5m*toms o; #n Iron De;icienc5) New leaves are the most symptomatic and when condition is most severe they can be all yellow or white but still have green veins. verall you see yellow leaves with green veins leading to marginal scorching or browning of leaf tips. Tip leaves, especially basal areas of leaflets, intense chlorotic mottling4 stem near tip also yellow. /ruits have poor color. Choot diameter is small. "ron deficit often occurs when the soil p$ is higher than 6.% meaning it is more alkaline. Jack of /e is common in plants living next to concrete walls, foundations etc. (erform a soil test4 correct soil p$ to 6.7 or lower. (ronounced interveinal chlorosis similar to that caused by magnesium
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deficiency but on the younger leaves as well as leaves exhibit chlorosis 9yellowing= of the leaves mainly between the veins, starting with the lower and middle leaves.
Iron To0icit5) 3xcess accumulation is rare but could cause bronFing or tiny brown spots on leaf surface. Iron De;icienc5 (olution) Jower soil p$ to O.% or less. 0void fertiliFers that contain excessive manganese and n. "n iron@deficient soils, add bone meal or blood meal organic amendments, or add iron sulfate or chelated iron liuid or granular inorganic amendments. /or a uick fix you can apply chelated iron directly to soil or as a foliar spray. ver the long@term improve the soil by adding ;@: inches of compost in the spring every year. 0ny
.+
that have potassium in them will speedily fix a "ron deficiency9only mixing at strength when using chemical nutrients, or it will cause nutrient burn)=. /oliar feed with chemical fertiliFer containing /e or rusty water can work well. ther supplements that have "ron in them are4 "ron chelates, /erric oxide, /errous oxide, /errous sulfate, all of these are fast absorption. Dreensand, se iron that*s chelated for maximum availability. !ead your fertiliFer*s ingredients @ chelated iron might read something like iron 3MT0. To much /e without adding enough ( can cause a (@deficiency. Note) When adding iron to the solution, it is often necessary to not use fertiliFer for that watering. "ron has a tendency of reacting with many of the components of fertiliFer solutions, and will cause nutrient lockup to occur. !ead the labels of both the iron supplement and the fertiliFer you are using before you attempt to combine the two.
Iron To0icit5 (olution) "f you added excess chemical nutrients and#or organics9it is hard to burn your plants when using organics=, then you need to flush the soil with plain water. You need to use : times as much water as the siFe of the pot, for example "f you have a % gallon pot and need to flush it, you need to use ;7 gallons of water to rinse out the soil good enough to get rid of excessive nutrients.
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#ng#nese =n> ? icronutrient #nd Immobile Element +anganese is involved in the oxidation reduction process in the photosynthetic electron transport system. -iochemical research shows that this element plays a structural role in the chloroplast membrane system, and also activates numerous enFymes.
(5m*toms o; # #ng#nese De;icienc5) Cimilar to a Nitrogen deficiency, leaves display marginal scorching, rolling and reduced width. Yellowing may also occur between leaf veins or total yellowing on youngest leaves. "nterveinal chlorosis of younger leaves, necrotic lesions and leaf shredding are typical symptom of this deficiency. $igh levels can cause uneven distribution of chlorophyll resulting in blotchy appearance. !estricted growth and failure to mature normally can also result. +n gets locked out when the p$ is too high, and when there*s too much iron. >se chelated +n.
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#ng#nese To0icit5)
C$loride =Cl>
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C$loride De;icienc5!To0icit5 (olution) Jevels less than ;?7 ppm are safe for most plants.
Boron =B> ? icronutrient #nd Immobile Element -oron amounts in the soil is directly proportional to the amount of organic matter. -oron biochemical functions are yet uncertain, but evidence suggests it is involved in the synthesis of one of the bases for nucleic acid9!N0 uracil= formation. "t may also be involved in some cellular activities such as division, differentiation, maturation and respiration. "t is associated with pollen germination.
(5m*tom o; # Boron De;icienc5) Youngest leaves may be red, bronFe or scorched also small, thick or brittle. New shoot tips may form what is called a witches broom. Ctems stiff4 terminal buds die and growths die back4 lateral shoots developed, giving plant flat top4 leaves highly tinted purple, brown and yellow. /ruit and vegetables may have heart rot. /ruits pitted and corky areas in skin4 ripening is uneven. -oron deficiencies are found mainly in acid, sandy soils in regions of high rainfall, and those with low soil organic matter. -orate ions are
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mobile in soil and can be leached from the root Fone. -oron deficiencies are more pronounced during drought periods when root activity is restricted. (lants deficient in boron exhibit brittle abnormal growth at shoot tips and one of the earliest symptoms is failure of root tips to elongate normally. Ctem and root apical meristems often die. !oot tips often become swollen and discolored. "nternal tissues may rot and become host to fungal disease. Jeaves show various symptoms which include drying, thickening, distorting, wilting, and chlorotic or necrotic spotting. Boron To0icit5) Yellowing of leaf tip followed by necrosis of the leaves beginning at tips or margins and progressing inward before leaves die and prematurely fall off. Come plants are especially sensitive to boron accumulation. Boron De;icienc5 (olution) 0pply household borax at a rate ; tablespoon borax to ;: uarts of water. This amount will treat a ;77 foot row of vegetables or ;7 suare feet of soil. 0pply two times :@P weeks apart. ne of the ways you can fix a boron deficiency is to either foliar spray or water accordingly. Treat with one teaspoon of -oric acid 9sold as eyewash= per gallon of water 9only mixing at strength when using chemical nutrients or it will cause nutrient burn)=. ther nutrients that have boron in them are -orax, -oric 0cid,
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Co**er =Cu>
Co**er To0icit5)
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Co**er De;icienc5 (olution) ne way to treat a copper deficiency is by foliar feeding with
ol5bdenum =o> +olybdenum is a component of two ma'or enFyme systems involved in the nitrate reeducates, this is the process of conversion of nitrate to ammonium. (5m*tom o; # ol5bdenum De;icienc5) ften interveinal chlorosis which occurs first on older leaves, then progressing to the entire plant. Meveloping severely twisted younger leaves which eventually die. +olybdenum deficiencies freuently resemble nitrogen, with older leaves chlorotic with rolled margins and stunted growth. ol5bdenum To0icit5) 3xcess may cause discoloration of leaves depending on plant species. This condition is rare but could occur from accumulation by continuous application. >sed by the plant in very small uantities. 3xcess mostly usually does not effect the plant, however the consumption of high levels have proven toxic so your plant might not be too good to smoke. ol5bdenum De;icienc5 (olution) ne way to fix a +olybdenum deficiency is to foliar spray with +olybdenum, such as +iracle Drow 0ll (urpose plant food and +iracle Drow Tomato (lant /ood. These can also be used to mix in with
water as well. 9nly mixing at strength when using chemical nutrients, or it will cause nutrient burn)=ther nutrients that have +olybdenum in them are " think (eters 0ll (urpose (lant food does, as well as Dreensand, Jime. Dreen sand and lime is slow#medium absorption, while (eters 0ll (urpose (lant /ood is fast absorption.
ol5bdenum To0icit5 (olution) "f you added excess chemical nutrients and#or organics9it is hard to burn your plants when using organics=, then you need to flush the soil with plain water. You need to use : times as much water as the siFe of the pot, for example "f you have a % gallon pot and need to flush it, you need to use ;7 gallons of water to rinse out the soil good enough to get rid of excessive nutrients.
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(odium =N#> Codium encourages crop yields and in specific cases it acts as an antidoting agent against various toxic salts. "t may act as a partial substitute for potassium deficiencies. 3xcess may cause plant toxicity or induce deficiencies of other elements. "f sodium predominates in the solution calcium and magnesium may be affected.
(ilicon =(i> Cilicon usually exists in solution as silicic acid and is absorbed in this form. "t accumulates as hydrated amorphous silica most abundantly in walls of epidermal cells, but also in primary and secondary walls of other cells. "t is largely available in soils and is found in water as well. "nadeuate amounts of silicon can reduce tomato yields as much as %7B, cause new leaves to be deformed and inhibit fruit set. 0t this time toxicity symptoms are undetermined.
Cob#lt =Co>
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Nic&el =Ni> Nickel is reuired by plants for proper seed germination. Though Ni deficiency symptoms are not well documented4 symptoms include chlorosis9yellowing of plant tissue= and interveinal chlorosis in young leaves that that goes down to plant tissue necrosis9browning and death of plant tissue=. ther things are poor seed germination and decreases in crop yield.
Nutrition#l %oc&out ne of the most frustrating difficult common problems growers encounter is Nutritional Jockout. Nutrient Jockout basically occurs when the optimal nutrient levels are not p$ and nutritionally balanced so your plants cannot get access to a specific nutrient or group of nutrients it needs, and conseuently it develops a deficiency. 0fter being in your tank for % or O days, and being eaten for % or O days, the nutrients become imbalanced. (erhaps you are growing plants that ate all the nitrogen first and 'ust snacked around the iron, magnesium and calcium, or vice@versa. "t can also be caused by a chemical reaction in the medium#solution that causes a toxic substance to block the roots, or causes a chemical reaction that creates another substance that changes the chemical properties of the other nutrients. There can be many causes, but almost always the results are discoloration in the leaves, yellowing or rust spots, or curling up of leaf tips. "t also becomes apparent when your plants were consuming a gallon or half gallon of water every day, and then suddenly when you check the levels the next day, they did not drink any water at all. This is a classic case of Nutritional Jockout.
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T$e 8?(te* Com*lete Nutrition#l %oc&out /emed5 (te* 1> +. !emove the dead brown roots by trimming them away with sharp scissors. M NT leave them in the tank. (te* 2>
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(te* 4> 0dd ;#? teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to a uart of water and add it to the tank of six gallons already in the tank. Wait ten minutes and then turn the water and nutrition solution pump off to prepare to drain the tank. (oor at least a cup of clean water through each grow cup, onto each rockwool cube and through the hydroton rocks. (te* 7> Mrain or pump the tank empty as possible without damaging the pump by running it dry. 0dd two gallons of additional clean water with ;#? teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide again and then drain it away too. 0gain, empty the tank as empty as possible without burning up your pump. (te* 8> 0dd fresh ($ balanced water and nutritional packets as prescribed. p$ test it again. Note) T$e #bove 8 ste*s s$ould re*#ir #nd remed5 #n5 $e#lt$ *roblems t$#t 5our *l#nts e0*erience 6it$in t$e ne0t t6o d#5s3 No6 is t$e time to tr5 #nd determine 6$#t c#used t$e *roblem to st#rt 6it$< b5 investig#ting #nd rese#rc$ing t5*ic#l $5dro*onics *roblems #nd illnesses3
Pests (ests are a constant threat to any grower be it farm crops, a vegetable garden, or growing mari'uana. (arasitic insects have been evolving for millions of years to infest, devour, and destroy plant matter in order to ensure their own proliferating survival. This section will focus on prevention, identification and eradication of blights afflicting mari'uana growers today. 0s you continue growing, you will sooner or later face pests. (ests are able to destroy all of the plants in your garden if they are in same room. (ests will find your indoor environment to be ideal and full of life@sustaining food. "t is crucial to know what pests are attracted most to cannabis, how exactly they thrive, and what the typical symptoms include. 0n iilluminated pocket magnifier and daily inspection can save your garden from ruin. ften, pests are hiding on the underside of leaves. "n order to get an accurate view of pests and their effects on your plants a magnifier of at least ;7x magnification power will be reuired. 5eeping a close watch over your garden is essential to ensure a successful healthy harvest.
Prevention "t has been said over and over that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure and we cannot reiterate this maxim enough. (revent outbreak first and foremost, then treat if necessary. -asic cleanliness can help on a massive scale to ensure you never walk up to your garden to have a flood of pests greet you. You work hard and spend your even harder earned money to produce a crop of smoke, don*t risk creating a bug buffet by casual laFiness. The following are the ma'or rules to follow in basic pest and disease prevention. Al6#5s @>se compost that has been processed properly. 0 medium heated to ;?78/9O78<= will kill any larvae, eggs and fungus that is residing there.
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regulating authority certifying the product. @Mo not use mulch. This easily@accessible, moist, shaded medium is a perfect retreat for incoming pests and fungus. The risk isn*t worthwhile. @5eep outdoor tools outside, and indoor tools inside. "f there are parasites in either garden, bringing in foreign ob'ect will introduce an infestation into your garden uicker than you can say +ary Kane. Tools used for regular yard work should always be steriliFed if brought indoors. !ubbing alcohol, soap and water, or a uick pass with a handheld torch will work best for maximum steriliFation. Outdoors @Cpray regularly with a pesticide targeted at worms and mites. !eturning with the regularity necessary to eradicate an infestation is not usually possible.
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grow room. Mon*t play in the mud and then decide to check your garden. Wash up) @Cweep always, mop often, keep debris off your medium. Mo not provide tasty snacks to incoming insects, a broom is far cheaper than pesticide. @"f your air intake comes from outside, install a filter designed for heating and cooling systems. These commercial filters are designed to keep pests and disease outside of your grow room. @$ealthy plants will be the best defense you can possibly have. ften mari'uana grows uickly enough to outpace pests, especially when healthy.
Identi;ic#tion #nd Tre#tment No matter the preventative measures you engage in, a pest population will infiltrate your crop eventually. /or growers with larger gardens, keep your eyes on weak plants) (ests generally tend to infect and flock to one plant first, build up numbers and launch an offensive on every nearby edible ob'ect. +ost insects lay thousands of eggs during their lifespan of mere weeks. "f ten pests lay ;77 eggs and their offspring each lay ;77 eggs, your pest population has 'umped from ;7 to ;77,777. This can occur within M0YC. (ay special attention to sickly plants, the evolutionary process dictates vulnerability to preying organisms. >sing chemicals on plants destined to be inhaled should 0JW0YC be used as a last resort. se these long before harvest. There are four methods you can employ to combat pests. /e*ression) "f the means to exterminate your particular bug isn*t immediately available, there are usually countermeasures you can take to slow infestations or decrease numbers of current pests. Taking these countermeasures during treatment further increases the effectiveness of the method you choose to utiliFe.
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Pred#tors) The internet has opened up the world to the grower for specific predatory insects that will dine or destroy others voraciously. +ost predators commonly identified in gardens are so specialiFed that the specific pest is completely defenseless. #nu#l /emov#l) 3xactly what it sounds like. (icking the things off, crushing eggs, removing branches that have colonies in place. "f caught early enough, manual removal can control pests sufficiently so they will not fully infest your plants. (*r#5) When applying pesticide in a spray, ensure you use a spreader sticker. This is any type emulsifier that aids the pesticide in sticking to the leaves and commercial products are readily available for purchase. When your plant is budding this is especially necessary because the leaves of your plants are developing coatings of resin that will shed what you are spraying. "f not purchasing a product, a teaspoon of dish soap per gallon of water will work fine. 0ny type of spray applied to plants will slow its growth temporarily as it will clog the stomata on the underside of leaves. Cpraying water ;@: days after application of a spray can help to clear stomata and aid the plant in resuming vigorous growth. The prevention sections will be all but useless to the outdoor gardener, however the treatments will be eually effective. (ests are listed alphabetically and predators are identified by exact species to avoid any confusion.
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A*$ids
Prevention) 0phids are most present indoors when lots are present outdoors. The aphid <0N fly when looking for a new home. Cticky traps placed on the floor near plants and hanging near the top will help discourage their forays indoors.
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Identi;ic#tion) 0phids are usually Identi;ic#tion) 0phids usually grey but can range range to any color color.. !egardless !egardless of their color, aphids will feast on any part of your plant by biting into leaf, stem, and bud alike while sucking the life out of the plant. The first sign of 0phids is usually leaf damage, sometimes sometimes holes appear in the leaves, the edges look *chewed* or the leaves start to *deform*, the plant again wilts and the growth is seriously affected. nce attached, the aphid becomes stationary and fairly easy to spot. 0 10?1@ m$g*i%ier will will be sufficient for positive identification. identification. /emale aphids do not reuire mating to reproduce and will excrete a live female
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offspring between P and ;77 times every day. These offspring are hungry) 0nts parading paradin g around the base of your plant can also be a sign of aphid infestations. 0nts naturally naturally farm aphids aphids to feed off their excretions. excretions. 0phids suck suck sap from reaching your plant*s tissues causing leaves to wilt and turn yellow yellow.. 0fter infestation infestati on has progressed you may notice buildup of aphid excretion called honeydew. 0phids thrive on weak vulnerable plants.
=A*$ids drin& 'uices out o; 5our *l#nt until t$e le#; 5ello6s< coll#*ses in on itsel;< #nd s$rivels3>
Tre#tment /e*ression) "f your plant can survive in a set of conditions, the aphid can as /e*ression) "f well. Pred#tors) The Jacewing9
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on infestation level as soon as aphids appear, their eggs take a few days to hatch. f course the ladybug is also an excellent predator to the aphid and freely available, especially during summer. "ndoor gardeners may choose to utiliFe the lacewing instead of the ladybug due to its incredible attraction attraction to $"M lights. "f you indoor boys use ladybugs, plan on %7B9no exaggeration= of them dying immediately from flying directly into the bulb. Within 6@;7 days, all the ladybugs will have committed suicide in an $"M garden. Uerticillium lecanii is is a fungus that is very aphid specific and effective. #nu#l /emov#l) This is a very effective treatment against aphid infestations. nce the aphid begins feeding it is immobile and easily crushed with fingers or a sponge containing an insecticidal solution. (*r#5) "nsecticidal soap, pyrethrum9aerosol= pyrethrum9aerosol= and homemade sprays are very effective. 0pply two or three times daily at %@;7 day intervals.
