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- #281
So while we are on alternate remedies for common problems, I thought I’d share my current struggles with Pythium mold.
Also known by other names- damping off, stem rot, crown mold and most commonly starts as root rot from contaminated water.
Pythium is in a family of molds that affect crops all over the world, and is devastating for cannabis. Some kinds also cause leaf blight and a myriad of other issues including turning to bud rot.
You can see from above which branches are affected. They slowly yellow and these ones wilt during the day, especially in heat.
Sorry you have to see this, @carcass it’s one of your babies.
I believe this particular mold came from occasional watering with turtle pond water. My mistake, and lesson learned there with potted plants. The little turtle boat plant was also slightly affected (just one branch) BUT I hate mold and I love science- I think I may have caught this in time.
The day I first spotted the problem was about 3 weeks ago (from the sagging leaves only on certain branches) and it was ugly as usual. The stem was brown and soft and beginning to get almost slimy. It was like cancer on my girl. So I did what some people claim works to prevent cancer. I gave it an alkaline environment to live in. I rubbed baking soda on every affected spot, there were 3 large ones. The spots didn’t extend down to the soil level so I felt like maybe I still had a chance.
I knew I didn’t want to overwater but it did need water, so I gave it about 1/3 gallon. In the gallon was pH’d tap water, with 3 ml silica blast and 2 ml Azamax. I don’t really like to use that product anymore but I didn’t want to leave the plant in a weakened state to get overtaken by predators. I used the remainder of my bottle in hopes the systemic approach might help keep pests away as it started flowering.
The next day, the brown spots have shifted much of their moisture to the powdered baking soda, which I simply wiped off. I rubbed garlic oil in full concentration directly onto the affected stem. I faced the affected areas, as well as I could, toward the sun. I figure the plant might not make this so I’m going to bake this shit in place in natural mildew killer.
No water yet, waiting until the plant is bone dry.
The following day I sprayed neem oil around and on the affected area. Again I placed the spots in the sun as much as possible.
I trimmed away one tiny branch that wasn’t going to make it, but that’s it.
The following day, back to watering with normal 6g MC, but letting the pot dry out completely every time.
So at day 4 since I discovered it, I again liberally rubbed it with baking soda.
I re-treat every few day and clear away what’s been sitting there. It seems to soak up what’s bad and leave dry stem.
Above the affected areas, you can see where the stem has swollen as the plant attempts to live on. But the stem itself is not spreading cancer anymore (at least not quickly) these were taken today-
I have trimmed off some yellowed growth but the affected branches are still thriving. No visible bud rot (yet) and I have a close eye on it.
The good part is, the smaller branches can always be cut off with only about 1/3 loss of harvest on this one. Even where it sits now I’d get plenty to press out of those branches.
But since it’s not over until the fat lady sings, I am going to try to save these flowers with any method possible. I did the same on the little turtle boat plant and it still seems healthy and resilient.
The results will be here as the journal pushes on. Don’t let mold ruin your grow!
Also known by other names- damping off, stem rot, crown mold and most commonly starts as root rot from contaminated water.
Pythium is in a family of molds that affect crops all over the world, and is devastating for cannabis. Some kinds also cause leaf blight and a myriad of other issues including turning to bud rot.
You can see from above which branches are affected. They slowly yellow and these ones wilt during the day, especially in heat.
Sorry you have to see this, @carcass it’s one of your babies.
I believe this particular mold came from occasional watering with turtle pond water. My mistake, and lesson learned there with potted plants. The little turtle boat plant was also slightly affected (just one branch) BUT I hate mold and I love science- I think I may have caught this in time.
The day I first spotted the problem was about 3 weeks ago (from the sagging leaves only on certain branches) and it was ugly as usual. The stem was brown and soft and beginning to get almost slimy. It was like cancer on my girl. So I did what some people claim works to prevent cancer. I gave it an alkaline environment to live in. I rubbed baking soda on every affected spot, there were 3 large ones. The spots didn’t extend down to the soil level so I felt like maybe I still had a chance.
I knew I didn’t want to overwater but it did need water, so I gave it about 1/3 gallon. In the gallon was pH’d tap water, with 3 ml silica blast and 2 ml Azamax. I don’t really like to use that product anymore but I didn’t want to leave the plant in a weakened state to get overtaken by predators. I used the remainder of my bottle in hopes the systemic approach might help keep pests away as it started flowering.
The next day, the brown spots have shifted much of their moisture to the powdered baking soda, which I simply wiped off. I rubbed garlic oil in full concentration directly onto the affected stem. I faced the affected areas, as well as I could, toward the sun. I figure the plant might not make this so I’m going to bake this shit in place in natural mildew killer.
No water yet, waiting until the plant is bone dry.
The following day I sprayed neem oil around and on the affected area. Again I placed the spots in the sun as much as possible.
I trimmed away one tiny branch that wasn’t going to make it, but that’s it.
The following day, back to watering with normal 6g MC, but letting the pot dry out completely every time.
So at day 4 since I discovered it, I again liberally rubbed it with baking soda.
I re-treat every few day and clear away what’s been sitting there. It seems to soak up what’s bad and leave dry stem.
Above the affected areas, you can see where the stem has swollen as the plant attempts to live on. But the stem itself is not spreading cancer anymore (at least not quickly) these were taken today-
I have trimmed off some yellowed growth but the affected branches are still thriving. No visible bud rot (yet) and I have a close eye on it.
The good part is, the smaller branches can always be cut off with only about 1/3 loss of harvest on this one. Even where it sits now I’d get plenty to press out of those branches.
But since it’s not over until the fat lady sings, I am going to try to save these flowers with any method possible. I did the same on the little turtle boat plant and it still seems healthy and resilient.
The results will be here as the journal pushes on. Don’t let mold ruin your grow!
