Just like just about every other living thing on Earth, marijuana plants have a distinctive immune system. In humans, having a healthy immune system means that you’re less susceptible to getting sick, and that’s the basic crux of a healthy immune system in cannabis as well. Disease prevention is key when you’re growing marijuana because there are a number of different diseases that can ruin an entire crop. Making sure that you keep the plant’s immune system in tip-top shape is certainly important.
Even so, some negative behavior from the plants may be indicative of a nutrient surplus or deficiency instead of an actual disease. It can be hard to tell the difference between a disease and nutrient issue. For instance, chlorosis (when the leaves lose some of their green) and necrosis (when the plant tissue dies) can be caused by a nitrogen deficiency as well as several microbial diseases.
But, before we delve into that, it’s important to highlight that a clean environment is optimal for the immune systems of marijuana plants. Sterile soil, clean water, and healthy practices can all go a long way in keeping disease away from your plants. If the soil you use has not been sterilized, then there is a small chance that it could contain microbes or viruses that are deadly to your plants. Obviously, you won’t be able to marijuana plants in that soil unless you can sterilize it. If you make your grow room or growing area unacceptable for disease, then you’re more likely to have healthy plants throughout the course of their lives.
That being said, there are a number of things that can cause disease and they don’t always have to be obvious. Bugs, mammals, other pests, and even humans can be vectors of disease when it comes to marijuana plants. The last thing you want to do is bring something into your grow room that could potentially ruin the crop. You also don’t want to be the cause of the disease forming. In addition to drowning the roots, over-watering the plant can also make it more susceptible to diseases like fungal rot. Molds and fungi enjoy places that are consistently damp and this is a good way to lose lots of plants.
Learn more about growing marijuana in my free Grow Bible.
In hydroponic systems, you really can’t get away from using a whole lot of water. It’s the basis for the growing medium and the plant’s roots will spend most of their time in the water. Fungus or mold is unlikely in this situation because the water is generally not stagnant. For fungus to survive, it needs the environment to be damp, but immoveable. Instead, a more pernicious problem can arise in hydroponic systems. Algae will start showing up and hoarding the nutrients in the hydroponic system if you’re not careful. Algae enjoys locations that are always wet, but they also need a steady amount of light. If it’s possible, you should try to darken the holding tank of water so that algae won’t show up and sap the nutrients from your plants.
Plants also need good ventilation in order to avoid the incurrence of disease. Obviously, if you’re growing outdoors, then you don’t really have to worry about ventilation because the plants will have the entire earth as their biosphere. But, if you are limiting the grow area to a room or a closet, you need to make sure that the air flow is adequate. Humidity is necessary for proper plant growth, but allowing it to linger in a stagnant state tends to produce ample conditions for microbes like fungus and mold. Stem rot is possible if the air isn’t circulated and ventilated out. Plants can come back from something like stem rot or root rot, but it takes diligent care.
Sometimes, however, certain mold spores can be transferred into the grow room via the air. Diseases like Bud rot can show up and ruin your entire crop and there’s not much you can do about it.
The marijuana plant is certainly an interesting plant and one that can bring you a lot of joy even before it makes it to its intended use. Many people just like to grow marijuana because you can see something start out from a small seed and transform into a flourishing plant with THC-laden buds in about a total of 6 months. Hopefully, this article has given you a keener understanding of the inner-workings of the marijuana plant and exactly what it needs to work at optimum performance.
