Why doesn't the seed coat fall off the sprouts? Common problems with seedlings and solutions If the seed does not open on the sprout

They are called caps” or peels, the same seed shells that remain after germination. They prevent the cotyledon leaves from opening, which is critical, and often they simply hang on the leaf. I really want to take it off, but it’s scary, and I can’t do it with my hands. And what to do if the seed coat cannot be removed, how to remove it without damaging it: 3 methods. And most importantly: 5 reasons why she stays.

Why and when seedlings sprout in a “cap”: who is to blame if the cotyledons do not open

What if the seedlings have not shed their seed coat? Why? And we are to blame: we created the conditions.

The root grows downwards, a loop is formed on top: the subcotyledonous knee (hypocotyl) is formed. During the “somersault”, the hypoctile pulls out the cotyledons and the embryonic bud (plumula) from the ground - in the future the main shoot.

Friction is necessary with the soil mixture - with micro-particles of soil. And if there is no soil resistance, the coefficient of friction and compression is low, the embedment depth, humidity, structure and other factors are to blame: temperature, preparation for sowing, for example.

Seed planting depth: surface sowing

When surface sowing medium and large seeds - from tomatoes, peppers, eggplants (medium) to pumpkin, cucumber, melon (large), this is what happens. How high should I bury the seeds?

Formula: planting depth = 1.5-2 seed height or 2-2.5 seed diameter. It all depends on the size.

1. Large seeds (pumpkin, beans, peas) are buried to 3.5-4 and up to 5 cm, depending on the soil.
2. Medium (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, carrots with parsley, radishes) - from 1.5-2 to 2.5 cm.
3. For small ones (celery, lettuce, poppy seeds, strawberries), surface sowing + 1-2 mm of soil dusted on top is indicated, sowing on snow or with sand.

And also the mechanical composition of the soil. Dense clay structure - we sow higher, light (a large percentage of tyrsa, sand, coconut - deeper).

It is important not to be afraid to compact: lightly, but you need to compact: remember the resistance coefficient.

In the worst case, the seeds cannot break through, in the best, they germinate with the shell.

2. Soil structure

Too light, loose from excess torus or sand, friable, as well as heavy is not good: without meeting resistance, the sprouts germinate with the seed coat.
What to do? Add at least 1/3 of purchased soil or garden soil to peat or turf.

3. The soil is too wet or dry.

During germination, containers with seedlings are covered with film and glass - a mini-greenhouse. This is also a humidity indicator. There is a lot of condensation - it is waterlogged, and the temperature is clearly increased. Little or no - dry, you need to moisten it with a spray bottle.

Why? Requires rough particles for friction. And if the soil is mushy or like dust, how to get out?

4. They are cold! Or hot

At lower temperatures, germination energy decreases. The soil temperature is different for different crops.

• Pepper needs from 25 °C to +27...30 °C - optimal: at the latter value it sprouts in 5-7 days.
• Tomato – up to 25 °C.
• Eggplants up to +23…+27 °C, extreme +27 °C.
• It takes 2-3 days for lettuce to germinate at 15°C.
• Parsnips at +20 °C will produce loops in 5-8 days.
• Onions at +15 °C – 4-5 days.

Important! You will be surprised how much the ground temperature is lower than the air.

Insert a thermometer: at room temperature +23...+25 °C it can show only +12...+15 °C. As moisture evaporates, it lowers the temperature. Naturally, the temperature regime is often violated.

At low temperatures, the production of enzymes is slowed down, the formation of hormones, incl. growth, auxins, growth processes are not activated - as well as with increased ones, the intensity of respiration decreases.

5. Overdried seeds and soaking

Soaking accelerates swelling and germination, but more often only swelling.

The lack of oxygen needed to activate enzyme production slows down the process.

Experiments with beans (!) showed: soaking for 4 hours improved germination, while soaking for 16 hours resulted in damage to the seeds. Although it is believed that it is extremely necessary to “soak” it.

And amino acids, proteins, enzymes are washed out. And from excess moisture they begin to synthesize proteins, sugars, amino acids, vitamins, which leads to their irrational consumption.

This is a false alarm: the deceived embryo will not receive them in the phase it needs.

