Transplanting

[Alistair Young]

Often times people who grow plants tranplant from smaller pots to larger pots. Let's say that you start with a 4 inch pot and then transplant into a 2 gallon container, and make one last transplant into a 4 gallon container. What if instead of transplanting, the whole grow from seed to harvest was done in the 4 gallon container, would this work? That is to say, is the tranplanting from small to bigger containers necessary or any better than doing the whole grow in one big container? I realize this might not be the most practical thing to do for different reasons, but will it work properly?

Alistair

[littlenode]

Hey Alistair..we were just talking about this...check this thread http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26721

I think the consensus is potting up is better than starting with a large pot that you would normally finish in.

Smoke on..

[Alistair Young]

Thanks Little Node. That link was helpful. Before I read your reply I was reading about the benefits of transplanting. It seems that when you run out of root space (root bound) you transplant. So, transplanting is done for among other reasons, to ensure healthy roots and plants. So, although not efficient, or the most practical thing to do, it would seem that as long as the plants aren't root bound they can grow healthily in one container (a big enough container) from seed to finish.
One dude who responded to the thread to which you posted the link said that he starts his seedlings in 18 ounce cups and then directly into 2.75 gallon pots for the rest of the grow.

Well, thanks for the advise and the link. Anyone else?

Alistair

[Runbyhemp]

I start my seedlings in seedling pots. They then get transplanted into 10 cm pots. They stay here until I can tell sex (usually about 2-3 weeks old). As soon as they show sex they finally get transplanted into 2 gallon square pots.

Something that Hick said in the other thread is worth emphasising again. It is much easier to control water content in small pots. If you have a small plant in a big pot with a small root ball, it may not be able to take up all the water.
This can mean lack of oxygen for the roots and increased chances of mould ...plus also provides a breeding paradise for fungus gnats.

[Alistair Young]

I was wondering if soil in a large container with plant would lose nutrient value over a long period of time (5 months, for example)? That is to say, does the thus far unused portion of the soil lose its nutrients even if the roots haven't yet come into contact with it? Does the unused soil remain fresh with nutrients, or would a transplant be recommended?

It seems as though a plant from seed to finish in one container large enough to ensure the plant never gets root bound should work just fine. And even though transplanting is normally not a hassle for me, this one grow, for various reasons, makes transplanting inconvenient and I'd rather transplant from a 20 ounce styrofoam cup directly to my 4 gallon, instead of going from 20 ounce to 2 gallons, and then to 4 gallons. Does this sound feasible?

Alistair

[Alistair Young]

Also, if you have small plants (3 or 4 weeks old) in a big container must they be watered until all the soil in the pot is moistened, and the water begins to seep out of the holes at the bottom of the pots?
In an effort to eliminate too much moisture in the soil is it possible to water with only enough water to give the plants just what they need? Is it always necessary to water until all the soil in the pot is thoroughly moist from top to bottom even though the relatively small plants can't use all that water in a reasonable amount of time until they get bigger?

[Dubbaman]

IMO you can go right from the starter cups to your big potters and there shouldnt be any trrouble. as far as it goes when i transplant from a small cup to a big potter i always just water with the amount i was while in the small potter till the plant is bigger then i start uping the amount. Ive also started t ouse bigger starting potters too ive gone from the 20ozs to 1 gals which gives me time to let the plant grow past the 4 weeks mark for sexing then ill transplant and let stand in the new potter(usually 3-5-gals) for about another week then off for flowering. Ive also noticed that with the one gals i generally only water every 3rd day and use about half a qt (2 cups) of water, then witht he 3gal potters i use a half a gal of water and a full for the 5 gals.

[fishcabo]

For convenience, planting into a small pot with the germinated seeds works just fine. However, there seems to be myths about having to transplant up, then again and so on. By moving the plant into its final large pot after the seedling stage is best. Every time the roots reach the sides of the pot, the growth gets stunted a little bit. Maximum growth is achieved when the plant has maximum root growth ability. Last year I put one clone into a six foot diameter horse trough and the plant went absolutely nuts. The stem was as big as a bat by the time I havested. Regarding the soil going 'bad' over time, I don't think so. Nutrients and minerals don't evaporate into the air. They can however be leached out with excess water. Hope this helps.

[Timmyjg6]

Also, you transplant to keep the soil fresh, and all the goodies in it... Also if you work your way up than you wont waste as much nutrients while watering. The fact is, a happy plant is a healthy plant. And plants get happy when you introduce them to new soil..

