When to transpot

[Doctor Trevor]

Velma and Daphne are currently in one quart plastic containers (see attached). The containers have numerous holes drilled in the bottoms for drainage. With the exception of feeding time, the containers are wrapped in aluminum foil to protect the roots from light.

The roots are coming in nicely, though I see nothing in the top third of the containers. In between feedings, I spray a little water on the soil just to keep the top moist. Given this, shouldn't there be some visible roots along the container in the top third of the soil.

I plan on transpotting in two weeks, placing the plants in 3 gallon cloth buckets.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[skirk]

I transfer my jiffy pellets to 5gal. pot day after sprout and when checking root system, observe the lateral growth begin about one inch from surface. Organic soil auto grower.

 

[013]

Nice rootball skirk!

If it’s an auto go for 3 gallons on first upcan, if it’s a photo you can tease more growth out by upcan to a one or two gallon and continue the veg and training. Then when that container gets totally root-bound then jump to large final container. For photos I like 7.5 or 12 gallons but bigger is ok since I have 9 foot ceilings. I’ve done 5 gallons and soil ran out of steam at 3 or 4 weeks of flower so yeah

great job on using foil to cover up the roots!!

 

[Emilya Green]

I am ruthless with my plants, and as a result I get some of the most dense rootballs I have ever seen. It should never be a race to uppot, and until your roots FILL the space you have provided for them, there is no reason to uppot, for the entire goal of starting out in a smaller container is to restrict the roots so that they have no choice but to fill that space.

So, even with a clear cup you can not see the roots inside of the center of the soil... so how do you tell when you have filled the container?

I use the wet/dry cycle to tell me what I can't see. When I water, I fill that soil all the way until it can not hold any more water, or it simply runs out of the bottom. Then I time the plant to see how long it takes for it to use all of that water, until that container is so light that there is NO water weight left in it. At first, because of the lack of roots, it might take 5-7 days to drain that cup, but on each wet/dry cycle the roots get stronger, and the next time I find the plant has drained the container in 3-4 days. Each cycle the time diminishes, until finally the roots are so strong and so numerous in that container (and you will be able to see it) that the plant can drain the water in 1 day.

When you reach this point, it is time to uppot. If you go much further you will become rootbound and you will reach a point of diminishing returns, ie, the plant will slow down. Upot to a container at least 3x bigger, and start again... always teasing out those roots by using the wet/dry cycle.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

I've been watering/feeding every six days, with a little water spritzing in between. I guess I should switch from spritzing to full water at this point.

When the time comes, I'll be moving the girls into three gallon pots where they'll stay. I don't have the room for 2 five gallon pots.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

 

[Oldhippie59]

I am ruthless with my plants, and as a result I get some of the most dense rootballs I have ever seen. It should never be a race to uppot, and until your roots FILL the space you have provided for them, there is no reason to uppot, for the entire goal of starting out in a smaller container is to restrict the roots so that they have no choice but to fill that space.

So, even with a clear cup you can not see the roots inside of the center of the soil... so how do you tell when you have filled the container?

I use the wet/dry cycle to tell me what I can't see. When I water, I fill that soil all the way until it can not hold any more water, or it simply runs out of the bottom. Then I time the plant to see how long it takes for it to use all of that water, until that container is so light that there is NO water weight left in it. At first, because of the lack of roots, it might take 5-7 days to drain that cup, but on each wet/dry cycle the roots get stronger, and the next time I find the plant has drained the container in 3-4 days. Each cycle the time diminishes, until finally the roots are so strong and so numerous in that container (and you will be able to see it) that the plant can drain the water in 1 day.

When you reach this point, it is time to uppot. If you go much further you will become rootbound and you will reach a point of diminishing returns, ie, the plant will slow down. Upot to a container at least 3x bigger, and start again... always teasing out those roots by using the wet/dry cycle.