Beetle Borers
4+
Prevention) -eetle borers are primarily found in outdoor gardens.
=Note t$e entr5 $ole on t$e le;t o; t$e *icture #nd subseuent tr#il to t$e loc#tion o; t$e l#rv#e3>
Tre#tment /e*ression) 5eeping indoor grows clean is the only countermeasure. Pred#tors) The borer is a large enough tunneling insect that no effective predator has been identified. (redatory nematodes can help control grubs in the soil but this is a largely preventative measure and not a treatment.
4.
#nu#l /emov#l) The best and virtually only way of controlling beetle borers. "f damage is sited, follow the trail and cut the borer out of your plant. ftentimes damage is already done when a beetle borer is located. "f the branch or affected area does not bounce back uickly or is obviously done for, remove it with a clean cut from a knife or scissors. (*r#5) The beetle borer lives inside the hardy stalks of your plant making sprays nearly useless. -acillus papillae is a beetle specific fungal powder and can have limited success. "f the beetle is in the main stem of your plant and you cannot get to it without endangering the life of your plant, in'ecting a product called rotenone directly into the stalk with a hypodermic syringe will kill the grub.
C#ter*ill#rs %oo*ers
=T$e common c#bb#ge loo*er3>
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=T$e common g#rden c#ter*ill#r3>
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Prevention) These pests are the larval stage of moths and butterflies. -oth moths and butterflies take a small measure of time to lay their eggs, easy to spot, and cannot hang on to plants when forced air circulation is employed properly. Joopers and caterpillars are therefore primarily an outdoor pest. Identi;ic#tion) 0 caterpillar has lots of legs. Joopers have sets of feet at both ends and arches its back to pull its rear feet forward. These worms can be any color, any siFe above half an inch, and are the industrial shit machine of the insect kingdom. These worms will chew through leaves, buds, stalks, and even the main stem leaving trails of caterpillar poop wherever they go. /ungus and rot uickly follow when this type of fecal matter is present, caterpillars and loopers are a central figurehead of natural decomposition.
=C#ter*ill#rs #nd %oo*ers r#*idl5 c#use de;oli#tion3>
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Tre#tment /e*ression) These worms live in any conditions your plant can, are laid by adult moths and butterflies, and do not reproduce until later in their adult stage. !epress by not letting more moths into your garden) Pred#tors) The parasitic wasp Trichogramma is effective in combating caterpillars and loopers. This wasp, as all parasitic wasps do, lays its eggs on the caterpillar and the hatching larvae eat the worm alive. #nu#l /emov#l) (ick them off and crush them. (*r#5) 0 homemade mix of hot pepper and garlic, a -t pesticide, or repeated doses of pyrethrum.
"ungus Gn#t
=An #dult ;ungus gn#t3>
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="ungus gn#t #s # m#ggot3>
Prevention) Mo not overwater, keep the relative humidity of your garden low, do not let the surface of your grow medium stay soggy.
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prolifically at the rate of :77 eggs weekly and will usually be found at the base of your plant along with maggots. 0dditionally, these little pests will stick to your sticky flowering green like craFy and are basically impossible to remove.
="ungus gn#ts $#ve success;ull5 d#m#ged t$e root s5stem o; t$is *l#nt3 Note t$e 5ello6ing le#ves #nd t$e t6o *l#nts le#ning over #s t$eir root s5stems #re beginning to rot3>
Tre#tment /e*ression) !educing surface moisture in your plants medium will slow fungus gnats reproductive cycle dramatically, the drier the better. 0pplying an anti@algae product around the bases of your plant will kill any growing green algae and reduce the food sources of growing maggots. Yellow sticky traps placed : inches from the base of your medium will snag a good chunk of departing adults.
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Pred#tors) "ntroducing a predator for the gnats themselves has proved ineffective at eliminating a population. The predatory soil mite $ypoaspis and nematode Cteinemema feltiae will severely impact the insect population if introduced to soil grows. These creatures will not be effective countermeasures in hydroponic application. #nu#l /emov#l) "mpossible. You can swat a few but your threat is from what has already been laid underground. (*r#5) Neem or insecticidal soap applied as a soil drench will kill eggs and larvae present in ;@P applications. 0ny pesticide spray containing the fungal culture -acillus thuringiensis var. israelensis 9-t@i= will successfully eradicate adult gnats. 0pply soil drenches and spray simultaneously every %@;7 days.
%e#; iner #ggots
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Prevention) 3nvironmental control indoors and in greenhouses will prevent the leaf miner fly from laying its eggs in your plant. Identi;ic#tion) Jeaf miners are maggots usually ;#Ath inch thick when hatching. "t is very rare that a grower will notice them before they notice the damage they cause. These maggots burrow through leaves leaving brown and light green trails behind them. The maggot will usually be visible inside the leaf it is burrowing through.
=Tr#ils #re e#sil5 visible in t$e 6#&e o; le#; miners3>
Tre#tment /e*ression) Jeaf miner maggots live inside tunnels in your plant and are well protected against measures you take against them. Yellow sticky traps are
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effective for adult leaf miner flies. Pred#tors) The parasitic wasps Macnusa sibirica , Miglyphus isaeo , or ,pius pallipes are effective predators of maggots. #nu#l /emov#l)
Nem#todes There are hundreds of thousands of different species of nematode, some are harmful to mari'uana but these are rare. +ost often they attack roots but some attack the upper sections of the plant. Nematodes that are harmful to mari'uana plants are for the most part microscopic, and the varieties that are visible are so rare you*d have a better chance being struck by lightning. "f your plant is growing slowly, turning yellow and dying, or being slowly eaten away with no visible signs you might 'ust have harmful nematodes. Nematode infestation closely resembles nitrogen deficiency. Taking a soil sample is the best method of detecting nematodes. Take a small tube and punch a core sample out of soil, or inspect hydroponic roots carefully. !oots being attacked by nematodes will be soft, mushy, and beginning to fall apart. The best countermeasure to not contracting nematodes is to use clean soil every time. "t takes a fair amount of time for a infesting nematode to build up sufficient numbers to attack your plant, re@using soil invites these circumstances.
Tre#tment Nematodes can be eradicated with a neem soil drench and neem oil applied as a spray.
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Root Maggots
Prevention >se new or steriliFed soil every time you grow. +aggot eggs stay dormant until spring and love areas containing plant roots. (lace an ;A@inch collar of foam rubber around the base of the plant to ensure flies cannot lay their eggs. Identi;ic#tion) +aggots eggs are deposited by seed corn or cabbage flies visiting the base of your plant. "f your plant becomes less stable, yellows or darkens severely at the base of its stalk, or ceases growing larger you should check the loose soil at your plant*s base. "f the white wriggly bastards are there, they are already busy at work chomping through your plants roots until they transform into flies, lay more eggs, and fly to another plant.
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=Notice $o6 t$e *l#nt seems to be nutrient st#rved #nd is turning *#le uni;orml53 T$ese #re t$e s5m*toms o; d#m#ged roots3>
Tre#tment /e*ression) +aggots will be undetectable until hatched. Pred#tors) (arasitic nematodes Cteinernema feltioe or $eterorhabditis bacteriophara will control maggots #nu#l /emov#l) "mpossible given the damage is taking place underground. (*r#5) >sing a soil drench of neem and horticultural oil will poison all root maggots and maggot eggs that are present.
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(lugs #nd (n#ils
=T$e common slug3>
=T$e common bro6n sn#il3>
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Prevention) 0 flat, dry area surrounding your plants will make passage for these creatures difficult. Identi;ic#tion) They look like the picture above. Clugs and snails create web@ shaped holes in foliage. Clugs and Cnails can easily kill seedlings and clones.
=(n#ils #nd slugs 6ill de;oli#te 5our *l#nts usu#ll5 #t nig$t3 %oo& ;or t$eir *resence on l#rger le#ves ;irst #s sm#ller le#ves $#ve trouble su**orting t$eir 6eig$t3>
/e*ression) "ndoors lower the humidity as much as possible, this will impair movement and force the pests toward water. 0 thin line of diatomaceous earth or salty sand will create an impassable barrier. 0 copper ring on the bottom of your plant*s stem will also keep these pests from climbing upwards.
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Tre#tment Cpray with a %7#%7 ammonia#water solution. 0mmonia penetrates the pest*s skin immediately and causes a rapid death.