Therefore, it is better to replace the classic procedure by laying it on a dampened napkin, foam rubber: there is moisture, there is no excess of it, and it does not interfere with breathing. And do not cook or fry the seeds!

Not all seeds need to be heated before planting, and be extremely careful: the endosperm under the seed coat can be damaged.

Melons and cucumbers like to “warm up”, but not above +30...+35 C, dry heat. But at t +30, many peppers and eggplants, and even tomatoes, may not sprout: this is not their method.

A special word about the low quality of the material: unripe, infection-carrying seeds that are overdried initially have low germination, and defects are possible during germination.

And finally: how to take off the cap

If the cotyledons cannot open and shed the seed coat, what should you do?

Do not spray with water, even from a spray bottle, as is often advised: this will cause rotting of the seedlings. If they survive, it's a black leg.

1. Do not handle the sprouts with your hands: you will damage them and may cause tissue burns. As a last resort, hold your hands in ice water and wear gloves (not latex - many stick).
2. Drop a couple of drops of warm water from a pipette or syringe. After an hour - again, and up to 3-4 times. The shell will swell and can be deftly removed with a needle or tweezers, if it does not fall off on its own.
3. There is a method of reverse immersion: sprinkle the seedlings with a thin layer of vermiculite, sand, or light semi-dry soil. But there is a risk of non-germination, and this development slows down. Therefore, soaking is better.

What's the third method? Best.

If the cotyledons have fully opened, the seedlings are strong and vigorous, and the shell is barely holding on - these are the little things in life. Wait a couple of days: it will fall off on its own.

Bathing in a drop of water is justified only to open the cotyledon leaves. And that's not always the case.

If the cotyledons have not been opened for a long time, it is better to discard such seedlings, alas: this is an almost guaranteed developmental delay. Almost.

Interesting about seedlings:

Let the seedlings grow strong and without a cap. Happy harvest!

The successful development of seedlings depends on soil moisture, optimal temperature conditions, proper air circulation, and the availability of sufficient light and nutrients. But knowledge of this information does not always help gardeners obtain full-fledged plants. Successful cultivation requires step-by-step monitoring of growth and timely elimination of possible errors or prevention of their occurrence. What problems there are in growing seedlings from seeds at the initial stage will be discussed in the article.

Seedling infections

Change in leaf color

Pale, dull leaf color indicates a lack of light or nitrogen fertilizer.

The seedlings are moved to a lighted place or lighting is used (a 40-watt fluorescent lamp is used per 0.5 m², installed at a distance of 14-25 cm above the plants). The quality of seedlings from seeds sown later and growing in natural light is better than when sowing early under a lamp.

Remember! The darker the room, the lower the temperature the thermometer should show. But the indicators should not fall below +13.5 ° C. At low temperatures, seedlings will stop developing and may die.

In case of nitrogen deficiency, fertilize with a solution of ammonium nitrate or urea (not exceeding the proportion of 7-11 g per 10 liters of water). Blue-red spots on the foliage indicate overcooling of the soil and inaccessibility of phosphorus to plant roots. A dry edge is a sign of potassium starvation. In both cases, the plants are fed with complex fertilizer and favorable conditions are created for them.

Suspension of growth after picking

• A common cause is diving errors. For example, the long roots of seedlings are not pinched, and when planted in a substrate they bend and intertwine. This leads to rotting, inhibition of plant growth, or to its death from fungal diseases, the pathogens of which penetrate through the damaged root system.
• If during planting an air cavity is created around the roots. As a result, the root hairs dry out and do not function fully.
• Low temperature and lack of nutrition.

Some plant species react negatively to picking. These include all varieties with a taproot and a weak root system - cucumbers, peppers, etc. Such plants are planted in open ground, and peppers and cucumbers are sown in separate pots of several pieces.

Keep in mind! Before planting in the beds, be sure to harden off the seedlings. You need to start hardening in cloudy weather, gradually accustoming the seedlings to direct sunlight.

