During the life cycle of your plant, it will need primary (N-P-K) and Secondary (S-CA-ZN-FE) nutrients to grow into healthy productive girls, or boys if you swing that way. Learning how to understand the signs of nutrient deficiency is key to adjusting your feeding regiment. Every strain has special nutritional needs. By tweaking the nutrients, whether with organic or chemical fertilizers, skillful growers are able to solve problems just by paying attention.
Nitrogen (N)
Lack of Nitrogen is the most common nutrient deficiency. Signs are yellowing leaves, starting at the tips with the veins remaining green and stems turn reddish-purple.
Potassium (K)
First the tips of the leaves begin to yellow then brown, then the rest of the leaf will form brown spots, then the whole leaf will turn dark brown and die.
Sulfur (S)
Young leaves turn lime green to yellow and leave stems turn purple. The tips burn and point down.
Zinc (Z)
Very similar to a lack of magnesium, middle leaves form yellow patches, then brown spots form, but with no zinc the tips and new leaves will contort and dry out.
Phosphorus (P)
Lack of Phosphorus stunts a plant's growth, the leaves turn bluish green, tips point down and then they turn bronze and shrivel before they die.
Magnesium (Mg)
Middle leaves form yellow patches, then brown spots form and the leaf tips point upwards before dying.
Iron (FE)
Symptoms of iron deficiency start on smaller leaves and then turn yellow at the base of the leaves and spread to tips. The tips stay green.
Calcium (Ca)
Young leaves are thin and mis-shaped. Plant growth is severly stunted.
