Copper Deficiency in Cannabis

Copper deficiency in cannabis is not as common as some other deficiencies like nitrogen deficiency in cannabis and potassium deficiency in cannabis, however, it can still cause problems for pot crops. Find out how to diagnose and solve the problem.

What does copper do for cannabis plants?

Copper is an essential nutrient for cannabis plants since it keeps them from becoming discolored on the tips and margins. Adequate copper ensures there isn’t that odd metallic glint or blue-ish color while ensuring the leaves don’t turn yellow. Likewise, the leaves won’t curl or wilt when you are feeding your cannabis plants with enough copper. It keeps the plant growing and makes sure it doesn’t die eventually.

How to identify copper deficiency in cannabis

Copper shortage causes your plant’s leaves to become a dark shade of blue or purple with lighter undertones. Towards the end of their life cycle, the leaves’ tips and edges develop a brilliant yellow or white color. Cannabis plants’ leaves may also take on a glittering, metallic luster over time. When they are impacted, the leaves may also roll beneath. A copper shortage may significantly impact bud development in plants already in the blooming stage. Slow or no ripening of the buds is the norm. Understanding the symptoms of copper deficiency in plants can often make the real difference.

Common Symptoms of copper deficiency

Leaves

You can tell whether a plant is suffering from a copper deficit based on the age of its leaves. There are undertones of blue and purple in the leaves of young plants and darker coloration. There will also be a metallic sheen. The leaves start to curl under with time, and the tips can also turn yellow or white. On the other hand, you may see mild yellowing or leaf whitening in elder leaves.

Roots

The copper deficiency symptoms in plants aren’t easy to pick up unless your cannabis plant is grown in a hydroponic setup. When there’s an inadequacy in copper, the roots won’t grow as they should and could lead to a slow death.

Abnormal plant growth

With copper deficiency plants, there is low bud ripening or a lack of bud development, the female pistils don’t develop consistently, and there will be weakened stems. Likewise, there will be slow, wavy, or curled-up growth. Generally, you will notice significant growth abnormalities.

What causes copper deficiency in cannabis plants?

There aren’t many cases of cannabis plants suffering from a copper deficit every year. When this happens, it may have a detrimental influence on your crop because it prevents the buds from ripening. Copper insufficiency may be caused by a shortage of copper in the soil or water, but a pH imbalance usually causes it at the roots of your plants, preventing nutrients from getting to them.

How do you solve cannabis copper deficiency?

If you want to know how to fix copper deficiency in plants, the following are a few pointers:

Adjust the pH to the proper range

The most prevalent cause of copper deficiency in cannabis plants is when the root pH is out of whack. Copper is more easily absorbed by plants when the soil around the roots is somewhat acidic since it is more likely to get locked up at specific pH levels.

Clean, pH-corrected water with frequent doses of cannabis-friendly nutrients may cleanse your system if you detect a copper deficit due to the wrong pH. It will eliminate any nutritional salts that may be affecting copper absorption and help restore pH to the proper levels. Keep an eye on the situation to see whether it begins to improve within a few days. Even if a tree dies, its new growth should be strong and healthy.

Roots are best able to absorb copper in soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

At the 5.5 to 6.5 pH range, the roots of hydroponic plants absorb copper the most efficiently.

Learn how to control the pH of your cannabis grow room.

Make sure you are providing the proper nutrients

A copper deficit does not need the addition of copper to cannabis plants! Copper is present in most tap water; thus, most gardeners have already provided enough copper to their cannabis plants. There’s no need to bother adding extra copper if your soil or nutrients are cannabis-friendly. Growers that use extensively filtered or reverse osmosis (RO) water are more likely to have copper deficits in their cannabis plants. However, pH is a much more prevalent cause of copper deficiency in plants.

Maintaining the roots is essential

Even if the plant’s pH is correct and the copper is there, copper deficiency may be seen if the plant has root issues or is overwatered. Plants thrive when appropriately watered, avoiding several issues!

Keep an eye out for leaf recovery

After completing the above measures, keep an eye out to see whether the copper deficiency in plants improves within a few days to a week. Even if the damaged leaves don’t fully regain their green color, you’ll know it’s done when new leaves no longer show any signs of the disease.

Plant problems with similar symptoms to copper deficiency

On older leaves, interveinal chlorosis, caused by a shortage in Cu, may mimic deficiencies in Mg or Mn. Because the interveinal pattern of chlorosis is generally more prominent when a plant is weak in Mg than when a plant lacks Cu, internodes at the tip of the plant may extend in Mg-poor plants. The signs of Mn deficiency are more widespread and do not usually develop to yellowing and withering of mature leaves.

In addition to short, irregularly shaped immature leaves, zinc deficiency causes leaves to become chlorotic, elongated and decreased in the amount of lateral growth they have. Growth is typically asymmetrical or puckered with Cu shortage, which is not the case here.

Final word on copper deficiency

Copper deficiency in cannabis usually affects the leaves that are directly illuminated. If your grow lights are too close together, try moving them further apart. During the early stages of blooming, a copper shortage may harm the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, reducing the amount of energy the buds get from the leaves.

During the bulk of the blooming period, it’s critical to maintain the leaves close to the buds healthy to provide the highest potential yields. If you see sick leaves sooner than the typical final week or two before harvest, you need to take action immediately! In most cases, a copper deficit in cannabis is caused by a pH issue at the plant’s roots, restricting the plant’s ability to obtain nutrients.

On the other hand, copper toxicity plants are very unusual, but in rare cases, a plant may succumb to the effects of an excessive amount of the nutrient.

Find out more about the different cannabis deficiencies to help better diagnose nutrient issues.