Video: growing strong seedlings

In order to successfully grow healthy seedlings, it is necessary to regularly monitor growth and promptly eliminate possible errors, as well as prevent their occurrence. Let's look at the most common problems with seedlings which you may experience if you do not follow the basic rules for growing seedlings. Our recommendations will help you avoid the most common mistakes and will be useful to both experienced gardeners and beginners in this matter.

In order for seedlings to develop well, it is necessary to create optimally comfortable conditions for them, namely, carefully monitor the following parameters:

1. Sufficient soil moisture.
2. Optimal temperature conditions.
3. Proper air circulation in the room.
4. Sufficient lighting.
5. Nutrients in required quantities.

Even amateur gardeners know this information, but knowledge does not help all gardeners in growing full-fledged seedlings.

Reasons why seeds don't always germinate

There are many reasons that affect seed germination. The main reasons are the following:

First and main reason: Use of non-viable old seed material. In order to determine whether it is good, experienced gardeners do a quick check. They first soak the seeds in the stimulant, and then place them on a damp cotton towel and put them in a plastic bag for a while. It is better to place the bag in a warm place until small sprouts appear.

If a week passes and you do not notice any changes, then the seeds are not viable. Then go to a specialized store or market for fresh seed, which you check in the same way after purchasing. The seeds of many plants remain viable for at least two years if they are stored correctly.

Common problems with seed germination.

The second reason for poor germination is sowing seeds at great depths. When planting plants, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of sowing each plant. Some of the seeds need to be placed on the surface, the soil must be moist, and they will germinate only under a film (for example), while other seeds prefer to grow under a thin layer of substrate, and so on.

The third reason is sowing in cold soil saturated with moisture. In this case, the seeds rot and seedlings do not appear. For this reason, it is necessary to equip a drainage system and make holes in the containers to ensure ventilation.

And finally, the fourth common reason for seed failure to germinate is steaming the seeds. It is not recommended to place containers in which moistened crops are planted in too warm places (for example, on heating radiators). To prevent steaming, you need to place magazines or books under the container or use special heat mats.

Seeds that have hard coatings (spinach, radishes, beets and others) are best germinated indoors with a cool air temperature. It is best to plant them in open ground.

Why don't sprouts shed their shell?

If you sowed seeds and waited for the shoots to sprout, but they do not want to shed the outer shell, it means that the sprouts appeared from weakened, completely unformed seeds that should not be picked - it is better to throw them away.

Sprouts do not shed their shell for several reasons, the main ones of which are considered to be the following:

1. Very superficial sowing.
2. The film was removed early from the container in which the seeds were sown, which led to the seed coat drying out.

To eliminate errors, it is necessary to periodically wet the “caps” - then the sprouts will shed their shells themselves. You can also try to carefully, without injuring the delicate sprout, pry the shell with a needle. You should not touch it with your hands, as the seedlings may die because of this.

For what reasons are seedlings elongated and pale?

If you received elongated and pale seedlings, this was due to:

Lack of lighting. If seedlings do not receive enough light, they are drawn to the nearest light sources. Therefore, you need to place them under the lamp itself or purchase special lamps for indoor plants, which can provide a wide range of lighting spectrum needed for plants. Seedlings develop and grow best if they are provided with 15 hours of lighting during the day.

Remember! Germinating seeds do not need light, but high temperature, but sprouts cannot develop in the absence of light, and they need to lower the temperature. For this reason, a couple of days before seedlings appear, try to lower the temperature and create maximum lighting. To keep the air constantly circulating, you can use a fan.

Eliminating possible errors when growing seedlings.

Close location. In order to eliminate this drawback, you can move the pots apart or pick the plants, choosing a larger container for them. However, it must be taken into account that with each picking, the plants slow down their growth and development for 11-15 days. Sometimes, if necessary, using picking you can delay planting seedlings in open ground (if you need to wait until suitable weather conditions arrive).

Excess fertilizer. In this case, the seedlings are transplanted into soil that contains fewer nutrients, and then it needs to be treated with the Atlet preparation - either water the seedlings at the root, or spray them. The sprouts begin to be watered when two or three leaves form.

Why are seedlings uneven?

