What's new

What causes green leaves to fall off at a light touch?

AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
:wallbash: Is there a deficiency that causes green leaves to fall off at a light touch? I was moving a plant out of my tent today and must have dropped 6 or 7 leaves between 4 plants. I wasn't being rough, separated all the branches before moving them, but they were dropping off. I reached back in to adjust a branch that was stuck and just my elbow touching a leaf on the way in caused it to fall off! These appear to be healthy, green leaves. I cannot find anything searching because it's just people talking about yellow leaves falling off during flower, which should happen, but green ones falling off at the slightest touch means something is wrong, at least to me. I grabbed a photo, but to me it just looks like leaves.

The stems appear to be white, but that is the flash reflecting back. If I don't use a flash it looks like I smeared vaseline on the lens.
 
Last edited:
resin_lung

resin_lung

I cough up honey oil
Veteran
Yeah.... honestly, I'm not sure what it could be? You seem like your the type to know if you were overwatering. It would have to be pretty wet. I've never grown in coco so I can't offer much more than a guess.

I'm sure others will chime in who will know better.

In the mean time....

How established are the plants root systems? Are they newly transplanted?

How's the humidity in your space? Is it excessively high or low?
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
resin_lung said:
Yeah.... honestly, I'm not sure what it could be? You seem like your the type to know if you were overwatering. It would have to be pretty wet. I've never grown in coco so I can't offer much more than a guess.

I'm sure others will chime in who will know better.

In the mean time....

How established are the plants root systems? Are they newly transplanted?

How's the humidity in your space? Is it excessively high or low?
Click to expand...

The plants are very established, they are 1 auto and 3 I guess semi-autos who have been going since June and are flowering. 3 of the plants didn't bud like the 1, I had to turn them to 14:10 on the lighting ratio to get them to cooperate, but I've seen trichomes appearing since then so I think they are finally back on track. The humidity I would classify as low, the tent itself 24 hours highs and lows were 47% and 34% I believe. Temperature max of 82.4 and low of 71 in the past 24 hours. The tent did have a major issue with over crowding, because the 3 didn't flip on their own and got to my lights before I thought to ask for help. I moved one of them out of the tent and used some cotton string and zip ties to bend the main stems back so they aren't touching the lights themselves which cleared up a bunch of airspace. The leaf falling off issue was appearing before that though, it's been happening once a day probably for about a week. It was just noticeably worse having to move one of those plants, everything seems to grow together. I took a picture of 3 of the leaves that fell off I'll edit the first post. Thanks for the help too man.
 
resin_lung

resin_lung

I cough up honey oil
Veteran
Hmmm.... those leaves look healthy enough. I don't think it's a deficiency.

Sometimes a plants stems and petioles can grow a bit like celery. I'm not sure if it because of not having enough air flow or overwatering, perhaps both. When they're like that the stems and petioles snap very easily instead of bend. If they were overcrowded and only the leaves that you touch seem to be affected.....maybe this is what's happening.

I'm not sure how long you've been enjoying this wonderful hobby, but sun leaves kind of snap off real easy with a lot of varieties. Others seem to not want to shed them so easily.

If you look at the way the petiole is attached/connected to a stem, it really only takes the two outside edges on top to tear bad enough and the leave is gonna come down.

I image the larger the leaf, the more water within in the leaf and the longer the petiole..... the less of a tear or snap it will take to accidentally buck the leaf.

Not sure if that's what's up with your situation and please don't be offended if you find this info elementary! I figure I'd just throw it out there just in case.

Your welcome for the "help"!haha I can at least help you bump this thread up in the hopes that someone else might chime in for you.

Its not a problem though.
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
resin_lung said:
Hmmm.... those leaves look healthy enough. I don't think it's a deficiency.

Sometimes a plants stems and petioles can grow a bit like celery. I'm not sure if it because of not having enough air flow or overwatering, perhaps both. When they're like that the stems and petioles snap very easily instead of bend. If they were overcrowded and only the leaves that you touch seem to be affected.....maybe this is what's happening.

