Leaf septoria vs calcium deficiency are two typical concerns that cannabis farmers must learn to differentiate. Both problems are curable if detected early. Detecting sickness or nutritional deficit indicators helps you take quick corrective action. Because many of their symptoms are similar, it’s critical to distinguish between leaf septoria vs calcium deficiency. Below, we explore the distinctions between leaf septoria vs calcium deficiency in cannabis plants and the best answers to these concerns.
An overview of leaf septoria vs calcium deficiency
It is critical to understand that, in addition to discolored leaves, there are additional indicators of nutrient deficiencies. Calcium deficiency can result in stunted development and discolored leaf tips. Leaf septoria causes tiny patches on the leaves that resemble water drops and spreads rapidly.
Leaf septoria
Septoria is a fungal illness produced by the Septoria tritici fungus that infects various cereal crops, including wheat, barley, and oats. Septoria may also be a major issue in plants such as cannabis. Botrytis cinerea is the most prevalent cause of septoria, which appears as little patches at first. The patches are less than 1cm in diameter and seem circular gray-brown dots. A purple halo surrounds the specks. However, these spots might later develop to be enormous. Septoria leaf spots are darker than calcium deficits and develop on leaves in a circular pattern if infected with septoria. Also, yellowing or browning of the leaves along their margins may accompany these spots. If you see these signs in your plant, it may suffer from septoria rather than another deficiency or disease.
How to identify lead septoria
Leaf septoria can be identified by the presence of leaf spots with a yellow ring on diseased leaves. The older and lower leaves are usually the first to display signs. If you stay in a tropical or subtropical climate, septoria leaf spot is a common problem. It is caused by excessive moisture in the soil and high humidity. These environmental variables make it possible for the fungus to grow. Leaf septoria exhibits many of the same signs as nutritional insufficiency. As an indoor producer, you’ll need to distinguish between indications of leaf septoria disease and symptoms of nutrient insufficiency.
How to treat leaf septoria
Eliminate infected leaves
The initial step in addressing leaf septoria would be to remove affected leaves. If identified early enough, this disease may usually be prevented by removing all diseased bottom leaves and burning or killing them. You should skip this step if the illness has spread to your crops. Taking leaves from growth regions weakens the plant and makes the buds less uniform.
Improve airflow
Increasing air circulation lowers humidity levels and prevents the spread of cannabis leaf septoria. Improving ventilation is as simple as installing an extra fan if your crops are grown inside. It is more difficult for outside crops. Pruning is another approach to help your plants get more air. With fewer leaves, there is more air between the branches and fewer moisture pockets.
Regulate moisture
Moisture has a role in the emergence and spread of cannabis leaf septoria. To limit the spread of the fungus, avoid overwatering cannabis plants. Also, avoid using overhead watering systems since they moisten the foliage and prevent the soil from drying out. Instead, use a watering can to wet the crops early in the day so they can air out.
Keep track of your temperature and humidity
Monitor the temperature and humidity levels if you’re growing cannabis inside. Keeping indoor setups warm and moist is a typical error. When the climate becomes too tropical, cannabis leaf septoria and other water-loving infections thrive.
How to prevent leaf septoria
As with most illnesses and infections, prevention is preferable to treatment. Use the following recommendations to keep the deadly cannabis leaf septoria from destroying your entire plantation.
- Ensure that your cannabis plants have adequate air circulation. The greater the ventilation, the less possible excessive humidity levels would occur, increasing fungal diseases. Maximum ventilation may cut moisture in the air by 50%.
- Water your cannabis plants in the morning to allow the soil to dry over the day. Cannabis leaf septoria spreads by water molecules, thus keeping the H2O to a minimum.
- Keep temperature variations in your cannabis garden to a maximum of 5°C. Plants recover quicker when temperature changes are lower.
- As a natural leaf septoria therapy, make a DIY fungicide for plants. You may find several recipes online. Every fifteen days, spray the solution on the plants.
Calcium deficiency
The leaf symptoms of calcium insufficiency in cannabis are similar to those of leaf septoria. However, calcium insufficiency can also produce leaf spots, but they vary from leaf septoria in that they begin with yellowish-green spots on the leaves and proceed to brown or reddish-brown dead patches. Calcium is required for good root development; thus, if your cannabis plants’ roots are calcium deficient, it’s time to apply additional fertilizer while growing cannabis indoors without natural light. Calcium is a critical ingredient that every cannabis plant requires to operate correctly, and it is needed for all phases of growth, from seedling to harvest.
How to identify cannabis deficiency
When the calcium level of the cannabis plant is low, bronze or brown patches appear on the leaves. This is the first indication that your cannabis will disclose. Sometimes the leaves turn yellowish, but most of the time, they get black. If you grow the plants under LED lights, the spots will turn purple. Calcium insufficiency is mostly caused by acidic soil or low soil pH. Calcium deficiency in plants is sometimes difficult to detect since symptoms appear slowly. Remember that iron, calcium, and magnesium deficits often coexist. As a result, it is frequently difficult to diagnose.
First and foremost, search for the leaves. If you observe yellow-green patches on the leaves, this indicates that your plant is deficient in calcium. Should this disease persist, the dots will turn reddish or brown. Once the plant exhibits further difficulties, such as stunted growth with deformed and curled ends, it is apparent that it requires extra calcium.
How to treat cannabis deficiency
Cannabis plants frequently suffer from calcium deficiency. It can cause the cannabis leaves to turn yellow and develop brown patches, as well as the leaf tips to become dark brown or die. A lack of calcium also causes the buds to be tiny and malformed. You may treat calcium shortage in cannabis plants by adding calcium to the soil. You can purchase calcium from a local nursery or garden center or make your own.
How to prevent cannabis calcium deficiency
There are a few simple tactics for preventing calcium deficiency in cannabis plants. For example, if your plant still has a few months of growth before harvest, you could add dolomite lime to the soil, slowly adding calcium to the soil while raising the pH to a more balanced level. If you need to act immediately and don’t have months to wait, consider adding vitamins to your soil or water. You might either discover calcium-rich plant supplements or go to the source of the problem by balancing the pH of your soil. Growers may easily balance the pH of your soil. All you need is a neutral pH water solution mixed with some extra nutrients and used to feed your soil.
How to tell the difference between leaf septoria vs calcium deficiency
Cannabis plants with leaf septoria vs. calcium deficiency may exhibit identical symptoms, although they are easily distinguished. Consider the following aspects of the plant’s appearance:
Color and condition of the foliage
Fungi that induce leaf septoria create yellow patches on the blades to turn tan or brown. Calcium-deficient plants exhibit a yellowish-green color between the veins at the base of the leaves. In the end, the color turns reddish-brown. Also, the cannabis leaves are curving up.
Weakened branches
When a cannabis plant lacks calcium, it shows weakness in the stems and branches. Leaf septoria has little effect on crop strength from the start.
Only when the illness is not treated does the entire shrub grow weaker.
Root strength
If your cannabis plants are falling over, it might be due to weak roots and leaf spots. Both symptoms point to a calcium deficit rather than leaf septoria.
The location of the leaf spots
If you notice stains on the bottom blades of your cannabis plant, you most likely have leaf septoria rather than calcium insufficiency. That is when the fungal infection begins.
pH level
The pH level of your cannabis plant water can indicate if you have leaf septoria or a calcium deficit. A normal pH measurement suggests the former, whereas a low reading indicates the latter. Leaf septoria can be reduced by selecting a high-quality hybrid cannabis seed resistant to mold and mildew. Maintaining an ideal pH level and providing adequate nourishment to your plants decreases the likelihood of calcium insufficiency. Growing cannabis in your garden will necessitate constant monitoring for leaf spots. Leaf spots can be produced by either leaf septoria or calcium insufficiency; therefore, you must determine which is the case. If left untreated, leaf septoria can become a major issue.
The most suitable treatment is to remove the affected leaves and apply a fungicide. Calcium deficiency is caused mostly by an imbalance in soil responses. Feed the plants other nutrients in this scenario. Furthermore, you can cleanse the growth media or pots with calcium-rich water to raise the pH. Visit the Premium Cultivars website for more cannabis production tips and to browse our top cannabis seeds selection.