How to Fix Broken and Bent Cannabis Stems

bent cannabis plant stems

When it comes to taking care of the cannabis in order to ensure the success of your grow operation, there are numerous things that come into play. There are several aspects that are important and must be properly taken care of if the grower aims to have to accomplish the goal of a maximum yield.

It is imperative that a grower pays attention to the needs of the soil, the amount of water necessary to sustain the plant, and if the plant needs to be transplanted from a smaller pot to a bigger pot, and so on. One aspect of caring for the plant that is also of great importance in determining the final yield of the planting process is the repair of cannabis stem and branch damages.

Stem and branch damages is a situation that no grower prays for, the majority of people don't know what to do with their damaged plants. Some are even known to give up when a branch seems to be detached or broken from the stem. If a grower continues to give up on every cannabis stem and branch that is broken or bent, it'll be extremely difficult to consistently maintain maximum yield. This, among many other reasons, is why it's very important that growers know how to take care of damaged stems and branches.

A Closer Look at Stem Damages

Damages to cannabis plant stems can be classified into three namely

broken stems

bent stems

and detached stems.

Broken stems occur when the stem splits from the base on which it has support. Broken stems require care and treatment because if they are not quickly fixed, they can have a huge impact on yield as they can be a point of entry for infections.

Stems are said to be bent when the stems are folded around the base that they balance on. Bent stems suffer lack of nutrients and minerals necessary to facilitate sustenance and growth which will be mostly due to compromised transport systems of the plant.

The final class of stem damages are detached stems which are stems that have been removed completely from the remaining plant structure. It should be noted though that with proper care, technique, and attention, even detached stems can be fixed and reintroduced to the growing plant. Plants possess healing mechanisms embedded in their systems which plays a major part in the repair of damaged stems and branches.

Causes of stem damages

Stem damages occur in plants on the account of different factors that affect the integrity and strength of the plant structure. These factors include:

Physical factors - A large number of stem damages occur due to physical factors. Either from the grower's movements, lack of proper care for the plants, etc. These manually-inflicted damages are often the cause of broken and detached stems in cannabis plants.

Natural factors - Natural factors such as strong wind currents can also result in damaged stems. The excessive airflow that accompanies this factor is bound to affect the balance of plants and their stability.

Growing techniques - Growing techniques and practices such as training can also result in bent and broken stems not if properly and carefully done.

How to fix stem damages

Once stem damages have been identified, it is imperative to decide on what to do quickly because time is of the essence when it comes to broken and bent stems. This means that it is important for the grower to be able to quickly identify broken and bent stems and also react quickly to care for them.

Broken and detached stems can be fixed using tape which promotes healing and repair. Duct tape and scotch tape are examples of tapes that can be used to repair broken stems.

The tape is cut with respect to the size of the damaged stem and branch and wrapped carefully to keep it tight around the base.

The taped stem is then observed for a duration of two to four weeks wherein the status of the stem is monitored by the grower to ensure that desired results are reached.

After which Care is taken to remove the tape so as to ensure that no further damage is done to the plant.

Bent stems however are corrected with the use of support systems made of splints and twigs.

The support structure is introduced into the soil close to the plant to the height of the bent stem.

The bent stem and the support structure are joined using tape so the support structure can serve as a cushion for the bent stem as it undergoes repair.

Following the estimated duration of monitoring, the tape is carefully removed and the support system as well, after which the bent stem would have been repaired.

The best approach to stem damages however is to prevent or limit their occurrence. Care should be taken when handling, moving, or training the plant. The plant should also be protected from excess wind and airflow with the use of barriers such as walls, fences, shade cloths, etc.