What is the Root-to-Shoot Ratio and Why is it Important for Cannabis Cultivation?

There are many ways to measure and prove the success of cannabis growing. Oftentimes, people talk about flower bud and shoot dry weight, root dry mass, plant diameter, analysis of leaf tissue nutrients, CBD, THC, and terpenes. Studies has proven there’s another essential measurement that can tell you about the health of your plant: root-to-shoot ratio. Why is root-to-shoot ratio important for successful cannabis cultivation and how can you improve this measurement?

What Is Root-to-Shoot Ratio?

The root-to-shoot ratio is a measurement of the amount of plant tissues with supportive functions (roots) compared to the amount of plant tissue with growth function (shoots). A plant with a higher proportion of roots than a neighboring plant will be able to compete more successfully for soil nutrients. Those plants with a higher proportion of shoots are better able to collect light energy and grow larger.

Plants in the early growing phases will likely have larger proportions of shoot production as the roots are still delicate. Unsurprisingly, as the plant grows and the roots become stronger, there tend to be high proportions of root production to support the plant’s stability.

The root-to-shoot ratio in plants is calculated using two measurements you probably already have if you’re an avid grower: root and above-ground dry weights. Simply divide the root dry weight by the above-ground dry weight to get your measurement. 

Why Does It Matter?

It can be tempting to judge the health of your plant simply by how healthy it looks above ground. However, what’s going on with roots plays an incredibly important role in the overall success of growth. By considering the root-to-shoot ratio, you are taking a more holistic approach to plant care. There are many reasons this measurement is important for your cultivation:

• Better roots equals better growth. During the beginning of the vegetation stage, root growth will impact the growth of the above-ground parts of the plant. Taking grain, for example, a 1% change of the root system size can result in a 2% increase in yield.
• Roots provide significant insight into the health of your plant. There is more to healthy roots than just size. It’s also important to consider the development timing, type of root branching, and root penetration depth. All of these important factors can tell you about the success of growing.
• It improves plant communication. There is psychological communication between the roots and shoots that impacts plant growth and resiliency. In fact, the roots are considered the “brain of the plants.” The transmission signals between the root and above-ground plant can help in the event of pest or disease attack. A healthy root-to-shoot ratio can improve your plant’s stress response.

Improve Your Cannabis Plant’s Root-to-Shoot Ratio with Harvest Hero Enhanced Perlite Mix

The innovative, patent-pending Enhanced Perlite Mix features a unique, proprietary blend of perlite, diatomaceous earth, and essential nutrients that help support the critical vegetative growth stage of your cannabis plants. NC State conducted testing to see how cannabis plants were impacted by this 3-in-1 mix. The test included four groups of rooted cuttings, one of which was a control. The study results suggest the inclusion of phosphorus in Harvest Hero’s Enhanced Perlite Mix increases root-to-shoot ratios.

The results provide additional insights into the impressive way this revolutionary mix impacts cannabis plants. Compared to a traditional control group of perlite and peat moss, Harvest Hero Enhanced Perlite Mix resulted in:

Whether you are growing cucumbers or cannabis, our proprietary, 3-in-1 soilless blend improves your soil quality, helping your plants develop the root-to-shoot ratio needed to ensure robust, vigorous growth. This patent-pending soilless mix is great for recreational growers and professional horticulturists alike.

Shop for Harvest Hero Enhanced Perlite Mix today.