Friendly germination of seeds is observed if seed material of appropriate quality is used. However, sometimes sparse seedlings occur for other reasons:

If the seeds are covered with an uneven layer of substrate. At the same time, seeds that are deeper may either sprout with defective sprouts, or they will not be able to penetrate the thick soil at all, so they will not sprout.

If the seeds are sown in a clayey, weighted substrate. After watering, a “crust” is created on such soil, which prevents sprouts from developing - they cannot even break through it.

To sow seeds, it is necessary to use a light substrate, and it is best if the soil base is made up of high-moor neutral peat or crushed vermiculite. The mulch layer should have a thickness equal to the diameter of the seeds being planted.

As soon as shoots from large seeds appear, many gardeners try to quickly proceed to the next stage - remove the film, reduce the temperature, and increase the amount of water when watering. These sudden changes can inhibit the development of seeds that have not yet sprouted.

Due to maintaining incorrect temperature conditions in soil moisture.

When the seeds are oversaturated during the initial treatments, which were supposed to “improve germination.”

For what reasons is lodging and death of seedlings observed?

If you notice darkening and thinning of the root part of the sprouts, then they are affected by the “black leg”. The disease is caused by fungi of the Fusarium genus. The problem occurs when the soil is overcooled, overwatered, or the substrate is contaminated.

To neutralize new emerging shoots, it is necessary to steam the soil before sowing. If the initial signs of the disease have just appeared, it is necessary to remove the diseased seedlings with lumps of soil around them and stop watering. Place calcined sand under the stems. Then water the plants with a solution of potassium permanganate or one of the preparations: “Fundazol” or “Topsin”. However, the most reliable way remains to transplant young shoots into new soil that has been previously disinfected.

Unexpected lodging of seedlings can occur due to:

1. Untimely watering.
2. Excessive moisture, which causes suffocation of seedlings in the soil.
3. Low soil temperature, which promotes root rot.
4. Poor drainage.
5. Excessively acidic or alkaline soil.
6. Excess of microelements.
7. Cat urine, which affects the color of seedlings and is the cause of their lodging.

Why does the color of plant leaves change?

If the leaves of the seedlings are pale and dull, it means they do not have enough lighting or need nitrogen fertilizers. In this case, it is necessary to move the seedlings to a lighted place or use lighting (a 40-watt fluorescent lamp is required for half a meter of area, which should be installed at a distance of 14-25 cm above the plants). Seedlings grown from seed are of higher quality if the seeds are sown later and grow under natural light rather than when sown early under lights.

The room temperature should be lower, the darker the room. However, the indicator should not be lower than +13.5 ° C. If the temperature is too low, the seedlings will stop developing and even die in such conditions.

Conditions necessary for the proper development of seedlings.

When nitrogen deficiency is noticed, the plants should be fed with a solution of ammonium nitrate or urea (the proportions should not exceed 7-10 grams of the substance per 10 liters of water).

If blue-red spots appear on the leaves of the sprouts, it means that the soil is overcooled and the plants do not have access to the phosphorus that their roots need so much.

The appearance of a dry edge indicates a lack of potassium. In both cases, the sprouts should be fed. For this purpose, complex fertilizers are used. Also take care to create favorable conditions for seedlings.

Why do plants stop growing after picking?

After picking, the sprouts often stop developing for some time. The following reasons influence this:

Mistakes made when diving. For example, the long roots of the seedlings were not pinched, and when they were planted in the substrate, they were bent or intertwined, which led to rotting or stopping the growth of plants or their death from fungal diseases, the pathogens of which can easily penetrate the plant if its root system is damaged.

When an air cavity formed around the roots during planting, the root hairs began to dry out and cannot function well.

Low temperatures and lack of nutrients.

Some plant species have a negative perception of the picking process. These are plants that have a taproot and a weak root system - cucumbers, peppers and other vegetable crops. Such plants are planted in open ground, and peppers and cucumbers need to be sown in separate containers, just a few at a time.

Before planting in open ground, seedlings must be hardened off. Hardening off begins on a cloudy day so that the seedlings gradually become accustomed to direct sunlight.

Have you encountered a problem when seedlings were unable to shed their seed coat in a timely manner? You probably noticed that such plants looked frail and were far behind their relatives in development.

Most often, the situation is resolved by the natural death of weak plants. When I look at such dead creatures, my hands are simply itching to help them quickly get rid of their seed caps;). In the article I would like to discuss with you whether it is worth doing this? And if so, how to carry out the operation with minimal damage to a tiny seedling?

Seedlings that have difficulty shedding the seed coat are rightly considered weaker. This means that such plants are less promising in terms of yield.

I have often even observed the death of such seedlings, since the remnants of the seed completely block their growth. The most obvious cause of trouble is bad seeds.

But several more versions come to my mind as to why seedlings are unable to shed their seed coat on their own:

• the seeds are planted at too shallow a depth;
• the seeds are covered with too loose a substrate;
• the soil was not compacted after sowing;
• The film that created the optimal microclimate in the container was removed early, and the seed coat became very dry in the dry air.

Let me note that there is no need to sound the alarm ahead of time. Give your green pets a chance to cope with this task themselves.

However, if the matter has clearly stalled, then you can help the poor people a little.

It is better not to try to remove the seed coat with your fingers - the cotyledon leaves of peppers and tomatoes are fragile and can be easily damaged by careless manipulations. Drop warm water from a pipette or syringe onto the leaves and wait until the cap softens a little. And only then try to carefully pick it off with the blunt side of the needle.

To keep the number of seedlings with stuck seed coats to a minimum, follow these recommendations:

1. Before sowing, soak the seeds so that they are saturated with moisture and swell. The seed coat will become soft and pliable and the plant can easily get rid of it. Comprehensive information on methods of pre-sowing seed treatment can be found here.
2. Sow dry seeds to a depth of at least 1-1.5 centimeters, and be sure to compact the surface of the substrate. Thus, the seedlings themselves will easily throw off the interfering “clothes” when they make their way to the light through a fairly thick layer of compacted soil. But here it is important not to overdo it and not to plant the seeds too deeply, otherwise you may be left without any seedlings at all. And one more thing: the seeds of crops such as celery and many other herbs are so small that they are sown with almost no soil. Therefore, the second tip does not apply to them.

Let's not forget that in nature there is nothing useless or superfluous, and the seed coat performs an important function up to a certain point. It supplies the plant with the nutrients it needs at an early stage of growth, when the root system is still poorly developed. Therefore, carefully monitor the condition of the seedlings and interfere with the work of Mother Nature only if absolutely necessary.

It is very rare for beginners to grow without problems. When planning to grow cannabis, you should be prepared to encounter a lot of unknowns. To make it a little clearer, we have prepared for you a guide to the most common cannabis problems. And since no one has ever been able to grasp the immensity the first time, this guide will be constantly supplemented and updated.

Seed/sprout/sapling

I planted a seed, but still no shoots

If you are confident in the seeds, then most often there is no need to worry; on average, from planting to germination it takes from 2 to 4 days, sometimes longer. The germination of seeds is influenced by a lot of factors: their age, storage conditions, genetic features, planting depth, whether you germinated them well or not, whether the soil was too dry or vice versa - you created a swamp there and the seed rotted. With experience you will learn to plant correctly. In the meantime, you need to be patient. Do not go into the ground under any circumstances. You should panic after 7 days. If the sprout doesn’t appear, well, now you can climb up and see what happened. But more often than not, everything grows perfectly if you planted high-quality seeds.

The sprout came out along with the shell from the seed

Sometimes sprouts appear “in a helmet”, this is when the shell from the seed has not separated from the embryo in the ground, but appears on the surface along with it. Often the sprouts are trapped by this shell. In order for it to separate safely, the sprout should be moistened with a spray bottle and covered with a transparent plastic cup. Moisture makes the shell soft and it is easier for the cotyledons of the sprout to break through it. However, in some cases the shell remains. Then you need to remove it yourself - very, very carefully separate it with tweezers.

The sprout came out, but not green, but yellow

Most likely, nothing bad is happening. Immediately after germination, the sprout has not yet begun proper metabolic processes, such as photosynthesis. There is no need to worry; within a few hours you will see how the sprout turns from pale yellow to green and, in general, is filled with life. If this does not happen and after a day the sprout is still yellow and shows no signs of life, then either the seeds you got are of poor quality, or the sprout has begun to rot in the ground from excess moisture. However, there are other reasons.