(*ider ites
Prevention) 5eep your growroom clean. /ully disinfect growroom with pesticide and %B bleach solution before growing again after infestation.
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Identi;ic#tion) 0 spider mite lives underneath the leaves of your plant and is invisible to the naked or untrained eye. These mites exist by sucking liuid that keeps your plant alive. They have eight legs and are classified a spider rather than an insect. Cpider mites will be fully visible using a h$*dhe,d m$g*i%ic$tio* de-ice of ;%x or greater. The mites are yellow#white, red, or most commonly are brown with two spots. These mites will spin webs which are a little easier to spot, but unfortunately this means the mites have been around awhile. +isting undersides of leaves will make webs much more visible and aid in detection. /emales become fertiliFed for life once they mate and lay about ;77 eggs every % days. 6%B of all spider mite eggs become female.
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=T$is is t$e end o; t$e *rogression o; le#; d#m#ge due to s*ider mites< s$ortl5 #;ter t$is *oint t$e le#; 6ill die o;; com*letel53 Note t$e sti**ling #nd s*otting #cross t$e le#;3>
Tre#tment /e*ression +ites thrive in temperatures of 67@A78/9:; to :68<= with average to high humidities.
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Pred#tors) Neoseiulus 90mblyseius= californicus and +esoseiulus 9phytoseiulus= longipes are the two most common and effective predators available for purchase. These predators can eat :7 eggs or % adults daily and die when their food supply 9i.e. spider mites= has been exhausted. :7 predators per plant is a good 'umping off point. #nu#l remov#l) The tiny siFe of the spider mite makes manual removal ineffective. (*r#5s) Neem oil is the most effective. ther effective methods are pyrethrum, horticultural oil, and insecticidal soap. Cpraying three times at % to ;7 day intervals should be sufficient to destroy a mite population if sanitary conditions are maintained. 3ggs of the spider mite hatch in %@;7 days. The first spray kills adults, the second will destroy newly hatched mites, and the third will kill the stragglers. "f you choose to use pyrethrum, rotate to another chemical if you spray freuently. This will ensure mites will not develop a resistance to synthetic pyrethrum. -3 3XT!3+3JY <0!3/>J "N <$C"ND 0 <$3+"<0J +"T"<"M3 "/ Y> <$C3 T M C) Ceveral miticides have MMT or fungal relatives that are toxic if inhaled by humans)
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(5m*$ilids
=(5m*$ilids #re ver5 ;#st moving #nd tin5 cre#tures ;ound underground3>
Prevention) The Cymphilid hatches from eggs that are deposited constantly over the course of the females life. This pest is most commonly found in used soil, manure, and compost that has not been steriliFed. 0lways use new soil and ensure your compost or manure is fully steriliFed before using in your garden. Wash your hands before coming into your garden from outdoors. Identi;ic#tion) These pests live underground and feed on roots. >sually not found in hydroponic gardens, this is a burrowing arthropod and has difficulty living without soil. The adult female Cymphilid is the larger of the two reaches a maximum of Omm long and lays eggs constantly wherever she travels year
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round. 3ggs are fully grown in P months as this is a slower moving infestation. The trade off is this pest can live for years and is constantly voracious. When not covered in dirt, the symphilid is white and resembles a millipede. These pests chew through your root hairs like candy, the bigger the root system the bigger the colony. "f left unchecked, these pests will result in the death of anything growing in infested soil. The root damage these pests inflict renders roots defenseless against fungus. Watering roughly can aid in detecting these pests, they float) "f your water mixes up the top inch or two of soil, watch for tiny worm looking things Fipping for cover. The Cymphilid can frustrate many attempts at eradication and is capable of burrowing up to 6 feet deep into soil to escape harsh conditions.
=ore *l#nts 6it$ in;ected root s5stems3 Note $o6 t$e buds #**e#r de;l#ted< necrotic< #nd #ll *l#nts in t$is room #re seeming to coll#*se3>
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Tre#tment /e*ression) !educe the moisture of your soil to the bare minimum. Cymphilids burrow deep underground when they sense drought however they will not entirely leave a food source. Mry conditions will force these root chompers deeper into the ground and away from the central root ball of your plant. !oot damage will continue, but in a less dangerous location. "ronic that watering is the simplest detection and drought is the stopgap. Pred#tors) The symphilid is native to new Fealand and little is known about their biology. With over ;O7 species in a vague field there is not a effective predator that will work across species. The symphilid moves too uickly for predatory mites to be effective. #nu#l /emov#l) 0las, the recourse of manual removal against underground pests is always minimal. "f you sight these pests on the surface of your soil, kill them) This is a slower moving infestation and killing a few females will aid your plant more than you think. (*r#5) Cymphilids reuire very thorough soil drenching to eradicate. ther root munching pests do not have the depth capabilities of this creature, ensure your 3NT"!3 medium is soaked or you will see reappearance. Cymphilids are resistant to oils and soaps and their eggs are tougher than any root predator in this thread. 0 simultaneous application of tobacco 'uice and neem as a soil drench has proven effective against the symphilid. ;7 cigarettes per gallon of water, soaked until the water color is between tea and coffee is sufficient. 0pply this 'uice alongside a neem drench twice spaced ? days apart. "f symphilids appear eradicated, take a soil sample from the bottom of your container, inspect, and re@drench if necessary.
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T$ri*s
=An enl#rged *icture o; t$e t$ri*< t$ese insects #re sm#ller t$#n # *in$e#d3>
Prevention) 5eeping clean habits is the only defense against a thrip infestation. These tiny insects will go unnoticed even by the most cautious grower until they reach damaging levels. Identi;ic#tion) The thrip is commonly a greenhouse pest. "t is difficult for the thrip to reproduce in large uantities outdoors and they must hitchhike into indoor gardens. These little guys are T"NY) Thrips can be almost any color,
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move very uickly and have wings. They can be hard to see individually however detection should not be difficult. Thrips have a tendency to move in herds together, ripping tiny strips off the top of your leaves and drinking 'uices below. This can deprive plants leaves of chlorophyll so thoroughly they become brittle, dark, and crumble. Tiny black lines present across leaf surface, thats their toilet. The flying thrip can easily infest your garden very uickly if protected from outdoor conditions. The female thrip bores a hole into plant matter and leaves her eggs there in a hole so small you will need a magnifying glass to even know it is there. "n cannabis the thrip prefers to thrive, eat, defecate and reproduce primarily inside buds. Chaking branches will send these pests flying and 'umping for other places.
=Pictured #boveF t$e rig$t le#; is e#rlier in t$ri* d#m#ge *rogression< #nd t$e le;t is in severe d#m#ge3 D#m#ge done b5 t$ri*s to le#ves t$#t initi#ll5 resemble sc#ling but t$e d#m#ge becomes cle#r #s t$e t$ri*s *rogress3>
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Tre#tment /e*ression) /orced air circulation using powerful enough fans to move air throughout your greenhouse or grow room can keep the thrip from being able to hang on or move. !egular misting of water will flood the thrips on the leaves and slow their travel, reproduction, and ability to damage your plant. Cticky traps will help, however the thrip is happy eating in the same area for its entire life cycle. Jow migration reduces effectiveness of sticky traps. Pred#tors) Nearly any predatory mite is effective in combating thrips. (arasitic wasps may also be used, however the sheer numbers of thrips limits their ability. #nu#l /emov#l) You might be able to see herds of the tiny specks moving around your plant, crushing these will reduce their numbers of course but is not effective overall. (*r#5) (yrethrum or insecticidal soap sprayed :@? times at %@;7 day intervals will nuke thrips back to the stone age.
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,$ite;lies
Prevention) "f there are whiteflies in your area, sticky traps will catch whiteflies uickly especially if colored yellow. 0dult whiteflies are strongly attracted to the color yellow and will fly into traps before flying to your plant. Yellow paper covered in glue or sticky substance would work as well. Identi;ic#tion) Whiteflies look like its bitty white moths, the adults have wings. The easiest method of detection is shaking limbs on your plants, if tiny moths fly away from under leaves you got some whiteflies. 3ggs are also attached to the leaves along the underside. These pests also suck liuids from your plant much like the spider mite. Whiteflies begin attacking mari'uana plants from the top down and prefer to attack the weakest plant available. "f you only find whiteflies infesting the top of a single plant, you*ve caught an infestation as it begins. Jeaf damage from the whitefly almost exactly mimic the damage caused by spider mite attacks. The further damage progresses, the more strength and vigor the plant will lose.
