Getting too big for containers. Gotta take outside ASAP

Hey guys. This is my first serious grow and think my plants are getting a little too big for the pots. I was planning on taking them out to the woods in about a week or two, but I noticed roots are starting to poke through the bottom of my pots. I'm using 3" Jiffy pots, the kind where the roots are suppose to be able to push through, but I wasn't expecting it so soon. They are only about 2 1/2 weeks old. This morning when I was adjusting them under the lights, I happened to check out the bottoms and saw little white root threads starting to push their way out the bottom of the pots. Is it ok to let them go for a few more days, or it that a sign they need to be transplanted immediately?

Does anyone have any experience with Jiffy pots? Should I plant the whole thing like they say you can do, or should I trim around until I start reaching where the roots have already taken hold into the pot?

Plant the whole jiffy pot they break down and plus they help support the plant while it adjusts to its surroundings.

I use Jiffy pots for all my seeds. I plant the whole pot with excellent results.

After this is done, concentrate your watering in the new soil outside the Jiffy pot. This will encourage the roots to push through the Jiffy pot walls more quickly.

Be sure the entire pot is buried to avoid the pot "wicking" water away from the roots. I sometimes tear the rim of the pot off to soil level, to make this easier.

I usually transplant into one gallon pots and let them grow and place them in the ground when they reach one to three feet tall.

Good luck!

Do you guys think I need to move them out ASAP or can a wait a few days until the weather is a little nicer? We are past the last frost date, but I checked the weather report and saw the temp is going to dip over the next few nights and they are calling for heavy rain today and tomorrow. I saw roots pushing out the bottom and like any new grower, I freaked, haha. They are actually starting to push through the walls of the peat, not out of the drainage holes.

sonar said:

Do you guys think I need to move them out ASAP or can a wait a few days until the weather is a little nicer? We are past the last frost date, but I checked the weather report and saw the temp is going to dip over the next few nights and they are calling for heavy rain today and tomorrow. I saw roots pushing out the bottom and like any new grower, I freaked, haha. They are actually starting to push through the walls of the peat, not out of the drainage holes.

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Only you know what your local conditions are. I know people who don't go outdoors until July, with very large plants, for stealth reasons.

Wait until you like what you see in the weather report.

Good luck!

i had prob with those pots before. i had 10 plants 3 of them in jiffy pots. the pots never broke down and they where still on the plant at harvest. some roots come threw. but they where only half the size of the rest. anyone else ever have that?

shizz said:

i had prob with those pots before. i had 10 plants 3 of them in jiffy pots. the pots never broke down and they where still on the plant at harvest. some roots come threw. but they where only half the size of the rest. anyone else ever have that?

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Well mine are starting to push through the bottom after only 2 1/2 weeks. Thats what I'm worried about. I wasn't planning on moving them for another week or two, but now that the roots are starting to come through I'm worried that is a sign I need to transplant them. So what it comes down to is letting them go another week or two and risk the roots getting bound, or moving them outside where they have plenty of space and risk having the weather or pest get them.

Do as I do and transplant them into one or two gallon pots. They'll be good for another month, indoors.

The plants visible in my signature pic all started out in 2" Jiffy pots.

I doubt they'd be twice as big, had I used another method.(After five decades of gardening, I've tried a LOT of different methods. Done correctly, I think peat pots are the best start for plants grown in dirt, or similar medium.)

veggiegardener said:

Do as I do and transplant them into one or two gallon pots. They'll be good for another month, indoors.

The plants visible in my signature pic all started out in 2" Jiffy pots.

I doubt they'd be twice as big, had I used another method.(After five decades of gardening, I've tried a LOT of different methods. Done correctly, I think peat pots are the best start for plants grown in dirt, or similar medium.)

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Wish I could go another month or two indoors, but I'm only running 2 small fluoros. Don't think it's enough light. Wish I could do the whole thing indoors to be honest. I have a 250w hps I bought off a friend of mine really cheap a few weeks ago, but my grow area is too small and it was getting too hot. I did a dry run just to test and it was hitting 90 degree even with the door open and a fan blowing up on the light. So unless I move I'm pretty much limited to sprouting indoors for the first 2-3 weeks then moving them out to the woods.

u can always take some suran wrap around a tomato cage make a little green house for them gotta watch those hot days tho i wouldnt cover the top of the cage.