I think I got root rot

[Dreminen169]

I’m new to organics and it doesn’t seem like I’ve been overwatering but apparently i have been (if I have root rot but I question it). It smells very musty in my root zone. I have been watering every morning, however not to run off... I thought I was good cuz I would never soak pot all the way when watering, also I’m in fabric pots which is kind of why I question root rot. Could it be something else? Also best way to cure? I recently applied build-a-bloom could this be it?

 

[93OG]

Looks to me like she’s hungry or your ph is way off.

 

[M.O.]

I’m not saying this is your issue, she does look a tad pale and so not getting what she wants. But!

Root rot can get you in fabric pots. It’s the bottom, especially center mass of the roots if sitting in a saucer that’s prone to it.

Many people use a raised rack so the whole surface of the pot can dry out.

Other option is packing chunk drainage into the bottom of the pot or under neither it.

Both work well.

I use a modified version of the chunk drainage in the bottom where I mound a huge dome of drainage in the middle but pack the outer ring with my soil mix. This lets me water from the top and actually mostly from the bottom no issues.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Cloth pots and daily watering are a bad combo

Better to soak it and wait a week

 

[anomalii]

So... I had an auto that smelled like a damp towel had been left somewhere. I scoured the the place for mold. The tent was warm, dry, high air flow, low RH. I couldn’t figure it out. I kept my eye on it and after a week or so the smell transformed into some really fruity smelling flowers. I read somewhere it had to do with bacteria in the soil breaking down nitrogen, not really sure I understood everything, but I definitely thought it was must/mold. Hopefully yours is the same issue.

 

[Dreminen169]

Looks to me like she’s hungry or your ph is way off.

I’m in organic. pH shouldn’t matter?

 

[M.O.]

I’m in organic. pH shouldn’t matter?

I always say trust your first instinct especially if you’ve got plant experience. If you think you’ve been overwatering and she’s going pale. Yea, happens easily. She’ll look great when she dries out. Just have to feel the rhythm of this new media and only way to do that is to push things.

Great work catching it I say.

Poke your finger into the top dry layer lightly and see how far down the moisture is. If it’s right at the surface you’re good unless the bottom is dry. Sometimes you need a good soak to homogenize the water within but the way you’re watering I think you figured it out. I usually don’t water until there is a good inch of dry media.

Ph matters for sure. The media ph balances with the water ph. This window is not as hard to hit as dialing hydroponics which is why you see people say don’t worry. Also it’s easy to just get lucky where your water and soil magically balance. I was able to dial my stuff in with a $5 ph dropper kit.

 

[Dreminen169]

I always say trust your first instinct especially if you’ve got plant experience. If you think you’ve been overwatering and she’s going pale. Yea, happens easily. She’ll look great when she dries out. Just have to feel the rhythm of this new media and only way to do that is to push things.

Great work catching it I say.

Poke your finger into the top dry layer lightly and see how far down the moisture is. If it’s right at the surface you’re good unless the bottom is dry. Sometimes you need a good soak to homogenize the water within but the way you’re watering I think you figured it out. I usually don’t water until there is a good inch of dry media.

Ph matters for sure. The media ph balances with the water ph. This window is not as hard to hit as dialing hydroponics which is why you see people say don’t worry. Also it’s easy to just get lucky where your water and soil magically balance. I was able to dial my stuff in with a $5 ph dropper kit.

Do I need to take any action other than letting the media dry out? I feel like I’ve heard about ppl using h202, but I don’t know if that’s just for hydro?

 

[M.O.]

Do I need to take any action other than letting the media dry out? I feel like I’ve heard about ppl using h202, but I don’t know if that’s just for hydro?

Any way to get the bottom off the floor that’d be my only solid suggestion. I’ve used a saucer and perlite or garden rocks. Rocks are better they won’t cling to the pot.

There is a great thread in the journals I think by Double A to the Ron. Sorry if that’s not exactly the right name but if you want a good read on how soil ph can be fucked up check out his thread. Can even have different ph from different bales in the stack!

But also overwatering can look just like that so.

 

[M.O.]

I’ve read h2o2 won’t hurt roots but I’ve never tried it myself. They’ll fix themselves in these pots if you catch it and they can dry though in my experience. I’ve overwatered my fabric pots plenty

 

[Dreminen169]

I’ve read h2o2 won’t hurt roots but I’ve never tried it myself. They’ll fix themselves in these pots if you catch it and they can dry though in my experience. I’ve overwatered my fabric pots plenty

That’s a relief to hear.

 

[M.O.]

That’s a relief to hear.

I took a good close look at your pic again and the yellowing from the bottom up makes me think she is ready for more nutrients too. It’s just hard to know for sure when overwatering is suspected. That can lock stuff up in a way I don’t fully understand.

A good compost top dress with some ewc doesn’t hurt anything either tho.

I was always under the impression h2o2 was used in the root zone to sterile things so if you want to keep biology going I’d avoid it.

 

[M.O.]

I also don’t know what build a bloom is but if it’s high in one thing it can lock out others.

Is the bottom of your pot soggy/wet and cold at all? I probably should have started there.

 

[M.O.]