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=T$e sti**ling #nd s*otting on le#ves d#m#ged b5 6$ite;lies closel5 resembles t$e d#m#ge done b5 t$e s*ider mite3>
Tre#tment /e*ression) The whitefly is a difficult pest to control given that all the adults fly. The best slowing measure you can employ is yellow sticky traps placed around your plants then toss them when full. This will only control adults who leave eggs and larvae behind constantly, traps will not eradicate your whitefly problem. Pred#tors) 3ncarisa formosa is a species of miniature wasp that only attacks whiteflies. This small wasp does not attack humans and kills whitefly populations by laying eggs on whiteflies. When hatched, the wasp larvae eats its way through the whitefly, literally devouring it from the inside out. Clow and painful, 'ust like they deserve. : predators per plant should do the trick if the infestation is caught before it becomes severe. !epeat every : weeks until :
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weeks after whiteflies cannot be spotted. 3nsure you clean plants and grow area thoroughly if you have sprayed against mites or flies as these treatments will also kill this wasp. #nu#l /emov#l) Not effective. (*r#5) 3asily smacked down with insecticidal soap, natural sprays, or pyrethrum. (rior to spraying, remove any leaves that are more than %7B damaged and burn them. "f you can*t start a fire anywhere, heating them to excess of ;?78/9O78<= will do the trick. Whiteflies die easily, however they lay eggs prolifically and love re@infecting damaged plant matter. 0pply spray against the whitefly at % to ;7 day intervals until ;7 days after whiteflies have not been detected.
Pl#nt (ic&ness< "ungi< Dise#se 0gain, prevention is key. 5eeping a clean grow room at optimal temperatures as well as utiliFing a proper feeding strategy will ensure a problem@free heavy frosty sticky harvest.
(tem C#n&er =(tem /ot> Ctem cankers form on stems from a fungus that looks remarkably similar to white and yellow leaf spotting. The environment can affect the way stem cankers can live4 wet humid weather is what makes this wretched fungus thrive.
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Identi;ic#tion) Mamage to the plant occurs in the form of a yellowish@brown discoloration on the lower portion of the stalk. Jater, the leaves turn yellow and fall off as the plant dries out and dies.They form mostly on the stems, but severe cases spotting starts to form on the leaves from internal tissue being cut of nutrients and water. "n between nodes is where the stem cankers start to form, and move up the plant, around the Prd, ?th and %th node is where it will mainly affect the plants. Ctems will have brown lesions4 and eventually acuire a dark reddish@brown sunken canker in the stem. Cometimes, if severe, the wound may reopen and appear split in the middle and can also create a bulge. The lesions can extend up the plant over P or ? nodes @ once this happens the plant starts to wilt from vascular uptake being cut off. +any growers confuse these symptoms with root rot when the plant starts to wilt and leaves turn yellowish brown and or spots. This is also because the actual stem canker does not show itself yet once this starts to happen. nce the stem canker has been observed and if not treated, the leaves will start to wilt with yellow, white and
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brown spots, similar to a white and yellow leaf spot. When plants are affected by this, the plant is more susceptible to more fungus and viral infections from air borne spores. (roper treatment and preventative measures of this deadly fungus are <"0J. Prevention) (reventing stem cankers is very similar how you would prevent any other cannabis fungus problems. Treat wounds to your plant with $:7:, making sure your plants are free of pestIs and if you use tools to JCT9Jow Ctress Training= your plants pruning, and training, then make sure all tools are properly steriliFed before and after using them. Cpraying your plant with fungicides in the months or times this fungus spreads is also9obviously= effective. "tIs very important that you catch this fungus before it gets too bad, once the damage has been done to the plant4 the only way to get rid of this is to chop the plant down and treat the area that has been infected. (lanting other plants near and or around this area can and will re@affect other plants when a new growing season starts. Tre#tment) nce your plant does have this, using fungicides until it is gone is crucial4 if the canker has worsened foliar feeding is a must to help keep the plants vigor, strength and stamina in fighting the fungus. Ctem cankers take over by slowly reducing the plants uptake and thus takes over the susceptibility of the plant and the fungus then takes over and worsens more uickly. >sing anyone of these products will help control or eliminate stem cankers. 9"f the plant is in an advanced stage of a stem canker infection, nothing can save it and the plant must be cut down and tools sanitiFed to stop the spread of the fungus.= When using chemical and or organic control methods, do not directly spray the buds) /or health and safety reasons, stay away from spraying around the buds if at all possible. (hysan :7 T!@;;777 (yrethrum Darden Misease
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Duardian 0ngel Cerenade Darden Misease
"us#rium ,ilt
3xperimental laboratory testing involved releasing this fungus in an area4 it later had devastating effects on cannabis plants even after winter had passed @ it stubbornly remained thriving in the soil) Ceedlings that were planted were killed
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several years after the fungus was released. This fungus can be airborne and transmitted like any other fungus and pathogens, it gets in through susceptible plants that have been wounded through environmental factors like animal attacks, pruning, JCT9Jow Ctress Training=, pest infestation and using cutting utensils that are not sanitary that may have fungus or bacteria on them. /usarium wilt causes internal damage to vascular lines inside the plant and severely blocks the plants ability to carry water and nutrients.
Identi;ic#tion) Cymptoms include4 wilting of the plant, leaves becoming necrotic and yellowing wilting of the leaves9may appear similar to a nutrient deficiency @ with /usarium wilt leaves will yellow and stay on the plant, whereas with a nitrogen deficiency the leaves will yellow and fall off=. While not affecting
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the roots, it does affect inside the plant cell walls. Taking a look inside the plants walls will reveal a red@brown color inside the tissue. Ctems will change color from normal green and purple hue, to a dark purple to blackish color. This pathogen can get confused with root rot, because the symptoms this pathogen shows are nearly the same as root rot, but roots are not affected. This clogging effect inside is what causes the external symptoms. While this fungus is traveling inside the plant, the toxins spread to uninfected areas and causing the clogging effect internally. These toxins are what causes the other uninfected tissue to start to show the secondary problems including slow wilting of the leaves, stem collapse, stem discoloration and overall droopiness. This can appear as if the plant is dry and has no water. This fungus is a real killer to cannabis plants, any remaining plants that are survived can be severely stunted. /usarium Wilt thrives in warm moist temperatures. Prevention) /usarium Wilt is by far one of the hardest things for cannabis to overcome, that is to say, if it ever even does overcome it. Your plant health, environment, and strain all have a lot to do with whether or not /usarium wilt will entirely take over your plants. This pathogen mainly affects cannabis and hemp family, but can affect other plants @ but does not show the damaging effect it has on cannabis. This pathogen was breed specifically to attack wild cannabis plants and growers who grow their plants outdoors. There is no form of organic control for this type. The reason for this is because the fungus is so strong and not susceptible to much of anything unless you get it right when it starts. "f you do not get it in time, it thrives in the plants and consumes and kills the plants. Tre#tment) There are only a few certain ways to control this deadly fungus4 one is to fumigate the area you are growing in killing the pathogen in the soil while it is dormant. When you grow in this area again, your plants are much less likely to get it. The only other way your plants could get this if not from the soil, is in the unlikely event that airborne spores get in through open wounds on your plants leaves, stems and stalks. (lants that produced seeds when infected with /usarium wilt should not be used, as the pathogen stays dormant on the seed and attacks it when the seedling emerges and causing the 1damping off2 effect4 thus killing the seedling before it even has a chance to grow itIs real first set of leaves. 0cidic soil helps boost /usarium wilt. Ctay away from acidic soils.
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Po6der5 ilde6
(owdery mildew is a common fungal disease that can seriously damage indoor and outdoor crops. (owdery mildew can rapidly infect crops in both vegetative and flowering stages, coating leaves, stems and buds in fungus. (owdery mildew typically thrives in cool, damp, shaded and poorly ventilated
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areas. 0irborne spores brought into the grow room land on leaf surfaces and will germinate given favorable conditions. $igh night humidity levels often trigger the growth of mildew spores. (owdery mildew can attack indoor crops year round. This fungus is almost impossible to stop in late flowering, so early detection and control is essential. (erpetual harvest, dense CcrD#CD systems, and damp basement grows are particularly vulnerable to powdery mildew. Ctrains vary in their susceptibility. Identi;ic#tion) 3arly signs of powdery mildew include white powder#fuFFy patches on leaves 9usually low in the canopy= and a fuFFy white coating on lower stems. These fuFFy mycelium patches produce airborne spores that rapidly attack ad'acent plants4 mildew will eventually coat leaves and entire plants, reducing photosynthesis, plant vigor and bud uality.
