Transplanting for the first time, what should I know?

[Passive Jay]

Moving the clones I got from the one gallon pots they came in to 3 gallon pots in a day or two. Anything I should know?

Let with no info at all this is what I would do, please correct as neede

I would fill the 3 gallon pot up to about where the bottom of the one gallon pot would be, tamp down the soil just a little. Take the clone. Put my palm over the soil with the stem between two of my fingers. flip the pot over so that it dumps the root ball into my palm (hopefully!). Flip it back over and place it in the pot, (if it is obvious that the plant will be way below an inch of so of the pot rim I will add some more soil real quick). then I will fill in the space around the root stem with more soil, also tamping down very slightly, filling until the soil level is about an inch below the pot rim.

Then I will water it as I am timing it need a watering anyway since I read you should water it well after a transplant.

Ok, I am sure I am missing something or have something wrong so please school me!

 

[AliceGG]

I'm no expert on the topic, but I think you can put your 1gal pot right into the soil of the new pot so that way you will form the shape of your smaller pot in the soil. After that just pull the whole rootball out and put it in the pre-shaped hole in the larger pot. You should also let the 1gal pot dry out, this way the rootball would more likely stay in one piece.
Good luck!

 

[Johnny5thesim]

What I did, was to watch a whole bunch of YouTube videos. Nothing better then seeing it being done. I would suggest that for sure. After watching many vids, I was able to transplant with confidence. And with zero shock to the plants.

I went from a solo straight into 5 gallon. Next time I’ll likely up pot a few times. To avoid watering issues.

 

[Greenlizard]

Sounds like you got it down pat Jay. Take a deep breath and roll one.

The only thing I would add to that is I would squeeze the current pot they are in a little bit to seperate the pot from the root ball just before flipping it over to remove the plant.
Also as AliceGG already mentioned I also like to place the pot inside the new pot on top of a few inches of soil and then fill in around it to mold the shape.
I also use a spray bottle with ph'ed water in it and spray the interior of the new hole just before placing the plant inside. This is to reduce shock and roots hate a dry course surface.

Get er' done!

 

[Leappy]

What I did, was to watch a whole bunch of YouTube videos. Nothing better then seeing it being done. I would suggest that for sure. After watching many vids, I was able to transplant with confidence. And with zero shock to the plants.

I went from a solo straight into 5 gallon. Next time I’ll likely up pot a few times. To avoid watering issues.

How did your plant cope from solo to 5 gallon.. I keep hearing that they prefer up potting.. considering going from solo to finish pot.. let me know

 

[Johnny5thesim]

How did your plant cope from solo to 5 gallon.. I keep hearing that they prefer up potting.. considering going from solo to finish pot.. let me know

It went well for the most part. I avoided saturating my pots, while they were still small. I would just water from the middle out to the leaf edge and slowly expand as they grew wider.

Around four weeks I started to see yellowing tips on two of the four. Which I attributed to either windburn, or perhaps salt buildup because I was not watering to run off. At that point, the plants were now large enough, that I started watering to run off.

Within a few days I seen the yellowing recede. And it’s been smooth sailing ever since.

I am using pro mix HP as a medium.

 

[Johnny5thesim]

I originally avoided doing excess transplanting, because I was more concerned about damaging the root system and shocking the plant. But once I actually did the transplant, I realized how easy it actually is. You just have to be careful and make sure you’re confident in doing it.

I will likely add a middle size for transplant next time. So that I can water to runoff without concern of overwatering. Or more so, the potential for root rot etc, that might come from not drying out fast enough because my plant is so tiny in there. And isn’t able to drink it fast enough. Which was actually my main concern.

 

[Hdinkleman]

Moving the clones I got from the one gallon pots they came in to 3 gallon pots in a day or two. Anything I should know?

Let with no info at all this is what I would do, please correct as neede

I would fill the 3 gallon pot up to about where the bottom of the one gallon pot would be, tamp down the soil just a little. Take the clone. Put my palm over the soil with the stem between two of my fingers. flip the pot over so that it dumps the root ball into my palm (hopefully!). Flip it back over and place it in the pot, (if it is obvious that the plant will be way below an inch of so of the pot rim I will add some more soil real quick). then I will fill in the space around the root stem with more soil, also tamping down very slightly, filling until the soil level is about an inch below the pot rim.

Then I will water it as I am timing it need a watering anyway since I read you should water it well after a transplant.

