Pith Power There is a HUGE misconception about this topic that we can clear up right here. “Straws” or hollow stems are absolutely not a good thing. I have read and heard so many people imply that it was a good thing over the years that as a younger grower, like many of you, I just took it as truth and let it be. But if you spend the smallest amount of time studying pith, you will quickly realize how much of a vital role it plays. Let's take a quick peek at what's going on here. Simply put, pith is a soft tissue in the stems of your plants that transports nutrients throughout the plant. But it even one-ups itself and has another function. It actually stores nutrients so plants can have access to them at a later time. Without pith, your plants are obviously being hindered in their functions, and that's just that. You will hear things like “Check out these huge straws, bro!” No need to be rude, but certainly explain to them that they are behind on potential. As a grower, you should constantly be seeking your potential and your garden/plant's potential. KEY- the biggest key to building pith is the same key you use for most things related to cellular growth: Calcium! I've said this before, and I'd say it 100x over, if I could only grow with one thing on an island, it would be calcium. Calcium is not mobile, so the plants need to be able to transport it through the xylem. Xylem and Phloem are used to transport water, nutrients, sugars, and starches through the plant. They are just like tubes that sit next to the pith in a stem. Specifically, the xylem is for water and minerals, and Phloem for sugars the plants make during photosynthesis as well as amino acids. AMINO ACIDS! The magical workers! The second I started making sure I increased calcium uptake in my feedings, beyond normal recommendations, I saw a total change not only in things like pith but also in things like root growth and actual plant growth, all for the better! One of the cool things about calcium is that it's a messenger. When plants get attacked by pathogens or insects, they know it. Calcium release starts a reaction with metabolites that essentially help turn on the plant's natural pathogen and pest defenses. I swear if this isn't all one big puzzle with the pieces all right there, just needing to be placed! A big 5,000 piece puzzle 😂 I hope this cleared up the pith myth! Cheers 🍻 -KoMA