Stalk forming huge cracks...what's going on?!

[Bradley_Danks]

One plant in my garden is acting odd. At the base of a qrazy train outdoor plant the stalk is larger than my other plants and its forming huge cracks all over it.

I thought it was from growing so fast. Now I'm thinking it might be a problem.

Any ideas? Scared my girls gonna have a serious problem resulting from this. The cracks are nasty. Take a look:

 

[foreignerabroad]

Except for the bit of brown at the very base, it looks fine... the stalk naturally will swell like that during vigorous growth.

Try applying some Tanglefoot wax in to the openings if they expose too much.

 

[CheifnBud2]

Honestly, to me it looks like some sort of fungus or rot. Mycostop? I don't know someone else will chime in.

 

[Bradley_Danks]

In the very first photo it kind of looks like something has burrowed a hole in there.

 

[seedstasteyum]

Not an expert, but you might want to support those lower branches. To me it looks like it may just be splitting due to the weight of the lower branches?! The splits are very clean and don't appear to be rot.

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Seen it happen many times on od plants.

Additional Silica can help make your stems stronger, but the real danger is rot getting in the damaged part, I lost a couple of trees which developed a black mould inside the stem, killing the plant.

So, keep the stem zone clear of dead matter and never water near the stem (or splash it) just to minimise the risks. Dig a hole a foot or two away and water underground, always good practice, if you water on the surface you loose something like 40% to evaporation, humidifying the zone around the damaged stem, the last thing you want the do ... Also, it forces roots underground and stops the top soil roots from getting any rot due to waterlogging, building a stronger, deeper rootsystem, with less opportunity for fuck ups and zero negative side effects, IMO.

 

[Robrites]

Stem Win

Stem Win

Seen it happen many times on od plants.

Additional Silica can help make your stems stronger, but the real danger is rot getting in the damaged part, I lost a couple of trees which developed a black mould inside the stem, killing the plant.

So, keep the stem zone clear of dead matter and never water near the stem (or splash it) just to minimise the risks. Dig a hole a foot or two away and water underground, always good practice, if you water on the surface you loose something like 40% to evaporation, humidifying the zone around the damaged stem, the last thing you want the do ... Also, it forces roots underground and stops the top soil roots from getting any rot due to waterlogging, building a stronger, deeper rootsystem, with less opportunity for fuck ups and zero negative side effects, IMO.

This seems like a good and complete answer to the problem...thanks for teaching.

 

[yortbogey]

apply food grade paraffin wax to the split area to seal and keep out fungus / bacteria...then duct tape if really concerned...

 

[HillBilly1]

Just a Fat Girl with Stretch marks lol. Like the
Fella said keep dry and lookout for and lil critters
Tryin to make a home or feed in there

 

[Bradley_Danks]

Haven't done anything yet but its not looking good! Today when all the other plants were perky the qrazy train had some stalks wilting over. Something for sure looks wrong now… going to get some paraffin wax soon.

What's happening to this special girl?

 

[TheSilverMullet]

I wouldn't be surprised if you find some soft/rotting tissue below the soil line.

Stem cracks and wilting during heat of the day- there is def something going on down below.

 

[Bradley_Danks]

It must be too wet. Thanks everyone! I'll work on drying it out and use paraffin wax on the cracks.

 

[HillBilly1]

Mulch it let sit a few days then

 

[XxCaptiankushxX]

I had a plant split down the middle
After an early topping, produced twin towers, was 6 ft tall, I found the plant split In half laying on the ground after heavy winds. I bamboo upper branchs back upright, and ducted taped stem back together and tied mid stalks together , is healthy as ever, actually one of the larger plants, almost like nothing ever happened. And I agree, supporting lower branches will prevent stem wanting to separate.

 

[HillBilly1]

I see it's mulched already. Pull that shit back a foot
All around the stock, get a thin long tined pitch fork
and get Hole poked all the way to the end of the
Fork , fluff them holes a little

 

[StanKDanK]

Not an expert, but you might want to support those lower branches. To me it looks like it may just be splitting due to the weight of the lower branches?! The splits are very clean and don't appear to be rot.

^^exactly!

 

[Bradley_Danks]

So far I have the stalk dry around the base. Just been watering the perimeter. Moved the debris away from the stalk and covered it in paraffin wax. Supporting the branches now. Did that after photo.

 

[Bradley_Danks]

I think I fixed it! No wilting in 3 days

I dried it out real good but it still wilted.

I staked it up but it still wilted.

I foliar sprayed it with calcium and it started to perk up.

Waited a day and foliar sprayed Epsom salt for magnesium....no more wilting!

I'll let u know how it goes. Foliar sprayed with pro-tekt silica today and she really liked it. Foliar sprays work great.

 

[FatherEarth]

Root Rot coming up from the root system. . was the stalk mushy in any places?

To keep the fungal pressure at bay up your silicates and foliar feed calcium... Best measures to keep fungal pressure at bay Si and Ca applications... whats your soil PH ?

 

[FatherEarth]

sealing off wounds can be a doubled edged sword. Unless you inoculate with beneficial microbes first you could be sealing up an anerobic fungi or bacteria that will flourish with low levels of O2. Its best to keep the area dry and with plenty of circulation IMO.... I inoculate wounds with a trichoderma H and Trich. Kongoli when I get any wounds from branches breaking or otherwise....