Is it too early to start vegging clones for outdoor? Pot size?

[plantingplants]

If I get young clones now, and put them in 7 gal pots in an often-shaded hoophouse will they be too old to put in 300 gals in first week of June? I hear I should plant fresher ones in June, ie start vegging clones in early or mid April....

Also, will 7 gallons be big enough to veg in a greenhouse for 2.5 months?

 

[WelderDan]

Too old? That's a new one.

Depending where you are, and what the genetics are, they may start flowering if you put them in a greenhouse now, unless you have supplemental lighting.

 

[plantingplants]

There are multiple mentions of big plant growers saying they would prefer younger clones to older ones. I think the idea is that fresh starts are more vigorous.

 

[Tynehead Tom]

where I'm at, it's still hitting -5 to -10 at night and if we're lucky, plus 7 or 8 daytime, full sun.
be awesome to have a heated greenhouse for these temps but it just ain't possible.
so I have a small 6 x 10 grow space set up for vegging my outdoor plants on 16/8. I start from seed every year at the magic time of the moon phase in march or april.
I have a calendar for the seasons sunrise and sunset and 2 weeks before I put them outside into my basic hoop and plastic greenhouse I start matching the natural sunrise and sunset of my geographic location.
this year I plan to try and get them in 2 weeks earlier at finish so I can beat early frost in beginning sept (near 3000ft elevation western Canada) and will be trying my hand at hillbilly light depravation near mid july.

 

[plantingplants]

I should mention I'm in Norther CA and night temps are like 40f. I do have supplemental lighting and I'm going to warm it up at night just a little bit to help with growth.

 

[_tessarecting]

Seeds dont flower like clones...put a string of worklights in the hoop on a timer so they get at least 16 hours, cover at night if neighbors are near

 

[Lochinvar]

There are multiple mentions of big plant growers saying they would prefer younger clones to older ones. I think the idea is that fresh starts are more vigorous.

hey there, a little older is ok if you do not let them get rootbound. they must be healthy and vigorous when you clone. you might have to use 10 gls. i prefer starting a week or 2 later; then i only need 5 and 7 gl pots before final transplant. also, graduate the daylight hours down to 16ish before cutting the sup lighting. anything wanting to flower after all this, aint large plant worthy. my opinion only. good luck

 

[plantingplants]

Here's the answer:

Quote:
Originally Posted by oct
They will be way bound up in 7 gallons. If you can buy clones anytime, wait as long as possible. I don't even take cuttings until the second week of april. Big starts are a bitch to transplant, bloom easier and don't really have any benefits.

Originally Posted by Shcrews
This is pretty much right. Full season clones should be cut in April. They should be fine in 7gal pots though for at least 4-6 weeks before they go in the ground. I start seeds in 4" pots for about 2 weeks, then the 7gal smarties for about 6 weeks , then into the ground. If you think your starts might get rootbound then you probably started them too soon. small young healthy starts will eventually outgrow larger rootbound ones

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=7394804&postcount=309

 

[plantingplants]

Here's another good post I found:

Howdy feral and welcome

Ulysses and SmokeAnother too!

Im at 38ish as well.

Many years of outdoor growing and moving in and out is going to force me too disagree a little but thats ok, i almost always hope to hear more than 1 opinion on any given subject and its something I would recommend to all. Its always good to hear and take into account, alternate views.

There is never a benefit from pregrowing plants for more than about 30 days. Root binding, unatural lighting schedules and shock all result in growth delays after transplanting. It is my assertion feral that a plant pregrown indoors for 60 days will never be as big and healthy or finish as fast as a seedling planted right beside it.It took about 5 years of that happening for me to realize that will happen every time. 30 days is your optimum pregrow in my view,

Mimic the outside conditions with your lighting. If your going to transplant on may 1, then your lighting should be set on 14.5. Lighting variations are very hard on cannabis and going from 18 or 16hrs to 14.5 will be traumatic, and will result in flowering and growth delay by up to 3 weeks. It has the same effect as cutting the lights back to force a plant to show its sex and then resetting the lighting at normal day lenght which is a sure fire way delay flowering. It would be my suggestion that the minute sunshine and temps will allow you to start setting them outdooors during the day, i would go for it, especially if you can get them outdoors by the 3rd week of groth when in my mind is the beginning of sex determination. I find plants that sexed under the spring times bright blue sun have a 30% better chance of being female . For several years now, I have started my plants during the first week of April, because a couple of weeks later, i can begin setting them outdoors during the day.




Double the importance of these recommendations if using femmed seed which is what i would use if i were you. No culling of males, just sprout, plant and harvest. Its been a new world since i discovered them.

Im sure you'lll hear other opinions on the issue. Good luck with it.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=114905

 

[stoned-trout]

my greenhouse plants are in full flower...yeehaw