how many times is normal to transplant?

[vindiesel]

i plan on growing seedlings in 1 qt pots, then transplanting into 2 gallon pots. right before flowering transplant to 4 gallon pot. is this good or should i just go from 1 qt seedling pots to the 4 gallon...? thanks.
vin

 

[chimei]

It really depends on veg time and strain.

I usually transplant 2 times. Start from seed in 20 oz cups to like 1 gallon containers till sexed then into 3 gallon for finish of veg for like a week or 2 till flower. If I vegged for 1.5 months more after the 1 gallon containers I would have to go to like 5 gallon containers for flowering.

Your plan sounds like plenty of room for growth if your roots grow as quick as mine do any you don't plan on an extended veg time.

 

[vindiesel]

ice cream 1st. then bogglegum and/or bubba kush...

 

[Dr Dog]

I will transplant about 3 times a grow

I start with 4 inch pots, then into 1 gall, and then depending on what I have planned into either 3,4, or 5 gal pots

 

[Americangrower]

The more transplants the better..ie use small pots early to help build root ball...

I use seedling trays then..into 20oz cup(w/holes) or 4" pots.. into 1 gal.

Then a week to 10 days before 12/12 or when searcher roots are coming out drain holes looking for food...I put them in either 3gal WallyWorld pots or 5 gal buckets...but I find 3 gals of dirt to be just about perfect if you add enough trace minerals, perlite/warmcastings.....yada yada...you know the rest

good luck.

 

[Guest]

i only transplant 1 time, i start seeds in solo cups, then transplant into the containers used in flowering.

it really depends on how long you veg for, if you start seeds and only veg for a 2-3 weeks, transplanting 2x doesn't seem to make any sense. you will be good for the first week and a half, then transplant and take a few days to get over transplant shock, then its time to flower, so you imediatly put it into bigger ones.

if you veg for a extended period of time, maybe it would be better.

 

[Microwido]

The more transplants the better..i

I think the exact opposite, the less transplants the better. The more stress a plants goes through early in the life the more likely it will be a male. Now if you are in a situation where space is extremely precious, then transplanting more often makes sense. Just remember that one root you snapped while transplanting is stress.

 

[Guest]

I think the exact opposite, the less transplants the better. The more stress a plants goes through early in the life the more likely it will be a male. Now if you are in a situation where space is extremely precious, then transplanting more often makes sense. Just remember that one root you snapped while transplanting is stress.

I believe this is false. Build a soild healthy root ball, then transfer if there isn't a solid rootball then you are transplanting too much..a properly done transplant creates absolutely little to no stress whatsoever. Messy transplants (like one you dropped, or somehow mishandled/broke a root?) require stress time. I haven't been growing too long but the only thing that happens with a properly timed transplant are the plants explode in growth. Also the more stress may have a play in the sex but I doubt its a considerable amount probably less than 1%... a hermie maybe another story.

Veg is to take into account but I think 3 would be about average. I go from either cups or a couple quart veg them to 3 weeks then to 1-2 gallons for a couple more weeks sometimes 3 more...depending on when they show sex, then switch to final 3 gallons wait a week then switch to 12/12. Clones...I just let the root ball grow in solid. Timing is everything in a transplant...your roots will tell you.

 

[RamCTD1027]

Anyone care to explainthe proper transplant technique to minimize stress on the plant??

Thanks.

 

[crawdad]

Hi,
I was reading over at the Bonsai/Mum thread that if you transplant into too big a container too fast yields are reduced 25-30%. I have found that if you start by germing on paper towels, then into clear party cups (12oz) then wait a couple weeks at most then go into the final pot that the plant will establish quicker. You need a lot of roots established on the outside of the dirt prior to transplant. I think starting in a 4 gallon pot with a seed is not as efficient but will work. The only prob is that its hard to water correctly.

I put my dirt in the pot then take an empty party cup and press it into the pot to make a perfect mold of the party cup. Pour some transplant/root starter solution into the hole then drop the plant in. It fits perfect. The plant does not even know what happened. If you disturb the roots you will probably get some shock.

Once in the hole soak it down good with the transplant solution. Use that again a week later. Your plants will establish quickly.

I have transplanted plants that were 5 foot tall in the middle of blooming and never skipped a beat but your not always so lucky. I had one that I transplanted at 4 foot tall in the middle of blooming and all the sucker leaves got brown spots on them and most and to be removed but the plant recovered.

I found that transplant solution helps 100%.

Hope that helps.

Crawdad.

