This question has been bugging me for a while now. Is there a reason most guides say to plant seeds in small containers first and then transplant them later into their larger pots? Is it detrimental to your seedling if it starts in the large pot first? This post pertains to growing with Fox Farms Ocean soil if that makes any difference at all.
I, too, have read several place that use the same transplanting methods (first small then big), but I have also read that you can place them in a big pot to start off with. I too would like to know the answer to this question. Good question DetachableMonk.
the way i will be doing it on my 2nd ever grow will be to start in a small jiffy pot...then transplant pot and all into final container once the plant has good root establishment...the jiffy pot bio-degrades...the smaller initial container, i believe, allows for more specific watering area and thus more efficient root intake and oxygenation of the soil for the seedlings...i'm nooby though but this is how i will do it...also use squirt bottle to water seedling at first...keep moisture in upper half of medium where the roots are...gll
A bigger pot will hold more water and if the plant is small it wont use it all and you could get root rot... On another note MJ is just a weed that can be grown nearly anywhere so I think it's all about just given your plants the best chance. you wouldnt put a new born baby in a double bed would you'it would be a nice cosie cott
I'm pretty sure its to get a solid root structure, but correct me if I'm wrong. Also its easier to get light on a bunch of small containers, think about the light distribution you would need for 10 3-5 gallon containers as aposed to 10 1/2 pint containers. Although there is no reason why you can not start your seeds in bigger pots.
it's also wise to keep the seedling and her soil warm, as stated above, and humid for first couple weeks, heating pad under the seedlings small container...if you are curious how water and other things move through the plant you can read this...http://www.cannabisguide.com/logistics_guide.php gl.
You can start in a big pot, but after watering the water in the soil will gradually trickle downward, leaving the top of the soil -- where you baby plant's roots are -- dried out. You might think your soil is damp, and it might be for a full root system, but not for the seedling. And if you try to compensate by watering more frequently then you will waterlog the soil, where the roots eventually will grow to. So basically it's hard to know how to give the right amount of water at the right intervals to a seedling in a large pot. By starting in a smaller pot you can control soil moisture conditions around the roots better, which leads to better, healthier development of the root system.