Stunted growth

[AllGrowUp]

Hello
So I am having an issue with my grows. Every grow I have done starts off awesome. Germination goes good, nice long tap roots plant them in a nice medium to sprout. Plants pot and first 10 to 14 days the girls thrive good roots 3 or 4 nods. Then I transplant into my 5 gallon pots to veg. I wait a few days to alleviate the stress of transplanting and top the plants. They start bushing out and then they just stop growing. I don’t know what I’m doing it happens every time. I’ve tried different strains ( blue Dream, white widow , GSC , Dosidos, black Domina , Alaskan purp ) and different breakers
Farmers Lab, Crop King, Seedsman, Seed Kings.
so I’m convinced it is something I am doing. My soil is Gaia Green living soil , Fabric air pots, 2000w cob led lights 451 real wats at the wall. Use 3 in my 8X4 tent please if there is someone with some real experience that could help me with some thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Old Salt]

Hello
So I am having an issue with my grows. Every grow I have done starts off awesome. Germination goes good, nice long tap roots plant them in a nice medium to sprout. Plants pot and first 10 to 14 days the girls thrive good roots 3 or 4 nods. Then I transplant into my 5 gallon pots to veg. I wait a few days to alleviate the stress of transplanting and top the plants. They start bushing out and then they just stop growing. I don’t know what I’m doing it happens every time. I’ve tried different strains ( blue Dream, white widow , GSC , Dosidos, black Domina , Alaskan purp ) and different breakers
Farmers Lab, Crop King, Seedsman, Seed Kings.
so I’m convinced it is something I am doing. My soil is Gaia Green living soil , Fabric air pots, 2000w cob led lights 451 real wats at the wall. Use 3 in my 8X4 tent please if there is someone with some real experience that could help me with some thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I do it a little differently. I don't let the tap root get very long, only 1/8" - 1/4" (3-6mm) before planting the seeds in 4" (10 cm) nursery pots. I find I don't damage the tap roots during transplant if they are this short. I let them grow to the fourth or fifth node, and top them. Once the branches start to grow, I transplant them. If I see circling roots during the transplant , I cut through them. They take off within a week or two, as the first thing they'll do is send out more roots into the new soil.

You'll find lots of good information for soil growing in Emilya's current journal. Her paper, 'The Proper Way to Water a Potted Plant' is considered a must read for soil growing.

 

[AllGrowUp]

Thank you. I’ll have a read and I appreciate the info

 

[bobrown14]

Try NOT topping and be sure as mentioned to NOT damage the tap root.

The main root and the main shoot (you are topping) do very similar functions. Damaging either one will stunt growth. Damaging tap root is VERY bad.

What's going to go wrong if you don't "top" your plant?

Try it you might be surprised. The only reason I will top plants is to slow down growth in VEG IF I can't put them into flower when the time is right. Meaning I don't have any room so I will top a good size plant give it a few weeks to get back to normal. That gives me time and is the only reason I would top a plant.

Lots of people will have a different opinion but topping reduces yields among other issues. It's not a requirement to grow cannabis like you read about in forums. Its a tool like I use it for.


Here's a good read - I pulled out a very important part of the literature so that you get the idea of what I just posted above:

"Apical meristem is crucial in extending both access to nutrients and water via the roots and access to light energy via the leaves. Plants must expand in both of these directions in order to be successful."

Apical Meristem = the main stem of the plant and there is also one for the root system.

Here's the read on it:

Apical Meristem

 

[AllGrowUp]

Man thanks I appreciate all the info. Both threads make sense and I have a couple different avenues now

 

[Emilya Green]

Hi @AllGrowUp and welcome to the forum!

Since this is a repeated and continual problem I agree with you that it is something fundamental that you are doing wrong, and I suspect strongly that it is the way you water your plants, and that the error you are making by keeping the bottom of the container continually wet, really gets bad about the time you transplant to the large container and completely lose control over the watering cycle.
I am curious as to your thoughts after you read my entire watering thread... don't just stop with the initial post... some insights were gained along the way that are very valuable.

 

[AllGrowUp]

Thanks Emilya
I will definitely have a read. I’m a researcher of information and any new material I’m down with looking into.

Thank you

 

[Dusted]

Welcome to 420 forum. There is a lot of good information and people here.

 

[AllGrowUp]

Thanks Dusted