Wearing a big ole crown

For any growers trying to get those 3+lb plants. I just wanted to share my experience in preventing root rot/stem rot issues in the crown. When transplanting out to those big pots, beds, holes etc... it's very helpful to leave the plant raised above the surface of the soil by a few inches. I usually am going from about a 10 -20 gallon into 400 gallons at the most. Leaving about a 3 or 4inch difference in soil levels, allows the water to spread out through the pot without draining towards the middle where the crown sits with a lot of weight on top of it. I have seen plants go down in a matter of days when watered directly on the crown as opposed to around the plant. Sure many factors come into play (good micro organisms, well draining dirt, good water), which is why I would like any thoughts from other growers of the rather large plants. This style has worked well for me and I wonder if any of ya'll have experienced similar effects. Again to re-iterate, plants under 3 pounds or so don't seem to get this issue.

great info on the root rot problem iv'e seen just what ya are talking about happen in ca to a buddys plant made me sick that big giant plant just fell over and died !!

It is heart breaking to watch. Many times you'll see a lower branch wilt and drop and be able to ride it out the rest of the season. What has also worked is using micro organism mixes that are high in Trichodermas. I worked a property that consistently had problems with wilt, but this technique with the trichodermas eliminated it. Those stems can split and get soft overnight, even with good dirt, watered in the morning, etc... I know Trichodermas are supposed to be too aggressive of a colonizer but I think they might have they place in the arsenal.

That used to happen growing in the ground once in a while. I've never had root rot since using smart pots.....knock knock

I have only used smart pots for those monsters. Still had to deal with the rot. Just saying I have given just about every favorable condition and it seemed to come back to keeping the crown from getting too wet and/or innoculating with a high trichoderma count. If I had to choose 1, I would pick keeping that crown slightly elevated.

calicocalyx said:

I have only used smart pots for those monsters. Still had to deal with the rot. Just saying I have given just about every favorable condition and it seemed to come back to keeping the crown from getting too wet and/or innoculating with a high trichoderma count. If I had to choose 1, I would pick keeping that crown slightly elevated.

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I like the idea, it makes sense. I think I always try to do that a little anyways...

calicocalyx said:

I have only used smart pots for those monsters. Still had to deal with the rot. Just saying I have given just about every favorable condition and it seemed to come back to keeping the crown from getting too wet and/or innoculating with a high trichoderma count. If I had to choose 1, I would pick keeping that crown slightly elevated.

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So I have been re reading up on Hemp Cankor Disease, which seems to be what I and others have run into. It might have been the using of high trichodermas from early on in the grow, that kept the plants from crumbling in front of me as well as transplanting slightly above soil surface.. It is now my practice for the outdoor transplanting above soil surface to prevent the conditions that bring on the systemic mold/rot, and innoculating with trichodermas which eat fungus and help eliminate this potential threat. The disease is actually a fungus that spreads up into the main stem and then throughout the plant. Mold pops out of wounds, splits in the stem, and any soft tissue. It is really hard to reverse the spread and indeed it seemed I was only able to fight a slowly losing battle, once contaminated. Whole branches will wilt, and entire plants can go down in a matter of a few days.

And to reiterate, I think it was using stagnant pond water that was the source of trouble and unfortunately for that property, we had only 1 water source.

I've cut a square of cloth from a smart pot and folded it in half, in the fold I place my favorite brand of mykos and put rooting gel in there too. I then wrap that around the base of the plant and tie it with hemp cord. water with b1 and rooting stuff sometimes as the base of the plant and normal nutes a few inches away toward the edge of the rootzone. in a week or 2 you'll have roots coming out the stem, remove cloth compact and mound up some dirt. beefy plant 2 weeks after that.

Reviving this because for fucks sake I got a soft stem on a plant. Now I wasn't expected this with hot dry weather, proper beneficials, planting high in the smart pot. But in the weeks before this, the plant was growing fast. I mean catching up big time. I noticed splits and cracks running vertically in the stem and it isn't uncommon to see. I thought that the plant just grew super fast, like stretch marks. I've also been told by some old heads that it's a sign of stem cankor virus/disease. Funny that it preceded the soft stem. Unfortunately I have to go out of town for a couple days and it's too late to go to town to get supplies. So treatment at the moment is wipe clean with alcohol, absorb as much excess moisture from the damp stem, and then coat in a dry mix of beneficials particularly that trichoderma. Water lightly and cross fingers. If I had powdered sulphur I would make a thin liquid and paint on the stem, seems to prevent infection, don't know about treatment. Also to note if it is a virus, it came with that plant as it's a cutting from a strain that has been around a lot. None of the seed plants have soft or cracked stems.

So really just putting it out there to see if anyone had any experience/info on the stem cankor shit and how ya'll dealt with it. Thought I had it figured out. It's one of the small ones at least.

Alright stem is hardening back up although it hasn't gone all the way back. Plant is a touch yellower than the rest, probably less nutes making it up the stem. Foliar in the morning. We'll see if I can ride it out.

calicocalyx said:

Alright stem is hardening back up although it hasn't gone all the way back. Plant is a touch yellower than the rest, probably less nutes making it up the stem. Foliar in the morning. We'll see if I can ride it out.

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hope it does ok buddy . that trico can be too aggressive but if "p" seems bound you can always kill em all with 1t of h2o2 per gallon . then start again ... lol i topdress with fishbonemeal (5-20-0) at flowerset so it is not a problem yet ...

hey thanks, yeah today there are a couple tops that are wilted, shriveled, so not looking too good. I was only going to do 12 plants with a couple backups, so still have 16 other healthy decent sized plants. Time to experiment I guess . I know people down south spray that eagle 20 as a preventative no matter what, so I'm trying to avoid that scenario. I have dissected plants that had the rot and got sprayed and inside the stem were pockets of hard black stuff, presumably that was where the mold was and got pushed out by the eagle 20.

calicocalyx said:

hey thanks, yeah today there are a couple tops that are wilted, shriveled, so not looking too good. I was only going to do 12 plants with a couple backups, so still have 16 other healthy decent sized plants. Time to experiment I guess . I know people down south spray that eagle 20 as a preventative no matter what, so I'm trying to avoid that scenario. I have dissected plants that had the rot and got sprayed and inside the stem were pockets of hard black stuff, presumably that was where the mold was and got pushed out by the eagle 20.

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diatom. earth dusting has worked well to dessacate . then spray w/ trico