Red Stems?

Beegeasy45

Active Member
I just put my plant into the flower stage and since then i have seen the stems are getting red veins on them. But only the stems that branch out to the fan leaves.It is in a gallon pot in a soil/vermiculite/peat moss substance and was being fed fish emulsion fert of 5-1-1 on 1/2 suggested dose. Under a 250 watt HPS lamp. Is this a problem? and how can it be fixed?

Thanks ahead of time
 

Mocha Rocha

Active Member
I believe this is relatively normal. It is sometimes caused by a Nitrogen or Sulfer deficiency. If the leaves are starting to yellow it is most likely Nitrogen deficiency. Sulfer deficiency is seldom deficient because many fertilizers have some in them and cannabis plants don't need much. It seems to me like you are using a fertilizer with a good amount of N so I think it is normal. I am a noob too so take this advice with a grain of salt.
 

lampshade

Well-Known Member
I believe this is relatively normal. It is sometimes caused by a Nitrogen or Sulfer deficiency. If the leaves are starting to yellow it is most likely Nitrogen deficiency. Sulfer deficiency is seldom deficient because many fertilizers have some in them and cannabis plants don't need much. It seems to me like you are using a fertilizer with a good amount of N so I think it is normal. I am a noob too so take this advice with a grain of salt.
It happens with nitrogen or phosphorus deficiency.

Also it can be genetic, if its on every petiole (leaf stem) then its prolly genetic. Otherwise it might be a def. Also since it just appeard makes it sound like a def. Nothing serious though, very minor.

Also 5-1-1 is not okay for the flowering stag. It is okay to use high N formula the first week of flower but you need to switch to something high in P and K and low in N for example 4-8-8. Lamp
 

wilsoncr17

Well-Known Member
If its purple its just sucking life out of your plant. I pull any fan leaves that have purple stems when I flower. A lot of people think your plant pulls nutrients out of the fan leaves and thats why they turn yellow towards the end of flowering. The reality is that they themselves are using your nutrients to stay alive. If you get rid of them, everything just goes to bud production. If it isnt a purple stem your plant is using it for light consumption.
 

lampshade

Well-Known Member
If its purple its just sucking life out of your plant. I pull any fan leaves that have purple stems when I flower. A lot of people think your plant pulls nutrients out of the fan leaves and thats why they turn yellow towards the end of flowering. The reality is that they themselves are using your nutrients to stay alive. If you get rid of them, everything just goes to bud production. If it isnt a purple stem your plant is using it for light consumption.
Thats a new claim that its better to cut yellowing leaves before they dry up.

So you belive that they are actually wasting nutes and not transferring them? If so they would never yellow in the first place. This is true for immobile elements. But even those can be bound by chelators and moved throughout the plant. Silicon is a good example. Id say always leaves them all they are using up is water, they just continue on the ETC and Calvin Cycle as much as they can but they are still smart enough to transport mobile nutes to the new growth. Otherwise N defs would cause the tops to yellow, see what im sayin mang?
 

wilsoncr17

Well-Known Member
I see what your saying, but the plant is always going to keep what matters most alive longest, so as you stop applying nutes, the plant isnt gonna kill the bud first, its gonna kill those fan leaves, if you left it on the plant long enough, the leaves of the bud start to yellow, I'm sure eventually the bud just yellows up and dies as well.
 

cinandme03

Active Member
I see what your saying, but the plant is always going to keep what matters most alive longest, so as you stop applying nutes, the plant isnt gonna kill the bud first, its gonna kill those fan leaves, if you left it on the plant long enough, the leaves of the bud start to yellow, I'm sure eventually the bud just yellows up and dies as well.
You're sure, eventually? Really? So, you don't know for sure? I guess you're right; if you didn't do one thing to or for the plants survival other than observe it and not water. If it's that far into flower, you'd B pretty stoopid to not harvest you buds {depending on the thrich's} and watch them die. They do suck up nutes during the last two weeks of flushing and sometimes turn yellow from this but I seriously doubt it would cause the buds to die/rot. I've not had any experience with that problem; I've had yellowing from deficiencies but was able to overcome those hurdles and had yellowing during flushing but not to the point of death. Just sayin'.
 

Jimdamick

Well-Known Member
I just put my plant into the flower stage and since then i have seen the stems are getting red veins on them. But only the stems that branch out to the fan leaves.It is in a gallon pot in a soil/vermiculite/peat moss substance and was being fed fish emulsion fert of 5-1-1 on 1/2 suggested dose. Under a 250 watt HPS lamp. Is this a problem? and how can it be fixed?

Thanks ahead of time
The plant is old enough to go full strength on the nutes in my opinion. As mentioned if the stems are turning red/purple, that points towards a N def, but your leaves would show it by a slight yellowing, pale green appearance. I would add bloom nutes with a higher PK , and keep the fish food for the higher N. At this time I would start using Calmag also if you aren't doing so already because around this time a Calcium def could start to show up. Good luck
 

canefan

Well-Known Member
Purple/red stems is usually, I stress usually just genetic or cooler weather. I would never go cutting off my fan leaves thinking I am helping my plant. Your fan leaves are the main source of the energy necessary for a healthy plant and the production of buds. The little sugar leaves do not utilize light nearly to the extent that your fan leaves do, when the plant has not use for them they will drop off. Currently I have three phenos going of the same strain, one which has lots of purple/red int he stems, one with just a small amount and the other is totally free of it. Same soil, same feeding program....why would you chop off healthy leaves? If they are so badly damaged as to not to be able to support the plant I might say yes cut it off, otherwise leave them alone. Just my two cents
 

CC Dobbs

Well-Known Member
It could be normal or it could be a sign of a particular deficiency. Some strains will show this characteristic from day 20 of germination.

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