Water and nutrient uptake is another vital function of the roots. It’s of the utmost importance that our cannabis plants are well fed in order to be able to produce lots of big and heavy flowers. If the plant doesn’t have a well-developed root system during its flowering phase, the bud production could be drastically reduced.
In turn, during harvest, we will notice that the plants fed silicon will have a much smaller internode distance compared to other specimens whose nutritional diet didn’t contain silicon. It should be noted that this material also provides more hardiness and strength against adverse weather conditions such as rain or strong winds.
It could be said that the root, or root system, has a pyramidal structure. The main tap root grows vertically down into the soil, and its secondary offshoots spread themselves throughout the substrate. In turn, these secondary roots develop small offshoots, called capillaries or simply root hairs, which are responsible for the collection and transportation of water and nutrients for the entire plant.
Another advantage of using fungi such as Trichoderma is to protect the plant against other fungi that could potentially devastate them, including the dreaded pythium and fusarium, both fatal for the cannabis plant. Once established in the substrate and the roots, the beneficial Trichoderma fungus leaves no room for other harmful fungi, becoming a very tough shield to penetrate, so the plants colonised by Trichoderma will hardly need to worry about root problems at all.
There are some products we can apply in order to fight the root rot once it starts to show. If the infection is in its early stages, you can use a diluted 5% hydrogen peroxide to try to kill the fungus by oxidisation, and once the substrate has dried a bit, apply Trichoderma to combat the fungal infection.
This is due to a prolonged excess of moisture in the substrate. During these periods of high humidity, the roots run out of oxygen, changing from an immaculate white hue to a darker colour that slowly turns to brown.
The roots live inside the substrate, but they are not alone. The substrate is easily the part of the plant with the most life per square centimetre. It is a medium where millions of microorganisms belonging to the fungi, algae, protozoa and bacteria families coexist with all kinds of flora and fauna, all of them performing important and vital functions in the root zone.
Silicon is an excellent nutritional supplement for cannabis plants and other vegetables that are prone to suffering periods of drought or overwatering. It is found in large amounts in soil, but only a few forms of this material can be absorbed by the plants.
Using commercial products to boost root growth will accelerate the growth rate of both plant and roots, and will also help to reduce the vegetative period indoors. These products are called root stimulators and are offered by numerous brands. Some are more concentrated than others, but all of them will get the job done: to quickly boost root growth. We recommend Canna’s Bio Rhizotonic, Hesi Root Complex, Green Hope’s Root Max, and GHE Bio Roots among others that can be found in our online Grow Shop.
A successful harvest depends to a great extent on the condition of your plants’ roots. In this article you’ll see the most commonly found problems wit
Next time you repot your plants, take a moment to observe its roots and see if they need any attention. A healthy bunch of roots is critical to growing a healthy cannabis plant—and flowers you’ll be proud to harvest.
Roots are active at night and happiest around 75°F (24°C). With an indoor setup, a good tip is to set up your air intake below the canopy and your exhaust above the canopy to keep a fresh, healthy cycle of air.
Spreading mulch or hay around the base of your plants can also help regulate temperature, but be sure to keep a 6-inch radius around the stalk of each plant free, as excessive moisture in the mulch can lead to rot if it touches the stalk.
These sugars, in combination with oxygen taken in by the roots, create ATP energy for the plant. ATP energy, in combination with nutrients pulled from the soil, ensures that the plant grows vibrantly.
- Let soil dry in between waterings. When soil is saturated, it can’t breathe effectively; as it dries up, the roots pull oxygen in. Dry periods between waterings are essential for oxygen absorption.
- Use a smart pot. These pots are made of a porous material that allows oxygen to seep in through the sides. Plants buried in the ground or in hard pots are limited to intaking oxygen from the surface.
- Perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss. These materials help fluff up soil, giving more space for oxygen to flow through and to keep soil from compacting.
- Use complete soils. These promote life for fungus, insects, and microbes that help keep soil loose, allowing for the development of root networks throughout the soil.
Be sure to check the roots before flowering, as the plant shouldn’t be moved or repotted during that phase.
As mentioned above in regards to oxygen, topsoil should be sufficiently dry before watering the plant again. To see if a plant is ready for more water, feel for dryness by putting your fingers 2-3 inches down.
These three things are pulled from the soil into the root system and transferred to the rest of the plant and help keep the process of photosynthesis and plant growth going. Without developed roots, a plant can’t grow properly.
Roots are constantly on the hunt for water as they grow and move farther away from the main taproot. As your plant gets bigger, so should your watering radius—the area around the stalk of the plant that you water. Doing this will help guide roots to the edges of the pot as they seek available nutrients in the soil.
A healthy plant has healthy roots. This guide shows you how to avoid problems like root rot by keeping your cannabis roots healthy & strong.