{"id":11461,"date":"2020-07-06T11:14:58","date_gmt":"2020-07-06T18:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalgarden.co\/?p=11461"},"modified":"2023-11-08T15:21:49","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T23:21:49","slug":"diagnosing-plant-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalgarden.co\/knowledge\/diagnosing-plant-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"Diagnosing Plant Problems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

No matter how much time and care you put into keeping your plants healthy and keeping your grow room clean<\/a>, it’s always good to know the basics of diagnosing plant problems. If you catch your plant problems early and figure out what’s causing them, you can save your plants from any serious harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the trickiest things about coming to an accurate plant problem diagnosis is that a number of different factors can cause these issues, including pathogens, insect pests, and problems with the lighting or air circulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you understand the basics of diagnosing plant problems, we’re going to break problems down by category and briefly cover some of the most common issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more you know, the better you can grow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use Your Observational Skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we dive into some common plant problems, let’s cover some helpful information involved with diagnosing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you notice a problem, try to observe and jot down as many details as possible. When did you first notice the problem? Is it affecting all of your plants or just a few? What plant parts are affected?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, don’t just say that your leaves are discolored. Rather, say that the older leaves of all of your plants have a purple discoloration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with taking detailed notes about the actual symptoms, it’s important to know the history of how you care for your plant. For example, if you have been feeding your plants with the fertilizer you happen to have laying around, you might be dealing with a nutrient problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since some plant problems exhibit similar symptoms, it’s crucial you consider how you care for your plants. With that said, let’s explore some common types of plant problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrient Problems <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You probably know by now that plants need nutrients<\/a>. However, it’s sometimes tough to figure out the correct nutrients to add to different plants during their various stages of growth. After all, plants require different nutrient ratios at different times. If you’re not using a nutrient feeding chart, it’s hard to know that you’re applying the correct amount of nutrients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, it’s not uncommon to see the signs of nutrient deficiencies. But that’s not all! Too many nutrients can also cause plant problems. And what’s even more confusing is that nutrient deficiencies and toxicities can look similar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confusing, right? Sure, but you can still learn the basics of diagnosing nutrient problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrient Deficiencies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Signs of nutrient deficiencies can be broken down into five main categories<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Stunted growth of the whole plant<\/li>
  2. Yellowing leaves<\/li>
  3. Yellowing leaves in between the veins<\/li>
  4. Purple\/red color<\/li>
  5. Dying plant tissue<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If your plant has any of these symptoms, you should further explore the possibility of nutrient deficiency. However, it’s not as simple as saying that your plant is lacking nutrients; you need to find out which ones it needs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To help you understand what nutrient your plant is deficient in, it’s good to understand mobile vs. immobile nutrients. Mobile nutrients<\/strong> can move throughout a plant, so deficiency symptoms first appear in older leaves. Immobile nutrients<\/strong> cannot move within the plant, so signs of deficiency begin in new growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another factor to observe is whether discoloring is only present between the veins of leaves, only present in the veins, or present in the whole leaf.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \"diagnosing
    Notice how the veins of the leaves are still green.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    If you’re not sure what nutrient your plant is lacking (if any) you can send a plant tissue sample into a lab. While it may be too late to reverse the problem by the time you notice a decline in plant health and receive the test results, you’ll be better equipped to properly feed future plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nutrient Toxicities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Just as plant growth can slow due to insufficient nutrients, plants can also suffer due to too many nutrients. Too much of one nutrient can lead to deficiencies in other nutrients. For example, if you have excessive phosphorous, your plants might suffer from zinc deficiencies. Remember, it’s important to balance nutrients!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another type of problem to look out for is the presence of heavy metals. Cadmium, arsenic, lead, cobalt, and other elements can harm plant growth and health. Heavy metals<\/a> can inhibit many plant processes including photosynthesis and therefore halt plant growth and lead to death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pathogen Problems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Oh, pathogens. Why do they have to exist? No matter if it’s a fungus, virus, or bacterium, pathogens can wreak some serious havoc on plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Fortunately, the symptoms of many plant diseases are relatively easy to diagnose \u2014 as long as you’re paying close attention to your plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pathogen problems can be broken down into fungal problems, viral problems, and bacterial problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While these problems all vary in their symptoms and treatment, proper sanitation practices and a clean grow room are key to preventing these diseases. And if you don’t know what problem you’re dealing with, you can always submit a tissue sample to a lab that specializes in plant disease diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Fungal Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Fungi cause some of the most common (and serious) problems in plants. Chances are you’ve seen some fungal plant disease in the presence of rotting roots or lesions on leaves. While fungi vary in their symptoms, most thrive in the same type of environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you have a damp environment with poor airflow, fungal diseases are likely to appear. Some of the most common fungal pathogens include powdery mildew<\/a>, downy mildew, anthracnose, and root rot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Symptoms of fungal pathogens<\/a> include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n