can i cut roots?

i cloned in hydro but i'm putting them outside....BUT the roots are all tangled can i cut as low as i can like houseplants or will it simply kill them? i have a very hardy strain i just got them going in hydro to get them outside as in nice and big of shape as i could in the least amount of time.they are about 1.5 months old.over a foot tall and about 23-28 inches around.if it stunts them i dont care but death is cruel to my feelings.HAHA.if i cant cut them i'll use seperate buckets next year.

don't think you should ever cut roots, it will definately stunt the growth or kill the plant.

Yeah I'm not too keen on cutting the roots either, but you can just separate them.

I had to do it when I went from DWC to Hempy Buckets. I just gently pulled them apart - sure there was some tearing/ripping of the roots. For that I used a little Hygrozyme in my waterings and with nutrient feedings. I had no problems what so ever!!!

You will find many stories around here of people that had to separate root systems and most of them did nothing extra to ensure that the roots would be okay. Believe me, it's not going to be as bad as you think it will be. I know I was scared to death that I would be killing my babies, but in the end - everything went just fine...


Widow

Putting in water can sometimes loosen the root's a bit.. I tried it once. just kept jiggling them around while running some water over the root ball.. I got lucky, they were not too tangled....phew! Dicey prospect though...........good luck

I got the same problem,only mine is 3weeks old and about 7 inchs tall bushy though I just fimed them so I need to wait about a week to transfer out of a one and half gallon reservore the problem is its 6 plants in rockwool in a 1 inch net pot and I made my own air stone out of leaker hose and the roots are wrapped all around it is there something I can do to make them unwrap themselves Mabry handbook the air and put another stone in there with air looked to it any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. . Ak47luver,

I've broken roots before, not actually cut them; it's not ideal, but I've never had a plant die from it. Rather than cut them, I usually try to run my fingers through them, like untangling hair and very, very gently tease the roots apart. You will have some break, but obviously try to keep them as intact as possible.

Try your best to untangle it, but if its impossible its okay to cut the roots a bit. I'd recommend a cold water kelp extract treatment when you begin to help stimulate additional root growth and healing.

I cut roots purposely here and there when i re-veg strains that dont come by oftenly. Never have i had a plant die yet, but you bet your ass they will be stunted for a bit.

2nd that on re-vegging, i chop 3 ga. down to fit in a 1gal.....never lost 1.

I use to cut the roots from clones before placing on rockwool slabs all the time, never a problem.

I appreciate all the advice and will put it to use thanks everybody ak47luver,

I guess I'll "third" that. Just revegged 3 plants that a friend gave me. They came out of 10 gallon pots and he shaved the roots off enough to fit them into cardboard 12-pack boxes so I could transport them home. I put them into 15 gallon Smart Pots after being in the boxes for a week. They didn't do a thing for about 3 weeks then continued to re-veg. They are now about 3 feet tall and the diameter of the Smart Pots (about 24-30 inches).

I'm stoked about harvesting them but not about camping out in the back yard for a month.