1st Grow Log

Hmmmmm.......cross your fingers, meditate, pray to whomever you pray to.... Usually from what I've read, stem rot is fatal. I've read that this seems to have one recurring theme, rockwool. It seems that rockwool is awesome for germing because of it's ability to hold moisture---practically forever---but as you've found out, it can be a bad thing for plants once they get older.

I found the same thing with Rapid Rooters, as I mentioned earlier.

For what it's worth, I'm really sorry this happened to ya. Don't give up though. Keep us updated.

Can do, if not rockwool then what though? I don't know what else I can use as a medium for a DWC. Just hydroton?

I know people are always having trouble with Rockwool, but I've been useing it with little problems. Sure I need to watch the PH balence as the PH in the res is sometimes way off from what is coming out of the Rockwool. But I have had no problems with root rot, stem rot...etc.

However, like I said, I've heard nothing but bad things about it. =)

Day 2 of rot watch... Hermies (yes, I name my plants) is still doing well, growing like crazy. The stem rot has stopped progressing. I stopped the humidifier and am trying my best to keep the room reasonably dry. Here are some pics.

hbbusa....I don 't know off the top of my head, what would be the best replacement for rockwool applications. I'm not a hydro-grower, I run coco, so I'm certainly no authority. Sorry.

paht hed...I'm glad to hear it is not progressing. Maybe someone with more experience in stem rot will be able to give you a better prognosis. Lowering the surrounding humidity was a good move. Can you pull a little bit of the rockwool away from the stem at the affected point? I can see from the pics that the rockwool is not touching the lesion, but how about pulling just a little away from the stem below that point? I don't know how much it would help though....?

Hopefully you'll get some more help with this. I don't think I've done you much good .

I would say that since you are already have your rockwool in hydroclay, there is no reason to wet the rockwool.

In your DWC setup, how is the rockwool getting wet? If you have the nutrient solution high enough so soak it, lower your solution. You could leave the rockwool completely dry and allow the roots and hydroclay to get wet and that should solve the problem (and potential for others) by not allowing moisture in the rockwool.

Nice setup also :)

I had kept the rockwool wet because the roots weren't yet long enough to reach the solution. They only started protruding out the bottom of my net pot about 4-5 days ago and the rockwool was still wet from then. The top of the rockwool is dry now so I am hoping that it won't get any worse.

Update! The stem where the rot was is actually starting back to grow normally with the plant so I think it is healing from the inside out basically. Still no progress on the stem rot which I hope is a good sign. She/he is still growing quick. Here are some pics.

WOW it does look better! Maybe instead of actual "brown stem rot" you may have just had a tissue breakdown due to the soggy rockwool touching the stem for so long..?...

Anyhow, glad to see it!

Update: The leaves are starting to weigh the plant down and within the past 12 hours its developed several new growths on it.