Something went wrong. Your plant looks terrible — and it happened fast. Maybe it was fine yesterday, maybe it's been slowly declining for a week, but now it's clearly in trouble. Leaves are dying, growth has stopped, and you're not sure what happened or what to do first.
This guide is the emergency protocol. It's designed to be followed in order, under pressure, when you need to stop the damage before diagnosing the cause.
Step 1: Stop doing what you're doing
The first rule of plant emergency care: stop all inputs.
- Stop feeding nutrients
- Stop spraying anything
- Stop adjusting the light
- Stop moving the plant
- Stop watering (unless the plant is clearly bone-dry — see Step 2)
Most acute plant emergencies are caused by something the grower did (or overdid) in the last 48 hours. Continuing to add inputs makes diagnosis harder and often makes the problem worse. Stop, observe, then act.
Step 2: The 60-second triage
Check these five things, in this order:
1. Is the soil wet or dry?
Pick up the pot. Heavy = wet. Light = dry.
| Finding | Immediate action |
|---|---|
| Pot feels like a brick, very heavy | Overwatered. Do NOT water. Skip to Step 3 |
| Pot feels light as a feather, soil pulling from edges | Severely underwatered. Water slowly right now, pH'd, until 10% runoff |
| Pot feels normal weight | Moisture isn't the acute issue. Continue triage |
2. What temperature is the canopy?
Hold your hand at bud level for 30 seconds. If it's uncomfortable for your hand, it's too hot for the plant.
| Finding | Immediate action |
|---|---|
| Above 90°F | Heat emergency. Raise the light, increase exhaust, open the tent. Cool the room. This is your priority |
| Below 55°F | Cold stress. Add a heater or heat mat. Root-zone cold is especially damaging |
| 65–85°F | Temperature isn't the acute issue. Continue triage |
3. What does the plant smell like?
Get your nose close to the soil surface and the stem base.