Do roots slow their growth in the flower stage?

[mwz]

I've googled and camped forums and not found an answer. During the flowering stage people tend to be more concerned with the flowers than the roots!

I was wondering if root growth slows in flower and if so by how much?

I thought there would be a symmetry between the above and below ground growth, so it doesn't make sense to me that the roots would slow when the plant nearly doubles in size during flower.

The reason I ask is because the roots are starting to block the drainage holes in my water farm.

Many thanks!

 

[Perpetual Nooch]

One time I repotted from a 1 gal pot to a 3 gal pot half way through flowering. By the time it was finished the roots had populated the bigger pot enough so that the root ball held together no problem.

That was my experiment to determine if the roots kept growing in the later stages of flowering. To my satisfaction it proved to be true.

 

[jammie]

I do dwc, so I look at my roots every couple days. 90% of root growth occurs in veg

 

[mwz]

Thanks for the replies!

Mine is similar to DWC. I have a top pot, with holes drilled in the bottom, that sits over the bottom pot. The bottom pot is filled with water and has an air stone. The roots have clogged the holes. My plan is to check it weekly and repoke some of the holes so they don’t block.

The DWC setups i've seen are way better designed. The mesh pot seems less likely to clog with roots.

 

[siftedunity]

alot of people repot when they flip to 12/ 12 as i do sometimes and withing thre days there are new roots coming through the bottom of the pot. as the plant accumulates more mass i would assume it needs to keep putting out more roots.

 

[socialist]

I do dwc, so I look at my roots every couple days. 90% of root growth occurs in veg

You may need to a bigger container if this is happening.

When I flip to 12/12 My plants go from a low height DWC tote in veg to a 5 gallon bucket in flower. I drop the 3" net pot they've been veging into a 5" bucket top. The roots sticking out the bottom are not that long usually. By the time they finish in 8 weeks I have a huge ball of roots.

MWZ, I just put some into flower yesterday and have some at week 6 as well. LMK and I can take photos of both if you are interested.

 

[hayday]

One time I repotted from a 1 gal pot to a 3 gal pot half way through flowering. By the time it was finished the roots had populated the bigger pot enough so that the root ball held together no problem.

That was my experiment to determine if the roots kept growing in the later stages of flowering. To my satisfaction it proved to be true.

I did this not long ago as well.Pretty much the same scenario. If I remember right I transplanted right after stretch and I know I had a full rootball come harvest time. I grow in soil...
All things concidered,It would be better to pot up before flower IMO

 

[Mt Toker]

I think a lot is strain dependent. Sativas will have more root growth in flower because they don't have a 8week flowering period, they are closer to 10, and they stretch more. I feel like most of your flowering root growth happens during stretch but I could be wrong on that, mostly speculation on my behalf.

 

[TheArchitect]

Root/shoot ratios are tied for sure...

Basically, the roots are growing with the foliage. Iow, they grow in veg and stretch, and taper off as they move into swell mode.

 

[DHF]

Root/shoot ratios are tied for sure...

Basically, the roots are growing with the foliage. Iow, they grow in veg and stretch, and taper off as they move into swell mode.

Exactly.....Once the plants are completely done with the stretch and full swellage is in force , no more roots are built...and then....

Said "optimal" rootmass is for suckin juice during lights on , and swellin nugs durin lights off till end of cycle....IOW.....

Build your roots before end of stretch for dialed results above medium by the time Harvey comes.....

Peace....DHF..........

 

[coloradcannabis]

Re potting after the stretch is almost always pointless and damaging. I don't believe any roots grow after the stretch period of early flower is over.

 

[jammie]

You may need to a bigger container if this is happening.

When I flip to 12/12 My plants go from a low height DWC tote in veg to a 5 gallon bucket in flower. I drop the 3" net pot they've been veging into a 5" bucket top. The roots sticking out the bottom are not that long usually. By the time they finish in 8 weeks I have a huge ball of roots.

MWZ, I just put some into flower yesterday and have some at week 6 as well. LMK and I can take photos of both if you are interested.

naw- my 5 gallon buckets do fine

 

[mwz]

ok, so the root growth is primarily during the stretch period.

Some info, I'm growing sativas, so I will be expecting a large stretch. Here's a recent pic ... half way through week 1 of flower. (The strain needs 8 weeks for flower total)


This is an older pic showing the 'pot on pot' waterfarm type setup.


This is a pic I drew of the system ... (the water level is incorrect in the diagram, the res and bottom pots have the same water level.)


My plants are root bound in the top pot. That's my guess anyway, not all of the bottom holes are blocked. Though most are chock full of roots!

I drilled some more holes last Friday and did some re-poking. Tonight (Tuesday, four days later), the holes are blocked and its flooding the top pot.

Tonight, I re-poked the holes and put 2 coat hanger wires each through each pot. Now I can wiggle them around daily to make sure there's some drainage.

I'm running a chlorine based anti-pythium additive to help prevent root rot. Also, for safety I've ensured all electrical cables, ballasts etc are off the ground.

If the roots are going to grow heaps in the next two weeks, I can handle that! That's if they are going to stop! If they keep blocking the holes after that, I'm not sure what I'll do. Having to get under a plant, which will be two and a half times the size they currently are, is weighing heavy on my mind at the moment.

Many thanks for your input guys! If I can beat the stretch, then I'm in the home straight! (hopefully! )


Also, it's kind of my fault cos I didn't put enough medium in ... next time!!

 

[mwz]

An idea!

The design, which I didn't create, is similar to DWC, in that the roots drop through to the bottom pot where they sit with an air stone. Most DWC that I've seen do not have water pumps. Is my water pump redundant now there is a large root mass in the bottom pot?

I find DWC odd in a sense that the root ball sits in the mesh net dry. (I need to do more research)

The pump timer was 15 mins on per hour. I've changed it to 15mins on per 4 hours to see how it goes.

 

[DHF]

Stretch is 40% of the flower cycle , and a sativa`s stretch period will be longer for sure so roots will continue to grow......but....

Dissolved oxygen in the bottom container`s the only thing that`ll keep your plants alive so stay on top of it or suffer crop death guaranteed.....IOW....

Keep the juice flowin and aerated.....

Peace....DHF..........

 

[Easy7]

The nutrients and lighting for flowering are the same for root growth, as bud development. Interesting question, I think they do grow a lot. I have known clones to go into flower as soon as they can handle growth without a humidome. The roots get huge during flowering!

 

[TheArchitect]

Overkill is underrated.

 

[mwz]

As well as keeping tabs on dissolved oxygen, Im also going to need to recirculate the water some how. I'm thinking of running a small pipe, from the pump, through holes in each of the top pots to make sure the nutes are mixed.

Ie poke the small hose through the top pot, that way it's not pumping into it which will cause blockages.

 

[BasementGrower]

i have been transplanting a week before flower.. sometimes 2 .. and i go from 1 gallons to 3s for veg.. then to 5s for a week or 2 .. then flip.. for small sog.. i did cups to 1 galls 2 weeks veg time and flip.. usually fills containers with roots no problems..