Ok, I am sure I am missing something or have something wrong so please school me!

one thing i always do is try to put a little bit extra in the top, not pack it down or anything but put some extra than meeting the top of your pot.
reason being is when you first water in the new pot your soil or coco or whatever kinda settles and sinks in a little bit past the lid. but thats just me.
oh yeah and also i bury the stem in as much as possible so i can get as much height as i can, the plant will actually shoot some roots out of the stem which is closer to the top if the soil that will be closer when the suction effect pulls oxygen down into the medium when you water

 

[Hdinkleman]

I originally avoided doing excess transplanting, because I was more concerned about damaging the root system and shocking the plant. But once I actually did the transplant, I realized how easy it actually is. You just have to be careful and make sure you’re confident in doing it.

I will likely add a middle size for transplant next time. So that I can water to runoff without concern of overwatering. Or more so, the potential for root rot etc, that might come from not drying out fast enough because my plant is so tiny in there. And isn’t able to drink it fast enough. Which was actually my main concern.

yeah super easy, i like to wait to uppot till the plants have a really good root ball too, youd be suprised how big a plant can get in a small container
oh yeah and use airpots or smart pots so you dont have to worry about the rootbound either

 

[ChefDGreen]

@Passive Jay i think what you’re planning will work just fine, make sure to disturb the root ball as little as possible.
Also, add a little water to the soil you’re planning to use and mix it in; it helps the absorption of water later when you’re watering. It can sometimes be difficult to initially wet completely dry potting soil.
When you press down your soil you can press it down fairly firmly. You’re looking for firm, but still spongy.

 

[ChefDGreen]

I'm no expert on the topic, but I think you can put your 1gal pot right into the soil of the new pot so that way you will form the shape of your smaller pot in the soil. After that just pull the whole rootball out and put it in the pre-shaped hole in the larger pot. You should also let the 1gal pot dry out, this way the rootball would more likely stay in one piece.
Good luck!

For me, I like to have the plant be 1-2 days after a watering so the ball is not completely wet or dry. I find that some of the soil on the top of the root ball tends to fall off if the soil is completely dry. Keep in mind my potting soil is mixed with ~30% perlite, so everything dries out pretty quickly

 

[Sctanley007]

I'm no expert on the topic, but I think you can put your 1gal pot right into the soil of the new pot so that way you will form the shape of your smaller pot in the soil. After that just pull the whole rootball out and put it in the pre-shaped hole in the larger pot. You should also let the 1gal pot dry out, this way the rootball would more likely stay in one piece.
Good luck!

Exactly what I do...but I keep the rootball damp. Personal preference, I tend to transplant too early so the moisture holds the soil together I think.

 

[Sctanley007]

For me, I like to have the plant be 1-2 days after a watering so the ball is not completely wet or dry. I find that some of the soil on the top of the root ball tends to fall off if the soil is completely dry. Keep in mind my potting soil is mixed with ~30% perlite, so everything dries out pretty quickly

@AliceGG and @ChefDGreen I do the same and transplant a day after watering so the soil is damp. The plants never even notice.

 

[Leappy]

It went well for the most part. I avoided saturating my pots, while they were still small. I would just water from the middle out to the leaf edge and slowly expand as they grew wider.

Around four weeks I started to see yellowing tips on two of the four. Which I attributed to either windburn, or perhaps salt buildup because I was not watering to run off. At that point, the plants were now large enough, that I started watering to run off.

Within a few days I seen the yellowing recede. And it’s been smooth sailing ever since.

I am using pro mix HP as a medium.

Thanks for the info Johnny.. appreciate all the help

 

[Hdinkleman]

Thanks for the info Johnny.. appreciate all the help

i like to bury the stem up to as much as i can, did i already say that i dont remeber but this is a before and after

 

[OldSchoolToker]

Yes I think you have some really good advise and the only thing I have to add is to spray the hole the new root ball is going into then sprinkle some micros powder into the moistened hole and the root ball prior to placing it into the new pot. This will create a symbiotic relationship between the roots and the mychro-hyzae who will bond to the roots and break down all the food sources in the soil making it readily available to the plant and the plant gives sugar to the mycho fungus and thus a symbiotic relationship.

 

[Hdinkleman]

Yes I think you have some really good advise and the only thing I have to add is to spray the hole the new root ball is going into then sprinkle some micros powder into the moistened hole and the root ball prior to placing it into the new pot. This will create a symbiotic relationship between the roots and the mychro-hyzae who will bond to the roots and break down all the food sources in the soil making it readily available to the plant and the plant gives sugar to the mycho fungus and thus a symbiotic relationship.

yes exactly, i use great white which i believe is same thing or similar

 

[OldSchoolToker]

Yes great white is one type it does the same thing.