pH Fluctuations

PH fluctuations can cause brown spots on middle or lower leaves

by Nebula Haze

Quick Summary: Managing pH is crucial for cannabis plants to be able to take up nutrients through their roots. When the pH around the roots jumps up and down, it can stress the plant and cause brown spots to appear on the leaves. Spotting on the leaves as a results of pH fluctuations is more common in hydroponic setups (where the pH tends to go up and down), but it is possible it can also happen in soil. This seems to often happen when the pH swings too high or low.

Note: You can also get these symptoms from root problems or root rot!

Problem: Certain leaves on the middle or lower parts of the plant show tan or brown spotting, similar to these pictures:

Tan spots on cannabis leaves - caused by pH being off

This cannabis shows tan pale spotting on the leaves in a pattern that is unique to pH fluctuations - most often found in hydro, but sometimes in soil

Solution: The main way to fix this problem is to fix the pH problem that caused the spotting (more info below). The leaves that are effected will not recover, but once you fix the issue, the problem should stop spreading to other leaves.

Learn how to manage your pH

Note: You can also get similar symptoms from root problems!

Plant Symptoms

This page is part of our Plant Doctor series. You can use our tool to filter by symptom and help diagnose your plant.

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