Cutting the Taproot Transplanting a Seedling

Discussion in 'Advanced Growing Techniques' started by MtRainDog, Nov 4, 2015.

  1. After reading the OG Bonsai mothers guide by Oldtimer, one thing stuck out to me, cutting the taproot off the young plant when transplanting.


    In his guide, Oldtimer suggests that doing so forces the auxillary side roots to spread out, discouraging the taproot from growing like mad and wrapping around the bottom of your pot. The result? an extremely healthy and widespread root system.


    After some google fu, and looking on other gardening sites, there isn't much real knowledge of this. Most responses are along the lines, "are you nuts?! don't cut the taproot! it's certain death!" etc etc


    So does anyone out there do this? Specifically I'm thinking about cutting the taproot once as I transfer from the solo cup the plant(s) rooted in to a larger more permanent pot.


    If you do this, what should we expect? Any stunted growth? Should we use any products to ease the plants pain so to speak?




     
  2. #2 MtRainDog, Nov 4, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 4, 2015
    Oh, and I should state that I'm not asking this in the context of only taking cuts from a mother plant. I'm wanting to know if cutting the taproot can be applied to any young (cannibas) plant, even one grown from seed.
     
  3. I'd be more in favor of teasing the roots with a pick , claw, or your hand to lightly break up a root bound pot
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  4. thanks picasso.


    The more I think about this, I'm wondering if I'm confusing this with normal root pruning.


    Does one normally root prune when transplanting to a larger pot? Or is it as you say, just break-up the root bondage on the outside of the root ball?
     
  5. no, no and no.


    And no.


    J
     
  6. Clones don't have tap roots, they have a number of roots that grow out in all directions from day one.


    Seedlings have that single tap root that runs down deep and then eventually bushes out.


    Cutting the tap root is like topping the main shoot, and letting the tap root hit the bottom of the pot and encircle it is like LSTing by bending the top shoot over.


    Because we as marijuana growers want to grow our plants as quickly as possible and the life of them is very short, we don't care how they look and certainly not for the long term so we don't cut roots.


    If you want to keep a house plant in a small pot, and alive for many years without it growing out of control, then root pruning is a good way of achieving this. But for quickly growing a plant as big as you can in just a few months then leave the roots alone
     
  7. Crazy

    Sent from my SM-G900F using Grasscity Forum mobile app
     
  8. Yea I accidentally cut the bottom part of my tap root in my one seedling transplanting it. I've read both good and bad things and hoping more for the best of course lol. It sucks when it happens just to let those of you out know how it feels haha. But I took quick action and hope everything pans out.
     
  9. It will probably be fine - just because plants are very resilient, but there's no way I'd even think about doing it on purpose like OP was planning on doing.
     
  10. Yea I've been checking on her and she is thriving. Took off the past two days. I'm not necessarily saying it's because of what happened but I'm just happy it's doing well. I agree on not doing it on purpose. It's just something I wouldn't want to risk doing every time.
     
  11. There is a rooting hormone in the bottom few centimeters of a tap root, cutting it off slows root growth.
     
  12. cutting the tap root from preventing it wrapping around your 'round' pot don't work as its the side roots that wrap around the the pot with the tap getting a big kink in it, normal growers avoid round pots for that reason or at least use large enough pots to prevent root bounding the plant = HORT 101
     
  13. proove it
     

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