Pimp My Roots!
Who cares about roots? You should! They're quite possibly the most important part of your plant, and one of the most delicate and easily damaged. Look after the roots and your plants will thrive. Here's what you should do.
Use Rooting Products
There are plenty available - the ones you should think about using include:
Root boosters
Products like SHOGUN Katana Roots can be used throughout vegetative growth.
Others, like Clonex are just for cuttings and seedlings - they'll reduce rooting times, and relieve the stress of being cut.
Beneficials
Don't forget about organic beneficials (like Ecothrive Charge, Ecothrive Biosys, Mammoth P). These kinds of products often colonise your rootzone with beneficial microorganisms that support roots, like:
- Trichoderma (wards off root diseases)
- Mychorrhizae (improves nutrient uptake)
Enzymes
Cannazym and Hygrozyme are both enzymes that clear away dead roots to make space for new, healthier, stronger roots.
All rounders
SHOGUN Silicon's the perfect example of an all rounder.
It strengthens cells and the bonds between cells so has an impact on all parts of your plant - including roots. Roots become thicker and stronger to support a heavier yield. In turn, nutrient uptake increases!
Use Air Stones
In hydro systems, roots are exposed - one of the best ways to keep them healthy is to use air stones.
Where oxygen is high, most pathogens can't survive - they thrive in calm conditions.
All the bubbling also helps keep your solution well mixed and helps buffer your pH.
Monitor your Nutrient Temperature
You want to aim for a nutrient temperature of 18oC - 21oC all year round.
In summer, cover your tank and pots with reflective sheeting, and use Iceline Pipe to stop lights warming your feed. You may need to use a nutrient chiller.
During the winter you may need to use a nutrient heater - especially when your lights aren't running.
Once you hit 21oC, the warmer your feed gets, the less oxygen it can carry. Never let your nutrient get hotter than this.
Use a hydro system
In any hydro system, roots are exposed and grow straight into a nutrient solution.
With no media to resrict growth, rooting is epic, and oxygen content is really high.
The Rolls Royce of all hydro systems, is definitely the RUSH DWC System. This one's a recirculating system, where your feed is whipped round at a high speed, mixing and trapping oxygen as it goes. Nothing else gives you roots as huge.
Use Silver Bullet
For white, healthy and disease-free roots, use Silver Bullet Roots. A small dose in every tank is enough to kill 99.99% of all root related nasties.
It's actually excellent value - top ups are so few and doses are so low that you spend less on this than competing products that don't work as well.
To be on the safe side, disinfect your system, tent, surfaces and tools with Silver Bullet Mist.
Try RhizoPots
If you aren't growing hydroponically, use RhizoPots.
They're made of fabric - once roots reach the edge of your pot, they become air pruned and start branching.
This means there's no risk of root circling or plants becoming pot bound.
Overall, you get a bigger, stronger root network than you would using plastic or ceramic pots. Everyone who uses them swears by them.
Don't forget, three growing systems use RhizoPots:
