August 04, 2020
When you read this article, you probably have already grow plants in your indoor grow tent using relative equipment like ventilation and indoor grow lights(maybe mostly full spectrum Led grow light). As you know, this guide are going to walk you through one aspect you need to pay attention to during your planting process.
Every indoor plants cultivator needs to be able to interpret the signals their indoor plants leaves send out. If you can quickly understand and treat your plant’s health issues, you'll enjoy robust plants and fantastic yields. Here, we break down each problem expressed by the leaves of your indoor plants.
Plant diseases, nutrient deficiencies, pest infestations, and many other growing problems display clear symptoms in the leaves of the indoor plants. In this guide, we cover the various plant issues that can manifest in indoor plants leaves.
YELLOW LEAVES
Leaves turning yellow is usually a sure sign that something is wrong with your indoor plants. This can happen for various reasons, ranging from diseases and pests to problems with nutrients. Note, however, that yellow leaves in the late weeks of flowering are normal.
OVER - FERTILISATION
The introduction of too much fertiliser will often cause indoor plants leaves to turn yellow. Fortunately, this issue is relatively easy to spot: The leaves will first turn yellow or brown at the tip only, a typical sign of a nutrient burn. Only in the later stages of over-fertilisation will the whole leaf turn yellow.
OVERWATERING
When indoor plants is overwatered, it can lead to all kinds of growing problems. The roots suffocate and can’t access oxygen that the plant needs, and mould, fungus, and pests are more likely to appear. Many times, the leaves will turn yellow during the later stages of continued overwatering.
NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES
Nutrient deficiencies, nitrogen deficiency in particular, are one of the most common reasons leaves turn yellow. When lacking in the substrate, the plant draws nutrients from the leaves, turning them yellow in the process.
Know that a nutrient deficiency doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t feeding your plants enough. Many times, a nutrient deficiency is rooted in incorrect water pH levels, or even from overfeeding. When the plant cannot access nutrients, even if they are present, this is known as nutrient lockout.
PESTS
Common pests, such as fungus gnats or mites, can lead to indoor plants leaves turning yellow. Make sure you know which is on your plants, though, as they cause different issues and require different solutions.
ROOT ROT
Root rot, as you can tell from the name, is a serious condition that affects the foundation of your indoor plants. Most of the time, it is caused by a lack of oxygen in the root zone due to overwatering. High humidity and temperatures in the grow room could also be causes for root rot, along with contamination of the growing area (or water reservoir) by harmful bacteria or fungus.
When leaves turn yellow from root rot, it will usually take some time to manifest fully. It may present itself as large, irregular yellow patches, or it may only affect the edges. Leaves will also crumble and wilt at the same time.
PH FLUCTUATIONS
Sometimes, as we mentioned before, yellow leaves can be a result of pH fluctuations around the roots of your indoor plants. This will stress out the plant and cause spots to appear. Most of the time, the yellowish, brownish part will be in the middle of lower, older leaves.
LEAF SEPTORIA
Leaf septoria, also known as septoria leaf spot or yellow leaf spot, shows as yellow-brown spots on the upper and lower sides of the leaves. It is a fungal disease brought on by spores, and is particularly prevalent in wet and humid conditions.
CURLY LEAVES
The leaves of your indoor plants can curl for a variety of reasons. They may bend downwards or upwards, roll up on the edges, or curl and crumble in irregular ways. These are the most common causes of curly leaves:
HEAT STRESS
Heat can dry out the leaves and make them curl. In a typical indoor grow setting, heat stress is due to plants being too close to the grow lights.
OVERWATERING
When leaves curl due to overwatering, your indoor plants will take on a “heavy” appearance, as if something is bogging it down. The leaves will bend downward in an arc and make an “eagle claw”.
OVER-FERTILISATION
The first sign of overfeeding, or nutrient burn, is a tiny crispy tip on the leaves. If overfeeding continues, the entire leaf will turn crispy and brown in turn.
COLD
Sometimes indoor plants leaves can curl due to cold temperatures.
DRY AND CRISPY
In certain cases, if your plant goes without adjustments after the leaves start to curl, they could start to get dry and crispy. As many owners of house plants know, this is a sign that immediate treatment is needed.
HEAT STRESS
As we mentioned before, this usually just means your plants are too close to your grow lights. However, heat stress can also occur if you’re growing outdoors, or in a greenhouse in hot temperatures. The leaves, as we’ll discuss in a bit, can get dry and crispy in the late stages of heat stress.
LIGHT BURN
Light burn is often preceded by bleaching, during which the leaves turn white. Sometimes, however, light burn has already occurred by the time bleaching starts. If light and heat issues aren’t addressed, the leaves will become crispy and die. This one is rather easy to spot, as light burn typically appears on the leaves closest to the light source.
OVER-FERTILISATION
Starting with dried-out leaf tips, prolonged nutrient burn will manifest as whole leaves becoming dry and crispy. This is the last stage of over-fertilisation. The leaves, and therefore your indoor plants, are dying. That doesn’t mean you can’t save them, though.
WILTING LEAVES
Wilting leaves, just like discoloured and spotted leaves, can be caused by many things. Here are the most common issues cultivators should be aware of:
UNDERWATERING
The main sign of underwatering is a drooping plant with wilting leaves and branches. If the plant doesn’t get water after that point, the leaves will start to dry out.
WIND BURN
This is more of an issue if you’re growing outdoors with your plant exposed to the elements. However, it can also happen indoors when your plants are too close to a powerful fan.
VERTICILLIUM
Verticillium wilt is a serious condition caused by fungus that can reside in soil. In short, it attacks the roots of your indoor plants, leaving themnear death with no possible cure. It presents as a yellowing and shrivelling of the lower leaves,
followed by parts of the plant suddenly wilting.The best thing you can do is start with preventative measures; that way, it doesn’t have a chance to devastate your crop.
Now when you find your leaves have the same symptoms with the above, you can take some quick action to save them.As a final reminder, it’s important to keep your leaves healthy so that you can enjoy the immense health benefits from juicing or creating cannabutter with your freshly harvested indoor plants leaves.