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(lants on the edge of a garden, in corners and under stress are attacked first4 infection usually usually starts in the lower canopy where conditions are optimal. 0s infection progresses, mildew will spread to the top of the plants and finally attack the buds. "nfected buds may appear normal4 but are internally dusted with white powder 9which cannot be removed by drying=, and have a stale, musty#moldy smell when dry. Cmoking or trimming infected buds can cause sickness and lung infections, and is not recommended. "nfected leaves should be discarded. Jower buds are the most susceptible. Prevention) (reventative gardening techniues can be very effective in defending against powdery mildew. +aintain healthy plants. Ctressed plants are often attacked first, so it is important to monitor and remove unhealthy plants. Metection. "nspect corners, edge and lower portions of the garden freuently. freuently. !emove infected leaves, or move infected plants out of the main garden. Mo not water plants at night. !educe or stop watering before the lights have gone out to help evaporate and reduce room humidity. !educe plant density. Cpread plants apart to improve air circulation. Mo not place plants directly against against walls or into corners, typically areas of poor air circulation. (ull plants O@; away from walls or reflective surfaces, and blow air to these areas. (rune. !emove the lowest leaves as the plants mature and prune the bottom ;#P of the plant during veg to increase airflow inside the lower canopy. !emove all unnecessary growth. (ut an oscillating oscillating fan down low to blow through this pruned area. /oliar feeding. /oliar feeding can sometimes cause excessive nighttime humidity levels. Miscontinue if mildew appears. $arvest early if mildew is a problem.
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Tre#tment Environment#l) "mproving grow room conditions is an excellent way to Environment#l) "mproving passively prevent and minimiFe damage by powdery mildew. +onitor humidity levels. levels. 0 uality humidity humidity gauge should be used to monitor day and night r.h levels. 0void prolonged high humidity levels %7@O7B r.h is ideal. $umidity must be kept below 67B during the night4 levels over A7B will guarantee infection within ?A hrs. Uentilation. se oscillating fans on all sides of a garden to circulate the air. Uentilate air out of the grow room periodically during the night cycle to reduce humidity from irrigation and transpiration. transpiration. nce mildew is established established,, oscillating fans may actually spread spores throughout the garden. Ctop fans, treat infected areas, and then resume airflow. $eat night air. Warm air holds more moisture than colder air. $eat helps dry the air and lower humidity during the night cycle. $eat the room at night and exhaust the room periodically to remove this warm#moist air. Mehumidifier. Uery effective in preventing mildew from spreading. Cet controls for ?7@O7B and let run during night cycle. $epa filter. /ilter the intake with a $epa filter to eliminate spores from entering room. "nspect and change filter freuently. "oniFer # Fone generators. Jeak some output to kill airborne pathogens and spores. Culphur burner. These devices vaporiFe 9not burn= elemental sulphur, coat the room with a fine film of sulphur sulphur,, inhibiting (+ spores from germinating. 0lso inhibits insects to some degree. !un for ;: hours initially9at night, exhaust blower off, circulation fans on=, then ;@? hrs#night thereafter. +any growers discontinue when buds begin to form,
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others will let it run up to the last week. Uery effective prevention. C$emic#l) se a surfactant to help adhere chemical to leaf surface. Come chemicals are more harmful than others4 follow label directions and observe precautions. 0lways spot spray spray first. Cpraying Cpraying individual individual leaves can be an option. Note many chemicals will leave a residue that appears similar to powdery mildew) 0lkaline water water.. 0lkaline water water can affect affect powdery mildew, mildew, as mildew cannot cannot grow in basic conditions. +ist plants generously with water at A.7& p$ freuently4 discontinue discontinue when buds begin to mature to prevent budrot. 0lkaline water water does not seem to affect affect buds or bud hairs. hairs. The effect is is temporary, but drastically slows mildew grow and spread. !eapply every ?@% days. -aking soda9sodium bicarbonate=. bicarbonate=. Codium C odium collapses the powdery mildews internal cell walls. -aking soda leaves an alkaline residue on the leaves, which should be washed off with water before more is applied. /oliar spray ;%ml # gallon Darden sulphur. 0 common non@toxic spray, sulfur interferes with mildew cellular respiration. respiratio n. Cpray young plants weekly before hairs form9or spray lower leaves only=, then discontinue. Mo not wash off. off. Mried sulphur spray looks similar to mildew. /or best results, prune plants in veg#early flower, then spray lower stems and foliage. Warning Warning can give a sulphur taste if sprayed directly onto buds) /oliar spray. ;%@:7ml sulphur powder#Jiter water. 5eep well mixed when spraying. Will not wash off buds. !e@application may be necessary.
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Neem il. (rotects and kills mildew by inhibiting respiration4 also protects against mites and may improve plant vigor. !esults are noticeable in a couple of days. (ro@silica9Coluble Cilicon=. "ncreases resistance to pathogens by accumulating in9leaf and root= cells of plants, providing a barrier against penetration by invading fungi such as powdery mildew and (ythium. /oliar applications leave deposits of siliconon the leaf surface that promote effective physical barriers toinfection. (ro@silica is alkaline. /oliar spray ; part in %. C+Q7. 0 natural plant extract in a vegetable oil base. /oliar spray ;7ml#liter. +alatox. This is a wonder cure. +ildew completely vanishes for up to 6 weeks) +ake sure you spray before the first week of flowering. /oliar spray :.%ml per liter of water. Biologic#l) >npasteriFed milk. +ust be fresh, not store bought 9which is pasteuriFed=. Milute ;7 parts water to ; part milk. Works, although the milk may smell. 0S;7. 0 biofungicide. 0mpelomyces uisualis is a fungus that parasites the powdery mildew organism. "t helps over a long duration. 3ffective only in initial stages of infection though. (lant Chield. (lant Chield is a foliar spray9Deneral $ydroponics=, which kills many types of leaf and root fungus. Trichoderma harFianum strain T@::. Cafe to use. Takes :@;7 days. Cerenade. The fermentation product of a bacterium, bacillus subtillis, that inhibits cell growth of fungi and bacteria. "t is effective and easy to spray or use as a dip.
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D#m*ing?O;;
Mamping@ff is a fungus that is in soil mixtures, it attacks seeds and seedlings before and after it emerges from the shell. Ceedlings that get attacked by this fungus usually die, considering the plant doesnIt have a fighting chance nor a system setup to help fight the fungus. 0 range of growth stages the plant can be attacked, up to A sets of true leaves, or P leaf nodes. Jeaves, roots, and stems can be affected. Mamping@off can be easily confused by excessive fertiliFation9Nutrient -urn=, high levels of salts from either water or nutrient solution build up, excessive heat or cold, excessive or insufficient soil moisture. Identi;ic#tion) The
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start to fall over from stem being so soft and starting to rot inside out, one item contributes to this problem is over watering, putting seedlings, or small plants into a big pot4 when you water the soil down lower soaks up excess water and ends up sitting in the middle to bottom part of the soil in the pot. When this happens fungus begins to build up due to them not having a deep enough or a big root system to absorb all the excess water, then it ends up turning into damping@off. Jater stages of damping@off in vegetative stage seedling, the leaves will droop and turn yellow, as if the plant was over watered. Ctems will be severely weaken and may fall over from being under developed and skinny. lder plants can build up a resistance to damping@off, but if they do not, older plants show long skinny stems, stunted roots, and stem discoloration. Coil that is rich in nitrogen, soggy soils, or soil that stays wet for long periods. 3ven hydroponics systems can get damping@off4 mediums that stay too saturated, although you have a less likely chance of getting damping@off in hydroponics systems. Prevention) "n order to help prevention you should try to start seedlings in 1starter cups2, drinking cups you get from the store4 putting drainage holes in the bottom of the cups is extremely important in helping avoid damping@off, allowing excessive water drain so the bottom half of the mixture will not stay wet. You can still over water, but your chances of getting damping off are much less than that of a seedling put into a big pot with lots of soil. +aking sure you have holes and a good amount of perlite in your mixture helps greatly. sing sterile soil helps greatly, 0llow great air flow and circulation in your grow room, allow the surface to dry before watering again, using moisture meters, or sticking your finger down in the soil near the edge of the pot to test for wetness down in the soil. Testing the soil near the edge of
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the pot helps to avoid bothering root development. Tre#tment) nce Ceedlings have already emerged from their seed shell and end up getting affected by damping@off, they have a very high chance they will not survive and there is nothing you can do about it4 by the time it shows in seedlings, it will already be to far too late. >sing a fungicide on the seed before putting it into soil mixtures helps to avoid post emerge damping@off. Uegetative stage plants with a few sets of leaves has a better chance of fighting it off, and using a fungicide can help depending on how far along the fungus has spread. >sing any of these products below can help avoid or kill damping@off. 9"f using on seedlings or seeds, use organic@based fungicides.=
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Bud /ot =Bortr5tis>
-udrot9-otrytis= is a very common worldwide fungus that attacks both indoor and outdoor crops under certain conditions. -udrot is also known as brown rot, grey mold and other names. 0irborne -otrytis spores can be found everywhere, all times of the year, and will attack many different species of plants. -otrytis will attack flowers, and eventually leaves and stems. Drowers running sea of green, perpetual harvest, remote grows, outdoor, or multiple strains 9each with different flowering periods= should keep an eye out for -otrytis near harvest time. utdoor growers need to be hypersensitive to weather conditions near harvest time. !ain, morning dew, frost and cool fall nights may increase the risk of budrot and powdery mildew. /ully developed mari'uana buds provide ideal conditions for spore germination warm and moist plant tissues. -otrytis will initially attack the largest and densest buds in the garden, because they provide the ideal
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conditions for germination. Weak plants will also be attacked rapidly. Identi;ic#tion) -udrot will infect and turn colas to mush in a matter of days and may destroy a crop in a week if left unchecked. -otrytis loves warm, and humid9%7B or over humidity= conditions. Jowering humidity will slow and stop spore germination. Dood ventilation and decent air circulation help prevent infection. 0 grow room may smell noticeably moldy if -otrytis has attacked one or more colas. nce a cola has been infected, -otrytis will spread incredibly fast. 3ntire colas will turn to brown mush and spores will be produced, attacking other nearby colas. Uentilation may spread viable spores throughout the room.
