Subscriptions - Maximum Yield Cannabis USA November/December 2020 | Page 32
Keeping your plants at an appropriate temperature will
also help develop strong roots and by extension, healthy
buds. Cannabis roots grow best in warmer temperatures.
Keeping the growing substrate at a temperature between
70°F and 85°F (21°C to 29°C) is optimal. Making sure
your roots have enough room to grow will also help your
cannabis plant thrive.
“If you want big buds, then you
need to foster big, healthy roots —
no two ways about it.”
Roots Need Room to Roam
Cannabis roots that have outgrown the space allotted to
them will become rootbound. If this condition is caught early
enough, it is easily remedied. If not, then your cannabis plants
will be stunted and may not ever produce
any buds, or only very weak ones. It is
important to check on the roots periodically
to make sure they are not getting too crowded.
This is difficult to do when plants are field grown, but it is
extremely rare for conditions to exist that favor root binding.
This is far more common in cannabis plants grown in hardwalled
containers such as plastic pots. If the roots of the
cannabis plant start pushing out of the bottom holes in the
pot or are visibly pushing up against the inside of the pot, it
is time to repot them into a larger container to keep the roots
growing and supporting your plants. Some growers choose
fibrous containers to avoid this. This allows for the roots
to start growing through the sides of the fiber and then get
“air-pruned” which keeps them from getting rootbound.
Keeping your substrate at the appropriate pH will also help
roots stay strong and viable. The ideal pH range for healthy
roots and great buds varies somewhat depending on growing
media and specific species of cannabis. In general, though,
for hydroponically grown cannabis, the pH can be as low as
5.5; for soil cultivation it can be as high as 7.0. In either case,
root health will decline if the pH is too low or too high. When
the pH is too low, nutrient toxicity can occur with the elements
aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn). Root tips will be harmed
by high aluminum levels. Root diseases such as Fusarium and
Cylindrocladium thrive in low pH environments as well. When
the pH is too high, other nutrient imbalances can occur that
interfere with vital plant functions such as photosynthesis.
If photosynthesis does not occur, or is otherwise impeded in
some way, then the root growth is stymied, and the plant will
fail to or cease to produce valuable buds.
There are also naturally occurring root enhancers that
can be added to your crop (or may already be there). These
can cohabitate with your cannabis roots in a symbiotic
relationship. One such helper is a fungus known as
Trichoderma. It is commonly occurring in nature and exists
in most soils. It works by occupying space around the root
system which effectively blocks out potentially harmful biota.
It also engages the plant’s immune system by invading the
outer layers of the roots, which triggers one of the plant’s
self-defense responses. This is the equivalent of getting
immunized with
a small amount
of a pathogen so
your body can build
up antibodies against it
when or if it is reintroduced
to your system. Numerous other
beneficial bacterial and fungal
additives are available on the market,
each with a different mode of action,
but each having a positive effect on the
overall health of your cannabis roots.
Big blooms start at the bottom, so keep
your cannabis roots healthy and happy
and more often than not, your plant will
reward you with luscious buds.
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