Leaves Curling Under Near To Buds - Your diagnosis?

Hi Everyone,

This is three weeks into flowering. I think it's a Chrystal or AK-47 (forgot to label this one).

Rather than give all the details, maybe experienced veterans will know what's doing this without a second look!

Thanks for any ideas!

~jessie

hahaha, yea we're gonna need those details... Or at least I can't even begin to try to help without them...

Hey bro; Sorry to hear the bad news. This is more commonly referred to as "The Claw" because they look like claws/eagle's talons. The culprit could be a number of things including but not limited to PH Fluxuations/inconsistencies, Nitrogen Overnuting and/or heat stress. The easist/first thing to do is eliminate high air temperature as the culprit, anything above 85 without CO2 could make them curl like that.

The 2nd most easiest is to determine how much nutes are in the res. Most nutrient solutions have higher-than-advertised nutrient levels and when following full dilution mixing instructions, you could easily over fertilize them. Determining how much PPM's of nutrients to give them depends on their age and strain. Your picture looks like she's well into flower, and she could probably handle up to 800 nutes with room temps.

The 3rd most difficult to determine cause of the claw could be PH fluctuations and it's electroconductivity level. I think 5.5 - 6.0 is optimal in hydroponics. and 6.0 - 7.0 is most optimal for soil.

I am only able to help because this has happened to me; I don't believe that it hinders bud production too much, but it sure is ugly to look at. Leaves should ALWAYS be reaching up towards the light.

I was also told in another thread that the clawing is normal sativa flowering. So fuck, now go figure lol, well best of luck to ya buddy.

I also forgot to mention that "IT MIGHT BE" that it's not getting enough Oxygen to the root zone (but that more or so makes them wilt).

hwy420 said:

This is more commonly referred to as "The Claw" because they look like claws/eagle's talons. The culprit could be a number of things including but not limited to PH Fluxuations/inconsistencies, Nitrogen Overnuting and/or heat stress.

Click to expand...

Funny: A name for it! And thanks for the list of ideas!

I think we've got it:
PH: No, monitored regularly.
ALL THE REST: Yes.

1) The heat level is too high: It's usually about 80, but for the last week it'll get up to 93 during the last four hours of its cycle.
2) The nutes are (were) too high . . . the PPM has been 1,200 since flowering. And even though many/most sources say this level is okay, I don't think it's okay for this strain.
3) My own addition: they curl under when I train a branch.
4) Low light. The two with the worst curling are in the corners, where the least light hits.
5) And, finally, yes: I'll bet some of this is natural. The buds are doing fine, the plant is growing nicely.......but it *does* look like hell, though.

Anyway, I appreciate the tips/ideas! Thanks!

~jessie