Growing containers

I notice on this and other web-sites tht most people start seeds or cuttings in peat pots or the red plastic cups and when they show roots they transplant to the red plastic cup, if they weren't already there and then transplant to larger pots, 2 or 3 quarts and finally transplant to large, 2 or 3 gallon pots. Why is the intermediate step necessary. Why not go from the red cups into the final growing pot? I appreciate any help from anyone.

*New grower here.

Roots need time to grow, so if you just throw the plant from a solo cup into a 5 gallon bucket you chance stunting its growth while it focuses on root growth again. That's just my assumption on the topic. My process was rockwool cube to coconut husk to 1 gal pots to 5 gal pots.

Mastergardner said:

I notice on this and other web-sites tht most people start seeds or cuttings in peat pots or the red plastic cups and when they show roots they transplant to the red plastic cup, if they weren't already there and then transplant to larger pots, 2 or 3 quarts and finally transplant to large, 2 or 3 gallon pots. Why is the intermediate step necessary. Why not go from the red cups into the final growing pot? I appreciate any help from anyone.

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the main reason is diff types of grow media. at each stage. that is why 3 transplants. you can go from seed in jiffy cube/root riot cude once it pops out to the last pot. but it will take a couple weeks to get going since the roots have to grow first. if you do this get some root fert or use bloom at 1/16 strength in each water if you water every 5-7 days. my c99 went from root riot to 2.5 gallon pot and she is now taking off like nuts. took her 8 days but i use air injection system in soil.

I use a clone box, and when my roots are ready in there I transplant to a solo cup, then to a 2 gallon bucket about 3-4 weeks into veg, then to 5 gallon buckets. Like DCobeen said, you can use different mediums at different stages. Another reason I do it is it helps me keeps my cycles organized. Not that I couldn't without it, but it's easier that way.

When you transplant from party cups into 3gal pots the amount of root area that needs water is small. When you water the larger area of soil will naturally draw moisture from the smaller area where the roots are in a process called osmosis. That makes the rhizosphere dry and you must water again to keep it from drying out too quickly. When the plant has only a small area of roots it makes sence then to put it into a pot that is enough to contain the roots and then some extra for growth. That's how it's done in perennial plant nurseries. Its possible though to plant even seeds into 3gal pots ( just as you would plant into the ground outdoors) but you must water more frequently to keep the root zone from drying out.
I think for new growers it's better to gain experience from handling plants from small pot to large. It gives you a chance to see root growth, and become familiar with things like root pruning. Many gardeners have an innate fear of exposing roots and handling plants outside of their pots and it impedes learning.

its so the roots fill the grow medium completely. no reason you cant start the seed in its final container really, just takes a long time for the medium to dry out since there arent roots all the way through to suck it up.

Simple answer OP.. . transplanting multiple times refreshes the soil.

All my food is in the soil after seedling stage. I just add water. Smaller containers are also easy to water and handle during a grow.

My transplant schedule is solo cup (base soil), 1 gal, 3 gal, and 5 gal (week before flower).

Transplanting is super easy too, especially with the right gear, check out my Velcros!