Why do people transplant?

[Surfer Joe]

I keep reading about how people re-pot their plants into bigger containers and I was wondering why not just start them out in the final pot and avoid all that stress and hassle?
I can see planting a seed or a clone in a little container just to get started, then re-potting in the final growing container, but why keep re-potting vegging plants into larger containers?
Giving a seed or clone room to establish a good taproot and root mass from the start seems like the better strategy

 

[umbra]

part of the process in soil is the wet/dry cycle. using a large container and putting the plant in there will slow its growth.

 

[Hackerman]

I just went through this so I can tell you first hand......

It's hard to water it properly if you start out in a giant pot.

I usually go from a starter tray to a 4" pot to a 2 gallon pot.

If you put a seedling or young clone in a 5 gallon pot it's hard to give it the watering regime that pot likes.

Pot like wet/dry so it's best to water the plant until water comes out of the bottom of the pot (good soaking) and then let it dry out for a couple days.

If you put a tiny plant in a giant pot and soak the soil, it will take forever to dry out because there are no roots to drink the water. And, if you don't soak it and just water the top of the soil (and, this is what I did) the roots all grow on the top and they don't head down into the pot.

What you end up with is a plant that has all it's roots at the top of the container and a soggy mud ball on the bottom of the container.

Limited root growth, root rot, poor oxygen intake from the roots.... all kinds of bad things.

I have started and grown from seed in a 2 gallon pot and didn't have this problem but when I tried it with a 7 gallon pot, I had all kinds of problems.

 

[Surfer Joe]

Thanks a lot for the info.
What about becoming root bound in the smaller pots?
Would watering from the bottom in a tray and allowing the soil to wick it up solve the problem?

I started my seedlings out in 10L airpots and at first I didn't have to water them for a week, but now they start drying out after 2 days. I see all sorts of roots sticking out the holes and at the bottom, so hopefully they have managed to grow into the space ok.

I must say that I was very impressed with the soil I got this time. Before, I used regular plant compost from the garden center and mixed in some vermiculite and perlite, but it would become hard packed and the water wanted to sit on the surface when watering.
This time I bought a bag of canna terra pro and used it as is. It remains light and airy and drains very nicely. I was hoping that any company that calls themselves canna would sell stuff that was optimized for cannabis.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Not only is it hard to keep it watered properly, it wastes soil and nutrients and takes up space to have small plants in large pots.

If you are careful when you transplant you should get very little if any transplant shock.

 

[NorCalHal]

Much cheaper to Veg under a few lights then all of them

 

[MR1]

Starting them off in smaller pots also lets the plant establish a good root ball.

 

[BenfukD]

 

[Surfer Joe]

Thanks. I will remember to use a staggered pot size on my next grow.
I use 11L square pots and airpots. I start the seeds in a small cup of seedling compost until they sprout and then put the seedlings into the final pot.
What sort of pot sizes would you recommend to end up in the 11L (appx 3 gal) pot?
How long do you keep them in each size pot?

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

Such excellent answers. :aok:

I don't think there's much more to it then what's been laid out here.

 

[Hackerman]

Thanks. I will remember to use a staggered pot size on my next grow.
I use 11L square pots and airpots. I start the seeds in a small cup of seedling compost until they sprout and then put the seedlings into the final pot.
What sort of pot sizes would you recommend to end up in the 11L (appx 3 gal) pot?
How long do you keep them in each size pot?

Right now I am going from starter trays to 3 quart pots. Then, from 3 quart pots into the final 2 gallon pots.

They go from clone/seed in the starters (large starters) for about a month or until good roots are established in the starters.

Then, they go in the 3 qt and veg for about 1 month.

Then, they go to the 2 gallon pots and flower for 2 months.

 

[yooper420]

This is the way I`ve settled on using. Grow in Sunshine Mix #4. Start with 3" coco coir pots, seed into soil, keep damp. When ready, whole thing goes into 6" coco coir pots. Then when ready, into 5 gallon pots. No transplant shock. I also water from the bottom. Works for me.

 

[Locked]

Umbra definitely nailed it. Wet/Dry cycle is IMO the biggest reason. It's why you establish a good root ball. I like to go Solo Cup, 1/2 gallon pot then One gallon pot for the rest of the ride. Most go bigger at the end but I am used to watering everyday and I think the whole wet/dry cycle happening more often in One gallon pots is the big reason for my success.

jmo

 

[Surfer Joe]

Umbra definitely nailed it. Wet/Dry cycle is IMO the biggest reason. It's why you establish a good root ball. I like to go Solo Cup, 1/2 gallon pot then One gallon pot for the rest of the ride. Most go bigger at the end but I am used to watering everyday and I think the whole wet/dry cycle happening more often in One gallon pots is the big reason for my success.
jmo

Thanks. I thought that bigger final pots were more desirable. One gallon pots seems small for a final pot size. I always read people advising to grow in 3-5 gallon pots.

 

[Locked]

Thanks. I thought that bigger final pots were more desirable. One gallon pots seems small for a final pot size. I always read people advising to grow in 3-5 gallon pots.

Most do desire larger pots. I just happen to like growing in the smaller pots.

 

[Dman1234]

And the quicker your dirt dries out the sooner you can FEED again.

 

[Rosebud]

Thanks. I thought that bigger final pots were more desirable. One gallon pots seems small for a final pot size. I always read people advising to grow in 3-5 gallon pots.

In my humble opinion Hamster is the only one that can pull that dank out of a one gallon. I used 5 gallon smart pots for years, now i am down to 3 gallon.

 

[umbra]

I regularly use 1 gal air pots, but have moved up to 3 gal air pots. I may go bigger...all a part of dialing in a strain imo