Main stem rot, in bud 4 to 5 weeks before ready, can I harvest and dry?

[Sunshinegrow]

Hi - I have a 12 week old Durban Poison plant growing outside. It has suddenly developed main stem rot. It is in bud but still 4 to 5 weeks from harvest. Can I dry and cure it now? I went on holiday and I think maybe over watered. I’m in Auckland NZ. 4th Year grower. Personal use.

 

[Phytoplankton]

Can you just cut out the affected part or will it take the whole plant? You may have no other option, too bad, because you'll lose a lot in yield and quality. Can you post a pic so we can see what it looks like? There may be something that can be done

 

[Stunger]

Hey Sunshine, we're certainly getting plenty of that this month on our little rock in the sea.

My only experience on stem rot has been that one stem would go down with the bud and leaves dying off, then the next one would start etc. until all went that way. I'd just snip off each dying/dead stem as late as possible to hopefully recover the bud with some potency. Since then I thought I'd read of someone recommending damping a cloth with some peroxide solution and wiping it on the area, I'd think not more than 2%-3% strength. But sorry, I don't have any direct experience on solving the issue, and of course it isn't exactly clear what is ailing your plant and what caused it. Good luck!

 

[Sunshinegrow]

Can you just cut out the affected part or will it take the whole plant? You may have no other option, too bad, because you'll lose a lot in yield and quality. Can you post a pic so we can see what it looks like? There may be something that can be done

 

[Sunshinegrow]

Thank you for your suggestions, I guess my question now is should I dry, cure and use what I’ve got…l

 

[Phytoplankton]

Oh.bummer!!! The only thing I might suggest is try swabbing the area with hydrogen peroxide. Don’t know if it will help, but the plant, unfortunatel, will be roast otherwise. There are commercial fungicides, but I don’t know how safe they are. If you start to see wilting, then yank it and dry and cure it.

 

[Stunger]

Today a grow buddy showed me how one of his plants had got some stem rot that went right around the main stem, he chopped below it, so he's left with bugger all if the remaining plant stays healthy.

With your's, I am not sure if the rot area is right around or just on one side. But it looks pretty bad. The trouble is, your plant isn't really at the stage of good bud yet, it is still quite early and immature in its flowering stage.

If it was me, I'd probably let her go as long as she can while hoping she'll be advancing her flowers knowing she's going terminal. If you do that then try wiping with peroxide as not really anything to lose. And when she does die then chop her and let her dry. I prefer whole plant drying.

 

[Sunshinegrow]

Oh.bummer!!! The only thing I might suggest is try swabbing the area with hydrogen peroxide. Don’t know if it will help, but the plant, unfortunatel, will be roast otherwise. There are commercial fungicides, but I don’t know how safe they are. If you start to see wilting, then yank it and dry and cure it.

Thanks, I’ve now tried a good spray all over with 3% peroxide diluted down. Can only see how’s she goes. I’ll see how long she lasts.

 

[Sunshinegrow]

Today a grow buddy showed me how one of his plants had got some stem rot that went right around the main stem, he chopped below it, so he's left with bugger all if the remaining plant stays healthy.

With your's, I am not sure if the rot area is right around or just on one side. But it looks pretty bad. The trouble is, your plant isn't really at the stage of good bud yet, it is still quite early and immature in its flowering stage.

If it was me, I'd probably let her go as long as she can while hoping she'll be advancing her flowers knowing she's going terminal. If you do that then try wiping with peroxide as not really anything to lose. And when she does die then chop her and let her dry. I prefer whole plant drying.

Yes it’s all the way around the main stem, never had this happen before and have grown more than a few. I’ve sprayed all over with 3% peroxide diluted with water. Fingers crossed! Yeah no point in trimming, there wouldn’t be much left.

 

[Stunger]

Yeah no point in trimming, there wouldn’t be much left.

And it would be so immature that what you'd dry probably wouldn't fill a match box.

My mate has several other plants going, so he was concerned about it spreading, but as that is your only one then you don't have anything to lose in trying to encourage it to pull thru. All the best!

 

[SmokingWings]

... but as that is your only one then you don't have anything to lose in trying to encourage it to pull thru. All the best!

Yep. If there are no other plants around then letting it finish is a good idea. That would be the way to find out if the stem problem is nothing more than a glitch.

 

[RedskinnedRhino]

Had tomatoes get something similar. Hit that joker with either a sulfur or a copper fungicide. Not the whole plant, make a wetted tourniquet and wrap the affected area. If you get to it before it spreads you may get a harvest.

 

[Stunger]

Had tomatoes get something similar. Hit that joker with either a sulfur or a copper fungicide. Not the whole plant, make a wetted tourniquet and wrap the affected area. If you get to it before it spreads you may get a harvest.

I have not personally used Sulfur or Copper, but have read good things about Sulfur and I like the idea of a wetted tourniquet to wrap the area.

 

[Sunshinegrow]

I have not personally used Sulfur or Copper, but have read good things about Sulfur and I like the idea of a wetted tourniquet to wrap the area.

Hi Stunger, she is definitely terminal and knows it! So has tried to finish as you quite correctly said, so I’m going to chop today and try to dry but she has come on a lot in the last 2 weeks. Clever plantss!

 

[Sunshinegrow]

Hey Sunshine, we're certainly getting plenty of that this month on our little rock in the sea.

My only experience on stem rot has been that one stem would go down with the bud and leaves dying off, then the next one would start etc. until all went that way. I'd just snip off each dying/dead stem as late as possible to hopefully recover the bud with some potency. Since then I thought I'd read of someone recommending damping a cloth with some peroxide solution and wiping it on the area, I'd think not more than 2%-3% strength. But sorry, I don't have any direct experience on solving the issue, and of course it isn't exactly clear what is ailing your plant and what caused it. Good luck!

Tried the peroxide, sadly not successful, but as stunger - said in their reply that she would try to finish as soon as possible, so I’m going to chop today after struggling on for 2 weeks! I put the the plant in a little tent (trademe $60 as windy and raining today. Useful little tent but need to glue everything together with No Nails.

 

[Sunshinegrow]

Today a grow buddy showed me how one of his plants had got some stem rot that went right around the main stem, he chopped below it, so he's left with bugger all if the remaining plant stays healthy.

With your's, I am not sure if the rot area is right around or just on one side. But it looks pretty bad. The trouble is, your plant isn't really at the stage of good bud yet, it is still quite early and immature in its flowering stage.

If it was me, I'd probably let her go as long as she can while hoping she'll be advancing her flowers knowing she's going terminal. If you do that then try wiping with peroxide as not really anything to lose. And when she does die then chop her and let her dry. I prefer whole plant drying.

 

[Sunshinegrow]

She tried hard to finish!

 

[Stunger]

Hey Sunshine, she has certainly had a blast of 'end stage' growth since your previous pics. It looks like you'll be able to get something usable from her.

Remember, a female plant's sole purpose is to make seeds, so she just wants to keep going to try and catch some pollen. A plant that is not pollinated can frequently produce 'nannas' towards the end stage to self seed (if so, any would be feminised seeds too). But, for you, you just want her to get to the stage of some usable buds and it looks like you've got that. The coming rain if it hits is not going to be best so probably better to chop before then rather than attract rot and mold. Anyway well done for recovering some buds, I hope she gives a nice buzz!