Fix the Zinc Deficiency with your Cannabis Plants!

Your marijuana plants growth is at a stand still.

You notice smaller leaf developments and some new leaves are developing yellowing between the veins.

These are sure signs you may have a zinc deficiency with your cannabis plants.

One of the main culprits to this issue is a high PH level in your soil or growing medium.

When the growing medium is too alkaline for your marijuana, it can stop the uptake of zinc and also iron micronutrients as well.

Not to worry, there are easy ways to fix this issue.

Let’s check out the signs and see if your plants are showing symptoms.

Signs of Zinc Deficiency

  • Yellowing between the veins, in new and young leaves
  • New Leafs are small and thin and appear twisted
  • New leaf growth is pale yellow-green
  • Stems fail to grow and stretch leaving tiny leaves
  • The tips of leaves appear burnt
  • Internode spacing is reduced
  • Growth is stunted
  • Buds are thin and light to the touch
  • During flowering buds will start to twist
  • End yields are small

zinc-deficiency-diagram-marijuana

Why is zinc important to marijuana?

Zinc is responsible for enzyme function and chlorophyll in marijuana plants and all plants in general.

It works along with manganese and magnesium to activate enzymes to produce certain amino acids for the plant. According to Wikipedia.

potassium_molecule

Zinc is responsible for the plant to withstand colder temperatures and also aids in the breakdown of carbohydrates to sugars.

It’s an immobile micronutrient, and the newer leaves are always impacted if they are are lacking zinc.

Zinc is usually added with other elements in all good growing nutrients on the market.

zinc-deficiency-cannabis

Causes of Zinc Deficiency

Here are some of the causes of zinc deficiency in cannabis:

  • Root problems such as bugs or rot
  • Not using the proper or quality nutrients when growing
  • RO water is missing vital trace elements with a PPM of 0
  • High PH soil (check your soil ph values )

You can also run into Zinc Lockout.

Zinc Lockout happens when the PH is above a certain level.

Causing the medium to become Alkaline for the roots which stop’s the uptake of zinc by your cannabis plants.

Here are some PH values to watch for if they are above these values:

When growing in soil: PH levels of 6.9 or higher

Hydro and Soil Less Mediums: PH levels of 6.5 or higher

How to Fix Zinc Deficiency

The best ways to fix zinc deficiency with marijuana is:

1

Let your plants dry out first ( not to dry) ; this is a crucial first step!

2

Flush your plants with water.

3

Correct the PH level in water/ nutrients.

The optimal ranges should be in the following markers:

Soil, 6.0 – 6.5 pH range. Hydro or coco coir, 5.5 – 6.2 pH range

4

Add some chelated mixed elements to your nutrients

5

Zinc oxide or Chelated Zinc

6

Start using quality nutrients

zinc-deficiency-marijuana

Chelated Zinc for marijuana

Here are some of the popular chelated zinc supplements for your marijuana plants.

Liquinox 3032 Iron Zinc Chelated Solution is perfect for providing extra zinc and iron to your marijuana plants.

This stuff is safe for growing avocados, and fruit bearing trees.

If your plants need a boost, this may be what you’re looking for your plants to recover.

Signs of excessive amounts of zinc

  • Older leaves start to fade to light green
  • Yellowing occurs towards the stem of the leaf
  • Blocks the absorption of other nutrients such as iron.
  • Grow medium becomes acidic lower than PH 5

How to correct excess zinc

It’s hard to get an excessive amount of zinc to your plants, but it it does happen and it can quickly take out your plants, they will die.

1

Dry your plants out first.( not to much)

2

Flush your plants. With just water.

Your plants will usually recover .

Conclusion

yellowing-between-the-veins-marijuana-leaf

Yellowing between the veins

When growing cannabis, you can occasionally come across zinc deficiency.

Mainly it comes from an alkaline grow medium and too much watering.

The best ways to fix the issue are too dry your plant out, then water with a PH balanced water /nutrients.

The is just a matter of time before your plant starts to spring back.

Have you had issues with your marijuana plants lacking zinc?

Let me know in the comments !

Keep Growing my friends.

image credits: Image

4 thoughts on “Fix the Zinc Deficiency with your Cannabis Plants!”

  1. Small cannabis plants, growth seems stunted, 90% of the leaves look good with a few towards the bottom showing brown tips. Watching my watering closely, use a bit of diluted nutrifeed once a week. Been two months since germination, one plants is about 40cm and other 2 are about 20cm. Not sure why

    Reply
  2. Yes everything is corrected but if you have a tap water over 8 and temperature over 25, the only things is to supplement zinc stop.
    I use zinc citrate made with electrophoresis with a satured citric acid solution a zinc plate connected to anode and a carbon or silver connected to cathode 6v are sufficient ( also too much). Empirically 3ml of 48h solution for veg and 6 for flow 9 or more for indica variety

    Reply
  3. I am currently using about 1/8 of a 1/4 tsp of zinc a week…. What is that like 1/16 or 1/32 a tsp? Haha I know its very little but I’m working up the confidence to use more chelated zinc. I think someday I will work out the rhythm perhaps add as much as 1/8 a tsp every other week just to stay on top of it. If I still see problems I will increase idk, maybe to that whole 1/4 tsp i have laying around… its so little but with zinc it could be very dangerous to go crazy without stepping it up slowly over the weeks. Using SS soils and fox farms ocean forest in two different grow mediums.

    Reply

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