The sprout stretches on the stem and remains thin

This phenomenon is called stretch and occurs with absolutely all sprouts. An experienced grower leaves room in the pot in advance and adds soil there during the first few days of active growth of the sprout. After a few days, the sprout stops stretching and begins to form the first leaves. However, if active stretching continues, then this is most likely a signal that the sprout does not have enough light - move the lamp lower.

The sprout slows down and develops slowly

There could be a lot of reasons for this. Sometimes these are genetic features (check in the grow reports for your variety), but more often these are shoals with conditions and care. What should you pay attention to first? The main thing: temperature, humidity, frequency and volume of watering, is there enough light, is the soil composition optimal. For example, too oily soil can cause “brakes” in the early stages of seedling development. It is also important to understand that your own hemp always grows very slowly; observing it every day, sometimes you do not perceive the dynamics of its growth so clearly. Look through other people's grow reports on your variety and compare the appearance of the plants. If your pet is clearly and very different, then this is a reason to think hard. If the differences are not significant, then there is no need to panic.

New leaves appear curled and deformed

Leaf mutation in the early stages of a seedling's life is not a rare occurrence. And even old and proven varieties of hemp suffer from it. For example, Blueberry from Dutch Passion. A mutation is not always a death sentence for a crop. Most growers keep the mutants and grow them successfully. If you see that, in general, despite its unsightly appearance, the plant is developing at a good pace, then such a bush can be left. If the mutant really grows poorly, then it is wiser to make room for a healthy bush.

The cotyledons of the sprout turn yellow

The death of cotyledons is a natural process. It begins with the beginning of active growth of the bush, when it forms several internodes on the main trunk (floors) and the foliage hides the cotyledons in dense shade. However, if the cotyledons begin to turn yellow at the very early stages of sprout development, this indicates serious problems with the growing conditions. And most often the culprit is the incorrect composition of soil and water for irrigation, including inappropriate pH levels. The sprout may also turn yellow due to excessive watering. What can be done in this situation? In the cotyledons of the sprout, the supply of nutrients for the sprout is concentrated until the leaves appear and the photosynthesis factory starts at full capacity. This means that if the cotyledons are damaged when there is no foliage, this can be fatal for the sprout. If problems with them began when there were no leaves, then the plant will survive provided that you find out and correct the reasons why the premature death of the cotyledons began. Otherwise, the foliage will soon begin to hurt.

The bush is too elongated - the internodes are long, there is little foliage, and it grows on long skinny stems

A very common problem for newbies. It's simple here - if your bush looks like this, then you have too little light. Increase its power.

The seedling suddenly began to turn yellow and died

Most likely, problems with the pH of the irrigation water or soil, or a combination of both. And possibly light stress. Sprouts do not like too bright light. At first, it is better to hold the lamp higher.

Mature plant

The leaves wither, even despite abundant watering, the tip and edges of the leaf bend inward

Most likely, this is overwatering - one of the most common “sores” of those who grow for the first time. It is generally accepted that plants love water and no matter how much water is poured, it will not get worse - but this is not so. Plant roots need oxygen. Therefore, hemp loves moderate watering. The pot should not be too wet, otherwise the roots will not receive oxygen and there is even a danger of them rotting if you have created a swamp that does not dry out in the pot. If your plants are overwatering, do not water them for several days until the soil dries out. If after this the problem does not go away, then most likely the overwatering has persisted for such a significant time that the roots of the plant are affected.

The tip and edges of the sheet bend inward

The bush looks healthy, but for some reason on some branches the leaves have bent inward, similar to the symptoms of overwatering, but would you swear that you didn’t over-water? In this case, check to see if the fan is hitting your bush too hard. Prolonged exposure to a powerful stream can lead to wind burn and one of its initial symptoms is the tips of the foliage curling in a claw. It is better not to blow the plants with a direct strong stream.

You also need to pay attention to how saturated the greens of the leaves are. If the leaves are normal green, it is most likely a wind burn. If the greens are very thick and dark, most likely the bending of the tips is caused by an excess of nitrogen. In addition, wind burn rarely appears on the entire bush at once. Usually only one small part, closest to the fan, is affected. When there is excess nitrogen, “claws” appear throughout the bush.

