There are several reasons why your marijuana leaves will curl down at the stage of cultivation. This article will help you to understand why this happens and the steps you can take to keep your cannabis leaves curling down put your plant in its right balance and preserve your harvest.
When you experience your marijuana leaves curling down, you should be quick to understand what this symbolizes and take the needed steps to put things in their place. Unlike humans, your marijuana plant cannot request help, curling leaves is one of the outcries your plant throws at you for help, and this should not be taken lightly.
How clawing happens
Clawing is the name for the cannabis leaves curling down, it can also be called “the claw” and it can happen for many reasons, however, when this happens giving your plant the best support possible is your greatest option on the list. The claw can hamper your plant growth and if not taken seriously, the plant can die.
Causes of cannabis leaves curling down
While growing your marijuana plant is seen as a simple and straightforward thing to do, you cannot shut the doors completely against effects that can tell on the health of your plant. Knowing the causes will allow you to prepare ahead of time.
As the plant germinates, so will the leaves. When the leaves begin to curl down instead of upright, then there is trouble. The Claw which is Cannabis leaves curling down is an indication that your plants are undergoing an usual state of growth, which requires your attention. There are many causes, the good news is that you can treat the plant and get it growing right again.
Overwatering
Watering the leaves is important, however too much of it or overwatering is a concern for us. It can drown the roots of your plants and this can be too much trouble to deal with.
Overwatering plants will sink the roots of your plants, it will not end with washing off the useful portions of your microbes away, it can lead to pythium finding roots in your plant, along with algae and fungi.
Plants with bent leaves send the message of soaked soil. Water mold is another downside of overwatering your plant, which can harm your plant. Showing prudence with your wet-dry periods is an important attribute you should exercise with diligence.
If you can easily raise your pots, do this to measure when you should water the plant and when you shouldn’t. If raising your pots will be a difficult thing to do, going with the option of using a moisture meter to check the behavior of your plants after watering them is an essential attribute. Go with longer layoffs when it comes to how often you water your plants.
When pythium begins attacking your plants, it goes directly to the roots and this will have the roots turned to gunk the brown colors especially. If you experience curly leaves with your young plants, there is a good chance of Pythium attack.
Over-fertilization of the plant
Too much dose of nitrogen-dominated nutrients or any other nutrients can be responsible for the curling of your leaves. Your leaves may at some point canoe, and over-fertilization during the flowering stage of your plant, with phosphorus or potassium, can also cause curling down. It can be so bad that the edges will burn, it is a sign of chlorosis and this is a side effect of over-fertilization.
Feeding your plants slow and low at the initial stage is a fine way to get started, this way you can easily increase the dosage with time, and without affecting your leaves. If you choose to go all-in instead, you will have a host of curling leaves to deal with.
Your soil in addition to others should have the right pH levels, which should be around 5.8ph hydroponics and 6.0 for your soil.
Extreme temperature
Another reason for cannabis leaves curling down is distress, and this can happen indoors as well as outdoors farming. Cannabis plants conduct photosynthesis at an average temperature of 28°C, if your temperature goes above 30° then you have entered the danger zone. You can get things messier by reducing the RH.
Your fresh leaves will experience unique growth while the issue with your temperature persists, the trouble, however, will be with the old leaves, as they will turn curly and turn brown.
If you are cultivating indoors, ensure to maintain the best environmental conditions, it starts with your light distance, continue to adjust this accordingly, until the grown plants reach their highest height. Fans and air conditioners can be used to maintain the temperature of the room and get things going at their best.
For outdoor cultivation, a screen shade will help protect your plants from the harshness of the sun and give the leaves some coolness. This will protect you from having plants that curl down.
Once your leaves are burned, there is nothing left to be done again. Using white containers in place of black ones will hold the root zone and make things get a lot cooler for you.
Cold temperature
Just like hot temperature, extreme cold weather conditions can cause the curling down of your marijuana leaves, it will as well lead to discoloration of your leaf. When your plants are constantly exposed to temperatures under 10°C you will experience problems with your leaves curling down.
If your plants survive the cold temperature and make it through to the harvest period, you will have baggy flowers paired with a higher level of RH. Similarly, the buds of your plant will be moistened, making it vulnerable to bud rot.
If you are growing indoors and your temperatures are low, getting additional lights will set things right. Outdoors growers on the other hand are forced to either do an early harvest or take the plants indoors during the night.
While cannabis is naturally a strong plant to deal with when temperatures are beyond 20-28°C, your plants may struggle and this is noticeable in the curling down.
Genetics
If breeding or reproducing your strains is your thing, getting a robust parent plant for this purpose is an important thing to do. The genetics of your plant will determine the offspring, if the parent plant is unhealthy, chances are the offspring will also suffer the same fate. This is one of the reasons for curling on the leaves, and a fantastic attempt to restore the leaves will be to feed them with adequate nutrients and fertilizers.
Genetics is another cause for mutations and the issue of deformities that are seen in most plants.
Some Auto-flowering plants and Sativa plants alike are vulnerable to excess dosage of fertilizers, and this can give birth to issues such as neophytes. It is best to check the reefer and learn more about the strain of your plants before opting to cultivate them.
Conclusion
Cultivating cannabis can be straightforward and filled with immense pleasure, on the other hand, it will require a great deal of supervision when it comes to maintaining the health of the plant. The yield the plant will provide will also depend largely on the health of the plant, when your plants are curling down, then it shows you have work to do.
The causes we have highlighted above will guide you to avoid the curling down of your leaves, acting on it immediately will save your plant’s life and guarantee your harvest.