Yellow Leaves on Cannabis Plants

Signs

• ●Lower leaves yellow first, then move up
• ●Whole leaf goes pale green, then uniform yellow
• ●Plant looks generally pale and slow-growing
• ●Most common in veg and early flower

Fix

• ✓Feed with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer (higher N in the NPK ratio)
• ✓Check that your pH is in range: 6.0–6.8 for soil, 5.5–6.5 for coco/hydro
• ✓Make sure you're actually feeding — seedlings use stored seed nutrients, but after week 3 plants need added nutrients

Signs

• ●Yellowing even though you're feeding nutrients
• ●Leaves may also show signs of multiple deficiencies at once
• ●Runoff pH reads outside 6.0–6.8 (soil)

Fix

• ✓Measure runoff pH with a digital pH meter
• ✓Flush with pH-adjusted water (6.5 for soil, 6.0 for coco)
• ✓Resume feeding at correct pH once roots recover

Signs

• ●Yellowing combined with droopy, heavy-looking leaves
• ●Soil feels wet 3-4 days after watering
• ●Growth has slowed dramatically

Fix

• ✓Let the soil dry out completely before next watering
• ✓Lift the pot — only water when it feels light
• ✓Improve drainage: check for saucers holding water, drainage holes

Signs

• ●Plant is in week 7+ of flower
• ●Yellowing is gradual and uniform
• ●Buds are packing on weight, trichomes are milky

Fix

• ✓This is normal — the plant is pulling stored nitrogen from leaves into buds
• ✓Don't panic-feed. A clean fade actually improves final smoke quality
• ✓Continue with bloom nutrients until your planned flush