Roots Above Ground

I know its an old school technique; I dont know the official technique name, but
basically, when you transplant your growing plant into another larger one, and instead of planting the rootball completely with soil, you make it so the top part of the root ball above the soil line so the actually show. The roots turn into some thick stem looking things.

My question is, what, if any impact does growing this way have on the yield/speed/size.quality?
I've heard ppl do this to better aerate the roots but idk

I'm no expert, but this just doesn't sound like a good idea for a couple reasons: 1.) Roots would be exposed to light. 2.) Exposed roots would be more likely to rot/mold.

Maybe I'm wrong. But it would look more like an old ass tree with roots partially above ground. It'd look like a cool bonsai tree.

Auzzie07 said:

I'm no expert, but this just doesn't sound like a good idea for a couple reasons: 1.) Roots would be exposed to light. 2.) Exposed roots would be more likely to rot/mold.

Maybe I'm wrong. But it would look more like an old ass tree with roots partially above ground. It'd look like a cool bonsai tree.

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Youd think so, but there was an article in High Times a few years ago about how great it was i just cant remember what it said,

the only obvious advantage i see is just extra room... i imagined the old soil root ball only 1/4 in the new pot so its quite abit higher than the pot instead of only having abit more room to go downwards it would have even extra

but then again the bigger pot you transplant into the less need for it

i bet theres a better reason thou thats all i could see

I do this all of the time when transplanting from 3 gallon pot to 7 gallon. I leave the root ball exposed about 6-8 inches. All that happens is the roots stop growing out and resume growing down. The only problem I have had is water spilling over the top of the 7 gallon pot, if you do not center the transplant.

This is actually beneficial for a grow. The light will dehydrate the exposed roots promoting root branching on the parts of the roots that remain in the soil unexposed.

buddy of mine does this and grows some killer buds!..like you said in the first post,the roots turn into these solid thick roots,almost looks like roots from a big ass tree that are on the top of the dirt before they go down!...ive never tryed it just cause i dont like the looks of it at all and im a strong beliver that roots DONT LIKE LIGHT!....but like i said a buddy of mine grows killer buds and his roots always show at the top!

WITH ROOTS ABOVE AND BRANCHES BELOW (The Devil Wears Prada)

GNOME GROWN said:

buddy of mine does this and grows some killer buds!..like you said in the first post,the roots turn into these solid thick roots,almost looks like roots from a big ass tree that are on the top of the dirt before they go down!...ive never tryed it just cause i dont like the looks of it at all and im a strong beliver that roots DONT LIKE LIGHT!....but like i said a buddy of mine grows killer buds and his roots always show at the top!

WITH ROOTS ABOVE AND BRANCHES BELOW (The Devil Wears Prada)

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I respect your devotion to your opinion, no matter how wrong it is *nudge*nudge jk lol

whats so wrong about it?....

GNOME GROWN said:

whats so wrong about it?....

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it was a joke...

I dont know that you are wrong. It was recommended by high times for some reason. Theres gotta be some value to it.

i agree....

Hmmm weird, might try it.

Well i looked for pics but I dont know the name of the technique. I just wish you could see it.......theres gotta be something to it.

I will gladly change my ways and begin to use that technique if we can find some scientific evidence or even a grow journal that supports the idea.

Auzzie07 said:

I will gladly change my ways and begin to use that technique if we can find some scientific evidence or even a grow journal that supports the idea.

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i will gladly change my way if you blah blah blah...

Why does everything some says on this site has to be "proven" with some sort of citation? This isn't college, your just a stoner on this site, no matter how smart or how many degrees you have. If I wanna give a citation I will, otherwise, if you care so much about trying it (or proving me wrong) look it up your self on that big world wide web thingie.
All I said was that i saw it in high times, and HT is like the pot head news (no matter how many bullshit advertisments they stick in it). People who have grown a lot longer, and probably a lot more, than you use this technique. You can do whatever you want my little huckleberry.

All I can say I growing is a science and an art, you cant just stop leaning shit because you have figured out a way that works for you. Theres information and techniques out there to be learned that can open your eyes to things you never thought you try. So read a book...

This technique sounds interesting. Does it shock the roots into rapid growth right after a transplant. I might try this.

Beansly said:

i will gladly change my way if you blah blah blah...

Why does everything some says on this site has to be "proven" with some sort of citation? This isn't college, your just a stoner on this site, no matter how smart or how many degrees you have. If I wanna give a citation I will, otherwise, if you care so much about trying it (or proving me wrong) look it up your self on that big world wide web thingie.
All I said was that i saw it in high times, and HT is like the pot head news (no matter how many bullshit advertisments they stick in it). People who have grown a lot longer, and probably a lot more, than you use this technique. You can do whatever you want my little huckleberry.

All I can say I growing is a science and an art, you cant just stop leaning shit because you have figured out a way that works for you. Theres information and techniques out there to be learned that can open your eyes to things you never thought you try. So read a book...

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Whoa, calm down, amigo. I'm just saying that there is probably some evidence on whether or not this is a good idea on the internet. Whether it be at RIT, or on another forum, or on a university's horticulture department website. The information is certainly out there somewhere with some evidence.

And as far as some stoner on a site...that doesn't simplify a person down to simply that. Everyone of us is a complex person beyond the stoner persona you've given us. But anyway, didn't want to step on your toes, it just sounds unnatural. That's all I'll leave it at.

i did this on accident to one of my plants a while ago. she seems very well tho. 6 weeks into 12/12. she does have some gnarly thick roots, very pretty, really.

Beansly said:

Youd think so, but there was an article in High Times a few years ago about how great it was i just cant remember what it said,

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HT is full of cheese. It's just a bad idea for this particular plant species. You don't need adventitious (anchoring) non feeding roots. That root profile works well for corn farmers who have to deal with wind damage from storms. Having said that, it is common for cannabis to produce adventitious roots later on in its life cycle, doesn't mean it does the plant any good. It's usually a result of soil in the pot settling over time and the exposed root mass lignifying. I just add soil to bring the level back up in the pot while maintaining at least an inch watering well.

The proper way to upcan, the "Bendejo Way", is to strip the bottom most leaf petioles off the plant, at least those that are marginally healthy, and bury that sucker as deep as you can. Anyone that has grown tomatoes (or cannabis) knows the value of this drill - it produces an incredible mass of roots along the submerged trunk which results in increased uptake of water and salts. Burying the trunk deep is a product of common sense botany, not some bullshit gimmick designed to sell magazines to noobs.

As a gardener, your focus should only be on the development and maintenance of roots and foliage.

Good luck,
UB

Having used this technique for the last 6 years, and having not read high times since the second issue, I believe calling this technique a bad idea is - well, a bad idea. I originally started to step transplanted root balls to give the tap roots more room to stretch. The result is a solid bud ball that fills the second pot. The plants grow well and the harvest weight is acceptable, so I would call it a success - not a bad idea.