AllSmiles 2017 Organic Grow Using Recycled Soil

[brightlight]

2+ oz organic in 2's doable.

 

[CareStaker]

Some nice bushes in the making.

 

[AllSmiles]

They are starting to take off

I may go back to using fabric pots only on the final pot. Transplanting from a fabric pot is very delicate. The soil on the outside crumbles and you see tiny root hairs from the air pruning. A nice chunk of soil, about the size of a tennis ball, fell off of the Lani during transplant with tiny roots every where. Stressed the crap out of her. She took a little over a week to recover but really vegging nicely now. Pluse with a regular pot I can dust the roots nicely with Mykos before transplanting.

 

[brightlight]

If you want to retain the benefits of soft pots, there are some w/ velcro lined openings on the side to facilitate transplanting. My experience is that the root systems in soft pots are on another level compared to hard pots....viva la air pruning.

 

[AllSmiles]

Totally agree with you on the root system for smart pots. The transplanting out of them is the crappy part

I actually cut a slit down one side and tie it together with 3 strings. Then just cut the 3 strings to open and transplant

It's still a pain in the arse. Maybe I'll cut a slit down the other side as well and give that a try

 

[brightlight]

When I use to go to Max Yield they'd hand out all kinds of pots.....besides the velcro slit ones there's also one w/ drawstring pull tie on top. Had decent success w/ these transplanter types when I ran reg seeds outside. Know what you mean tho...that's why I plant into final pot & no transplanting.

 

[Governmentchz]

I use plastic 1 gal pots to veg in. They can get good size and a great root ball in the 1 gal. Then I go straight to 7 gal fabric pots to finish. I typically give them a solid week post-transplant to dig in to the new pots before flipping.

I have about a dozen 1 gal softies that I haven't used in a couple years. Doubt I ever will again tbh.

 

[CareStaker]

Doing the same as Gov. Plastic 1g>7g. I like the thicker roots of the plastic, to dig into the new soil of the 7g, then fill it with back-branching from pruning. Going from plastic to fabric though, I've found some time is needed by some strains that don't have aggressive roots. Some take an extra week or two to get their feet under themselves.

 

[AllSmiles]

When I use to go to Max Yield they'd hand out all kinds of pots.....besides the velcro slit ones there's also one w/ drawstring pull tie on top. Had decent success w/ these transplanter types when I ran reg seeds outside. Know what you mean tho...that's why I plant into final pot & no transplanting.

I'm gonna have to try that one day. Just pop my jiffy pellet straight into 2 gal pot. Speaking of 2 gal pots I have 2 more plants that will get flowered out in 2 gals

I use plastic 1 gal pots to veg in. They can get good size and a great root ball in the 1 gal. Then I go straight to 7 gal fabric pots to finish. I typically give them a solid week post-transplant to dig in to the new pots before flipping.

I have about a dozen 1 gal softies that I haven't used in a couple years. Doubt I ever will again tbh.

Right there with ya Gov. Going to go back to the plastic pots right before transplant to final smart pot. I love being able to see the roots and dust them with Azos and Mykos before transplanting. Never really had much stress during transplant with plastic pots.


Another quick update. I started spraying 2 of the clones with CS to reverse the plants for fem pollen. No changes to my normal ways except this time clones are ~3 weeks since cuttings as to before they when directly to flower after 10 days from cut. So plants are much bigger and vegging more vigorous then before.
I sprayed the whole plant first 2 days of 12/12.

Then I just focus on the inter nodal growth and will stop spraying at first sign of nuts That's usually around 14 days.

And here are the clones to receive pollen. I decided to transplant them to 2 gal pots to flower out as they almost needed watering twice a day. Just got done transplanting them I won't seed the entire plant as I just don't need that many seeds.

And a quick shot of the 7 gal girls. They are doing great. Gave them a full defol 4 days ago. Here they are today. Lani in the front and Mazar in the back.

All will be on flower schedule in the next week

 

[AllSmiles]

Doing the same as Gov. Plastic 1g>7g. I like the thicker roots of the plastic, to dig into the new soil of the 7g, then fill it with back-branching from pruning. Going from plastic to fabric though, I've found some time is needed by some strains that don't have aggressive roots. Some take an extra week or two to get their feet under themselves.

Ha, this came in while I was doing my update I've noticed on 2 plants now transplanting from fabric pot that they take a good week or 2 to get back to normal. Haven't had that issue from plastic but I'll keep a look out. They weren't the same strains so that's probably the main reason for the slow response.

 

[CareStaker]

I think it only matters if you are flipping soon after xplant. If you xplant and flip the next week, certain strains/plants won't fill the 7g fully. I'm giving all plants a little more time to acclimate in their final pots. Coco/hydro prob only need one week. My soil girls sometimes need 2 weeks or a little more - at minimum.

 

[AllSmiles]

I'm with ya. Two weeks is the minimum for me these days.

 

[Conradino23]

They are starting to take off

I may go back to using fabric pots only on the final pot. Transplanting from a fabric pot is very delicate. The soil on the outside crumbles and you see tiny root hairs from the air pruning. A nice chunk of soil, about the size of a tennis ball, fell off of the Lani during transplant with tiny roots every where. Stressed the crap out of her. She took a little over a week to recover but really vegging nicely now. Pluse with a regular pot I can dust the roots nicely with Mykos before transplanting.

That's why I advise air-pots. You basically unscrew two screws and the whole pot unwraps. You have full rootball untouched and you can just replant it into a new one.

 

[CareStaker]

Those girls are looking pretty shiny man.

