Can I change the whole substrate of a plant that's been growing in one already?

So it seems growing in coco coir has been extremely difficult for me leading to stunted plants. Also I will be going for several weeks and have somebody tend the plants but that person won't be very capable to deal with the problems I've been having with coco.

I've started a new plant on normal soil and I added sheep dong fertilizer and it is doing great with 0 deficiencies and no need to add fertilizers at least for now, and also, one watering lasts a long way.

In short, it seems regular dirt with sheep dong seems to be the way for my plants.

So I have one that was growing in coco and got stunted because I didn't know the substrate has to be wet all the time. Now it is starting to flower so I've put it under 16h of light to help it going back to vegging. Can I then change it from coco to regular dirt with sheep dong?

avillax said:

So it seems growing in coco coir has been extremely difficult for me leading to stunted plants. Also I will be going for several weeks and have somebody tend the plants but that person won't be very capable to deal with the problems I've been having with coco.

I've started a new plant on normal soil and I added sheep dong fertilizer and it is doing great with 0 deficiencies and no need to add fertilizers at least for now, and also, one watering lasts a long way.

In short, it seems regular dirt with sheep dong seems to be the way for my plants.

So I have one that was growing in coco and got stunted because I didn't know the substrate has to be wet all the time. Now it is starting to flower so I've put it under 16h of light to help it going back to vegging. Can I then change it from coco to regular dirt with sheep dong?

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From a conceptual point of view I don't see why not. Eh @Hust17 ? I figure the hardest part might be protecting the roots. I've done it before with other fibrous root plants - not de Good, Good.

Yes

avillax said:

So I have one that was growing in coco and got stunted because I didn't know the substrate has to be wet all the time. Now it is starting to flower so I've put it under 16h of light to help it going back to vegging. Can I then change it from coco to regular dirt with sheep dong?

Click to expand...

hello, if you can wash away old substrat in a shower then transplant to new soil but dont overwater. best timing to do so would be if the old medium is somewhat dry.

Kassiopeija said:

[H]ello, if you can wash away old substrat[e] in a shower then transplant to new soil but don[']t over[-]water. best timing to do so would be if the old medium is somewhat dr[y.]

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Indeed so. Try to give the fibrous root system some extra effort when finally adding the new substrate, such that the roots don't end-up as a huge mass surrounded, though not permeated, with substrate. I'm unaware if ever or how long ago you've used a traditional mop, but consider what happens when said mop is repeatedly plunged and pulled back up in a bucket of water, or long hair while active, submerged in a swimming pool - the strands sorta fan out and separate.

Well, you would be well served to try to mimic that effect in the new substrate, so that the root-strands will be more naturally distributed through the soil - as if it grew through it naturally.

In a situation like yours, I'd take the advice @Kassiopeija provided. Personally, I would also try to distribute the roots as evenly as at all possible, without breaking too much of the root system. After washing, try 'opening-out' the root ball as best could be, before and while adding the new substrate. Limit physical stress and be quick about the whole deal; the plant has to feed. Good luck. Let the forum know how it worked out eventually; all experiences are opportunities to learn by application.

Don't forget that Science itself is built on these four building blocks:

• Observation
• Measurement (or Estimation, Quantification, Qualification)
• Record-Keeping
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Yes you can.

avillax said:

So it seems growing in coco coir has been extremely difficult for me leading to stunted plants. Also I will be going for several weeks and have somebody tend the plants but that person won't be very capable to deal with the problems I've been having with coco.

I've started a new plant on normal soil and I added sheep dong fertilizer and it is doing great with 0 deficiencies and no need to add fertilizers at least for now, and also, one watering lasts a long way.

In short, it seems regular dirt with sheep dong seems to be the way for my plants.

So I have one that was growing in coco and got stunted because I didn't know the substrate has to be wet all the time. Now it is starting to flower so I've put it under 16h of light to help it going back to vegging. Can I then change it from coco to regular dirt with sheep dong?

Click to expand...

I'll give everyone a HOT TIP.

We don't have many sheep in my country and we would use the dung of cattle, horse or chickens - sheep dung sounds great to me. However, there's a little known fact that along with the valued Bat Guano, EGGs are a prime resource for N P K. Acquire bad eggs from a depot or packager (often free). Quickly freeze them to reduce the chance of them exploding (or buy fresh ones, freezing them all the same). Bury them in your substrate along with prepared compost constituted of the dried or rotted flesh & peel of fruit, leaves, minced stems, ground fish bones and scales (learn from the Inca), potting mix, ground coconut fibres and coconut shell chips, dried tree bark chips and chopped birds' feathers, etc - all mixed together with 33% Garden Centre soil, vermiculite, perlite and a bit of pest control pellets. long before use and allow to decompose. Be sure to pH ≈ 6.0 . Another trick is to bury (not drive in) various length straws into the substrate so as to allow entry of air into your nice loose mix - or better, use an air pump @0.025 MPa and small-Ø hoses to force-feed air into the substrate. For fruit, I use what's available locally and cheaply - banana, mangoes, watermelon - flesh, peel, stems & leaves. I'd even throw in a few earthworms to maintain porosity.

One caveat - the egg treatment works best Outdoors due to the potential of the scent of rotten eggs permeating your house from relatively small pots. To use inside, let the bespoke substrate mix sit Outdoors for four (or more) weeks 'til clear.

See also:

• The Soil Substrate Or Dirted Planted Tank - a How to Guide ...
• Substrates - Soil & Compost | Far East Flora Garden Centre