when roots meet soil
Fig. 5
Roots During Phase II
Fig. 3
Roots During Phase I
Phase I of plant growth (Fig. 3) takes
place during the first week following
transplanting. This is the phase
when a plant is most vulnerable
to transplant shock. The roots are
generally small and sparse as the
tiny, fibrous roots have not yet begun
to develop. It doesn’t take too many
adverse conditions at this point
to cause plant death. When stress
occurs during this time, plant failure
may not happen right away, but will
show up later. Many problems can be
attributed to stress during phase I.
lower
Phase II generally begins 7-10 days
after the plant has established itself
and is ready to begin growing. The
root system is still small, so now is
the best time to focus on developing
a large, full root system. There are
a number of nutrients that will help
the roots expand, and deep watering
practices are also important during
this root development stage. For
example, if we keep the soil too
moist during this time, where is the
incentive for the plant’s roots to
expand? They can get all the water
and nutrients they need right there
near the surface. Instead, make
sure the soil is adequately saturated
throughout the container from top
to bottom, then allow enough time
between watering so the surface
dries and the roots expand to reach
Fig. 6
the lower levels of the pot to get
water. Depending on evaporation
and transpiration, the soil near the
bottom of a container can easily
stay wet for as long as a 5-7 days.
Slow-drip watering can accomplish
deep penetration of the soil
(Fig. 4). Rapid application of water
will leave portions of the root ball
dry (Fig. 5), which leads to the
roots not developing deeper in the
container (Fig. 6).
The root development phase is
often overlooked as the gardener
goes directly into focusing on foliar
growth. Large roots are important
in terms of higher production. Soil
types and temperatures can have a
major effect on both evaporation
and transpiration. Check the soil’s
moisture levels to determine what your
plant needs. Daily watering may be
necessary, so always check.
“The
portion of the soil should never dry out completely,
but the top should dry towards 30% of the saturation level.”
Fig. 4
86
Maximum Yield USA | January 2015