Wow great info! I guess my 3 gal pots are to small for the full grow? I am at 48 days and scared that I am not skilled enough to attempt uppot.

 

[Auggie]

You exposed the roots?
To light?
Air?

Exposed the roots ... *shudder*
To light.
To air.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

Wow great info! I guess my 3 gal pots are to small for the full grow? I am at 48 days and scared that I am not skilled enough to attempt uppot.

The strain I grow, Dark Angel, is not a big plant. I'm limited by my five foot tall tent.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

Today's photo of the girls (prior to feeding). Do I assume correctly when I say there are no roots near the top of the soil because it's too dry? I have a humidifier in the room and I spray water on the soil daily (just a little).

Will this dry area be a problem for me?

 

[Emilya Green]

Today's photo of the girls (prior to feeding). Do I assume correctly when I say there are no roots near the top of the soil because it's too dry? I have a humidifier in the room and I spray water on the soil daily (just a little).

Will this dry area be a problem for me?

yes, your eyes are lying to you because you are not seeing the specialized roots that actually are there in that top inch to 2 inches of soil. In that area there will be a very fine mesh of "spreader" roots, some highly specialized roots that are what defines this plant, this weed, as being a predator. This very fine mesh of spreader roots is designed to suck up all of the surface water during a heavy morning dew or a light sprinkling, before the surrounding plants can get to it with their less specialized and deeper roots. So, there are two reasons that top of the cup is so dry... first, gravity. The second reason is the incredible efficiency of those very fine spreader roots.

So I am curious what your wet/dry cycle time looks like right now... about 2.5 -3 days between waterings?

 

[Doctor Trevor]

2.5 to 3 days. not counting light spritzing on the soil. Even with a humidifier, I'm having trouble getting the humidity past 40%.

The spritzing is just that. A light spraying with a plant sprayer to keep the surface soil from drying out too much.

With the plastic container, it's easy to see when the soil is drying out.

 

[Emilya Green]

They are looking great, and I love the clear cups when used down inside of a colored cup, so that you can take a look "inside" any time you wish. Always keep in mind though that most of the root action is taking place in the center of that cup, where you can't see. The outside wrapping is however what happens as lateral growth hits the sides, and the more of that you have, the better.
Wait till you see what happens on the outside as the rootball gets dense enough to drain that cup in 36 hours or less... it will be impressive.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

I got these cups three for a dollar; couldn't beat that price. Maybe, next time, I'll start with a pint container and step up to a gallon and finally to a three gallon pot.

They're both getting to the point where I would train them. Should I wait until after the transpotting? If I do it now, the root ball would grow a little faster, right?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Emilya Green]

Unless it is a first topping, I usually wait till I am out of the cups and in a 1 gal at least before I start real training. Right now its all about the roots.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

I'm referring to first topping.

I figure the plants have a little growth spurt after this is done and the roots would grow a little more, allowing me to transpot a little sooner.

 

[Emilya Green]

I'm referring to first topping.

I figure the plants have a little growth spurt after this is done and the roots would grow a little more, allowing me to transpot a little sooner.

yes indeed... i just topped one of my plants in solo cups, and I didn't uppot her until she could drain that cup in a day.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

Two days ago, I flushed the girls with three quarts of water, each. Today, prior to feeding them, their pots were pretty light. And the leaves were drooping.

I plan to transpot them each in a three gallon pot sometime between this coming Friday and Sunday.

 

[Deketx]

Wow great info! I guess my 3 gal pots are to small for the full grow? I am at 48 days and scared that I am not skilled enough to attempt uppot.

No need to up pot at this point. It's all about nutes and watering now.

Dr Trevor, I have nothing to add you have the cannabis Sherpa to guide you. Do what she says and you'll be ok.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

I definitely will.

 

[Doctor Trevor]

I watered the girls, today. I'm now doing this every other day; today, it was 1.25 cups of water in each quart pot.

Sunday, I'll be transpotting to three gallon pots.