Stem Health

[JimD]

I have a SLH I grew from seed that has not kept up with my other plants. It looks and smells great but is just not exploding like the others have. It does have a portion of its stem that seems constricted and narrower.I am unsure of when or how it happened, but I suspect it got pinched when I moved it from seedling tray to 3" basket.

Is there anything I can do to beef the main stem up?

[JimD]

Well, if that advice stands then I am one disgruntled Herb Farmer.

You see, I have yet to find someplace selling clones that knew diddly about the history/health of the mother, aren't 2hrs away, or could guaruntee the name on a clone is what it is.

This is the one and only plant I have that isn't bagseed. I understand people not wanting to deal with a stranger, but dammit all if the lack of help obtaining quality strains doesn't rub me like hot sauce in yer nose.

[boroboro]

Could you share a photo of the plant?

 

How about cloning it and growing out the clone?

 

How far up is this constriction? If you have enough branches underneath it, maybe you could top it way down to that constriction, then let the lower branches grow up into main branches, then flower it.

 

And I second that concern about unknown clones. I've gotten some excellent clones, but also some that I was uncertain really matched the labeled strain name. I started most of my new strains by buying seeds. That way I'm fairly confident I've got the strain I'm looking for. I would really rather have a clone, though, that originates with a farmer starting 100 - 1000 seeds and narrowing down to the best phenotypes. Kind of hard to do that work legally here.

[treehugger]

i also sell quality clones however im on the other side of the state also if you clone that plant the cutting will have the same bad genetics!

 

That is not necessarily true. You are assuming the plant is a genetic runt, while the OP indicates his belief that the root cause was mechanical. Another possibility is a fungal attack, like Damping Off. At any rate, given the rarity of this plant in his garden, there is no reason to panic and give up on the plant. If the problem was a pinch, the plant will outgrow the defect. If the problem is a fungus, treatment and patience might win out in the end.

[ToadInCan]

Hey Jim... how far up is the constriction? When you move it into the next size net pot, maybe you can nestle it down in and fill it up with stones to support the larger diameter trunk. I only say this because of what I've found post harvest, when I'm cleaning out my net pots. Sometimes I find that the stem below the stones isn't at all like the stem above the stones. Sometimes they're smaller, and the plants grew just fine. I agree with TreeHugger about not making a judgement too soon. The phenome is the visual characteristics that the plant displays. The genome is all of the possible characteristics within the plant. Given the right environment, all the best tendencies will show up. Breeders put in the time to grow out new strains until they get one that displays the phenome that they desire over and over again, and we call that a stable phenome. That doesn't mean that the undesirable genetics are gone, and given stress the undesirable phenomes will display. You may have a great little plant there from your bag seed. Give her a good growing environment and see how she turns out. It's a lot of fun, isn't it?!?! You're learning a lot too. Good luck!

[JimD]

Here's a couple pictures. When I first noticed it I moved all the hydroton away because it seemed wet and soft, that's also when I added the small plant stake to hold it up. It looks like it may be drying and becoming woodier. If this is an injury it can recover from, what additive is there that specifically targets stem health?

[boroboro]

Hey, good photos, but an ugly situation.  That's stem rot, isn't it?  I would cut some clones pretty quick, and figure that that plant is not long for this world.

 

 

 

 

 

[ToadInCan]

Here's a couple pictures. When I first noticed it I moved all the hydroton away because it seemed wet and soft, that's also when I added the small plant stake to hold it up. It looks like it may be drying and becoming woodier. If this is an injury it can recover from, what additive is there that specifically targets stem health?

 

 

Let her grow! I'm just sayin'... I wouldn't cut her down yet. Sometimes I nestle the 3" pot way down into the 6" pot. Sometimes I hold it up and you can see the rim of it throughout the flower phase, right up at the surface. See what she does. You're still gonna get some of the best smoke you've ever grown. Get some some stable female strains for round two. it's all good!

[Croppled1]

I feel for you if your at your limit . You either clone after harvesting others or clone one and kill taking your chances . If your under take enough clones to fill up your 12 and cross your fingers . These limits are much harder then people realize . I have had 30% females from seed and it takes weeks to sex them .

[JimD]

Hey, good photos, but an ugly situation.  That's stem rot, isn't it?  I would cut some clones pretty quick, and figure that that plant is not long for this world.

I am no botanist, but I have seen my fair share of various plants go through various episodes where their survival was in doubt...I am pretty sure I can keep this one alive. In my experience, episodes like this do affect any fruit or flower the plant might produce. Currently there is only one axial branch big enough for a clone, so I am going to have to nurse it along till then. This plant could make a good mother ? Again...Is there a nutrient or supplement that is specifically for stem growth?

[JimD]

I feel for you if your at your limit . You either clone after harvesting others or clone one and kill taking your chances . If your under take enough clones to fill up your 12 and cross your fingers . These limits are much harder then people realize . I have had 30% females from seed and it takes weeks to sex them .

No kidding, I just killed a beautiful indica that was my best plant because it grewballs in flowering.

[JimD]

After all the abuse this poor plant suffered while I learned...after the panic over taking clones and potentially passing bad genes along...she looks and smells fantastic.

[ScrogBubbles]

.

[JimD]

[JimD]

Yeah, complete accident to create em too. After stripping the botton half of branches for clones, I buried the offending area deep in the hydroton of my DWC. Then she stretched like no tommorow and got very close to my light in just a couple days. Knowing I had clones right behind her, I just lopped all but 3 nodes off the top to see what would happen.

TA-DA!

LOL

[ToadInCan]

Yeah, complete accident to create em too. After stripping the botton half of branches for clones, I buried the offending area deep in the hydroton of my DWC. Then she stretched like no tommorow and got very close to my light in just a couple days. Knowing I had clones right behind her, I just lopped all but 3 nodes off the top to see what would happen.

TA-DA!

LOL

 

 

Great work, JimD! I'm glad you kept her going. Those buds look wonderful!

[JimD]

Thanks Toad!