A.R.T.S. - Against Root Rot 250 ml

A 250 millilitre treatment against soil fungi such as Pythium and Phytophthora, the usual causes of root rot. It is the only product in this range that does not work on the leaf but in the root zone, which also makes it the only one you use preventively before there is anything to see.

You notice root rot once it is already too late

With spider mite or thrips you can see the pest. With root rot you cannot: the first signals are above ground and generic. The plant lags, wilts while the substrate is wet, and the leaf discolours for no obvious reason. By then the root system is already damaged, and roots that are gone do not come back.

So this product is about timing. Its strongest use is dipping cuttings just before planting, when nothing is wrong yet. According to the manufacturer that gives roughly six to seven weeks of protection, exactly the window in which a young plant is most vulnerable.

The plant does the work

The active substance is Fosphite, an elicitor. That means it does not attack the fungus itself but switches on the plant's own defences. The plant starts defending before there is an infection. A side effect is that treated cuttings establish noticeably faster, because they are not spending energy fending off pressure from the substrate.

It is not phytotoxic, so it does not damage the plant or the roots. The product is made in Liechtenstein.

Three ways to use it

Dipping is the preventive route: 50 millilitres per litre of water, cuttings in just before planting. Note that this method is not intended for plants going into a hydroponic system.

Drenching is for when something is already happening: the full 250 millilitre bottle into the nutrient solution, enough for about 60 plants in one watering. Spraying works too, at 50 millilitres per litre for roughly 10 square metres of leaf.

Technical Specifications:

• Brand: A.R.T.S.
• Volume: 250 ml
• Target: soil fungi, including Pythium and Phytophthora
• Active substance: Fosphite (elicitor)
• Dipping (preventive): 50 ml per 1 litre, just before planting
• Drenching (curative): 250 ml into the nutrient solution, about 60 plants
• Spraying (curative): 50 ml per 1 litre, about 10 m² of leaf
• Protection window: roughly 6 to 7 weeks after dipping
• Phytotoxic: no
• Limitation: dipping method not for plants in hydroponics
• Origin: Liechtenstein

Frequently asked questions

Can I use it once roots are already brown? You can drench and reduce the pressure, but roots that have rotted do not come back. This product is at its strongest before anything is visible.

Why not dip for hydroponics? That is what the instructions state. For hydro, the drenching method is the one to use.

What is an elicitor? A substance that switches on the plant's own defences rather than attacking the fungus directly. The plant defends itself.

Does it harm young cuttings? No, it is not phytotoxic. Dipped cuttings generally establish faster.