I'm not sure how long you've been enjoying this wonderful hobby, but sun leaves kind of snap off real easy with a lot of varieties. Others seem to not want to shed them so easily.

If you look at the way the petiole is attached/connected to a stem, it really only takes the two outside edges on top to tear bad enough and the leave is gonna come down.

I image the larger the leaf, the more water within in the leaf and the longer the petiole..... the less of a tear or snap it will take to accidentally buck the leaf.

Not sure if that's what's up with your situation and please don't be offended if you find this info elementary! I figure I'd just throw it out there just in case.

Your welcome for the "help"!haha I can at least help you bump this thread up in the hopes that someone else might chime in for you.

Its not a problem though.
Click to expand...
This is my first grow, I have just tried to research before asking questions, so all that is great information for me thanks. It was seriously overcrowded before and that might just have been it, not enough room or light to go around. At this point I am just going to wait them out and get some Stonington blend from Coasts of Maine to give some other seeds a shot as well. Everything this run is a learning experience, if I get enough to stoned too that's just gravy.
 
resin_lung

resin_lung

I cough up honey oil
Veteran
I've been at it for like 30 yrs and still learn new stuff each grow. Too bad I'm kind of lazy these days and forgetful on top of that! Mainly lazy.haha

You have the right attitude though.

One bit of advice I like to give new growers is less is more! Except for time spent with your plants and research.

Update the thread if anything changes or no one else posts. You got me curious how it goes!lol
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
resin_lung said:
I've been at it for like 30 yrs and still learn new stuff each grow. Too bad I'm kind of lazy these days and forgetful on top of that! Mainly lazy.haha

You have the right attitude though.

One bit of advice I like to give new growers is less is more! Except for time spent with your plants and research.

Update the thread if anything changes or no one else posts. You got me curious how it goes!lol
Click to expand...
If I find anything else out about the leafs falling off I will definitely update this thread. I have another thread https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=344764 that is about the general snafu that is this grow :biggrin:
 
Infinitesimal

Infinitesimal

my strength is a number, and my soul lies in every
ICMag Donor
Veteran
id say its normal.

the older fans always break off easy, even if its not deficient.
 
PDX Dopesmoker

PDX Dopesmoker

Active member
If thats russet mites all the rest of the leaves will come off soon enough. If its just normal senescence then all almost all of the rest of the leaves will also come off soon enough, but not as soon as with the mites.
post better pictures if you want more sensible answers, there might be smaller features of those leaves/stems which could tip off what, if anything, is up.
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
PDX Dopesmoker said:
If thats russet mites all the rest of the leaves will come off soon enough. If its just normal senescence then all almost all of the rest of the leaves will also come off soon enough, but not as soon as with the mites.
post better pictures if you want more sensible answers, there might be smaller features of those leaves/stems which could tip off what, if anything, is up.
Click to expand...

I'm 99% sure it's not mites, I have examined the plants under a loupe and haven't seen anything like that. If it's an age related thing, that makes total sense because these are quite past their supposed autoflower age. I think I didn't choose wisely on the genetics, but live and learn :biggrin:
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
Infinitesimal said:
id say its normal.

the older fans always break off easy, even if its not deficient.
Click to expand...

I somehow didn't see this post but yeah if it's the age thing I think it's cause of them being over their autoflower age also. Thanks for the information guys. Love this forum for how much collective knowledge is available :dance013:
 
PDX Dopesmoker

PDX Dopesmoker

Active member
AgentPothead said:
I'm 99% sure it's not mites, I have examined the plants under a loupe and haven't seen anything like that. If it's an age related thing, that makes total sense because these are quite past their supposed autoflower age. I think I didn't choose wisely on the genetics, but live and learn :biggrin:
Click to expand...

Congrats on being mite-free, I took this hideous photo in my garden last night

QkhuWt3.jpg
 
O

OG Expressions

Member
resin_lung said:
I've been at it for like 30 yrs and still learn new stuff each grow. Too bad I'm kind of lazy these days and forgetful on top of that! Mainly lazy.haha

You have the right attitude though.

