Seedling Big Pot: Slow Growth & Transplanting

[Herby Green]

Heya 420..sup
A new hobby since high school is over,like boom 60 years ago..reading up..read read

An interesting theory here
What works for you
Seedlings Grow Slowly in Large Containers
Starting plants in large containers not only limits their potential, but it also slows them down. Large containers often do not retain adequate oxygen for root growth in the center of the media and the roots will grow at the edges and the bottom. This forces seedlings to invest additional energy in root growth at the expense of above ground growth. Since the above ground growth is the source of all energy, this has a compound effect in slowing vegetative growth early in life.

Starting seedlings in small containers and potting up encourages more balanced and faster growth. Roots quickly reach the bottom and colonize the seedling pot allowing the young seedling to work on above ground growth. Potting up to a second container and then the final container continues this process of balanced growth and root colonization.

Comments

 

[DakiniKush]

Heya 420..sup
A new hobby since high school is over,like boom 60 years ago..reading up..read read

An interesting theory here
What works for you
Seedlings Grow Slowly in Large Containers
Starting plants in large containers not only limits their potential, but it also slows them down. Large containers often do not retain adequate oxygen for root growth in the center of the media and the roots will grow at the edges and the bottom. This forces seedlings to invest additional energy in root growth at the expense of above ground growth. Since the above ground growth is the source of all energy, this has a compound effect in slowing vegetative growth early in life.

Starting seedlings in small containers and potting up encourages more balanced and faster growth. Roots quickly reach the bottom and colonize the seedling pot allowing the young seedling to work on above ground growth. Potting up to a second container and then the final container continues this process of balanced growth and root colonization.

Comments

I never up pot an auto. It doesnt take well with the short life span

 

[Glookies1]

It’s true. It’s also easy to overwater when the pot is too big.

Same with clones.

 

[MickFoster]

Can you provide a link to where you read this information?

 

[skirk]

I "transfer" my Autos' to 5 gal pot, day after sprout and at the end of grow have a five gallon root ball.

 

[013]

This is not a new theory, it’s been around forever. We call it the upcan and it works very well. This is standard fare for nursery plants, go buy a shrub to plant in your yard. This is exactly what they suggest. Scoring the rootball with a sterile knife encourages the plant to take over its new home.

This is great for photoperiod plants. It can be used on autos too but if done improperly it will stall out or stunt an autoflower, and that’s a fact - jack!

But a skilled grower with knowledge of proper watering tech can grow a small plant in a large container with no problems. For most people it’s faster & easier to just do the upcan.

This is simply common sense, it’s focused growing. Forget the plant, grow a monster rootball and that rootball will grow your plant. Plants actively build roots in veg, the dry cycle encourages fine white root hairs to grow. But when you flip to flower the plant stops growing new roots and uses existing roots.

The idea is to make the plant totally root bound before each transplant. Never upcan or transplant a weak plant. Work the wet dry cycle hard in veg. The foliage should extend beyond the edges of the container. The plant should be big enough and healthy enough that you have to water it every day. When plant meets these conditions then it’s rootbound & ready for upcan.

Most here start in 20 ounce cups, at first upcan jump into a 1 gallon container then for your final upcan the container should be 5 gallons minimum or larger is better. After switching to final container, I prefer to veg for 3 more weeks before flipping to flower.

This is written from the perspective of a soil grower. I don’t do coco, hempy or hydro,

 

[Herby Green]

Can you provide a link to where you read this information?

I cannot at this time,but thinking back as to what my concern was as I advance prepare for up potting.
I am not posting Links,sorry..reading and writing helps my memory bank
I had ordered a few 3 gal grow bags,but they never delivered for months.
So I managed to find 3-10's which seem overkill for a 3 foot strain (acid-hybrid

I just reared advice this way so as to plan ahead
First grow for me Mick,and alot to remember for an old fart.
Things come easy if you practised alot over time.
Its like learning to play guitar and remember chord sequence in a song.
Is it C D E G ...TO UPPOT ONCE or 4 times

 

[013]

I’ll hit on the question about uppotting. You don’t have to uppot X number of times but try to get the plant super healthy and root-bound before uppotting. Yes that plant in the small green pot looks ready for a new home.

 

[Herby Green]

I’ll hit on the question about uppotting. You don’t have to uppot X number of times but try to get the plant super healthy and root-bound before uppotting. Yes that plant in the small green pot looks ready for a new home.

Thanks bro..appreciate your comment,it helps alot to hear the pros suggestions.
#1 Hun held strong on the transfer ,topping & defol
#2 Huny did not like any changes to foliage trim & curled down and in.
She was the weaker from day one ,althou I waited two extra weeks to trim.

 

[013]

Hey Herby,

My pleasure! I’m definitely not a pro, but I’ve studied here a bit amongst some great growers and part of it is just common sense. Everybody brings something to the table!

Was this an autoflower? They can be real squirrelly to work with. They can also grow some great stuff provided they are not stunted. For whatever reason I’m not doing great with the autos myself. I prefer working with photos so I can flip when I’m ready. I will double down on my efforts with autos and learn how to not kill or stunt them one day!

 

[Nunyabiz]

I've never had a single problem planting a germinated seed directly into a 25 gallon fabric pot.
My seedlings grow as fast as any other except for maybe hydro.

Just need good soil properly aerated and lots of dissolved oxygen in your water.

Day 1
Planted seed directly into 25 gallon pot

Day 7

Day 19

Day 30

That's with good Living Organic Soil though, I basically don't even water the plant at all, I water my soil to keep it moist all over, the cover crop and worms keep the soil aerated, loose and airy I take care of the soil the soil takes care of the plant.

Day 42
Pretty fat stalk, lots of tight nodes and thick branches, massive root system.

Now if you just dumped a bag of Fox Farms or just about any bagged soil you can usually pick up at Home Depot into a 25 gallon plastic pot and tossed a seed into it you might need to do some creative watering and it would be good to dig a hole about the size of a solo cup and fill with seedling soil mixed with some fresh worm castings to plant your seed into and if you water in a circle around it a few times a day and slowly increase circle and depth of watering then you should be good to go.

The only time I've ever transplanted was when I planted into a solo cup about 10 days prior to harvesting so that I could get a jump on the next grow.

To help roots grow I add Aloe Vera to my water, plus super oxygenate the water to get as much dissolved oxygen as possible to the roots.