Your Main Stem Broke During Flowering? Learn How To Fix It

Did your main stem break during flowering? Although there are various reasons why this happens, it’s crucial to take action immediately to prevent long-lasting problems.

Factors like wind and over-training may cause your cannabis plant’s stem to bend or break. Avoid damage by following our straightforward tips and tricks.

Learn about the breakages that can happen to your marijuana plant, how to avoid them, and how to fix them.

Let’s dive in.

What are the reasons for broken and bent stems?

Bent, fractured, or detached stems are common when growing marijuana plants, especially for beginners. There can be a simple reason if you have a broken branch during flowering. With attention and care, you can avoid any damage to your plant.

Something as small as moving your plant can cause damaged stems. Some strains that grow more rigid and upright have these issues. Excess airflow or wind is another likely cause if your stalk is bent or snapped.

Cannabis topping is a major reason for bent branches. A broken main stem during veg could mean you put too much pressure on the plant when training it. It’s crucial to fix these problems as soon as possible to avoid long-term issues.

Why damaged stems are a problem

If you notice a bent weed plant, it may be a problem. Broken stalks won’t continue to grow if they’re damaged beyond repair.

There are a few reasons for slow growth that results in bending:

• Too little water traveling through the stems.

• Scarring on the stalks.

• If the plant is bent low without enough light.

A damaged stem may have an open wound, which attracts infections that affect the plant. These diseases may reduce your yields or even kill your cannabis crops.

What are the typical types of damage that stems often encounter?

There are a few primary ways weed stems become damaged. They may detach, bend, break, or split, depending on the circumstances.

Detached stem

Detached stems are one of the more worrying versions of damaged stalks. If this occurs, you must give your plant close, attentive care to prevent further breaking. Reattach the stem using the tape method. You can throw away detached stems at the bottom.

Broken stem

Broken or bending stems during flowering are common and occur when the branches snap without detaching. If not treated, the branches may stop growing altogether. You can fix broken stalks using a support structure or the taping method.

Bent or folded stem

A bent or folded stem is the most common damage that may occur. Bending can happen if you use too much force when training or moving the plant around.

Folded stems don’t receive enough water and nutrients from the soil, so their presence can kill your plant. The stalks still grow, but much slower than others.

Split stem

Most cases of a split stem are intentional. You can split the stalk to create a cutting for a new plant. This method is not always detrimental.

What to do if your stem is bent

Fix a bent stem during the flowering stage by following straightforward steps. Use external support to protect the damaged part further.

• Choose a structure: Select from a small metal or plastic trellis or bamboo stalks.

• Tie the plant: Connect the bent branch to the support structure using garden ties. Add one link before the break and another one after the break.

• Apply stress: Remove the ties after a few days, then take off the tape. Allow your plant enough time to adapt to the change in gravity.

What to do if you get a broken branch in late flower stage

You can still salvage a broken branch in late flowering. The tape method is the easiest way to fix this problem:

• Cut a piece of tape around four inches long.

• Gently wrap the piece of tape around the broken stalk, fully covering the base.

• Pack the stem and base tightly to allow mending to occur.

• Leave for 2–4 weeks.

• Check the healing process daily for any changes.

Adding a pencil or piece of wood parallel to the break makes for extra strength. Wrapping the tape too loose may cause the broken stem to slip out, and too tight may damage it further. Carefully remove the tape after 2–4 weeks, leaving it on if there’s no progress.

Additional measures of precaution to avoid broken branches

The first step to avoid a snapped branch during flowering is to note what strength the stem has. Some strains have rigid stalks that are susceptible to damage.

Learn cannabis anatomy to further your knowledge of what plant parts need extra care and the recovery methods.

Take proper care to avoid over-stressing the plants. Be extra careful when performing training techniques like the Sea of Green or the Screen of Green. Take precautions when moving your plants to avoid bumping the stems into objects that may damage them.

High-stress training techniques like super cropping, splitting stems, and topping or fimming may cause issues. The plants might produce larger yields, but overdoing it can be detrimental. Low-stress methods are gentler with fewer potential breakages.

Bending or breaking during the seedling stage is more dangerous, especially if your seedling top breaks off. Ensure you find the cause and fix it immediately if possible.

Ensure enough protection from excessive airflow and wind, especially when cultivating outdoors. An ideal solution is to trellis your plants to avoid blowing in the wind. Tomato cages work well in these circumstances.

Main stem broke during flowering? You can fix it

A broken branch during flowering isn’t always detrimental. You can attempt to fix bent or damaged stems using a series of techniques, like tape and trellises. Always act immediately to avoid lasting damage to your plants.

Visit Homegrown Cannabis Co. to find a variety of cannabis seeds to get you started on your cultivating journey.

FAQs

If the above information didn’t resolve all your queries, you’ve arrived at the right place. Read on for our expert answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Can a broken stem still grow?

Unfortunately not. If left untreated, broken stems halt the growing process. You must take immediate action if you notice a damaged stalk.

Can I use scotch tape for the repair?

Yes, both scotch tape and duct tape are suitable for healing a broken or bent stem. Be gentle when applying the tape to avoid further damage.

Can I use a broken branch to grow a new cannabis plant?

Cuttings need to come from a healthy plant. If a lack of nutrients damages your crop, growing a new seedling isn’t viable.