Trichoderma for Cannabis: What It Is and Why Growers Use It
A beneficial fungus that guards your roots against disease, helps them dig deeper and gets more out of your nutrients.
What is Trichoderma?
Trichoderma is a genus of beneficial fungi that a lot of organic cannabis growers use to keep diseases in check and get better performance out of their plants. Trichoderma species produce antifungal enzymes like chitinases and β-1,3-glucanases, which break down the cell walls of other fungi, and that's what makes it such an effective natural fungicide.
Growers and researchers have also seen that Trichoderma can boost plant growth and improve nutrient uptake. It's usually thought of as a soil organism that colonizes plant roots, but studies have shown it can also colonize the plant's above-ground tissues, including the stem and leaves.
What are the benefits of Trichoderma fungi?
It supports root development, helping roots grow deeper in search of oxygen and nutrient-rich pockets. Roots hold on to water better, so if your plant goes through a dry spell, it copes better. Thanks to the symbiotic relationship between plant and fungus, plants tend to take up nutrients more efficiently, which can mean bigger buds and a heavier harvest. Some growers also report more vigorous growth, linked to the growth hormones the fungus helps produce. And because of the way the fungus works with the roots, you may be able to cut back on fertilizer.
How you use Trichoderma on cannabis depends on a bunch of factors: the species and strain of Trichoderma, whether you're growing indoors or outdoors, the environment, the health of your plants and so on. That said, here are some general guidelines for applying Trichoderma in a cannabis grow:
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Germination and rooting: you can add Trichoderma to the growing medium or the watering solution to encourage healthy root development and protect young roots from pathogens.
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Vegetative stage: apply it to the medium or the water to stimulate root growth, improve nutrient uptake and push vigorous vegetative growth.
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Flowering stage: you can keep applying Trichoderma to the medium or the water to maintain disease protection and get the most out of nutrient uptake during this crucial bud-building stage.
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Autoflowers: Trichoderma can be mixed into the medium together with mycorrhizae (another group of beneficial root fungi) for the autoflower's whole life cycle to support healthy roots and better nutrient uptake.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and adapt the application to the specific conditions of your grow to get the best results.
How does Trichoderma help cannabis plants?
Trichoderma can bring a range of benefits to a cannabis grow, including:
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Better root development: Trichoderma encourages roots to grow deeper in search of oxygen and nutrients, which can improve the plant's uptake of nutrients and water.
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Disease protection: Trichoderma is antagonistic, meaning it competes with pathogenic fungi and bacteria in the soil, holding back their growth and helping prevent disease in your plants.
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Better water retention: Trichoderma can help plants handle dry spells better, since it can increase the soil's ability to hold water, which comes in handy when plants are under water stress.
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Growth stimulation: Trichoderma can produce plant growth hormones like auxins and gibberellins, which can promote the growth and development of your cannabis plants.
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Less fertilizer: the symbiotic relationship between plants and Trichoderma can make nutrients in the soil more available, which can reduce how much extra fertilizer your grow needs.
If you're just getting started, check out our Successful Grow Course (in Spanish, from Argentina). Good training makes all the difference 🙃
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