When to transplant an auto seedling in a Solo cup?

[jokerlola]

In my current outdoor auto grow, I started the seeds in their final 5 gal pots because my last year auto grow stunted after starting them in Solos and transplanting. Well, 2 of my plants in this year’s grow have stunted as well despite starting them in their final pots.
So I decided to crack another seed and do a little experimenting so I’m thinking of starting it in a Solo cup and up potting into the 5 gal. When is the best point to transplant an auto from a Solo to the next pot and how many up pots to the 5 gal?

I have 1 gal and 2 gal nursery pots and the final 5 gal Smart Pot (fabric). What is the best sequence to up pot an auto?

 

[Phytoplankton]

Let the seedling get big enough that you have a nice root ball in the solo cup, then put them into their final homes (5 gal). Though some up pot a couple times, I've found that with autos once is about all you want to do.

 

[Emilya Green]

It is very important to use the wet/dry cycle so that you can "see" exactly how much water your plant is using. The reason this is so extremely important in an Auto is that about a week into the grow, an Auto will stall all on its own. If you continue to water, not recognizing the stall, you can quickly harm your plant, and as we all have heard, if you upset an Auto in the very least she will stunt out.

Please read my watering article found below in my signature lines and become familiar with the concept of letting that cup go dry all the way to the bottom between waterings, and how to recognize that it has done so. By measuring the days between fully wet to fully dry, you will "see" your roots and how fast they are sucking up that water.

So the first task is to not water so much that you lose sight of the water cycle. The days between watering will start out around 5-6 days if you are doing this right, but those quickly growing Auto roots will seek out every bit of water that is in that cup, and on the second round they will only go 3-4 days before needing another drink unless you are in the stalling out period, and then that next watering might take 7-10 days before it is needed. Be patient. If you recognize when the plant has started using up water again and give her water at the end of that long drought when she is fully dry down to the bottom, she will leap into action. Because you are forcing the plant to grow new roots between waterings the next watering may be 2-3 days away if all is going right and after that next watering you need to think about transplanting, because when she needs water again in just a day or two, it will be the perfect time to transplant her. The buffer that keeps you from having to water every day, your soil, has just reached is point of diminishing returns and it is time to put her in the next sized container. With Autos as fast as they move, it is usually ok to go to your final right out of the solo cup... that is, if you can see from your wet/dry cycle that she has indeed earned the roots necessary to move on.

 

[jokerlola]

It is very important to use the wet/dry cycle so that you can "see" exactly how much water your plant is using. The reason this is so extremely important in an Auto is that about a week into the grow, an Auto will stall all on its own. If you continue to water, not recognizing the stall, you can quickly harm your plant, and as we all have heard, if you upset an Auto in the very least she will stunt out.

Please read my watering article found below in my signature lines and become familiar with the concept of letting that cup go dry all the way to the bottom between waterings, and how to recognize that it has done so. By measuring the days between fully wet to fully dry, you will "see" your roots and how fast they are sucking up that water.

So the first task is to not water so much that you lose sight of the water cycle. The days between watering will start out around 5-6 days if you are doing this right, but those quickly growing Auto roots will seek out every bit of water that is in that cup, and on the second round they will only go 3-4 days before needing another drink unless you are in the stalling out period, and then that next watering might take 7-10 days before it is needed. Be patient. If you recognize when the plant has started using up water again and give her water at the end of that long drought when she is fully dry down to the bottom, she will leap into action. Because you are forcing the plant to grow new roots between waterings the next watering may be 2-3 days away if all is going right and after that next watering you need to think about transplanting, because when she needs water again in just a day or two, it will be the perfect time to transplant her. The buffer that keeps you from having to water every day, your soil, has just reached is point of diminishing returns and it is time to put her in the next sized container. With Autos as fast as they move, it is usually ok to go to your final right out of the solo cup... that is, if you can see from your wet/dry cycle that she has indeed earned the roots necessary to move on.

Thank you!

What about the theory that autos go into flowering when the tap root hits the bottom of the pot? Any validity to that?

 

[Roy Growin]

Thank you!

What about the theory that autos go into flowering when the tap root hits the bottom of the pot? Any validity to that?

No, none whatsoever
Busy doing autos for the last 15 yrs or so - I start them in cups, then 1gal plastic, then 3gal cloth if they go wild

 

[Emilya Green]

Thank you!

What about the theory that autos go into flowering when the tap root hits the bottom of the pot? Any validity to that?

not even one speck of truth in that myth. That is the first job of the young seedling, to find out where the bottom is. In a solo cup, that happens on day 2 above ground.