Prevention) Muring early vegetative growth and flowering, prune undergrowth to promote air circulation. "nstall a $epa filter into room and intake air sources. "ntroduce low levels of oFone into room air. Fone is effective against pollen, powdery mildew and other airborne spores. Jowering room humidity9warming nighttime air and venting freuently or using a dehumidifier= will help drastically
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as well. 0lso, decreasing watering cycles and amounts will reduce room humidity. Jarge, dense colas should be periodically inspected. -rown tissues deep within the bud will smell moldy and may become liuid. !emove fan leaves during the last few days before harvest to promote air circulation. Tre#tment) nce budrot has been detected, the grower should isolate infected buds by removing them from the growroom immediately and harvesting the infected colas, followed by a rapid dry of the harvested colas. Take immediate steps to reduce room humidity. 0fterwards, the entire crop should be carefully inspected for infection and damage. The grower may want to harvest early if more than one rotting cola has been found. Cpores may have spread and are germinating deep within other colas. Cerenade controls the -otrytis nicely, as there are no toxicity issues with using this compound. To apply, simply spray on leaves and shoots to provide complete coverage. -est results will be had be pre@treating plants before signs of disease set it and then every week to protect newly formed foliage.
"ungus /ungus is most prominent during flowering. "t is during this time your buds are susceptible to a fungus or bud rot. Drowing conditions for fungus are ideal when temperatures are between O7@A78/9;%.% to :68<= and the humidity is high. The fungus is very destructive and spreads uickly. These kinds of fungi are airborne and can travel to other bud sites with ease. "f you already have been infected by them the best thing you can do is cut off and remove the infected area and then discard out of the grow area, then get a hold of some anti@fungal spray and apply. Identi;ic#tion) Jooks extremely similar to bud rot. Prevention) M NT foliar feed at night, tends to make humidity higher rather than when you water in the day the water has time to evaporate where at night will linger in the air. Try to keep the humidity down to the range fungus do not grow to well in. 5eep leaves away from soil making sure they do NT touch the soil. 5eep cooler temperatures at night while plants are on there down time.
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5eep a good amount of ventilation around your grow, and if you have plants outside, always keep them uarantined away youIre your indoor plants until you know they are safe. When watering plants at night, wait till the morning or afternoon to water. 5eep a happy plant and a sterile grow room and it will not become prone to infections.
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uic& Troubles$ooting C#nn#bis Problems !efer to this section if your plant has a specific problem, we have the solution)
(eeds (YPTO -rittle#white seed.
(O%UTION "f a slight pressure from your fingertips crushes the seeds then they are not viable. "f you produced these seeds yourself you need to be sure to pollinate the plant early in flowering. You will also need to let the seeds grow until they are starting to fall out naturally and are fully ripe and mature.
Dreen seed.
"mmature seed. You might be able to save a green seed. Cimply place it in a damp paper towel in a dark warm place and check it every few hours. The color of the seed will darken as it first ripes and it may eventually sprout.
Cmall seed.
0lways pick the largest seeds you can. +any plants do not produce small seeds though, some seed strains are known to exclusively produce small seeds.
Ceeds will not germinate.
(lease refer the Ten Top !easons Why Your Ceeds Wont Derminate portion of this manual.
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/oots (YPTO
(O%UTION
Tightly packed roots, curling around Your roots don*t have enough room. the edge of the container9this Dive them space by transplanting them symptom is often accompanied by to a larger container, taking care not to slow, sickly growth and branches that disturb the root ball. develop with more distance between limbs.= Cmelly, slimy roots. Water, Nutrition solution or roots are discolored brown or have an unpleasant odor. You notice your water is becoming brownish in color, or smells distasteful. Your solution does not smell pleasant and appetiFing like fresh lettuce. Your roots are not the same shade of white that they once were a week ago.
>hoh. !oot rot9pythium=. Jack of sufficient oxygen being supplied to your roots causes this. Toss your plant. Caving it will cause complications to your other plants in your grow area and the vegetable material of the plant as well.
(tems (YPTO
(O%UTION
Jeaning branches.
"f the weight of your flowers are too much for your stems causing them to lean, the best thing you can do is tie up the branches. This can be partially avoided by installing a sufficient oscillating fan in an indoor grow room simulating the wind. The movement will cause the stems to strengthen.
(urple stems.
0 purple stem doesn*t necessarily indicate an unhealthy plant. (urple Ctems could be a result of plant genetics, if this is the reason, you are to expect a purple stem throughout the
11
entire life of the plant. 0 baby sprout with a purple stem is almost always ;77B natural. Young seedlings are still ad'usting to their environment and may be slightly lacking in a nutrient. "f this is the case, healthy plants will regain their green#greenish@brown color within a few days to a week or two tops. "f you have ruled out the possibilities of genetics and the seedlings ad'ustments to life, you should begin looking for a nutrient deficiency. (urple stems are commonly caused by a (hosphorous9(= or +agnesium deficiency, if there is a (hosphorous deficiency you may also notice symptoms such as brittle leaves or greyish spots. To assist the uptake of (hosphorous 9as well as most other nutrients= you should ensure the p$ is slightly acidic@@ O.7 will suffice. Cpindly, thin stalks.
Jack of light. When plants do not receive enough light they begin to stretch to the light source. You need either a bigger light source, or need to move the light closer to your plants. "nstalling an oscillating fan will also help this by strengthening stems. 0 weak root system may also contribute to this problem.
-roken stem.
Mon*t panic) Your plant and stem will probably be fine. $old the stem in place using a stake#stick for support, apply honey to the wound, and bind it with a cloth bandage wrap with pores.
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Dive it time to heal before bending it again. Ceedlings stretching.
Jow light conditions. They also need a gentle wind. (lants will also stretch when sub'ected to conditions of high humidity.
-oron deficiency @ add any plant food containing boron.
%e#ves (YPTO
(O%UTION
Mrooping leaves.
ver@watering H under@watering are the most common causes of this symptom. "f using soil make sure you allow the surface to get completely dry before watering again. "f using a hydroponic system make sure your roots are getting sufficient oxygen.
Narrow leaves with edges curled up
Cign of low humidity. This will result in a less than optimal growth and harvest if not fixed.
Jarger leaves turning yellow. Cmaller Nitrogen deficiency @ add nitrate of leaves still green. Jeaves are a uniform soda or organic fertiliFer. yellow or light green4 leaves die H drop4 growth is slow. Jeaf margins are not curled@up noticeably. 0re your leaves light green or yellow in colourL Ueins are green, but leaves are yellow. "ron Meficiency. 0dd more trace Jeaves may turn a pale yellow, or nutrients or chelated iron. p$ might white with green veins. also be the culprit.
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-road leaves with edges curled down. 3xcessive humidity. This wont necessarily harm the plant, but it will stunt its growth. lder leaves will curl at edges, turn dark, possibly with a purple cast. 0lso if plant is in /lowering, doesn*t look like it is dying but looks red or dark green#yellow. Jeaves are dark green or red#purple. Ctems and petioles may have purple H red on them. Jeaves may turn yellow or curl under. Jeaf may drop easily. Drowth may be slow and leaves may be small. (ossibly even brown#purple spots and#or dark green leaves on a stunted plant. Mo the leaves have an overall dark green color with a purple, red, or blue pigmentationL
(hosphorous deficiency @ add commercial phosphate. +ay have a water p$ imbalance. (ossible pest contraction.