[Alistair Young]

Well, thanks everybody. The reason I'm thinking about going from 20 ounce cups directly to 3 or 4 gallon containers is because as I said in another post I'm planning on being gone out of town for a week next month and I want to make sure that the plants will be in a pot big enough to hold enough water for about 8 days. I do know from experience that when I transplant from a 5 inch pot to 2 gallon pot the water seems to last about 7 or 8 days. However, these pots will hold water for that long only for a short time after transplant. After they get bigger they need more water. So, if I transplant into 2 gallon containers 2 to 3 weeks from now, by the time I leave for vacation in about 4 weeks from now the plants will already have been in their new pots for 1 to 2 weeks and the water in 2 gallon containers might not last for 8 days or so.

As I said in another post I can use Soil Moist (water absorbing polymers) and other methods to help with watering, but I'm not sure I want to use those methods; perhaps a 3 or 4 gallon container would work better than 2 gallon pots. Fish Cabo put his little clone into a huge horse trough and he had great results.

If I weren't going on vacation I wouldn't be asking these questions. I would simply transplant up as usual.

Thanks for your help; I find the advise helpful.


Alistair

[Alistair Young]

Not that anyone is still reading this post, but I remember something now: A long time ago ( my first grow about 10 years ago) I transplanted from Styrofoam cups right into their final pots, and everything went well. I believe the final pots were 3 or 4 gallon pots.

[pussum]

I start my seedlings in seedling pots. They then get transplanted into 10 cm pots. They stay here until I can tell sex (usually about 2-3 weeks old). As soon as they show sex they finally get transplanted into 2 gallon square pots.

Something that Hick said in the other thread is worth emphasising again. It is much easier to control water content in small pots. If you have a small plant in a big pot with a small root ball, it may not be able to take up all the water.
This can mean lack of oxygen for the roots and increased chances of mould ...plus also provides a breeding paradise for fungus gnats.

With proper ventillation and a good watchful eye, this problem can be averted easily. With smaller plants it is true their root structure isn't as deep or as large so it is safe to say they won't be sucking up large amount of water, but with a good breeze blowing through the chamber and not overwatering the plant, the remaining water will dry quickly and avoid the problem of fungas gnats. Fungus gnats, once they are past the larva stage, only hang around the first inch or so of soil so a good steady breeze will dry up the area efficently.

I say it is growers choice. They know their garden better than anyone. What works for one may not necessarily work for another so just use your best judgement. I don't like the risk or hassle of moving them from pot to pot. There are to many things that could go wrong. Once the plant is locked into a growing medium it shouldn't be bothered with. Of course that is just how I feel. My best results have come from plants that I just let do their thing. I try to focus on touching them and fussing with them as little as possible and just let nature do its thing.

Again, someone else had a question like this and the subject of peat pots and the like were brought up. These are always a good option as well as the plant doesn't actually have to be taken from the pot and put into another. The peat will slowly start to biodegrade as you water it allowing the roots to easily pop through and it doesn't stress the plant.

[tokemon]

How about transplanting during flowering?

[pussum]

When flowering the buds on the plant are starting to get heavy and weighted down with sweet sweet resin. If you decide to transplant late into flowering you are running the risk of the stems snapping in half as the weight combined with the jostling around of the plant becomes to much for it to handle and it buckles in on itself. Pretty much anytime you move the plant from one container to another you are risking injury to the plant so it is best to take care of transplanting as soon and as quickly as possible. I personally would not do it during any stage of flowering as there is always the possibility of stress and stunting its growth thus taking even longer for it to be ready.

[Alistair Young]

Well, transplanting has always been easy for me to do, and the plants have never seemed to have suffered. However, for this grow I want to transplant directly into the final pot, because I'll be leaving for about a week on vacation and I want the pot to be big enough to hold enough water for a week.

After reading the replies to my original question I am confident that even though 2 or 3 transplants is ideal, if done properly only 1 transplant into a big container should work fine.

Thanks,

Alistair

[Alistair Young]

PS.

In one of my other posts from sometime ago, I asked about transplanting during flowering and if I remember correctly, it was one person's opinion that doing it during flowering could be done safely as long as harvest was at least 4 weeks or so away.

[tokemon]

I transplanted mine into their final containers this morning. Interesting observation; The root ball was way more intense than I thought it would be. I figured they still had plenty of room, not! The roots were all around the outside touching their containers. The one plant with the wacky ph and leave stuff was in an old margarita bucket. It still smells of that stuff. I wonder if that residue is what is causing my problems?