What to do when roots grow together in DWC?

[MagicPorkChop]

I'm doing my first grow ever and I started a dwc in a tote and had 2 plants growing side by side in hindsight I should of done individual dwc's but one of the two plants turned out to be male and they have gone into flower and both have gotten large and have huge root mass but have completely intertwined their roots together and I don't see it possible to separate them by working them lose in water. What would be the best way to remove the male plant without completely destroying the roots of the female plant two weeks into flower? Can I just cut off all the branches of the male and keep the main stem alive somehow to prevent roots from rotting?

 

[amneziaHaze]

usually when you grow the airstone will destroy a few roots they will swim inside and bacteria will eat it over time now i never tried to kill one whole plant and see if it will react different when there is a huge mass

 

[johniebrown]

I'm doing my first grow ever and I started a dwc in a tote and had 2 plants growing side by side in hindsight I should of done individual dwc's but one of the two plants turned out to be male and they have gone into flower and both have gotten large and have huge root mass but have completely intertwined their roots together and I don't see it possible to separate them by working them lose in water. What would be the best way to remove the male plant without completely destroying the roots of the female plant two weeks into flower? Can I just cut off all the branches of the male and keep the main stem alive somehow to prevent roots from rotting?



Geometry Dash Lite

You don’t need to separate the roots at this point. The safest option is to cut the male plant off at the base of the stem, right above the root mass, and remove all its top growth immediately to prevent pollination. Leave the intertwined roots in place-trying to pull them apart will likely damage your female more than help. The remaining male roots will slowly die off, but in a healthy DWC system with good oxygenation, they usually won’t cause major issues. Just keep an eye on water quality and consider a light reservoir change to stay safe.

 

[Smokey0418]

It should not take long if one was to cut the stem for that root mass to become mushy and a mess.
Personally I would be massaging the root mass as best as possible to remove as my as I could.
Enjoy and good luck.
Great learning experience.