+ature leaves develop a yellowish cast 3ither a light burn, air circulation to least veinal areas or leaves curl up, problem, or most likely a +agnesium twisting and have a yellow coloration. deficiency @ add commercial fertiliFer with a magnesium content. r add 3psom salt ;#P table spoon to P gallons of water is fine. +ature leaves turn yellow and then (otassium deficiency @ add muriate of become spotted with edge areas potash. turning dark gray. Tips of leaves turn brown and curl slightly. Jeaves are browning or yellowing. Yellow, brown, or necrotic9dead= patches, especially around the edges of the leaf, which may be curled. (lant may be too tall. 0re the leaf tips curling down, do they have yellow margins which are turning into dark dead spotsL
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+argins of the leaves are turned up, +agnesium9+g= deficiency @ add and the tips may be twisted. Jeaves commercial fertiliFer with a magnesium are yellowing 9and may turn brown=, content. but the veins remain somewhat green. Jeaf tips curling up4 do the leaves have yellow margins # tips with green veinsL +ature leaves develop a yellowish cast to least veinal areas. Tips of leaves are yellow, brown, or dead. (lant otherwise looks healthy H green. Ctems may be soft. Jeaves are curled under like a ram*s horn, and are dark green, gray, brown, or gold.
ver@fertiliFation9especially N=, over@ watering, damaged roots, or insufficient soil aeration9use more sand or perlite. ccasionally due to not enough N, (, or 5.
Tips of leaves turn brown and curl slightly.
(otassium95= deficiency.
The plant is wilted, even though the soil is moist.
ver@fertiliFation, soggy soil, damaged roots, disease4 copper deficiency 9very unlikely=.
Cmall wrinkled leaves with yellowish vein systems. Jeaves are twisted. White areas form at leaf tips and between veins. Jeaves twist, then turn brown or die. Mo the leaves have an inter@veinal banding appearanceL
inc9n= deficiency @ add commercial plant food containing Finc. ccurs in alkaline soils. n deficiency can be treated by burying galvaniFed nails in the soil.
Young leaves become deformed, possibly yellowing
+olybdenum deficiency @ use any plant food with a bit of molybdenum in it
You observe the leaves becoming dry or even crispy, perhaps shriveling, and the tips curling upward. The leaves do not appear glossy, moist and vibrant.
Wind -urn. You had the fan blowing downward toward the upper side of the leaves, instead of blowing up through the node spaces or toward the lights.
0re leaf tips yellowed and curled downL
Culfur9C= deficiency.
11.
Mo the leaves have burnt blotches on themL
p$ fluctuation.
The leaves will curl downward. They grow very dark dull flat green and then the tips show signs of burn.
verfeeding, use of too much#strong nutrients.
The entire plant, both upper and lower >nderfeeding and weak nutrition leaves, will show lime or light green in color. The plant will not eat, drink or show growth. Jeaves are light green or yellow beginning at the base, while the leaf margins remain green. Necrotic spots may be between veins. Jeaves are not twisted.
The lights are too close to the plant. !arely, a
Jeaves appear yellow at the base, the +anganese Meficiency9+n=. tips are fine. Cupplement accordingly. "ndoor soil vegetative phase leaves curl downward like claws.
ver@watering or under@watering. Your plant may have outgrown its pot. nly solution is to get a bigger pot to transfer your plant to grow in.
Jeaves are yellow or white, but the veins are mostly green.
"ron9/e= deficiency.
se sticky yellow foliage when disturbed, plants look traps. "nsecticidal soap. +ost general generally unhealthy. purpose insecticides, including neem, nicotine pyrethrin, malathion, sevin. Jeaves look sucked and dry, possibly black dots on the leaves.
$ydroponics plant burns V if not a bug infestation9patches and holes in your plant=it is a nutrient problem. Your nutrient solution is too strong. Milute it)
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$ydroponics Cystem Miscoloration in the leaves, yellowing or rust spots, or curling up of leaf tips. You know that you have made recent p$ ad'ustments. You notice the plants did not eat or drink because they did not consume the same amount of water they used yesterday. You see rust spots. The large lower leaves are prematurely dying and you are not in the /lowering stage.
>hoh, Nutritional Jockout. You might know you may have used too much of the ($ 0d'ustment Colution. You may have failed to test the p$ often enough.
"lo6ers (YPTO
(YPTO
White pistils turn purple#red#orange.
This isn*t a problem) You*re doing things right. "t*s common for pistils to change color if they aren*t pollinated.
/lowers are stunted with hard bumps between pistils.
Your plant is likely pollinated. The bumps are seeds.
Too much of a wide variation between your daytime and nighttime "nternod spacing is wide and buds are temperature. !egulate your airy. temperature in your grow environment properly. White fluffy powdery coating on buds. Mon*t confuse this with sparkling trichomes crystals, this is either mold or if it looks whispy and web@like it may be a pest such as the dreaded spider mites. "f it is a pest read the pest section and handle accordingly. "f it is a pest it must be removed from your garden immediately. Mo NT ever smoke or eat moldy bud, you can get
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very sick or even die. -uds are small.
-uds are literally the final product cumulation of the entire grow. Their siFe reflects literally everything else. +ake sure your plant has a healthy root system, proper nutrient levels, <: supplementation during flowering, proper ventilation, controlled temperatures, and make sure you prune properly.
-uds aren*t sticky#resinous.
The flowers aren*t ready yet. Jet them go for a little longer. Dive your plants the time they need to mature. 0n early maturing strain will take about a full A weeks of flowering and some strains will take twelve weeks.
0bnormal bud growth # $ermaphrodite. (lants won*t flower, even though they get ;: hours of darkness for over : weeks.
You began a ;:#;: lighting cycle before your plant was properly in (re@ /lowering. The night period is not completely dark. Too much nitrogen. Too much pruning or cloning.
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-#rvesting (YPTO
(YPTO
You let your bud dry too much and most@likely too fast.
(owdery or whispy tendrils in flowers.
This is mold#mildew. You need to let your buds get more air. Mo not try to save or smoke moldy bud. You could die.
(liable stems with dry bud.
There is likely moisture on the inside. Mepending on how dry the bud itself is you could move on to the curing stage using a slow cure drawing the moisture out from the center of the plant or let it dry longer before curing.
-uds smell and taste like hay#lawn.
This is a characteristic of immature bud. This can often be partially solved with a long slow cure.
-uds burn down to a hard black ash.
Too much phosphorous left in the plant during flowering. 0 slow dry and long cure will help. Next time properly flush before harvest.
$ydroponic system kettle rust # scales You haven*t been maintaining your p$ in your bucket. level and#or your water is hard. Mrain and clean your reservoir and mix a new batch of nutrients to the correct p$ level. Come growers use a !everse smosis water filtering system to clean their tap water. Mistilled water also has a stable p$ level of 6.7. $arsh smoke
(roper slow drying and curing will give you a smooth smoke.
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Nutrients (YPTO
(O%UTION
+agnesium9+n=
0 +agnesium deficiency is pretty common since mari'uana uses lots of it and many fertiliFers don*t have enough of it. +g deficiency is easily fixed with teaspoon#gallon of 3psom salts 9first powdered and dissolved in some hot water= or foliar feed at teaspoon#uart. When mixing up soil, use : teaspoon dolomite lime per gallon of soil for +g. +g can get locked@up by too much
(otassium95=
Too much sodium9Na= displaces (otassium95= causing a 5 deficiency. Cources of high salinity are baking soda9sodium bicarbonate p$@up=, too much manure, and the use of water@ softening filters9which should not be used=. "f the problem is Na, flush the soil. 5 can get locked up from too much
Nitrogen9N=
(lants need lots of Nitrogen9N= during vegging, but it*s easy to overdo it. 0dded too muchL /lush the soil with plain water. Coluble nitrogen 9especially nitrate= is the form that*s the most uickly available to the roots, while insoluble N9like urea= first needs to be broken down by microbes in the soil before the roots can absorb it. 0void excessive ammonium nitrogen,
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which can interfere with other nutrients. Too much N delays flowering. (lants should be allowed to become N@deficient late in flowering for best flavor. inc9n=
Dets locked out due to high p$. n, /e, and +n deficiencies often occur together, and are usually from a high p$. Mon*t overdo the micro@nutrients@ lower the p$ if that*s the problem so the nutrients become available. /oliar feed if the plant looks real bad. >se chelated inc.
(hosphorous9(=
Come deficiency during flowering is normal, but too much shouldn*t be tolerated. !ed petioles and stems are a normal, genetic characteristic for many varieties, plus it can also be a co@ symptom of Nitrogen, (otassium, and +agnesium deficiencies4 so red stems are not a foolproof sign of (hosphorus deficiency. Too much (hosphorus can lead to an "ron deficiency.
+anganese9+n=
+anganese9+n= gets locked out when the p$ is too high, and when there*s too much iron. >se chelated +anganese.
"ron9/e=
"ron9/e= is unavailable to plants when the p$ of the water or soil is too high. "f deficient, lower the p$ to about O.% 9for rockwool, about %.6=, and check that you*re not adding too much (, which can lock up /e. >se iron that*s chelated for maximum availability.
