Need the soilmasters! Root bound in 5gal?!

[Guest]

Hey fellow dankers!

I need some assistance with this as I've never run into it before and am not quite sure what to do.

Strain: Mist of Destruction
Weeks Flowered: 10
Weeks left: 5

Problem: She's in a 5gal bucket with soil - and has now begun to require water every other day.... this indicates to me she's root bound or damn close, as I usually transplant when they need water more often than every 4 days.

Possible solution: Thought about adding a small amount of soil moist to her so the soil would retain more water....however this does not fix the real problem - she's out growing a fucking 5gal bucket!!!!

Any idea's? I'm not afraid to transplant her though I really really dont want to as she's already 10weeks in and in the biggest container I have. If I were to move her, what the hell could I use that would take approx the same space as a bucket? I thought about a 15gal rez but they are rectangles and would never fit.

Arrghh....Can I say it? Can I? WHY ME.

 

[Tradescantia]

She must be a big girl!

Mulch that bitch!

Mulch helps to keep the soil from drying out and promotes consistent soil temps.

Or you could always transplant?

2c's

-Zebrina

 

[PhishHead]

you could put her in a rubber maid or just get a bigger pot and just transplant her carefully.

 

[Guest]

Right on... I'll give the soil moist/mulch a whirl. She's fuckin huge (just how I like em!) - veg'ed her for a while knowing the sativa would reach for the stars. Just didnt think she's outgrow a 5gal home.

 

[Guest]

I'd put it in a 15gallon pot and bury the 5 gal at least half way so it can support itself and fill around it to keep it stable. It will grow out the holes in the bottom and use the new soil, give it a good watering and it will find the moist soil beneath it. Irie, bud

 

[cjk]

mulch, makes a world of difference

 

[Piffington]

I don't see a point in transplanting after 10 weeks...unless there's a serious deficiency...like JJ implied, the roots wouldn't be growing anymore at this point...I say let her finish up in the 5 gal....if you must transplant get one of those rubbermaid trash cans and drill a bunch of holes on the bottom, now you know this lady needs more than 5 gal for next time...take care

 

[GMT]

With only 5 weeks left to flower, it's not worth transplanting. It would delay her finishing at this point, and wouldnt add much to the final weight. 15 weeks is a hell of a flower time though, she may suprise you and finish quicker.

 

[Guest]

Ya all read my mind - no way in hell did I want to transplant her...otherwise I woulda done it instead of asking for the master's advice

I was just concerned because I have never had a plant require daily waterings in a 5gal. Closest I've gotten was when I planted 2 in the same bucket (dumb) and that still only needed water every other day.

However I did learn somethin... I didnt know the root system growth shutdown in late flowering. Figured them to be the one thing that is a constant during the grow. Good info to know!

Thanks! I'm off to pickup some mulch now...

 

[GMT]

Well, I recently had to "Hide" my plants. One wouldn't fit into the hiding spot. So I had to unpot it, detroy the outer roots, and squish it in (at 5 weeks flower). After the all clear sounded, I yanked the plants out of hiding, and repotted them. The one whose roots were reduced, then regrew the roots to the permitter of available space and re-filled in. Delaying the flowering time. Very handy when you want to delay a girl so that you can seed her with a late male, but not so handy when you want the bud off her. Just pointing out that given the chance to grow more roots, they will, regardless of the stage of flowering. But it delays the finish.

 

[mmm420socal]

I'd put it in a 15gallon pot and bury the 5 gal at least half way so it can support itself and fill around it to keep it stable. It will grow out the holes in the bottom and use the new soil, give it a good watering and it will find the moist soil beneath it. Irie, bud

THis is a good idea... OR do a duplex bucket setup...

Take your 5 gallon bucket, carefully cut some BIG holes in the bottom (utility knife, small saw..you got enough roots you can cut a few and it will survive)

Now set your original 5 gallon bucket on TOP of the new 5 gallon bucket, full of soil. Support it with rope or whatever you can so it won't topple over.

Now as Budular said the roots will go down out of the original 5gallon pot into the 2nd 5 gallon pot and you'll get double the root zone capacity.

Another way would be to pack the 5gallon bucket inside of an 18 gallon rubber maid bin, full of soil with the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket opened as mentioned....

Ive done 1 gallon paint buckets into 18 gallon rubber maids before, same concept except the 1 gal paint buckets are much thinner and easier to cut.


Good luck.


M

 

[R00KIE]

I wouldn't transplant personally, your this far along now, and if she is only drinking a ton that doesn't really mean she's rootbound, just means she's thirsty..
Rootbound, you get deficiencies, droopy leaves, slow growth..
The more water she drinks the more food she eats...
She'll be fine, just a heck of a lot more work...
Edit: Double potting works well, if you have the height for it, however if you lack height it's not a good option...

 

[Maj.PotHead]

no matter what size container after the 1st wk i'm watering every other day also and havent been root bound yet that gose from the size of 3x3x3 inch 2 liter soda bottle 1gal bag 2 gal bag 5 gal bag 6 gal square container. i'll keep clones in the 3x3x3's for upwards of 5-6wks n/p if needed