Leaves turn yellow and fall off

If the foliage of a seemingly mature bush suddenly begins to turn yellow, this is a sign that your plant does not have enough nitrogen - one of the three main nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). When there is a lack of nitrogen, chlorophyll - what gives leaves their green color - is not produced in sufficient quantities. As a result, the foliage dies and easily falls off even with slight manipulation.

If you find such a picture, then you should immediately resolve the issue with nutrients - adjust the composition and dose of fertilizers. However, this is not always easy to do if you grow, for example, organically. The most reasonable thing is to initially approach the issue of fertilizers responsibly and from the very beginning use a correctly calculated compote of mineral fertilizers, of course, having a pH meter and a TDS meter. And having studied how it all works.

But yellowing and dying of foliage is not always a symptom of deficiency. If the oldest foliage, which is in the dense shade of young growth, turns yellow and falls off, then this is a natural process. Without receiving light, the leaf dies as unnecessary.

Foliage is too dark, almost black

Too much nitrogen.

Leaf stems turned pink/purple

This is a deficiency of the second of the three most important nutrients for a plant - phosphorus. It makes more sense to increase the dosage of this element.

However, sometimes this color of the stems is a feature of genetics. To tell one from the other, check for other signs of phosphorus deficiency - colored spots on the leaves, rich greens and fleshy, rough texture of the foliage.

The tips of the leaves have become lighter/brown

This yellowing of leaf tips and cloves most likely indicates a potassium deficiency. The third key element in hemp nutrition.

Rust-brown spots on older leaves.

Calcium and magnesium deficiency. Calcium plays a huge role in plant cell division, along with potassium. A fairly common deficiency that occurs if a grower, due to inexperience, limits himself to adding only NPK. The choice of means for feeding plants with calcium and magnesium is wide: from specialized means in grow shops, such as CalMag, or magnesium sulfate - as the cheapest option for replenishing magnesium.

Another sign of calcium deficiency is that the leaves look dry, brittle and begin to “twist”.

The tips of the leaves “burn.”

Most likely this is an overdose of fertilizers. It is recommended to reduce the dosage of fertilizers, and if the symptoms are accompanied by others, for example, yellowing of the foliage, then it is wiser to rinse the soil.

In chats they constantly write about some kind of “micra”. What is this?

In addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - the three main nutrients for your plants - they also require trace elements: the already mentioned calcium, magnesium, as well as sulfur, manganese, boron, zinc and copper. Cannabis requires a full range of nutrients. It is these microelements that growers call “micro.” Quite often, micra can be found in fertilizers. If yours does not contain them, then you will have to add additional micron.

I apply fertilizers, but the deficits do not disappear

Correcting a plant's nutritional problems will not cause old deficient foliage to magically turn green again. New foliage will be healthy if the plant is in veg. If the young foliage is also sick and you seem to be fertilizing, then there may be several reasons for this - either you have problems with pH and the plant does not absorb the elements, or if the piash is in order (and you calibrate the piash meter often), insufficient dosage of fertilizers.

The composition of the soil can also play a bad joke. For example, if one of the elements is low in it (for example, phosphorus), then the application of complex fertilizers works poorly. Such a deficiency must be treated manually - with an individual compote of fertilizers with a correctly selected composition.

The leaves turn upside down

If the edges of the sheet are bent upward, then this is a symptom of temperature exposure - heat. Check the temperature in the box and whether your thermometer is working properly. We should not forget that the actual temperature of the soil and on the surface of the sheet may differ significantly in some cases from the “average in the hospital.” And if the thermometer shows a seemingly acceptable +28, then under the rays of powerful DNAT-600, for example, the soil in the growbag can warm up to +30 in the upper layer, which is fatal for the roots located there.

Leaves reach for the light

Despite the fact that this scares some beginners - if the cannabis lifts its leaves, as if stretching out for the light, opening the bush, this is exactly the opposite - evidence of the health of the bush. Watching him, you will see that more often he does this at the same time - somewhere in the second half of his daylight hours.

