starting your plant in a large pot

rsharp

Well-Known Member
i would like to start my plants out in large pots but people say not to but never say why. Why is it bad to start your plants off in larger pots rather than a cup or gallon sized pot?
 

Pureblood89

Well-Known Member
nurseries are more easily controlled then large pots, plus a full size pot full of soil with nutes is a heavy burden on a small seedling.
 

Serapis

Well-Known Member
I can give you a good reason.... Your small plant has yet to develop a root ball. In order to do so, the tap root needs to be able to find water. If you have the small plant in a large pot, you are going to have to water a lot of soil to get water to the tap root. This means wasted water and nutes. If you have your seedlings in a solo cup, you only need to add about 6 oz of water.

Also, it is far easier to have 20 plants in your nursery under flouros in cups than it is in 3 gallon pots.
 

T.H.Cammo

Well-Known Member
Another thing is the way the rootball developes!

If you start your plant in a large pot, it tends to run the roots down and cover the bottom rather fast - not really using all the pot space very efficiently or evenly. And, like said earlier, the roots aren't able to develope a strong network because they are so "spread out and free to roam".

Keeping a new plant "somewhat confined" in a small pot allows the root to develope a compact, strong, rootball. And incremental repoting allows that "Ball" to grow larger and use all the pot space more efficiently. A stronger, bigger, root system makes a stronger, bigger, grow!
 

DawgMountain

Active Member
I progress with pot size as my plants grow. Why waste soil, space, nutes and water on large pots? I believe in pushing root growth and plant growth but not so much as to let all the energy go to root growth. Besides, once they go into flowering and I see a male, out it goes. Why waste a large pot of soil on a male plant? The strain determines the final pot size and the method I'm growing. I'm going to try a new method on this next crop. Still FFOF soil though.
 

Lil Czr

Well-Known Member
What part dont you understand ???
You may have weak roots and leggy plants, but I assure you that your pot size has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I'm not trying to start anything, I'm just stating a fact.

Up-canning in not essential to a healthy root system.
 

warnerwh

Well-Known Member
Too big a pot can and will cause problems. Here is an excellent thread which will explain why too big of a pot will cause problems: https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/150004-plant-moisture-stress-symptoms-solutions.html The guy knows what he is talking about. Science, not opinion or b.s. There is no make believe or magic potions in growing plants only science. Pot is no different than most any other plant and the professional gardeners do what they do to make the most money.
Too large a pot can easily affect root health to the point of pythium also known as root rot. Too big a pot can ruin or kill a plant. There is a good chance it will live but it will take a long time to grow much. Don't believe me read the thread or read on an indoor gardening forum, not a weed forum due to the fact as the plant is romanticized into being something more than a plant and there is a ton of misinformation. If you're smart you will listen to master gardeners and professional gardeners. Read Uncle Ben's threads, he cuts straight through the crap. Whoever told you not to put them in big pots is right.
 

mr.smileyface

Well-Known Member
Dont start your plants in anything smaller than a 1 gallon. those 16 oz party cups dry out to quik and are a nightmare to water. You plant is rootbound before it shows its traits. 1 gallon is enough to find out what the seed produced and a couple more weeks till flowering. Then transplant your females into 3 gallons for flowering.
I dont deal with seeds anymore so i just plant in 2 gallon pots. Veg for 14 days 24/7 and then flower. 2 gallon is what you need.
I would only use a small pot in a hydroponics system. I would use a 1 gallon full of hydroton per plant in a flood and drain.
 
Top