A plant can tell us when it is thirsty or lacks nutrients. Growers know their crops and they “communicate” with their plants by looking, touching and measuring them. But while leaves and stems tell us what is the plant’s current condition and may indicate how it ended up this way, the roots can tell us something even more important: the story of the plant’s near future. If the roots are maintained in optimal conditions, then the plant will be healthy and vital. But if the roots are in suboptimal conditions, then the plant will not reach its full genetic potential.