Let me be blunt…no pun intended… growing marijuana is not for the faint of heart. There is so much that can go wrong and often times it takes a whole lotta trial and error to troubleshoot your problem. Nonetheless, the rewards of a crop well maintained makes it all well worth it.
I get it, if you love something you instinctively want to give it so much tender loving care; like watering the hell out of your plant just to make sure it has enough sustenance. This can in fact give you adverse effects. One of the problems that could be standing between you and a bountiful budding crop is root rot caused by your well-meant over the top water-dousing your pretty plant.
Your plants love water but prefer damp conditions, as opposed to living in a swimming pool so when you cause their roots to be sitting in stagnant water that has no more oxygen left (the more water the less air permeates the soil) they will join a union and go on strike with catastrophic effects if you don’t notice it soon enough. Well here’s how you can avoid these politics.
Tell tale signs of this is when your plants start drooping after you water it. It’s drooping because their roots are starving for the oxygen. Although the leaf will feel firm it will be curled down and sometimes even yellowish.
Just as important as it is not to overwater your plant, it’s just as important to give the plant a proper draining system where water can flow out.
If you have cleverly investigated and come to the conclusion that root rot due to over watering is in fact your problem then, don’t fret, for I am here to guide you through to mending the problem and avoiding it in the future.
Like in all my posts, I always say that prevention is key, and knowledge is power, and education is the premise of progress, and cleanliness is next to godliness…and……and…well you get the picture.
So to prevent over watering your babies, only water them when the top of the soil is dry about an inch deep. Small plants in large pots tend to have trouble with overwatering, so keep an extra eye on that. There are also many other ways that growers know when to water their plants. Some more seasoned growers will simply lift up the pot with the plant in it. If it feels light, they will water it as the plant has used up all the water. If your soil seems to stay wet for a long time, like longer than 5 days, you probably need a different pot for your plant that has a better draining system. Not only is it important that the pot has proper drainage but also that the water drains freely from the bottom of your container. Never let the bottom of the container rest in a pool of water for more than 30 minutes -a telltale sign it has reached its fill.
If your plants are already over watered then there are a few fixes you can try. If the damage is not too bad then you might be able just to band-aid the problem without completely taking your plant out of the pot. To put some airflow into the pot, poke holes in the soil with a pen. Increasing the temperature and airflow in the room may also cause the water to dry up faster. Don’t water it anymore until the soil on top is dry. If your plant is really showing signs of damage then you may need to do a bit more than just poking holes in the soil to salvage it. Remove the plant from its soil and rinse the roots to get off any fungal spores that may be forming. Afterwards, dust the roots with a fungicide and repot them in new soil that is grittier with better drainage. Remember to also properly wash the pot before re-planting the plant.
Unfortunately root rot can completely kill off your plants if you let it get too far. Thankfully you read my little piece of info before it happens to you right?! On a sad note, Root rot caused by over watering is just one way plants suffer from it. Root rot may also be caused by a stem rot fungus species called Pythium. But fear not! In my next post I’ll walk you through that nightmare, so stay tuned for more useful plant saving tidbits from yours truly.
