Root Rot in Cannabis Plants

Root rot in cannabis plants can be extremely detrimental to the overall health of your plants. Depending when this problem occurs it could kill your plants or ruin your yields.

What is root rot?

The disease root rot affects a wide range of plants, including cannabis. Root rot cannabis is prevalent in hydroponics, soil, and soilless systems. Growers using soil and soilless techniques should be mindful of the conditions in which Pythium thrives and work to improve the conditions in their rooms and planting sites. Because soil producers do not have the luxury of inspecting their roots, they must anticipate issues and diagnose root rot early on. Severe root rot can go unrecognized, with healthy above-ground development. However, root rot might substantially diminish growth and yield. Consider Pythium root rot cannabis to be a flesh-eating illness that affects plants!

Root rot symptoms in cannabis plants

When identifying root rot, regularly check on your cannabis plants. Root rot prevents plants from effectively absorbing moisture and minerals from the soil.

Root rot in cannabis is easier to spot than many other cannabis problems. Look for the following root rot indicators if you feel your roots are experiencing a problem:

Drooping leaves

When a plant wilts or droops, whether in soil, coco, or hydro, it nearly usually indicates that something is wrong with the roots. Growth rates and flowering may be slowed when leaves wilt, turn yellow or fall off. Foliage and shoots wither, and the plant eventually dies. Plants can perish within 7-10 days in the most extreme situations when conditions are suitable for the fungus to propagate swiftly.

Brown slimy roots

Unwanted pathogens in a hydroponic tank can cause unhealthy roots that are brownish, slimy, and twisted. Even though no two illnesses are the same, brown roots are the most common sign. All of the roots, or just a portion of them, can get diseased. The afflicted areas usually become sticky and mushy, then twist together. It has the appearance of plants that have been severely under or overwatered.

Root rot in veg

Pythium root rot is particularly dangerous to seeds and seedlings, and cannabis plants in vegetative growth can be attacked if their grow environment becomes fungus-friendly. Cannabis plants are susceptible to shock and stress during vegetative growth, especially when it’s time to transplant, regardless of the production medium. The most straightforward strategy to avoid fungus attacks resulting in root rot is to get your cannabis plants perfectly balanced – from nutrition to environmental control, as much as possible.

Root rot during flowering

Once root rot has been found during flowering cannabis, you must assess if you can rescue the plant. If the entire root system has already gone mushy, it may be too late to save the cannabis plant. However, if the plant has some healthy, white, solid roots, consider transplanting it in fresh soil with proper drainage to bring it back to life.

Root rot in the soil

A pathogen in the soil can also trigger root rot. This pathogen can stay dormant in the soil, waiting for the right conditions to appear. The fungus typically comes after your plant has been overwatered once or twice. The root rot will attack the roots, causing them to die.

Root rot in hydro

In hydroponic cannabis plants, root rot is the most frequent issue. Overwatering your plants in any growing media, including soil, is another source of pathogens that cause rot. The easiest strategy to avoid root rot is to make sure your plants aren’t left in moist, oxygen-depleted environments for an extended time. It would be best if you first modified the temperature of the growing space to treat root rot and ensure that it does not return to your hydroponic cannabis setup. This will also reduce the water temperature in your reservoir, which is ideal.

How to treat root rot

The excellent news is Pythium root rot cannabis can be treated and eradicated.

1. How to Treat Cannabis Root Rot Outdoors

Prevention is the safest option for outdoor cultivators because root rot is hard to treat. Fill up any patches of soil that are lower than the rest to prevent decay. Adding organic material to your soil helps increase its quality and drainage. If you can’t enhance drainage, fill raised beds with draining soil. Establishing a watering routine will help you avoid overwatering. Ensure your soil has all of the necessary nutrients and is kept somewhat dry. Watering your plants until the earth is primarily dry would be best. By drawing the soil back, you can aid in evaporation moisture. Rot flourishes in soil that are too wet. Treatments for outdoor root rot include:

• Filling in lower regions (good alternative for treating outdoor root rot).
  
• Adding organic matter to the soil for good drainage.
  
• Do not overwater your crop.
  
• Do not irrigate until your soil is nearly dry.
  
• Enable moisture evaporation by pulling back your soil.

2. How to Treat Cannabis Root Rot Indoors

It’s challenging to get rid of root rot. As a result, many cultivators opt to discard their plants and start over. When you choose to go ahead with this plan, it’s vital to figure out what caused the rot if you’re going to plant a new crop in the same spot. Root rot will attack your new crop if you don’t detect and cure the problem before planting.

Is root rot the end of my cannabis plant, if you’re wondering? No, it isn’t always the case. Growers frequently employ strategies that are beneficial in curing root rot in their crops. The first step is to determine if your plants have been infected with root rot. The next step is deciding whether you may still save your crop. It’s too late if your entire root system has gotten mushy. You have no choice except to remove your crop, treat the region, and start over. If you notice some firm, white, and healthy roots, there’s a chance you can treat root rot and get your plants back on track. If your plants are being grown in soil, replace it with new soil that contains all of the necessary nutrients. Inspect to see if your soil drains well.