One bit of advice I like to give new growers is less is more! Except for time spent with your plants and research.

Update the thread if anything changes or no one else posts. You got me curious how it goes!lol
Click to expand...

This is a cool thread. 30 year grower helping a first timer.

You are correct its overwatering. Coco can be overwatered easily. If it cant drain, or if its the wrong grind. Canna uses flake which is awesome if it can drain you cant overwater but say you have coco dust that shit clogs and wont drain for squat. Fiber can do that so can some of the mixes too.

He said its an auto. I hate autos nasty little things. I was told they have a bit stramge root system. I was told they grow with more of a single large taproot and dont like transplanting, that root is very delicate. I dont know if its true but i was told this by a guy who grows lots of autos.

Additionally, if these are old, lower leaves, they do that. They fall off over time. As you are watering often its not a risk you left them too long and leaves started to die

I dont think the OP has anything to worry about
 
D

DocTim420

The Doctor is OUT and has moved on...
If the "cell tissues" of your plant's stem/stalks are weak, then their cell walls might be thinner than most. If that is the case, then providing "Plant Available Silica" (PAS) can increase the cell wall thickness causing weaker stems that normally require support to stand on their on...no staking required.

In my garden, I had a particular strain that...if the stem was bent accidentally while topdressing, the sucker would snap half. After adding copious of amorphous silica to my custom grow medium, the stems appeared larger in diameter and instead of snapping in half when bent, they bounced back...standing tall.

Since your plants are already in the grow medium, I would investigate Potassium Silicate and make weekly root drenches (1.25ml/gallon rate is what I use) and consider foliar spraying with it as well.

Silica can do many things...include thickening the plant tissues' cell walls.
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
OG Expressions said:
This is a cool thread. 30 year grower helping a first timer.

You are correct its overwatering. Coco can be overwatered easily. If it cant drain, or if its the wrong grind. Canna uses flake which is awesome if it can drain you cant overwater but say you have coco dust that shit clogs and wont drain for squat. Fiber can do that so can some of the mixes too.

He said its an auto. I hate autos nasty little things. I was told they have a bit stramge root system. I was told they grow with more of a single large taproot and dont like transplanting, that root is very delicate. I dont know if its true but i was told this by a guy who grows lots of autos.

Additionally, if these are old, lower leaves, they do that. They fall off over time. As you are watering often its not a risk you left them too long and leaves started to die

I dont think the OP has anything to worry about
Click to expand...

I'm using cyco pearl which is 30% perlite by volume the other 70% is coco fiber and peat, with the occasional chip. That's inside of a plastic superroots 3 gallon equivalent airpot. These things have more than adequate drainage so I really, really doubt I'm overwatering them. Last time I flipped them over I could see roots protruding from the bottom grill and the side cones have root tips as well, so they should all have very established root systems. These pots are incredible for roots, I really think the only "great" pictures I will get this grow are of roots. I think it is just poor genetics and they are past their flowering age and starting to show "old age" symptoms.
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
DocTim420 said:
If the "cell tissues" of your plant's stem/stalks are weak, then their cell walls might be thinner than most. If that is the case, then providing "Plant Available Silica" (PAS) can increase the cell wall thickness causing weaker stems that normally require support to stand on their on...no staking required.

In my garden, I had a particular strain that...if the stem was bent accidentally while topdressing, the sucker would snap half. After adding copious of amorphous silica to my custom grow medium, the stems appeared larger in diameter and instead of snapping in half when bent, they bounced back...standing tall.

Since your plants are already in the grow medium, I would investigate Potassium Silicate and make weekly root drenches (1.25ml/gallon rate is what I use) and consider foliar spraying with it as well.

Silica can do many things...include thickening the plant tissues' cell walls.
Click to expand...
I've seen a lot of people posting about adding silicates for stem strength issues as well. This is my first real grow so I'm trying to set a sort of baseline of what to expect, but that sounds like something I will try down the road to get a solid comparison with. Thanks for the infos.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Latest posts

Exquisite Marijuana Seeds Hemp & CBD | Cannoptikum.
Top