Help a friend!

hey all,

I have a buddy who is using straight compost (little amendments added) and they did not do a good job of aerating with additional perlite or chunk perlite or anything. I believe he has a root rot issue as there has been lots of wilting (2 plants have been killed off) and he is also enjoying a nice welcoming from corn borers right now which has been pretty rough thus far. Also, these plants have been yellowing and been light in color overall with the exception of a few out of the 20 he has going in 200 gals.

He is not convinced that the issue is root rot from aeration or lack there of, so I figured I'd reach out to see what you all think

Most recently, he noticed all of his tops/new growth dying off and wilting/browning. He is headed into flower now and is worried (pictures). This has been the most alarming thing aside from the corn borers. A lot of plants are currently dropping but all I know of his situation, or at least by what he says, lots of them droop, which I why I thought maybe it is progressive root rot until it gets to the point as the other two did of wilting then looking like a plant that was in a solo cup that haven't been water in a week (lifeless).

Do you guys have any ideas or is this what I am thinking in it being root issues?

To make note, the ones we killed off had blue moldy looking soil around the roots and the roots themselves always appeared lifeless and brown in color.

Pictures are only if the dead new growth




Thanks RIU

Anyone have any input?

I'm currently helping him combat these borers so just wondering what the dead growth may be a sign of as well as discoloration/faint color which may very well be what I thought in it being root rot or suffocation of some sort?

My Deer Ate CP1 died from the top down last year. Another grower told me it had issues in the root zone. It wasn't as bad as the pictures you posted, but it did die in the end. A section owuld wilt, then a couple days later it would be dead. 11 foot plant just finishing the stretch. Too harsh {and too much} of nutes was what I figured damaged the roots. One of my 45 gallon soil mixes got filled with water. {6 inches of rain in 4 hours, and the kiddie pool it was in was uncovered} I drained off the water and used it on the plants. Just a little at first, then more as they took off. Must have used a little too much. I always gave the DACP1 twice what the other plants got. It was the only one to die.

If it's a pheno you really like, taking clones would be a good idea.