Fearless Gardeners Tip #004 : Better Root Health

 Factors For Better Root Health

1. Clean Growing Medium
2. Water Levels
3. Soil Temperature & pH
4. Salinity
5. Beneficial Bacteria
6. Oxygenation & Drainage

• Don't reuse media like peat moss or coco coir
• Reused media could have residual salts or pathogens
• Thoroughly clean and sanitize pots, reservoirs, etc.

     2. Water Levels

•  Underwatering can cause your plant and roots to dry out
• Overwatering can result in not enough oxygen being available to the roots and encourages the growth of pathogens

     3.Soil Temperature & pH:

• We recommend keeping the temperature around 20-23"C (70-75° F)
•  Pests are more likely to attack in high temperatures and low temperatures can slow plant metabolism
• Fluctuations in soil temperature or pH can stress out roots or cause a nutrient lockout
• Keep your pH between 5.8 and 6.2

     4.Salinity

• Salt levels can build up in soil and cause dehydration
• Perform regular flushes to prevent this! We recommend flushing every third feeding

     5.Beneficial Bacteria:

• Microbes such as fungi and bacteria surround your roots and provide many benefits
• Use a beneficial bacteria product or provide extra carbohydrates (Carbo Blast) to your plant to feed the bacteria living in your soil

     6.Oxygenation & Drainage:

• Roots need to have oxygen!
• Peat moss, coco coir, and perlite may provide more oxygen and drainage than other growing mediums