3 Most Common Mistakes when Growing Cannabis & How to Fix Them

When growing cannabis, there are many things you should consider like choosing the right growing media, what’s the best strain to help you achieve your goals, & ensuring that your plants are getting the right nutrients. While you might know what you need to do to help your plants thrive, there are some things you might be doing wrong—without even knowing it. Learn the three most common mistakes when growing cannabis, the signs of these issues, and what you can do to fix them.

3 Most Common Mistakes in Growing Cannabis

The Problem: Under | Overwatering

Giving your plants too much or too little water is one of the most common issues growers have. It’s easy to lean too far one way or another, whether you think your plant is very thirsty or the soil is too saturated.

You can tell if you’re watering too little or too much by looking at the leaves. Plants that are underwatered will have drooping leaves that look like they are hanging. Plants that have been overwatered will have leaves that curl downward and look very rigid because they are so full of water, and growth might slow down tremendously. Overwatering is especially dangerous because it can cause root rot.

Solution

If you have underwatered your plant, the solution is easy. Simply give it more water right away and the leaves should bounce back within 30 minutes. Going forward, all you have to do is water it more often and offer deeper soaking.

The best way to help your overwatered plant is to let it dry out for a few days. Deciding when you need to water, check how dry the soil is. If it is dry about 1″ deep, then it is ready for more water.

The Problem: Nutrient Burn

When it comes to caring for your cannabis plant, there can be too much of a good thing. Giving your plant too much nutrients falls into this category. While there are many nutrients that your plant needs, too much can lead to nutrient burn. This might happen if you use too strong of a mix or add it to the soil media too frequently.

You can spot nutrient burn early by looking at the tips of the leaves. If there is discoloration there, you may have fed your plant too much.

Solution

Fortunately, solving this problem is easy. If you’re noticing signs of nutrient burn, give your plant a week or two without adding fertilizer/nutrients. Then resume your fertilization schedule, continuing to watch for signs of burn, which may indicate you need to reevaluate your nutrient mix altogether.

The Problem: Nitrogen Deficiency

Similar to offering your plants too many nutrients and causing nutrient burn, you could have the opposite problem: nitrogen deficiency. Nitrogen is one of the main macronutrients your cannabis plant needs to thrive. This nutrient gives plants the energy needed to grow and is the primary source of plant protoplasm. It helps plants synthesize amino acids, chlorophyll, nucleic acids, proteins, and enzymes.

Your plant might have a nitrogen deficiency if the older leaves that are lower on the plant begin to turn yellow/brown. They might wilt away and die. This is because the newer leaves begin stealing nitrogen from the established ones. If you don’t address the issue, your entire plant may end up with lime-colored or pale leaves.

Note: It is normal for the plant’s leaves to yellow at the end of the flowering cycle because nitrogen is being used to create buds. 

Solution

Fortunately, it’s easy to address a nitrogen deficiency. All you have to do is use a fertilizer that includes nitrogen. If you still end up with a nitrogen deficiency using the fertilizer you have, you might need to supplement with a bit more nitrogen.

Prevent The Most Common Mistakes in Growing Cannabis with Help from Harvest Hero

Our innovative Enhanced Perlite Mix mix features a unique, proprietary blend of perlite, diatomaceous earth, and essential nutrients that help support the critical vegetative growth stage of your cannabis plants. NC State conducted testing to see how cannabis plants were impacted by this 3-in-1 mix. Harvest Hero Enhanced Perlite Mix resulted in: