Martin Lagustan

How to Avoid Clawed Leaves and Wind Burn Reference: https://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabis-wind-burn Cannabis cultivation is far from easy. This process entails lots of challenges that can get in the way of a bountiful harvest. Among these challenges are pests, molds, nutrient deficiencies, and even unsuitable environmental conditions such as too much wind. While there are quick fixes for such predicaments, oftentimes, preventing its occurrence in the first place is the best way to go. Clawed Leaves Plants with this symptom have leaves that look like claws with its tips curling downward - hence the name. It is one of the most common indication that there is an underlying problem with the plant that needs to be addressed. Clawed leaves can be caused by numerous conditions such as: · Overwatering · Underwatering · Over-fertilization · Bad Soil · Extreme temperatures · Bugs and pest infestation · Root problems · Genetics Windburn is yet another possible cause of clawed leaves. When this phenomenon occurs, the leaves of a cannabis plant react by curling its tips in an attempt to fend off further damages. This leads to shorter, injured leaves, which can result in a sickly plant with a poor harvest. Wind Burn Anything in excess - even good things - is detrimental. A pleasant breeze and proper ventilation are essential in every grow space. This is because it lowers the humidity in the area and by extension, the probability of mold proliferation. However, excessive amounts of this beneficial wind can do more harm than good. As the name hints, windburn is a condition brought upon by exposing the cannabis to too much wind. It is more commonly observed in indoor-grown plants because fans or ventilation systems are most frequently used in enclosed grow spaces to mimic and serve as an alternative to the natural breeze. However, since these artificial devices produce consistent wind output, it could overwhelm the plants and cause unwanted symptoms such as clawed leaves. Signs To provide an appropriate remedy to windburn, the plant must be diagnosed first. To come up with the correct diagnosis, the indications of the condition must be observed and duly taken note of. Body · Abnormal growth · Twisted growth · Red or purple stems Leaves · Tips are curling and clawing – be it upward or downward · Burnt edges · Yellowish spots on the surface · Wilting · Drooping It is easy to mistake wind burn as merely wilting or drooping. Therefore, its causes must be ruled out to correctly conclude that the plant is indeed suffering from wind burn. If a plant is adequately hydrated and the leaves still seem to wilt or droop, then it is more likely caused by windburn. Another indication is when the plants farthest to a fan seem to have no damage while the near ones have the signs previously mentioned. This strongly hints that the problem lies with having too much wind. Prevention Windburn puts the cannabis plants under significant stress which can compromise its yields. The good news though, is that it can easily be avoided. That is, if the signs are spotted early on, and preventive measures are applied even before the situation gets out of hand. Planning Ahead When setting up an indoor grow space, planning the space allotment per plant is vital. Squeezing too many herbs in the garden with the goal of yielding more harvest will most likely backfire. That is, if using the Sea of Green technique is not the intention to begin with. This is because compressing the plants makes it more prone to bud rot due to increased humidity. Aside from that, a jam-packed area will leave less room for other essential equipment like fans. Consequently, even if the ventilation system is somehow squeezed through in the compact space, that would mean that the plants will be too close to the fans. This, in turn, leads to windburn. The key to preventing wind burn through planning is to determine the dimensions of the grow space, the ideal number of plants that it should contain, and the fan placements. It should not be too compressed, and the fans should be at an appropriate distance from the plants. The goal is to have fresh air circulating, but not to the point that it will overwhelm the plants. Set Up Optimal Fan Settings and Placement For starters, using fans with multiple strength settings is a great way to control the ventilation in an area. A light breeze is essential as it helps strengthen the stems and let the leaves transpire, but not so much that the grow space will seem like there is a ranging tornado inside. It is ideal to have a gentle breeze between the lights and the plants - just enough to make the leaves rustle, not wildly flapping or waving. A fan could be placed beside or above the canopy and set to oscillate to provide wider wind distribution. A small fan can also be placed below the canopy to circulate gentle vertical winds. However, smaller growing areas may not have room for more than two fans. Sometimes, fans with multiple strength settings are not at hand. An excellent solution for both situations would be to point a fan towards a wall so that the plants would not be directly exposed to strong wind, but there will still be air circulating. Also, ensure that all the plants are receiving a light breeze. Mitigating the Damage Severely wind-burned leaves will shrivel and fall off eventually. Plants have ways of detecting and repairing such damages. Clawed or wind-burned leaves would prompt the cannabis to continue supplying nutrients and energy to the damaged parts in an attempt to restore it. Such resources could have been focused on developing dense buds if it were not for the slowly dying leaves. For this reason, it is best to remove severely affected leaves immediately. Meanwhile, leaves with minimal damage can be left alone as it will recover again soon. The burnt edges will separate and fall off like a scab, and the rest of the leaves will continue to thrive. Moreover, spots will also start to heal after applying the preventive measures and providing nourishment to the plants. It is also advisable to keep the plants sufficiently hydrated for faster recovery. Prevention is Key Clawed leaves and wind burns are some of the cultivation problems that are better cured by means of prevention. These predicaments often stem from a lack of awareness on correct growing practices or negligence of vital factors such as ventilation systems. When not mitigated early on, it can cause significant damage and diminish an otherwise bountiful harvest. Appropriate airflow is vital to the growth of plants in an indoor grow space so it must not be overlooked. Ensuring that the plants are getting just enough - never too much - breeze is the key to avoiding the dreaded clawed leaves and windburns.