Transplanting

What are the advantages and disadvatages to transplanting from my solo cups into 1gal then into 3gal later versus right into 3gal.

Well, the obvious advantages are each phase of vegetative, and eventually flowering growth the plant is in, it grows bigger(or at least it wants to grow bigger), so it needs more space to grow it's roots out in, and the more confined the space, the less chance it has to reach itz full potential, let alone itz full size... It also helps it to spur on new growth, because each time a plant becomes "rootbound" or close to it, it will not continue to grow and develop, so when it finds itself in a new home, itz going to stretch out in search of less congested soil and more nutes to be able to take up... So, this is the good... The only "bad" I can see is if not done gingerly, when the rootball has been drenched and coaxed out of it's medium, then roots get torn and damaged, thusly really stressing the plant and potentially giving it hermie tendencies, even later on when you least expect it... This is the bad... Try to transplant the least number of times, and do some research on transplanting, like the part about making sure your all soaked and whatnot when you do make the move... I try to go from dixie cups, so I can just tear off the cup without disturbing the root system or exposing it to much, if any light(which causes damage too), and then into my 1 gallon, medium sized comtainers, and finally into the tried and true 5-gallon bucket, where it will live out it's life... So, REALLY it'z only one true transplant, as I don't really count the first one...

I have transplanted the same plant numerous times with no issue...be careful and only do it when the soil is dry and you should be fine...from a cup to a 3 gallon and then into a 5 gallon...

Dont u break alot of roots with it dry? No shock at all?

The smaller plant can 'suffocate' if put into a pot thats too big as it cannot consume enough water quick enough to allow air the rootsytem, so always repot into the next size pot up, not a tiny pot into a giant saturated bucket of soil.

Thank you for the advice guys.

im on my first grow...and i went from solo...to one gal. to 3 gal. next time im gonna go from solo right into 3 gal. its a pain transplanting haha. plus less stress on the plants.

I would go from solo cup with good roots in it to a 3 or 5 gal depending on the size you want

Thanks budist

Growinfo2323 said:

Thanks budist

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It's just what I would do.. other people have their ways but if you transplant into a large bucket make sure all the soil in the bucket is wet. I always put the bucket in my utility sink and run the hose through it for a bit until the water is rushing out of the bottom and all soil is soaked then let it sit there for about a hour so it can drain. then I dig my hole which is really easy to do when wet it will keep its shape and transplant. I don't water after the transplant that is why I add the water before and what I am transplanting has already been watered that day so when you pull it out the roots have less chance of damage.

I meant to say that I saturate the plant to be removed and transplanted, NOT the new pot of soil... I should be a little more clear I suppose...

*BUDS said:

The smaller plant can 'suffocate' if put into a pot thats too big as it cannot consume enough water quick enough to allow air the rootsytem, so always repot into the next size pot up, not a tiny pot into a giant saturated bucket of soil.

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Thanks again budist I will do exactly that then.

Growinfo2323 said:

Thanks again budist I will do exactly that then.

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No problem! + rep to get you going on RIU

see I find that tryin to transplant a wet pot will cause more roots to break then if the soil is dry...when it is dry it basically holds it's shape...so you pull out a chunk of pot shaped soil and put it in other soil, and then water it all in...but that is how I do it...a wet pot's dirt just breaks apart, taking roots with it...

missnu said:

see I find that tryin to transplant a wet pot will cause more roots to break then if the soil is dry...when it is dry it basically holds it's shape...so you pull out a chunk of pot shaped soil and put it in other soil, and then water it all in...but that is how I do it...a wet pot's dirt just breaks apart, taking roots with it...

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never causes me a problem. to each their own of course eventually Growinfo will have his own way of doing everything. my soil seem so fall apart more when dry but I'm sure it makes a difference on what medium is being used. I use pro mix HP

A 3-gallon pot is plenty big enough for any plant you are keeping 3 months or less. I usually TP twice, once from a solo cup to a 3-quart pot then into a 3-gallon pot for the duration.
At first I TP straight from the cup to the final pot. I keep extensive notes and soon saw that my seedlings were taking forever to grow. I read that plants get a growing burst right after
TP. So I tried the 2 TP idea. When TP, plants first send out their roots to establish the thick rootball they need. When going straight from the cup to a large pot the seedlings spend weeks
sending out roots and very little else. With 2 TP the roots soon reach the sidewall of the container and then start vertical growth. So, TP twice and your seedlings will grow faster.

BigSteve.

Thanks for the very informative post bigsteve. Didnt know that about roots and vertical growth.

When a small plant is put into a large pot the roots tend to run to the edge and down. They then start to circle the bottom of the pot. When you harvest you will usually find roots wrapped around the bottom of the pot and a lot of unused soil in the middle of the rootball.
When you upcan into progressively larger pots several times over the course of the veg period, your plant will tend to fill out the allotted space completely. You will also find there are more fine haired feeder roots opposed to heavy cord or water roots. The plant will use the nutrients much more efficiently this way promoting much faster growth.
When you transplant, use a small serrated knife to score the rootball about a quarter inch deep on all sides, then sever all roots circling the bottom of the rootball. This encourages the plant to send out new roots much earlier than a simple transplant.
Most people fear treating their mj plants this roughly. Have no fear, it will respond very well to these tactics. Marijuana is no different than other short lived plants like the summer annuals you plant in your front yard. These are standard procedures that are used daily by production nurseries. I've been doing it this way for 20 years and my garden easily outperforms most of the growers I know.
Hope this helps,
Fred