Pistils browning early in flower

Likely causes, most likely first

Ranked for this sign on its own. Your stage, medium and readings change the order, so run the checker for your plant.

1. PossibleHeat stress

   EnvironmentAct within a day or twoRead: Heat and light stress: taco leaves, bleaching and foxtails

   Fix: Bring canopy leaf temperature under about 30 °C (86 °F): more exhaust (one tent air exchange every 1-3 minutes), raise or dim the light, add canopy airflow (0.3-1.0 m/s), keep RH so VPD stays 1.0-1.5 kPa, water well. Above ~30 °C photosynthesis falls unless CO2 and light are high.

   Recovery: Leaves flatten within a day; no new foxtails or crisping.

   How to confirm it

   • IR leaf temperature at the canopy top. Point an IR thermometer at the top leaves under the light (5-10 cm away, emissivity 0.95) and at shaded leaves. Leaf temperature above about 30 °C (86 °F) at the top only points to heat or radiant load; leaf VPD can be calculated from leaf temperature and RH.
   • Check temperature and RH at canopy height with a calibrated sensor. Put a calibrated sensor (salt test: a sealed bag with damp table salt reads 75% RH after 8-12 hours) at canopy height, out of direct light, and log for 24 hours including lights-off. Look for lights-off RH spikes and dew point.

2. Less likelyHeat or light stress foxtailing on the top colas

   LightLow urgencyRead: Foxtailing buds on cannabis: genetics or stress?

   Fix: Lower top-cola PPFD and leaf temperature (leaf under ~28-30 °C / 82-86 °F); even out the canopy. Evidence is mostly grower observation.

   Recovery: No new spires on top colas over the next week.

   How to confirm it

   • Measure PPFD at the canopy top. Use a quantum (PAR) meter, or a calibrated phone app as a rough guide, at the top leaves in a 5-9 point grid. Compare with the stage target: seedlings 100-300, veg 300-700, flower 800-1,200 µmol/m²/s at ambient CO2. Bleaching and taco at the top above ~1,100 point to light; stretch below ~300 in veg points to too little.
   • IR leaf temperature at the canopy top. Point an IR thermometer at the top leaves under the light (5-10 cm away, emissivity 0.95) and at shaded leaves. Leaf temperature above about 30 °C (86 °F) at the top only points to heat or radiant load; leaf VPD can be calculated from leaf temperature and RH.
   • Compare with siblings or the same cut. Put the affected plant beside siblings or clones of the same cut in the same conditions. A trait shared by all of a cultivar (purple stems, foxtailing, pale colour) is genetic; a problem on one plant points to its roots, a virus or its genetics; a problem on every cultivar points to the environment or feed.

3. Less likelyLight bleaching at the canopy top

   LightDeal with it this weekRead: Heat and light stress: taco leaves, bleaching and foxtails

   Fix: Raise or dim the light by 10-20% so top-canopy PPFD sits around 800-1,100 µmol/m²/s at ambient CO2 (up to ~1,500 with CO2 and good climate). Keep the canopy even so one cola doesn't sit in a hotspot. Bleached tissue won't re-green.

   Recovery: No new bleaching within 3-5 days; new bracts and leaves at the top stay green.

   How to confirm it

   • Measure PPFD at the canopy top. Use a quantum (PAR) meter, or a calibrated phone app as a rough guide, at the top leaves in a 5-9 point grid. Compare with the stage target: seedlings 100-300, veg 300-700, flower 800-1,200 µmol/m²/s at ambient CO2. Bleaching and taco at the top above ~1,100 point to light; stretch below ~300 in veg points to too little.
   • IR leaf temperature at the canopy top. Point an IR thermometer at the top leaves under the light (5-10 cm away, emissivity 0.95) and at shaded leaves. Leaf temperature above about 30 °C (86 °F) at the top only points to heat or radiant load; leaf VPD can be calculated from leaf temperature and RH.

4. Less likelyLight burn: too much light for the plant's climate and CO2

   LightDeal with it this weekRead: Heat and light stress: taco leaves, bleaching and foxtails

   Fix: Dim or raise the light 10-20%; ramp intensity over 7-10 days after a light change. Seedlings and clones need only 100-300 µmol/m²/s. High PPFD works only with leaf temperature, VPD, roots and feed all in range.

   Recovery: Top leaves flatten within 1-3 days.

   How to confirm it

   • Measure PPFD at the canopy top. Use a quantum (PAR) meter, or a calibrated phone app as a rough guide, at the top leaves in a 5-9 point grid. Compare with the stage target: seedlings 100-300, veg 300-700, flower 800-1,200 µmol/m²/s at ambient CO2. Bleaching and taco at the top above ~1,100 point to light; stretch below ~300 in veg points to too little.
   • IR leaf temperature at the canopy top. Point an IR thermometer at the top leaves under the light (5-10 cm away, emissivity 0.95) and at shaded leaves. Leaf temperature above about 30 °C (86 °F) at the top only points to heat or radiant load; leaf VPD can be calculated from leaf temperature and RH.

Look for

Brown-orange pistils on young buds, especially the top colas; include the lamp distance..