Like every newbie gardener, the idea of having to transplant seemed too daunting when I started my first grow over 10 years ago. I planted my seeds in the final four or five gallon pots and never thought twice about it. It probably goes without saying, but it took my plant almost two full months to get over ten inches tall. This experience was enough to impress upon me the importance and the benefits of transplanting. One of my buddies recently started growing and even though I was helping him in the beginning he seems to have gotten an attitude like he knows what's best for his garden and also in regard to various techniques or changes I have suggested. For the most part, I have just given up trying to tell him how to do things properly, but I regard transplanting as such an easy and helpful skill to have as a gardener that I can't fathom his obstinate refusal to even learn how to do it. The way I was taught to transplant, my plants essentially undergo no stress at all beyond a couple days of slowed growth while establishing roots in the new soil. I believe it would require a minimum of 33% more time to achieve the same height in the same conditions without transplanting at all. I have explained that to him as well as why it is more difficult for plants to use water and nutrients in a pot that is too big and what sort of problems that can create, but he doesn't listen. Could anyone produce or refer me to some irrefutable evidence or very compelling arguments for transplanting? I know I should just let my friend learn the hard way since he's being an ungrateful and stubborn fool, but this is one thing I really want to help him understand... Sent from my LG-V410 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
From my experience transplanting is just a method most growers use. Most people transplant because it's a lot more expensive to put all your plants in 20+ gallon containers from the get go. You end up using more water and nutrients to treat the larger volume of soil. Not to mention many folks will selectively choose which plants they wish to keep, and everyone usually tosses the males. So why waste soil and nutrients on plants you are not going to keep? The reason small pots work well for smaller plants is because it allows more air to reach the roots allowing for more rapid root development. It's also much easier to correct ph and nutrient problems. However when the plant reaches a size which is too large for the container it hits a growth wall and the plant can use up all the water in its pot really fast requiring frequent watering just to stay moist. Transplanting is usually only helpful to the smaller plants to get them going faster. It also reduces the cost overhead of soil, water, and nutrients. Any grower that doesn't understand why people transplant is just plain ignorant.
Thank you for the succinct reply. For people with more space and equipment at their disposal it may not be as big of an issue, but for those of us working with maybe 2 or 3 small 8' -12' square areas really need to cycle our plants efficiently. He has a 6' tall tent with a 2'x4' footprint, and a 6-7' tall home constructed 2.5'x5' closet. Even if he plants a seed the moment he frees up space he ends up having to wait a couple extra weeks before he can flower because the plant does virtually nothing for 2-3 weeks in the beginning. His reasoning for not doing it is that he doesn't want to risk stressing out the plant and also doesn't believe it makes that big of a difference. It's funny because he has come over before when my plants are at 5 weeks and been shocked by how big they were and I grow under 4xT8 (2x3000k and 2x5000k) fluorescent lights for most of veg. Lol Sent from my LG-V410 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Transplanting just helps avoid over watering.. If you know how to avoid it starting in large pots it doesn't matter
Show him your root system vs no xplant roots. No xplant roots concentrate around the outside and bottom of pots, xplant roots have more roots in the center, like a rootball. I went to small starter pots to start to get more plants under light footprint before reducing numbers thru sexing male/female. Could see the growth rate diff between starting large pots vs small. If worried about xplant stress, I get zero stress by starting in 32oz styro cups (pennies a cup in bulk), and slitting the sides with a xacto knive and peel away the cup from the roots, no stress as the cup slips away.
Plants are still growing an extensive root system below ground while it appears there's not much going on above. The deal is though that once they do get some roots behind them in a larger container they'll end up growing quicker than the plant in the smaller container simply because they have more roots to back them up once they hit their stride. 6 of one/half dozen of another, IMO, providing plants other needs have been met. Providing these conditions have been met plant roots can grow extremely fast. I can transplant from a beer cup to a 1 gallon pot and in a week or so it's time to transplant again - which can be a real PITA because I work so much. It does all depend on sufficient lighting, nutrition and environmental factors as well, though. I believe transplanting more often is more important for smaller gardens than a larger garden with really good lighting, nutrition and environment dialed in. I clone in beer cups, usually transplant to 1-2 gallon pots and then once they're around a foot tall they hit my final larger container size. FWIW. My $.02c. J
Thanks, guys. My main concern is just that he doesn't transplant at all. I always transplant from the plug to the final pot and I feel like allowing it to build up a really nice root bundle makes it spread more evenly throughout, especially in the first few weeks which is really my main point. He grows autos sometimes and, although I don't actually have any first-hand experience with them, I would be willing to bet that planting them in a plug and transplanting them once to the final pot would lead to a markedly bigger final plant since autos are essentially on a timer. More than half of the autoflowering guides I have read have advised against transplanting at all but I feel like this has more to do with these guides being designed for beginners than it does transplanting actually being a "bad idea", especially when you're able to do it without subjecting the plant to too much stress. I am going to experiment with this next summer and maybe that's what it will take to settle it once and for all. I will plant 2/10 of my Dutch Passion Auto Euphoria in the final pot and compare the results to those started in planter plug thingies. Sent from my LG-V410 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
This is a 6 of one half dozen of the other argument. You have people on both sides. I have to say the dominant opinion I've heard is you want a minimum of 3 transplants in a soil plant. A sprouting cup, a vegging gallon or two container, then a final that's 3-10 gallons. I've always heard from the old blades that they actually grow faster like that for whatever reason. I've always been told they get stagnant going in a large pot too soon. I don't have any experience comparing the two methods but because of what I had heard I did transplant mine. I had minimal problems with shock when transplanting and experienced not more than a day or two max of slow down after transplanting. All this knowledge is based on standard indicas and sativas. Don't forget that auto's are a different species and behave differently on many levels. One huge thing being that you can't clone them. They grow differently and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't care to be transplanted. It's a new learning experience growing autos. I don't want to be stuck buying seeds every grow so for that reason I'm out for now.
I ordered the autos by mistake. Whoops! I meant to order 10 feminized and accidentally chose the autoflowering version. I would be more inclined to accept that transplanting autos is bad if any of the people that have told him not to had ever actually tried. I know autos require a bit different care, but the development, physiologically speaking, isn't that different. It seems to me if I can transplant a regular plant with virtually no stress, I could do the same with an auto. That is why I plan on trying it both ways. Then I will know for sure. Sent from my LG-V410 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I'm growing the autos outdoors next summer. That seems like the best way to go up here in Alaska. I am not keen on the idea of "trash bagging" my plants every single day, so I had intended on ordering autos eventually...just not 8 months before I actually needed them. lol Sent from my LG-V410 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
My buddy has white widow and ak47 actually budding outdoors here. We'll see if it finishes. It's starting to get rainy and cold already. I told him to tent it but he wanted to see what it would do.
Get off your soapbox... 33% of your rhetoric is unsubstantiated. No wonder your friend doesn't listen to your myopic point of view. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Get off my soapbox? If you saw the condition of his plants you would understand, but I'm guessing you're just trolling. I am friends with a few commercial growers with decades of experience and my friends aren't, so I like to impart the wisdom as it was imparted to me. I don't think touting the benefits of the efficiency of transplanting in a small, indoor garden setting it in any way "myopic". Perhaps you should double check the definition of the word. I don't have to provide a bibliography to know that what I'm saying is "substantiated" and I don't need an internet troll to validate my worth as a gardener. Thanks for the insightful tip, bud. Ayahuasca Purple Grow Journal Nirvana Grow Journal Just 4 Growers Just 4 Growers: YouTube
Your "friends" are growers. Maybe we should be talking to them. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum