Best Practices: Transplant or one container all the way through?

[CarlinistFellow]

Hi again everyone. I'm still pre-noobescent, reading this and other sites hours a day, getting ready for my first grow in a month or so. I want to pose a pretty basic question to all those old-hat green thumbs out there.

Is it better to:

1. put seeds into small starter pots with a specialized seedling soil mixture, or
2. just put the seeds into the 5-gallon containers I plan to use for flowering (and use one soil mixture, I guess, for the whole growth cycle)?

Thanks for any and all advice!

 

[rwbrock]

I prefer option 1

 

[CarlinistFellow]

I prefer option 1

My thinking was the transplanting stresses the plant, so if I could avoid that, all the better. But your experience is that the starter soil/cups benefit the final result?

 

[LetsGetCritical]

My opinion is that the one time stress of transplanting is minimal, and you don't want to put seedlings into a 'hot' mix.

 

[kountdown]

The plant creates a better root structure when transplanting to larger containers throughout the growth cycle. Don't worry about stressing a plant through transplanting. As long as you're not doing it mid-flower you'll be fine.

 

[CarlinistFellow]

My opinion is that the one time stress of transplanting is minimal, and you don't want to put seedlings into a 'hot' mix.

That's a really good point that I don't think I gave enough consideration to. Thanks! Unless someone pops in here with a strong case for running one container all the way through, I think the transplanting route is the way I'll go.

So, solo cups, then step up to a veg container/soil mix, then transplant up to a flower container/soil mix, or is that overkill?

 

[CarlinistFellow]

The plant creates a better root structure when transplanting to larger containers throughout the growth cycle. Don't worry about stressing a plant through transplanting. As long as you're not doing it mid-flower you'll be fine.

Thanks! Is the best transplant schedule then: starter cups, 1-2 weeks after sprout into veg containers, then into flower containers right before the flip to 12-12?

 

[dannyboy602]

starter cups. then 2 quart or 1 liter pots. then 5 gallon pots. I wouldn't steer ya wrong.

 

[dannyboy602]

oh I forgot...your idea that stress was bad is a good idea. but it doesn't apply to transplanting if you do it right.

 

[BarnBuster]

DB's got the right idea(s)

 

[CarlinistFellow]

starter cups. then 2 quart or 1 liter pots. then 5 gallon pots. I wouldn't steer ya wrong.

Awesome! Thanks DB!

 

[Baxters]

Definitely option 1, as someone already pointed out that you don't want a hot mix, but also small pots dry out sooner and large pots stay wet for too long which causes damping off.

I start my seeds and clones in 2¼ inch pots with seed compost from a nursery or local store, and I repot my plants at least three times; like someone else pointed out, it helps produce a better root structure... well that’s my opinion.

 

[ASMALLVOICE]

I have found that starting them in 4" squares for a week or so after germinating, then up to 1 gallon for 2 weeks or so, staying ahead of the root mass (depends on veg time) and then 3 gallon (or larger) for the duration of the grow.
I don't really count the first move from a 4"pot to the one gallon as a transplant, just easier to not overwater seedlings in the smaller pots. Then from the 1 gallon up, yea, that's a legit handful of plant...lol
I have read too many times, the root mass will dictate all above it, makes perfect sense.

Peace and Great Grows

Asmallvoice