But if the upper leaves stand upright, this is an attempt by the plant to protect itself from an excess of light and heat from the lamp. Move the lamp further away.

The foliage has drooped

And vice versa. If before turning off the light you see drooping foliage, then do not be alarmed. Hemp is tired and already sleeping. Just everything.

The foliage is twisting as if from the heat, but the temperature is normal/change in color of the segments

If, in addition to this symptom, you also find spots of unknown origin, then we may be talking about the tobacco mosaic virus. Brownish rashes appear on the foliage and buds, and the foliage twists as if exposed to heat. Also, some leaf segments may turn yellow, as with nitrogen starvation. Unfortunately, this scourge has practically no cure; it is recommended to remove the affected areas. In addition, the disease can spread to your other plants. Fortunately, the virus is not that rare.

The leaves also twist when there is a lack of calcium. In this case, rusty spots appear on the leaves (see above).

The stem/trunk broke

If, during bending or for some other reason, a branch or even the main trunk of a plant is broken, then you should not be alarmed - if the branch has not come off completely and connecting tissues remain, then the fracture site will heal on its own. Branches with more serious damage can be tried to be fused using adhesive tape or even ordinary household tape.

Mold has grown in a pot of soil

This happens if you are in the habit of growing a swamp in a pot or storing dead leaves there. If there is also high humidity in the box, this is a ready-made recipe for mold formation. What to do? If you find mold, you should act immediately - first, manually remove all lesions and run to the garden store for specialized mold preparations. If you caught it too late and the damage is very strong, then you may need to replant the plant and treat it with anti-mold preparations.

The bush is very different in appearance from those in the reports

Most likely this is a variation in phenotype. There are hemp varieties that can have several phenotypes at once.

Flowering plant

The bush shows no signs of flowering after switching to 12\12

Flowering is a very slow process. It may take 7-10 days for you to see clear changes in the appearance of your bush, sometimes longer. Therefore, do not rush to ask a question in the grower chat or on the forum when the bush still does not bloom a week after setting the timer to 12\12. Your cannabis will definitely bloom, you just need to give it time. Late flowering may occur due to excess nitrogen in the soil. It may also be genetically determined. It is recommended to speed up flowering by washing the soil to remove the fertilizer charge during veg and applying the composition for flowering. The plant can also be left in total darkness for several days before switching to a 12/12 light cycle.

Slow flowering may be due to a violation of the 12-hour darkness regime. For example, if the grow box is not completely sealed and a small amount of light from outside gets in there at night. Another common mistake is for the grower to look into the box after turning off the lamps. Neither one nor the other should be allowed. Darkness at night during the flowering stage should be complete and continuous for 12 hours.

The leaves began to actively turn yellow and die

Flowering is the peak of a plant’s life, when its appetites rapidly increase. And if things are not going well for you with feeding, then switching the plant to flowering will reveal all these problems. However, even ideal nutrition will not help the leaves. Do not forget that hemp is an annual plant and after flowering it will die. Flowering is the autumn of your bush’s life. And by the end of the cycle, in any case, it will be “tired” - having lost its abundant leaf cover. At the same time, your task is to keep the plant healthy for as long as possible and monitor the increase in bud mass.

Mold appeared on the pine cones

A terrible misfortune that can put an end to the harvest, because it is strictly not recommended to consume mold-affected fruits. The affected areas must be removed immediately, and the factors causing mold (excess moisture, water getting on the buds, poor ventilation and blowing) must be determined and eliminated. Good results are obtained by using the drug phytosporin to combat mold and prevent its occurrence. Especially outdoors.

How do you know when hemp is ripe?

No way without a microscope. You can truly judge the maturity of cannabis only by examining the state of its trichomes with a magnifying glass. Half of them have turned amber - it's time to clean them up. It is impossible to determine maturity by the appearance of the cone itself.

Trichomes are not amber, although the ripening period according to the passport has arrived

The ripening period according to the passport is a very approximate indicator, which can vary dramatically depending on the growing conditions and even on the specific phenotype of the variety. But on average, in practice, the ripening period according to the passport requires another one or two additional weeks.

Tired Skipper

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