Last Updated January 26th, 2023: Mold on weed plants is a nightmare for many cannabis cultivators. But if you pay attention to the color, smell, and texture of moldy marijuana leaves closely enough then it won’t be too hard to identify when things start going south. In this guide we’re going to talk about how to get rid of mold on your cannabis plants and weed in general!
How To Get Rid Of Mold On Cannabis Plants:
To deal with the mold problem, there are some steps that can take care of most instances where your plant has been infected by disease-causing bacteria or fungus spores from another source such as soil or air contamination. In this guide we’ll show you how to get rid of mold on your cannabis plants, identify different types of mold, and prevent mold in the future.
Types of Mold on Cannabis Plants:
Mold is a common problem for cannabis growers especially if you’re planning on growing outdoors in high moisture climates such as Hawaii, but luckily there are ways to prevent it. There are two types of mold that commonly infect marijuana plants:
Powdery Mildew:
Powdery mildew is a white, dusty substance that lies on the surface of plant leaves and inhibits photosynthesis. This eventually causes your plants to shrivel up and die if not taken care of right away. Preventing powdery mildew can be difficult with cannabis plants because it’s so easy for this type of mold to create spores in humid conditions. If you’re doing an indoor grow or especially a closet grow, and you don’t have proper ventilation, then it’s very easy for humidity to get out of hand.
The best way to prevent powdery mildew is to ensure your humidity is at an adequate level for your individual strain. This is important, because if you have a strain that thrives best in a hot and dry climate, then the humidity will be a big issue and can lead to mold as well as a failed grow. You can do this by having a proper ventilation system.
Botrytis:
Botrytis is a type of fungus that can infest cannabis plants. If left untreated, it will cause your plant to wilt and die slowly from the bottom up. Signs include: fuzzy patches on leaves turning blue or white, tiny black dots appearing in large clusters at the base of stems (sometimes referred to as “black mold”), small wilted leaves all over the surface area near this growth/disease are very susceptible).
If you see any signs such as fuzziness around leafs starting with blue coloration then go ahead and check for more telltale symptoms which might be smaller dark spots clustered together forming what’s called botrytis.
Getting Rid of Botrytis On Your Marijuana Plants:
The best way to deal with botrytis is to prevent it in the first place. Preventative measure against botrytis involves constant inspection for signs of the fungus-like disease in order to catch it before any real harm has been done.
If you find yourself fighting off this terrible disease on your marijuana plants, make sure not only are you applying anti-fungal chemical sprays but also making adjustments with your plant care practices by giving them everything they need like moisture at all times so as not to set up an environment where Botrysis thrives!
Steps For How To Get Rid Of Mold On Your Cannabis Plants:
If you are noticing mold on your cannabis plants you need to act quickly to ensure that it doesn’t ruin the rest of your grow. Here are a few steps to help ensure that you get rid of the mold on your grow and keep your plants safe:
- Pull Of Infected Buds: Whenever a bud starts withering on your plant, gently pull it off as soon as possible before the mold spreads and ruins more than just that one part of the plant! If you remove at least this withered bud from your garden then chances are high that all other buds will stay safe too.
- Cut Of Affected Leaves: As the leaves start to show signs of mold, it’s important that you take action. If there is just one leaf showing symptoms then chop off or remove only this affected piece from your plant and examine other plants carefully for any sign of infection. Once a cannabis plant has been infected with powdery mildew spores spreading will occur exponentially quickly if not treated immediately so be aware!
- Use A Proper Ventilation System To Reduce Humidity: One of the most significant contributors and facilitators of mold on marijuana plants is a lack in airflow and overall humidity. To ensure that your plant does not become infested mold and disease, one must make sure there’s ample air flowing around it–even if you grow it outside! If you’re growing indoors then it’s especially important to ensure you’re using a fan for ventilation and air flow to keep humidity in check.
- Constantly Monitor Humidity and Temperature: To help ensure that humidity or temperature aren’t a damaging factor in your grow, you should have a temperature and humidity guage so you can constantly check that it doesn’t get into the damaging range.
- Properly Feed and Water Your Plants: It is important that you water and feed your cannabis well in order for the plant’s immune system to strengthen—making them more resistant against invading molds! This means using the right fertilizers and nutrients for your specific strain.
- Dry Your Buds Properly: After you’ve harvested your buds, you need to ensure you’re properly drying your buds to ensure that the moisture is gone and isn’t a breeding ground for bacteria and mold.
Final Thoughts On Dealing With Mold On Your Marijuana Grow:
Mold is a nasty, cannabis plant-killing culprit that has to be stopped. Luckily there are plenty of ways to get rid of it before it destroys your plants too much. Preventative measures should always take priority, but you can also do more if conditions worsen and mold starts destroying the things around them in their environment quickly instead of slowly like they would with preventatives alone.
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