At up-pot, how deep to plant?

[Azimuth]

When I up-pot, I always plant the rootball in the new medium both at about the same height unless I have a leggy seedling in which case I'll bury the stem a bit since cannabis, like tomatoes, can grow new roots along its stem.

However, I was watching the latest episode of "Growing Belushi" and his new greenhouse was getting planted with clones and the professional growers insisted that the plants be planted with the rootball a couple of finger widths proud.

I know they do that in the nursery industry to keep newly planted trees above really poor soils, but I've never heard of that for our plants so I thought I'd ask the forum to see if anyone knows why this would be recommended.

The only thing I could think of was they were going to come by later and put a 2" mulch layer down and didn't want to bury the rootball. But, since you can bury the stem, it didn't make any sense to me.

Anyone have any thoughts as to why?

 

[Vegan4life]

It made no sense to me either... It is just a TV show, good for entertainment value. I would not take advice from it...

 

[Azimuth]

Right. But they seemed like serious growers that knew their stuff and they were quite adamant about planting them that certain way. So I thought I'd ask here and see if anyone knew a possible reason.

 

[Vegan4life]

I am sure there is a reason, you may be correct about mulch or top dress. They edit the filming, we are only seeing small bits of the grow.

 

[DV8]

I think its fine either way. To go to your question, if Im understanding your explanation properly, my best guess is by raising the root mass up a little it will create a slope where once you water it will tend toward the outer edge of the container which is where you want the new growth to work toward in veg.

That gap between medium and outer edge of the pot usually contracts in heat, and would be the area least compact in an up pot. Directing the water there would create more nutrient rich material to move there, and firm up the subsidence.

This would be much more relevant to an outdoors grow where it may rain.

Thats my best guess.

 

[Emilya Green]

However, I was watching the latest episode of "Growing Belushi" and his new greenhouse was getting planted with clones and the professional growers insisted that the plants be planted with the rootball a couple of finger widths proud.

My grandfather was an arborist and had several odd ways of doing things, so I would like to understand the question. Whatever it is you are describing here, it is not translating well here in Missouri. Could you please re-phrase this description into American english?

 

[013]

Hey Em,

I belive he is saying the video growers were placing the old rootball into the new container such that the aforementioned root ball sits about and 2 finger widths or approximately one inch higher than the surrounding soil…. but let’s get confirmation

 

[SmokingWings]

My grandfather was an arborist and had several odd ways of doing things, so I would like to understand the question. Whatever it is you are describing here, it is not translating well here in Missouri. Could you please re-phrase this description into American english?

And no translating available here but @013 is probably right but as mentioned it is best to wait.

As for planting depth at transplant I like to go with matching the soil line in the new pot most of the time. Lately I have been deliberately planting an inch or two lower than the previous soil line.

Most of my plants are clones and clones do not have the tap root that plants from seeds will produce. I figure it is a good way to stabilize the plant especially if it looks like the top growth might sway. The swaying could tear new thin roots and slow down the growth of a newer and larger root ball.

 

[Azimuth]

Hey Em,

I belive he is saying the video growers were placing the old rootball into the new container such that the aforementioned root ball sits about and 2 finger widths or approximately one inch higher than the surrounding soil…. but let’s get confirmation

Exactly right. And they were planting in long and wide beds in a greenhouse, not individual containers.

The show is on The Discovery Channel and it is the most recent episode from last week.

Whatever it is you are describing here, it is not translating well here in Missouri. Could you please re-phrase this description into American english?

I've never been accused of ESL. That was my attempt to describe it in American english.

 

[Bill284]

Exactly right. And they were planting in long and wide beds in a greenhouse, not individual containers.

The show is on The Discovery Channel and it is the most recent episode from last week.


I've never been accused of ESL. That was my attempt to describe it in American english.

I've always put my girls right at the top.
Not quite sticking out but humped up.
That way when you water 30 girls all at once you don't have as much work.
The water automatically runs to the outside of the pot.
I show the process in my Gorilla Glue clone thread.
Explains the whole process.
Here is a pic from it.
You can see how it's higher in the center.

Stay safe
Bill

 

[SmokingWings]

I've never been accused of ESL. That was my attempt to describe it in American english.

It is the 'proud' in the phrase "couple of finger widths proud." that threw me.

 

[Azimuth]

It is the 'proud' in the phrase "couple of finger widths proud." that threw me.

Ahhh, OK. I should have used a different description.

"Proud" is used a lot in the woodworking/construction industry to describe the instance of matching two different pieces of wood together where one has a bit of a "reveal" (it sticks out a bit from the other). It makes for a more interesting joint than having the two pieces "flush" with each other.

It is seen on door and window "trim" a lot where there is a series of indents, one piece offset a bit from the next. Also seen a lot when building a fireplace mantle with layering several pieces of molding.

Looks like a series of small, broad steps, where one layer sits "proud" or slightly higher or offset from the layer right next to it.

 

[SmokingWings]

Ahhh, OK. I should have used a different description.

"Proud" is used a lot in the woodworking/construction industry to describe the instance of matching two different pieces of wood together where one has a bit of a "reveal" (it sticks out a bit from the other). It makes for a more interesting joint than having the two pieces "flush" with each other.

It is seen on door and window "trim" a lot where there is a series of indents, one piece offset a bit from the next. Also seen a lot when building a fireplace mantle with layering several pieces of molding.

Looks like a series of small, broad steps, where one layer sits "proud" or slightly higher or offset from the layer right next to it.

Got it. I have noticed the effect before. Looking up I can see it on the original mantle and on then on the tops of the two bookcases which were built to match when we moved in.

After I transplant a with the plant an inch or two below the soil line I will add some extra soil around the stem for the reason mentioned above; to help get water to roll off towards the edges of the pot.

As in "standing tall and proud".

 

[Emilya Green]

I don't see the logic behind this practice, unless it is your desire to have bare roots showing at the top surface of the planter. I do basically the opposite here. I rough up the top surface of the smaller rootball, right to the point where I can see the bare roots just under the surface. Then I uppot this roughed up rootball so that it is slightly below the surface of the new soil... I want fresh new soil to surround my uppotted plant, on all sides. To each his/her own as they say... I wish Granddad was still around so I could ask him about this, but he was a proponent of quartering the old rootball, intentionally causing stress on the upplanting, so no telling what he would have to say about this.