No Transplant Shock? Germinating Autoflowers

[markmaccaz]

Why do you let seedlings/cuttings root a ball before you transplant doesn't that cause transplant shock? So i don't and i never get stunted from transplanting. I was trying to find the best method for germinating autoflowers so here is what i've got:

Rockwool cubes in PH water, bang seeds in just under surface, cover lightly!, soak for 4 hours, use gravity once to drain, paper towel in tub with sealable lid, 26 degrees. Normally pop in 2 days! As soon as they pop i put them in there first and last 16L fabric pot.



(adjust PH to 5.6 if you are in hydro)
(adjust PH to 6.0 if you are in soil)

 

[fanleaf]

Why do you let seedlings/cuttings root a ball before you transplant doesn't that cause transplant shock? So i don't and i never get stunted from transplanting. I was trying to find the best method for germinating autoflowers so here is what i've got:


Rockwool cubes in PH water, bang seeds in just under surface, cover lightly!, soak for 4 hours, use gravity once to drain, paper towel in tub with sealable lid, 26 degrees. Normally pop in 2 days! As soon as they pop i put them in there first and last 16L fabric pot.



(adjust PH to 5.6 if you are in hydro)
(adjust PH to 6.0 if you are in soil)

Most growers (not all but most) never transplant auto's. Auto's tend to start and finish best in their final home right from the start.

I've never had an auto fail to germinate or ever be stunted from transplant because they never get transplanted. I wet 2 layers of paper towel, lay seeds on the wet towel, wet 2 more layers and cover them up. Put in a ziplock baggie in the dark in an environment between 75-85 degrees. Wait 18-24 hours, open them up and they are usually ready before 24 hours. I plant them tap root down 1/2 inch in my pre watered soil and lightly cover them with a light tap on top. This is all done in their 5-10 gallon final home right from the start.

I don't do hydro but I now do soiless (Promix). No adjusting anything pH wise because I use RO water. Actual soil for seedlings I still don't pH my RO water because theres no need at all. Soil feedings are 6.2-6.9 in slow swings once growing.

 

[fanleaf]

If your talking photo plants and not auto's then yes, up pot, up pot up pot. Letting the root ball develop helps big time. When you pull a pot off to up pot it's good to actually slice the root ball from the top down in 3 or 4 spots, then to the new bigger pot. Your roots will explode.