 

[Americangrower]

I think the exact opposite, the less transplants the better. The more stress a plants goes through early in the life the more likely it will be a male. Now if you are in a situation where space is extremely precious, then transplanting more often makes sense. Just remember that one root you snapped while transplanting is stress.

lol


Come on now.....it's very simple More roots = more BUD...

Too small a pot = root bound stressed out plant..

As long as the girl is in veg and roots have USED up pot space..TRANSPLANT...

You want stress? Wait until week 5 of flower when that 1 gal pot runs out of room and then you transplant... been there done that...Ive been growing in soil since 1989...I may know a thing or 2..but who knows..

 

[vindiesel]

nice. i plan on starting in 1 qt 4" pots, then to 2 gallon pot, and then right before or after i switch to 12/12 i will do a final transplant to a 3 gallon. i've transplanted regular plants before and i don't think it stresses plant. as long as u dont beat the shit out of it trying to get out of pot...

 

[Microwido]

lol


Come on now.....it's very simple More roots = more BUD...

Too small a pot = root bound stressed out plant..

As long as the girl is in veg and roots have USED up pot space..TRANSPLANT...

So you start off bashing my statement, but then further reinforce it. I go straight into a 5 gal so the roots get 0 stress. Of course if the pot is too small u should transplant, my goal is to not run into that scenario. Because I have the room, and single stage setup, this works best. My whole point is that if you can go straight into the pot the plant will be in its whole life, that is obviously less stressful than transplanting. Now if that doesn't work for you, which i'm sure 70% of people it wont because of room/ multi stage setups, then of course a transplant is necessary and can be done with little or no harm.

 

[Americangrower]

Then your point is wrong... if you put a seedling into a 5gal pot straight from a seedling, the root ball will not grow as fast and won't use up all the room in the pot...thus less buds..



You do what ever lazy man way you want ...but don't say the results are the same..lol

not even close... tho Im sure you know more then BOG, DJ Shorts, and Soma before he went soil beds..or do they transplant just because I say it works..lol

 

[tyler]

You want stress? Wait until week 5 of flower when that 1 gal pot runs out of room and then you transplant...

but dont the roots grow only for the first few weeks of flowering? i mean if ur watering every 2-3 days at 2-3 weeks of flower, thats normal right? or do you think i may have to transplant them? (their in 3 gals atm)

thanks in advance for your answer

 

[Americangrower]

Watering every 2 or 3 days is normal for 3 gal pots with a full size flowering lady..

I wouldn't transplant a flower girl unless plant was locking out/salt build up or similar..

I transplant a week before 12/12 so I can add a tad of Guano to the flower soil mix... has always worked for me so why f ck with it..

Oh ..I have no idea how long the roots grow for but they seem to still be growing in my waste bin even after they have been chop and rob of their soil (I reuse my soil)...
be safe

 

[Guest]

Microwido you may as well be planting in mother earth if you put a seedling or new cut in a 5 gal container.Your roots will grow along the sides of the container leaving a large portion of unused soil in the middle.Sure your roots will be free as the wind but you've wasted about 3 gallons of soil.With finite container grows maximum utilization of available media is the key,and frequent transplanting is the method to achieve this.Having the rootball fill the container before transplanting up doesn't inhibit growth or damage the plant in any way,its the healthful correct way to go

 

[Guest]

Microwido you may as well be planting in mother earth if you put a seedling or new cut in a 5 gal container.Your roots will grow along the sides of the container leaving a large portion of unused soil in the middle.Sure your roots will be free as the wind but you've wasted about 3 gallons of soil.With finite container grows maximum utilization of available media is the key,and frequent transplanting is the method to achieve this.Having the rootball fill the container before transplanting up doesn't inhibit growth or damage the plant in any way,its the healthful correct way to go

This is good advice and it's what I do. I transplant 3 times to build up my root mass. Transplanting doesn't hurt healthy plants if done properly. Most people are afraid to transplant because they don't know how.

10oz Solo Cup--> 1 liter--> 3liter--> 11liter

pedro

 

[Microwido]

if you put a seedling into a 5gal pot straight from a seedling, the root ball will not grow as fast and won't use up all the room in the pot...thus less buds..

Does anyone have a side by side comparison of a plant that was transplanted often to form a root ball, and one that was put in a large container to begin with? I would love to see that.

 

[crawdad]

Hi,
Right on Pedro! Great advice gettin laid down in this thread..

I have heard that you should scour/scrape the sides of the root mass (such as shown in pedros photos), this would seem to damage the roots but actually does not, it does the opposite...promotes new root growth..

no root growth-no top growth....if your roots aint growin, nothing else is I have heard. cant say about deep into flowering.

ciao

crawdad