Would Transplanting to 5 Gal Direct From Seedling...

Harry Red · 07-24-2008, 06:11 PM

..promote a more stacked plant with shorter internodal lengths on the main stem, assuming you kept your lights close enough?

Thanks!

Harry

Racefan · 07-24-2008, 08:34 PM

Keeping your light close is what will keep your internodes tight. That and your enviroment (temps). By going directly to a large container you will slow top growth and end up with a root bound plant faster than if you worked up to 5 gal. containers over a couple of transplants. Nothing worse than watching a plant yellow and wither at 5 weeks into 12/12 because they are overly root bound and while I've done it, it's a pain in the ass to transplant a 6 foot tall plant from a 5 gallon pail into a bigger container just to finish a grow.

Harry Red · 07-24-2008, 11:17 PM

Thanks RaceFan. I didn't realize that temps (heat I assume) made that big of difference. Good to know.

Suppose were were looking at only 3' to 4' foot plants. I'm seeing others who go direct to 5/6 gallon buckets with those size plants without becoming root bound.

In that case, would planting direct from seedling promote a more stacked plant, assuming the lighting and temps were optimal?

Thanks!

Harry

Racefan · 07-25-2008, 02:27 AM

Size of container doesn't really affect internodal stretch a lot that I know of. Strain, temps and light intensity play a huge role. To utilize temps to stop internodal stretch you would want to keep day and night temps as close together as possible. Ideal temps that we quote to new growers calls for a 10 to 15 degree difference. By not allowing that difference the plants don't stretch as much. There was a nice write up about it at one of the major mags. Either high times or cannabis culture that was called.. "What's the dif?" It was copied and pasted here by smoking ***** but he titled it differently. You might try searching here at 420mag for internodal stretch or temp difference or as a last resort under his posts but that might take a while as there was a lot of them.lol There has been several discussions about this before so some info is available.
Try it both ways with the same strain and equal conditions, feed and care and judge for yourself about yield and vigor. You seem to want to believe what a few others have done or gotten away with over the tried and true basics and the only way to find the answers that pertain to your personal grow is to see for yourself. But I will bet my favorite hat that the plant that is transplanted in stages will outdo the plant that is just placed directly into a huge container.

Harry Red · 07-25-2008, 09:42 PM

Thanks for the great insight RaceFan.

So just so that I understand... all things being equal in terms of light and temp, transplanting from seedling into a large enough pot to avoid becoming root bound, would not limit internodal stretch any more than using staged transplants.

The advantage would be that no transplanting would be necessary but the disadvantage would be that it may take a little longer for plant growth, because more energy would be directed toward root growth. The fact that energy is directed more toward growing roots will not affect the internodal lengths of the plant as it grows.

Does that about sum it up?

Harry

macbeard · 10-16-2008, 12:22 AM

I'm on my second grow. The first went right into the 5-gallon from the peat pot I sprouted it from. I grew it to about 3 feet tall and yielded 48 sweet grams. When I took out the rootstock, though, I could see that the plant was pretty rootbound. I am now growing a plant that was transplanted to a 2-quart and then 2-gallon and finally a 5-gallon pot when I began flowering, and the plant is just thriving. I vegged it as long as my first grow, but it has like twice as much bud weight at least with 3 weeks left to harvest and the thing eats and drinks way more than my first plant. I reccomend transplanting.

macbeard

Bee23 · 11-25-2008, 03:05 PM

Do the containers have drainage? I see some plastic bags that are customized for potting are they good?

Looking for an inexpensive container that's good.

oks226 · 11-25-2008, 04:46 PM

those plastic containers are okay for a cheap container, but keep in mind it is easy to damage the roots using those if you like to move your plants around.

Bee23 · 11-25-2008, 04:51 PM

Thank-you!! What type of container do you reccomend -3 gallon buckets? I amnot sure how I could flush a plant that didn't have drainage.

oks226 · 11-26-2008, 10:09 AM

you can get pretty decent black, hard-plastic flower pots at any store with a lawn and garden section, they should only cost 2-3 dollars. I upgraded to these about 4 months ago and it makes my life oh so much easier to move the ladies. Plus you can easily re-use them with a quick rinse out. They should all have drainage holes, if they dont then just drill some holes yourself.