# Mother root pruning



## stemjosh (Aug 12, 2011)

Has anyone done this if so whats the best way to go about it for me I start my moms in 4 in rockwool cubes then put them into one gallon pots filled with hydroton on my dripper system.  It seems like the easiest thing to do would be to just gently pull them up a lil and snip them a couple inches from the bottom of the cube then replant them and give them a dose of maybe super thrive or some  thing  but then again that seems like really removing alot of roots can anyone help please


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## Wetdog (Aug 12, 2011)

I did it in soil with a K-Bar, cut away at least 1/2 of the root mass, popped back in the same pot with fresh mix and they did fine.

Super root bound in 4gal 'squat' pots and I cut the root mass to 2 gallons or less.

What you're planning should work fine. Do you only have 1 mother? I had 2 and did one at the time. LOL

Wet


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## stemjosh (Aug 12, 2011)

No I got 2 but they are different strains Lemon skunk and Jack-47 It's be a shame to lose em  but Im afraid there just gonna get to rootbound and not sling me enough cuttings ah if worse comes to worse ill just flower them and use some cuttings for fresh mothers so no worries on losing my strains


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## nvthis (Aug 12, 2011)

I root prune in soil all the time. There is a point you don't want to go past, but for the most part these plants are pretty resilient and bounce back fairly well. I use a knife most times, but I can strip it down barehanded just as well. It does seem a bit scary at first, but on this forum somewhere from a few years back, I took moms from 5 gallon buckets and stepped them down to 1 gal pots successfully 

I would start off with a little trim and work my way from there..


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## Hushpuppy (Aug 12, 2011)

I believe that there is a sticky on doing "bonsai moms". It is real good and shows step-by-step how to do it


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## stemjosh (Aug 13, 2011)

Ya but this isnt in soil its a hydro op in hydroton a lil bit different really kinda wondering how much root to leave past the rockwool cube


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## Budders Keeper (Aug 17, 2011)

stemjosh said:
			
		

> It seems like the easiest thing to do would be to just gently pull them up a lil and snip them a couple inches from the bottom of the cube


I use 2 gallon pots for moms and cut roots back to a 4-6 inch square...in coco. It's not hydro but I treat it as if it were (5.5-5.8ph...soak it every day and sometimes twice). I see no reason why it would not work the same...you would be leaving the same 4-6 inch root ball/cube. As nvthis stated, sometimes I do it nice and neat with a bread knife, and when I get tired of looking for the knife I just rip roots down to size with my hands. Good luck!


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## hollywood52 (Aug 17, 2011)

i root prun in my aero roots i take about 1/3 off


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## nvthis (Aug 17, 2011)

stemjosh said:
			
		

> Ya but this isnt in soil its a hydro op in hydroton a lil bit different really kinda wondering how much root to leave past the rockwool cube


 Right, but the point remains. Start small and work up. The plants can take it


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