 

[AllSmiles]

That's why I advise air-pots. You basically unscrew two screws and the whole pot unwraps. You have full rootball untouched and you can just replant it into a new one.

I wondered about that with air pots. You look at it and there is no way to pull the plant out for transplant. So it comes apart. Nice. Seen them online but never checked it out at the store. There's a local hydro store that carries it. I need to check it out.

Those girls are looking pretty shiny man.

The clones are gleaming aren't they! I really let them roots come out of the jiffy before transplant. Dusted them nicely with mykos/azos. Also mixed some elemental into the soil with a tiny bit of epsom. It's turning out nice so far.

 

[AllSmiles]

Here is Lani2 at day 23 of flower schedule. Pretty damn frosty at this point in flower.

Dug thru my old journals to make sure I'm not just stoned and sure enough this is frostier than anything I've grown at this stage in flower. She absolutely reeks of skunk and pine as well. Very excited for this one Gov!

Wish I had put this one in the 7 gal instead of the other lani (still hoping she surprises). They appear to be the same pheno but the lani1 in 7 gal is a picky girl that does not like to be transplanted. The lani1 clone that I transplanted to 2 gal to receive pollen the other day is stressed and droopy as well. Displaying same behavior as the one that went in 7 gal that took over a week to recover. Mazar had no issues with transplant and Lani2 does not display this behavior either. Gonna see if I can self pollinate Lani 2 as she is the one getting sprayed with CS. May even pollinate one of the lower branches on current flowering lani 2 and just let that branch go 30 days even if chop of other branches happens before then.

 

[CareStaker]

I've got the same going on with my 707. I've found that sometimes the girls that don't like transplants, don't like wet feet. Maybe try adding more structure or perlite next run, if you keep her around long term...which why wouldn't you, she looks fire.

 

[brightlight]

Insanely healthy. All that one could ask for in early flower.

TBH I've never fully understood the near universal practice of increasing pot size at flower....unless grower seeks considerable increased plant size after going to 12/12. Root growth imo will mostly reach near max for size pot by end of veg. & transition. (My roots were actually too good & full at flip on current group. I could tell by feeling & squeezing sides of pots.) At that point I feel if I can keep a healthy root zone via proper feeding & soil conditions, then no real need for the added volume of soil by transplanting. Surely benefit of fresh added soil, but then could throw off soil chemistry that is desired in flower. Staying in original pot also speeds up flower period due to no transplant stall. Only throwing out my 2 cents because I know you guys. Realize my views are heresy compared to general beliefs & practice.

 

[AllSmiles]

I've got the same going on with my 707. I've found that sometimes the girls that don't like transplants, don't like wet feet. Maybe try adding more structure or perlite next run, if you keep her around long term...which why wouldn't you, she looks fire.

Definitely going to keep her for the long run. The one in 7 gal is vegging nicely and very healthy. I'm sure this one will recover too but was planning to flip tomorrow so no time for her to recover. No biggy as I have the mom in 7 gal. I'll just pollinate a bud on the mom and see what this one does during flower.

Good call on the perlite. That's the only thing I didn't add on this recycled soil run. I'm sure perlite breaks down over time. I hope that's all it is. I've never had these transplant issues on plants before. Makes me think it has something to do with the recycled soil as this happened to SD2 last run.

Insanely healthy. All that one could ask for in early flower.

TBH I've never fully understood the near universal practice of increasing pot size at flower....unless grower seeks considerable increased plant size after going to 12/12. Root growth imo will mostly reach near max for size pot by end of veg. & transition. (My roots were actually too good & full at flip on current group. I could tell by feeling & squeezing sides of pots.) At that point I feel if I can keep a healthy root zone via proper feeding & soil conditions, then no real need for the added volume of soil by transplanting. Surely benefit of fresh added soil, but then could throw off soil chemistry that is desired in flower. Staying in original pot also speeds up flower period due to no transplant stall. Only throwing out my 2 cents because I know you guys. Realize my views are heresy compared to general beliefs & practice.

Thanks BL! Lani 2 is looking to be top shelf smoke!

You bring up very good points. Gonna try growing with no transplant on next years run on some plants in 2 or 3 gal pots. Got my eye on a few air pots Just not sure on which size yet.

I normally transplant to get bigger plants for a bigger harvest and let them go for another 2/3 weeks before flip. These 2 clones I transplanted because they were needing watered almost twice a day. Didn't want to deal with that during flowering. The current girls in 7 gals have been in there close to 2 1/2 weeks now.

The main reasons I personally like transplanting is to save on electricity, extend LED life, and minimize space as I can start out in solo cups and keep them close together and flower all the seedlings under 1 cfl light. Then when they go to 2 gal I can keep under one LED. Putting them in a final 7 gal pot from start to finish would take up a lot of space as well as cause the plants not to be directly under one light unless I use 2 lights which would be a waste of energy during the first 5/6 weeks of their life when they are on for 18 hours.

Thanks for all the feedback and advise guys! I truly appreciate it!


Just snapped a pic of lani1 to show how badly she reacted to transplant. Mazar is on the left in first pic. She's actually perked up now but you can see the yellowing it caused. Seems she recovered a little faster which is nice.

This was her 3 days ago before transplant.

Looks like she just locks herself up at transplant.

 

[brightlight]

Your approach makes sense on multiple levels, but especially since you continue to veg for several more wks. I read how so many transplant right at light flip, sometimes from small to med or large pots. Never made sense to me since root growth slows way down after stretch. Would seem lots of added soil would be underutilized.

Maybe the pH in the pre & post transplant soils was too much for the one w/ the Mg problem? Looks like you fixed her up well.