Root Bound In 5 gallon Buckets - help!

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b4reel

Active Member
I have (3) 5 ft plants an 1 small bushy plant all are the same age that are root bound in 5 gallon buckets. I know this because I had to pull a male this morning. The roots look like white thread wrapped heavily around the soil.

These other 3 plants are starting to flower an I went to lowes and got a huge bag of soil. I want to put these plants in the ground for good.

My question is will my plants die if I pull them out the buckets and put them straight in the ground with new soil and break up the rootball and water good.
It is in the mid 90's here so kinda hot. Should I wait until it cools off say around dark?

I really need help on this!

Thanks
 
Green Cross

Green Cross

Well-Known Member
b4reel said:
I have (4) 5 an a 1/2 ft plants that are root bound in 5 gallon buckets. I know this because I had to pull a male this morning. The roots look like white thread wrapped heavily around the soil.

These other 3 plants are starting to flower an I went to lowes and got a huge bag of soil. I want to put these plants in the ground for good.

My question is will my plants die if I pull them out the buckets and put them straight in the ground with new soil and break up the rootball and water good.
It is in the mid 90's here so kinda hot. Should I wait until it cools off say around dark?

I really need help on this!

Thanks
Click to expand...
Never breakup a rootball

But a 5' indoor plant is still going to go into shock...

If posible acclimate them to direct sunlight (a few hours more each day for a few days), until they can take full sun

If that isn't possible wait for cloudy rainy weather in your forecast (if possible).

If you have to plant today; evening would be best
 
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Delta-9

Well-Known Member
I'm no expert but I think breaking up the root balls this late in the season is a bad idea. I'd either just let them stay in their 5 gallon buckets( I've seen some big plants with a lot of buds in a 5 gallon pot) or I'd transplant them to a 10 gallon pot. Breaking up the roots and planting in the ground just seems to me to be risky, perhaps not though, I'm not sure.
 
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b4reel

Active Member
Will they still bud as long as I keep them watered?

Also thought maybe if I cut the bottom out of the bucket and just bury the whole bucket, will it still go into shock still ?
 
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fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
b4reel said:
Will they still bud as long as I keep them watered?

Also thought maybe if I cut the bottom out of the bucket and just bury the whole bucket, will it still go into shock still ?
Click to expand...

this would work. :bigjoint: or just pull them out of the bucket and rake your fingers across the root ball to loosen the roots a little. then bury them. :wink:
 
Grizzdude

Grizzdude

Well-Known Member
I just reciently transplanted a 6 footer, 5 footer and a 4 footer and they are doing well. I didn't break up the root ball, just dug some big ass holes and used some organic soil I got from lowes, also added some vermaculite. Transplant in the evening and water well so the roots can recover all night. You should end up with BIGGER buds! Also use a slight amount of fertilizer when watering after transplanting to help with the shock. Good luck!
 
tommytoker

tommytoker

Member
plant looks nice man....is that buds i see? if you do plant don't disturb root ball. when you fill in the soil water with a garden hose until water runs out on the gground around it. flooding with water will reduce the risk of any aair pockets around roots....very important.
 
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b4reel

Active Member
Ok fdd,
I have read you were the man an I see what you are working with, I will just leave them in the buckets. I know what transplant shock looks like and that is the last thing my girls need this late in the season.

The tops droop almost every evening after a hot day wanting more water. After I saw the roots on that male plant I just figured that meant certain death for the females.
I will continue watering everyday until my plant looks exactly like yours lol. What size pot is that you are using.

Thanks alot for all of the replies from everyone, I knew I could count on you all !
 
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fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
b4reel said:
Ok fdd,
I have read you were the man an I see what you are working with, I will just leave them in the buckets. I know what transplant shock looks like and that is the last thing my girls need this late in the season.

The tops droop almost every evening after a hot day wanting more water. After I saw the roots on that male plant I just figured that meant certain death for the females.
I will continue watering everyday until my plant looks exactly like yours lol. What size pot is that you are using.

Thanks alot for all of the replies from everyone, I knew I could count on you all !
Click to expand...


water them as needed and feed them when the leaves start to fade in color. they will be fine. that plant in the pic was in a 7 gallon pot. i got a pound and a half off it. :hump::hump::joint::joint:
 
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Dank.777

Member
I'll tell you what brother, I have the same problem, The Northern lights, nothing should be bound, just think before you do it, use the right tool, make sure you get it loose, if its bound enough it should be like a white net around in a round root the shape of the bucket. Just like the guy down below says, be gentle and just scratch of or lightly rub all unnecessary white root cover so it can breath, and drink again, make sure and put at least 3 to 4 extra inches of new black gold dirt with white rocks on the bottom of the bucket and it should finish the job, maybe, it will chill for 1 or 2 days but it will start to move forward again and finish quicker. I have huge stocks though and I'm still watching, the leaves are doing fabulous so its hard to say so I may just leave them alone. They get no drainage though but there like 2 weeks away. I'll probably do it or it may turn into a month. This is with a T-5 30,000 Lu-mans in a bathtub, notorious for major stocks and roots, which they basically use to finish up with anyways. please if anyone knows that dark green healthy leaves that are still perky are doing fine, 7.0 on the PH, let me know if this would be stupid because they still seem happy leave wise extremely but the root is rock hard. In a 5 galion bucket, actually 2 plants with almost 40 stocks.
 
BeastGrow

BeastGrow

Well-Known Member
http://bigbudsmag.com/grow/how/article/grow-great-marijuana-nugs-forcing-your-plants-july-2011

"Forcing is a phenomenon that occurs when the plant become root bound. This stress triggers the plant to flower earlier and more vigorously. When the plant gets ultra taxed from the roots entangling and entwining in on themselves, they create a “root mass.” With no further place for the roots to go, the plant goes into shock, triggers flowering, and hastens to finish its life cycle." -brwndirtwarrior
 
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Adkguerrilla44

Member
I was worried as hell before reading this thread....i transplanted the other 2 sister plants into 15 gallon grow bags and they were root bound but I wanted to keep 1 plant in a 4 gallon grow bag to see the difference in size and yeild compared to being in 15 gallon bags. I came to Google today to see if I fucked myself by not transplanting but after seeing and reading some of the things posted here I think I will be just fine ,the one in the smallest pot is actually the biggest plant of the 3 lol
 

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Adkguerrilla44

Member
Go get a 15 gallon fabric grow bag and gently scrape the outside of the roots or squeeze them before you transplant a gently jist try to break it up a little bit and if you want a good recipe to minimize or eliminate transplant shock all together let me know
 
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