I’m new to organics and it doesn’t seem like I’ve been overwatering but apparently i have been (if I have root rot but I question it). It smells very musty in my root zone. I have been watering every morning, however not to run off... I thought I was good cuz I would never soak pot all the way when watering, also I’m in fabric pots which is kind of why I question root rot. Could it be something else? Also best way to cure? I recently applied build-a-bloom could this be it?View attachment 4808727

Even though you’re watering daily you said not until run off. So I see two possible scenarios actually.
One. You are watering too much and locked it out OR
Two. You are watering too little in fact since ‘no run off’. Is that none ever?

Also then added a bottle of something too - not necessarily a bad bottle but if she couldn’t use it, it’s just exasperated the problem.
She looks N starved to me but this is such a complicated thing saying that oversimplifies it.

Possibilities here for you. If the bottom of your pots have been dry actually the media might have gone hydrophobic and causing lock out. If too wet then rot and lockout.

Hope this helps and is not causing more confusion.

 

[Dreminen169]

I also don’t know what build a bloom is but if it’s high in one thing it can lock out others.

Is the bottom of your pot soggy/wet and cold at all? I probably should have started there.

Its defined not under watered. I usually go by pot weight & water every morning and water it almost to runoff then the next morning only spray it a bit to get the top of the soil a little damp and let it dry further out till the following morning when I usually give it another heaver watering unless it’s still kinda heavy, then I’ll just get the top moist again. So basically I water everyday but it only gets a nice heavy watering every 2 days or so. I’m still pretty sure it’s root rot though

The bottom of pot is not cold and shouldn’t be soggy as it’s been a day and a half since last water

BuildABloom 2-10-5 is BuildASoil's long awaited amino acid formula for flowering plants. Most companies will offer a bone meal, guano or phosphoric acid product for their flowering line up, but we didn’t want to go that route. The premium vegan non-gmo soy aminos help chelate the micronized minerals and make the phosphorus, potassium and calcium more readily available. The results are dramatic!

 

[M.O.]

Its defined not under watered. I usually go by pot weight & water every morning and water it almost to runoff then the next morning only spray it a bit to get the top of the soil a little damp and let it dry further out till the following morning when I usually give it another heaver watering unless it’s still kinda heavy, then I’ll just get the top moist again. So basically I water everyday but it only gets a nice heavy watering every 2 days or so. I’m still pretty sure it’s root rot though

The bottom of pot is not cold and shouldn’t be soggy as it’s been a day and a half since last water

BuildABloom 2-10-5 is BuildASoil's long awaited amino acid formula for flowering plants. Most companies will offer a bone meal, guano or phosphoric acid product for their flowering line up, but we didn’t want to go that route. The premium vegan non-gmo soy aminos help chelate the micronized minerals and make the phosphorus, potassium and calcium more readily available. The results are dramatic!

Okay yea that sounds like overwatering a bit. Good practice with picking it up that’s awesome! Just let it get a lot lighter. It’s crazy the weight difference between ready for water and not ready.
I’m going that direction as what’s happened and then needing a little nute boost, but I’d wait until I see how she looks after she’s dried out more before you add anything. Other than slow release top dress stuff which should be fine.
Good news is even messed up looking plants and flowers can taste freaking amazing. Looks like she’s gonna stink!
I’d love to know how it turns out and if we’re on the right track.

 

[Dreminen169]

Okay yea that sounds like overwatering a bit. Good practice with picking it up that’s awesome! Just let it get a lot lighter. It’s crazy the weight difference between ready for water and not ready.
I’m going that direction as what’s happened and then needing a little nute boost, but I’d wait until I see how she looks after she’s dried out more before you add anything. Other than slow release top dress stuff which should be fine.
Good news is even messed up looking plants and flowers can taste freaking amazing. Looks like she’s gonna stink!
I’d love to know how it turns out and if we’re on the right track.

Yeah for sure, thx for the help. The bottom of the pot doesn't smell at all just the top. Also the bottom is just a bit damp. Which leads me to believe that the infected area may be just focused on top which is easier to work with IMO (I’m just not going to water for a bit & when I do maybe I will just do a bottom feed). It is already starting to stink less than yesterday I’m hoping she has a quick recovery. Any Thoughts/feelings on bottom feeding? Or just forget bottom feeding & continue to water as normal when the time comes?

 

[M.O.]

Yeah for sure, thx for the help. The bottom of the pot doesn't smell at all just the top. Also the bottom is just a bit damp. Which leads me to believe that the infected area may be just focused on top which is easier to work with IMO (I’m just not going to water for a bit & when I do maybe I will just do a bottom feed). It is already starting to stink less than yesterday I’m hoping she has a quick recovery. Any Thoughts/feelings on bottom feeding? Or just forget bottom feeding & continue to water as normal when the time comes?

After she’s dried out a bit hopefully it’ll equalize the water throughout. Should see a pretty strong difference in her strength return. Then you could keep watering the same top style less often.

Without drainage built into the bottom of pot you could water from the bottom making sure you don’t let it sit in that water for long at all. Say 10-15 minute soak. Let her soak and then get her drying on a rack or rocks.

While I hear a lot of good things about aminos that middle 10 for P... I keep reading about P overload locking out other stuff. Man I’d consider that might be playing a role here too but just food for thought. Might 1/2 strength it for a bit and see. Stuff builds up in the soil when you’re not watering to run off.

 

[M.O.]

Any Thoughts/feelings on bottom feeding? Or just forget bottom feeding & continue to water as normal when the time comes?

Even better though since you weren’t set up for bottom watering from the get go I’d recommend a pump sprayer for watering over anything else. I love just pumping up the sprayer and soaking the top and sides throughly.