I dont get why on most of the Grow Guides I read, it says to start of using a party cup or a small pot and then transplant? Why not just start of using a 3 or 5 gallon pot so you dont have to worry about transplanting which can stress the plant? I'm asking because im thinking of LST'ing my plant and dont want to go through the hassle of transplanting while my plant is tied down...
No reason that I know of except its a waste of soil, requires more space and has a bigger probability of inadvertent overwatering. That and if you make a fert mistake its a lot harder to fix. Transplanting if done right will not stress your plant 1 bit.
You can start in a big pot. However, it's easier to maintain proper watering in a small volume. I believe it can also be beneficial to keep the roots in a smaller area at first -- let them thoroughly exploit the volume of a smaller pot (but not root bound) to be well established for transplant into a larger volume, whereas if starting in a larger pot the roots will spread deep and wide but not well developed (fewer secondary and tertiary hairs). I don't base that on anything specific, just seems right to me. Chimera has a good point about controlling ferts as well.
i have noticed this first hand (currently watching growth of 2 plants in 10 inch pots vs. 2 plants in small party cups)... the ones in bigger pots are easy to overwater and they are growing slow
Waste of soil, how so? If anything you are actually saving soil because you dont ever have to transplant out of any small pot. Requires more space, again how so? You are going to have to transplant them to bigger pots anyways so why not just save a step and start of with a big pot? Fertilizer mistake? Well isnt in recommended to not use ferts until like after 4-5 weeks of the plants life and by then you should have already transplanted right?
LMAO! Smartarse. FWIW I'm with Toasty on this one, and my opinion is based on exactly the same scientific evidence as his too. How very odd.
lol, didnt mean to sound like a smartass. I should have not wrote the "how so" phrases lol... Any other input guys would be greatly appreciated...
Wow thats so nuts, I was just about to post the same question in Growing indoors section when I thought let me check out AB section first. ANd boom HERE IT IS
More like not until after 2 weeks. Some don't go by the calendar but by when the cotyledons start to yellow.
i always thought that by utilizing a small container then transplanting from that container , the plants stem would be more sturdy & stronger than if you started in a pot that grows it till finish
very true, when transplanting its generally accepted that u bury the stem up to the lowest healthy node...this helps stem strength and creates new roots at the top of the soil.. u cant do that with a pot u do start to finish. I have seen many plants with about 6-12 inches of just stem(leaves had died and fell off lower nodes) because they started it in the pot they finished it in and they couldnt bury the stem deeper
I believe you could overcome come this. you could still backfill as the sprout grew even back light off a bit to promote a little stretch. however, I agree with toasty and rabiez. transplanted at the proper time, seedlings have multiple developed root systems, way beneficial to the plant's ability to take in nutrients.